Reflection on Teaching Essay Example for Free

Reflection on Teaching Essay In order to challenge my theory of teaching I first need very briefly to define it. When I was taught science it was mostly through direct teaching. Any experiments performed were deductive in nature with very little input from me. When I got to college and I started performing experiments then I suddenly started having little epiphanies where facts I had learned off by heart were unexpectedly connected in ways I hadn’t understood before. So I came to think that this was what was lacking at secondary level, the experimental experience that allowed people to physically test the ‘how’ of the world around them. To put it simply people are innately curious and that exploiting this curiosity is the way to teach. From the moment they learn to talk, children constantly ask questions about everything, from â€Å"where eyebrows come from?† to â€Å"what do worms eat?† Asking questions is the way they find things out and this really is just one small step away from learning. From personal experience of teaching I think that Arnstine (1967) was correct when he said â€Å"the arousal of curiosity can lead to learning†¦for learning to occur, curiosity must be guided†. Designing lessons in such a way as to tap into the natural curiosity of students and to connect the topics on the curriculum with their everyday experiences is surely the best way to teach science. I find enquiry / constructivism extremely interesting as it encapsulates the whole get their attention approach but I think it’s misused by an awful lot of people. I think that analogies and real world examples need to be reflective of the scientific concept yet simple enough that the student can grasp it. Also it requires that the student be actively involved, activities must provide the opportunity to demonstrate learning.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"To instruct someone is not a matter of getting him to commit results to mind. Rather, it is to teach him to participate in the process that makes po ssible the establishment of knowledge. We teach a subject not to produce little living libraries on that subject, but rather to get a student to think mathematically for himself, to consider matters as an historian does, to take part in the process of knowledge-getting. Knowing is a process not a product.† (Bruner. J, The Process of Education: Towards a theory of instruction 1966: 72) So in approaching this assignment I realise that I am an ardent supporter of teaching through enquiry. I agree with Bruners theoretical framework of building on pre-existing knowledge by presenting new material in a logical manner at a level the student can understand, revisiting topic in stages and building layers of ever increasing complexity. I find the concept of a spiral curriculum to be a sensible one, but also to be at odds with the way in which individual schools plan the teaching of science. There is far too much relience on the text book, with strict adherence to the material inside. I prefer to leave the text book at home, for the student to be assigned reading and questions from it for homework so that it is new and different and provides a slightly different aspect to the same topic. At the very least it will provide the same information as was covered in class in a slightly different manner and provoke recall instead of boredom. A consequence of supporting enquiry is an aversion to direct teaching. Those who support direct teaching say that it is a highly effective method of teaching. The basic components are careful content analysis, sequencing of information and use of appropriate examples, specific instructional formats where both teacher and student responses are scripted and testing to mastery. The part that receives the most criticism is the scripted responses. Here is an example I found at Brainsarefun.com http://brainsarefun.com/Teachtk.html EXAMPLE 1. All: Teacher and students touch the answer to be learned. 2. Teacher: The answer to this question is, 1492. 3. Teacher: When I signal I want you to answer, 1492. 4. Teacher: The answer is 1492. 5. Teacher: What year did Columbus discover America? 6. Teacher: Get ready. Watch the students to make sure all participate. 7. Teacher: Signal by pointing or snapping fingers. 8. All: 1492. 9. Teacher: Thats right, Columbus discovered America in 1492. 10. Teacher: Reward. Good job saying 1492. Make eye contact with individuals. Smile. 11. Teacher: Next answer, or repeat until everyone is participating and firm. If any student is unable to participate or answer correctly, start at the top of the sequence again. Most teachers believe that this type of teaching is too restrictive and prevents the students from developing critical thinking skills. I have to say that on my first reading of this example of direct teaching I was horrified at the way the students were indoctrinated. I knew that this method of teaching was not for me and I continued to develop my lesson plans along the constructivist enquiry model. I researched guided discovery and found that discovery learning is described as an inquiry-based, constructivist learning theory that occurs in situations where the learner draws on their existing knowledge to discover facts and comprehend relationships. Students interact with the world by manipulating objects, wrestling with questions or performing experiments. As a result, students are more likely to remember concepts and knowledge discovered on their own (in contrast to a transmission / direct teaching model). Proponents of discovery learning say it has many advantages, including encouraging active engagement, promoting motivation, autonomy, responsibility, independence, aiding the development of creativity and problem solving skills and is a tailored learning experience that helps minimize classroom management problems. Detractors point out the amount of time needed to teach a topic and that students do not always achieve the intended outcome of the lesson. That is they may draw erroneous conclusions about the investigation they are engaged in. My action research Now that I have explored my theories on teaching I need to test those theories by comparing the outcomes of direct versus enquiry teaching. Ideally in order to compare the two methods I should keep the conditions of the lessons the same and only change the method of instruction. Rigor would  dictate that I teach two groups of students that have been randomly segregated. The students would be in the same year of secondary school and assumed to be at the same academic level. Ability within each group would be expected to mimic normal distribution with some students excelling and some struggling with the curriculum content. Unfortunately in my teaching practice placement I have one class of first years and one class of second years. I am also following a subject plan laid down by the science department in the placement school, which further restricts my research topic. Hence rather than directly compare and contrast two sets of lesson plans that differ in instruction but not content, I shall attempt to make my methods of instruction the subject of the action research. My intention is to design a number of lesson plans along the guidelines of both approaches and to deliver these lessons as independent of personal bias as possible. I shall assess the success of each lesson plan as a measure of student value and under a number of points such as participation, motivation to learn, interest of students, as well as proficiency in summative tests. Bearing in mind my own learning, I will also be critically examining something about my ability to deliver a constructivist lesson; do I do as I say? In assessing participation of students I will make reference to number, frequency and relevance of questions asked. Time spent on-task will be used to measure motivation and interest as will content of questions asked. In line with standard research methods I established a baseline of knowledge on the topic of energy by giving the students a questionnaire which was designed to probe existing conceptions. (more here on the results of the questionnaire) From my understanding of enquiry teaching there seems to be a number of activities that should feature in my lesson plans and I have tried to incorporate these in the enquiry based lesson plans. I have included a list of these activities here and have also identified them in the appropriate lesson plans. Enquiry activities †¢ Think about scientifically orientated questions that are at an appropriate level and ask ‘how’ rather than ‘why’ (teacher provides questions at first) †¢ Gather and consider evidence using the tools of science †¢ Make explanations based on prior gain fact and ‘new’ knowledge gained through the process of enquiry / evidence gathering †¢ Compare  conclusions to currently scientific understanding and account for differences †¢ Communicate and negotiate their findings and explanations with others After the brainstorming session I jotted down as many of the words and phrases as I could during class. Light, wave, geothermal, heat, renewable, sun, plants, photosynthesis, comes from food, plants make it, atomic bombs, it keeps you moving, you are tired without it, it can change, there’s energy in batteries, joules, oil. Then I asked a series of questions designed to clarify facts that they needed to know (3A6 Energy, 3A7 Energy conversion: Junior Certificate Science Syllabus). From the answers it was clear to me that the students could not distinguish between forms of energy and sources of energy. Because the discussion section of the enquiry lesson plan is open-ended I was able to direct questions and highlight information on the board that students could use to ‘discover facts’. I tried to give minimum guidance but I found that the students were floundering and unsure of what they were trying to accomplish. This was a recurring theme during the discovery lesson plans and it seems to me from my readings that this is the main detracting feature of enquiry instruction. Those who oppose constructivist / enquiry instruction such as Kisherner, Sweller and Clark (2006) argue that minimum guidance during instruction does not work and Clark (1989) goes further to suggest that his data shows that ‘lower aptitude students’ show a loss of learning on post instructional testing. My Conclusion It is essential that the teacher do research work, i.e., he should comb the subject of chemistry from end to end for facts and for methods of exposition that will make such facts live and real to his students. (Patrick, W. A. (1924) What kind of research is essential to good teaching? J. Chemical Education, Volume 1, Issue 1, p16.) I have come to the conclusion that there is a need for direct teaching in the classroom in order to build up foundation of facts in long term memory to provide wellspring of knowledge which can be used to provide data when needed. Enquiry or discovery learning encourages the use of this knowledge so that students can put facts together to think critically. Dewey supported inductive teaching as the way to improve scientific teaching for a better educated society and said science lessons should include learning the process of science not just the facts, (Dewey, 1903). By this I believe he meant that the two methods complement each other and need to be used in tandem. But direct teaching cannot be taken as an excuse for unimaginative lessons recycled every year with minimal input from the teacher needed in the delivery. If investigatory activities are designed deductively, ie have only one conclusion, need more here about factors to consider when designing lesson activities.

Travel and Don George Essay Example for Free

Travel and Don George Essay The writer, Don George, gets a surprise every time he travels. Even though he has been a certain place before, he still gets surprised. He calls travelling his â€Å"mental picture-puzzle of the world†. The reason he has been travelling around the world was because he would like to understand everything by experiencing it. After some of his first trips, he got a job as a travel writer so he could continue travelling and writing about it. Now Don George has a daughter which globe he uses to point out how many countries he has travelled to – which is more than sixty countries. As he travels he keeps on gathering more pieces to his picture-puzzle. He believes that the travels bring him closer to God. Don George ends up believing that maybe the puzzle is God and all his travels and learning’s are incantations, prayers and koans. He thinks that the best thing we can do in life is to learn the things into ourselves and then give it back to all the new places and new people we encounter. If you keep travel and live enough, you would contain everything inside you. Travelling For me, travelling are many things and it can include recreation, vacation, tourism and many other possibilities. Travelling for me also means stepping out of my comfort zone. It means expanding my horizon, literally and figuratively. I’m also very amazed and surprised every time I travel. There are so many different cultures and people have so many different traditions. I always learn something when I travel. I can chose to let it slip away or I can choose to take my experiences and learn it into myself. It’s about challenging the things I thought I knew. Travelling is lying down at the pool relaxed with a cold drink, it? s feeling welcome somewhere, even if I don’t know anyone. Travelling means taking my camera with me everywhere I go. Travelling is walking so much that my feet hurts but you keep saying to yourself â€Å"there are so much more to experience†. I don? t have to go to another country to experience something new. Travelling can be local, regional or international. It doesn’t matter where I am in the world, I will always come home with new wisdom. But travelling can also be something else. I live in a small provincial town where the possibilities for youngsters to experience and get educated are limited. After I’ve graduated high school I would like to move to Copenhagen to study. For me, going to Copenhagen to be educated and live there would be a travel. Frederikshavn and Copenhagen are from my point of view totally different. Even though I’ve been to Copenhagen many times, I still see it as a travel. I can go there as a tourist, I can go there to be in a tournament, it can be a business travel or I can go visit my family and friends. And if I lived in Copenhagen I would travel around the city experiencing, learning and seeing new things everyday. For me traveling can also be boring. Travelling by train, bus, plain, ship, cars such as public transport can be a downside. I don’t like to sit in a train for several hours getting bothered by the person besides or in front of me talking about the party the have been to or about their grandkids or asking me a thousand questions – Jesus am I going to hear your ignorant voice for five more hours? Besides that I absolutely love to travel. It doesn’t matter if it’s near me or far away, whether the climate is cold or warm, it is about living and learning. Soon I’m travelling to USA for two weeks, I can’t wait to experience the culture and the pulse of the land of opportunities. The best times in my life has been while travelling, alone, together with my family, with friends, classmates or my teammates. So the wise words of the great Danish author – Hans Christian Andersen: â€Å"to travel is to live† are 5 words covering my attitude to travelling.

How Logistics Improvements Affect The Economy

How Logistics Improvements Affect The Economy Define Logistics Management and explain how logistics productivity improvement affects the economy as a whole as well as the position of individual consumer. The definition of logistics management (LM) varies from company to company but the most comprehensive definition is given by Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) as logistics management is the part of supply chain management that plans, implements, and controls the efficient, effective forward and reverse flow and storage of goods, services and related information from the point-of-origin to the point-of-consumption in order to meet customers requirements (Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals, n.d.) Logistics Productivity Improvement and the Economy Logistics has become an enormously important component of the gross domestic product (GDP) of industrialized nations and thus affects the rate of inflation, interest rates, productivity, energy costs and its availability and other aspects of the economy as well. Ever changing business environment due to globalization, lead time reductions, customer orientation, and outsourcing has contributed to the interest in logistics (Hertz Alfredsson, 2003). The increase in global production sharing, the shortening of product life cycles, and the increase of global competition all underline logistics as a strategic source of competitive advantage (Arvis, Mustra, Panzer, Ojala, Naula, 2007). Moreover, in order to remain in competitive marketplace and earn reasonable profits, organizations interest in logistics has been increased. Logistics operations have become more efficient due to technological advancements which make it possible to deliver goods on time while reducing the cost involved. Global market access has been improved over the time with the advancement in technology and trade liberalization resulting in the economic growth and development of the countries. Patterns in the market competition situation are continuously dictating the supply chain flows (i.e. product, price and information flows) in a predictable, timely and cost-effective way. Global firms corporate decisions regarding which country to locate in, which suppliers to buy from and which consumer markets to enter are largely based on logistics costs, quality and service level. Therefore, the countries with higher overall logistics costs are more likely to miss the opportunity of globalization. Nearly every sphere of human activity is affected, directly or indirectly, by the logistics process. Certainly, the improved logistics is expected to have important economic effects. Lower logistics costs and services affect positively in production, distribution and trade and/or retail activities of the firms. Reduced/minimum logistics costs enable a production or distribution facility to serve a wider market area, with potential gains from economies of scale. It also means that a firm can draw supplies from a wider area with potential gains in terms of the cost and/or quality of parts and materials. Logistics costs include transportation costs, costs of owning and operating warehouses, ordering costs, and carrying costs of inventory (Consulting Decision-Economics, 2002). To understand, how logistics productivity improvement helps in boosting economic growth, the following Figure 1 represents how investments in transportation infrastructure (a sub-sector of logistics) can lead to g enerative effects and growth in the national economy. It can also be drawn that reduction in shipping costs and transit time and increase in schedule reliability can be expected to have significant impacts on inventory management at supply chain level. Figure 1: Transportation and the Economy Efficient Transportation Infrastructure Investment Increased Transportation Capacity, Efficiency, Reliability, and Level of Service Transportation Cost Savings Business Expansion (Relocation and Restructuring) Transit Time Savings (Reliability Improvement) Increased Competitiveness Increased Productivity Increased Economic Growth Source: (Consulting Decision-Economics, 2002) Consequently, the efficiency and reliability of the logistics system affects economic productivity which is the most important determinant of economic performance. Therefore, logistics industry is the artery and the basic industry of the national economic development in the world. Its development level is one of the important marks to evaluate the level of state modernization and comprehensive national strength. Logistics is the accelerator of the economic development and growth. The World Bank, with its professional and academic partners, has produced the Logistics Performance Index (LPI) to help countries develop logistics reform programs to enable trade and enhance their competitiveness. The LPI is a comprehensive index created to help countries identify the challenges and opportunities they face in trade logistics performance (Arvis, et al., 2007). Logistics Productivity Improvement and the Individual Customer In todays uncertain and changing business environment, firms must respond to changing customer need in order to remain successful. Customers expect many kinds of goods to be available with them whenever they need. When a person comes into a store with the expectation of having the desired item/article from the store and eventually walks away with or without it. If the item is either not available or in stock, there is a problem for both the retailer and the customer. The retailer loses business and the customer has to go another store/retailer for the item/article. The same situation applies to businesses buying supplies; it is costly to a business if it cannot obtain supplies when needed. To cope with this problem (i.e. stock outs) and to improve responsiveness to the customers businesses should carry inventory. But carrying inventory requires huge capital investments in constructing warehouses and insurance expenses to cover the risk of loss or damage. All of these costs are reduce d if inventory can be reduced. Inventory held in retail stores or at warehouses can be reduced if replenishment is fast and reliable. Firms that analyze their costs carefully, find that inventory and the number of warehouses can be reduced without loss of customer service by using more flexible and efficient transportation system. Such changes in a firms logistics set-up are sometimes referred to as a reorganization effect (Consulting Decision-Economics, 2002). Businesses are constantly under immense pressure to have enough stock to satisfy customers and to reduce the cost of carrying inventory as well. To accommodate these conflicting pressures, firms are left with no option but an efficient and effective logistics system enabling them reduced inventory costs while maintaining or improving the level of customer service (that is an increase in productivity). These productivity gains will not occur unless a firms management perceives that the logistics system is robust and reliable enough to support its plans. Zhang, Vonderembse Lim (2005) are of the view logistics flexibility and its components: physical supply, purchasing, physical distribution, and demand management flexibilities are related to each other and to customer satisfaction. Figure 2 portrays the relationship, how flexible logistics affects the customer satisfaction. Figure 2: Impact of Flexible Logistics Competence on Capability and Customer Satisfaction Flexible Logistics Flexible Logistics Competence Capability Physical Supply Flexibility Physical Distribution Purchasing Flexibility Demand Management Customer Satisfaction Source: (Zhang, et al., 2005) Logistics, as a business competence, deals with the attainment of customer satisfaction at the minimum level of (logistic) costs. Customer satisfaction or improved customer service, is reached as the suppliers of goods and services succeed in achieving the growing needs of consumers to deliver their products according to the ever emerging demands of the customers, not only with regards to the physical nature of these products, but also with regards to their demands of reliability and flexibility of the logistics organization. According to Lim Palvia (2001) a responsive and efficient logistics network helps the organization to satisfy their customers in a number of ways: Increase in product availability i.e. high order fill rate and promised delivery date Reduced order cycle time Reduced distribution system malfunction i.e. accuracy of billing and product delivery Distribution system flexibility Distribution system information i.e. notice of price change, new product information, shipping delay and order status information Improved post-sale product support Why has logistics been receiving more attention as a strategic function of the organisation? Discuss the key challenges faced by logistics today and identify what you see as the greatest area of opportunity for logistics, and explain why you chose this area. (Your answer should not exceed 2000 words). Logistics as a Strategic Function of the Organisation The strategic importance of logistics is well understood especially in organizations that identify customer service and not the physical product as the single output of any organization (Korpela Tuominen, 1996). For companies successful with logistics partners, a common factor overriding all others is the recognition that this business activity is an important part of marketing strategy (Bowersox, 1990). Braithwaite Christopher (1991) gave following reasons, why logistics is a strategic function for most of the organizations: Extended lead-times of supply Extended and unreliable transit times Multiple freight mode and cost options Intermediate component shipping with local added value Initially, logistics was considered to have a supportive role to primary functions of organizations such as marketing and manufacturing. But now they have stretched out to cover purchasing, warehousing and transportation activities, distribution, inventory management, packaging, manufacturing, and even customer service. More importantly, logistics management has evolved from a passive, cost-absorbing function to that of a strategic factor which provides a unique competitive advantage (Bowersox Closs, 1996). Companies committed to strategic use of logistics usually outperform the competition in speed and consistency of order cycle (Bowersox, 1990). Organizations do have some standards, they intend the customers to rely on and expect employees to adhere to. A product marketer for example, having 95 percent order fill rate, if want to increase it to 98 percent, will require a just-in-time or quick response inventory replenishment type of business strategy. Marketers will strive not only to consistently deliver complete orders to the customers at the time and location requested but also to expand the level of service to keep customers loyalty. By developing a high level of standards performance, the companies reduce the number of less-than-standard situations that have to be resolved. Moreover, high quality logistics service compliance is almost invariably less expensive than a procedure based on an expected percentage of failure that demands frequent correction (Bowersox, 1990). Advances in telecommunications and information technology have given companies the way to manage the physical movement of product over long, often circuitous, routes. Many carriers (for example DHL , FedEx and TCS Express Logistics in Pakistan) have invested heavily in track and trace systems to be able to establish the location of any consignment at any time, improving the visibility of the global supply chain to shippers and their customers. Also there is a growing competition among international companies to produce and deliver customized products and services fast and efficiently all over the world. Eventually, this will go hand in hand with an improvement of lead times to the extent that customized products have the same responsiveness as standardized products have now. Logistics has become a strategic function of the business organizations by providing competitive advantage through competence in delivery speed, reliability, responsiveness, and low cost distribution. Integrating logistics into corporate strategy has a greater effect on customer value than any other process, whereas, integrating logistics into overall organizational strategy is critical to reducing costs, entering new markets, creating customer service, and gaining competitive advantage. Logistics excellence has a significant impact on corporate profitability and firms can use logistics to create a competitive advantage. Key Challenges to the Logistics Today As businesses become more outsourced, virtual and as global customer markets expand along with the emergence of new regional supply capabilities, the need for improved skills of procurement and logistics as well as operational transformation becomes more acute. Organizations today face great challenges because the successful provision of many goods and services requires the effective integration of logistics activities across a complicating and lengthening supply chain. In recent years, most industries have recognized that substantial savings are available to companies that are able to coordinate and innovate within their logistics operations. Chiu (1995) identified following challenges, logistics systems are facing: Diversified products Short order cycle times Shipping in small quantities High frequency and reliability of deliveries Customer service orientation Low stock level and rapid inventory turnover Timely and accurate information requirements Cheong (2004) on the other hand, differentiated the challenges to logistics providers by their level of tangibility i.e. Logistics Network Configuration layer (most tangible), to Material Flow layer, to Information Flow layer, and finally to Relationship Management layer (least tangible) as shown in the figure. 3. Logistics network configuration is concerned with designing the optimal network to satisfy service requirements at the minimum cost and the challenges at this level consist of decisions regarding: number, size and location of warehouses; location; their links to the distribution centers; warehouse sizing allocation; and customer points. Second layer is material flow which refers to the movement of products from the upstream entities, via the logistics provider, to the downstream entities. Figure.3: Layers of Challenges Faced by Logistics Providers Source: (Cheong, 2004) At material flow level, the decisions on: inventory management; scheduling the transport; lot sizing; warehousing; and consolidating the products are the challenging areas of logistics management. Third layer is information flow, which refers to the flow of information throughout the supply chain and includes: order processing; information sharing; IT systems integration; Internet; and visibility. The final layer, the relationship management is concerned with performance measures and contract design. The biggest challenge in inter-company coordination is information sharing and the issue of trust (Cheong, 2004). Area of Opportunity The status of power in logistics industry is very much important in determining the future trends. In the USA, for example, the resellers and retailers have typically occupied a weaker power position in the logistics channel than the manufacturers whereas this has not been the case in Australia where the retail chains, particularly in the grocery industry, have always held the dominant position (Gilmour, 1993; Gilmour, Driva, Hunt, 1995). The opportunities for retail logistics are hence different from that of distributors. The most potential area of opportunity for overall logistics industry is information and computer technology in my personal view. Information and computer technology have had a significant impact on global logistics operations over recent years. Chiu (1995) identified five major information technologies which have become increasingly common in logistics: Point-of-Sale (POS) systems Bar Coding Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) Value-Added Networks (VANs) Electronic Ordering Systems (EOSs) In addition, there are some other terminologies i.e. Enterprise Requirements Planning (ERP), Warehouse Management Systems (WMS), Transportation Management Systems (TMS), productivity tracking software and Activity-Based Costing (ABC) software etc. which represent the status of IT in logistics. There are many examples of the use of WMS and other technology in warehousing, such as those systems installed at Hewlett-Packard, Malaysia Airlines, Texas Instruments, and Unilever Italia. Furthermore, there are some latest equipments as well, which are being used in warehouses and distribution centres including voice synthesizer and video text, to facilitate the receipt of an order; paperless picking warehouses using radio frequency (RF), and new transport equipments such as B-doubles scheduled and monitored by on-board computers facilitate the delivery of the order. Time-based competition has put the businesses under continuous pressure and to be successful in todays competitive environment the use of information technology has become obvious. Mentzer (1999) identified four specific strategies that organizations use in time-based competition: just-in-time (JIT), quick response (QR), vendor managed inventory (VMI) and continuous replenishment programs (CRP). Efficient consumer response (ECR) is another time-based competition strategy found primarily in the grocery industry that focuses on inventory replenishment, store assortment, promotion and product introduction. Collaborative, Planning, Forecasting, and Replenishment (CPFR) transfers end-customer information as far up the supply chain as possible to plan upstream supply chain activities such as distribution and production scheduling. The future of logistics development is subject to collaborative logistics and virtual or fourth-party logistics. Collaborative logistics is described as a model relying on real-time information which flows seamlessly amongst all parts of the supply chain. It is generally believed that collaborative logistics between companies participating in supply chain setups reduce the cost and increase the efficiency. Virtual or fourth-party logistics is described as third-party logistics providers who act as a general contractor of all logistics activities for an organization. In either of the situation, information technology has pivotal role in effective and efficient logistics. Identify the objectives of warehousing and explain different key performance indicators for all the Warehouse activities. (Your answer should not exceed 2000 words) Warehousing Objectives A warehouse is simply a commercial building used for the storage of goods. Warehouses are normally used by manufacturers, importers, exporters, wholesalers, transport agencies etc. Warehousing processes include receiving, put-away, order preparation/picking, dispatching and inventory management. In a warehouse, storing goods in an adequate space with the proper equipments by well trained personnel in a properly planned layout results in maximum protection of items (Tomkins, et al., 1996). So the objectives of a warehouse should be: Space utilization; Equipment utilization; Maximize human resources utilization; Reduce SKU handling and maintain required SKU; Minimize companys operating expenses; Accessibility of all materials; Protection of all materials (including companys assets); In order to achieve objectives of a warehouse business, the first step is to ensure right product, in right quantity, in right condition and on right time is received. Secondly, to allocate proper storage space to that inventory that maximizes the space utilization. Finally, while shipping an order, ensure right SKU, in right quantity, in right condition and at right time is dispatched. Moreover, the efficient and effective use of equipment and human resources is of prime importance. The size, architectural design, configuration and location of the warehouse, are also the major determinants of the success or failure of the company in chasing its objectives. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) of Warehousing Warehouse management is an area where logisticians can focus to gain maximum efficiency for minimum cost. Usually organizations measure their performance by analyzing if the things are going in the right way or not, and if not, what were the causes of poor performance? The main instruments for assessing performance are key performance indicators (KPIs), the specific characteristics of the process which are measured in order to describe if the process is realized according to pre-established standards. Moreover, KPIs measure the business health of an enterprise and ensure that all individuals at all levels are marching in step to the same goals and strategies. Neely et al. (1995) defined performance measurement as the process of quantifying the efficiency and effectiveness of an action or activity. There are some other reasons too for measuring performance: for improving performance, for avoiding inconveniences before its too late, for monitoring customer relations, for process and cost control and for maintaining quality. Selecting and defining KPIs is not as easy as it sounds. In the current marketplace, while purchasing business intelligence (BI), enterprise resource planning (ERP), supply chain management (SCM), customer relationship management (CRM) or business performance management (BPM) systems, there is the dilemma of choosing only few KPIs from the several hundred (or thousand) metrics that are included in the package. Key performance indicators (KPIs) reflect strategic value drivers rather than just measuring business activities and processes. Key performance indicators help aligning all levels of an organization (business units, departments and individuals) with clear targets and benchmarks to create accountability and track progress. Furthermore, they accelerate collaborative planning across the organization to ensure that everyone is operating from the same playbook. The success of any performance management program is thus dependent on selecting the correct KPIs. Selection of the wrong KPIs can result in sub-optimized results. While selecting KPs, it should be bore in mind that although all KPIs are metrics, not all metrics are KPIs. The trick is discerning between the two. In a study on performance measurement of a manufacturing warehouse, Birkholz (2004) used warehousing KPIs based on business processes: receiving, put-away, storage, order picking and shipping/dispatching. Warehousing KPIs were classified into five categories: financial, productivity, utilization, quality and cycle time. A summary of all the warehousing KPIs is given in Table 1. Table 1: Warehouse Key Performance Indicators Financial Productivity Utilization Quality Cycle Time Receiving Receiving cost per receiving line Receipts per man-hour % Dock door utilization % Receipts processed accurately Receipt processing time per receipt Put-away Put-away cost per put-away line Put-aways per man-hour % Utilization of put-away labor and equipment % Perfect put-aways Put-away cycle time (per put-away) Storage Storage space cost per item Inventory per square foot % Locations and cube occupied % Locations without inventory discrepancies Inventory days on hand Order Picking Picking cost per order line Order lines picked per man-hour % Utilization of picking labor and equipment % Perfect picking lines Order picking cycle time (per order) Shipping Shipping cost per customer order Orders prepared for shipment per man-hour % Utilization of shipping docks % Perfect shipments Warehouse order cycle time Total Total cost per order, line, and Item Total lines shipped per total man-hour %Utilization of total throughput and storage capacity % Perfect warehouse orders Total warehouse cycle time = Dock-to-stock time + Warehouse order cycle time Source: (Birkholz, 2004; Frazelle, 2002) Krauth et al. (2005) classified around 130 indicators used for assessing warehouse performance, such as storage surface, storage volume, storage racks, number and characteristics of docks, pallets per hour, pallets per square meter, opening hours, and assistance with customs etc. Liviu et al. (2009) grouped key performance indicators for warehousing into three categories: Inventory Management, Warehouse Performance and Order Fulfilment. The summary of these warehousing KPIs is given in Table 2. Table 2: Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) of Warehousing Inventory Management Measure Calculation Damaged Inventory (min.) Total Damage (lei) / Inventory Value Days on Hand (min.) Avg. Month Inventory (lei) / Avg. Daily Sales/Month Storage Utilisation (max.) Avg. Occupied Sq. m. / Total Storage Capacity Dock to Stock Time (min.) Total Dock to Stock Hrs. / Total Receipts Warehouse Performance Indicators Orders per Hour (max.) Orders Picked or Packed / Total Warehouse Labour Hrs Items per Hour (max.) Items Picked/Packed / Total Warehouse Labour Hrs Cost per Order (min.) Total Warehouse Cost / Total Orders Shipped Cost as % of Sales (min.) Total Warehouse Cost / Overall Sales Order Fulfilment Indicators On-Time Delivery (max.) Orders On-Time / Total Orders Shipped Order Fill Rate (max.) Orders Filled Complete / Total Orders Shipped Order Accuracy (max.) Error-Free Orders / Total Orders Shipped Order Cycle Time (min.) Actual Ship Date Customer Order Date Perfect Order Completion (max.) Perfect Deliveries / Total Orders Shipped Source: (Liviu, et al., 2009) Inventory Management measures are generally concerned with decisions regarding optimum level of inventory to be maintained. A higher value of Damaged Inventory indicator shows less effective inventory management. Days on Hand indicator shows the level of inventory in hand into number of days it will serve. It will have a lower value if contracts with suppliers are renegotiated and if are kept only the ones who are able to deliver products fast. Storage Utilization indicator shows the level of space utilization, for example, number of layers of pallets per rack. It also describes how efficiently space has been allocated to storage, dock and office. Dock to Stock Time indicates the efficiency of warehouse operations and its value can be reduced by introducing portable barcode readers and a barcode software. By solving the space related problems, both the issues related to product entry time and preparing them for delivery will be shortened. Warehouse performance indicators simply represent the operational efficiency and contribution to the overall profitability of the organization. A maximum value of Orders per Hour and Items per Hour is desirable while a minimum value for Cost per Order and Cost as % of Sales is likely to lever the profits of the organization. Order fulfilment indicators represent the firms operational performance as well as its responsiveness to the customers. A maximum value of On-Time Delivery, Order Fill Rate, Order Accuracy and Perfect Order Completion and a minimum value of Order Cycle Time shows a higher level of customer satisfaction, efficiency and contribution to the company profitability. Warehousing key performance indicators (WKPIs) can be used with benchmarking to indicate the overall state of warehouse operations. These are the meaningful measurements which can be referenced periodically to analyze the current financial, productivity, quality, and cycle time status for a warehouse facility. However, in addition to all the key performance indicators (KPIs) mentioned in Table 1 and 2, a tool is still required to automate processes in order to maximize the use of warehouse resources. This is where the integration of information technology becomes a key component in warehousing. Information technology is a key to improvement when considering world-class warehousing practices. In nutshell, performance indicators are useful for identifying the problems related to warehouse management and abnormal values of the indicators can be used to develop an efficient control system for a warehouse. The basic use of the concept is, it helps in identifying the causes of the problems and hence to diminish their impact or eliminate the causes, before is too late. It is true what is measured is managed, and, conversely, what is not measured merits little or no attention. Answer the below given questions (Each answer should not exceed 200 words): How is logistics related to the marketing effort? The marketing effort is based on the achieving organizational goals while focusing the target customers more efficiently and effectively than competitors. McCarthy (1981) popularized the idea of the marketing mix of price, promotion, product and place, the later (i.e. place) is directly related to logistics management. In providing the product to its right place, logistics plays an important role. The place component of the marketing deals a lot with customer service provided by a business, undertaking such tasks as on-time delivery, high order fill rates and consistent transit times. A product or service provides satisfaction to its customer only when it is available to the customer when and where it is needed. Furthermore, how logistics operations affect the major elements of marketing mix can be easily understood from the following figure. Product Price Promotion Place Customer Service level M A R K E T I N G Inventory Carrying Costs Transportation Costs Lot Quantity Costs Warehousing Costs Order Processing and Information Costs L O G I S T I C S Product is the set of benefits or utilities or characteristics which a customer receives as a result of its purchase. In order to increase sales or due to some other strategic decisions management may decide to lower

The Long-Term Effects of Childhood Sexual Abuse Essay -- Adult Manifes

Child abuse is a serious issue in today's society. There are many victims of child abuse. There are three kinds of child abuse: emotional, sexual, and physical. Many researchers believe that sexual abuse is the most detrimental of the three. A middle-aged adult who is feeling depressed will probably not relate it back to his childhood, but maybe he should. The short-term effects of childhood sexual abuse have been proven valid, but now the question is, do the long-term effects of childhood sexual abuse affect middle-aged adults? Many contradicting views arise from the subject of childhood sexual abuse. Researchers and psychologists argue on this issue. Childhood sexual abuse has the possibility to damage a child physically, emotionally, and behaviorally for the rest of his or her childhood, and the affects have been connected to lasting into middle-aged adulthood. The Victims Research has been conducted on what type of children are the most at risk of being sexually abused. Childhood abuse has a greater chance of happening to children of certain backgrounds. One researcher states that Child sexual abuse occurs more frequently in children from socially deprived and disorganized family backgrounds. Marital dysfunction, as evidenced by parental separation and domestic violence, is associated with higher risks of child sexual abuse (Mullen 4). Mullen also states that "The possibility has been raised that characteristics such as physical attractiveness, temperament, or physical maturity might increase the risks of children being sexually abused" (4). Behavioral Problems Many researchers link behavioral problems in adultho... ...essed Memories of Child Abuse may be Valid." Child Sexual Abuse. Ed. Bruno Leone. San Diego: Greenhaven, 1998. 27-34 Kasner, Shane. "The Relationship Between Adult Psychological Adjustments and Childhood Sexual Abuse." Journal of Interpersonal Violence 15:12 (Dec 2000): 1243-1267 Kliest, George A. "Research on Long-term Effects of Child Abuse." Family Journal 7 (Apr 1999): 154-163. Galileo. 11 Nov 2001 McKeown, L.A. "Research Reveals Changes in the Brain Years After Abuse." Aug 2000. Online Posting. WebMD Medical News. {http://webmd.lycos.com/content/articles/1728.599557} Mullen, Paul E. "Long-term Effects of Child Sexual Abuse" Issues in Child Abuse Prevention 9 (Aug 1998): 989-1011 Whiffen, Valerie E. "Mediators of the Link Between Childhood Abuse and Adult Depressive Symptoms." Journal of Interpersonal Violence 15:10 (Oct 2000): 1100-1121 The Long-Term Effects of Childhood Sexual Abuse Essay -- Adult Manifes Child abuse is a serious issue in today's society. There are many victims of child abuse. There are three kinds of child abuse: emotional, sexual, and physical. Many researchers believe that sexual abuse is the most detrimental of the three. A middle-aged adult who is feeling depressed will probably not relate it back to his childhood, but maybe he should. The short-term effects of childhood sexual abuse have been proven valid, but now the question is, do the long-term effects of childhood sexual abuse affect middle-aged adults? Many contradicting views arise from the subject of childhood sexual abuse. Researchers and psychologists argue on this issue. Childhood sexual abuse has the possibility to damage a child physically, emotionally, and behaviorally for the rest of his or her childhood, and the affects have been connected to lasting into middle-aged adulthood. The Victims Research has been conducted on what type of children are the most at risk of being sexually abused. Childhood abuse has a greater chance of happening to children of certain backgrounds. One researcher states that Child sexual abuse occurs more frequently in children from socially deprived and disorganized family backgrounds. Marital dysfunction, as evidenced by parental separation and domestic violence, is associated with higher risks of child sexual abuse (Mullen 4). Mullen also states that "The possibility has been raised that characteristics such as physical attractiveness, temperament, or physical maturity might increase the risks of children being sexually abused" (4). Behavioral Problems Many researchers link behavioral problems in adultho... ...essed Memories of Child Abuse may be Valid." Child Sexual Abuse. Ed. Bruno Leone. San Diego: Greenhaven, 1998. 27-34 Kasner, Shane. "The Relationship Between Adult Psychological Adjustments and Childhood Sexual Abuse." Journal of Interpersonal Violence 15:12 (Dec 2000): 1243-1267 Kliest, George A. "Research on Long-term Effects of Child Abuse." Family Journal 7 (Apr 1999): 154-163. Galileo. 11 Nov 2001 McKeown, L.A. "Research Reveals Changes in the Brain Years After Abuse." Aug 2000. Online Posting. WebMD Medical News. {http://webmd.lycos.com/content/articles/1728.599557} Mullen, Paul E. "Long-term Effects of Child Sexual Abuse" Issues in Child Abuse Prevention 9 (Aug 1998): 989-1011 Whiffen, Valerie E. "Mediators of the Link Between Childhood Abuse and Adult Depressive Symptoms." Journal of Interpersonal Violence 15:10 (Oct 2000): 1100-1121

Qualitative and Quantitative Research Essay -- Research Methods

Qualitative and Quantitative study designs both can be beneficial in research design. They both provide valuable options for researchers in the field. These techniques can either be used separately in a research study or they can be combined to achieve maximum information. This paper will define the terms qualitative and quantitative; describe the similarities and differences between each; discuss how qualitative and/or quantitative research designs or techniques could be used in the evaluation of my proposed research; and discuss why linking analysis to study design is important. Quantitative studies are primarily numbers based. They deal with large cohort groups as well as analyze large amounts of data. â€Å"A quantitative researcher typically tries to measure variables in some way, perhaps by using commonly accepted measures of the physical world (e.g., rulers, thermometers, oscilloscopes) or carefully designed measures of psychological characteristics or behaviors (e.g., tests, questionnaires, rating scales)† (Leedy & Ormrod, 2010, p. 94). Qualitative studies are slightly different in that they do not use large cohorts and they are not analyzing large data sets. Qualitative studies also look to answer question â€Å"why†. They use smaller numbers but go more in-depth with the small group they have. â€Å"In contrast, qualitative research involves looking at characteristics, or qualities, that cannot easily be reduced to numerical values. A qualitative researcher typically aims to examine the many nuances and complexities of a particular phenomenon† (Leedy & Ormrod, 2010, p. 94). Qualitative and Quantitative studies can be used separately or together in a mixed methodology. â€Å"Mixed methods research is characterized as research... ... Hughes, C. (2006). Qualitative and quantitative approach to social research. Retrieved fromhttp://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/sociology/staff/academicstaff/chughes/h ughesc_index/teachingresearchprocess/quantitativequalitative/quantitativequalitati ve/ Leedy, P. D., & Ormrod, J. E. (2010). Practical research: Planning and design (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc.-Merrill McKerghan, D. L. (1998). Quantitative versus qualitative research: An attempt to clarify the problem. Retrieved from http://home.comcast.net/~lady.socrates/qvq.html Rocco, T. S., Bliss, L. A., Gallagher, S., & Perez-Prado, A. (2003). Taking the next step: Mixed methods research in organizational systems. Information Technology, Learning, and Performance Journal. Vol. 21, No. 1. Retrieved from http://www.osra.org/itlpj/roccoblissgallagherperez-pradospring2003.pdf

The Nature of Power Essay -- Power Society Nationalism Essays

The Nature of Power In 1948, the OECD was formed by several European nations in what would become the first step toward the formation of the European Union. The creation of the EU was revolutionary in that nations gave up unprecedented amounts of their sovereignty, resulting in such acts as voluntarily subjecting themselves to monitoring of war materials (coal and steel) and culminating in the institution of the Euro and integration of European economies and societies, and politics. The success of the EU in the last few years is amazing not just because of its economic achievements, but because it signifies the first successful surrender of nationalism and the transfer of loyalty to a regional level, notions which would have been considered impossible at the beginning of the 20th century. Taking into account the strength of nationalism in the 20th century, the phenomena surrounding the formation of the EU are hard to comprehend until the nature of power and its attraction to people is considered. Power plays a large part in human psychology, beginning when the infant cries in order to draw attention to itself and continuing as kids learn exclusion, join cliques, and as adults compete for respect and influence. Power is exercised from the most basic everyday relationships to the international stage. It is the ultimate motivator in society. Accepting this, it is easy to understand that the sacrifices made by the EU were made in the pursuit of greater power through collective unity, which overruled human affiliations with nationalism and the idea of sovereignty. The question we must ask is why power is so powerful a force. Power forms the basis of society because people want to live secure, respected lives. Simmel ... ...rol of an otherwise chaotic existence. Power is the tool for maintaining a stable, and as such a secure life. Once stripped of all excesses and perversions, power comes down to avoiding the unknown and unsafe. It’s all about security. If we can accept that people are naturally predisposed to living secure lives devoid of real danger and instability, it is obvious, especially in these timers, that power is not only the basis of society, but is the one thing constant in life. Sources Cited: Bataille, Georges. Blue of Noon London: Marion Boyars Publishers LTD, 1957 Camus, Albert. The Fall New York: Vintage Books, 1956 Highmore, Ben. Everyday Life and Culture Theory. New York: Routledge, 2002 Kafka, Franz. The Trial New York: Shockden Books, 1998 Quotes Used: Card, Orson Scott. The Crystal City. New York: Tom Doherty Associates, 2003. The Nature of Power Essay -- Power Society Nationalism Essays The Nature of Power In 1948, the OECD was formed by several European nations in what would become the first step toward the formation of the European Union. The creation of the EU was revolutionary in that nations gave up unprecedented amounts of their sovereignty, resulting in such acts as voluntarily subjecting themselves to monitoring of war materials (coal and steel) and culminating in the institution of the Euro and integration of European economies and societies, and politics. The success of the EU in the last few years is amazing not just because of its economic achievements, but because it signifies the first successful surrender of nationalism and the transfer of loyalty to a regional level, notions which would have been considered impossible at the beginning of the 20th century. Taking into account the strength of nationalism in the 20th century, the phenomena surrounding the formation of the EU are hard to comprehend until the nature of power and its attraction to people is considered. Power plays a large part in human psychology, beginning when the infant cries in order to draw attention to itself and continuing as kids learn exclusion, join cliques, and as adults compete for respect and influence. Power is exercised from the most basic everyday relationships to the international stage. It is the ultimate motivator in society. Accepting this, it is easy to understand that the sacrifices made by the EU were made in the pursuit of greater power through collective unity, which overruled human affiliations with nationalism and the idea of sovereignty. The question we must ask is why power is so powerful a force. Power forms the basis of society because people want to live secure, respected lives. Simmel ... ...rol of an otherwise chaotic existence. Power is the tool for maintaining a stable, and as such a secure life. Once stripped of all excesses and perversions, power comes down to avoiding the unknown and unsafe. It’s all about security. If we can accept that people are naturally predisposed to living secure lives devoid of real danger and instability, it is obvious, especially in these timers, that power is not only the basis of society, but is the one thing constant in life. Sources Cited: Bataille, Georges. Blue of Noon London: Marion Boyars Publishers LTD, 1957 Camus, Albert. The Fall New York: Vintage Books, 1956 Highmore, Ben. Everyday Life and Culture Theory. New York: Routledge, 2002 Kafka, Franz. The Trial New York: Shockden Books, 1998 Quotes Used: Card, Orson Scott. The Crystal City. New York: Tom Doherty Associates, 2003.

Reasons Why the Holocaust Didn’t Happen

Briel BrownFeindert ENGWR 48027 September 2016 Critique of â€Å"50 Reasons Why the Holocaust Didn't Happen†In the forum post titled â€Å"50 Reasons Why the Holocaust Didn't Happen,† the author, only identified as Ted, puts forth a list of reasons that individuals who are already convinced that the Holocaust is a myth can use to persuade others. It is found on a forum called The CODOH Revisionist Forum, a website that lends itself specifically as a safe space for Holocaust revisionists. The post begins with a few sentences of introduction, briefly mentioning why it can be hard for many to give his point of view a chance. He goes on to criticize the media, comparing them to the church during the dark ages in the way that they can withhold information, with random and slightly irrelevant statements sprinkled throughout. He concludes the preface with the statement â€Å"No proof has even been given that 6 million were murdered,† and proceeds to go more in depth. The rest of the article is arranged in a numbered list format. The reasons are listed unsystematically, each one being followed by explanations of varying length. Many of his reasons focus on criticizing the media for refusing to allow Holocaust revisionists to have a voice. Others try to prove the Holocaust either scientifically or fiscally impossible. He makes many statements that attempt to paint witnesses and historians as liars, and goes as far as to accuse many of having an agenda that would benefit from the falsification of an atrocity such as the Holocaust. The article is void of a concluding paragraph, instead ending on a proof numbered 50, consisting of three unrelated and vague statements that offer nothing but confusion. Brown 2The posting as a whole is a vague and disorganized mess. Failure to proofread is obvious; there is no clear form of organization, it is riddled with spelling and grammatical errors, and irrelevant ramblings are left in the middle of what could have been a strong statement. The author manages to include a few decent rhetorical questions that can cause a feeling of doubt to arise in the reader, but the evidence included is rarely tacked on to these. When evidence is used it is often either false, from an unknown source lacking in credibility, or merely quoted and left unexplained. The author's argument is presented in an unorganized and visually cluttered manner. Contradictory to the title reason five is skipped, reducing the list to only forty-nine author specified reasons. The evidence is often listed in a fashion that betrays the numbering, with a shift in focus occurring multiple times within one section. For example, instead of expanding on the statement, â€Å"Reinhold Elstner burnt himself alive in protest against the holocaust lies,† that begins the concluding reason, we see an illogical shift in discussion topic to â€Å"German farmers are told to shut up if they find bones and try to arrange their burial† (Reason 50). Many pieces of evidence appear on screen as if the formatting was ruined in a copy-paste mishap with unnecessary jumps to new lines appearing prior to the end of the quote. While not terrible, it can be slightly confusing for the reader when it appears that a new paragraph has been started, only to see that the quote continues on. This author makes similar mistakes when it comes to expanding upon his case, again including unnecessary jumps in spacing when simply starting a new sentence would be sufficient. Vague statements, â€Å"Germans highly civilised and more so than the Brits and Yanks etc.,† (Reason 40) fragments, â€Å"Obliteration propaganda.,† (Reason 32) and run on sentences and comma splices â€Å"People can't understand how so many eyewitnesses can lie, they have seen the television programmes,† (Reason 2) litter the posting. In addition, the Brown 3author occasionally goes on racist tirades that add little to his argument and can deter readers who may come looking for an unbiased argument. For example, â€Å"Are Jewish lives worth more or something? And if we are westerners why should we give a damn? Are we too gentle to survive in a harsh world?† (Reason 20). The above coupled with the frequent spelling errors further add to the confusion that could be experienced by the reader, making it look more like a set of notes meant to be understood only by the author than an article intended for consumption. It even contains conventional errors in the title, with the failure to capitalize any word in it and the lack of an apostrophe for the word â€Å"didn't.† While the posting is filled with links and quotations, often they are either unreliable, false, or left without explanation. While it is rather easy for a reader to look up a name that is mentioned, attempting to establish credibility for sources within the piece could add weight to what one pulls from a source. Writings from individuals such as David Irving, a revisionist author, are linked without even formally identifying him in. Some quotes are even from individuals identified in ways as vaguely as â€Å"one guy on the BBC,† (Reason 6) and â€Å"From a letter from the British ministry of information,† (Reason 10). In the author's attempt to criticize the media, he claims that they have made repeated efforts to silence those critical of the Holocaust; however, not one specific example is listed. In his attempts to criticize accounts given at the Nuremberg trials, he claims that â€Å"It takes about 5 minutes of reading the Nuremberg documents to realise that the Holocaust is a hoax,† (Reason 8) but again, gives not one clear example. He continues to claim â€Å"Violation of Occam's razor, again and again,† (Reason 12) an extremely vague statement that is expanded upon only by asking the reader to examine the counterargument of a book. The author could have very easily added weight to his argument by citing at least one example, but he neglected to do so.Brown 4Due to the lack of concrete evidence used in the author's attempts at making logical appeals, the strength of this posting is rooted in the author's ability to manipulate the reader's emotions. In quoting a 1958 text from Tel Aviv, â€Å"If some know-it-all tries to expose you, the others will not listen to him and will condemn him, because by exposing you he is proving them guilty of stupidity, and the crowd will not forgive this,† (Reason 2) the author provides a statement that can make the readers feel somewhat guilty for their refusal to question what they have been taught. Decent use of figurative language is employed to describe the media with the metaphor â€Å"The carrot and stick are there to make people obey† (Reason 26), which again can pull on people's fear that they have overlooked something. His plays on fear and guilt do begin to get somewhat excessive at times, as his deliberate use of language becomes offensive. In using phrases such as â€Å"politically retarded,† (Reason 16) â€Å"The parallels with religious arguments should make intelligent people suspicious,† (Reason 34) and â€Å"Only an idiot would believe in stories such as lampshades of human skin,† (Reason 40) to describe those who disagree with him, the author may invoke an insecurity in some readers that can cause them to give his viewpoint a second chance. Just as easily, however, it can cause readers to disregard the writings due to the offense that they may take. The author's attempt to create a list of reasons that would help a fellow revisionist argue their case mostly for naught. While like-minded individuals can pull some rhetorical questions to get others thinking, there is little offered in way of credible argument material. It is organized in an unpleasant and confusing fashion that makes the posting almost unreadable. The grammatical errors and failure to proofread suggest an apathy, or perhaps an intellectual incompetence, from the author that does not help his case. Individuals who are willing to look can surely find something to aid them in whatever they sought the posting for, but for a casual reader not Brown 5desperate for argument material, the posting is comically inarticulate and slightly frightening when the sincerity behind the writing is considered. Words: 1375Brown 6Work CitedTed. â€Å"50 Reasons Why the Holocaust Didnt Happen.† The CODOH Revisionist Forum, 25 Aug. _____2004, https://forum.codoh.com/viewtopic.php?t