Monday, September 30, 2019

Real State in Uae

College of Business Administration(COBA) Master of Business Administration(MBA) Report on Real Estate Business in United Arab Emirates Prepared by: MBA Students 19th December, 2011 Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY1 INTRODUCTION2 HISTORY OF UAE REAL ESTATE BUSINESS3 NATURE OF REAL ESTATE MARKET4 SUPPLY AND DEMAND MODEL5 ELASTICITY OF UAE REAL ESTATE MARKET7 REAL ESTATE BUSINESS – IMPACT ON UAE ECONOMY8 UAE REAL ESTATE BUSINESS – CLASSIFICATIONS9 Residential real estate market9 Office market10 Retail market11 Hotel market12 UAE REAL ESTATE LAWS12 CHALLENGES IN UAE REAL ESTATE SECTOR13SWOT ANALYSIS OF UAE REAL ESTATE SECTOR14 FUTURE GROWTH – INFERENCES AND CRITICAL CATALYSTS14 CONCLUSION17 REFERENCES18 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY United Arab Emirates is considered as the most active property market among GCC countries. Real estate and business service sector contribute a considerable share for the growth of the nation. The economic boom during the years 2003 – 2007 increases the demand for real estate properties and there were shortage in residential and commercial segments. Emirates like Dubai have found an important place in world tourism map, the conditions in UAE also attracts foreign investors and job seekers.So, the available real estate space for residential and commercial purposes was not enough to fulfill the present requirement. Real estate markets in emirates like Ajman, Fujairah, and Ras Al Khaimah are not exploited well; they provide new avenues for investors. Completion of some major projects in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in coming years expected to be able meet the requirements. In some real estate sectors like hotel market, experts predicts oversupply situation in future. Global financial crisis in the years 2008 -2009 badly influenced the real estate sector also.Due to uncertainty in markets, many expatriates return to home country and new investors in fear to make large investments. Expected huge supply along with reduce in demand d uring crisis time, value of real estate properties went down especially in Dubai. UAE government projects like ‘Abu Dhabi vision 2030’ provides enough importance for supplying residential properties. UAE economy is now recovering from recession and new opportunities in different sectors will enhance the growth of real estate sector in coming years.So, this analysis is meaningful to measure the current situation in UAE real estate market and to forecast to the future. ? INTRODUCTION ‘Real Estate’ is a broad term which represents a piece of land including the air above ground below and any building or structure on it. This can also include the business and residential properties which can be sold by the individual who own the property or a relater. Real estate refers to residential new homes and existing ones, commercial shopping centers and offices, industrial manufacturing buildings and properties, undeveloped lands and farms etc.Real estate investments are largely influenced by the condition of the immediate area where the property is located. The values affected by local factors such as availability of jobs, crime rates, taxes, presence of educational institutions and so on. In different countries, the broad nature of the term ‘real estate’ may vary but key ideas behind is almost same. Generally speaking, real estate is the property consisting of land and the buildings on it along with its natural resources. Real estate business represents the profession of buying, selling, renting or leasing of lands, buildings, houses etc.This business area includes the activities for providing goods and services involving financial, commercial and industrial aspects. Major players in this business are land owners, developers, builders, real estate agents, tenants, buyers and so on. This is an important business area where huge amount of money is involved and so, in depth knowledge is helpful. Real estate business is attractive becaus e there is chance to earn more money within the short span of period. In the last decade, real estate business in UAE has a tremendous level of growth due to various favorable situations.The basic driven forces for such a growth are economic growth of the country, increase in income, capital inflow from foreign investors, increase in population of expatriates and liberal laws. Economic development in the UAE has largely influenced by real estate sector and its impact on GDP growth rate is very crucial. Increase in tourism and development of other business sectors stretch the confidence of investors, especially from outside the country in real estate business. Employment opportunities are high in different emirates and there by expatriate population increases, this provides good opportunities in residential real estate sector.Many multinational companies found UAE is an important business location and begin their investments also enables the rapid growth in real estate sector. UAE pr operty market is still growing after the decline faced at time global economic crisis and recession. UAE open their opportunities to foreign investors in terms of culture and social integration and considered as one the most secure country in terms of political and economic environment. UAE is now creating a real estate and property boom that will delight dream of many people and creates regions within the nation that are representative of the world.So the turn over from real estate business is high especially in emirate like Dubai. HISTORY OF UAE REAL ESTATE BUSINESS Till the early 70s, when it constitutes a single nation by combining seven emirates, UAE is one of the least developed countries in the world. Today UAE has achieved growth rate and income level comparable to that of industrialized nations. As we know, the revenue from oil was the main source for the development in the early stages of the country. The infrastructure for many other business sectors were developed using the revenue from crude oil.In 1980s, UAE followed a resource based industry as a development strategy for over all development of country using natural resources. At this time, real estate properties are under the ownership of government and citizens have limited accessibility on such properties. Restricted transactions are there which happed between local people. When industries established here, real estate market also got a hike. Industrialization and impact of crude oil on global economy enabled UAE to be an investor’s destination for business. Gradually, the number of expatriates increases, most of them came here as employees.This trend enhances the development of residential and commercial real estate market. In late 90s, government authorities realize the uneven growth of real estate business and its opportunities. In this time, many of the multinational companies set their franchisees or braches in different emirates. The employment opportunities of the country expand thereafter and so real estate market got the boom. Authorities formulated new sophisticated real estate laws in the country to encourage foreign investments in large projects.The government’s decision to diversify from a trade based economy to service and tourism oriented made real estate sector is more valuable. Establishment of free zones enables to encourage investors by providing maximum freedom to establish industries. Special laws are formulated for free zones to keep the interests of investors. These free zones also contribute a lot to the gradual growth of real estate sector. Free holding of properties revolutionize the real estate market, which encourage foreign investments.Free hold allowing foreigners to buy properties, before that, only UAE nationals can hold property with restricted permissions. This policy adopted by Dubai in 2002 and implemented from 2003, help them to explore high turnover from real estate market. UAE real estate business grew gradually by ex ploiting different favorable conditions here; retain its growth till 2008. Global economic crisis from 2007 have some sort of impact on real estate business in UAE also, influence more on Emirate of Dubai. Dubai faced another recession in 1999, but it didn’t affect relatively small real estate sector at that time when comparing to late 2000s.Property value came to extreme down level due to less demand. During the period of recession, property prices down and investors are afraid to spend money in the sector. UAE slowly recover economic crisis and the demand for properties is still high. So economists predict further growth in coming years in real estate business. (UAE real estate, Reaching New Heights- KFH research) NATURE OF REAL ESTATE MARKET UAE real estate property market suffered a crash during the time of global economic crisis and now the business is gaining back the momentum.Since the transactions involved with considerably large amount and due to the expanding nature of business, we have consider the distinct characteristics and factors influencing the real estate business. Real estate assets and markets are unique when comparing to other market goods. This tends to be highly localized and segmented with privately negotiated transactions. Main characteristics are: Uniqueness: each real estate property can assume to be more or less unique, makes it difficult to compare with other properties.Durability: New structures usually have long life and so yield benefits over a long period of time. Large transaction size: Most of the real estate transactions create in a large financial requirement. So the cost and availability of financing has more influence on real estate market. Long development/ production period: from conception to completion, real estate projects often take years to complete. That means that supply of real estate properties typically slow to adjust to the increase in demand from real estate market.So real estate market is far away fr om ideal competitive market. Real estate business is influenced by many different factors which affect the real value of property also. The dynamic integration among different factors creates the business trends in the real estate market. Physical or environmental factors are noticeable to observe. Such factors include soil, climate, water, topography, scenic beauty, infrastructure and desirable destinations like schools, commercial areas, employment centers etc. Economic factors will strongly influence growth of the city or decline and here by property values, both demand and supply factors affect in this context. Demand factors include trends in employment and income, the availability of financing and so on. Economic factors that affect supply are availability of vacant and improved properties, rental and price patterns of existing properties, construction cost etc. All real estate property values are largely influenced by government policies and actions. Developing free zones, im plementing different kinds of regulations, construction of physical infrastructure etc are responsibilities of government as part of their policies.In UAE federal monitory policy and emirate fiscal policies also influence real estate markets. SUPPLY AND DEMAND MODEL Real estate economics is attempt to apply economic techniques to real estate markets, which tries to describe predict patterns of prices, supply and demand. Supply and demand model represents the relationship between quantity of a commodity that producers have available for sale and the quantity that consumers are willing and able to buy. The function of market is to equalize demand and supply through price mechanism where it keeps an equilibrium price to balance demand and supply.Diagrammatic representation of supply and demand model commonly mentioned as demand curve and supply curve, these curves plotted against the variables price and quantity. In highly competitive economy, the combination of upward slopping supply curve downward slopping demand curve represents the supply and demand schedule the intersecting point represents the equilibrium price for the item. Source: http://kkrugler. files. wordpress. com/2008/02/supply-demand-curve. png The huge uncertainty because of recession during 2010 in real estate market causes down fall of property values.Real demand level of real estate properties depends on population growth, both in residents and expatriates estimated around 15,000 new unit requirements per annum in Dubai itself. Then there is a situation arises where supply exceeds demand due to overbuilding and market uncertainty. Most of the projects in residential sector focus on luxury villas and apartments, but the requirement is only 30% of the total. So, there is still an undersupply for low and medium cost residential properties. Many projects are delaying due to uncertainty in demand and so, expecting the demand gap will increase in future.According to the renowned rating agency Moodyâ €™s, the oversupply in luxury residential sector and in commercial sector will continues till 2016 and there will be a delay in price recovery in real estate sector. Some researchers expect recovery to 2008 price level around 2020. The situation in Abu Dhabi also worsens, nearly 11,000 residential units are expected to come in market soon, this may cause a fall of 14% in rents when comparing to last year. In 2010, Abu Dhabi invested a huge amount of nearly 140 billion of USD in real estate and infrastructure development.During the peak time of real estate business during 2007 -2008, they were simply watching the projects of other emirates, especially Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah. This make made a lack of supply till last quarter of 2010 which provides a better rental when comparing Dubai. They got enough time for better planning by applying lessons learnt from Dubai’s experience. In Abu Dhabi, supply shortage is clearer in till 2011, huge supply increase in property units do not match with cumulative demand, expects till 2013. But in Luxury real estate sector and hotel sector there is issue of oversupply.One and two bedroom apartments still enjoy the highest demand. In general, there are not much serious issues regarding supply side of UAE real estate sector. Supply largely related to population growth, price obtainable for the property and its relative value of properties in real estate market. Changes in population commonly related to employment opportunities, increase or decrease in population will influence the real estate values. UAE expects drastic increase in employment and tourism sector in coming years and also encourage future investments in different sectors. Demand largely related consumer’s current financial strength and taste.Demand also relates to population, which is crucial in terms of its size along with its age distribution, educational status, size of household etc. Oversupply in certain sectors will cause a reduction in prope rty value in coming years, but low and medium cost residential sector still stay as undersupplied. ELASTICITY OF UAE REAL ESTATE MARKET The responsiveness of supply and demand to change price as per market trends is referred as elasticity. In other words, this ratio represents percentage change in quantity demand in response to percentage change in price. The demand for a property is said to be inelastic when this value is less than ne. If this value greater than one, changes in price have a relatively large impact on quantity of demand. Revenue is maximized when elasticity value is exactly one. There are different factors which influence elasticity of properties like, availability of substitutes, percentage of customer income, necessity of property, duration etc. Every investor in UAE is looking for maximum profit from property market, elasticity provided by the property owners make UAE is the best place for the property business. In real estate sector, occupancy rate is 90% and st ill they are in shortage of supply.Before the economic recession, rent is too high to reach for middle class investors. In cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi, still there are unoccupied residential and commercial real estate properties and so price elasticity will make conditions different. High occupancy rate is normally an indication of price elasticity. When supply meets almost all the demand from real estate market, elasticity will play an important role in determining property transactions and its values. Change of price will increase the demand, many families occupying in sharing villas may ready to take better occupation areas if the price become affordable.Availability of residential or commercial areas with fewer prices automatically makes the markets more elastic towards the price. REAL ESTATE BUSINESS – IMPACT ON UAE ECONOMY The economic studies conducted by various agencies showed the economic recovery in the country by gaining strength with the support of favorable global environment, but political uncertainty in some GCC countries really slowdown growth of real estate sector. UAE economy has recorded an overall study level of growth over last few years and the GDP has more than doubled from 387. 8 billion in 2004 to 934. 3 billion in 2008.Early stages of UAE economy is powered by revenue from oil, but in the recent years, the main driving force of economic growth is from non-oil sector, accounting for an average of 65% of GDP from 2004 to 2008. Real estate is among the important non-oil business sector in UAE which contribute an average of 8% towards the GDP. Abu Dhabi and Dubai are the emirates that contribute major share of GDP, Dubai is playing great role in the growth of non oil sectors, especially real estate market. The impact of real estate sector in UAE economy is high when considering to the last decade, the cities Abu Dhabi nd Dubai became business hubs in Middle East. Real estate sector is remain under pressure in the current econo my, contraction is expected as a further drop in property prices as new supply enters to the market along with lower demand and there by widening the supply – demand gap. This will increase in coming years with the completion of ongoing projects; will continue to weigh down the property prices and growth prospects. Abu Dhabi’s current strategy for boosting the housing supply also put additional pressure on real estate market.Anyway massive investment from government for infrastructure development projects will cause demand for construction and contracting services. Along with this boosting in employment opportunities will expected to provide a base for real estate economy to grow in future. The following table represents evolution of UAE Gross Domestic Product from year 2002 to 2009. Source: UAE National Bureau of statistics UAE REAL ESTATE BUSINESS – CLASSIFICATIONS For providing statistics more deeply, real estate market further divided in to Commercial and Re sidential sectors.Commercial real estate sector refers the property which specifically set aside for commercial purposes like industrial use, professional offices, farming etc. commercial property has to comply with certain standards and should be used solely for business purposes only. Residential real estate involves the sale and rental of land and houses to individuals or families for daily living. Both types involve transactions of huge amount and so many regulations are introduced for commercial and residential segments. Commercial real estate market further divided in to office market, retail market, hotel market etc. or providing analysis in further detailed. Residential real estate market Due to current world wide economic conditions and its manifestation, Dubai bought high uncertainty to the residential real estate market which drives down the prices. Residential market of Abu Dhabi and some other emirates are experiencing a shortage of supply, with insufficient homes or vi llas to meet requirement of current population. So sharing of villas and apartments is common here. In Abu Dhabi itself there is a shortage of 48,400 housing nits, the upcoming projects will be able to meet only around the half. The under supply for end users is particularly for lower and mid market brackets. The majority of upcoming projects also targets high class investors. Residential sales prices in UAE reached its peak in 2008, at this time rent also very high. Residential rents and selling price continue to decline due to a number of factors. More new supply will be available and as rents decline, many tenants are expected to be trade up from shared accommodations into single accommodation and thereby it keeps increase in demand.Rapid economic growth and employment opportunities results an unprecedented population boom, multi occupancy and sharing will of villas etc makes it possible to meet the requirement. House prices were fallen in last quarter of 2008 and now it slowly r etains an optimum pace. Economic growth, government support and mortgage lenders returning to the market etc are current driving forces of financial strength. The following graph represents the house price changes in UAE for the last three years. In the last quarter of 2010, residential price index rose slightly to 0. %, the total number of property transactions increased around 5%. Office market Currently there is a limited supply of office space in UAE, especially for multinational service sectors which require international standards. Still there is shortage of professionally managed office space, so office markets are operating in maximum occupancy rate and rents are relatively high when comparing to other developing countries. When begin a office, organizations will consider many concerns like road and transport facility, resource availability, infrastructure accessibility etc, so rents in areas within the city is very high.Medium range organization mostly prefer near areas of city to get the advantage of relatively less rent. More office space will be available when completing the ongoing projects which will help to stimulate market absorption rate in light of quality, tenants got opportunity to occupy higher quality office space at a lower cost. As a result poorer quality spaces forced to reduce their price. Large investment from government to set state owned enterprises and banks, currently most of such organization own the space rather than active in rental market.To widen the services of government agencies and enterprises new high quality office spaces should be created in various parts of the country. Foreign investment and multinational company involvement in different sectors like oil and gas, financial services, professional services etc largely influence the current trends in office market. According to the Global Office Market View from CB Richard Ellis (CBRE), UAE is an increasingly affordable and attractive destination for company offices, w ith growing stability within the emirates.The quality and standard of completed buildings and its affordable rent rate here become much more attractive. Retail market Retail market in real estate represents floor space available for participating in trades direct to customers. Retail market also faces shortage of international quality projects and so availability of floor space for retailers relative to demand is less. Increased spending of both UAE citizen expatriates and the existing below average per capita income provides a good atmosphere for retail market.The total retail supply in Abu Dhabi is approximately 1. 4 million square meter of GLA and it is important to note that most of this space is in non mall format, i. e. street shops. There is significant shortage of available retail space including high end street retail at present and the existing shopping malls are currently having high occupancy rate of nearly 95%. The demand for retail market is expected to increase in com ing years also, the emergence of more world class tourism points in UAE also support growth of retail sector.New retailers are offering new retail sales format and experience which will cause an increase in spending of money in retail market. In the growing economy of UAE, average rental rates almost unchanged in the main retail malls of Abu Dhabi emirates but continue to decline in Dubai. Hotel market Dubai is one of favorite tourist destination for people from Europe and other Asian countries. Abu Dhabi, Fujairah ad other emirates are also emerging as valuable tourism destinations in the country. Luxurious hospitality and high grade hotels are inevitable to retain in world tourism map.Supply of new hotel facilities are less in last few years after the recession, but it is almost meet the requirement from tourism sector. Occupancy rate has fallen and still continued to out perform when comparing to other market areas. Some tourism promotion events like Dubai Shopping Festival, Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix, Dubai Air Show, Abu Dhabi shopping festival etc cause some seasonal demand for hotel facilities. The continued expansion of national airline Etihad and Emirates has enabled growth of hotel markets in UAE.Almost half of the total quality hotel supply is managed by international management companies like Hilton, Starwood etc. Development of hospitality sector along with strengthening of corporate market and development of leisure segment is the main objective of UAE authority and so the upcoming projects will supply the requirements, to continue to increase hotel supply in next few years. Abu Dhabi is one of the strongest performing hotel markets in the last few years as the number of hotel visitors to the city has doubled in from 200 to 2009.In future, hotel market expects tremendous growth along with tourism sector. (Abu Dhabi real estate market forecasts, p19-35) UAE REAL ESTATE LAWS Foreign investors in UAE real estate market face several legal challenges both as to the nature of legal entity to use the properties as well as their ability to acquire free hold interests in real estate. UAE is the federation of seven emirates established in 1971; formulation of UAE federal law provides legal framework for the emirates.Federal government is entrusted with the task of formulating laws concerning and regulating principal and central aspects of federation including defense, security, public health, currency etc. federal laws are formulated for regulating labor and social services, real estate and its expropriation in the public interest, agriculture and animal wealth and so on. As per the constitutional principle adopted by UAE nation, local governments in different emirates are authorized to regulate common matters that are not confined to the federal government.Each of the seven emirates regulates their own affaires by exploring this provision. So, in real estate sector there is no federal property law for governing foreign ownership of real estate in UAE. Each emirates has their own regulations, Dubai is the only emirate currently allow freehold of real estate properties. Federal Law No. 5 of 1985 was issued Civil Transactions Law and Federal Law No. 11 of 1992 was issued Civil Procedures Law are the important real estate laws in UAE. Apart from this all the emirates issues their own amendments to protect investors, buyers etc. he civil transaction law later amended by Federal Law No. 1 of 1987 which exclude commercial transactions from being governed by and under the civil transaction law. Different articles of civil transaction law like Article 870, 871, 881 etc ensure the security and reliability of different real estate transactions among persons and banks. As per Civil Procedure code, agreements must be evidenced in writing and must be clearly defined. Different emirates made their own amendments for better regulation by using their provision for freely constitute laws.Law No. 7 of 2006 concerning real property r egistration in the emirate of Dubai is an example of such amendment. Law No. 7 of 1997 concerns the charges for registration of lands, local decree of 1960 concerns the formation of lands committee. Year 2006 amendment define real estate register and different types of rights to hold real estate properties based on clearly defined agreements. As per Article 4, real estate property shall be restricted to UAE and GCC nationals, subject Ruler’s approval and in specific areas, non nationals grand for freehold ownership.Some other important amendments in Dubai include Law No. 9 of 2009, Law No. 13 of 2008 etc. In 2010, a number of significant changes implemented in UAE real estate laws, to encourage investments and to face challenges from global economic crisis. Landlord and tenant law provide to ensure tenants automatic right for renewal and security of tenure which has existed for the first five years of occupation for both commercial and residential clients. The 5% annual rent increase cap has also been retained in Abu Dhabi to provide middle income affordable housing.Special consideration and laws were implemented in new investment areas like free zones to protect investor’s rights. Abu Dhabi also formulates framework and general laws for property rights within Abu Dhabi emirates to register property legally. CHALLENGES IN UAE REAL ESTATE SECTOR Rising cost of cement and raw materials is a real challenge in real estate sector. Production of cement in UAE is not enough for satisfy the demand; cement comes from outside the country also. The stabilized market and a looming price control intervention by authorities imply that price may not be high always.Real estate and construction industries are facing shortage of skilled labors for construction site. Due to low wages and heavy duty, many foreign labors leave from here, manpower requirement is high when considering the demand. Delays and cancellations of projects in UAE is a major supply side issue in UAE. Due to global economic crisis, many projects are cancelled due to investor’s feeling of insecurity in real estate business. Actually real estate markets are driven by supply, demand and finance. Mortgage rate is relatively high in UAE when comparing to international standards, especially in Dubai.In many cases, this is beyond affordability. UAE authorities are continuously monitoring to taking deals with these supply issues. (UAE real estate, Reaching New Heights- KFH research P13-14) SWOT ANALYSIS OF UAE REAL ESTATE SECTOR Source: KFH research FUTURE GROWTH – INFERENCES AND CRITICAL CATALYSTS In general, UAE is undersupplied in relation to the demand for residential, office and retail properties, hotel market almost balance the requirement. Due to high occupancy rate in cities like Abu Dhabi, rental and sales price still higher than the regional market.This has a negative impact on economy; there is significant loss of potential employment, spending and invest ment. The real estate industry has respond to ongoing shortage of quality products, new projects will solve the shortage in coming years. Years fro 2003 to 2008 is the peak of business, economic crisis caused a down turn in 2009 due to economic crisis. Due to this, major projects are cancelled or delayed, now the country retains its financial strength, significant level of new supply expected to enter in market within two years.Retail and hotel market expected to move into surplus situation within two years. The remarkable growth of UAE real estate sector is enhanced by a number of activities and improvements in basic infrastructure. Many factors will be catalytic force for commercial and residential real estate markets in future. Some of them are Growing employment and population base: Due to the success of initiative from UAE authorities to increase Emirati population and to attract expatriates, UAE is now having relatively good labor pool and employment opportunities.Increase in population contributes to the development of economy and promote continuous growth of real estate demand. Promoting company start-up and growth: UAE government is taking new steps to develop new industries and work culture by introducing free zones and basic infrastructures. Achieving the rapid economic growth also requires substantial developments in to the regulatory framework. Regulatory reform: Emirates like Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ras- Al-Khaimah etc. still needs to establish a business and legal environment comparable to other developed countries.Transparent regulatory mechanism only can attract investors, especially in real estate sector where a huge amount of investment is required. Transparency: In this era of globalization, markets to be more open, transparency of different markets has emerged as a big concern for investors, occupiers and other real estate stakeholders. Marketing benefits from improved transparency tends to be those in which conducting business is easier. UAE need to improve transparency and openness further to keep inline with leading international markets.Land Registry: Land and property registry system is one of the key element that define transparent real estate market, improving operation of the system by providing public accessibility, improvements will stimulate the additional demand for real estate in the country. (Abu Dhabi real estate market forecasts, p36-37) ? CONCLUSION Real estate refers to residential new homes and existing ones, commercial shopping centers and offices, industrial manufacturing buildings and properties, undeveloped lands and farms etc. Real estate investments are largely influenced by the condition of the immediate area where the property is located.In UAE real estate sector was not much developed as a big business sector till early 90s. Revenue from oil was the main source of economic growth in early stage of the country; authority’s dedication enabled them to establish an industry based economy he re which helped a lot to develop a real estate market in UAE. Multinational companies found UAE as one of the important business location; they began their franchisees which improve opportunities in residential and commercial real estate market. Real estate market is distinct from other competitive markets, due to the differentiable characteristics and influencing factors.Current supply and demand for real estate properties largely influence the rental and selling price. Residential, office and retail real estate properties still face shortage especially in cities, hotel market currently balance the demand and supply. Elasticity measures the responsiveness of quantity demanded of property goods against change in its price. This is influenced by customer’s income, availability of alternatives, necessity for the property and so on. Real estate business sector has a remarkable contribution towards UAE economy, nearly 8% of the GDP of the nation is from real estate sector.Because of the global economic crisis, real estate sector also under pressure when it badly affect on business and employment opportunities. Many huge projects were cancelled or delayed due to insecurity feel from investors at the time of recession. But UAE has almost recovered from the impact and now real estate market also expects booming in coming years. Factors like growing employment and population base, promoting company start-up and growth, regulatory reform, transparency etc will act as catalysts for future growth of real estate sector. ? REFERENCES Dr. Eisa Abdelgalil, Badar Aldeen Bakheet, Dubai Real Estate Sector – Monitor Series (2007) [online] www. arabruleoflaw. org/compendium/Files/UAE/92. pdf [accessed on 22/11/2011] †¢UAE Economic Brief and Outlook 2011 , KAMCO Research (April 2011) http://www. menafn. com/updates/research_center/UAE/Economic/kamco130411. pdf [accessed on 22/11/2011] †¢Dubai Property Market Overview (Feb 2009), [online] www. cluttons. com [accessed on 23/11/2011] †¢Jones Lang, LaSalle, UAE Retail Market Overview (November 2010) [online] http://www. dsg. ae/LinkClick. aspx? ileticket=KIYUb_RYXlA%3D&tabid=222 [accessed on 23/11/2011] †¢UAE Real Estate Reaching the New Heights, KFH research LTD (September 2008) [online]http://www. liquidityhouse. com/upload/UAE_Real_Estate_-_12_Sep_08 _1443. pdf [accessed on 24/11/2011] †¢Dubai Investment News (28/03/2011), UAE office market is attractive and affordable http://www. thefirstgroup. com/dubai-property-investment-news/article. php? id=800478265 [accessed on 24/11/2011] †¢UAE Real Estate Sector – Global Research (June 2011) [online] http://www. globalinv. net/research/UAE-RealEstate-062011. pdf [accessed on 24/11/2011]

Sunday, September 29, 2019

The Sarin Gas Attack on the Tokyo Subway

Terrorism has always been a part of human’s history. Although there is still no clear explanation about the act of terrorism, a terrorist and terrorism itself, it is evident that it has a drastic consequence on the society and the people’s lives. Technically, terrorism is classified as international and domestic. This paper will focus on a particular domestic terrorism – the Sarin Gas Attack on the Tokyo Subway. Included here is the account of the incident, the perpetrators, the chemical used, the victims and the long-term effect of this incident. The Sarin Gas Attack on the Tokyo Subway The Sarin Gas Attack on the Tokyo Subway was considered the worst terrorist attack in Japan. Five members of the Aum Shinrikyo armed with sarin gas executed the assault on the morning of March 20, 1995 in the busy subways of Tokyo. Five more members were waiting outside as getaway drivers. The perpetrators entered the Marunouchi, Hibiya and the Chiyoda subway lines with bags of sarin covered with newspaper. They boarded trains and released the sarin by pricking the bags with their pointed umbrellas. As the liquid nerve agent turned into gas and mixed with the air, the commuters were immediately poisoned. It resulted to 12 deaths and more than 3,000 were injured. Because sarin poisoning was still unfamiliar during that time, Japan’s medical system had a hard time diagnosing and treating the victims. Hospitals were only given information on the diagnosis and treatment through fax by Dr. Yanagisawa Nobuo who had encountered treating sarin poisoning. Today, many of the victims still suffer from the nerve agent’s after effects such as breathing problems, depression and brain damage. Aum Shinrikyo Aum Shinrikyo is the Japanese phrase for â€Å"Supreme Truth. † It is founded in 1984 by partially blind Chizuo Matsumoto, known as Master Shoko Asahara to his followers. It started as a yoga and meditation class and progressed later on. It was recognized as a religious organization in 1989 and it was called a â€Å"religion for the elite† because the recruits were mostly young graduates from the country’s premium universities. This group worships Shiva being their god and its belief is a combination of Buddhism, Taoism, tantric yoga and Asahara’s interpretation of Christianity. Their teachings have great emphasis on apocalyptic scenarios and millennial visions being Nostradamus as one of their prophets. Asahara also prophesized that Japan would soon be annihilated by biological, nuclear and chemical weapons as a part of the impending Armageddon in 1999, and only the followers of Aum Shinrikyo will survive. There are three training systems the followers must undergo in order to obtain deliverance. The first is called the tantric yoga where the recruit is taught basic yoga, ways of personal cleansing and meditation. The second is called the siddhi course where the students are taught the release of an energy called kundalini which they believed to be dwelling â€Å"in a latent state at the base of the spine† (http://encarta. msn. com). The third course is called bodha from which energy from Asahara is spiritually transferred to the disciples. They also believe that salvation can be attained by giving up material things and by offering personal riches to the organization. Aum Shinrikyo is not concentrated in Japan alone. Around the world, it has approximately 20,000 to 40,000 members. In order to financially sustain their activities and operations, the cult collects money by means of tithes, donations, selling religious stuff and other merchandises. The believers who attend the cult’s seminars and trainings are also charged with large amount of money. The cult also owns a computer factory and a chain of restaurants in Japan. Before the March 20, 1995 incident, Aum Shinrikyo has been linked with a number of other assaults. It attempted to discharge butulin toxin around the government buildings in Tokyo in April 1990. During the wedding of the crown prince in June 1993, it again made an attempt to release the same poison around the imperial palace. On June 27, 1994, a several members of the cult released a cloud of sarin in a residential area of Matsumoto, a city located northwest of Tokyo. Seven people died and five hundred more were hospitalized. What followed here was the most tragic attack which became the eye-opener to the great possibility of chemical agents as weapon of mass destruction. The Main Perpetrators The following are five groups of the ten members of Aum Shinrikyo responsible for the March 20, 1995 attack: Ikuo Hayashi and his driver Tomomitsu Niimi †¢ Kenichi Hirose and his driver Koichi Kitamura †¢ Toru Toyoda and his driver Katsuya Takahashi †¢ Masato Yokoyama and his driver Kiyotaka Tonozako †¢ Yasuo Hayashi and his driver Shigeo Sumimoto Ikuo Hayashi was a heart and artery specialist doctor before he joined Aum Shinrikyo in 1990. He left his family and his job and followed Asahara and became the Minister of Healing. He handled members who were suspected for betrayal by administering electric shocks and sodium pentothal. He was assigned to execute the assault on the Chiyoda line. He boarded the southwestbound train and pierced the bag of chemical at Shin-ochanomuzu station. This resulted to two deaths and 231 people were injured. After the incident at the subways, he was given a sentence of life imprisonment. His driver, Tomomitsu Niimi was sentenced to death. Prior to joining Aum Shinrikyo, Kenichi Hirose was a â€Å"holder of a postgraduate degree in Physics from Waseda University† (Wikipedia). He had major contribution in the cult’s Chemical Brigade and Automatic Light Weapon Development system. He was assigned to release the chemical on the westbound Marunochi line headed to Ogikubo. He boarded the train and punctured the bag of sarin at the Ochanomizu station. One died and 358 suffered from the toxin. He himself was affected by the sarin that he discharged but was able to inject himself with the antidote, atropine sulphate, and was given medical attention at the cult’s headquarters. Toru Toyoda was also a member of the Chemical Brigade of Aum Shinrikyo. He was an applied physics graduate from Tokyo University before he became an Aum’s disciple. The northeastbound Hibiya line was the assignment of Toyoda. He boarded the train going to Tobu-dobutsukoen and released sarin at Ebisu. This resulted to one death and 532 serious injuries. He was also sentenced to death after this attack. Masato Yokoyama was the Undersecretary of the cult’s Ministry of Science and Technology and one of the contributories of their Automatic Light Weapons Manufacturing system. Prior to becoming Aum’s member, he was an applied physics graduate of Tokai University. He was assigned at the Ikeburo-bound Marunouchi line. He boarded the train at Shinjuku and punctured his bag of sarin at Yotsuya. The agent evaporated slowly because he was only able to pierce one hole. He was given death sentence after this incident. Yasuo Hayashi held the third highest position in Aum’s Ministry of Science and Technology. He graduated from Kogakuin Univeristy with a degree in artificial intelligence. He was assigned to release sarin at the southwestbound Hibiya line leaving Kita-senju headed to Naka-meguro. He punctured the bags of sarin at Akihabara. Because of the number of punctures he made, commuters were instantly affected by the chemical. This resulted to 8 deaths and 275 serious injuries. He was also sentenced to death after the incident as well as his getaway driver Shigeo Sugimoto. After this assault, Aum Shinrikyo’s assests were taken away from the group as well as its status as a religious organization. Sarin Asahara ordered his members to mass produce sarin in 1993 and the chemical plant started to operate in 1994. Originally, sarin was developed to be used as a pesticide. It was first made in Germany in 1938 and it is not organic. It is colorless, odorless and tasteless liquid that mix into the air when vaporized. It is now considered as a chemical warfare agent under the category of a nerve agent. Nerve agents are the deadliest and fastest acting chemical warfare agents. These are comparable to insect killers, organophosphates, because of the hazards that they bring. Because of the nature of sarin, humans are vulnerable to the fatal effects of this chemical. There are various means that a person can be exposed to this. Once it vaporized into the air, a person can contract sarin through the eyes, skin and nose. If sarin is mixed in water, a person can be poisoned by drinking or even touching the water. Solid food can also be tainted with sarin which is also lethal if eaten. People situated at lower grounds tend to have greater exposure to sarin because of its dense vapor. The degree of toxicity brought by sarin can be determined by the person’s manner of exposure to the chemical, the amount of the chemical and how long was the person’s exposure. If a person is exposed to sarin in its vapor form, the symptoms will be obvious within a few seconds. If it is in the liquid form, on the other hand, the symptoms will show within a few minutes up to 18 hours. Generally, nerve agents work by inhibiting the chemicals in the body to perform its function as the regulator of the muscles and glands. Once the effects of sarin take place, the muscles and glands will no longer be slowed down resulting to fatigue and breathing difficulty. Of all the nerve agents, sarin is the fastest to change its form from liquid into gas and scatter into the air. Due to this characteristic, its effects take place instantly but short-term. The following are the signs and symptoms of exposure to a small or average dose of sarin: †¢ Runny nose †¢ Watery eyes †¢ Small, pinpoint pupils †¢ Eye pain †¢ Blurred vision †¢ Drooling and excessive sweating †¢ Cough †¢ Chest tightness †¢ Rapid breathing †¢ Diarrhea †¢ Increased urination †¢ Confusion †¢ Drowsiness Weakness †¢ Headache †¢ Nausea, vomiting †¢ Slow or fast heart rate †¢ Low or high blood pressure The following are the signs and symptoms of exposure to high doses of sarin: †¢ Loss of consciousness †¢ Convulsions †¢ Paralysis †¢ Respiratory fail ure possibly leading to death (http://terrorism. about. com) Sarin Poisoning Victims According to survey conducted about the sarin gas poisoning victims, year after the incident, more than 17% of the respondents still suffer from mental and emotional stress. Of the 5,300 individuals spoken to, only 1,500 agreed to respond to the survey, signifying that they are still disturbed by the incident. Of the respondents, many experience â€Å"flashbacks to the event and panic attacks when boarding trains† (www. factnet. org). Although majority of the victims still endure constant eye strain and other physical ailments, the most vital point is the mental distress. A large number of the victims still â€Å"worry about getting involved in a similar incident†; â€Å"feel sad when I encounter something that reminds me of the incident†; and â€Å"try not to think about anything related to the incident† (www. factnet. org). Aum Shinrikyo Today After the attack on March 20, 1995, Aum Shinrikyo changed its name to Aleph and it had a new leader, Fumihiro Joyu. Joyu declared that the group gave up its illicit interests and violent practice. Aleph also gave out about 2. 5 million dollars for the victims of the assault. But being on the list of terrorists, they are still being monitored in the conviction that it still has malicious objectives. Its members are now ranging approximately from 1,500 to 2,000 who communicate through the Internet and videoconference. Most of its followers are in Japan and some are in Russia despite the ban imposed to the cult. Although the group gained negative image, it is still onto progressive recruitment and publicity. In order to sustain their activities, they maintain their method of earning money such as soliciting donations, selling religious paraphernalia, collecting tithes, conducting training and seminars and selling computers, which is the most productive source of funds. They are able to destabilize competitors by â€Å"producing cheap software and computers written and assembled by dedicated and low-waged cult members† (www. cdi. org). The possibility of manufacturing chemical and biological weapons is now very small since the abolishment of the group’s chemical facilities in a number of raids. There are still debates, though, about the implications that this cult may have brought in about terrorism especially with the use of chemical agents as weapons of mass destruction. Incidents such as this show how people underestimate terrorism. Japan is a country who has relatively low crime rate and Aum Shinrikyu is considered a religious organization which is expected to exhibit acts of good intentions. This incident calls for a broader perspective on terrorism as well as extra vigilance on the possibility of violence inflicted to a large number of people with the use of weapons of mass destruction.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Race and racism (evolution) Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Race and racism (evolution) - Coursework Example These Blacks come from a number of African regions including the West Central African region, the Mozambique-Madagascar area, the Gold Coast, the Sierra Leone region, the Bight of Benin, the Bight of Biafra and the Senegambia areas (Gomez. 1998). Although these people come from different parts of Africa and embrace different cultures and traditions, they are collective referred to as African-American owing to their continent of origin and the color of their skin. The early black slaves were treated as in debentured servants who are under contract to serve their masters for a certain number of years in exchange for their passage or transportation, food, shelter, clothes and others (Foner, 2004). As slaves, these people are under the control of their masters and they can be sold to another master. Since these people are literally owned by their masters, they are not allowed to marry without the express permission of their masters and if they do not follow the rules of their masters, th ey can be subjected to harsh physical punishment (Foner, 2004). Female slaves who were allowed to marry and have children often have to stay longer with their owners to make up for the â€Å"lost† days that they missed when they got pregnant and had children (Foner, 2004). Since indentured slaves are released after a number of years or after they are able to pay their so-called â€Å"freedom dues†, many blacks were freed after a certain period (Hine et al., 2002). However, this freedom was short lived since laws were passed legalizing slavery in many parts of the country. The first law that legalized slavery was passed in the State of Massachusetts in 1641 and allow for race-based slavery (Hine et al., 2002). As a result, blacks were relegated to slavery and their children remained as properties of their owners. Children who were born into bondage were treated as properties of their owners and they were under the full control of their masters for the rest of their live s (Hine et al., 2002). The history of slavery among Blacks started the culture of racism against African-Americans and despite the fact that many prominent members of the black community, including President Barrack Obama, have shown the world that Blacks are do not belong to an inferior race, still, racism continue at different sectors and levels in society. Although racism may not be a prevalent as it was several years ago, still it cannot be denied that racism is still very much alive in the United States. According to a survey conducted by USA Today/Gallup poll (Jones, 2008) shows that racism is still very much present in our society and despite efforts to eradicate racism against Blacks, it cannot be denied that Blacks still feel the effects of racism. To get a clearer picture on how race and racism have shaped the lives of the Black community, let up trace the history of the struggles and triumphs of the African-Americans. II. Racism Facts and Issues Faced by African Americans There are a number issues faced by African-Americans over the years and these issues include slavery, racial segregation, political discrimination, economic disadvantages and social inequities. To get a clearer picture of these issues, let us discuss these issues based on facts and historical data. a. African-Americans in the Age of Slavery, Emancipation and Segregation During

Friday, September 27, 2019

Produce a 2000 word report that critiques and evaluates an Essay

Produce a 2000 word report that critiques and evaluates an environmental impact assessment for a named project - Essay Example Noise- Noise is by and large viewed as an unwanted sound or sound, which transforms disagreeable consequences for the ears. Noise is processed by family devices, vehicles out and about, plane planes, boisterous speakers and so forth. Noise produces extreme unfriendly impacts on the nature of man encompassing and is, subsequently, recognized to be contaminating the earth. It is the din and term of the commotion which is exasperating and reasons physical uneasiness and harm to hearing. The major source of noise is derived from the centre’s nearness to the A64 and due to construction works. Air Pollution- Air pollution alludes to the vicinity of strong particles and gases buzzing around. Contaminations may be regular or synthetic. These contaminations cause inconvenience, illness, or demise to people. Other living life forms are likewise influenced. The environment is a dynamic complex mixture of gases that is key for manage life on Earth. Emanations from vehicles, processing plants, clean, and dust and mould spores may be suspended as particles. Some air toxins are harmful; inward breath of contaminated air causes respiratory illnesses, for example, asthma, heart sicknesses, changes in lung capacity, and additionally expiration. Long haul presentation to contaminated air can bargain the development (particularly lung advancement) in youngsters. Air pollution is not limited to the earth: indoor pollution is additionally perilous to health. (Gall, Carter, Earnest, & Stephens, 2013). Car emissions from the A64 and the general smells associated with the land-based works particularly the dairy farm on the site creates a major amount of air pollution. The construction dusts and the dusts belonging to the demolished buildings also play a significant role in causing air pollution. Water Pollution- Water pollution is the sullying of water

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Preferred future, what changes do you forsee as an advanced practice Essay

Preferred future, what changes do you forsee as an advanced practice nurse. Relate it to health care reform - Essay Example In order to be a quality-focused pediatric nurse practitioner capable of maximizing patient care and building staff unity, the nurse must take a leadership role within the organization in order to drive improvements. With health care reform currently on the forefront of society’s consciousness, it will be even more important to develop sound leadership skills in order to assist in this change process and also to improve relationships with patients of different socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. The future of health care, after potential reform, will change the methods by which nurses conduct their job role responsibilities. However, since this reform has not yet been built into solid legislation, it would be appropriate to compare this potential future for nurses with a preferred future to discuss how best to build a more effective organization. The future of nursing will require an individual with the ability to bridge gaps between colleagues, managers and patients in order to adjust to new health care reform-driven changes. Health care reform is going to mean new demands for pediatric nurse practitioners, especially in terms of how management and nurses interact. Health care reform is going to change the process of controls within the organization, requiring more unity between different professional ranks of the business. In order to facilitate quality relationships of this type, the nurse â€Å"must be a diplomat, helping people get past their conflicts with one another and facilitate their working together† (Grossman and Valiga, 2009, p.138). Unfamiliar changes to health care delivery, imposed by the potential new reform policy, are going to create different reactions from colleagues and superiors. In some instances, these changes may be so radically-different from current operations that members of the organization try to resist these changes through lack

Report and roadmap about an emerging technology Essay

Report and roadmap about an emerging technology - Essay Example chnology roadmap that sets out key milestones and activities occurring in the course of developing the technology, milestones in technical development required in the future, and key activities for supporting future technical as well as commercial development of the project. In addition, other relevant factors for its past or its future are considered. The milestone in developing the artificial uterus can be attributed to development of the artificial placenta. A significant progress in the pump technology and the oxygenator has allowed the development of the artificial uterus to focus in the direction of the physiological role model in the coming years. Again, this development has been enhanced by the invention of the novel pump-less assist device. The milestones required in the technical development in the future include submersion, inflammatogenicity and thrombogenicity, and cannulation. These requirements are discussed further in the paper. They are initiated in the presence of various aspects that are considered in the development of the artificial uterus such as artificial endometrium, artificial placenta, and synthetic amniotic fluid. For the artificial endometrium, the interior lining of the uterus has to have the same features as the natural one. Regarding the artificial placenta, it has to in a position of developing on the endometrial wall or as an external device and its capacity has to allow nutrients, gaseous exchange and eliminate waste products. The synthetic amniotic fluid on the other hand would be considered an important component in the success of the project. Regarding its future market, the development of the artificial uterus is a safer way for women. Ladies will able to have children without the cost of labor pains or cesarean surgery scars. Moreover, it gives women, who have childbearing difficulties, the opportunity to have children. Women will have the liberty that would not have come with having a normal pregnancy, as keeping up with

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Debating public Policy Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Debating public Policy - Term Paper Example The researcher is of the view that decision making in public policy is an engineered process that reflect the motive and paradigm set by decision maker. Moreover, policymaking decisions are controlled activities which often reflect the political motives. Decision in policymaking, according to Deborah Stone is a process which involves an actor (an individual, firm or organization or entity) who chooses to take course of action in order to achieve the desired end. The actor follows mental operational steps including: defining of goals, imagining alternative means for attaining them, evaluating the consequences, and choosing the alternative that is most likely to achieve desired goal (Stone 233). While these steps represent an organized process, decision makers often disregard their implementation in the exact sequence. Some of the reasons include the emphasis on ends versus means, welfare versus utility of the public, and so on. Policymakers therefore often skip the initial stages, and work their way from the bottom - that is from the goals towards the alternatives and their consequences. The main aim of policy decision is to maximize the total welfare instead of focusing on a chosen few within the community (Stone 234). After all, the purpose of a public policy is to promote the welfare of the society. Regardless of the consequences to a small number of individuals, decisions pertaining to the welfare of a community should be a reflection of the choice of the individuals. What use is the policy decision to the society if it only serves a chosen few? Thus, the public decision maker is a "servant" to the objective of the society, and the decisions made should reflect the choices and preferences of the individuals (Stokey and Zeckhauser 258). However, reality it is different. In a multicultural environment such as in the United States, it is difficult to holistically achieve complete consensus of

Monday, September 23, 2019

What Employers Want to See in a Business Writing Course Essay

What Employers Want to See in a Business Writing Course - Essay Example The topics that are expected to be covered by professors that would enable students to write in a business-manner at the end of the course are writing style, format, structure and ethics in business writing. The writing style in business is formal and professors must be able to teach students what constitute a formal writing in business correspondence. It involves the correct selection of words, the appropriate framing of thoughts and professionalism in tone. The format in business writing must also be taught by professors for students to know how to package their letters in a business manner. Format conveys professionalism and this is important in the world of business to be taken seriously. Structure in business writing is also important and it meant more than the arrangement of thoughts but also on how to arrange them concisely. This will help students to get their ideas across clearly and concisely. Finally, professors must also guide students about the appropriateness of business correspondence. This would include ethics in business writing and how to maintain professionalism.

Sunday, September 22, 2019

How is leadership different in Asian business from Western business Research Paper

How is leadership different in Asian business from Western business - Research Paper Example Understanding the differences in business leadership among these two continents helps both sides in the common goal of success. The success rate or even the failure rate of any company or organization depends solely on the strategy and management of resources. However, in order to implement the strategy and further to achieve the goals, many other factors have to be taken into account. This implies that the management and the leadership roles, both have a huge part to play in the smooth functioning of the strategy. On one hand, management is responsible to ensure that the resources are being utilized in the best way possible and maximum results are being produced to the advantage of the firm. On the other hand leadership has an even important role to play in envisioning the employees with the objectives of the firm and motivate their team in order to achieve a common goal. If the leaders lead their teams toward the right direction, the task of the management also becomes easier, and with that, the company is destined to reach another level. However, this paper will aim at analyzing the leadership roles in As ian business firms, alongside critically commenting on the leadership trends and shifts in the West to draw a clear contrast, and further to understand the effect of these differences on the global market. Prior to analyzing the leadership trends in Asia and in the west, it is crucial to understand the dynamics of leadership from both Asian as well as Western Perspectives, so that it becomes convenient to lay the foundation over which the comparison can be made. If there is a leader, then there are followers. If people are to follow someone then their leadership must be considered as something personal, a relationship between the leader and follower, with the leader’s credibility providing the foundation. There needs to be trust established

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Of Mice and Men is chiefly concerned with imprisonment and repression Essay Example for Free

Of Mice and Men is chiefly concerned with imprisonment and repression Essay How does Steinbeck present such themes within the novella? All of the characters within Steinbecks Of Mice and Men have a dream, yet this dream is unobtainable because they are trapped, inside the ranch and inside themselves. They cannot break out because of their lifestyle and their need for work and money. Lennie and George dream of having their own ranch and live off the fatta the lan' yet they hold each other back. George represses Lennie, he has become like a father to him but will not let Lennie grow up, Lennie cannot talk without Georges permission. What are you gonna say tomorrow when the boss asks you questions? Lennie, however, realises that George cares for him and he has learnt to manipulate George, If you dont want me you only jus got to say so, and Ill go off into those hills right there. Lennie makes George guilty, so that George feels that he has to stay with him. Neither will let each other go, as neither knows about life without them. George and Lennie travelling together is unusual Aint many guys travel around together and this means that they are left as outsiders. Other workers turn up alone so have to fit into ranch life and into the group but as George and Lennie are together, they become unapproachable, as other workers are confused about their friendship. After leaving Weed George and Lennie believe that they have escaped from their problems however whilst Lennie is there they can never truly escape their problems as they will just follow them from place to place The marginalised characters are repressed, because of their age, sex, or race. Curleys wife has no name; she is just the stereotypical woman. Candys dog also has no name and the two are on the same level on the ranch. Being married to Curley, she has given up her right to freedom, as at the time women were just expected to be a good wife aint I got a right to talk to nobody? Curleys wife has dreams, like the others which she can never achieve Coulda been in the movies an had nice clothes. She is trapped in the ranch she could leave but would not be able to support herself, as all she has is Curley. Curley, whilst he seems like he is in control of his life, is imprisoned within his personality. Curley is the Boss son and feels that he must live up to the Boss reputation and be an unofficial leader for the ranch workers, the fact that Slim seems to have taken this role angers him. He is married and uses this to his advantage, he has something that the others do not have and uses this to intimidate the others and show off, seems like Curley is cockier than ever since he got married. However, Curley cannot control his wife and is paranoid that she may be seeing another worker, he is looking for her throughout the text, he knows her flirtatious nature and suspects others of being with his wife. It is pointed out by others that Curley is like a lot of other little guys. He hates big guys he feels that has to prove himself, just because he is mall does not mean that he isnt strong. Curley likes to be in control and make others fear him and this holds him back, if he behaved like any of the ranch workers then it is likely that he would be accepted but he cannot change himself now. At the time of the novella, black people were discriminated against and Crooks is an example of this. He is left to live alone and we rarely see him. If Lennie had not gone into his room and spoken to him then we would have never met Crooks or learnt about him. He is never given a chance to speak or voice his opinion. The majority of the ranch workers were involved with the discussion about Candys dog but Crooks being in another room was never involved. Crooks knows being black is the reason for his isolation Cause Im black but he cant leave the ranch because he is crippled so he is imprisoned somewhere he is ignored. On a ranch where working is all there is to do Candy finds life difficult. He is the eldest and this prevents him from working and socialising. When the others are playing horseshoes Candy is not, he is talking with the other outsiders, George and Lennie, in the barn. Candy is not given chance to think or consider suggestions, during the conversation about his dog he seemed pressured into the decision. Carlson is speaking at him rather than to him and he is given very little time to form a counter argument. The town where the ranch is situated is called Soledad, which means, in Spanish, loneliness or secluded. George and Lennie have to walk miles to reach the ranch, suggesting that it is isolated. Once on the ranch workers are stuck doing the same monotonous tasks daily. Whilst workers could escape from that particular ranch, it would only be to find another. Because of the Depression, workers were stuck travelling from place to place in search of work and once they had found one place, some were reluctant to move on for fear of not being able to find any more work. Migrant workers were very low down in the social hierarchy and found it difficult to break out, as they needed the money. Steinbeck presents themes of imprisonment and repression well, with many ideas not apparent on the first read. His novella is a look at life in 1930s America and he manages to show how life was for many different types of people and shows how everyone was trapped in some way.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Has Journalism Become Feminized Over Time Media Essay

Has Journalism Become Feminized Over Time Media Essay Introduction During the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, journalism was dominated by man. When advertising became the main source for the newspapers profit, women journalists were hired in order to appeal to female audiences. However, they were assigned to soft news topics, such as fashion, the arts and domestic issues, because of the lack of professional reporting skills assumed by their male editors. Even when dealing with the politics or social issues, women journalists were required to write from the human interest angle and emphasize the events effects on people (Chambers et al. 2004, p14). In the past two centuries, studies have shown the influx of women into journalism. Feminists tend to focus on both the equality in the employment and the news representation of women in this progress. These two issues are of great importance when discussing the feminization of journalism over time. This essay aims to examine has journalism become feminized over time and show whether the influx of women entering journalism could shape the news and newsroom structure. This essay is divided into two parts. The first part discusses female journalists and their work in the newsroom. The second part analyzes how women are portrayed in the news. Women in the newsroom With more women entering journalism, there have been significant differences in the proportion of female employment in the media industry and the level of their occupations. According to a study conducted by the London College of Printing (LCP) School of Media in 1995, there were approximately 30,000 active journalists in the UK and 11,130 of them, nearly 40 per cent, were women. The highest percentage of women journalists was in periodicals where women journalist accounted for 55.6 per cent of the total. 40.8 per cent of journalists in broadcasting were women. Newspapers (22.6 per cent) had the lowest rate of women journalists. Statistics have shown that women have become an important part of journalism. According to van Zoonen (1998), it is the transformation to market-driven journalism that provided an opportunity for women journalists to enter, or even dominate, journalism. The main reason is that human interest news, audience needs and desires, and emotional investment are three key elements in the consumer-oriented journalism. They coincide with the characters of feminine news values. The news values in market-driven journalism have changed and consequently given potential for more women to become professional journalists. News and journalism at present, with its increase of human interest topics and angles, is becoming more and more feminine despite the ongoing minority of women in journalism. Those changes may open up journalism as a profession for women(van Zoonen 1998, p35). Van Zoonen highlights that the content and style of news are crucial factors that determining whether men or women are more s uitable to work in journalism. This is not the first time in the history that a large number of women entering journalism. Chambers et al. (2004) argue that this trend parallels the new journalism and the rise of sob sister journalism in Britain in the late nineteenth century. Therefore, from a historical point, it is possible to predict some outcome of the transformation to market-driven journalism. The rise of new journalism during the 1880s opened up the profession for women journalists. Chambers et al. (2004) point out that the new journalism was an emotional and sensational style that employed to attract readerships and this style brought two major changes to women journalists. First, the needs for interviewing and reporting about women enabled women to become journalists. Second, women were treated as independent subjects as they could represent the social changes. Women journalists became sob sisters to report about women movement or horrible conditions for women in order to advocate social reform. In addition, they were assigned to investigate stunts which would be regarded as extraordinarily daring for women. This can also be found in todays newsroom. Consequently, both new journalism and contemporary market-driven journalism have two characteristics: heavy criticism for abandoning objectivity and impartiality, and a trend of employing large numbers of women (Chambers et al. 2004, p201). Although the emergence of a market-oriental journalism has resulted in the influx of women journalists, women remain marginalized to the topics of politics and public policies. Creedon argues the increasing number of women in the news industry does not translate into superior power or influence for women; instead it has been translated to mean a decline in salaries and status for the field (1993, p17). The rise of women journalists does not necessarily indicate the advancement of female status in the profession, as a glass ceiling still preventing women to promote to key decision-making positions (Chambers et al. 2004). Delano (2011) finds out that in the newspapers, more women were working as reporters, while more editors or deputy editors are men. More female senior executives, assistant editors, news directors appeared in the periodicals and broadcasting, with 12 per cent were women and 4 per cent were men. This provides some clues about the imbalanced gender division in the news industry. Delano (2011) contends that it reveals an insufficient representation of women in national daily newspapers that van Zoonen (1994) defines as high prestige. In radio and TV, whereas female reporters are less than their male colleagues, more women become newsreaders. As the market-driven journalism calls for the human interest, emotional involvement and entertainment in news, anchoring has become a suitable profession for women (van Zoonen, 1998). Nevertheless, it does not necessarily mean a positive outcome for women. Holland (1987) argues that the reason more women becoming news anchors in Britain is that the newsreaders task has been regarded as a decorative performer rather than an originator of news. Female newsreaders have been constructed as pleasurable objects for men to look at and could not achieve the prestige as well as the political respect as their male counterparts. Hair that has not been done, lack of make-up, the less studied appearance associated with feminism, must be avoided (Holland 1987, p148). They found themselves dressing as the stereotype for the post-feminism working young women in the 1980s which was built by advertisements and magazines targeted at businesswomen. Holland highlights that women newsreaders are stuck in the conflicting definitions of femininity and of the news themselves trivialised, they can be blamed for trivialising (1987, p148). Anchorwomen are required to speak with a universal voice, yet they are excluded from both the political consensus and the ma sculine structure of language. It represents the deeply rooted female subordination in newsreaders. On the other hand, it is not always the same in Dutch television. The transformation of Dutch television news from 1985 enable female anchors become a majority. Van Zoonen (1998) points out that while they are of good-looking appearance, some of they are in their mid-forties and even fifties. They present a model of traditional female authority who acted as the caring and never-failing mother. Other anchorwomen, who are not old enough for motherly impact, are not spectacularly beautiful and like the ordinary neighbor you can trust. They embodied another women stereotype: the neighbors wife: as van Zoonen defines, very plain and very ordinary, yet very desirable. However, van Zoonen (1998) admits that female news anchors are needed because they provide womens touch in the news. Therefore, while more women are working as news anchors, it was their capacity of communicating as women instead of professional skills that was valued by the news media. The rise of women journalists has lead to the question that whether the news values would be feminized when women become a significant part in journalism. Some researchers have long claimed that women are likely to have distinct news values and perspectives. It brings about the discussion that whether women making news different from men. Van Zoonen (1998) summarizes the feminine values in journalism in terms of topics, angle, sources and ethics. Women journalists focus on topics like human interest news, consumer news, culture and social policy, which are usually neglected or marginalized in the masculine news values. Female journalists also tend to emphasize the backgrounds and effects of news stories, rather than the accumulation of facts in male news writing. In addition, they pay more attention to audience needs than men. As for sources, while women are likely to look for female spokespersons, men overwhelmingly use male sources and spokespersons. This difference, however, can be regarded as reflecting the personal networks of male journalists rather than being a representation of actual gender divisions among sources (van Zoonen 1998, p36). Nonetheless, van Zoonen (1994) points out that although studies show the differences between masculine and feminine values in journalism, these are in fact the reflections of self-perceptions and self-images, and do not necessarily lead to gender division in professional practice. This view is supported by Weaver (1997), who claims that few significant differences between women and men in journalism practices have been found, except that women use female spokespersons as sources. It may partly due to the fact that women have to accept masculine news values in their struggles to be considered as professional. On the other hand, some studies suggest that as a result of womens incursion into journalism, the definition of what is newsworthy has been expanded (Christmas 1997, Mills 1997). It brings about a more diverse range of topics in news, especially issues that particularly attract female audiences. Furthermore, a shift in news sources can also be identified. Journalists, especially women, may be stepping out of the more conventional news beat systems and tapping ordinary people as sources more often (Weaver 1997, p39). As can been seen, the impact of women journalists in changing news values is complicated. As Ross describes, gender alone will not make a difference in changing the culture of newsrooms or in the type of news produced (2001, p542). Factors such as socio-economic background and political values, rather than gender, are of more importance in shaping journalists attitudes and values. Likewise, newsroom and community environments are more influential factors in journalists professional conduct than gender (Weaver 1997). Women in the news Researchers have long been focus on how women are portrayed in the news content. Although more women have entered the newsroom, the changes they bring to the way issues are covered remain unclear, thus it is still hard to say that women have been more fairly treated in the news with more female journalists in the newsroom. The representation of women in the news has been formed in the masculinized discourse and fell into stereotypes. Allan (2004) finds four codes when concerning with gender in the news analyzing the broadsheets in Britain. First, using generic pronouns, for instance he, refers to both male and female news subjects. The views of men on the street are also used as the representation of public opinion. Second, the gender is explicitly pointed out when the news subjects are women, such as using the female victim instead of the victim. Third, the age, marital status and appearance of a female news subjects tend to be regarded as more relevant to the stories than for men. Finally, the news producers are more likely to employ male-centered naming, such as wife, girlfriend and mistress. By utilizing these codes, women are usually sexualized and related to male subjects. In the popular press, the sexualization of women is even more obvious. Bingham (2009) defines three phrases of the popular presss reporting of women and sex since 1918 and it could give a glimpse of how women were represented in the tabloids over time. The first phase, roughly during the inter-war period, showed that the popular press gave cautious treatment to the topic of sex. Although some space was given to the topics such as birth control, there was little open discussion of sexual matters. Generally, popular newspapers preferred the topics such as titillating divorce reports, exposures of the horrors of white slavery and gossips about the love romance of cinema stars (Bingham 2009). From the Second World War to the late 1960s was the second phase that a significant expansion of coverage of sex took place in the popular press. Sex began to be presented both as a source of entertainment and a subject that public required up-to-date information, thus received far more diverse-ranging, extensive and detailed reporting. For example, the Daily Mirror used more sexually explicit pin-ups and cartoons, and provocative content for titillation. Bingham (2009) argues that this tendency to employ female images enhanced the stress on women to see themselves as sexual playthings and to behave in accordance with media ideals of attractiveness that embodied masculine values. During the third phase, from the late 1960s, the sexualization of popular press became much broader and the family values in editorial seemed to lost its potency. Sexual aspect of the news, however slight the connection is to the main story, was highlighted in the news reporting in the popular newspapers (Bingham 2009). The Page Three girl in the Sun is one of the most controversial representations of women. As Holland (1998) claims, the display of topless women in the Page Three is the representation of male-oriented, sexual pleasure by which to attract a mass readership. The brashness, visual excitement and down-market appeal of the Sun are gendered around heterosexual male privilege. According to Holland, in this context, the visual is associated with a masculine insistence on the inalienable right to a lustful gaze (1998, p24). Similarly, Bingham believes that the pin-up was a feature in which the tension between commercial ambition and moral respectability played out in a very visible way. However disguised, it was, fundamentally, erotic entertainment for heterosexual men that could not be justified according to any ordinary scale of news values (2009, p227) . Furthermore, Holland points out that The Suns construction of female sexuality reflects a gendered politics of social identity. By using the Page Three Principle, The Sun associated sexuality with lifestyle. It is intemperate abuse, as Holland characterizes, that to those whose sexuality do not accord with their lifestyle. In the news reporting, the image of the sexy woman continues to be laid against female demons like single mothers, lesbian teachers and ugly women (Holland 1998, p25). This sexualization of gender difference has widened the gap between women and men and put constraint on womens public participation, because by reinforcing the sexual difference, the nature of the democratic discursive space is brought into question (Holland 1998, p28). The exposed women figures in popular press are regarded as a symbol of sexual pleasure, implying that women are linking with triviality, entertainment and public consumption. The different treatment between men and women can also been found in the reporting of sexual violence. The daily reporting of male sexual violence against women is normalized in masculine preferred patterns (Carter 1998). News reports encourage readers to blame female victims for mens violence. In six British daily tabloid newspapers, Carter (1998) finds that murder and rape are the most frequently covered categories of sexual violence, despite the fact that they are the rarest form of violence. The reporting of murder, particularly when women are the victims, constitutes 42 per cent of sexual violence coverage, while in the reality male are much more likely to become victims of homicide, with 68 per cent of all victims are male. The over-representation of the murder towards women creates the impression among readers that the world outside is highly dangerous places for women and girls, one in which sex crimes have become an ordinary, take-for-granted feature of everyday life (Carter 1998, p231). Moreover, regarding of news sources, Carter points out that male sources significantly outnumber female in the reporting of sexual violence, especially in terms of sources as expert opinion. Female news sources are likely to be seen as unauthorized voice and mostly been cited when an emotional or familial perspective are needed. Normalizing the sexual violence to women, even though the reverse is the reality, represents women as weak, trivial subjects that constantly suffer from violence. Conclusion This essay discusses has journalism become feminized over time from two aspects: women journalists in the news organizations and the representation of women in the news. The market-oriented journalism has engaged more women into the professional journalists. While more women entering journalism, women in the newsroom are largely disproportionate in terms of the level of positions, with a majority of women end up in the lower-status media occupation. Men still dominate the senior level of news organizations, which reproduce the subordinate role of women. The fact that more women appeared on the screen as news anchors is largely because of their gorgeous appearance. Women journalists may add some feminine characters to the news values, but whether it can change the news values that have long been established by men remains vague. Similarly, female subjects in news have not received equal and adequate treatment. Women are encoded in the male-centered news system. The sexualization of the popular press has represented women as the entertainment for the public in order to appeal to the male audience. An improvement of women as producers and subjects of news can be recognized in contemporary journalism, but to a limited scale. Gendered division still exists; masculine values continue to rule the news and newsroom. Journalism may still be far from being feminized.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Hamlet :: essays research papers

Hamlet The Modern ntinued to fall as it had for the past week. Hayden was trying to figure out what had happen in the past six months. The lost of his father, the gain of a stepfather, it all puzzled him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"How can all of this happen in such short amount of time? She didn’t even wait a month after my father’s death to get married, to his brother at that.† Hayden stared out the widow at the rain from his desk.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A sight breeze blew past him, Hayden turned around to see where it came from. He was faced with his father. Hayden was speechless. The spirit gently touched his left shoulder then spoke. â€Å"Hayden, my death was not an accident. Your uncle set up the plane crash, so he could have it all.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"But what can I do? Hayden managed to mutter.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"I need you to stop Claude from ruining anymore lives, including yours.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Before Hayden reacted, the room was empty again.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Suddenly a knocking came from his oak door. Hayden stood up, walked across the room to the door and opened it. It was Harry, Hayden’s best friend. He told Harry everything that just happened. They decided that taking Claude’s life would be the best plan.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"But, Lorne, I dunno if Hayden still wants to be with me. He says he cares for me, but he just doesn’t show his affection.† Olivia stated as she looked into her mirror and slowly brushed her silky blonde hair.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lorne slowly walked up to Olivia, gently place his right hand on her left shoulder, and then said, â€Å"Livie, I have nothing against Hayden Christiansen, but I just dunno if he’s the right person for you.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Why is that?† Olivia was puzzled.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"I get a bad vibe from him.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Well, last week, I was walking down the hall and I saw Hayden, so, naturally I stopped and said hi. But he just kept on walking. He completely ignored me. â€Å"Olivia said with an upset tone. â€Å"I just wanted to cry.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"I just don’t know about him.† Lorne looked at his watch, then continued. â€Å"I have to go.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Olivia turned, looked at Lorne, and questioned. â€Å"You’re leaving already? But you just came home last night.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"I know, I’m sorry. But this time I won’t be got as long this time.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Promise?†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Promise!†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Olivia sighed then said, â€Å"Okay.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"But remember if he makes you cry, he’s just not worth it.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Alright.† Olivia replied then kissed Lorne on his pale lips.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Amblyopia Essays -- Medicine Medical Eye Papers

Amblyopia This paper provides a brief description of amblyopia and discusses current research regarding the motion pathway in individuals with amblyopia. Amblyopia is a condition in which visual acuity in one eye is greatly reduced. It is caused by lack of stimulation or disuse during visual development (Rose, 1998). Because the eye is not fully developed at birth (Jarvis, 1992, as cited in Rose, 1998), infants need stimulation to complete the visual neural pathway. When one or both eyes are inhibited, for example due to misalignment of one eye (strabismus) or a large difference in refractive power between two eyes (anisometropia), the neural pathway for the inhibited eye develops abnormally, or does not develop at all. At approximately six years of age eye development is complete (Stager, 1990, as cited in Rose, 1998). Before visual development is complete amblyopia can be treated. If it is caught and treated at an early age, normal vision can be preserved (Rose, 1998). There are several types of amblyopia. Researchers must be aware of the various types of amblyopia because the effects for each are not always consistent. Strabismic amblyopia is caused when the two eyes are out of alignment due to weak musculature. Anisometropic amblyopia is a result of a large difference in refractive power of an individual's eyes. Another form of amblyopia results when visual information does not reach the retina. This is called stimulus deprivation amblyopia. Meridional amblyopia is a result of the diffused images caused by astigmatism. Researchers often discover that there are differences between groups of amblyopes based on type. For example, Levi and his colleagues (1994) discovered differences in vernier acuity between anisomet... ...9-1944. Hess, R. F., & Anderson, S. J. (1993). Motion sensitivity and spatial undersampling in amblyopia. Vision Research, 33, 881-896. Hess, R. F., Demanins, R., & Bex, P. J. (1997). A reduced motion aftereffect in strabismic amblyopia. Vision Research, 37, 1303-1311. Kubova, Z., Miroslav, K., Juran, J., & Blakemore, C. (1996). Is the motion system relatively spared in amblyopia? Evidence from cortical evoked responses. Vision Research, 36, 181-190. Levi, D. M., Klein, S. A., & Wang, H. (1994). Amblyopic and peripheral vernier acuity: a test-pedestal approach. Vision Research, 34, 3265-3292. Levi, D. M., & Polat, U. (1996). Neural plasticity in adults with amblyopia [Abstract]. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States, 93, 6830. Rose, S. E. (1998). Amblyopia: the silent thief. The Journal of School Health, 68, 2, 76-79.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Killing is Easy, Living is Hard :: Personal Narrative, Autobiographical Essay

Killing is Easy, Living is Hard I did my best to kill Bobby Ackerman late one April night when we were both seventeen. We were speeding down a two-lane highway, a narrow trail of asphalt that sailed off a ridge and down into a long, sweeping right-hand turn and then rushed past a white stucco house with a tile roof, a house that crowned the hill beyond a quaint covered bridge over a dry creek bed running parallel to the road. We were descending toward a little town named Crane, and we were flying. "Geez, man," Bobby said. I looked toward the passenger seat as the Plymouth dug into the arc of the curve. Bobby’s eyes were wide. "Slow down, slow down." Bobby grasped the armrest with one hand and braced his left leg against the hump in the floorboard. I could smell the beer on his breath as he fought to stay in the seat. The old sedan wallowed back toward the right lane. It was the first time I'd driven his car. But it wasn't Bobby's car, really. It was his dad's. His dad was a railroad engineer, complete with the traditional bib overalls and cloth cap. Bobby was my friend, trapped like me in the last year of high school. But he was different. I was secretive, sullen, and sarcastic, but Bobby was outgoing, with an ever-present desire to please sometimes amplified by a brittle manic energy. I liked beer, the drug of choice for our generation, but Bobby liked beer too much. That night he needed someone to drive him home. Now I had the old car racing down the road and off the ridge at something close to 80 mph simply because that was all the speed I could wring out of it. I'd made one turn, but there was one more ahead before we entered the valley and the town that lay astraddle a creek. The next turn was a sharp, banking left-hander, edged by a dozen or so white posts laced together by steel cables, and oncoming traffic was obscured by a little hill. I caught a glimpse of a yellow sign ahead, one marked with a black arrow curving around the words 35 mph, but I didn't lift my foot from the accelerator. My hands chased the steering wheel, persuading, begging the car to stay off the limestone bluff to the right, and the old sedan was reluctant, never steady, demanding one correction after another.

 Tips for writing a “9” DBQ: Essay

1. As you read the question, come up with at least three categories. Then try to fill in as much specific factual information that you can think of, and put this into the categories. It’s important to do this BEFORE you read the documents, so that you don’t forget them when you are analyzing the documents. 2. After you do this, and ONLY after, start reading the documents. When looking at the documents, be sure to look at who is the author/painter/political cartoonist/historian – many times you will recognize that name and can give the document some context by what you know about the person, even if you have never seen the document before. Recognize that not all documents are equal in significance. 3. Sometimes the documents are intended to trigger reader memory – for example, a first hand account of a labor protest turned violent in 1896 means they want you to recognize that they are talking about the Haymarket Square Riot. 4. After you figure out what the document is saying, write it down in the appropriate category. If it supports your position, put a + next to it; if it is contrary to your position, put a – next to it. Be sure that you put the letter of the document (A, B, C, etc) when you write down the point the document is making, because this will make it MUCH easier when you are putting all of this information in essay form. If you go to the College Board AP US History Exam website, you can view released prompts and suggested document analysis. 5. Do not be afraid to use a point that contradicts your position. You are expected to acknowledge the complexities of history. Just show why it doesn’t defeat your position. For example, if your essay is about the impact of Reconstruction, and your position is that the U.S. government did not do much to help the freed slaves, you should not ignore the Freedmen’s Bureau. Rather, you should point out the inadequacies of the Freedmen’s Bureau – it didn’t last long enough, the majority of local Bureau agents were hampered in their efforts by former Confederates, and there was no military power to enforce the authority of the Bureau agents. 6. Now, and only now, write your thesis. The thesis should not exceed two sentences. State your position clearly in the first sentence. In your second sentence you can define a key term (progressivism, Robber Baron, Jacksonian Democracy – depends on the prompt) and include the categories that you used in your chart back in step #1. Be sure to write your categories into your thesis in the same order in which you are going to discuss them in your essay. For example: â€Å"From 1775 to 1830, many African Americans gained freedom from slavery, yet during the same period the institution of slavery expanded. Explain why BOTH of those changes took place. Analyze the ways that BOTH free African Americans and enslaved African Americans responded to the challenges confronting them.† (2009 DBQ question) Your thesis could be something like the following: African slaves and their American-born children were ignored by the Constitution (which, in its original form, referred to slaves as â€Å"other persons†), but the contradictory nature of the new American identity [described in this student’s introduction prior to the thesis, using details that indicated the student’s knowledge of the time period referenced in the question] both led to greater freedom and more widespread bondage. Slaves and freedmen alike suffered under, exploited, and coped with the aspects of an agrarian economy, capitalism, and Christianity in America. This thesis (this was from a sample answer that received a score of 8 out of 9) makes writing the essay easy. Every paragraph should have a topic sentence that states the category (see how this sample has three categories) you are talking about and your position on this category. Then include in the paragraph the points that you listed in your chart, and make it flow together, using both the documents and outside information. The last sentence in each paragraph is the clincher sentence that finishes off your thoughts on that one category and provides a transition into the next one. When you are finished, rephrase your thesis for the conclusion.