Lesson Plan Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Lesson Plan Analysis - Essay Example Instances of such instructional strategy could be further gleaned from the lesson plan because it contains actions where readings and discussions are to be made regarding feelings, which afterwards will have to be drawn by the students to make the connection with what they felt on four pieces of small paper plates. On the other hand, the instructional strategy of prime background knowledge which is likewise gleaned on the current lesson plan on feelings is a method where new information or ability is associated with what the students already have learned or have experienced. A perfect example of this is when the students will be asked to name occasions on where they have portrayed and reacted to various feelings related to a particular type of situation – like when they met somebody new or when a favorite toy was broken. By asking students relevant questions regarding prior knowledge, they will be able to relate the current topic to past circumstances that are familiar to them (Effective Instructional Strategies 2004). Last but not the least is the review for fluency and generalization instructional strategy. This technique is also present within the lesson plan since it provides students other chances to put in actual practice what they have learned. In so doing this the students are able to retain the knowledge after sometime and will be able to relate it in various circumstances (Effective Instructional Strategies 2004). To make this quite effective, the students must be required to have an intensive discussion of the subject matter, which is feelings, and should be guided appropriately on situations where such feelings apply (Effective Instructional Strategies 2004). Content specific strategies in general are detailed plans or actions on how to go about a certain lesson to enhance the learning abilities of the students and instructional techniques of the teacher. Some content specific strategies are: cognitive strategies, affective

Drawing upon two research-based source documents, identify one Essay

Drawing upon two research-based source documents, identify one contemporary issue in HRM and critically analyse how these source - Essay Example The theoretical perspectives for strategic human resource management, on the other hand, provide a guide to a clear distinction of strategic human resource management and human resource according to McNeill and Chapman (2005, p. 98). They provide a review of theories that can be applied to elaborate strategic human resource management. The study aims to make a distinction between strategic human resource management and human resource management. The issue addressed by these two studies is strategic human resource management. These studies aim to provide further information on the issue of strategic to human resource management. The concept of strategic human resource management as addressed by the two studies is a contemporary issue in human resource management. In order to attain goals and objectives in an organization, it is essential to employ the concept of strategic human resource management. The importance of strategic human resource management and its application is addressed by the two studies. Strategic human resource management is a concept within the broad subject of human resource management. Strategies of human resource management incorporate the concept of strategic management in the planning and utilization of human resource. In order to improve efficiency in an organization, it is essential to use the concept of strategic human resource management in addition to the basic human resource management. Strategic human resource management implements changes to human resource management. This ensures a clear understanding of issues in order to sustain a competitive advantage and accomplish the desired results. Strategic human resource management involves the use of proper management tactics in order to meet the organizations best goals. Human resource management is the focus on aspects that affect employees and provide safety incentives and information in order to ensure productivity of employees. Strategic human resource management, on the other hand , provides a work environment and strategies that ensure that employees provide their services with consideration of the objectives of the business (Greer, 2001, p. 85). Even though strategic human resource management sometimes perceived as an independent issue for human resource management, it is necessary to note that the issue is within the broader subject of human resource management. Strategic human resource management requires that principles of human resource management employed before the adoption of strategic human resource management. It is, therefore, noteworthy that strategic human-resource management is an issue within the broader context of human resource of management. The theoretical frame work adopted by the study in the Journal of management applies micro level production to the theories to the human resource management field – therefore, a descriptive one. The method employed explains the concept of the study. The study adopts six theoretical models organiz ation with theories in economics and finance. The theories support the concept of strategic Human-resource management and connect human resource management activities proactive and strategically aimed decisions. The study of the impact of strategic human resource of management of the organizational success, on the other hand, uses the knowledge advancement theory to establish the competitive advantage as well as planned for the organization’

The Heritage Of Pakistan

The Heritage Of Pakistan Moen-jo-Daro is situated at a distance of some kilometers from Larkana. A civilization fourished there some 4000 years ago. It was discovered by Sir John Marshall in 1922. Moen-jo-Daro stands as most spectecular of all the excavate cities of the Indus Valley civilizaton. It is strange that at its glory, it was a beautiful city with brick walled houses, pillared halls, markets, baths, lanes, streets and public places. Every house had walls, drains and bathrooms inside it 2. Harappa Harappa is situated in the city of Sahiwal. Scientists and archaeologists believe that Harappa also belongs to the Indus Valley Civilization. Remains of this city were excavated in the 1920. 3. Gandhara It is comparatively a new civilization, the regions comprising Northern Punjab, Peshawar valley and Eastern Afghanistan was known as Gandhara. For a long time it remained the meeting place of various ancient cultures, as it was rule by many rulers. A distinctive art which is known as Gandhara Art took place from here and flourished during the 2nd and 3rd century of Christian era. Thousands monasteries and stupas were widely here Buddhas figures, shapes and monasteries all made prominent features of Gandhara Arts. 4. Buddhist Remains The Buddhist era ushered in some 500 years B.C. The Buddhist monastery Takht-I-Bahi is in N.W.F.P, it dates 2-5 century old. Some mounds were also found near Peshawar which represents Kanishkas mighty Pakistan. An impressive complex of Chapels, Stupas, quadrangles and monks cells are also found. The great Buddhist civilization is now forming the heritage of the present Pakistan Culture. 5. Taxila It was excavated in recent times near Rawalpindi. Taxila is the most popular name in history. It came into prominence during the Persian occupation. At its zenith, the city was the nucleus of religious and cultural activities. 6. Thatta The main town of Thatta is famous for specimens of Indo-Muslim architecture in the Sub Continent. Notable among them is the great mosque built by Shah-Jahan. The principle monuments of Thatta are located on the Makli Hill. 2.3.2 Architectural Heritage 1. Lahore Fort It is also known as the Shahi Qila. It was built by Akbar. The main structures inside the fort are the Moti Masjid, Diwan-e-Aam, Maktab Khana, the Shish Mahal and Nawlakha. The Hathi and Alamgir gates are also remarkable constructions. 2. Badshahi Masjid It was built by Aurangzeb. Its architecture is similar to the Jamia Masjid Delhi. The masjid has been built with red stones while the domes are in marble. 3. Jahangir Tomb This tomb was built by Shah Jahan. It is known as a fine building of Lahore. 4. Shalimar Garden It is situated on the Grand Trunk Road and is a magnificent remnant of Mughal Granduer. The garden constitutes of three terraces, one above the other. Besides there is an elaborate and beautiful reservoir, water channels and fountains. 5. Masjid Wazir Khan It is situated in Kashmir Bazaar inside the walls of the old city. It was built by Nawab Wazir Khan who was a viceroy of Punjab under Shah Jahan. 6. Golden Masjid It is situated near Masjid Wazir Khan. It was built during the rule of Mohammad Shah and it is also a very beautiful piece of architecture. 7. Mahabat Khan Masjid This masjid was built by a Governor of Peshawar, Mahabat Khan, during Shah Jahans reign. It has a fine massive structure with lofty minarets. 8. The Fort of Bala Hasar This fort was built on raised platform 92 feet from the ground level. There are two gardens near the fort. 2.4 Economy of Pakistan The economy of Pakistan is the 27th largest in the world in nominal terms and 47th largest in the world in terms of purchasing power parity. Pakistan has a semi-industrialized economy, which mainly encompasses textiles, chemicals, food processing, agriculture and other industries. Growth poles of Pakistans economy are situated along the Indus River; diversified economies of Karachi and Punjabs urban centers coexist with lesser developed areas in other parts of the country. The economy has suffered in the past from decades of internal political disputes, a fast growing population, mixed levels of foreign investment, and a costly, ongoing confrontation with neighboring India. Foreign exchange reserves are bolstered by steady worker remittances, but a growing current account deficit driven by a widening trade gap as import growth outstrips export expansion could draw down reserves and dampen GDP growth in the medium term. Stock market In the first four years of the twenty-first century, Pakistans KSE 100 Index was the best-performing stock market index in the world as declared by the international magazine Business Week. The stock market capitalization of listed companies in Pakistan was valued at $5,937 million in 2005 by the World Bank. But in 2008, after the General Elections, uncertain political environment, rising militancy along western borders of the country, and mounting inflation and current account deficits resulted in the steep decline of the Karachi Stock Exchange. As a result, the corporate sector of Pakistan has declined dramatically in recent times. However the market bounced back strongly in 2009 and the trend continues in 2011. Demographics With a per capita GDP of over $3000 in 2006 compared with $2600 in 2005 in 2005 the World Bank considers Pakistan a medium-income country, it is also recorded as a Medium Development Country on the Human Development Index 2007. Pakistan has a large informal economy, which the government is trying to document and assess. Approximately 56% of adults are literate, and life expectancy is about 64 years. The population, about 168 million in 2007, is growing at about 1.80%. Relatively few resources in the past had been devoted to socio-economic development or infrastructure projects. Inadequate provision of social services, high birth rates and immigration from nearby countries in the past have contributed to a persistence of poverty. An influential recent study concluded that the fertility rate peaked in the 1980s, and has since fallen sharply. Pakistan has a family-income Gini index of 41, close to the world average of 39. Employment The high population growth in the past few decades has ensured that a very large number of young people are now entering the labor market. Even though it is among the seven most populous Asian nations, Pakistan has a lower population density than Bangladesh, Japan, India, and the Philippines. In the past, excessive red tape made firing from jobs, and consequently hiring, difficult. Significant progress in taxation and business reforms has ensured that many firms now are not compelled to operate in the underground economy. In late 2006, the government launched an ambitious nationwide service employment scheme aimed at disbursing almost $2 billion over five years. Mean wages were $0.98 per manhour in 2009.Rate of unemployment is 25%. High inflation and limited wage growth have drawn more women into the workforce to feed their families, in spite of cultural resistance and domestic abuse over the issue. Tourism Tourism in Pakistan has been stated as being the tourism industrys next big thing. Pakistan, with its diverse cultures, people and landscapes has attracted 0.7 million tourists to the country, almost double to that of a decade ago. Pakistans tourism industry was in its heyday during the 1970s when the country received unprecedented amounts of foreign tourists, thanks to the Hippie trail. The main destinations of choice for these tourists were the Khyber Pass, Peshawar, Karachi, Lahore, Swat, Quetta, Gwadar and Rawalpindi. The countrys attraction range from the ruin of civilization such as Mohenjo-daro, Harappa and Taxila, to the Himalayan hill stations, which attract those interested in winter sports. Pakistan is home to several mountain peaks over 7000 m, which attracts adventurers and mountaineers from around the world. The north part of Pakistan has many old fortresses, ancient architecture and the Hunza and Chitral valley, home to small pre-Islamic Animist Kalasha community claiming descent from Alexander the Great. The romance of the historic Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province is timeless and legendary, Punjab province has the site of Alexanders battle on the Jhelum River and the historic city of Lahore, Pakistans cultural capital, with many examples of Mughal architecture such as Badshahi Masjid, Shalimar Gardens, Tomb of Jahangir and the Lahore Fort. Before the Global economic crisis, Pakistan received more than 500,000 tourists annually. Tourism in Pakistan is still a growing industry. Major attracti ons today include ruins of Indus valley civilization and mountain resorts in the Himalayas. Himalayan and Karakoram Range. 2.5 Currency System in Pakistan Rupee The basic unit of currency is the Rupee, ISO code PKR and abbreviated Rs, which is divided into 100 paisas. Currently the newly printed 5,000 rupee note is the largest denomination in circulation. Recently the SBP has introduced all new design notes of Rs. 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500, 1000, and 5000 denomination, while the design work of Rs.10,000 note is in progress which will help the banking industry in keeping few notes in saving accounts. The new notes have been designed using the euro technology and are made in eye-catching bright colours and bold, stylish designs. Dollar-Rupee exchange rate The Pakistani Rupee was pegged to the Pound sterling until 1982, when the government of General Zia-ul-Haq, changed it to managed float. As a result, the rupee devalued by 38.5% between 1982/83 many of the industries built by his predecessor suffered with a huge surge in import costs. After years of appreciation under Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and despite huge increases in foreign aid the Rupee depreciated. Foreign exchange rate The Pakistani rupee depreciated against the US dollar until around the start of the 21st century, when Pakistans large current-account surplus pushed the value of the rupee up versus the dollar. Pakistans central bank then stabilized by lowering interest rates and buying dollars, in order to preserve the countrys export competitiveness. Foreign exchange reserves Pakistan maintains foreign reserves with State Bank of Pakistan. The currency of the reserves was solely US dollar incurring speculated losses after the Dollar prices fell during 2005, forcing the then Governor SBP Ishrat Hussain to step down. In the same year the SBP issued an official statement proclaiming diversification of reserves in currencies including Euro and Yen, withholding ratio of diversification. In October 2007, at the end of Prime Minister Shaukat Azizs tenure, Pakistan raised back its Foreign Reserves to $16.4 billion. Pakistans trade deficit was at $13 billion, exports grew to $18 billion, revenue generation increased to become $13 billion and the country attracted foreign investment of $8.4 billion. However, following the international credit crisis and spikes in crude oil prices Pakistans economy could not withstand the pressure and on October 11, 2008 State Bank of Pakistan reported that countrys foreign exchange reserves had gone down by $571.9 Million to $7749.7 Million. The foreign exchange reserves had declined more by $10 billion to an alarming rate of $6.59 billion. In July 2011, the State Bank of Pakistan reported reserves to hit an all time high of $18.25 billion. 2.6 Foreign Trade Investment Foreign direct investment in Pakistan soared by 180.6 per cent year-on-year to US$2.22 billion and portfolio investment by 276 per cent to $407.4 million during the first nine months of fiscal year 2006, the State Bank of Pakistan reported on April 24. During July-March 2005-06, FDI year-on-year increased to $2.224 billion from only $792.6 million and portfolio investment to $407.4 million, whereas it was $108.1 million in the corresponding period last year, according to the latest statistics released by the State Bank. Pakistan has achieved FDI of almost $8.4 billion in the financial year 06/07, surpassing the government target of $4 billion. Foreign investment had significantly declined by 2010, dropping by 54.6% due to Pakistans political instability and weak law and order, according to the Bank of Pakistan. Pakistan is now the most investment-friendly nation in South Asia. Business regulations have been profoundly overhauled along liberal lines, especially since 1999. Most barriers to the flow of capital and international direct investment have been removed. Foreign investors do not face any restrictions on the inflow of capital, and investment of up to 100% of equity participation is allowed in most sectors. Unlimited remittance of profits, dividends, service fees or capital is now the rule. Business regulations are now among the most liberal in the region. This was confirmed by the World Banks Ease of Doing Business Index report published in September 2009 ranking Pakistan at 85th well ahead of neighbors like China at 89th and India at 133rd. Pakistan is attracting an increasingly large amount of private equity and was the ranked as number 20 in the world based on the amount of private equity entering the nation. Pakistan has been able to attract a large portion of the global private equity investments because of economic reforms initiated in 2003 that have provided foreign investors with greater assurances for the stability of the nation and their ability to repatriate invested funds in the future. Tariffs have been reduced to an average rate of 16%, with a maximum of 25%. The privatization process, which started in the early 1990s, has gained momentum, with most of the banking system privately owned, and the oil sector targeted to be the next big privatization operation. The recent improvements in the economy and the business environment have been recognized by international rating agencies such as Moodys and Standard and Poors. Society Of Pakistan 3.1 Islam Islam is adept by the majority of Pakistanis and governs their personal, political, economic and legal lives, among certain obligations for Muslims are to pray five times a day at dawn, noon, afternoon, sunset, and evening, Friday is the Muslim holy day. Everything is closed during the holy month of Ramadan all Muslims must fast from dawn to dusk and are only permitted to work six hours per day. Fasting includes no eating, drinking, cigarette smoking, or gum chewing. 3.2 The Family The extended family is the basis of the social structure and individual identity; It includes the nuclear family, immediate relatives, distant relatives, tribe members, friends, and neighbors, loyalty to the family comes before other social relationships, even business. Nepotism is viewed positively, since it guarantees hiring people who can be trusted, which is crucial in a country where working with people one knows and trusts is of primary importance. The family is more private than in many other cultures. Female relatives are protected from outside influences. It is considered inappropriate to ask questions about a Pakistanis wife or other female relatives. Families are quite large by western standards, often having up to 6 children. 3.3 Hierarchical Society Pakistan is a hierarchical society. People are respected because of their age and position. Older people are viewed as wise and are granted respect. In a social situation, they are served first and their drinks may be poured for them. Elders are introduced first, are provided with the choicest cuts of meat, and in general are treated much like royalty. Pakistanis expect the most senior person, by age or position, to make decisions that are in the best interest of the group. Titles are very important and denote respect. It is expected that you will use a persons title and their surname until invited to use their first name. 3.4 Population density in Pakistan The Population density in Pakistan was last reported at 225.19 in 2010, according to a World Bank report published in 2012. Density of Population is defined as the number of persons per square kilometre. It is an important index of population which shows concentration of population in a particular area. That is, Population density is midyear population divided by land area in square kilometers. According to present census, Karachi Division is the most densely populated division in Pakistan. Its density of population is more than 2000 persons per square kilometer. Baluchistan province is the largest according to area, but it is thinnest according to population. 3.5 Education Education in Pakistan is divided into five levels: primary which grades one through five; middle which grades six through eight; high which grades nine and ten, leading to the Secondary School Certificate; intermediate which grades eleven and twelve, leading to a Higher Secondary School Certificate; and university programs leading to graduate and advanced degrees. All academic education institutions are the responsibility of the provincial governments. The federal government mostly assists in curriculum development, accreditation and some financing of research. English medium education is to be extended, on a phased basis, to all schools across the country. Through various educational reforms, by the year 2015, the ministry of education expects to attain 100% enrolment levels amongst primary school aged children, and a literacy rate of 86% amongst people aged over 10. According to the Pakistan Social and Living Standard Measurement (PSLM) Survey 2010-11 and last PSLM 2008-09, the literacy rate for the population (10 years and above) is 58 percent during 2010-11, as compared to 57 percent in 2008-09 . Literacy remains much higher in urban areas than in rural areas and much higher for men than for women. Province wise data suggest that Punjab leads with 60 percent literacy followed by Sindh with 59 percent, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 50 percent and Balochistan with 41 percent. The Gross Enrolment Rates at the primary level excluding katchi for the age group 5-9 years at National level during 2010-11 increased slightly to 92 percent from 91 percent in 2008-09. Amongst the provinces, Punjab shows a marginal increase from 97 percent in 2008-09 to 98 percent in 2010-11. Sindh remained stable with 84 percent, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa improved from 87 percent to 89 percent and Balochistan declined slightly from 75 percent to 74 percent in 2010-11. The Net primary level enrolment rates at the National/Provincial level for the age group 5-9 years. The NER at the National level during 2010-11 slightly decreased to 56 percent from 57 percent in 2008-09. Punjab shows a decrease from 62 percent in 2008-09 to 61 percent in 2010-11. Sindh also shows decrease from 54 percent to 53 percent in 2010-2011, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa witnessed a decrease from 52 percent to 51 percent and Balochistan improved from 44 percent in 2008-9 to 47 percent in 2010-11. The overall number of enrolments during 2010-11 were 39900.3 thousands as compared to 38202.0 thousands during the same period last year. This shows an increase of 4.4 percent. It is estimated to increase to 41596.5 thousands during 2011-12. The number of institutes stood at 227.8 thousand during 2010-11 as compared to 228.4 thousand during the same period 2009-10. However, the number is estimated to increase to 228.3 thousand during 2011-12. The number of teachers during 2010-11 were 1409.4 thousand as compared to 1386.1 thousand during the same period 2009-10 showing an increase of 1.7 percent. This number is estimated to increase further to 1445.0 thousand during the year 2011-12. A total of 134,118 youth received vocational and technical training under the Presidents Funni Maharat Programme and Prime Ministers Hunermand Pakistan Programme. HEC is also playing its role in running different scholarship programmes to enhance the academic qualification at various levels on merit basis in line with requirement. During the period 2008-12 a number of 3996 scholarships were awarded under different programmes,3572 scholars proceeded to avail these programmes on merit basis and a number of 1650 scholars completed their studies. 3.6 Rural Society Pakistan is an agriculture country and 80% of its people form the rural population of the country. The villages, towns and small cities form the rural areas of Pakistan. Their main profession is cultivation and ploughing. The entire population of Pakistan is scattered and resides in villages, towns and big cities. They pursue different professions to earn their livelihood. Village is the most important and pivotal centre of rural life of Pakistan. Our villages badly lack in civic amenities. There is no proper system of drainage. The drinking water and electricity are not available in a large number of our villages. There are no hospitals, schools, post offices and markets in most of the villages making the life difficult and unhygienic. The village population, due to the difficult living environs in the villages, keeps on migrating to urban areas where better facilities of social life and brighter chances of earning sustenance are available. However, the Government is very much alive to the problems of rural areas. The Government is making sincere endeavours to improve the conditions of rural areas. Modern facilities of health and communication are being provided in the rural areas. Roads, dispensaries, schools, post offices and shopping centres have been provided at Government level. The facility of drinking water and electricity has been made available to a number of villages. 3.7 Urban Society Urban areas in Pakistan completely differ from rural areas in the life pattern. The urban areas are the centre of social life with greater facilities and amenities of life. The urban population of Pakistan represents about a third of the total. Two cities have a dominating position Karachi and Lahore. Since the 1960s, government policy has been directed towards the dispersal of industry, which had become heavily concentrated in Karachi. As a consequence, urban growth has been more evenly distributed among several cities. Rapid and unplanned urban expansion has been parallel by deterioration in living conditions, particularly in the housing conditions of lower income groups. Many urban households are unable to pay rent for the cheapest form of available housing and live in makeshift shacks. Water supply and sewerage system are inadequate, and in many areas residents have to share communal water taps. Inadequate urban transport is also a major problem. The urban areas, unlike rural areas, are well-planned and well-built with modern residential colonies. The big cities, which form the portion of our urban areas, are the centers of high modern education. A large number of prestigious educational institutions are situated in the big cities which attract the students from all parts of the country. The urban areas have become the centre of social activity because of their multifarious aspects of social life. The industrial progress and the location of Government and other departments in the urban areas have made these areas prosperous and progressing. 3.8 Difference between Rural and Urban Society of Pakistan Function Villages and towns differ in function. Villages are usually engaged in primary activities, including farming, animal keeping, lumbering, fishing etc. Towns are engaged in secondary and tertiary activities, like manufacturing, trade, transport, telecommunications, education, medical treatment and other activities. However, these two sets of activities are not exclusively confined to rural and urban areas. Shops, transportation services, educational and medical facilities are found in rural areas, too. Similarly, there are vegetable fields within Karachi, Lahore and other major cities. It is more a question of the predominance of one set of activities over the other. As a consequence, the line of distinction between a small town and a large village is difficult to determine. Lifestyle Some specialists believe that lifestyle is a distinguishing feature of villages and towns. According to them, close contact with other members of the community is a distinctive feature of rural life. The inhabitants of a village, for example, usually know each other personally. In urban areas, on the other hand, relationships tend to be impersonal; urban areas are so highly populated that most people do not even know who their neighbours are. This is case in large urban centres like Karachi. However, even in places like Karachi, there are pockets in the city where people who belong to the same community or village live. In such areas people know each other and have closer contact with their neighbours. In small towns, which are in reality overgrown villages, most people known one another as well. It is also argued that while village life is traditional, urban life is rational. This is not entirely the case in Pakistan. Most of the urban population in Pakistan has a strong rural background. Although the use of urban facilities changes their way of living, it does not change their way of thinking much. In Pakistan, the lifestyles of the rich and poor differ far more than the lifestyles of city and village dwellers. The objective application of lifestyle as a factor for distinguishing between villages and towns is therefore difficult. Population Another factor used to distinguish between villages and towns is population. Although this criterion is applied in many countries, there is no agreement on size. In Canada, for example, a settlement with a population of more than 1,000 is considered urban, in Japan more than 30,000 and in Pakistan, 5,000. In Pakistan, a settlement can also call itself a town if it has a two committee or cantonment that controls electricity, the water supply and drainage. For example, Ziarat in Balochistan had a population of 619 in 1998, but it was still classified as a town because it had these amenities. However, there are only ten towns with populations of less than 5,000 out of a total 478 urban centres in Pakistan. 3.9 The Status of Women in Pakistan In Pakistan the story of a womans deprivations start even before her birth, where most of the girl fetuses are aborted. The lucky ones who survive are mostly unwanted children. Their life is a journey of subordination. While being very young her parents, grandparents, elder family females, family males, and brothers decide for them on matters ranging from the very thinking to decisions and choices. The most women in Pakistan do not have any choices starting from choice meals to choice males. Before marriages they are under strict watching eyes and are always thought doubtful in character especially when ones are school going, smiling on other males. In this secondary status treatment and doubts their marriages are arranged by the families. After marriage, her husband and her in-laws get hold of her reins and decide matters on her behalf; like shall she or shall she not have a child every year, or whether she would produce only boys, or whether she can seek independent employment and so on. Finally when she becomes old and her husband gets weak or may have gone already, it is her son or sons who decide her fate in the declining years of her life. As if this is not enough, the whole society acts as an oppressor, browbeating her into obedience. Thus, the word woman in Pakistan is synonymous with endurance. She is simply forced to accept certain bare facts of life once she grows up to be a woman. Be it on streets, or for that matter in restaurants, a woman is first and foremost required to be alert. It is best to try and not notice, women are told. According to Hina Jilani, Lawyer and Human Rights Activist, the right to life of women in Pakistan is conditional on their obeying social norms and traditions. In addition to that, women in Pakistan face all kinds of gross violence and abuse at the hands of the male perpetrators, family members, and state agents. Multiple forms of violence include rape, domestic abuse as spousal murder, mutilation, burning and disfiguring faces by acid, beatings, ritual honor-killings, and custodial abuse and torture. According to a report by Amnesty International, several hundred women and girls die each year in so-called honor-killings in Pakistan, in a backdrop to government inaction. She is killed like a bird in family feuds to create evidence of illicit connections and cover them under the garb of grave and sudden provocation to escape severe punishment. The practice of Summary-killing of a woman suspected of an illicit liaison, known as Karo Kari in Sindh and Balochistan, is known to occur in all parts of the country. Karis (the females suspected of illicit relationships), remain dishonored even after death. Their bodies are thrown in rivers or buried in special hidden Kari graveyards. Nobody mourns for them or honors their memory by performing their relevant rights. Karos (the males suspected of illicit relationships), by contrast are reportedly buried in the communal graveyards. The promise made by the countrys Chief Executive in April 2000, that all honor killings would be treated as murders has yet to be converted into anything nearing reality. Women who report rape or sexual harassment encounter a series of obstacles. These include not only the police, who resist filing their claims and misreport their statements but also the medico-legal doctors, who focus more on their virginity status and lack the training and expertise to conduct adequate examinations. Furthermore, women who file charges open themselves up to the possibility of being prosecuted for illicit sex if they fail to prove rape under the 1979 Hudood Ordinance which criminalizes adultery and fornication. As a result, when women victims of violence resort to the judicial system for redress, they are more likely to find further abuse and victimization. As far as domestic violence is concerned, it is the most under-reported crime because it is generally condoned by social customs and considered as a private family matter. Culture Of Pakistan After the independence from Great Britain in 1947, took part of the land of India and created Pakistan as a separate Islamic nation its estimated that approximately 97 percent of population are Muslim but members of several minority religions live there including Hindus, Sikhs, parsi, and Buddhists. Culture of Pakistan is very diverse it stems it stems from the fact that what is now Pakistan has in the past been invaded and occupied by many people like as the white Huns, Persians, Arabs, Turks, Mongols, and various others groups. There are different in culture of Pakistan. Its among the different ethnic groups in matters in their dress food and religion and also pre Islamic customs differ from Islamic practices. Pakistan is the first region of south Asia to receive the full impact of Islam and developed Islamic identity. Pakistan geography is the mixture of south Asia, central Asia and west Asia so the culture of Pakistan is unique then the

Ethics in The Criminal Justice Profession Essay example -- Morality/Et

Ethics or being ethical is simply based on a person’s capability to choose what is right or wrong or good or bad. Ethics can be defined as the body of moral principles or values governing or distinctive of a particular culture or group. (Banks C. , 2009). Ethics is a branch of philosophy dealing with the study of questions of right and wrong and how we ought to live our lives; A system of moral principles (Banks C. , 2009). Over all, morality rests squarely on the shoulders one’s early social environment. Ethics or being ethical in any business is very important. Business ethics, especially in retail, usually means three things, avoid breaking criminal law and labor laws, avoid action that may result in civil law suits against the company and avoid actions that are bad for the company image. Businesses are especially concerned with these three things given that it involves loss of money and company reputation. In theory, a business could address these concerns by assigning corporate attorneys and public relations experts to supervise employees on their daily activities. Because at anytime an employee might stray from acceptable conduct, the experts would be there to guide them back. Obviously, this solution would be a financial disaster if practiced. Given that it would cost a company more in attorney and public relations fees, companies save more by having preventative procedures in place. Consequently, companies have established special task forces or special departments to combat company from losses that it more cost effective. Such as, loss prevention agents or specialists, security guards and or special police, etc., to help prevent â€Å"shrinkage†. There are many major issues concerning criminal justice. These major issues ... ...ears, it is has come to light that some criminal justice professionals (decision makers) have sometimes fell short of making the â€Å"right† choices, or have deliberately acted unethically in carrying out their duties (Banks, 2009). Being ethical whether it’s in criminal justice or loss prevention it all has to do with making the right decisions to better the company or job. Works Cited Banks, C. (2009). Criminal Justice; Theory and Practice, 2nd edition. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications Inc.,. Grant, K. J. (2002, December). Ethics and Law Enforcement. FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin , pp. 11-14. Kleinig, J. (2008). Ethics and Criminal Justice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Less, R. D. (2008). Corperate Governance . Retrieved 03 15, 2012, from Code of Business Conduct and Ethics: http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=64847&p=irol-govHighlights

Carbohydrate and Peptide †Based Vaccines: The Way Forward

Abstract Existing treatments and therapies have supported a huge variety of diseases and infections, a significant example being antibiotics. However the increasing presence of multi-resistant bacteria, as well as increased changes observed in the mechanisms responsible for variation in viruses, involving accumulation of mutations within the genes that code for antibody-binding sites (known as antigenic drift), has resulted in these new strains not being inhibited as effectively by those treatments that originally targeted them (Reche, Fernandez-Caldas, Flower, Fridkis-Hareli and Hoshino, 2014). The knock-on effect has been that the bacteria or virus is able to spread more easily, and therapeutic treatments (used after a person contracts a disease), become less effective, unable to work by boosting the host’s own immune system. As a result, it has been recognised that the vaccine offers the advantage of preventing the anticipation of disease occurrence, using advance action to countera ct infection and chronic illness. Prophylactic, and to a lesser extent therapeutic, vaccines are the most cost-effective and efficient alternative to other treatments and prevention of infectious and chronic diseases. They work by causing changes to the T- and B-cells of the adaptive immune system to eliminate or prevent pathogen growth (Plotkin, Orenstein, and Offit, 2013). Going back to the introduction of vaccines more than 200 years ago, these were initially composed of killed pathogens, which although successful, also caused unacceptably high levels of adverse reactions. During the years of research that have since followed, as with the changes observed with antibiotics and other treatments becoming less effective, the need for safer and more effective vaccines has also been acknowledged. In addition, an improved understanding of antigen presentation and subsequent recognition has supported the development of newer vaccine types (Flower, 2013). Equally, whilst many diseases and infections are controlled by vaccines, for some, no vaccines have been developed, including Streptococcus pyogenes, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) (Wang and Walfield, 2005; Barrett and Stanberry, 2009). Efforts to develop new vaccines are discussed in more details, with a focus on peptide-based and carbohydrate-based vaccines. Challenges are also discussed, leading to a summary of the potential direction of vaccination and research, which describes a promising future. Peptide-based vaccines An example of a newer category of vaccine is peptide-based vaccines. Peptides are short sequences of proteins, and diseases/infections use these proteins as part of their attack on the immune system. In many cases, the immune system has the ability to recognise the proteins associated with an attack by disease or infectious causing pathogens and can respond effectively. However as observed with many cancers, HIV, HCV and other conditions, an effective immune response is not triggered, hence the need for newer vaccine developments including those based on peptides, which encompass single proteins or synthetic peptides encompassing many antigenic determinants (B- and T-cell epitopes) (Flower, 2013). Peptide vaccines are a type of subunit vaccine, which presents an antigen to the immune system, using the peptide of the original pathogen, supporting immunity. Such peptide-based vaccines avoid the adverse effects described with traditional whole-organism vaccines (Moisa and Kolesanova, 20 12) with additional benefits also noted (Ben-Yedidia and Arnon, 1997), including: The absence of infectious material An immune response that is specific, focusing only on the targeted epitope, with the induction of site-specific antibodies No risk of an immune attack or cross-reactivity with the host tissues Flexibility, with an ability to modify products accordingly Improved effectiveness in relation to manufacturing on a large scale, and long-term storage where necessary e.g. a pandemic. However, a number of difficulties have been encountered during the development of such vaccines (Simerska, Moyle and Toth, 2011; Dudek, Perlmutter, Aguilar, Croft and Purcell, 2010) including: A short biological activity of peptides due to degradation by enzymes The trigger of a weak immune response when used alone i.e. single peptides Finding optimal delivery systems. As a result, and to overcome the difficulties mentioned above, synthetic peptide vaccines have been developed, on the basis that a greater more accurately targeted immune response will be achieved. Peptide antigens are not immunogenic by themselves, so this has led to investigations into co-administration of subunit peptide antigens with adjuvants (immunostimulants) to increase the peptide-induced responses to corresponding antigens. Appropriate delivery systems and often toxic adjuvants have demonstrated effective immunity, however, although many adjuvants are described in the literature, only a few have been approved for use with vaccines for delivery in humans due to their toxicity and include water/oil emulsions, liposomes, and bacterial lipophilic compounds to offer a few examples (Heegaard et. al., 2010). Incomplete Freund’s adjuvant (IFA) and Montanide ISA (both oil-based) have been used in clinical trials. Focusing on liposomes as another example, researchers have demo nstrated that use of lipid core peptide (LCP) technology (lipidation of peptides) improves the effectiveness of a self-adjuvanting vaccine delivery system, targeting a specific disease and triggering an effective immune response. This system provides a promising platform for human vaccine development (Zhong, Skwarczynski and Toth, 2009; Moyle and Toth, 2008). In animal models, peptide vaccines have been effective in generating the required immune response, and during recent years, peptide-based vaccines have advanced from animal models and pre-clinical studies, to human clinical trials (Yang et al., 2001). Although currently, all known peptide vaccines under development for humans remain at the stage of clinical trials, these trials should build on the promising evidence resulting from research to date of the potential application of vaccine candidates based on a LCP system, as well as other strategies. Prevention of not only many infectious diseases including hepatitis C virus, mal aria, human immunodeficiency virus and group A streptococci), but also for cancer immunotherapy and improved allergen specific tolerance, remains an exciting, and very real possibility. Carbohydrate-based vaccines The development of vaccines based on carbohydrates not only has quite a history, but is also an area that is fast moving in the current research world. The literature provides evidence as far back as the early 1900s where researchers discovered a connection between type-specific polysaccharides and the induction of antibodies being developed against certain types of pneumococci (Francis and Tillett, 1930). This was confirmed by evidence of pneumococcal capsular polysaccharides being used as vaccines, providing effective and long lasting immunity (Heidelberger, Dilapi, Siegel and Walter, 1950). However despite these early findings, the discovery and success of other treatments such as antibiotics and chemotherapeutics led to this area of research being put on hold. As mentioned earlier however, due to increased resistance to existing treatments such as antibiotics, coupled with the recognition for a need of newer treatments including improved vaccines, renewed interest into preventive vaccines has resulted in novel approaches, which include carbohydrate vaccines. Vaccines are commonly made from weakened pathogens, or, as we now know, other approaches also use immunogenic proteins or polysaccharides. Carbohydrates have been the centre of attention in the research field of vaccination because not only do they exhibit more stability than proteins, but they have roles in both physiology and pathophysiology, including cell interaction and signalling, inflammation, pathogen host adhesion/recognition, to name a few examples (Doshi, Shanbhag, Aggarwal, Shahare and Martis, 2011). During the last ten years or so, they have been used as adjuvants, as carriers for protein antigens to aid immunotherapy, and as targets for vaccines against bacteria. Additionally, as observed with DNA and proteins, carbohydrates are now recognised as biopolymers also, playing a role in many molecular and biological activities (Doshi et. al., 2011). These discoveries, partnered by an improved u nderstanding of the immune system and the identification of specific and relevant carbohydrate structures, led to the development of glycoconjugates, which in turn led to carbohydrate vaccine development (Holemann and Seeberger, 2004). Glycoconjugates are present in the surfaces of cells, as well as in the surrounding extracellular matrices and connective tissue. Therefore both the identified structure and presence of glyconjugates, plus the role they play, means they are a suitable basis for the development of new vaccines. Induction of protective antibodies is key to an effective immune response as a result of a vaccine, and as with peptide vaccines, challenges have been evident in the research to develop effective carbohydrate vaccines, including the following: Glycans struggle to effectively induce protective antibodies Carbohydrates have a low immunogenic impact by themselves (as observed with peptides). There are two main carbohydrate vaccine types: 1. Natural carbohydrate vac cines: these include small amounts of impurities 2. Synthetic carbohydrate vaccines: these are produced with no contaminants, and are cost-effective due large-scale production. Synthetic carbohydrate antigens used to develop vaccines have triggered immune responses in clinical studies and are favourable given the risk of adverse effects with natural vaccines. Four crucial aspects need to be considered for the design of carbohydrate-based vaccines (Astronomo and Burton, 2010): The antigen source: glycan antigens are diverse, ranging from large polysaccharide capsules, to small monosaccharides, to oligosaccharides, all of which have been shown to be adequate for preparation of vaccines. The carrier: this is most often proteins, although other materials have been investigated, with the aim of ensuring that the link between the antigen and the carrier is specific. The method of conjugation (or ligation): protein conjugates, lipid conjugates and polyvalent scaffold conjugates have been d eveloped. The success of a conjugate vaccine depends partly on the method of conjugation employed. This should be simple and efficient, as well as causing minimal distortion to the individual components involved, with many differing techniques used (Zou & Jennings, 2009; Ada and Isaacs, 2003). The choice of adjuvant: required to improve immunogenicity of the carbohydrate antigens being targeted, with a limited choice approved for use in humans. Examples of diseases targeted by carbohydrate-based vaccines The discussion will now move on to the use of carbohydrate-based vaccines in three disease areas: Group A Streptococcus (GAS), HIV/AIDS and Haemophilus influenza type b. GAS The need for a safe, effective, affordable and practical vaccine against GAS (also known as Streptococcus pyogenes), has been recognised for many years, as has the research into a vaccine against this disease, given the global burden on health that this disease causes in particular in less developed countries. More than 500,000 deaths result from the GAS each year, with the bacteria causing a range of both less complicated and life-threatening illnesses (Carapetis, Steer, Mulholland and Weber, 2005). The diversity of GAS strains is the major challenge for the development of an anti-GAS vaccine, with more than 100 different strains identified, of which the genetic sequence for several different strains have been determined (Johnson and Pinto, 2002). Rese arch has identified that GAS bacteria contain a surface polysaccharide made up of long, repetitive polysaccharide chains. The conserved and constant arrangement of these chains suggests conjugate vaccines to be an attractive and achievable option, with animal models supporting this theory (Cunningham, 2000). Synthetic carbohydrate vaccines, although only studied in a limited set of GAS infections, have demonstrated a protective immune response (Robbins et al., 2009). In addition, some areas of research have focused on the molecular analysis of a surface protein labelled the M protein, which is encoded by the emm gene. This particular gene has been found to be the major cause of GAS related clinical manifestations (Smeesters, McMillan and Sriprakash, 2010). These findings have allowed a greater understanding of the functioning of specific proteins responsible for the virulence of the disease, which in turn, supports the development of potential GAS vaccines. Vaccine prevention of GAS and the resulting symptoms and complications has been a goal of researchers for many years. A number of vaccines have been in research development to offer protection against GAS, with the research vaccine strategies focusing on either M protein, or non-M protein antigens (Smeesters, 2014). However only those vaccines that use the M protein as the antigen have progressed to clinical trials (McNeil et. al., 2005), and have included conserved antigens coverage across the many strains of GAS, a type-specific vaccine based on the N-terminal portion of the M protein, and a recombinant vaccine that reached phase II clinical trials (Pandey, Wykes, Hartas, Good and Batzloff, 2013; Bauer, 2012). However no vaccine has currently reached licensing and so the diseases caused remain uncontrolled in many areas, with reviews covering the research suggesting that even those vaccines developed with the aim of providing large coverage of GAS strains, these vaccine might achieve acceptable coverage i n developed countries, but in less developed countries where the disease burden is much greater, the positive impact of the vaccines would be much lower due to a greater strain diversity (Smeesters, McMillan, Sriprakash, and Georgousakis, 2009; Steer, Law, Matatolu, Beall and Carapetis, 2009; McMillan and Sanderson, 2013). Equally, antibiotic treatment is either impractical with regards to implementation (specifically in less developed countries) or ineffective. One research group targeted the bacteria by synthesising a new self-adjuvanting vaccine candidate, incorporating a carbohydrate carrier and an amino acid-based adjuvant, resulting in successful synthesis and characterisation of the vaccine candidate. This may contribute to the identification of a safe and effective vaccine against GAS in the future (Simerska et. al., 2008; Simerska, Lu and Toth, 2009). HIV/AIDS One of the main challenges researchers have faced within the field of vaccine development against HIV/AIDS, is that the virus surface is covered with layers of glycans, which conceal underlying viral antigens that are potential good targets in the production of vaccines (Scanlan, Offer, Zitzmann, and Dwek, 2007). They are produced by the host cell, which makes the virus appear as â€Å"self† resulting in no attack being triggered by the host immune system. The layers of carbohydrate also contain mannose residues, making these another potential target for a vaccine aimed at preventing HIV infection, whereby lectins preferentially bind to ? 1-2 linked mannose residues. Such lectins are being investigated as possible therapeutic tools (Tsai et al., 2004) although the fact that lectins are often toxic needs to be researched further to avoid the host immune system damaging host cells. Indeed, other drugs that are known to inhibit synthesis of carbohydrates only have this effect at often toxic concentrations to cause antiviral activity. Another strategy based on the same principle of developing a carbohydrate vaccine, is the identification of antibodies that again recognise and bind to glycans. (Scanlan et al., 2002, Scanlan et al., 2007). The antibody appears to recognize these glycans because although they belong to the host, they are arranged in a â€Å"non-self† manner (Scanlan et al., 2002; Scanlan et al., 2007), making the production of effective ant-HIV vaccines a real possibility, in addition to vaccines for other diseases such as cancer (Galonic and Gin, 2007). Studies have also been described using immune enhancing adjuvants, carrier peptides such as keyhole limpet hemocyanin and altered glycan structure constructs that support immune recognition in the development of vaccines against cancer (Galonic and Gin, 2007). These same strategies are being used in development of possible HIV vaccines, where antibodies target self-carbohydrates arranged slightly differently on cancer cells and HIV-infected cells, in comparison to healthy cells. (Galonic and Gin, 20 07). These approaches have not as yet led to clinically effective vaccines, but it is clear that antibodies that strongly bind to carbohydrate antigens on, for example, prostate cancer cells, have been generated (Slovin et al., 2003) and this appears to be a highly promising approach. Further exploration is required based on the carbohydrate coat of the virus, which may lead to improved prevention treatment of HIV. Haemophilus influenza type b The first synthetic vaccine for human application was developed in 2003 for protection against Haemophilus influenza type b vaccine, not only providing protection against this bacterium, but also against all the associated diseases it causes ranging from meningitis, septicaemia, pneumonia and arthritis (Doshi, Shanbhag, Aggarwal, Shahare and Martis, 2011). Indeed this bacterium is the leading cause of serious illnesses in children under 5 years worldwide. The majority of strains of Haemophilus influenza are non-encapsulated, and are lacking in any carbohydrate polysaccharide protective structure, as opposed to the GAS bacteria and HIV virus described earlier. This structural information armed researchers with the knowledge that carbohydrate polysaccharide conjugate vaccines would be required to ensure the development of an effective vaccine (Verez-Bencomo et. al., 2004). As a result, carbohydrate-based vaccines have been licensed for protection in humans against haemophilus influenza type b, using oligomerization and a carrier protein (Doshi et. al., 2011).Evidence of progressTo end this section of the discussion, several conjugate polysaccharide carbohydrate vaccines are now well into pre-clinical/clinical development, or have been licensed and are now commercially available. Examples of licensed vaccines include the following (Astronomo and Burton, 2010): Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib) – 4 carbohydrate-based vaccines are licensed via 3 different pharmaceutical companies: ActHIB and Hiberix; Pentacel; PedvaxHIB; and Comvax Neisseria meningitides A, C, Y and W-135 – 2 carbohydrate-based vaccines are licensed via the same pharmaceutical company: Menactra; and Menomune-A/C/Y/W-135 Salmonella typhi – 1 carbohydrate- based vaccine is licensed: TYPHIM Vi Streptococcus pneumonia variants – 2 carbohydrate-based vaccines are licensed via 2 different pharmaceutical companies: Prevnar; and Pneumovax 23. Examples of carbohydrate-based vaccines in development include the following, where the disease is described in addition to the phase of development (Astronomo and Burton, 2010): Breast cancer – with 1 vaccine at the preclinical phase and a second at phase I Prostate cancer – 4 vaccines are in development at the preclinical, phase I and phase II stages HIV-1 – 1 vaccine at the preclinical phase Group A streptococcus – 1 vaccine at the preclinical phase Group B streptococcus – 1 vaccine at phase II. Conclusion It is fact that vaccines have had a major role to play in the success of preventing and treating many diseases, however many challenges remain. Diseases exist for which no effective vaccines have yet been discovered, including HIV/AIDs. In addition, diseases that have been controlled by vaccines in some parts of the world continue to affect the lives of people adversely in other areas where infrastructures for vaccination are poor/non-existent. Continued research is necessary to develop vaccines not only for those diseases with no vaccine available, but also to improve the effectiveness of existing vaccines. In addition to research focusing on novel and promising approaches such as carbohydrate and peptide based vaccines, efforts also need to concentrate on areas such as lower cost, more convenient delivery of vaccines, and longer-term protection. The future direction of research in this field has become focused with the help of new evidence-based information and promising data. The advent of synthetic peptide-based and carbohydrate-based vaccines signified a new era for vaccines, over-taking traditional treatments and vaccines which have become either ineffective or only offer short term protection. As the discussion demonstrates, a number of vaccines are already successfully protecting humans against some pathogens and disease, with the potential for further vaccines to follow. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, it should be remembered that unlike drug-based medicines, vaccines primarily offer a cure, a goal all aim to achieve. Word count: 3130 (excluding references) References Ada, G. & Isaacs, D. (2003). Carbohydrate-protein conjugate vaccines. Clinical Microbiology and Infection. 9(2): p. 79-85. Astronomo, R.D. & Burton, D.R. (2010). Carbohydrate vaccines: developing sweet solutions to sticky situationsNature Reviews: Drug Discovery. 9: p. 30-324. Barrett, A.D.T. & Stanberry, L.R. (Eds.). (2009). Vaccines for Biodefense and Emerging and Neglected Diseases. Elsevier Inc., ISBN 978-0-3-69408-9. Bauer M.J., Georgousakis M.M., Vu T., Henningham A., Hofmann A., Rettel M., Hafner L.M., Sriprakash K.S. & McMillan D.J. (2012). Evaluation of novel streptococcus pyogenes vaccine candidates incorporating multiple conserved sequences from the C-repeat region of the M-protein. Vaccine. 30(12): p. 2197-2205. Ben-Yedidia, T. & Arnon, R. (1997). Design of Peptide and Polypeptide Vaccines. Curr. Opin. Biotech. 8(4): p. 442-448). Carapetis, J.R., Steer, A.C., Mulholland E.K. & Weber, M. (2005). The global burden of group A streptococcal diseases. Lancet Infect Dis. 5(11): p. 685-694. Cunningham M. (2000). Pathogenesis of group A streptococcal infections. Clin Microbiol Rev. 13: p. 470-511. Doshi, G.M., Shanbhag, P.P., Aggarwal, G.V., Shahare, M.D. & Martis, E.A. Carbohydrate Vaccines- A burgeoning field of Glycomics. Journal of Applied Pharmaceutical Science 1(02): p. 17-22. Dudek, N.L., Perlmutter, P., Aguilar, M.I., Croft, N.P. & Purcell, A.W. (2010). Epitope discovery and their use in peptide based vaccines. Curr Pharm Des. 16: p. 3149-3157. Flower, D.R. (2013). Designing immunogenic peptides. Nature Chemical Biology. 9(12): p. 749–753. Francis Jr, T. & Tillett, W.S. (1930). Cutaneous reactions in pneumonia. The development of antibodies following the intradermal injection of type-specific polysaccharide. J. Exp. Med. 52: p. 573–585. Galonic, D.P. & Gin, D.Y. (2007). Chemical glycosylation in the synthesis of glycoconjugate antitumour vaccines. Nature. 446: p. 1000–7. Heegaard, P.M.H., Dedieu, L., Johnson, N., Le Potier, M-F., Mockey, M., Mutinelli, F., Vahlenkamp, T., Vascellari, M. & Sorensen, N.S. (2010). Adjuvants and delivery systems in veterinary vaccinology: current state and future developments. Arch Virol. 156(2):p. 183-202. Heidelberger, M., Dilapi, M.M, Siegel, & Walter, A.W. (1950). Persistence of antibodies in human subjects injected with pneumococcal polysaccharides. J. Immunol. 65l: pp. 535–541. Holemann, A. & Seeberger, P. (2004). Carbohydrate diversity: Synthesis of glycoconjugates and complex carbohydrates. Curr Opin In Biotech. 15(1): p. 615-622. Johnson, M.A. & Pinto, B.M. (2002). 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Scanlan, C.N., Pantophlet, R., Wormald, M.R., Ollmann Saphire, E., Stanfield, R., Wilson, I.A., Katinger, H., Dwek, R.A., Rudd, P.M. & Burton, D.R. (2002). The broadly neutralizing anti-human immunodeficiency virus type 1 antibody 2G12 recognizes a cluster of alpha1>2 mannose residues on the outer face of gp120. J Virol. 76: p. 7306–21. Scanlan, C.N., Offer, J., Zitzmann, N. & Dwek, RA. (2007). Exploiting the defensive sugars of HIV-1 for drug and vaccine design. Nature. 446: p. 1038–45. Simerska, P.,Abdel-Aal, A.B.M, Fujita, Y., Batzloff, Good, M.F. & Toth, I. (2008). Synthesis and in vivo studies of carbohydrate-based vaccines against group A Streptococcus. Peptide Science. 90(5): p. 611-616. Simerska, P., Lu, H. & Toth, I. (2009). Synthesis of a Streptococcus pyogenes vaccine candidate based on the M protein PL1 epitope. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters. 19(3): p. 821-824. Simerska, P., Moyle, P.M. & Toth, I. (2011). 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Immunity and vaccine development against Streptococcus pyogenes: is emm-typing enoughProc Belgian Roy Acad Med. 3: p. 89-98. Steer, A.C., Batzloff, M.R., Mulholland, K. & Carapetis, J.R. (2009). Group A streptococcal vaccines: facts versus fantasy. Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases. 22(6): p. 544-552. Steer, A.C., Law, I., Matatolu, L., Beall, B.W. & Carapetis, J.R. (2009). Global emm type distribution of group A streptococci: systematic review and implications for vaccine development. Lancet Infect Dis. 9(10): p. 611-6. Tsai, C.C., Emau, P., Jiang, Y., Agy, M.B., Shattock, R.J., Schmidt, A., Morton, W.R., Gustafson, K.R., Boyd & M.R. (2004). Cyanovirin-N inhibits AIDS virus infections in vaginal transmission models. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses. 20(1): p. 11–18. Verez-Bencomo, V., Fernandez-Santana, V., Hardy, E., Toledo, M.E., Rodriguez, M.C., Heynngnezz, L., Rodriguez, A., Baly, A., Herrera, L., Izquierdo, M., Villar, A., Valdes, Y., Cosme, K., Deler, M.L., Montane, M., Garcia, E., Ramos, A., Aguilar, A., Medina, E., Torano, G., Sosa, I., Hernandez, I., Martinez, R., Muzachio, A., Carmenates, A., Costa, L., Cardoso, F., Campa, C., Diaz, M. & Roy, R. (2004). A synthetic conjugate polysaccharide vaccine against Haemophilus influenzae type b. Science. 305(5683): p. 552-555. Wang, C.Y. & Walfield, A.M. (2005). Site-specific peptide vaccines for immunotherapy and immunization against chronic diseases, cancer, infectious diseases, and for veterinary applications. Vaccine. 23(17-18): p. 2049–2056. Yang, D., Holt, G.E., Rudolf, M.P., Velders, M.P., Brandt, R.M.P., Kwon, E.D. & Kast, W.M. (2001). Peptide Vaccines. In: New Vaccine Technologies. Chapter 12: p. 214-226. Zhong, W., Skwarczynski, M. & Toth, I. (2009) Lipid Core Peptide System for Gene, Drug, and Vaccine Delivery. Australian Journal of Chemistry. 62: p. 956–967. Zou, W.. & Jennings, H.J. (2009). Preparation of glycoconjugate vaccines. In: Carbohydrate-Based Vaccines and Immunotherapies. Chapter 2.

Indonesian Economy: Asia Pulp and Paper

Indonesian Economy Asia Pulp and Paper A short strategy analysis of APP mission , vision and strategy Indonesian Economy Asia Pulp and Paper A short strategy analysis of APP mission , vision and strategy Summary Introduction2 I. company overview3 II. APP’s financials, environment issues and mattel4 1. APP’s financials 2. Environment issues 3. Mattel III. The challenges and recomanded strategy7 1. The challeges 2. Recommandations IV. APP, a company to watch9 Conclusion10 References Introduction Corporate governance refers to the control of the firm, its ownership structure, and the disclosure quality. It was widely discussed in relation to the Asian crisis in 1997-98, because poor firm performance was assumed to be related to bad corporate governance . In particular, the East Asian economic model was said to reveal a â€Å"crony capitalism†, with the presence of numerous family-controlled groups, a high ownership concentration, a weak public governance, and poor monitoring of bank loans . The group Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) expanded impressively in the 1990s and became the largest pulp and paper producer in Asia outside Japan, and one of the top ten producers in the world. It attracted investors from all over the world in a context of â€Å"Asian miracle†, and because the giant pulp mills built in Indonesia were assumed to produce at the lowest cost in the world . Surprisingly, the group announced a debt standstill on $13 billion in 2001, the largest default for a private group in an emerging country At the same time, it was revealed that the industrial capacities had expanded at a much faster pace than the forest plantations, thus representing a high risk that operations would not be sustainable. Available studies showed the apparent lack of rationality in the decisions of the group, and the critical situation it faces from both financial and wood supply points of view. However, another explanation would be more convincing, which is based on the very rational behaviour of the ultimate owners of the group. This rationality being related to their ability: to increase their control of the decisions and accounts compared to their direct financial investments, to finance the expansion mainly with debts in order to reduce their own risks and to maximize their short-term profits, ,to benefit from a lax public governance context and a free access to natural forests for supplying fiber to the pulp mills. APP's trajectory has not been clean of obstacles , so with the tools provided by the theory strategy and organizational management we ‘re going to try to find the  «Ã‚  good  » way to manage that company . This is important because APP's default has attracted much attention so far, and the resolution of the case will impact on the willingness of foreigners to invest back in Indonesia. I. Company overview Asia Pulp and Paper (APP) has its roots in 1972, when the company Tjiwi Kimia was founded by Eka Tjipta Widjaja as a small caustic soda manufacturer. In 1978, Tjiwi Kimia commenced paper production of 12,000 tons/year. In December 1976, Indah Kiat was formed as a joint venture between CV Berkat (an Indonesian company), Chung Hwa Pulp Corporation and Yuen Foong Yu Paper Manufacturing Company Ltd. from Taiwan. In April 1979 Indah Kiat Tangerang mill’s Paper Machine 1 and 2 started with a production of 100 tons/day of wood free paper. By March 1984 Indah Kiat Perawang mill’s Pulp Machine 1 started producing bleached hardwood kraft pulp with an initial capacity of 250 tons/day. In May 1986 Sinar Mas Group acquired 67% of Indah Kiat’s total shares. Chung Hwa and Yuen Foong Yu had 23% and 10% shares respectively. In 1987 the first cast coating machine installed at Tjiwi Kimia, and in April 1990 Tjiwi Kimia was listed on the Jakarta and Surabaya Stock Exchange. In 1991 Tjiwi Kimia’s PM 9 started operation with an annual capacity of 207,000 tons. The following year Indah Kiat acquired PT Sinar Dunia Makmur, a manufacturer of industrial paper located in Serang with a 2. roduction capacity of 900 tons/day. jiwi Kimia commissioned the Carbonless Paper Plant in March 1993, an experiment The company Pindo Deli under control of APP in Feb. 1994, and by 1997 its paper machine #8 and #9 would both have begin operation with production capacity of 240,000 tons per year. In 1998, paper machine #11 started tissue production in Pindo Deli with annual production capacity of 400,000 tons started to operate. APP-China began investing in China in 1992, with an emp hasis on the Yangtze and Pearl River Deltas. APP-China's pulp and paper mills now include Ningbo Zhonghua, Goldeast Paper, Ningbo Asia, Gold Huasheng, Gold Hongye, and Hainan Jinhai Pulp and Paper. APP-China was registered in Singapore in October 1994. APP-China employs over 37,000 people and created 5,000 new jobs in 2009 II. APP’S Financials, Environment issues and Mattel 1. APP’s financials Growth of the pulp and paper industry in Indonesia mainly came from leverage, which drove returns on equity ever higher. International financial institutions had played a central role in supplying the finances for APP. Its assets totaled US$17. billion, of which shareholders had financed 25 per cent (the most important shareholders being the Widjaja family, and the American fund managers, Franklin Templeton Investments and Capital Group), bondholders 38 per cent and banks 20 per cent. Over 300 international financial institutions, including many leading financial institutions (e. g. , investment banks in the U. S. , The Neth erlands, Switzerland and Germany) and export credit agencies were among those heavily involved in providing and guaranteeing this finance over the 10 years prior to 2001. Among the private financial institutions were Barclays Bank, NatWest, Morgan Stanley Dean Witter, Credit Suisse First Boston, Goldman Sachs, Franklin Templeton, Capital Group, Merrill Lynch, Bank of America, Deutsche Bank, ABN Amro and Bank of China. The use of financial â€Å"mark-up† practices – that is, the artificial inflation of the cost of an investment project – had allowed some pulp and paper products to secure much larger amounts of financing for their projects than they actually needed. In fact, financial institutions queued up to invest in the Indonesian pulp and paper companies because they perceived that they had a competitive advantage due to their access to cheap raw material resources. The situation turned difficult for APP in April 2001 when it announced that it had failed to include a US$220 million loss on two currency swap contracts in its financial statements, quickly followed by an official announcement that earlier financial statements for 1997 to 1999 â€Å"should not be relied upon†. A confidential 2,000-page report from KPMG released in July 2001 listed questionable transactions and accounting entries made in 1999 and 2000 by APP’s four Indonesian entities, and noted $1. 6 billion in provisions for doubtful debts, reclassification of receivables as well as a $672 million in derivative losses from various APP units. Other transactions, including $457 million in guarantees for non-APP companies, brought the total amount in the â€Å"questionable† category to $4. 41 billion. 2. Environment issues APP-China invested over 300 million RMB in environmental conservation facilities and activities in 2009 alone, and had invested over 5 billion RMB in environmental protection by 2009. APP-China inn 2009 also achieved 100% treatment of its solid waste from its six major pulp and paper mills. APP-China was honored in 2009 with the â€Å"Award of Contribution to Low Carbon Business (Multinational Corporation)† at the first meeting of the Low Carbon Forum hosted by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultatative Committee (CPPCC) and the China Association for Science and Technology. APP-China also received the â€Å"Green China Campaign-2009 Scientific Development of Forest Plantation Special Award† by the China Green Foundation and the State Bureau of Forestry, Center for Economic Development Research. Further, APP-China received the â€Å"2009 Scientific Forest Plantation Development Award† by the China Green Times. In November 2007, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) decided to rescind the rights of APP to use their logo, following pressure from other FSC Stakeholders, and a new policy approach by FSC Board of Directors. A investigation published in March 2008 by an environmental coalition called Eyes on the Forest showed evidence of a new road built by APP, heading through the Kampar peninsula, one of the world's largest contiguous tropical peat swamp forests, with more carbon per hectare than any other ecosystem on Earth. The investigation found tracks on the new road of the critically endangered Sumatran Tiger, whose wild population has been reduced to less than 500 individuals. APP claimed that it was building this state-of-the-art, paved highway for the benefit of the local communities, though satellite imagery shows that the road does not go anywhere near the two settlements. 3. Mattel On June 8, 2011, Greenpeace launched â€Å"Barbie, It's Over†, an international campaign criticising Mattel's use of Asia Pulp & Paper's products in its packaging, particularly in its line of Barbie products. Within two days of the campaign's start, Mattel ordered its packaging suppliers to stop buying from Asia Pulp & Paper pending an investigation into Greenpeace's deforestation allegations, and further ordered its suppliers to report on how they source materials. Asia Pulp ; Paper welcomed Mattel's response, believing that Mattel's investigation would conclude that its â€Å"packaging materials are more than 95% recycled paper sourced from around the world. † On October 5, 2011, Greenpeace announced that Mattel stated that it would no longer purchase pulp and paper products from Asia Pulp ; Paper due to the effects that its logging practices had on the Sumatran tiger population III. Challenges and recommanded strategy 1. The challenges The Strategy Group has identified many significant challenges facing the ndustry, including: * loss of demand for its products due to the consequences of the global financial crisis in late 2008 and early 2009 * increased consumer and business use of digital communications, resulting in a slowing of the growth in consumption of paper-based communication, including newspapers * increased competition from cheaper imports, often using fibre from unsustainable sources, resulting in an uneven international pl aying field * projected shortages in available wood-based fibre to provide feedstock for existing pulp and paper facilities, especially due to limits on timber plantation establishment * escalating costs of key industry inputs, especially electricity, and limitations on the ability of the industry to capitalise on its innate energy generation capability * level of investment has been low—those mills lacking investment are facing closure while others which have continued or increased investment have become automated and more efficient * he growth of China, India and other emerging economies such as Indonesia, which is significantly altering the traditional supply and demand dynamics for paper products * the low level of R;D by Australia’s pulp and paper companies affecting the level of innovation and international competitiveness they can achieve * government and community responses to climate change, affecting all industries in Asia, including the pulp and paper indust ry 2. Recommandations Recommendations can be grouped into four major themes: innovation, investment, sustainability and productivity. The first recommendation is fundamental to the entire strategy and stretches across all four themes. It deals with the government’s commitment to the long-term viability of the pulp and paper industry in Asia and its workers. Asian Government( China, Japan, Singapour,indnesia) make a clear public statement supporting the value and long-term viability of the Asian pulp and paper industry, recognising the industry’s commitment to good environmental outcomes and its key role in the provision of economic and social opportunities for thousands of Asian, many in vulnerable regional communities. Innovation A Pulp and Paper Industry Innovation Council shloud be established and appropriately funded to build a culture of innovation in the industry. The Innovation Council will recognise Asian’s competitive strengths in fibre production, product innovation and renewable energy, and focus on long-term issues facing the industry. Investment The asian Government establish a plantation investment model that delivers the re-establishment and expansion of timber plantations to underpin existing processing industries or led to the creation of new processing industries in asia . Sustainability The Australian Government work with industry to support internationally recognised forest certification schemes (including the Indonesian Forestry Standard, the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification and the Forest Stewardship Council’s certification scheme) that provide for legal and sustainable forest management which ensures transparency, accountability and global and local consistency of application. Productivity Noting the significant price increases associated with the exercise of generator market power in the National Electricity Market, the Ministerial Council on Energy should accelerate efforts to improve competition in the wholesale electricity market, including by increasing penalties and developing rule changes to limit the exercise of generator market power. The Asian Government should support workforce planning and development initiatives that underpin future economic opportunities for the pulp and paper industry and its workforce. IV. APP, a compa ny to watch APP is a company more in the news than not, and for some good reasons; it has a well known plan to be the Number 1 pulp and paper company in the world; it operates in one of the â€Å"hottest† regions, Indonesia, when it comes to the NGOs focus on deforestation and climate change; it has a strategy of organic growth that includes the installation of the biggest and very best and in pulp and paper technology: and a strategy of acquisitive growth that will probably put it firmly in the RISI headline news stakes even more regularly next year. With its bold mission to be the number 1, APP is going to have yet another tough year in 2011 as it comes under even closer scrutiny regarding its forestry and plantation operations in Indonesia. Indeed 2010 saw a ramping up of NGO activity aimed against the company, particularly from Greenpeace, in which it published a series of reports highlighting alleged environmental transgressions, as well as naming some of the major brands around the world that were buying the company's products. APP in return commissioned a series of independent reports, including one by former Greenpeace founder Dr Patrick Moore, refuting the allegations. But perhaps the real reason this company is one of our Five to Watch for next year is its seemingly unstoppable progress, with new expansions in both pulp and paper too numerous to mention, including the start up of the world's biggest fine paper machine located on Hainan Island, China. One of the main areas of interest is where all the fine paper that APP is producing is going to go as duties have now been imposed in both the US and Europe on fine paper coming in from China. Duties are also now being talked about in Brazil and India as anti-dumping fears in those countries come to the fore. Another major development on the horizon is APP's aggressive acquisition strategy abroad through its subsidiary Paper Excellence based in Holland which has already seen it buy up four pulp mills, two in France and two in Canada. Could we see APP making an acquisition of a major European or US pulp or paper company in 2011? Conclusion APP’s trajectory since the early 1990s has been very impressive for several reasons. Focusing at first on Indonesia to develop a pulp and paper empire in order to become one of the top ten producers in the world, the group achieved its objective owing to very lax attitudes on the part of investors both from Indonesia and abroad. The context of the early and mid 1990s, with the so-called ‘Asian miracle’ and the Indonesian government’s official policy of pushing industries with a clear export-oriented stance, and the availability of huge forest areas for conversion, permitted the extraordinarily fast expansion of APP’s capacity. This expansion has been mainly based on debts, either through bond issuance or bank loans. In conclusion, Asia Pulp & Paper seems to illustrate the theories saying that the divergence between ownership and control through pyramid structures corresponds to poor corporate governance and leads to lower firm performance. References â€Å"Why a ‘Green' Logo May Mean Little,† Wall Street Journal, 30 Oct 2007 * New APP Logging Road Threatens One of World’s Biggest Carbon-Storing Forests, Tigers; Eyes on the Forest, March 2008 * Logging Road Threatens Rare Peat Dome, Tigers * People's Daily Online – Forestry authorities charges Singaporean paper giant with illegal logging * Asia Times Online  :: Southeast Asia news and business from Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam * a b FSC rules in upheaval after green groups level accusations at APP | printweek. com | Latest Print Industry News, Jobs, Features, Product Reviews, Used Printing and Packaging Machinery * FT. com / Home UK / UK – The usefulness of scholarships and tigers * Ethical Corporation: Archive – APP decision a â€Å"landmark† for China’s environmentalists * http://www. rainforest-alliance. rg/forestry/documents/app. pdf * wikipedia * APP ‘ s Annual report 2010 , from www. freereport. com * http://www. ppimagazine. com/ppiissue/ ————â₠¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€œ [ 1 ]. Sumatran Tiger incident  : During late July 2011 Greenpeace revealed images and footage on their website that showed a critically endangered Sumatran tiger. This tiger had become trapped by an animal snare at the edge of an APP concession, and had been there for at least seven days, without food or water. Attempts to tranquilise and rescue the tiger failed due to its poor condition of health. APP denied any responsibility, despite reports to the contrary.

Prepositional Idioms with of

Prepositional Idioms with of Prepositional Idioms with â€Å"of† Prepositional Idioms with â€Å"of† By Maeve Maddox The other day I read a letter supposedly written by a literature professor. It contained what struck me as the unidiomatic use of the preposition to attached to the adjective ignorant. Note: An expression is idiomatic when its meaning is not deducible from the meanings of the individual words. In idiomatic usage, the exact same words can have different meanings, depending upon context. Take, for example, the phrasal verb â€Å"put out†: put out the light (extinguish) put out the cat (place outside) put out your hand (extend) ESL learners spend hours memorizing dependent prepositions and the words they appear with because few dependable rules exist to explain the usage. We’re angry with a person, but angry about an injustice. We’re concerned about our children, but concerned with the ecological movement. I don’t remember having been taught these patterns. I just know what â€Å"sounds right.† The dependent preposition I’ve always heard used with the adjective ignorant is of: He was ignorant of the consequences of his actions. For this reason, I was startled to read what the literature professor wrote: I specialize in literature, feminism, and cultural criticism (so naturally I would be ignorant to something that got 700,000 views). Note: the professor was being sarcastic. Of course she knew about whatever it was that â€Å"got 700,000 views.† My impulse was to condemn the unidiomatic usage â€Å"ignorant to† without further ado, but then I recalled the way â€Å"bored of† has spread in recent years. To me, â€Å"bored of† is horribly unidiomatic, but since writing an unforgiving post about it, I’ve seen on Google N-Gram Viewer that the appearance of â€Å"bored of† in printed books has risen precipitately since the 1980s. Further, according to the Oxford Dictionaries online site, â€Å"the Oxford English Corpus  contains almost twice as many instances of â€Å"bored of† than â€Å"bored by.† Clearly my knee-jerk reaction to unidiomatic preposition use bears examination. I did a web search. Sure enough, â€Å"ignorant to† is out there in blog postings and reader comments: Why are people so ignorant to the facts? I think hes ignorant to the fact that they both wanted it People just are ignorant to the fact that system files use up that space too. Torres seems ignorant to the danger he is in. So far, â€Å"ignorant to† is still rare in modern usage compared to â€Å"bored of.† By the way, although the folks at Oxford acknowledge the popularity of â€Å"bored of,† they also acknowledge that it’s still not considered to be standard English: â€Å"It’s best to avoid using it in formal writing.† When it comes to which preposition to use with which adjective, the spirit of the language will decide. Meanwhile, careful writers and speakers may wish to review current prepositional use and use the established patterns. To get you started, here are a few examples of adjectives that take the preposition of: accuse of: The homeless man was accused of vandalizing a park bench. acquitted of: When more evidence came to light, the man was acquitted of the charge. capable of: Unsocialized children are capable of atrocious behavior. censorship of: Throughout history, governments and religious institutions have advocated the censorship of books. consist of: Krapp’s diet consisted of bananas and water. convince (someone) of: You’ll never convince him of the truth of your argument. critical of: He is critical of everything I write. deprive of: Millions of children grow up deprived of ordinary comforts. disapprove of: Some people make it a policy to disapprove of everything they didn’t think of first. jealous of: Some men are jealous of the success of their wives. kind of: What kind of books do you like to read? regardless of: The soldiers were required to shave, regardless of their wishes. required of: Familiarity with standard English is required of all applicants. short of: I can’t go to the movies because I’m short of cash. take charge of: Adolescents are encouraged to take charge of their learning. unmindful of: The wounded man staggered aimlessly, unmindful of traffic. worthy of: This writing is worthy of a professional novelist. And, let’s not forget, ignorant of: Many native English speakers seem to be ignorant of established prepositional use that ESL learners struggle to master. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:What Does [sic] Mean?Loan, Lend, Loaned, LentWhat the heck are "learnings"?

FAFSA App Your Ultimate 2016 Guide to Max Scholarships

FAFSA App Your Ultimate 2016 Guide to Max Scholarships SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid, is the one application you’ll need to submit in order to be considered for all forms of federal aid. If you’re interested in financial aid at all (even if you’re thinking about private funding sources or school-based aid), it’s of the utmost importance you submit one of these applications. The application itself seems daunting at first, but with a little bit of forethought and a few hours of your time, you’ll be able to complete it successfully! I'll start off this post with some info about the FASFA, before moving on to step-by-step instructions on how to apply for FAFSA. Finally, I'll give you some tips on what you should be doing after your submit your FAFSA. Ready to get some financial aid? We'll present everything you must know in order to apply most successfully. Why Is the FAFSA Important? As I'm sure you already know, attending college in the US is pretty expensive. Prohibitively so, actually, for a lot of students - in fact, most US college students have some sort of financial aid. When you submit a FAFSA, you're taking a step in mitigating some of these expenses. This application will open up opportunities for both federal and non-federal aid. The aid programs you're automatically considered for include: The Pell Grant Stafford loans Perkins loans Direct Unsubsidized loans Direct Subsidized loans Non-federal aid opportunities come mostly in the form of institutional aid. Schools use information generatedby the FAFSA to award college-specific grants and scholarships. Private need-based scholarship programs also often require applicants to complete a FAFSA (for example, the Gates Millennium Scholarship). All in all, it's a really versatile application, and one of the most important parts of applying for financial aid for college. Now that you're excited about your own FAFSA let's talk about how to submit one! How Do You Submit a FAFSA? Follow these step-by-step instructions to successfully submit a FAFSA. Step 1: Check Your Deadlines There are different deadlines you should be aware of: federal and state.The deadline for federal funding for the 2015-2016 school year is June 30, 2016, whereas the deadline for 2016-2017 is June 30, 2017.You may be able to get federal aid even after you’ve finished your year at school (if you’re a current college student), so it could be worth your while to apply later on if you’ve already missed the state application window. Different states (if you also want to be considered for state funding) have different deadlines for applying for student aid. You can check the deadline for your state here. In general, though, it's better to apply well in advance of these deadlines. Someaid programs run out of funding earlier rather than later - like the Perkins Loan program - so try to get your FAFSA in as early as possible. The application openedJanuary 1 for the 2015-2016 academic year; schools won't use the information from your FAFSA until after you're admitted. You won't lose out on any opportunities if you don't submit your FAFSA on January 1, but try toget it in by early spring. Step 2: Gather All the Information You'll Need Perhaps the most tedious part of completing a FAFSA is hunting down all the relevant financial information you need for the application. If you gather this information ahead of time, though, sitting down to complete the actual app should be a cinch. Here's everything you need in order to fill out a complete FAFSA. From your own personal records, you'll need: Social Security Number Alien Registration Number (if you're not a US citizen) Most recent federal tax returns, W-2s, and other records of income Bank statements and investment records (if applicable) Records of untaxed income (if applicable) A FSA ID to sign electronically (if you're submitting the application online). You can create a FSA ID. Your parents' financial information is also considered when determining your aid eligibility, even if they won't be helping you pay for school. Because of this, you'll also need to gather all of the above information from your parents as well. Here'sexactly what you'll need from parents or guardians: If your parents are married, gather information for both of them. If your parent is widowed or single, you'll just need information from that one parent. If your widowed parent is currently remarried, you'll need information from your parent and your parent's spouse. If your parents are divorced or separated, you'll need information from your custodial parent (the parent you've lived with the most within the past year). If your parents have joint custody, and you spendtime between them equally, you need information from the parent who's supported you the most financially. Some FAFSA applicants qualify for what's called a dependency override - this is when parents' financial information is not taken into account when determining federal aid eligibility. Most of the time, this means that applicants are eligible for more aid. If you think you might qualify for a dependency override, you should gather any supporting documentation around those circumstances as well as any relevant financial information. Common override situations include being married, having kids, being in foster care, and being legally emancipated.Just answer questions about these circumstances honestly on your FAFSA - the application will process as incomplete, and you’ll need to follow up with the financial aid office of the school you’re seeking an aid package from. One last thing -If you’re a male between the ages of 18-25 and living in the US, you'll need to be registered for Selective Service in order to submit a FAFSA. Selective Service is essentially a registry of all men eligible to be called for a military draft in an emergency. You can registerin just a few minutes. Step 3: Choose Your Submission Method Got all that paperwork ready? Now comes the easy part - choosing how you'll submit your FAFSA. You have a couple of different options: electronic submission and paper submission. I'll discuss the pros and cons of both. Electronic Submission It's generally easier to submit your FAFSA online than it is to send in a paper copy. Just be aware that if you have a tight submission timeline, you should apply for a FSA ID for you and your parents ahead of time - you need a FSA ID to sign the FAFSA electronically, and it can take about threedays to come in. The electronic version of the app tends to guide you through the application process pretty well, and can even catch minor errors as you complete it. You'll also get fast results with this submission method - you'll receive a SAR (student aid report) containing the results of your FAFSA in about 3 days. Paper Submission Nothing against snails, but snail mail is not a good option if you're rushing to submit your FAFSA. Paper FAFSAs are a bit more cumbersome than the electronic version, take the longer to file, and are more prone to error - all of these factors will delay your application process. This is not a good option if you're tight on time. If you do want to submit a paper FAFSA, you can find copies at high school guidance offices, college financial aid offices, or at local libraries. You can also download and print the application yourself. Step 4: Set a Time to Complete the Application This is one application you don't want to procrastinate completing. As I mentioned earlier, you'll likely need a lot of information from your parents or guardians to properly fill out the application.The form will be much easier to complete if you can sit down with them, completing each section together. The electronic FAFSA should take about 1-2 hours, and the paper FAFSA a bit longer than that.You don’t need an accountant or financial aid consultant in order to fill out the FAFSA, but if you do have access to these resources, they should be able to assist you with any questions. Strategies for a Winning FAFSA Application From a wide variety of students, we've gathered a few tips that will max your reward. You absolutely must do these, or at least be aware for them. First, you should file earlybecause certain scholarships are first-come-first-serve. Applications become available much sooner than they're due, and you're well off using last years application as a mock up to submit as soon as possible. Second, it's important that you file even if you're not surewhether you'll get the aid. The amount of money is hugein comparison to the amount of time it'll take you. Some families earning up to even $200K/year will qualify for aid. Also, as with all forms, you must do your best to fill out the form completely. Technical glitches will delay or even stop your application. Double check every line, every blank for precision. This is a lot of money on the line here folks it's well worth your time. Finally, for many need base calculations, you'll do well to have as little savings in the child's name as possible. The child is expected to put a larger fraction of his/her savings into education versus the parents assets. Move money out of children's banks accounts. Likewise, parents will do well to reduce the savings amount that shows up on the file. Parents can do things like paying down debt to reduce their assets. Of course, be sure not to be penny-wise pound-foolish don't just go wasting money, but do understand the optics of where your money is will affect the aid given! What Do You Do After You Submit the FAFSA? The hard stuff is done - you've done the tedious work of gathering intel from financial records and answered each question on the application. There's not much left to do, but it's important to stay on top of tracking the status of your application. If there are any problems with the processing of your FAFSA, these next steps will help you get back on track in no time. Within 3-5 days, you will receive an email with directions to access your SAR, or Student Aid Report. The colleges you listed on your FAFSA will have access to your SAR shortly after you do.If your application were complete, your SAR would include an EFC, or Expected Family Contribution. The EFC is a number used by your school to calculate the amount of federal aid you are eligible to receive, not necessarily the amount of money your family will have to pay. If you're interested in learning more about the EFC and how it affects financial aid awards, check out our Pell Grant guide. You can check the status of your application (if there are any delays) by calling the Federal Student Aid Information Center (1.800.433.3243), or by logging in to the FAFSA website with your FSA ID. Your Financial Aid Package Your school will use the information generated from your FAFSA to generate a financial aid offer, which can include grants, loans, and scholarships.You’ll then make a decision about what aid to accept. If you’re offered grants, you should accept in pretty much all cases (it’s free money). It might be prudent to discuss with family about what loan offers you’d like to accept. For example, you should discuss whether you're happy with the loan terms and interest rates and if it's important that you take out those loans in order to afford college.The financial aid office at your school will explain how and when you’ll get any money awarded to you, and whether you will need to take any further steps. What's Next? The FAFSA is a particularly useful application - in submitting it, you'll be considered for the Pell Grant, Perkins loan, Direct Subsidized loan, and Direct Unsubsidized loan. Read more about each program by clicking the link. If you want to learn more about how much money you'll actually need for college (after you get any federal financial aid), read our guide on what college really costs. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: