Red Dead Redemption Analysis

Critical Analysis of a Game: Red Dead Redemption Professor Shawn Graham Jad Slaibeh 100804020 Submitted: Thursday February 7th 2013 The game I have chosen for my critical analysis is Red Dead Redemption. Red Dead Redemption was made, published, and engineered by a company called Rockstar Games (Rockstar Website). The major distributor of the game is a company who happens to own Rockstar, Take-Two interactive. Being one of the most successful video game developers to date, Rockstar is famous for creating the popular and controversial game series Grand Theft Auto.Rockstar differs very much from other video game developers because they are one of few who have grown and experienced the advancement of video games in terms of graphics and gameplay. Rockstar is known for revolutionizing the concept of having an open world in console video games. This was not originally the case and happened over years of expansion. Rockstar’s first game was released on the original PlayStation. The g ame is called Grand Theft Auto. Its camera was in a bird’s eye view with basic 3D graphics consisting of repetitive player movements. In comparison to today, the game was really quite simple in terms of graphics and game play.The game lacked a larger narrative. Its gameplay was based mostly around the options of stealing cars, doing hits for gang members, killing civilians, and evading the police. This lack of narrative and focus on violence may be one of the reasons why Rockstar dealt with a lot of controversy from the media. As Rockstar grew and released multiple titles, their video games utilized the advancement in technology to create a larger narrative. Using Rockstar Advanced Game Engine (RAGE), Rockstar developed third person 3D modeled sandbox game (Ogilvie, 2010). With this new open world, the game developers were able to explore more narrative options.Red Dead Redemption used their graphical improvements to allow for new historical representations such as: talking N PCs with their own ethnicity and culture and NPCs who show facial emotion and body language. This allows players to connect better with the world Rockstar has created because they represent what people are familiar with. Rockstar had greatly passed simple storyline of Grand Theft Auto. This is why I chose Red Dead Redemption. It excels in the ability of experiencing a fun and highly skilled game while having improved representations of people, stories, and histories.They do so through implementing character traits in certain NPCs. The NPCs are programmed primarily in two ways. One is to help the player in their quest by providing information to solve the main problem space. The other is to try and stop the player; this creates another problem space that the player must solve. The addition of these advanced NPCs really helped Rockstar deliver a story to their players. They force the player to constantly see familiar NPCs which creates a bond between them and the player. These NPCs fo rce you to make many moral decisions throughout the game.These moral choices the player has to make adds a great deal of advancement to the narrative because the game is programed to change based on these decisions. If the player was to help a gang of thieves raid a site in order to get money, civilians would remember due to the decrease in honour and news would spread. Decisions the player makes affect how NPCs, such as townsfolk or sheriffs, approach the player in the game. If the player was riding their horse along a prairie road and happened to see a gang of thieves taking someone hostage, the player could kill or hogtie the bandits and their honour meter would go increase.These decisions program NPCs to now feel safe around the player by cheering for them. These cheers can often make the player feel happier because of the heroic role they are playing. This social value is what makes Rockstar games a fan favourite. Another reason Rockstar advanced so quickly was the positive cha nge in hardware. The game was originally released on both the PS3 and the Xbox 360 on May 18th 2010. I played the game on my Xbox 360 console. To capture the experience of the Wild West, Rockstar consulted some historical experts in the field, along with channelling a lot of time and money into the graphics of the game.According to a New York Times online article, Rockstar spent between 80-100 million dollars on developing the game (Schiesel 2010). I mention this statistic because this comes to show the new era of devotion Rockstar brought to video game production. In any video game, soundtracks can be an incredible boost in its overall character. The soundtracks in Red Dead Redemption are authentic; it gives the game historical flavour. What I mean by this is you truly get a feeling of the Western experience. Rockstar brought on composers Woody Jackson and Bill Elm.In a behind the scenes video, the composers explain that it is essential for them to â€Å"find a balance, paying hom age to what was there but also trying to add our stamp to the music† (GamerSpawn, 2010). Another interesting fact they mentioned was the ability for the game to launch certain lines of music to start based on your actions. For example, if you jump on a horse, a bass line rolls in. If the player is in a shootout, the music intensifies. The music helps reinforce the player’s connection with the historic west by creating familiar sounds associated with the Western era.Before I mention the problem spaces of the game, I would like to continue back to explaining some of the hardware information behind Red Dead Redemption. First we will talk about the controller/controls. Controls have the potential to play a big factor in how we experience a video game. The way the controls are programmed correlate directly with your character’s movement. This gives the player a bigger sense of control. This control makes for a better physical connection. Red Dead Redemption’s c ontroller functions do a great job in the ability to allow the player to become immersed in the game world.If you were not aware of the classic Xbox 360 controller, here is how it is laid out: Some basic controls of the game are: left stick controls which direction your character moves in, right stick controls which direction your character looks, pulling the right trigger will fire your weapon, and pulling left trigger starts the aim mode which makes it easier to hit your target. The Xbox 360 controller, along with the Red Dead Redemption controls, allow the player to control what we are familiar in our everyday lives For example, to shoot a gun in the real world you have to pull a trigger.This is emulated when pulling the trigger on the Xbox controller. When driving a vehicle and turning in a certain direction, we turn the wheel. This is emulated by moving the left stick in order to direct your character. This makes the experience more enjoyable and recognizable. Throughout the ga me you are only controlling one character, the protagonist. The name of this protagonist is John Marston. Marston is a former outlaw who makes a deal with the state to bring justice to his former gang of outlaws in order to get his family back.Upon Marston's attempt to find and capture his former gang members, the plan goes wrong for our protagonist and he is left for dead. Luckily, you are approached by a local ranch farmer, Bonnie Mcfarlane. Bonnie saves your life and brings you back to her farm. That is our initial problem space. The player is immediately placed into the world with a want to defeat our twisted former gang of outlaws and get our family back. This creates an immediate sympathy for our protagonist which adds even more of narrative. Because the game represents plausible situations, players are more likely to sympathize.Although we are placed in a world where there is only one end goal of killing the men who left you for dead and are in the way of getting your family; we have a wide variety of choices in the path of attaining this goal. This concept of beginning the game after being left for dead completely on your own creates an even bigger problem space. My big question was, what do I do first? The player has the ability to access this map in the start menu: [pic] In the Western era, maps would certainly be a way to represent space. Therefore the map gives us the ability to represent space in a way that people are used to.This adds a historical flavour to it because it represents history with adding its own personalized flavour. This map is a fictionalized/representational map of Canada, Mexico and the US. Much like the real world, each territory has its differences. For example: certain NPCs with ethnic representations are present in each area, certain animals are associated with familiar habitats in different territories, and territories such as Canada have more green lands where as Mexico is represented as more dry. To travel to these diffe rent lands, we are immediately handed a horse.When the player first gets their horse, it is quite slow. This is a problem and slow travel can become quite boring. Upon playing I thought there had to be some options to overcoming this problem. Like the real world, the player has the option of feeding their horse to increase its stamina. Another implementation is the trust bar that develops with the players’ horse. This trust bar adds narrative because we are familiar with gaining trust with living things in the real world. The longer the player has kept their horse, the faster it gets and the more risks it is willing to take to get you to your destination.The game specifically promotes value by rewarding the players for keeping the same horse. In doing so, the interface encourages the player to behave a certain way with this virtual animal, representing a relationship common to real life. Even though this horse is merely a program in a video game, the power of the game and the value I had onto it made me have a connection to it. Unfortunately, it is quite possible for the player’s horse to die. For example, upon passing by a poor woman being harassed by drunk men just before entering a town, one of the men shot my horse dead while attempting to hogtie them.After all the investment of money I had put into my horse to increase its stamina, the time spent together gaining trust, and the many missions we had completed together, my horse was now gone. Connecting to history, the video game allows the player to feel the pain that people must have gone through when their own horse died. Clearly their problem was much bigger than a video game can represent, but it once again brings out empathetic emotions. Although the game itself was not based off any real characters or real story lines, it still had the power to create a real connection.The game places the character in an age outside of their norm. If a car breaks down, that person now has the ability to take out a cell phone and call a friend to pick them up. If in 1900 someone’s horse died, that is that until a new horse is acquired. This was now part of my problem space. With these newly acquired problems that I did not have just thirty seconds earlier, I clearly had to deal with these men who altered my path for the negative. Due to this setback I had developed, I quickly hogtied the surviving men and placed their bodies on the train tracks for the upcoming train to deal with them.Although this was an act of immorality because the game gives you an option to return them to the sheriff’s station, I felt no sympathy for these men who, before shooting my horse, were attacking a lone woman. Looking at the game on a narrative level, this meant that a side of my true character was shown, one that let my emotions dictate my actions. At that exact moment the video game explained and taught me a lesson in morality. It also explained how, just like in the real world, others may have handled that same situation completely differently.Moving forward in the game, I was forced to purchase another horse and develop a new connection between us. Purchasing horses is one of the many ways that money is used to solve problems in the game. Money is quite similar to how it is in the real world. The player needs to do work and complete services in order to gain it. It is quite hard to gain money, unlike the other Grand Theft Auto games, which enforces the player to spend wisely. Some examples of situations where you need money are: to buy weapons, ammunition, houses (in order to have multiple save points), and medicine to heal.The player may also acquire money through selling items they find and doing favours and missions for locals and friends met along the way. There is one final question to be answered: was the game historically accurate? The answer to this question is: it depends what you classify as â€Å"historically accurate†. The term is thrown arou nd quite often. Unfortunately, based on the game play, there is far too much fantasy to consider it a game that accurately depicts the lifestyle that people lived in the early 20th century.The game is based off a completely fictional story with fake characters in a fake world. However, the game did a great job of showcasing some aspects of the time frame by utilizing: the advanced RAGE physics engine, the programmed NPCs with character traits, a familiar map system, the player’s horse that rewards you for your loyalty and protection, and the advanced controller settings. Overall, the narrative behind Rockstar Games’s Red Dead Redemption will be remembered in history as one of the most advanced video games for its time. Reference List: 1.Rockstar San Diego Official Website – Available from: http://www. rockstargames. com/reddeadredemption/ 2. Ogilvie Red Dead Redemption: All the RAGE – Available from: http://ca. ign. com/articles/2010/01/28/red-dead-redemp tion-all-the-rage Jan 28 2010 3. Schiesel Way Down Deep In the Wild, Wild West – Available from: http://www. nytimes. com/2010/05/17/arts/television/17dead. html? pagewanted=all=0 May 16th 2010 4. GamerSpawn Red Dead Redemption: Soundtrack Behind the Scenes – Available from: http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=vEsknPy5rvg July 29th 2010

Irony of Kingship in Edward Ii

Irony of kingship One way to discuss the â€Å"irony of kingship† in Christopher Marlowe’s play Edward II is to focus on the ways in which Edward himself falls short of Renaissance ideals of a good king. Edward, in other words, has inherited the title of monarch, but he often fails to live up to the responsibilities of ruling a monarchy. His personal affection for Gaveston is so great that he often neglects his duties to his other subjects. This kind of neglect is already implied in Gaveston’s opening speech.In that speech, Gaveston begins by reading two sentences from a personal letter he has received from Edward: My father is deceas'd. Come, Gaveston, And share the kingdom with thy dearest friend. No sooner does Edward’s father die, and no sooner does Edward thereby become king, than he is already focusing, ironically, on his own personal desires. The idea that a monarch could â€Å"share† the kingdom with a friend (no matter how â€Å"dear†) would have struck many of Marlowe’s contemporaries as foolish and irresponsible.Gaveston’s reaction – in which he delights in the prospects of being â€Å"the favourite of a king† – already suggests the potentially ironic outcome of Edward’s plan: he hopes to benefit himself by giving too much power to a man who ironically seems primarily interested in his own â€Å"bliss† and â€Å"delight. † Instead of feeling summoned to England as a responsible statesman, Gaveston correctly sees an â€Å"amorous† intention in Edward’s words.Many Elizabethans would have thought that the king now had a responsibility to put his personal affections aside (especially since he was already married) and act in the best interests of the nation. Instead, Edward’s motives seem, ironically, the opposite of those of a king who should be truly devoted to his people. Clearly, Gaveston has no great desire to go to England and encou rage Edward to be a selfless ruler.Instead, Gaveston next mentions his desire to be held in the king’s â€Å"arms. † Speaking of Edward, Gaveston refers to â€Å"The king, upon whose bosom let me lie,† even if doing so means that he will â€Å"be still at enmity† with â€Å"the world† (that is, with others in the kingdom). Gaveston’s desires, like those of Edward, are mainly personal. The crucial difference is that Gaveston is not the king. Edward is, and his subsequent behavior will seem ironic in light of his very important social role.Gaveston assumes that once he has become the personal favorite of the monarch, he will not have to show respect to other important people in the realm: Farewell base stooping to the lordly peers! My knee shall bow to none but to the king. Given the nature of the relationship between Gaveston and Edward, the last line just quoted would have struck many Elizabethans as especially ironic and even shocking. The play’s opening speech already implies that little good can come to the kingdom from the kind of relationship the ambitious â€Å"favourite† desires.Keeping aside the facts of the king’s typical waywardness and unnatural love towards his favourite, we can analyse the issue of kingship from a totally different dimension. He has never been a good king, but if we judge Edward as a human being then definitely we have to say that he is an over emotional, honest, and good hearted person who lacked the political shrudeness and cunning to handle the power-hungry barons who were ready to take the advantage of the immaturity of the young king and desired to snatch his power and money.If Edward would have given a little more time , perhaps he could have prove himself a better king , but Younger Mortimer did not allow such chances and slaughtered the king secretively to suit his purposes. Now the question arises that if a man is not cunning, shrude and tricky is that a vice or virtue? Can we really blame Edward just because he could not conform to the so called notion of being a perfect king? All these questions are very ironical and makes the very issue of kingship all the more complex which keep open multi-dimensional possibilities to interpret the topic as well as the play itself.

Family Value Is Important For Life - 1696 Words

I think we all can agree that at some point in our life we asked our self about â€Å"what makes human life matter†? Some of us, including myself, always perceived Human life as something this very precious and important. Even though the answer to this question is ambiguous, people often have a different answer. Some of us only care about life that has some way connected to us or had an impact in our life. However, as for me, the one that stands out above all would value of family because they are always there for us when we need them the most. They always find a way to make our life more meaningful. I believe family value is important for living a meaningful life. Family value is something that we hold very precious the most which is why they make our life more meaning to it. Even though there are a lot of things that can make our human life matter, however, in my opinion, the significance of human values, connected social life, and self-acceptance stand above the top. Human values play a vital role in our lives and some of the most important human values include our family, friends, and neighbors. While some of our values differ from the others, but for me, family value is the most important. I think family values is truly the greatest thing to have because it gives us meaning to live our life. I believe if we value our family, then can look after us, take care of us, and be there when needed. Furthermore, if we have people who care for us, believe inShow MoreRelatedThree Interviews Essay698 Words   |  3 PagesFamily values â€Å"can be described as a set of beliefs or morals that help provide for family unity and social interaction as well as providing for a societal view for childhood development† (Dictionary.com). Over the weekend, I interviewed a gang of three great generations while discovering what family values mean to each of them. From these interviews, I was able to distinguish each of their own perspectives. 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These valuesRead MoreThe, Tolerance, And Cultural Differences1643 Words   |  7 PagesDifferences Have you ever noticed how all over the world people value things differently? Such as how family can be the most important aspect of someone’s life, but to someone of a different culture or area might value independency more? That is called mentalite or worldview. Mentalite is defined as, â€Å"a thought processes of values and beliefs shared by those of the same community.† It is the backbone to one’s personal beliefs throughout life and how much tolerance they have for others who believe differently

The Physics of Basketball Essay - 1950 Words

The Physics of Basketball There are many aspects to the game of basketball and physics can be applied to all of them. Although to be good at basketball it is not necessary to play it from a physics point of view. Basketball players become good by developing muscle memory for the actions that must be performed in the game of basketball from years of practice. Nevertheless knowing some of the physics in the game of basketball can help a good player be a better player. In this paper I will cover the three most important aspects of the game, shooting, dribbling and passing. The most important part of the game of basketball is shooting the basketball, after all the object of the game is to put the basketball through the basket. A†¦show more content†¦The first description of a shot was described earlier as simply a shot but more specifically can be referenced to a jump shot. The second way to look at shooting the basketball using physics is referred to as a layup. The difference between the two is that a jump shot has little or no horizontal movement toward the basket. Instead the jump shot relies strictly on vertical movement. Specifically the shooter will be stopped and jump using two feet straight up and down vertically and push the basketball off the finger tips to obtain the force and angle to get the ball to the basket. The layup on the other hand is done by the shooter jumping off of one foot while running. The shooter jumps vertically and uses the momentum from running to propel horizontally toward the basket. The shooter is generally cl oser to the basket while shooting a layup versus a jump shot. The same physics that were applied to the jump shot are applied to the layup as well. There is still an angle and force that the ball would need to travel toward the basket but since the shooter is moving horizontally toward the basket velocity will play more of factor. 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And it has continued to grow ever since I sat down on the first day of my AP Physics 1 class– September 2, 2015 – in room 3-202. I still vividly remember the inquisitive young boy I was in that class, each day always eager and excited to open the door and enter this sacred place that promoted intellectual freedom and truth: a rigorous

Should Animals Be A Man Best Friend - 1494 Words

Nyarko 1 Nezumi Fox Nyarko Ms. Soto Writing April 20, 2016 A Man Best Friend Animals are known to be a man s best friend. Studies have even shown that owning animals have been proven to have many health benefits that include but are not limited to, lowering cholesterol, lowering blood pressure, lowering triglycerides, reduce stress levels, and provide the owner with better mental health. C.W. Von Bergen says â€Å"For centuries people have noted the animals can have a positive influence on human functioning, and conventional wisdom has long supported the use of animals in promoting human wellbeing.† (18). Research shows that 6.15 million Americans over the age of 15 struggle with mental illness. Nearly 13.6 million people live with severe mental illness; this includes schizophrenia, major depression, anxiety, or bipolar disease (â€Å"Emotional Support Animals, Service Animal, and Pets on campus.† 16). Studies have found that while many benefits of animals companionship apply to groups across the board, unique benefits were ob served for individuals with mental or psychiatric disorders. This research started the idea of ESA being a more common thing. People with disabilities may use service dogs and emotional support animals for a variety of reasons. I found it is for this reason that all individuals must remember that it is not necessary that all disabilities be an obvious one. Now many people wonder what an ESA is. â€Å"ESAs (sometimes called therapy animals or supportShow MoreRelatedBond Between Humans and Animals Throughout History Essay752 Words   |  4 PagesAnimals have long been an integral part human culture. Up until the mid-nineteenth century, humans got around by horse and carriage. Animals have always been essential to human survival; man has always used animals for resources. Given the time spent together, animals and humans have developed bonds and relationships. 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Effective Business Communication for Personal Reflection- Professor No

Question: Discuss about theEffective Business Communication for Personal Reflection. Answer: Personal Reflection: In the course I have learned that effective business communication is the key for organizations to move forward. The last few weeks have been a great learning experience for me where I have learned about various aspects of effective business communication. I have learned about the open and the closed communication systems. Using the Open Systems Theory in organizations can create certain challenges. For example, large corporations include several internal departments which may face challenges in determining how to implement open systems for some departments while maintaining other departments as closed systems. In some organizations, some departments are closed systems due to specialized nature of the department and it is assumed to function better in a closed system this way. The learning from each of the six modules of the course can be discussed as: Module 1: Communication: Understanding the process This was the first module of the course that lays down the foundation of the entire course. My reflection on the two of the learning concepts and one of the assigned journal article can be discussed as: Learning Concept 1: Professional communication and ethics of effective communication Learning Concept 2: Communication process and types of communication (verbal, non-verbal and listening) Journal Article: The role of non-verbal communication in service encounters: A conceptual framework Gabbot, M., Hogg, G. (2001). The role of non-verbal communication in service encounters: A conceptual framework. Journal of Marketing Management 17(1/2), 5-26. I agree with Gabbot Hogg, (2001) who brings up a valid point to which the personal values would shape future leaders. In is in those actions, followers would be grounded in the overall culture of the organization. There is also a valid point from the communications aspect. From my experiences, it goes beyond the codes of ethics that organizations often set at a foundational element for ones beliefs, values and actions to where the perceptions of follows see leaders walking the talk that is communicated to the mass noting the discrepancies between the words and actions. Gabbot Hogg (2001) suggest moral principles are often grounded through the inter-relationships, communication, reinforcements and decision-making in ones morals, values and integrity to shape the culture as a whole. The role of non-verbal communication is particularly more important in service encounters as consumers may make their decision based on the expression of customer executive. I have also learned about various types of communication like verbal, non-verbal and listening. In an informal setting, the verbal communication is the most common form of communication. The non verbal communication like eye-contact, expressions are also a powerful form of communication. I have learned that the people can face certain challenges to exercise the non-verbal form of communication. I believe that I have decent communication skills and I can communicate effectively with different stakeholders in the organization. There is definitely a scope of improvement and I believe that I am on a continuous learning path of communication and ethics in communication. As a conclusion, I can say that listening is also an important form of communication and it is important that the people should have good listening skills. If I want myself in a stage where people listen to me then I should first listen to other people. Module 2: Presentation: Communicating to an Audience In this module I have learned about the presentation techniques. A leader must be careful about the use of some words in the workplace. While some words may not mean anything sensitive to the leader, it may mean a big deal to others. My reflection on the two of the learning concepts and one of the assigned journal article can be discussed as: Learning Concept 1: Art of oral presentations and training presentations Learning Concept 2: Audience engagement through effective measures Journal Article: Winning more business by using presentations as part of a solution roadmap Lipson, R., Teodorescu, T. (2015). Winning more business by using presentations as part of a solution roadmap. American Salesman, 60(9), 14. Lipson Teodorescu (2015) suggested that there is a gap between what organizations say and what employees actually do. Finding ways to align all parts of the organization and communicate is clearly is a great way to do this. I have seen organizations spend a lot of time creating a strong strategic plan on paper and then implement it in a different way or not clearly communicate the plan resulting in a mess.This gap could be bridged with effective training presentations. In this module I have learned that the presentations are effective only when they can catch the attraction of audience. There is no science to make this happen. However, the presenter can take several small steps to ensure that the presentations are effective in nature. I believe that delivering the oral and the training presentations are an art and it is important that the business professionals should learn this art. When I think about my presentation skills, I can say that I do not have very effective presentations skills. I still face certain challenges while making the presentation. One of the most basic challenge for me while doing any presentation is to understand the audience. However, I would also like to say that I have learned a lot about the art of making presentation. This course has provided me a platform where I have learned about the intricacies involved in effective presentations making skills. There is definitely a scope of improvement and I believe that I would be able to improve on my presentation skills. It is also important that the formal training presentations should be targeted to increase the employability skills of individuals. I wanted to highlight that Employability includes more than just skills and experience you are also dealing with human beings who demonstrate prejudice so learning if there are any general judgments that take place in the industry you are trying to break in to could help you become a more attractive prospect. In this module, I have also learned about the various ways to keep audience engaged. I believe that effective listening is a simple but a powerful way to keep audience engaged. As a presenter, it is important to listen to all the comments of audience. I have also learned that the presentation or any other material should be interactive in nature. The audience would be engaged in the presentation if they can ask the questions and they can be pull into the interaction mode. I have few of the skills and I always try to create interactive presentations. However, it would be correct to say that there is no end to the learning and this module or this course has provided me a platform to learn about the various ways to conduct the oral and training presentations. Module 4: Business Writing: Genres of Writing Business Communication My reflection on the two of the learning concepts and one of the assigned journal article can be discussed as: Learning Concept 1: Understanding the reader Learning Concept 2: Genres of written communication (Reports, Mails and Resumes) Journal Article: Positioning Resumes and Cover Letters as Reflective-Reflexive Process Randazzo, C. (2012). Positioning Resumes and Cover Letters as Reflective-Reflexive Process. Business Communication Quarterly, 75(4), 377-391 Throughout my studies at the university I came to understand that effective communication is more than just sending and receiving messages properly and, indeed, is one of the qualities required in todays business leaders. Therefore, developing this skill is one of my main priorities and on my current agenda. My initial steps for securing the role include being successful in the degree I am currently undertaking, understanding the value of reflecting and putting the skills and knowledge I learn in to practice in real life scenarios which I have found effective to date. On graduation of this course I would like to be knowledgeable about business so I can set a good example to the organisation and people who I manage on a day to day basis. The barriers and challenges that I currently face are that the job market is competitive, it is widely noted in many papers that graduates face tougher challenges due to the volume of applications employers receive when applying for graduate positions . There was a survey conducted and this indicated there was a 33% increase in job applications for graduate positions, supporting the notion that the job market is increasingly competitive. In this module I have learned that it is important to have effective resume so that the employability skills are improved. In this module, I learned about the various genres of effective business communication like report writing, email communication, etc. I have learned that the resumes should only have precise information. It is also important that the resume should communicate the entire story of the job candidate. Personally, I like the resumes that are short and crisp. I like the resumes that are one page or maximum two pages in length. Before starting this module, I was not aware of the need of the cover page. In this module I learned that cover page is a powerful platform that would enable the candidates to get the immediate attention of recruiters. Therefore, it is important that the candidates should not only focus on the resume but also on the Cover Page. The Cover Page should contain only the relevant information. It is also important that the people should use the profess ional fonts As a conclusion to the learning of this module, I can say that the skills we will need includes: Communication skills such as active listening, clarification, reflection, effective questioning skills, building good rapport that will create trust, empathetic skills rather than sympathetic as this will help you to ask the appropriate questions that lead to positive results and outcomes. We should always ask for Feedbacks as this will help you to continuously improve the skills. This module has also helped me to increase my report making skills. Today, I can say that the reports should be developed in a formal manner. For example, the reports should start with an Executive Summary and it should have effective Conclusion. All these skills are important to learn that I have learned in this module. Module 5: Communicating in Teams and Groups: Process Communication My reflection on the two of the learning concepts and one of the assigned journal article can be discussed as: Learning Concept 1: Understanding the process of group decision making Learning Concept 2: Formal and Informal meeting processes Journal Article: Meetings matter: Effects of team meetings on team and organizational success Kauffeld, S., Lehmann-Willenbrock, N. (2012). Meetings matter: Effects of team meetings on team and organizational success. Small Group Research, 43(2), 130-158. The nature of our workplaces has changed. We have moved away from the monochromic make-up of our offices to one that is now colored by team members from all over the world. Business leaders send a powerful message when they demonstrate a commitment to diversity and inclusion that goes beyond rhetoric. This foundation opined that when leaders commit to the acceptance, tolerance and willingness to understand and respect other cultures, it leads to the existence of tolerable behaviors towards each countrys culture which would promote global peace. I do agree to a large extent especially in the context where the culture of the people has room to embrace to acceptable way to grow a company in this global setting. It is true that leaders must respect people's local culture. Working for an organization with many departments often affords the opportunity to work or meet in cross-functional teams. An example is out operating department includes three sub-departments; engineering, mechanical, and transportation. While we are all working towards the same goals we often have separate goals or objectives conflicting with each other. One of the greatest challenges that I have seen in a cross-functional team is the skewed goals and their priorities. What we have learned is the reward or the measuring base is not the same across all teams performing the same assignment. This tends to create the lack of interest and concern since the employees across platforms are not being measured nor compensated with the same measuring tool. I have learned that in the process of group decision making, Leadership is important. The key with the leadership style is that leaders do set clear and concise expectations and consequences. At least staff knows the line and what to expect. I think thats a great way to ensure things run smooth the next go around. Cohesiveness is great and makes for a great working environment. Having a go to person that knows about every function is also a great way to ensure every area is supported. With this course and particularly this module, I have learned about he differences between the formal and informal meeting processes. It is important that the office meetings and the official meetings should happen in formal environment. Before starting this course, I only had a high level view of formal and informal communication. This module helped me to deep dive in the concepts of formal and informal communication. Module 6: Cross Cultural Communication: Transcending Boundaries In this modules I learned that knowing the culture of new business operations areas gives better perspective to understand how leaders would interact in their normal life activities. Each culture must be handled with lot of wisdom and observation. My reflection on the two of the learning concepts and one of the assigned journal article can be discussed as: Learning Concept 1: Barriers to intercultural communication Learning Concept 2: Non verbal communication and culture Journal Article: The meeting genre across cultures: Insights from three German-American collaborations Kohler, T., Durnell Cramton, C., Hind, P. J. (2012). The meeting genre across cultures: Insights from three German-American collaborations. Small Group Research, 43(2), 159-185. In an organizational setting, the communication could depend on the context. In the organizations within low context culture, people are on email all day, every daythats how things get done, plus, people count on having the written record of conversation and agreements. People all use our in-boxes as filing cabinets, tracking decisions and commitments through email. Leadership sends an email; people confirm (or ask more questions); and act. Its fairly unusual to be invited to a meeting to discuss it further. I can imagine this is a very difficult adjustment for those joining us from higher context cultures, especially those in which an agreement or directive is thebeginningof the conversation. I definitely agree with authors standpoints regarding a harmonious workplace if leaders and employees have knowledge about ones cultures and countries. The probability is that these individuals will have mutual insight about others cultures, especially information that can minimize the occurrence of prejudice, discrimination and ethnocentrism. This signifies that building respect and trust can be nurtured within these kind of environments, as leading and directing is correlated with building strong relationships between leaders and followers by influencing followers positively to achieve a common goal. Mutual understanding of the different cultural values, interests and needs could balance a positive interaction. However, in reality it is a matter of peoples acceptance, tolerance and adaptation. Working with a cross functional team takes a lot of compromising. It can be very challenging, especially when you have people on your team that are counter-productive. I've experienced this o n several occasions. It's like fighting an uphill battle. When you're dealing with people on your team who are very difficult to deal with, it's important to restructure your department, otherwise you will continue to have problems. As a conclusion I can say that I used to have a lot of personal constraints while indulging in the interpersonal communication. I used to think that I would not be able to communicate well. In this module, I learned that personal hindrances are one of the biggest challenges of interpersonal communication. Module 7: Soliciting Information: Interviews and Interviewing My reflection on the two of the learning concepts and one of the assigned journal article can be discussed as: Learning Concept 1: Plan an Interview Learning Concept 2: Conduct an Interview Journal Article: Improving the writing of literature reviews through a literature integration exercise Dwyer, J. (2016). Chapter 25 The Job Search, Resumes and Interviews In Dwyer, J. (2016). Communication for Business and the Professions: Strategies Skills. (6th ed.) (pp. 600-628). Australia: Pearson In this module I have learned that a decision framework should be established prior to making a critical decision such as hiring a potential employee or evaluating an existing employee. Dwyer (2006) recommend creating a framework which is objective and impartial in the form of a rubric. The rubric which is common in academia defines expectations relative to different levels of competency. In the case of new hires the rubric can help in the evaluation of competing candidates. The rubric helps leadership determine how committee members evaluated each candidate during the application process and during the interview process. The researchers recommend the rubric contain thresholds to meet the minimum requirements of the job qualifications. The users of the rubric require training on the applications of the rubric. According to Dwyer (2006) for the evaluation of current employees the rubric needs to support the employees demonstration of the qualifications required to fulfill the job application. For example, additional rubric thresholds focus on the details of performance, communication, problem-solving, managing, and other areas applicable to an organizations job functions. According to Dwyer (2006) the rating of the threshold can be defined as exceeding the expectation, acceptable work, or not exceeding expectations. For current employees the opportunity to measure managers is also important. For example, a manager may perceive the manager has communicated job accountabilities effectively to an employee. As part of the leadership role it is important to train and evaluate managers on an ongoing business. Real time feedback between leadership and managers and real time feedback between managers and employees can support ongoing communication on accountabilities. References Dwyer, J. (2016). Chapter 25 The Job Search, Resumes and Interviews In Dwyer, J. (2016). Communication for Business and the Professions: Strategies Skills. (6th ed.) (pp. 600-628). Australia: Pearson Gabbot, M., Hogg, G. (2001). The role of non-verbal communication in service encounters: A conceptual framework. Journal of Marketing Management 17(1/2), 5-26. Kauffeld, S., Lehmann-Willenbrock, N. (2012). Meetings matter: Effects of team meetings on team and organizational success. Small Group Research, 43(2), 130-158. Kohler, T., Durnell Cramton, C., Hind, P. J. (2012). The meeting genre across cultures: Insights from three German-American collaborations. Small Group Research, 43(2), 159-185. Lipson, R., Teodorescu, T. (2015). Winning more business by using presentations as part of a solution roadmap. American Salesman, 60(9), 14. Randazzo, C. (2012). Positioning Resumes and Cover Letters as Reflective-Reflexive Process. Business Communication Quarterly, 75(4), 377-391

Simple Guide on How to Write a Good Essay Hook

Appreciate What is a Hook in Writing Your Essay When you are asked to write an essay or any other academic assignment, you have been given a chance to express your creativity as much as your mastery of course content. The article should not be too formal or boring. You should focus on the intended audience and place more emphasis on drawing them in and keep them hooked. The hook in your assignment can be the first two sentences of your introduction paragraph. It serves the purpose of grabbing the reader’s attention and entice him/ her to read the rest of your paper. The first couple of statements of your writing are enough to either appeal to or put off the readers curiosity. How to Write a Good Hook with Our Simple Guide When working on college and university assignments, writing a hook may be more of a challenge as you are more focused on developing a theme for your paper. Therefore, the first step to establishing good hooks for essays is to plan and organize your schedule.   You should consider: The type of paper you are writing The tone of your assignment The intended audience The structure of your essay? Essay Hook Examples and Ideas A hook is appropriate when writing about a specific person, event or phenomenon and can achieve its objective through different types of hooks that are related to the theme of the assignment, such as: Question This type of hook is used when you ask the reader a question that they can visualize and relate. Example: Have you ever heard of a slam dunking and high-flying athlete? Each time I turn on the TV and the Olympic games are on I cannot help but keep watching. Quotation This hook is applied when a quote is used in an essay and has relevance to the central theme of the assignment. Example: â€Å"Get busy living or get busy dying† as said by Stephen King directs us to stay active in our daily lives. Statistics This hook is typical for more data-oriented documents. The source of statistical information should be relevant to the main theme. Example: â€Å"Less than 30% of Canadian citizens have access to palliative care.† This number could be improved to accommodate more people. Anecdote This is when the writer uses a story that is tied to the essay to capture the reader’s attention. It may be either a personal or a fictional story that gives the essay a more encouraging outlook. Nonetheless, if you are not able to work on your essay, we are ready to deliver it on your behalf. We will include a hook and reference the content accordingly if you place your order on our website.