Terminal Operations Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Terminal Operations - Assignment Example The harbour has existed since the Roman times and has a number of extensive wharves and docks, on top of a cruise liner terminal. The harbour also has a terminal that serves ferries to connect Malta to Catania and Pozzallo in Sicily. The Marsamxett harbour is located west of Valletta and mainly hosts several yacht marinas. The harbour at Marsaxlokk which is the site upon which the Malta Freeport stands is on the south-east of Malta, and is the main cargo terminal in the republic (Bill, 2004). Also, there are two man-made harbours that are used to provide car and passenger ferry service connecting Marr Harbour on Gozo and irkewwa Harbour on Malta. Malta Freeport is among the most sophisticated terminal hubs in the world. The port has a well established feeder network connecting it to over 100 ports in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean ocean. The port has experienced remarkable growth since it was established and has attracted some of the most renowned international maritime players in the world courtesy of state-of-the-art facilities, proven track record and enviable geographical location (Bill, 2004). Port Authorities in Malta have increasingly appreciated the need for the construction of modern one million TEU container terminals in Malta in response to the need to improve efficiency, effectiveness, and capacity, and globalise terminal operations. The highly automated terminal is expected to use gantry cranes. The construction of the modern terminal will have great consequences for the strategic position of port as well as to its potential clients. Standard-sized containers are commonly used to cargo between different transportation modes such as trains, trucks and ships (Bill, 2004). A commonly used unit of cargo capacity used for describing container terminals and container ships is the teu or TEU, but is an inexact measure. One TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit) represents a cargo capacity of a shipping container 8 feet wide and 20 feet long without a standardized height. The container height can range from 4.25feet to 9.5feet but more commonly is 8.5feet The construction which is anticipated to offer world-class maritime services will be capable of handling one million teu annually with a potential for future expansion. Several Safety and security issues must be well addressed during the construction of the facility which must also be environmentally friendly (Felix, 2008). The high-level technological gantry equipment used at the terminal must be able to keep drivers, visitors and workers safe while expediting cargo movement using the newest and technologically advanced handling machines. The automated container handling system will make it possible for the management function to closely monitor activities taking place in the terminal through a central monitoring office. CONTAINER TERMINALS In the recent past, methodological approaches in container terminal operations have considerably changed with modern techniques of material handling being adopted (Hans, 2004). Yet another area where significant changes have been witnessed in information and communication as well as the security functions of the organization. Constructing of quay walls, fairways, and terminal areas must therefore be carefully done in line with the master plan which has several security and safety measures on top of complying with current regulations and providing room for future development (Felix, 2008). In

Morning Java Descriptive Essay Essay Example for Free

Morning Java Descriptive Essay Essay Java Startled by my alarm, I stretch my arm out from under the covers and search frantically in the dark to put an end to the obnoxious sound. I feel around for my lamp and switch it on, keeping my position until my eyes adjust to the light. Before I ever get out of bed, I’m already overwhelmed thinking of my many tasks for the day. When motivation is scarce, there is only one thought that brings me out of my cozy, warm bed and to my feet. Waiting to be made is a fresh, boosting cup of morning coffee. Confronting the seemingly arctic air, I slide my feet into fuzzy, pink slippers and head for the kitchen. I make a quick stop at the thermostat, crank up the heat, then b-line it to the stainless steel coffee pot that used to belong to my Grandmother. Sitting next to the pot is a bright red Folgers can. Holding it up close to my face, I crack open the lid and am instantly delighted with the robust scent of ground coffee beans. Possibly being the only â€Å"me time† of the entire day, the quietness of the early morning combined with the delicious aroma of coffee brewing is greatly treasured. Reaching into the cabinet containing the coffee mugs, I instinctively push through them until my favorite one is spotted. Dulled out yellow with a small chip on the handle, it displays markings from years of the dishwasher’s wear and tear. I pour the steamy drink into the old cup and sip cautiously. No sugar or cream diluting the flavor, I savor the dark coffee and smile with approval. Trusty mug in hand, I sit down to catch a quick glimpse of the morning news. Its warmth cushions the chill I get from the blizzard forecast flashing across the screen. Cold, weary, and fatigued, I sip as fast as I can, urging the rich, caffeinated liquid to hit me as soon as possible. I hear my two year old, sick with the flu, stirring around in his crib. I know it won’t be long from now until he is protesting and ultimately waking my other children. With medicine to be given, breakfast to be made, and children to be dressed, it’s a mystery how I will make it out of the house with my shoes on. But I continue sipping my powerful beverage and before I know it my tiredness fades. Buzzing around the house, I take on the morning tasks with a renewed sense of warmth and liveliness. Knowing without a doubt, this java comes from my ritualistic morning coffee session.

Relationship between India and the USA

Relationship between India and the USA Abstract This piece of work tries to study the relations of one superpower and another emerging power in international order. The relations of India-US have passed through a roller -coaster character since 1950s. The study is about the Indo-US relations during post Cold-War period. It tries to present in- depth study of the relation between two states, with historical background, major events of the period, US involvement in South Asia/India, its stand on India-Pakistan disputes. It observes about the transition from ‘estranged democracies’ to a ‘strategic partnership’ of the relations. US interests in the region were for many years interpreted as philanthropic rather than commercial or strategic, and the US was closed ally with Pakistan. The study is trying to find out How the neglected country for almost 50 years got top priority and finally turned to be natural ally. The relations have passed through different stage from ‘neither friend nor enemy’, ‘distanced democracies ’, ‘engaged democracies’ and finally as ‘natural allies’ with nuclear partnership. This achievement and transformation is not happened overnight. To achieve these, both countries have passed through different states overtime. The thesis tries to find out some reason behind this quick development in the relations. The transformation happened during post Cold -War period. Behind these transformations some reason such as Indian practice of democratization, open market policy, huge development on economy and IT sector played vital role. Likewise, US goal in the region was fulfilled while making good relations with India. After analysing some major events and immediate reaction, the thesis tries to make an argument that, with other reasons side by side, the nuclear test of 1998 by India was the central theme that helped for the transformations of the relations.   Chapter 1 Introduction and literature review Topic introduction and Purpose of the study After the end of the Cold War, the United States is leading in the International Order, and it is experienced that- this time is American time, its hegemony and policy for liberal democracy, human rights or in any colour or form. So its relations with any other part of the world is itself interesting and important. On the other hand, India is the largest democracy in the world and emerging power in the International order. It is economically and strategically threat to the US, it is tiger in Asia in term of population, economy and nuclear capacity. The relation between the superpower and emerging power is obviously important to the students of International Relations/politics or common people as well. So it is hoped that this research makes some interesting and important line of arguments. â€Å"As the tiger economies of South-east Asia roared away in the 1970s and 1980s, Indias biggest achievements remained its ability to feed its own people, and its adherence against the odds to democracy. Unshackled by the economic liberalisation of the early 1990s, India is already poised to overtake Japan as the worlds third largest economy. The nuclear status of India has been formally acknowledged by the US And, when the UN is finally reformed, its likely to land a permanent seat on the Security Council† (BBC Online, 2009.) For over forty years, the United States has contended with the problem of formatting a coherent policy toward South Asia- a region that contains approximately one-fifth of the world’s population. During this time, US policy has surrounded between interventions and withdrawal.  Detailed analysis of how Washington determines its South Asian policy, especially with regard to the regions two major states: India and Pakistan. The nations of South Asia contain a fifth of the human race. They include one state (India) that is certainly the world’s largest democracy and one other (Pakistan) that has been an intermittent ally of the US since 1953. For over thirty-five years Washington’s policy has shifted uneasily from neglect of the region to intense involvement in its economic, political, and military affairs, seeing in the former certain ideological and moral values and in the latter certain strategic and military advantages. This research tries to fill a gap in understanding of the reasons for American involvement in and policy toward South Asia especially India. The literature on US foreign policy is dominated by relations with the Soviet Union and Western Europe. American relations with Africa, Southeast Asia, Latin America, and South Asia are relatively neglected and episodic in nature. This absence of interest is especially marked in the case of South Asia. Yet, American decisions have profoundly affected the lives of most South Asians, the societies of regional states, and their external policies. It has often been noted that this influence and the relationship is excessively one-sided: American decisions affect South Asians far more than South Asian decisions can ever affect Americans. The purpose of this study is to examine the sources and patters of American responses towards events in India over a period of time, through an examination of some case study. Giving some brief introduction and history of Indo-US security relation after 2nd World War, it talks in detail about the relation during Post Cold War period. After the end of the Cold War, every country around the world effected, but South Asian countries effected more than others. The US has no rival in world order, but India and Pakistan, two countries from the South Asia emerged as new nuclear power. India could not be the state as neglected before. Post Cold- War period saw dramatic changes in US-India relation. Research Focus/Research question The main thrust of this thesis is to present the Indo-US relations during Post Cold War period, to study main events of the period and to explore the reasons behind the transformation in relations. The thesis is focused on the periphery of Post Cold War leading to 9/11. In the short span of time in 1990s how the transformation was possible, how the neglected country for almost 50 years got top priority in American foreign policy, it tries to answer these questions. The thesis tries to make an argument that the nuclear test of 1998 was the central theme that helped for the transformation of the relation. The Indo-US convergence was abruptly interrupted by India’s May 1998 nuclear tests. President Clinton’s initial reaction was simultaneously emotional: ‘To think that you have to manifest your greatness by behaviour that recalls the very worst events of the 20th century on the edge of the 21st century when everybody else is trying to leave the nuclear age behind, is just wrong.’ Because of the fact that both India and Pakistan had been de facto nuclear weapon states, US concerned about the possibility of nuclear war in South Asia, but it was obviously a challenge in Western hegemony as well. Although the US imposed suspension of most military-military contacts, the nuclear tests started a high-level engagements between the US and India. Overtime, the Clinton Administration adapted itself to the reality that India’s great-power aspirations included becoming a full-fledged nuclear weapons state. India’s 1998 nuclear explosive test were a blessing in disguise for long-term Indo-US relations. Once the tests exploded the illusion, Washington and New Delhi could get on with the important task of relating to one another on a more equal footing. Methodology The study is based on academic writings such as books, journal and online resources. While using such material a great care has been taken in term of their credibility. The books studied for the research are written by academics mostly of Indian background in origin. Mostly they are educated in American Universities and working there in US Universities. Their academic background and research area is about American foreign policy, Asian studies, Asians security. Likewise the online resources have been used with great care such as produced by the academics and trustworthy organizations like Asia Foundations, governmental bodies and well -known research centres. Though writers are educated and being engaged in US academia, care have been taken while developing arguments from their writing, being India origin, emotional behave might affect on their writing about American or Indian perspective. The thesis also contains three major events which were supposed to play determinative role for the transformations of the relations. Likewise it also collects immediate reaction after the test. For reactions the samples have been collected in three groups. Structure of the thesis The thesis is composed of six chapters. Chapter one is the general introduction explaining the topic and subject matter, rationale, and methodology. This chapter also includes the literature review. The second chapter traces the history of Indo-US relations. It talks about the US engagement in Asia and India. It simply presents the history of the relation explaining some major events of the period. The third chapter is about the post Cold -War scenarios. It begins with how the US started tilting to India not Pakistan. The change in American policy to South Asia and India begin at this point of time. This chapter explains three major events of the period as case study: Kashmir Issue 1999, nuclear test 1998 and Clinton visit 2002. After this, in Chapter Four to know the immediate reaction after the test, it collects some thoughts expressed in news Medias and thoughts by think tanks especially in the US. How the think-tank and the governments reacted to the test and talked about the bilateral relations.   After analysing three major events and reactions of the governments, think tanks and views expressed on newspaper, Chapter Five, the main part of the thesis makes an argument that it was the nuclear test 1998, which helped to transform the relation. This chapter once again makes a revision of the relation since 1950s. Finally, the thesis contains the conclusion and bibliography. Literature Review: As mentioned above, literature on American foreign policy is easily accessible and available everywhere but regarding the US relations to the South Asian region; book and journals are not available enough as compared to other regions. The literature on US foreign policy is dominated by relations with the Soviet Union and Western Europe. For example, Ambrose S E. (1993) exclusively presents the history of American foreign policy since 1938. Ambrose gives detail survey of American Foreign Policy from the period America was secure in the world-neither of the great totalitarian political forces of the century, Fascism or Communism. The author presents the overview of the evolution of American foreign Policy focusing on major events like World War II, the Cuban missile crisis, Vietnam War, and the SALT treaties. It also talks about the individual Presidents and their changed attitudes to the different regions. Ambrose begins with the starting years of American Foreign Policy and its strength overtime up to Bush Policy and US engagements in Gulf war. Ambrose presents a chronological history of American Foreign Policy, but this book hardly discusses the development in South Asian region. The author is quite on US engagement in South Asia/India or US involvement in Indian/Pakistani War, Kargil issue As compared to Ambrose, Spanier J (1983) talks about the US and third world (author’s term) developments. Spanier presents an account of American foreign policy from the closing days of World War II to the beginning of the second Regan administration. The author presents interpretation of the roles of the Unites States on the world stage since it became a nuclear superpower. It also talks about the theoretical frameworks of American foreign policy like the American approach to foreign policy, the state system, the American national style, the contrast between systematic and national behaviour. Spainer clearly tries to explore the reason behind World War, its significance and detailed survey of impact of nuclear weapons on the pattern of American-Soviet relations. The author explains in detail about the role of 3rd world during the Cold War to conflict with-and-in-the Third World. Bertsch K. Gary et.al. (1999) collects twelve essays by US educated academics with background study in South Asian studies. Most of the authors are with Indian background, educated and engaged in US intuitions. The write-up reflects their long experiences with their work either academic or institution like US based South Asia Program, Institutes for Defence Studies. The author addresses the broad range of non-proliferation and foreign policy issues that affect Indo-American relations. It not only describes missile control and space cooperation, chemical and biological weapons, and the use of sanctions versus incentives, the individual authors with their expertise knowledge provide practical recommendations for how a stronger and more meaningful dialogue can be established between the policy makers of the world’s two largest democracies. Authors present about the history of Indo-US relations in different perspective like strategic, economic, political, technical aspects but its main focus is to talk about broad insight into India’s relations with the rest of the world in the shadow of India’s 1998 nuclear tests. Likewise Gangulyscobell (2006) present a series of perspectives about US-Indian strategic cooperation. The authors make an effort for the current status and future instructions of the relation. The identify the strategic context for and logic behind Indias emerging security cooperation with the US, the strategic context for and logic behind growing US security cooperation with India, growing bilateral cooperation in the US-led Global War on Terrorism. Likewise, it raises an important issue of the US assessment of Indias role in the anti-terror struggle, Indian assessment of the US worldwide anti-terror effort, Chinese view of the growing security ties between Washington and New Delhi. Likewise it identifies some military-to-military ties between the United States and India, one from the perspective of Washington, and the other from a New Delhi perspective. S. Ganguly et.al. (2006) traces the origins, development and the current state of Indo-US strategic cooperation. The authors access the strategic cooperation of the worlds two largest democracies. They entirely talk about the strategic relation of the two countries. The book provides an assessment of Indo-US relations with a particular focus on the evolution of contemporary bilateral relations, focuses on the current state of military-to-military cooperation. The authors highlight the development of Indo-US defence ties over the last few decades and examine its underlying causes. Likewise they addressees key areas of future strategic cooperation including high technology trade, participation in multilateral peacekeeping operations. S. Ganguly’ (1990) identifies the key issues of how Washington determines its South Asian policy, especially with regard to the region’s two major states: India and Pakistan. Using case studies the author bases his study on US policy in four major South Asian crises: the 1962 India-China War, the India-Pakistan conflicts of 1965 and 1971, and the massive draught of 1966-1967. Ganguly’s research not only talks about the American foreign policy during different presidents in office and major events but also it talks about the theoretical aspect of American foreign policy. It describes analytical perspective of US foreign policy, South Asia and US foreign policy, history of Indo-US relations and Indo-China War, 1965 War, The 1965-67 Crisis, the 1971 Indo-Pakistani war. The author provides the detailed explanation of the major events of the history between two states and mostly incidents are based on American perspective. As mentioned earlier since the region itself did not get priority, so the discussion about the region in world affairs was limited. Only after late 1990s and especially after the nuclear test, the literature on American policy to Asia and India seems growing. One of such discussion is J. Singh (1998). It provides both historical and contemporary analytical insights on a variety of subjects that impose upon a nuclear India. Singh checks out the nuclear reality as it exists today, at the national and international level. He begins with why nuclear weapons are required and what are they all about. It further examines the rationale for the possession of nuclear weapons, detailed history of the Indian nuclear policy formulation between 1964-1998, presents history to trace the origin of nuclear weapons. It also demonstrates about the paths of proliferation and non-proliferation over the last five decades. The author also looks at the increasing proliferation concerns in the Indian neighbourhood, lists out the major proliferation challenges that have emerged after the Cold War. Likewise, it further focuses specially on ballistic missiles and their implications for international security. Likewise it also presents a detailed study of both China and Pakistan’s nuclear weapons and missile programme, examines the traditional Indian position on the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, impact of the nuclear test ban on the post-Cold War environment. It gives enough information about the nuclear weapons, their introduction, how they work and why they are required. It also presents the history of nuclear weapons, telling about the nuclear have countries when and how they conducted it. Jain, Rashmi (Ed.) 2006) presents the record of the transition of Indo-US relations from ‘estranged democracies’ to a ‘strategic partnership’ in the 21st century. It is the inclusive and current study of the political, economic/trade, military/defence and nuclear proportions of Indo-US relations from 1947 to 2006. Jain discusses the overall trends in relations between India and the United States during the Cold War and after. It deals with the implications of the American alliance with Pakistan, the extension of limited arms assistance to India following the India-China war of 1962 and support to the Tashkent and Simla agreements, Nixons tilt towards Pakistan during the Indo-Pak war of 1971, India’s nuclear test of 1947. The study contains a selection of 692 basic documents from official sources, including Congressional hearings, and provides the full texts or extracts from various agreements, joint communiquà ©s and statements and interviews by Government dignitaries. It is the collection of official documents related between the relations of two countries for about fifty years. It works as primary source for the researcher. Beside these books, Journal and other reports have been used while conducting the research. Journals like Foreign affairs, International Affairs, Strategic Affairs, and online edition of The Economist and news sites of BBC, CNN, The New York Times and Indian newspapers such as Hindu, the Times of India has been used. Likewise US congress report, governmental publications and the reports published by the Ministry of Indian External Affairs have been used. Chapter 2 Historical Background ‘South Asia and US Foreign Policy-US meets India’ This chapter briefs about the American Foreign Policy and US involvement in South Asia/India. It is an account of US-Indo relations after 1950s to late 1980s. It is not chronological history of the relation, but it includes major events and trends of the time. South Asia comprises a subsystem of powers with two major nations; India and Pakistan that are actually within South Asia and there others, China, the US and the USSR, that are extra-regional players in the region. South Asia also contains other states with minimal military and economical power; Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. By virtue of their global status, the US and the USSR have been involved in South Asia until 1990s. South Asian Countries are often introduced by political instability, a relative diffusion of powers and slow economic development. These characteristics and weakness prompted the two superpowers to fill the apparent power vacuum and to change it in order to strengthen their respective global and regional policies (Ganguly S. 1999.) South Asia has been usually been regarded as only marginally important to the United States. In the major American security decisions regarding the stability of the international system, maintenance of nuclear balance or the problem of war and peace, South Asia was not considered a determining factor. Some reasons can be traced behind less priority of US to South Asia   First, it was not vital strategically; it did not offer any major resources essential to American industry. Second, the low level of economic and political interaction could not generate a positive image of South Asia in the American mind. In American perceptions, the area remained a preserve of British interests. Thus, US interests in the region were for many years interpreted as philanthropic rather than commercial or strategic (R.Arthur, 2006.) The central dilemma of US policy in South Asia since 1947 has been to deal with the competing claims of the two principal states of this region, India and Pakistan. In a sense, the constant dilemma of Americas South Asia Policy is a result of the regional contest between these two states.Of these two Sub continental states, if India was often a unimportant factor in US perception of the global strategic equation, Pakistan was an insignificant factor unless military aligned with the US. The initial US involvement in South Asia was barely influenced by the regional developments.  What did shape the US role was the shrinking British Empire and the rapid decline of the KMT regime in China. Succeeding US military links to South Asia (especially Pakistan), a subsidiary of its concern in relation to the Soviet Union, accidentally emphasized the level of hostility between India and Pakistan. US involvement not only annoyed India but also brought the Soviet Union and later China into the Subcontinent and made the region an arena of Cold war politics (Ganguly S, 1990.) In many ways, US involvement in India started during World War II, before this both officials and unofficial contacts with India were minimal. While the US maintained a few consular officers in India to look after commercial interests, it relied largely on British Foreign Office communications for information on the Indian political situation. The US really became involved in South Asia after its entry into World War II. British India served at that time as a spring –board for allied military operations against the Japanese in China and Southeast Asia. India’s relations with the Unites States have been described variously as ‘estranged democracies’ and distance powers by Americans. Indian have tended to describe it as ‘distanced democracies’, ‘engaged democracies’ and finally as ‘natural allies’. Another common refrain often articulated from India, describes the United States as the oldest and most powerful democracy and itself as the largest. The expectation from both sides appears to have been that ‘democracy’ will somehow transcend national interests and security imperatives and shape the relationship (B.Dipankar, 2006.) Relations between India and the US have varied widely over the last sixty-five years and adopted a roller-coaster character with many ups and downs and high and lows. In recent years India –US relations has transformed into what both sides claim to be a strategic partnership. Even as both countries move towards that desirable goal, it is useful to recall that divergences in perceptions and policies have varied widely over the years. At the end of the Second World War the Unites States emerged as the undisputed leader of the free world. Its lead in almost every area of consequence remains unchallenged for decades. All its possible peers were largely destroyed by the war and indeed needed Washington’s help to revive themselves. The United States did not just dominate the emerging world order, but had the opportunity to shape it by laying out its figures and establishing the international institutions that would determine its future. Within a few years of the War’s end, the Soviet Union and the Communist bloc emerged as the only group that could conceivably challenge this order, but only in a limited military sense. For India, the immediate concerns were different. It was to emerge from colonialism and external domination as an independent entity. It had first to fully assert its independence, in which it only got success partially as the nation itself was split into India and Pakistan addressing the region to internal conflict for decades. India’s identity and nationalism had to be developed an additional based on its own values and heritage and its territories needed to be consolidated. In addition to these concerns, a modern state had to be created almost from the beginning with all its associated institutions. (C. Raja Mohan 2003) To achieve these immediate goals, India needed a peaceful external environment, uncomplicated by the rivalries of the global power struggle. New Delhi needed to craft a policy that would provide it a meaningful and autonomous role in a future world, in keeping with its own size potential and aspiration. In accordance with these needs it choose a policy of ‘non-alignment’. The term itself was much misunderstood in the world, and particularly in the US. India, perhaps justifiably, never fully explained its position, leading many in the west to ask, ‘non-aligned against what; good and evil?’(R.Bahukutumbi, 1996.) What Nehru opined was a policy that would enable India to take independent positions on international issues without being tied down by alliances and ideological constraints. The central theme was not to get drawn in to military entanglements with major powers. He also hoped this would open up the possibility for India to adopt a position of some leadership of the emerging world. Many practical difficulties emerged, which hindered the implementations of this policy over the years. Over time, other countries also decided to remain ‘non-aligned’. On global issues, non-alignment often meant aligning against the west. Overall this policy prohibited the possibility of a military relationship with any country or grouping. This policy, and differences in world view, became a major barrier to an Indo-US military relationship throughout the Cold War (Ganguly S, 1990.) Indo-US diplomatic relations go back to the presidency of George Washington when Benjamin Joy was appointed to the position of US Consul in Calcutta, the then Indian Capital in 1792. Nothing of note happened until April 1941. When Girija Shakar Bajpai was appointed the first Agent General of India in Washington DC and Thomas Wilson shifted as US Commissioner from Calcutta to New Delhi. At that time President Roosevelt understood that a successful pursuit of the war against the Axis powers required India’s willing support and cooperation. Roosevelt’s support for Indian independence and concern about continuing British rule had left a favourable impression on Indians (Chari PR 1999.) Churchill’s refusal to contemplate a serious change in British imperial policy compelled the Indian National Congress to launch the Quit India movement in 1942. The Congress leaders believed that only an India that was promised freedom after the war could voluntarily join the war against fascism. Instead, the British responded by locking up most senior Congress political leaders. In spite of this, India’s participation in the Second World War was remarkable by any standards. Over two and a half million soldiers, each a volunteer, fought with Allied armies in many of the major threats of the global conflict. This contribution was particularly salient in the Burma front, without which the outcome would have been considerably less certain. In addition to the roughly half-million soldiers from India and the British Commonwealth in this theatre, the Allied forces were joined by troops representing the Nationalist Chinese, many Africans and, by the war’s end, some 250,000 US soldiers (Sigh 2005.) This enormous US troop contribution was easily its largest military-to-military relationship in South Asia. US forces provided the bulk of logistics support, flew substantial numbers of air sorties across uncharted routes in unstable aircraft, and ensured that the Kuomintang forces remained in the war against Japan in China. In addition, there was also the enormous Brooklyn air conditioning plant near Kolkata, the largest in Asia at the time that stored and supplied food to all Allied forces in the East (Banerjee, D 2000.) It might have been expected that this state relations would continue after Indian independence. Instead, the Cold war intervened. India was partitioned and a separate state, Pakistan came into existence in 1947. During the Cold War, the pressure of strategic imperatives often widened the disjuncture between the hope and the reality resulting in hurtful Indo-US relations. The US support to Pakistan on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in the United Nations in 1948-49, and initiation of military support to Pakistan in 1954, shed a binding shadow on the relationship. The United States wanted to join as many states as possible in its war against communism, often in a formal strategic relationship. India viewed the logic of American alliances as directly breaking its own interests. India was convinced that American military support had encouraged Pakistan to wage war against it in 1965. This happened again during Indo-Pak war in 1971, when the US gave warnings to India and sent the USS Enterprise of its 7th Fleet into the Bay of Bengal. The United States perceived India’s policy of non-alignment as self-righteous and considered its neutrality far from neutral, citing examples of its silence over the Soviet invasion of Hungary and Czechosloskavia in 1968 (Dasgupta 2002.) In mid 1961 India agreed to buy the MiG-21 aircraft from the Soviet Union. This was offered on such munificent terms that neither Great Britain, nor France nor the US could come up with a comparable offer even if they wanted to match it. Thus, began a long and enduring Indo-Soviet arms relationship (Ganguly S, 1990.) The very strong Indian reaction to the evolving Pakistan-US military alliance was perhaps not anticipated in Washington. In any case, by now India’s image in the US had plunged and New Delhi‘s concerns were not a factor in US decision making. Indo-US relations remained frozen in a sate of suspended hostility until 1962. The Chinese aggression on India in Oct-Nov 1962 led to a remarkable turn around in Indo-US relations. The attack from Chinese side surprised and shocked the Indian leaders. A total of two Indian infantry divisions, or less than ten percent of the Indian combat force, faced a thoroughly prepared PLA. The Indian forces were totally unprepared, badly deployed, under-equipped and even without proper clothes. The defeat was total in terms of India’s political standing and its foreign policy. What is notable was the dramatic shift in Indian policy and the liberal military and political support that India received from the US and the West. None of India’s non-aligned partners provided help and few showed any sympathy. Moscow actually temporarily halted the MiG program, siding instead with its socialist friend.  In contrast, the US came through with substantial help. A considerably larger arms package of US $ 373 million was apparently worked out by November 1963 in Washington by Ambassador Chester Bowles and was to have been signed by President Kennedy on 26th of November, 1963. Kennedy said; We should defend India, and therefore Relationship between India and the USA Relationship between India and the USA Abstract This piece of work tries to study the relations of one superpower and another emerging power in international order. The relations of India-US have passed through a roller -coaster character since 1950s. The study is about the Indo-US relations during post Cold-War period. It tries to present in- depth study of the relation between two states, with historical background, major events of the period, US involvement in South Asia/India, its stand on India-Pakistan disputes. It observes about the transition from ‘estranged democracies’ to a ‘strategic partnership’ of the relations. US interests in the region were for many years interpreted as philanthropic rather than commercial or strategic, and the US was closed ally with Pakistan. The study is trying to find out How the neglected country for almost 50 years got top priority and finally turned to be natural ally. The relations have passed through different stage from ‘neither friend nor enemy’, ‘distanced democracies ’, ‘engaged democracies’ and finally as ‘natural allies’ with nuclear partnership. This achievement and transformation is not happened overnight. To achieve these, both countries have passed through different states overtime. The thesis tries to find out some reason behind this quick development in the relations. The transformation happened during post Cold -War period. Behind these transformations some reason such as Indian practice of democratization, open market policy, huge development on economy and IT sector played vital role. Likewise, US goal in the region was fulfilled while making good relations with India. After analysing some major events and immediate reaction, the thesis tries to make an argument that, with other reasons side by side, the nuclear test of 1998 by India was the central theme that helped for the transformations of the relations.   Chapter 1 Introduction and literature review Topic introduction and Purpose of the study After the end of the Cold War, the United States is leading in the International Order, and it is experienced that- this time is American time, its hegemony and policy for liberal democracy, human rights or in any colour or form. So its relations with any other part of the world is itself interesting and important. On the other hand, India is the largest democracy in the world and emerging power in the International order. It is economically and strategically threat to the US, it is tiger in Asia in term of population, economy and nuclear capacity. The relation between the superpower and emerging power is obviously important to the students of International Relations/politics or common people as well. So it is hoped that this research makes some interesting and important line of arguments. â€Å"As the tiger economies of South-east Asia roared away in the 1970s and 1980s, Indias biggest achievements remained its ability to feed its own people, and its adherence against the odds to democracy. Unshackled by the economic liberalisation of the early 1990s, India is already poised to overtake Japan as the worlds third largest economy. The nuclear status of India has been formally acknowledged by the US And, when the UN is finally reformed, its likely to land a permanent seat on the Security Council† (BBC Online, 2009.) For over forty years, the United States has contended with the problem of formatting a coherent policy toward South Asia- a region that contains approximately one-fifth of the world’s population. During this time, US policy has surrounded between interventions and withdrawal.  Detailed analysis of how Washington determines its South Asian policy, especially with regard to the regions two major states: India and Pakistan. The nations of South Asia contain a fifth of the human race. They include one state (India) that is certainly the world’s largest democracy and one other (Pakistan) that has been an intermittent ally of the US since 1953. For over thirty-five years Washington’s policy has shifted uneasily from neglect of the region to intense involvement in its economic, political, and military affairs, seeing in the former certain ideological and moral values and in the latter certain strategic and military advantages. This research tries to fill a gap in understanding of the reasons for American involvement in and policy toward South Asia especially India. The literature on US foreign policy is dominated by relations with the Soviet Union and Western Europe. American relations with Africa, Southeast Asia, Latin America, and South Asia are relatively neglected and episodic in nature. This absence of interest is especially marked in the case of South Asia. Yet, American decisions have profoundly affected the lives of most South Asians, the societies of regional states, and their external policies. It has often been noted that this influence and the relationship is excessively one-sided: American decisions affect South Asians far more than South Asian decisions can ever affect Americans. The purpose of this study is to examine the sources and patters of American responses towards events in India over a period of time, through an examination of some case study. Giving some brief introduction and history of Indo-US security relation after 2nd World War, it talks in detail about the relation during Post Cold War period. After the end of the Cold War, every country around the world effected, but South Asian countries effected more than others. The US has no rival in world order, but India and Pakistan, two countries from the South Asia emerged as new nuclear power. India could not be the state as neglected before. Post Cold- War period saw dramatic changes in US-India relation. Research Focus/Research question The main thrust of this thesis is to present the Indo-US relations during Post Cold War period, to study main events of the period and to explore the reasons behind the transformation in relations. The thesis is focused on the periphery of Post Cold War leading to 9/11. In the short span of time in 1990s how the transformation was possible, how the neglected country for almost 50 years got top priority in American foreign policy, it tries to answer these questions. The thesis tries to make an argument that the nuclear test of 1998 was the central theme that helped for the transformation of the relation. The Indo-US convergence was abruptly interrupted by India’s May 1998 nuclear tests. President Clinton’s initial reaction was simultaneously emotional: ‘To think that you have to manifest your greatness by behaviour that recalls the very worst events of the 20th century on the edge of the 21st century when everybody else is trying to leave the nuclear age behind, is just wrong.’ Because of the fact that both India and Pakistan had been de facto nuclear weapon states, US concerned about the possibility of nuclear war in South Asia, but it was obviously a challenge in Western hegemony as well. Although the US imposed suspension of most military-military contacts, the nuclear tests started a high-level engagements between the US and India. Overtime, the Clinton Administration adapted itself to the reality that India’s great-power aspirations included becoming a full-fledged nuclear weapons state. India’s 1998 nuclear explosive test were a blessing in disguise for long-term Indo-US relations. Once the tests exploded the illusion, Washington and New Delhi could get on with the important task of relating to one another on a more equal footing. Methodology The study is based on academic writings such as books, journal and online resources. While using such material a great care has been taken in term of their credibility. The books studied for the research are written by academics mostly of Indian background in origin. Mostly they are educated in American Universities and working there in US Universities. Their academic background and research area is about American foreign policy, Asian studies, Asians security. Likewise the online resources have been used with great care such as produced by the academics and trustworthy organizations like Asia Foundations, governmental bodies and well -known research centres. Though writers are educated and being engaged in US academia, care have been taken while developing arguments from their writing, being India origin, emotional behave might affect on their writing about American or Indian perspective. The thesis also contains three major events which were supposed to play determinative role for the transformations of the relations. Likewise it also collects immediate reaction after the test. For reactions the samples have been collected in three groups. Structure of the thesis The thesis is composed of six chapters. Chapter one is the general introduction explaining the topic and subject matter, rationale, and methodology. This chapter also includes the literature review. The second chapter traces the history of Indo-US relations. It talks about the US engagement in Asia and India. It simply presents the history of the relation explaining some major events of the period. The third chapter is about the post Cold -War scenarios. It begins with how the US started tilting to India not Pakistan. The change in American policy to South Asia and India begin at this point of time. This chapter explains three major events of the period as case study: Kashmir Issue 1999, nuclear test 1998 and Clinton visit 2002. After this, in Chapter Four to know the immediate reaction after the test, it collects some thoughts expressed in news Medias and thoughts by think tanks especially in the US. How the think-tank and the governments reacted to the test and talked about the bilateral relations.   After analysing three major events and reactions of the governments, think tanks and views expressed on newspaper, Chapter Five, the main part of the thesis makes an argument that it was the nuclear test 1998, which helped to transform the relation. This chapter once again makes a revision of the relation since 1950s. Finally, the thesis contains the conclusion and bibliography. Literature Review: As mentioned above, literature on American foreign policy is easily accessible and available everywhere but regarding the US relations to the South Asian region; book and journals are not available enough as compared to other regions. The literature on US foreign policy is dominated by relations with the Soviet Union and Western Europe. For example, Ambrose S E. (1993) exclusively presents the history of American foreign policy since 1938. Ambrose gives detail survey of American Foreign Policy from the period America was secure in the world-neither of the great totalitarian political forces of the century, Fascism or Communism. The author presents the overview of the evolution of American foreign Policy focusing on major events like World War II, the Cuban missile crisis, Vietnam War, and the SALT treaties. It also talks about the individual Presidents and their changed attitudes to the different regions. Ambrose begins with the starting years of American Foreign Policy and its strength overtime up to Bush Policy and US engagements in Gulf war. Ambrose presents a chronological history of American Foreign Policy, but this book hardly discusses the development in South Asian region. The author is quite on US engagement in South Asia/India or US involvement in Indian/Pakistani War, Kargil issue As compared to Ambrose, Spanier J (1983) talks about the US and third world (author’s term) developments. Spanier presents an account of American foreign policy from the closing days of World War II to the beginning of the second Regan administration. The author presents interpretation of the roles of the Unites States on the world stage since it became a nuclear superpower. It also talks about the theoretical frameworks of American foreign policy like the American approach to foreign policy, the state system, the American national style, the contrast between systematic and national behaviour. Spainer clearly tries to explore the reason behind World War, its significance and detailed survey of impact of nuclear weapons on the pattern of American-Soviet relations. The author explains in detail about the role of 3rd world during the Cold War to conflict with-and-in-the Third World. Bertsch K. Gary et.al. (1999) collects twelve essays by US educated academics with background study in South Asian studies. Most of the authors are with Indian background, educated and engaged in US intuitions. The write-up reflects their long experiences with their work either academic or institution like US based South Asia Program, Institutes for Defence Studies. The author addresses the broad range of non-proliferation and foreign policy issues that affect Indo-American relations. It not only describes missile control and space cooperation, chemical and biological weapons, and the use of sanctions versus incentives, the individual authors with their expertise knowledge provide practical recommendations for how a stronger and more meaningful dialogue can be established between the policy makers of the world’s two largest democracies. Authors present about the history of Indo-US relations in different perspective like strategic, economic, political, technical aspects but its main focus is to talk about broad insight into India’s relations with the rest of the world in the shadow of India’s 1998 nuclear tests. Likewise Gangulyscobell (2006) present a series of perspectives about US-Indian strategic cooperation. The authors make an effort for the current status and future instructions of the relation. The identify the strategic context for and logic behind Indias emerging security cooperation with the US, the strategic context for and logic behind growing US security cooperation with India, growing bilateral cooperation in the US-led Global War on Terrorism. Likewise, it raises an important issue of the US assessment of Indias role in the anti-terror struggle, Indian assessment of the US worldwide anti-terror effort, Chinese view of the growing security ties between Washington and New Delhi. Likewise it identifies some military-to-military ties between the United States and India, one from the perspective of Washington, and the other from a New Delhi perspective. S. Ganguly et.al. (2006) traces the origins, development and the current state of Indo-US strategic cooperation. The authors access the strategic cooperation of the worlds two largest democracies. They entirely talk about the strategic relation of the two countries. The book provides an assessment of Indo-US relations with a particular focus on the evolution of contemporary bilateral relations, focuses on the current state of military-to-military cooperation. The authors highlight the development of Indo-US defence ties over the last few decades and examine its underlying causes. Likewise they addressees key areas of future strategic cooperation including high technology trade, participation in multilateral peacekeeping operations. S. Ganguly’ (1990) identifies the key issues of how Washington determines its South Asian policy, especially with regard to the region’s two major states: India and Pakistan. Using case studies the author bases his study on US policy in four major South Asian crises: the 1962 India-China War, the India-Pakistan conflicts of 1965 and 1971, and the massive draught of 1966-1967. Ganguly’s research not only talks about the American foreign policy during different presidents in office and major events but also it talks about the theoretical aspect of American foreign policy. It describes analytical perspective of US foreign policy, South Asia and US foreign policy, history of Indo-US relations and Indo-China War, 1965 War, The 1965-67 Crisis, the 1971 Indo-Pakistani war. The author provides the detailed explanation of the major events of the history between two states and mostly incidents are based on American perspective. As mentioned earlier since the region itself did not get priority, so the discussion about the region in world affairs was limited. Only after late 1990s and especially after the nuclear test, the literature on American policy to Asia and India seems growing. One of such discussion is J. Singh (1998). It provides both historical and contemporary analytical insights on a variety of subjects that impose upon a nuclear India. Singh checks out the nuclear reality as it exists today, at the national and international level. He begins with why nuclear weapons are required and what are they all about. It further examines the rationale for the possession of nuclear weapons, detailed history of the Indian nuclear policy formulation between 1964-1998, presents history to trace the origin of nuclear weapons. It also demonstrates about the paths of proliferation and non-proliferation over the last five decades. The author also looks at the increasing proliferation concerns in the Indian neighbourhood, lists out the major proliferation challenges that have emerged after the Cold War. Likewise, it further focuses specially on ballistic missiles and their implications for international security. Likewise it also presents a detailed study of both China and Pakistan’s nuclear weapons and missile programme, examines the traditional Indian position on the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, impact of the nuclear test ban on the post-Cold War environment. It gives enough information about the nuclear weapons, their introduction, how they work and why they are required. It also presents the history of nuclear weapons, telling about the nuclear have countries when and how they conducted it. Jain, Rashmi (Ed.) 2006) presents the record of the transition of Indo-US relations from ‘estranged democracies’ to a ‘strategic partnership’ in the 21st century. It is the inclusive and current study of the political, economic/trade, military/defence and nuclear proportions of Indo-US relations from 1947 to 2006. Jain discusses the overall trends in relations between India and the United States during the Cold War and after. It deals with the implications of the American alliance with Pakistan, the extension of limited arms assistance to India following the India-China war of 1962 and support to the Tashkent and Simla agreements, Nixons tilt towards Pakistan during the Indo-Pak war of 1971, India’s nuclear test of 1947. The study contains a selection of 692 basic documents from official sources, including Congressional hearings, and provides the full texts or extracts from various agreements, joint communiquà ©s and statements and interviews by Government dignitaries. It is the collection of official documents related between the relations of two countries for about fifty years. It works as primary source for the researcher. Beside these books, Journal and other reports have been used while conducting the research. Journals like Foreign affairs, International Affairs, Strategic Affairs, and online edition of The Economist and news sites of BBC, CNN, The New York Times and Indian newspapers such as Hindu, the Times of India has been used. Likewise US congress report, governmental publications and the reports published by the Ministry of Indian External Affairs have been used. Chapter 2 Historical Background ‘South Asia and US Foreign Policy-US meets India’ This chapter briefs about the American Foreign Policy and US involvement in South Asia/India. It is an account of US-Indo relations after 1950s to late 1980s. It is not chronological history of the relation, but it includes major events and trends of the time. South Asia comprises a subsystem of powers with two major nations; India and Pakistan that are actually within South Asia and there others, China, the US and the USSR, that are extra-regional players in the region. South Asia also contains other states with minimal military and economical power; Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. By virtue of their global status, the US and the USSR have been involved in South Asia until 1990s. South Asian Countries are often introduced by political instability, a relative diffusion of powers and slow economic development. These characteristics and weakness prompted the two superpowers to fill the apparent power vacuum and to change it in order to strengthen their respective global and regional policies (Ganguly S. 1999.) South Asia has been usually been regarded as only marginally important to the United States. In the major American security decisions regarding the stability of the international system, maintenance of nuclear balance or the problem of war and peace, South Asia was not considered a determining factor. Some reasons can be traced behind less priority of US to South Asia   First, it was not vital strategically; it did not offer any major resources essential to American industry. Second, the low level of economic and political interaction could not generate a positive image of South Asia in the American mind. In American perceptions, the area remained a preserve of British interests. Thus, US interests in the region were for many years interpreted as philanthropic rather than commercial or strategic (R.Arthur, 2006.) The central dilemma of US policy in South Asia since 1947 has been to deal with the competing claims of the two principal states of this region, India and Pakistan. In a sense, the constant dilemma of Americas South Asia Policy is a result of the regional contest between these two states.Of these two Sub continental states, if India was often a unimportant factor in US perception of the global strategic equation, Pakistan was an insignificant factor unless military aligned with the US. The initial US involvement in South Asia was barely influenced by the regional developments.  What did shape the US role was the shrinking British Empire and the rapid decline of the KMT regime in China. Succeeding US military links to South Asia (especially Pakistan), a subsidiary of its concern in relation to the Soviet Union, accidentally emphasized the level of hostility between India and Pakistan. US involvement not only annoyed India but also brought the Soviet Union and later China into the Subcontinent and made the region an arena of Cold war politics (Ganguly S, 1990.) In many ways, US involvement in India started during World War II, before this both officials and unofficial contacts with India were minimal. While the US maintained a few consular officers in India to look after commercial interests, it relied largely on British Foreign Office communications for information on the Indian political situation. The US really became involved in South Asia after its entry into World War II. British India served at that time as a spring –board for allied military operations against the Japanese in China and Southeast Asia. India’s relations with the Unites States have been described variously as ‘estranged democracies’ and distance powers by Americans. Indian have tended to describe it as ‘distanced democracies’, ‘engaged democracies’ and finally as ‘natural allies’. Another common refrain often articulated from India, describes the United States as the oldest and most powerful democracy and itself as the largest. The expectation from both sides appears to have been that ‘democracy’ will somehow transcend national interests and security imperatives and shape the relationship (B.Dipankar, 2006.) Relations between India and the US have varied widely over the last sixty-five years and adopted a roller-coaster character with many ups and downs and high and lows. In recent years India –US relations has transformed into what both sides claim to be a strategic partnership. Even as both countries move towards that desirable goal, it is useful to recall that divergences in perceptions and policies have varied widely over the years. At the end of the Second World War the Unites States emerged as the undisputed leader of the free world. Its lead in almost every area of consequence remains unchallenged for decades. All its possible peers were largely destroyed by the war and indeed needed Washington’s help to revive themselves. The United States did not just dominate the emerging world order, but had the opportunity to shape it by laying out its figures and establishing the international institutions that would determine its future. Within a few years of the War’s end, the Soviet Union and the Communist bloc emerged as the only group that could conceivably challenge this order, but only in a limited military sense. For India, the immediate concerns were different. It was to emerge from colonialism and external domination as an independent entity. It had first to fully assert its independence, in which it only got success partially as the nation itself was split into India and Pakistan addressing the region to internal conflict for decades. India’s identity and nationalism had to be developed an additional based on its own values and heritage and its territories needed to be consolidated. In addition to these concerns, a modern state had to be created almost from the beginning with all its associated institutions. (C. Raja Mohan 2003) To achieve these immediate goals, India needed a peaceful external environment, uncomplicated by the rivalries of the global power struggle. New Delhi needed to craft a policy that would provide it a meaningful and autonomous role in a future world, in keeping with its own size potential and aspiration. In accordance with these needs it choose a policy of ‘non-alignment’. The term itself was much misunderstood in the world, and particularly in the US. India, perhaps justifiably, never fully explained its position, leading many in the west to ask, ‘non-aligned against what; good and evil?’(R.Bahukutumbi, 1996.) What Nehru opined was a policy that would enable India to take independent positions on international issues without being tied down by alliances and ideological constraints. The central theme was not to get drawn in to military entanglements with major powers. He also hoped this would open up the possibility for India to adopt a position of some leadership of the emerging world. Many practical difficulties emerged, which hindered the implementations of this policy over the years. Over time, other countries also decided to remain ‘non-aligned’. On global issues, non-alignment often meant aligning against the west. Overall this policy prohibited the possibility of a military relationship with any country or grouping. This policy, and differences in world view, became a major barrier to an Indo-US military relationship throughout the Cold War (Ganguly S, 1990.) Indo-US diplomatic relations go back to the presidency of George Washington when Benjamin Joy was appointed to the position of US Consul in Calcutta, the then Indian Capital in 1792. Nothing of note happened until April 1941. When Girija Shakar Bajpai was appointed the first Agent General of India in Washington DC and Thomas Wilson shifted as US Commissioner from Calcutta to New Delhi. At that time President Roosevelt understood that a successful pursuit of the war against the Axis powers required India’s willing support and cooperation. Roosevelt’s support for Indian independence and concern about continuing British rule had left a favourable impression on Indians (Chari PR 1999.) Churchill’s refusal to contemplate a serious change in British imperial policy compelled the Indian National Congress to launch the Quit India movement in 1942. The Congress leaders believed that only an India that was promised freedom after the war could voluntarily join the war against fascism. Instead, the British responded by locking up most senior Congress political leaders. In spite of this, India’s participation in the Second World War was remarkable by any standards. Over two and a half million soldiers, each a volunteer, fought with Allied armies in many of the major threats of the global conflict. This contribution was particularly salient in the Burma front, without which the outcome would have been considerably less certain. In addition to the roughly half-million soldiers from India and the British Commonwealth in this theatre, the Allied forces were joined by troops representing the Nationalist Chinese, many Africans and, by the war’s end, some 250,000 US soldiers (Sigh 2005.) This enormous US troop contribution was easily its largest military-to-military relationship in South Asia. US forces provided the bulk of logistics support, flew substantial numbers of air sorties across uncharted routes in unstable aircraft, and ensured that the Kuomintang forces remained in the war against Japan in China. In addition, there was also the enormous Brooklyn air conditioning plant near Kolkata, the largest in Asia at the time that stored and supplied food to all Allied forces in the East (Banerjee, D 2000.) It might have been expected that this state relations would continue after Indian independence. Instead, the Cold war intervened. India was partitioned and a separate state, Pakistan came into existence in 1947. During the Cold War, the pressure of strategic imperatives often widened the disjuncture between the hope and the reality resulting in hurtful Indo-US relations. The US support to Pakistan on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in the United Nations in 1948-49, and initiation of military support to Pakistan in 1954, shed a binding shadow on the relationship. The United States wanted to join as many states as possible in its war against communism, often in a formal strategic relationship. India viewed the logic of American alliances as directly breaking its own interests. India was convinced that American military support had encouraged Pakistan to wage war against it in 1965. This happened again during Indo-Pak war in 1971, when the US gave warnings to India and sent the USS Enterprise of its 7th Fleet into the Bay of Bengal. The United States perceived India’s policy of non-alignment as self-righteous and considered its neutrality far from neutral, citing examples of its silence over the Soviet invasion of Hungary and Czechosloskavia in 1968 (Dasgupta 2002.) In mid 1961 India agreed to buy the MiG-21 aircraft from the Soviet Union. This was offered on such munificent terms that neither Great Britain, nor France nor the US could come up with a comparable offer even if they wanted to match it. Thus, began a long and enduring Indo-Soviet arms relationship (Ganguly S, 1990.) The very strong Indian reaction to the evolving Pakistan-US military alliance was perhaps not anticipated in Washington. In any case, by now India’s image in the US had plunged and New Delhi‘s concerns were not a factor in US decision making. Indo-US relations remained frozen in a sate of suspended hostility until 1962. The Chinese aggression on India in Oct-Nov 1962 led to a remarkable turn around in Indo-US relations. The attack from Chinese side surprised and shocked the Indian leaders. A total of two Indian infantry divisions, or less than ten percent of the Indian combat force, faced a thoroughly prepared PLA. The Indian forces were totally unprepared, badly deployed, under-equipped and even without proper clothes. The defeat was total in terms of India’s political standing and its foreign policy. What is notable was the dramatic shift in Indian policy and the liberal military and political support that India received from the US and the West. None of India’s non-aligned partners provided help and few showed any sympathy. Moscow actually temporarily halted the MiG program, siding instead with its socialist friend.  In contrast, the US came through with substantial help. A considerably larger arms package of US $ 373 million was apparently worked out by November 1963 in Washington by Ambassador Chester Bowles and was to have been signed by President Kennedy on 26th of November, 1963. Kennedy said; We should defend India, and therefore

Post Plague Social, Economic, and Historical Characteristics of Chaucer

Post Plague Social, Economic, and Historical Characteristics of Chaucer’s Pilgrims Waking up to the familiar sounds of a small English town is no longer an option. The stench of death permeates every inch of existence. Peering out of the window, afraid of stepping outside into the pestilence formerly known as home, you gaze past the mounds of rotting townspeople who used to be known as friends. Every breath catches, because breathing too deep may be too risky. A disease of unknown origin plagues the countryside farther than you can travel in a lifetime. Thoughts run through your mind as you watch your suffering family. The only chance to save them is to confess your sins in hopes that God’s wrath will end with you. There is nothing; everything you have known for all of your life is gone. And there is silence. Throughout the late Middle Ages, there were many historical landmarks that affected the world in which we now live. These landmarks include the Great Schism, the Hundred Years War, the Renaissance, and most infamous, the Black Plague (Given-Wilson 4). The plague is now believed to have infringed upon European peoples due to the ecological changes in Asia. These changes forced wild rodents carrying the Yersinia pestis bacillus into heavily populated European towns (Horrox 5). Through trade, fleas and rodents carrying this bacillus made their way into English society. Three forms of the plague ran rampant throughout England: bubonic, pneumonic, and septicaemic. The bubonic plague was most notorious due to the visual dark spots located in the armpits and groin area called buboes. In Latin, Bubo means owl: just like owls, buboes preferred the dark places on the body (Given-Wilson 97). The first epidemic began in 1347 an... ..., economical, and historical implications changed or affected the lives of every person during the fourteenth century and for centuries to come. Works Cited Chaucer, Geoffrey. The Canterbury Tales. Trans. Nevill Coghill. London: Penguin Books, 1977. Given-Wilson, Chris, ed. An Illustrated History of Late Medieval England. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1996. Horrox, Rosemary, ed. The Black Death. Manchester: St. Martin’s Press, 1994. Lambdin, Laura C., and Robert T. Lambdin, eds. Chaucer’s Pilgrims: An Illustrated Historical Guide to the Pilgrims in The Canterbury Tales. Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1996. Williman, Daniel, ed. The Black Death: The Impact of the Fourteenth Century Plague. New York: Center for Medieval and Early Renaissance Studies, 1982. Ziegler, Philip. The Black Death. New York: The John Day Company, 1969.

Evolution of Hrm

History and Evolution of HRM Personnel Management Personnel departments were once called Health and Happiness departments. The people assigned to deal with personnel issues were often individuals, who were not able to do other jobs efficiently. Personnel Management’s as a corporate field developed in the early 1900s. It was seen as activity, necessary, but unimportant, part of the organization. Over the years personnel management came to focus on efficient procedures and rules for administering large numbers of employees in various firms.Its aim was to manage difficulties, introduce fair systems and reduce costs. It also tended to focus on groups rather than individuals and, incidentally, reinforced labour-management divisions. The History of Human Resource Management The field of HRM as it currently exists has got through lot of transition. Following are the phases in the transition of HRM:- (a) The Individual Revolution: During this phase machines were introduced into variou s organizations and technology made rapid progress.Due to fragmentation and specialization of work, many workers lost their jobs and many workers felt their work to be dull, boring and monotonous. Workers were treated like tools, and moreover employees were keen to increase the production targets rather than satisfy workers’ demands. (b) Scientific Management: With the introduction of Scientific Management given by F. W. Taylor, efficiency in organizations was increased . Work was rearranged according to systematic analysis into smallest mechanical elements which was mot effective combination.Taylor emphasized on the fact that the individuals selected to perform the task should be perfectly matched, physically as well as mentally. Proper training should be given to the employees so that they can do their job more efficiently. (c) Trade Unionism: As the employees become more exploitive, the workers working in the organizations joined hands to fight against injustice done to th em in the shape of Trade Unions tried to improve the problems faced by the workers through collective bargaining.They helped in resolving the grievances of the workers relating to working conditions, pay and benefits, disciplinary actions, etc. (d) Human Relations Movement: The famous Hawthorne experiments conducted by Elton Mayo during 1930s and 1940s demonstrated that employee productivity was affected not only by the way job was designed, and the monetary aspects, but by certain social and psychological factors as well. The human relations movement led to various behavioral science techniques in industry for the very first time.This movement included support for training programs, support and concern for workers, counseling programs for workers, etc. (e) Human Resource Approach: However, but during early 60s the â€Å"pet milk theory†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. that happy workers are more productive workers as happy cow gives more milk †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Of human relations was la rgely rejected. In human resource approach it was recognized that workers are unique in their own way – having individual needs. It was recognized that each employee is a unique and highly complex individual with different wants, needs and values.Slowly but steadily, the trend moved towards treating employees as resources or assets. Evolution of the Concept of HRM The various stages or phases in the transition or evolution of Personnel Management into Human Resource Management are shown below: (a)The Commodity Concept:Labor was regarded as a commodity to a tool to be bought or sold (b) The Factor of Production Concept: labor is like any other factor of production, viz. money, materials, land etc. (c) The Goodwill Concept: Welfare measures like safety, first aid, lunch room, rest room will have a positive impact on workers’ productivity. d) The Paternalistic Concept: Management must assume a fatherly or protective attitude towards employee. It means satisfying the vario us needs of employees as parents meet the requirements of their child. (e) The Humanitarian Concept: To improve productivity, physical, social and psychological needs of workers must be fulfilled and met. (f) The Human Resource Concept: Employees are the most valuable assets in the organization. (g) The Emerging Concept: Employees should be accepted as partners of the organization.They should belong to the organization as they are running their own organization. Scope of HRM The main aim of HRM is Competitive advantage through people. It involves the following points:- (a) Change in Thinking Process: Achieving competitive success through people involves fundamentally changing the thinking of the concerns, that how they think about the workforce consisting of people an the management-employment relationship. (b) Co-operation with Employees: It means achieving success by working with people, not by replacing them or limiting the scope of their activities. c) Strategic Viewpoint: It in volves seeing the workforce as a source of strategic advantage, not just a cost to be minimized. Distinction – Personnel Management/HRM/HRD The sole purpose of personnel management was to attain advantage and best results for the organization. The individual’s interests, desires and aspirations were submerged into the organization objectives and goals. Where as, HRM projects the development of individual in accordance with his interests, desires & aspirations. So that the individuals would be motivated to make their best contribution towards the accomplishment of goals.While personnel function was designed to respond to the organization objectives like profit of maximization, HRM visualized human elements of enterprise as important resources. The term human resources at the macro level spell the total sum of all the components (like skill & creative ability) possessed by all the people, where as the term personnel even at the macro level is limited to only employees of all organization. One must not be under impression that HRM has replaced traditional personnel management rather we can say that HRM has absorbed the personnel function in its refined form.HRD is an integral part of Human Resource Management. Due to the amalgation of Personnel function in its refined way with HRM, it became necessary for every organization to develop skills, talents, potentialities, capabilities and attitude of company work to meet the emerging challenges. Hence HRD policies have been adopted. HRD strategies are supposed to bring forth necessary changes in skills capabilities and attitudes of people who are required to cope with the emerging changes. Thus HRD has become an integral part of Human Resource Management.Personnel Management Human Resource Management Personnel Management | Human Resource Management| | | Labor is treated as a tool which is replaceable| Treats people as a resource or as an asset to be issued for the benefit of an organization | Interests o f organization are upper most | A distinct philosophy aiming at mutuality of interests| A not so important function meant only to hire employees and maintain their records | Integrated into overall straight management | Precedes human resources management | Latest in the evolution of subject|

Foundations of psychology Essay

(a) Conceptually, reasoning is characterized by various attitudes, emotions, feelings or even assumptions. These are the psychological factors that occur psychologically as parameters that help to develop a logical conclusion in ones reasoning. Rationality in reasoning is what yields a final resolution. However, such reasoning is brought to a state of imbalance in which the different assumptions, feelings and attitudes tend to shape the outcome responses. Perhaps however, each of the attributes could be controlled by aspects of various stimuli that respond to the three stage of classical conditioning. Initially, an aspect of anxiety of wanting to create some reflective thinking occurs. This is because of the desire to come to a logical conclusion of the problem held in the reasoning. The unconditioned stimulus before the reasoning was to arrive at a phenomenon based on the results of the reasoning. The driving force then throws an imbalance in the cognitive state of the brain senses with a basic aim of arriving towards an imperative solution based on the foundations of the question in the reasoning. A state of confusion occurs basically due to inability of making the correct choice of solutions. The solution should be independent of the external environment. Additionally, the choices to the solution also consider that reasoning may have various solutions. However, a conflict exists between the set of decisions alternatives due to the inability of making the most rational decision instantly. However, the principles of classical conditioning help to develop various stimuli corresponding to the various decision alternatives. Each stimulus (like a defensive censor) evokes one another to finally reach at an equilibrium consensus which the cognitive personality chooses as the best decision variable (Anne, 1999) A state of ambivalence follows the above stage of confusion. Ambivalence develops from the emotional perceptions and seeks to give a feeling of no specific inclination in any of the decision alternatives persuaded in the reasoning process. This is however a defense mechanism since it denies the strong efforts of strong feelings in the decision alternatives thus lessening the probable pain which one would have encountered in decision making (Michael, 1977) (b) Role of memory in reasoning The human memory is an important element in cognitive reasoning. Memory is what aligns the different aspects involved in reasoning to yield a correspondence between one another. The attitudes, feelings and assumptions ought to be construed in a dimension that brings reflective ties to one another. Memory can be said as the pivot entry between the functional relationships in all elements that define reasoning. The fundamental scope of reasoning is comprised of various complimentary processes that depend on one another. The philosophical and psychological standpoints have pinpointed on memory and reasoning as working in an integrated system and none can replace one another. Memory acts as an object that brings a tie and conjoins the various independent processes that are involved in the process of reasoning. It is also the object that provides subjective interactions and explorations among the wide scope of the cognitive processes to arrive at a balance of interest which is the defining choice/decision variable of the reasoning process (Thomson, 2001) Conceptually, the association that exists in human reasoning is brought about by the organization and content interaction of the human memory. It helps to bring about a scope of interpretation about the various processes that are involved in the human cognition. Consequently, memory is influential as a trajectory object for the integration of the various processes in the reasoning processes that finally strikes a balance in the choice of decision to follow. (c) Obstacles in reasoning There are various obstacles that could hinder the process of effective reasoning. These include; Mental entrenchment: This is a situation that occurs when the mind is framed in models that represent various problems, problem contexts or perhaps the possible procedures for use in solving a particular problem. When a person involved in reasoning has entrenched mind sets, they may develop methods that creates a solution to the problem in question but which does not provide the most optimal and effective solutions to such problems (Mark, 2007) Either, functional fixedness is an obstacle in effective thinking/reasoning. This case arises when an individual who has an ability of doing specific things extends such methods in creating the decisions in reasoning. He is unable to develop methodologies that addresses a certain problem in question but rather has to refer to what models his/her mind (Mark, 2007) Stereotypes: Stereotypes are those fundamental generalizations that are unsupported by rationality held by the members within a certain setting or the contemporary society. Stereotypes could be learned during childhood. Individuals accustomed to various senses of stereotypical thinking always make generalized choice and decisions in their reasoning process. Negative transfers: This is the condition when the procedures that are to be used in solving a current problem occurs in the future as harder problems that are perhaps unsolvable. This is a contrast of positive transfer that implies the former process for solving gone problems make the current problem easy to solve. These obstacles are highly involved in obstructing the critique of critical and effective thinking by bringing the wrong illusions and impressions in the reasoning process. (d) Types of reasoning involved in the experience Generally, there are various reasoning involved in an experience. Each differs in terms of flow of precepts and hypothetical developments. The process of reasoning within the given set of experience is important in giving the rationality behind the choice of one decision at the expense of the others. However, various types of reasoning are used in the reasoning process. These include; Abduction: This is the process through which a hypothesis statement about an experience is made. It seeks to formulate the fundamental scope of levels with which such a problem/experience occurs and the possible influential factors behind it. The cause and the effect reasoning: This is the mode of reasoning which seeks to relate the starting point of an experience or a problem of interest. It involves establishing the causes and effects and then trying to relate how each affects one another or how each is related to the other. (Manktelow, 1999) Comparative reasoning: This is the reasoning precept that seeks to draw a comparative analogy by comparing and relating one thing with the corresponding alternative. It then seeks to strike a balance of stability between such relationships. Deductive reasoning: It is the reasoning that involves establishing the generalized parameters and then moving towards a drive in the specific rules. Inductive reasoning: This is that which involves establishing the specific parameters and then driving towards the generalized rules. (e) Methods of enhancing effective reasoning in this experience. Critical thinking is that which goes beyond logical reasoning. It is that which works towards scrutinizing arguments by support of empirical evidence. Enhancing reasoning is a combination of various tools that promote the cognitive precepts of the human brain. These include; Physical exercise: Physical exercise is highly supportive in the functionality of the brain. A functional brain is a brain that has the cognitive power of critical and effective reasoning. Taking physical exercise helps to refresh the nervous system whose central context is the brain faculty (Robert, 1991) Taking adequate sleep: It is of necessity that a person takes enough sleep that brings relaxation to the reasoning and thinking autonomies. The mind set that could be infiltrated by sleep and stress is prone to inadequate reasoning. Various decisions by the human reasoning can only be ploughed in by a sober and a relaxed cognitive personality. Neurofeedback process: This is the process through which the precepts of human reasoning are controlled by reflecting back to what presumes a certain reasoning obligation. It is the sensational process of developing a raw feedback to the mind that causes fatal relaxation before engaging into fresh models of reasoning (Anne, 1999) Avoiding reasoning distracters: This is achieved through adequate payment of attention. Though a complex pattern involved in the brain function, it can be ensured by the proper payment of attention to the reasoning process that would then help to withdraw all possible abstractions and therefore driving towards concrete decisions. Reference Anne, T (1999) Critical Reasoning in Ethics. London, Routledge Manktelow, K (1999) Reasoning and Thinking. London. Psychology Press Mark, R (2007) The Psychology of Reasoning, London, Routeldge. Michael, S (1977) Reasoning. New York, McGraw Hill Robert, A (1991) Practical Reasoning. London, Routledge Thomson, A (2001) Critical Reasoning: A Practical Introduction. London, Routlege

Lester Young Essay Example

Lester Young Essay Example Lester Young Paper Lester Young Paper In addition I will be describing comparisons with some other musicians of his time including Coleman Hawkins while using analysis of his solos. To further explore the development and maturity of Young style I will be analyzing his technique. Section Research and Analysis Lester Young is one of the most famous and influential saxophonist and his music play a very important role in the field of Jazz music. He has brought a strong personal solo. A cool modernism and a new rhythmic flexibility to traditional Jazz. Young was born in Woodpile Mississippi on August 27, 1909, and grew up in a musical family. He learned to play the violin, trumpet, drums as well as the saxophone from his father. Wakefield. 2012) Young has been a pessimistic lonely. He left his hometown and went to a band, because he wanted to get more knowledge of Jazz music in the north. Nobody wanted to be with him, because his music style was apart from the group. Whats more, he got a extraordinary sense of style. Young unique style affected hundreds of saxophone players. I believe that his personality and style of dress was also part of his legend life. After that, he looks for comfort from drugs and drinks. Due to the bitter experience of military service life, his Inside, spiritual had been badly influenced. Hence, he has got a serious disease and died on March 15, 1959. Section Influence and his legacy On Lester Young instrument he was one of the most influential players at that time, his style had much difference from other musicians. When he plays saxophone, he was always concentrate on his music world, because his plays were self-collected. As above, his style was called the Cool Jazz. Though his music style did not be appreciated, he never gives up and still insists upon his music style. I think behind many successful men, there are a lot of unsuccessful years. I was attracted by his USIA when I listen to his song. His l Want to Happy and Peg O My Heart leads me Into a feast of music and also makes me recall some unhappiness and happiness things. We cannot ignore is that he popularized a kind of saxophone style; it was called Swing. We can know more about his personal style from his solo. Young performance Ana Nils canal stormed Nils Tans. In Tact, Nils personal Innocence was overstepping his performance. All in all, Young solo style has influenced many tenor saxophonists. Such as, Stan Get and Dexter Gordon; they are the most famous and successful musicians around the world. However, he also influenced many people in cool Jazz styles, like Soot Sims, AY Cohn and Gerry Mulligan. At that time, all eyes were on Lester Young as he played saxophone. He had a smooth tone and subdued solos; he employed a syncopated rhythm with a strong driving force. He played delay an expected note by a fraction. However, some people thought he was not confident and they wished that more fireworks. (Vocation 5118,1939) Lester Young is the giant of Jazz. I think Young music is very gentle and bold, I never listen to Jazz music like that, his solo always gave me a big surprise because his USIA style was never out-fashion. Many people considered that Lester Young was the greatest tenor sax player from former till now. Actually,Len the mid sasss to mid sasss, he changed the way to play tenor saxophone and the art of Jazz itself. Lester Young based on George and Air Gershwins l Got Rhythm written Lester Leaps In. Like the bands other head arrangements, it features improvised solos built around a central riff, but where we might expect more of the bands usual free-for-all virtuosity, this record is a study in minimalism. (Vocation 5118, 1939) His tone is fine ND sounds quite sweet, at the end of his songs are always slow and full of perceptual statement, though in his early music career, his tenor saxophone was criticized for being too weak, but time proves that he can occupy an important position in music. Lester Young, who influenced cool Jazz more than other musician, His saxophone playing used gentle and light sound, in contrast to the clangorous detonation approach of players like Coleman Hawkins. Young was clever in its used of rhythm, instead of driving it. When he started his solos, he wanted to underscore hat melodic development, rather than hot phrases or rhythm change. (http:// en. Wisped. Org/wick/Cool_Jazz). Young music is the mixture of powerful, angry, brave, and beautiful and some free-thinking tradition of Jazz, which demonstrates a feast of music and shows the truly human feeling. He was certainly a spiritual guide. He was the one and only Lester Young?indisputably one of the most influential figures in post-swing Jazz and the effective creator of the Chicago tenor sound. Telling the truth, he expanded the language of music and leaves an indelible personal legacy for traditional Jazz. Young even influenced the way Jazz artists talk. In addition to his wonderful music, young most enduring the legacy has been his memorable persona. Although it was not his intention, Young became an early model for the modern-day (2003 13th studios, Chicago) In his short music life, Young has left a rich musical heritage. Section His solo Young had matured and his music style changed when he left the military. Some people thought that military changed his life and lose his craft. However, he was once again played with the style, and everyone changed their opinion. The theme of Lester Leaps In is based on Rhythm-change, vamps in the A-sections and have an improvised bridge over a circle of fifths. Young more or less disregards the chord changes in the A-sections and plays around the Ebb-chord. This transcription contains Young first two solo choruses, omitting his later chase with Basis. All muscular will express tenet Telling In Deterrent ways, Is not a matter AT won Is ten best. When I listened to his song sad eyes, I started to wonder what the story was behind it. Melody sounded in that moment, around the time and the air seems solidified general. Maybe young want to get a wonderful life, the expression of human civilization and seek peace and happiness. In fact, he had also some happy memories of his childhood. When he played The man I love . The man was his father on his mind, and it always brought back his happy memories. However, as the music goes on, his solo can makes complicated changes in low tone with large extent, it was different from the melody . With the fast paced rule changed, his emotional changed as well. He wanted to tell listeners his painful life, Like the war, poverty and racial injustice. In later works, Young solos sadder and wiser than before. After that, Young solos sadder and wiser than before. After that, he was both an alcoholic and addicted to cocaine.. During that time, he totally forgot himself and lost self-esteem. The reason why he wasted time and abused drugs, because of his military career. I believe that life is not fair, get on it. That contradictory thought was hard to express his emotion, he always held high his saxophone when he played solos. These way make the difference from others. Section Comparison I would draw some comparisons between Lester Young and other musicians. Comparisons with some musicians like Hawkins and Ben Webster. Young music can directly move our inner world. Instead Hawkins style that was very sharp and full of ambition and he was the most strongly associated with the swing music g band era, he had played important role in the development of bebop in the sass. Hawkins always had a keen ear for new talent and styles (Wakefield Foundation, 28 September 2012). He also had a great contribution on the period from the tradition Jazz to the Swing Era. And the three great musicians are considered the big three of swing tenors. Hawkins was a talking, walking Jazz composition?a living exercise in artistic improvisation. Lester Young thought Coleman Hawkins was the President first, he was the second one. Miles Davis once also said: When I heard Hawk, I learned to play ballads. To that extent, Hawkins is also a powerful person at music. But there is some different style between Hawkins and Young, Hawkins played around harmonic ways while Young played flurries of notes and had a huge tone that the other tenor players of the day emulated. As we all know, Lester Young was also called Prep, cause Billie Holiday felt that Americas greatest people, should be President Roosevelt, and in Jazz music, Young deserves the name Prep from the President is also a pr oper. And there are something in common between Hawkins and Young, they all wore the same uniform with difference on their collar and cap on stage, that has been part of Jazz tradition and the western blues ever since. Young accomplishments and playing skills helped define a generation and changed the Jazz field. Hawkins was hot, Young played was cool. And Young always came up with a completely different conception in his play. His play was simple and relaxed, not with the feeling of rocking Jazz but quite a melodious song.

Factual Questions in ACT Science How to Read Graphs, Tables, and Data

Factual Questions in ACT Science How to Read Graphs, Tables, and Data SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Reading graphs is like reading in a foreign language. It comes easy to some and is very difficult for others.If you struggle tounderstand graph, tables, and other visuals for ACT Science questions, this article containing tips, strategies, and practice questions is perfect for you. If you're a â€Å"fluent† pro, this article will be a good review to make sure your skills are on point.Even if you are a pro, the ACT Science section often tests the basic skill of reading visuals in new and challenging ways, so this article will make sure you have strategies forboth easy and hard questions. Here is an overview of what we'll cover in this guide: Understanding the core elements of a graph The importance of labels How to use axes What to do with units of measure Mastering the different types of graphs on the ACT Science section Reading bar graphs Analyzing scatter plots Using line graphs Pulling data from tables Deciphering tricky graphs Reading Graphs and Other Visuals Is the Key to Success on the ACT Science Section Factual Questions Ask You to Evaluate Visuals and Just Relay Information. These questions simply ask you to relay factual information that is presented in the passage.To answer these questions, you need to read the graphs, tables, and/or scatterplots. For the simplest type of ACT Science practice questions that we'll be covering here, you'll need to pull out specific data points without further calculation/inferences. These Types of Questions Are Typically Found in Data Representation Passages. These passages are similar to those found in science journals and text.They present you with a short paragraph or two as well as 1-4 visual representations of data (such as graphs, tables, and/or scatterplots). The passages will mention specific studies and label sections as Study 1/2/3.Each Data Representation Passage has 5 questions, often using the skills we'll be covering here. If you want to learn more about the types of passages and questions on the ACT Science section, check out our article on the 3 Types of ACT Science Passages. In the PrepScholar ACT Program, we categorize the questions for Data Representation into 3 categories (not everyone categorizes them the same way). Factual questions or â€Å"pure data† questions is one of the three types. Here is a sample Data Representation Passage from an ACT practice test: Here is an example of a factual question from the above passage: There may be more advanced versions of these questions in which you are asked to look at a weird graph. Such as this one: Does this graph look crazy to you? Don’t fret! You will master this crazy graph and all others by the end of this article. Core Elements of a Graph Let's start off with basic ACT Science tips about the basic components of graphs, and strategies on how to interpret them. The Importance of Labels Labels are SUPER IMPORTANT on the ACT Science section.Each visual is labeled with Figure plus a number. So if there are 3 visuals, they will be labeled Figure 1, Figure 2, and Figure 3.See below: Why are they labeled?So you will refer to the correct one (though many students still don’t look at the right visual). The question will often specifically tell you which figure to look at such as this one: In Figure 2, what percent of captured finches from Island C had a 10 mm beak depth? To correctly answer this question, you need to check the labels and make sure you look at Figure 2.Then, identify the graph that shows the finches from Island C.In this case, you need to use the bottom graph.I see the beak depth is along the x-axis.At 10 mm beak depth, I follow the bar up and see it is just short of 35%, so probably about 34%. The first step in most ACT Science questions is to read the label, and if you get this step wrong, you will get the answer wrong.So make sure you check the label to ensure you are looking at the correct visual for the question. How to Use Axes Axes are the lines at the side(s) and bottom of a graph.Axes are useful to figure out the control and the variable(s) in the experiment.I will go into detail on this topic in the examples below. Graphs by definition have an x-axis and y-axis. The x-axis is the horizontal line (typically at the bottom of the graph).The y-axis is the vertical line (typically on the left side of the graph, though more challenging graphs on the ACT Science will have one on the left and one on the right). Let’s take a look at this simple graph for practice: In this graph, the x-axis doesn't measure anything (it only lists animals).In this graph, the y-axis measures the animals’ weights.The animals’ weights would be considered the variable in the research.The researchers did not know what the weights would be exactly until they measured the weights.We can use this graph to compare the 4 elements of only one data set: the weights of animals. If the passage had asked you, What isthe weight of a dog? First, we need to find dog on the axis that defines the type of animal, which is the x-axis. Next, we look on the y-axis for the value of the dog's weight and see that it reads 10 kg. Now, for practice, let’s take a look at a slightly more complicated scatterplot with measurements on both axes: In this graph, the x-axis measures the distance from the center of the plot to the nearest clearing.In this graph, the y-axis measures the average change in AGTB (it is not important to understand what AGTB is). The average change in AGTB would be considered the "dependent variable" in the research.The researchers did not know what the average change in AGTB would be exactly until they measured it.We can use this graph to compare the distance from the center of the plot to the nearest clearing TO the average change in AGTB. If the passage had asked you, What is theaverage change in AGTB at a distance of 50 m from the center of the plot to the nearest clearing? To do so, we first need to find 50 on the axis that defines the distance from the center of the plot to the nearest clearing, which is the x-axis. Next, we look on the y-axis for the value of the average change in AGTB and see that it reads 5 t/yr. We will evaluate this graph further in the next portion: What to Do With Units of Measure On graphs on the ACT Science section, they will present units of measure for each axis next to the label. Don't try to understand what the units mean.The ACT Science section throws in these crazy, weird units that you won’t have seen unless you studied very high-level Physics or Chemistry.You do not need to know exactly what they referto in order to answer the questions.Take for example the graph we just discussed: While you probably know that m is meters, you may be unfamiliar with t/yr, yet you had no problem answering the question above.For the ACT Science section, when the units are listed in the answer choice, they match up to the units shown in one of the visuals or mentioned in the passage (such as in the example above).So, there is no need to dwell on them or stress over them. In all of the practice sections I’ve ever done or that I’ve ever seen or given to students, I have NEVER seen an ACT Science question ask you to convert the units from one form of measure to another.You most likely were taught this in Math and/or Science classes.Set those skills aside.You do not need them for this test. Why do the ACT makers include these units if you don’t need them?To make the graph more challenging or to test your ability to sort information that you may not know. Ignore what you don’t need and find the information to answer the question.Focus on what you can identify, which lead us to our next topic: The Different Types of Graphs The ACT will show you a variety of graphs. Most of these are predictable. The hardest graphs are graphs that you will never have seen before and have to interpret on the fly. Thankfully, with the clear step by step structure I present below, you'll be able to tackle even the hardest graphs. Bar Graph Bar graphs tend to be one of the easier visuals used by the ACT Science section.They are easier because there will only be one variable shown.Let’s examine the example practice question below: In this graph, the x-axis lists the years (in 1-year increments from 1976-1985). The y-axis measures the average beak depth, the variable in this research. We can use this graph to compare the year to average beak depth. If the passage had asked us, What isthe average beak depth in 1983? First, we need to find 1983 on the x-axis. Next, we look on the y-axis for the value of the average beak depth and see that it reads 9.6 mm.Bar graphs are really easy, so long as you make sure you have identified the correct bar, you will find the data you need. Scatter Plot Scatterplots are graphs of plotted points that show the relationship between two sets of data.We looked at one earlier, but here is another from the same passage: In this example, each dot represents the measure of the average cumulative percent change in AGTB in a specific year. Let's attempt this practice question: What wasthe average cumulative percent change in AGTB during Year 2? To answer this question, we firstneed to find Year 2 on the x-axis. Follow that up to the Year 2 point on the scatterplot. Next, we look on the y-axis for the average cumulative percent change in AGTB and see that it reads 6%. Scatterplots can be slightly more challenging if they ask you a question about a point not marked.Let’s say they had asked you instead: What was the average cumulative percent change in AGTB during Year 9? F. 0%G. 6%H. 10%J. 14% Well, there is no point for Year 9, but you can see the downward trend.In order to answer this question, I recommend drawing on the graph provided.See my example: Connect the dots you have to create a curve.Sorry for my less than perfect drawing, but you don’t have to be perfect.You can clearly see the curve is much closer to 14% than any of the other options, so the answer is 14%.When answering these trend questions, try whenever possible to draw out the curve on the graph you are given and then use process of elimination. When in doubt, draw it out. Which our next graphs happen to do for you! Also, check our ourarticles on calculating questions and interpolations questions! Line Graphs Line graphs are one of the harder types of visuals used in the ACT Science section.The reason they are more difficult is that they show essentially an infinite number of data points, and you need to be precise about which data point you're looking at.There are so many values since each point on the line is a new value. Also, the ACT Science section often uses line graphs to show 2 entirely different sets of data, one on the left and one on the right with a key to differentiate between the two lines such as in this example graph: Let’s break this graph down.2 lines represent 2 independent groups of information. Each line has its own range of measurements. The x-axis shows time in increments of 5 years.So if you were asked the practice question, What is the RCRF in January 1990? You must first notice the correct line. The solid line represents RCRF according to the key. Match it up to the measurement on the right or left. The right side represents RCRF in %.It may help to use the edge of your paper or a pen or pencil to create a straight line to find the point of intersection.See my example: Then, find the point of intersection between that solid line and the January 1990 mark, which is around 7-7.5% so that is the answer. So the key ACT Sciencestrategiesto remember with line graphs are: Identify the correct line Match it up to the correct measurement on the left or right Draw the point of intersection Now that we’ve conquered one of the hardest graphs on the ACT Science section, let’s take a break with a simple visual: Tables Tables are one of the easier types of visuals provided.There are a number of columns, and each entry in a column corresponds to the entry directly to the right or left of that entry in the same row.For example, the below table is typical: A sample question about a table may look like this: Based on Table 1, 0.001 ml of titrant added produced a reaction time of? The answer would be 12 seconds. To find this, you look up 0.001 in the left column representing "Amount of titrant added," and look to the corresponding value on the right, "reaction time." For tables, the key points are Identify the correct column in question Find the correct data point in question Look to the right or left of it in the same row to find the matching data point Some tables on the ACT Science section will have many rows and columns of data, but the technique is always the same. Finally, now that we have grasped most visual concepts, let’s take a whack at: Tricky Graphs You should be very close to visual reading â€Å"fluency.†Let’s check out a graph that is not what it seems: A lot of lines with confusing labels. Let’s say we asked a question: Which of the following absorbed the most light across all wavelengths? White S Orange S Red S Brown S First, let's take a look at the graph. There are 5 lines here, and each one represents a different color of light plus Sulfur Oxide (which we do not need for this question, as it's not one of the answer choices). Each graph represents the reflectance at each wavelength. The question is asking us for which substance absorbed the most light across all wavelengths. Let's break down this question.First, "absorb the most light" means the opposite of reflectance. Reflectance is what is graphed. Second, "across all wavelengths" means we're not just looking at one point on the x-axis; we're looking across all points. The unprepared or rushed student would answer White S because they see it reflects the most light across all wavelengths, of the options in the answer choices. However, knowing that absorbance is the opposite of reflectance and looking across all wavelengths, I see that Brown S is reflecting the least across all wavelengths.Therefore, it is absorbing the most, so the answer is Brown S. Rules to remember with graphs: always compare what you are being asked to what the graph actually shows.That way you don’t get tricked! Let’s check out another tricky graph: This graph is even more complex. There are intersecting lines of weird shapes, and labels for each of the regions enclosed by lines. But just like every other table, we can attack it one by one. Let’s say the practice question asked you: Which of the following would most likely NOT be found at a pressure of 10 kb? Facies A Facies C Facies G Facies E First, let's take a look at the graph. There are 7 Facies identified (facies is a geology term for a body of rock with specified characteristics - this info would be given in the passage). The graph shows the pressure, depth, and temperature at which these 7 Facies appear. The question is asking us for which of the following is NOT found at a pressure of 10 kb. Let's break down this question.First, pressure means we need to use the left y-axis.Second, we need to find 10 kb. Next, because the question asks what is likely NOT found at a pressure of 10kb,we need to draw a line across it,as inmy example: Now, you can see that Facies C, G, and E all are found out 10kb, but Facies A is not, so A is the correct answer. The unprepared or rushed student might choose Facies C, G, or E as the answer if they missed the NOT, or that student might accidentally look at a depth of 10 km on the right instead of pressure and get the answer entirely wrong. What to learn from this, Always make sure you have found the correct axis in question Be extra careful when you see a NOT or EXCEPT This way you avoid getting tricked by referring to the wrong data piece or answering the wrong question! Recap If you've ever had trouble with interpreting graphs, hopefully, you found this guide useful. Most graphs on the ACT will be of the more simplistic types, but now you should feel confident to tackle even the most complicated graphs the ACT throws at you. Here's a breakdown of the steps you should take: Read labels very carefully.Make sure you'relooking at the correct Figure. Remember the basics - what the axes represent, how the data points are depicted, how to go step by step to the value you need. All of the same rules apply to tables, bar graphs, scatterplots, line graphs, and tricky graphs. Don't try to understandthe units of measure. Practice practice practice to make sure you have these skills down. What’s Next? I hope you feel like a visual reading pro!As your next steps in studying for the ACT Science section, you should learnthe best way to study and practice for ACT Science. Not sure where you’d like to go to college? Figure out how to find your target school. Interested in attending a top college? Check out our guides to getting into Harvard and Stanford! Struggling with your college application? Learn how to write your personal statement and how to write about extracurriculars. Like this article? Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Sciencelesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial: Have friends who also need help with test prep? Share this article! Tweet Dora Seigel About the Author As an SAT/ACT tutor, Dora has guided many students to test prep success. She loves watching students succeed and is committed to helping you get there. Dora received a full-tuition merit based scholarship to University of Southern California. She graduated magna cum laude and scored in the 99th percentile on the ACT. She is also passionate about acting, writing, and photography. Get Free Guides to Boost Your SAT/ACT Get FREE EXCLUSIVE insider tips on how to ACE THE SAT/ACT. 100% Privacy. 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