APN Role Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

APN Role - Essay Example Core APN Competencies The APN is a group of nurse practitioners that includes nurses holding a post graduation in nursing as per the advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) (Jansen & Zwygart-Stauffacher, 2010; APRN Joint Dialogue Group, 2008). The group ensures a vital role in the future of the health care industry. Contextually, it has been affirmed that there are certain core competencies that together form an efficient and effective APN nurse (Joel, 2013). They are illustrated in detail hereunder. Expert Coaching and Guidance An APN nurse should have the leadership skills to initiate guidance or mentorship in given point of time. This means the nurse should be able to put her vision into action while associating with a particular health care unit. He/she should also need to acquire the skills including proper education, expertise in clinical content and implementation of proper learning principles among others to incorporate the competency (Hamric, Hanson, Tracy & O'Grady, 2013; Bryant-Lukosius, DiCenso, Browne, & Pinelli, 2004). Consultation This is a vital competency to be acquired not only for APN but also for any other health care professional. ... Research Skills In accordance to these competencies, the APN should have the ability to research more and more with regard to derive a thorough understanding. In this regard, evidence-based programs of teachings and implementation of evidence-based literature for clinical practices would be vital aspects to be considered (Cooke, Gemmill & Grant, 2008). Clinical and professional leadership This competency of the APN requires the nurses to act as a change agent in certain cases and advocate for patients. Furthermore, he/she should require acting as a leader in certain circumstances, initiating any decisions of change (Cooke, Gemmill & Grant, 2008). Collaboration Working in collaboration with the members of the health is among the common competencies of an APN. Respecting the work and contribution of the colleagues is a prime requirement in accordance to this competency (Cooke, Gemmill & Grant, 2008) Ethical Decision-Making skills This is an integral part not only for APN but also for a ny other profession. APN’s should act as a moral agent by generating an ethical environment abiding certain principles and fidelity (Cooke, Gemmill & Grant, 2008). Summary of an APN Outcome Research Study The study of Cooke, Robin Gemmill and Marcia Grant (2008) naming â€Å"APN Core Competencies: A Framework for Developing and Testing an APN Discharge Intervention† depicts a vital aspects regarding APN significance. The APN concerning to the research study, conducted various self-care activities to examine the complications that arise in a discharge patient after transplantation. In this stand, it has been further discussed that, core competencies of APN like guidance, consultation, research skills, clinical leadership, collaboration as well as

Middle Range Nursing Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Middle Range Nursing Theory - Essay Example Patients that have terminal illness may feel distress or pain in any or all of these domains and that the desire for comfort should be evaluated and attended to on all areas, instead of simply focusing on the long-standing practice of managing physical pain. The purpose of this paper is to discuss Kolcaba’s comfort theory, particularly its history, principles, and concepts, and application to specific nursing practice. A Brief Description of Kolcaba’s Comfort Theory At the advent of the twentieth century, the concept of ‘comfort’ was applied in a broad way, and it was greatly appreciated in nursing. Furthermore, the capability to give comfort demonstrated the personality and skill of nurses. During this period, nurses thought that giving comfort was their sole responsibility. Comfort was mainly essential because therapeutic medical procedures were still absent (Kolcaba, 2003). Improving the comfort of patients was viewed as a proactive nursing objective tha t also was encouraging, and, in almost all instances, should involve progress from an earlier condition. Comfort arose from environmental, emotional, physical, and psychological interventions, but directives for special comfort procedures were under the doctor’s discretion. ... The value of family comfort started to surface during this period and families were regarded valid beneficiaries of comfort therapies. Nurses encouraged self-care in patients if at all possible. Comfort became the top priority of nurses only when their patients have terminal illness. Moreover, where nursing contexts were less affected by technology, like long-term care and nursing homes, comfort was more essential as a purpose of nursing (Fawcett & DeSanto-Madeya, 2012). Smith and Liehr (2008) argued that such pattern had wide-ranging repercussions for nursing in the twenty-first century, because of an increasingly aging population. More and more elders desire comfort in the remaining days of their lives. Frances Kolcaba describes comfort in nursing as â€Å"the satisfaction (actively, passively, or co-operatively) of the basic human needs for ‘relief’-- a condition wherein a patient’s special needs were met--, ‘ease’-- a condition of total peace and serenity-- or ‘transcendence’-- a condition wherein an individual overcomes pain and difficulties-- arising from health care situations that are stressful† (McEwen & Wills, 2007, 256). Kolcaba’s comfort theory takes place within a context made up of ‘three states of being’ and ‘four contexts’ wherein comfort for the ill can exist in (McEwen & Wills, 2007, 256). The three interconnected states of being wherein a patient is supported are relief, ease, and transcendence. The environmental, social, psychospiritual, and physical are the four contexts wherein comfort for patients takes place. The psychospiritual domain is where life’s purpose and meaning reside (McEwen & Wills, 2007, 256). Comfort theory is rooted in the idea that all human beings respond in a

Features of Advocacy in Court

Features of Advocacy in Court Advocacy What is Advocacy? Advocacy is when a solicitor attends court to represent their client. In simple form, advocacy is the art of communication. A solicitor will attend court and do the very best for their client to ensure they achieve the best possible result. It involves public speaking, which can be quite intimidating when you first attend court. However, with practice and experience the task does become easier. You will find that the more appearances you make at Court, the easier it will become and the more you will improve and become more confident. Your oral communication skills will develop and so will your ability to put forward structured and coherent arguments Advocacy; the Legal Practice Course and Becoming a Trainee The Solicitors Regulation Authority, which regulates solicitors in England and Wales and governs and sets the standard for Legal Practice Course Providers, states that advocacy and litigation is compulsory part of the Legal Practice Course. Advocacy skills are therefore assessed in the context of civil and/or criminal litigation. The Solicitors Regulation Authority lays down the requirements for advocacy in the Legal Practice Course and they expect students to formulate coherent submissions based upon fact, general principles and legal authority in a structured, concise and persuasive manner. Preparation is crucial and the student needs to understand the importance of it. The Solicitors Regulation Authority states that for the purposes of advocacy students need to do the following:- Identify the client’s objectives Bear in mind client care and professional conduct issues in preparing and presenting the case Identify and analyse the factual material Identify the legal context in which the factual issues arise Apply the law to the facts Identify the strengths and weaknesses of the case from each party’s perspective. Present the case effectively. Outline the facts in simply narrative form Prepare the legal framework for the case Prepare the submission as a series of propositions based on the evidence. Identify, analyse and assess the communication skills and techniques used by other advocates. Demonstrate an understanding of the ethics, etiquette and conventions of advocacy. The above 12 points are skills that the student should acquire in order to be a competent and confident advocate. The Legal Practice Course will introduce the student to the general principles of advocacy. Advocacy is taught through role-play and simulation through the subjects of civil litigation and criminal litigation. For example, the student may have to conduct an application for an interim payment or summary judgment in the context of civil litigation and be able to represent either the claimant or defendant. In the context of criminal law, the student may, by way of illustration, have to act for either the defence or prosecution in an application for bail, a sentencing hearing etc. Following the Legal Practice Course and during the training contract the student will attend a Professional Skills Course. On the Professional Skills Course you will further develop your knowledge and skills of advocacy. During your training contract you should gain experience in preparing a case, conducting and presenting a case. Your advocacy skills will undoubtedly improve and develop in time. Solicitors’ Rights of Audience Under section 36 of the Access to Justice Act 2000 solicitors share with barristers a right of audience before every court. However, in relation to solicitors they are not able to appear as an advocate in higher courts unless they have satisfied the requirements of the Law Society’s qualification regime in relation to higher rights of audience. Solicitors can apply for higher courts qualifications and to do this they must pass written and practical examinations. Solicitors have automatic rights of audience in the Magistrates Court and County Court. In other courts such as the Crown Court and The High Court solicitors have limited rights of audience, although their rights of audience can be extended, as indicated above. Effective Advocacy Effective advocacy depends on two things; one is good preparation and the second is having persuasive oral communication skills. 1. Preparation By preparing thoroughly you will gain knowledge of both the facts in the case and also the relevant law. If you have thoroughly prepared then you will have the confidence to make an effective presentation. Be very familiar with the case by reading the file to ensure you are familiar with all of the facts. Ensure you have obtained all the evidence you require and explored all necessary avenues. Research the law to ensure you can back-up what you say and are confident that it is correct. For instance, if you need to make a bail application, you would need to be familiar with the Bail Act 1976 and be able to apply the facts of your case to the law. Preparation is therefore fundamental to successful advocacy. By going through all papers filed in the case and all of the evidence you will need to formulate your argument and decide what evidence to call and what evidence of the other side you need to attack or undermine. Careful planning will also allow you to establish which witnesses you need to call and the order in which they should be called to ensure that the witnesses are presented in an order that presents your theory of the case in the best possible way. Have a Theory You should have a theory of the case which is your version of the disputed facts. This will help you to formulate your argument and will help you decide what evidence you need to call. By having a theory it will help guide you through and will ensure you present your case effectively. Further, it will help you maintain a consistent and logical position throughout the case and will keep you focused. When formulating your theory for the case it is important that you do not do this too early in a case because if you do it too early you may discard alternative and stronger theories and ignore certain leads. Your theory should be close to the client’s account of events. It can also be useful if you consider what your opponent’s theory is likely to be as this will assist you in preparing for cross-examination. 2. What makes an Oral Presentation Persuasive? There are certain qualities a good advocate will possess which will make their oral presentation persuasive. The student will find they will develop these through experience. The student should bear in mind the following factors as they will enhance their oral presentation and ensure it is persuasive:- 1.  Eye contact By maintaining eye contact with your listener it will enhance your oral presentation. It will show you are confident and it will also allow you to assess the reaction your submission is having on your listener. For example, you will be able to see if the listener is becoming bored and, if they are, you will know you have to move on accordingly or change your stance. It will also allow you to see if you are losing their attention. In addition, by maintaining eye contact with the listener it will stop you from getting caught up in your notes and this will avoid your advocacy having a lack of authenticity. 2.  Voice Before talking take a deep breath as this will help you to relax and it will enhance the sound of your voice. Do not talk too loudly or too aggressively, or be too softly spoken. Ensure you talk loud enough to be heard and talk clearly. Your delivery needs to be interesting. It may be useful to record yourself and then replay it in order that you can assess your delivery and this will help you improve. 3.  Pace You will need to pace your submission correctly. It is important that you do not present what you say too slowly or too quickly. Do not read from a prepared script as you are more likely to read too quickly and as a result the listener will not be able to follow your argument. If you present your argument too slowly this can make your listener lose interest in what you are saying. In order to adopt the required pace again it is a useful idea to record yourself and replay it. 4.  Pause This can be a very effective device when you are doing your presentation. You should use it for effect. For instance, if you believe the listener is no longer listening to you, pause and this will regain their attention because they will wonder why you have stopped. In addition, if you have a particularly telling point to advance, make the point and then pause. This will enable the listener to consider the point and will create more of an impact. It will also enhance the impact of your overall presentation. 5.  Posture Stand up straight with your head slightly elevated. Do not slouch. By having the correct posture it will help you look more confident and having a good posture will enhance the quality of your voice and make you appear more relaxed. 6.  Distracting mannerisms You may have distracting mannerisms but be unaware of what they are. It is worth recording yourself making an oral submission in order that you can consider whether your body language detracts from the message you are putting across. Distracting mannerisms could be, for example, fiddling with something in your pocket, clicking your pen, touching your face or hair. You may be doing these things subconsciously. When playing the recording consider whether you do any of these when making a submission and consider do you look relaxed and confident. You need to ensure that you do not have any mannerisms which distract from the message you are trying to put across. 7.  Structure Ensure your presentation is structured and this will make it persuasive. When planning your presentation devise a structure. This will ensure you do not repeat anything. When preparing your submission ensure it has a beginning, middle and end. Keep your submission concise. Avoid reading out sections from statutes and case law. Instead, highlight the relevant part of the statute/case and hand them to the judge/bench to read and simply refer to them and summarise the key points of the case/statute. 8.  Brevity Always try to keep your submission to the point. The court’s time is very precious. Through careful preparation and by having a logical structure in place will assist you in keeping your submission concise. 9.  Persona As mentioned above, it is important that when you are appearing as an advocate that you look confident. Even though you will probably be very nervous, anxious and not very confident when first attending court, you must try to look confident. By dressing appropriately, in a smart suit, you will look the part and this will help with your confidence. Further, by looking the part the client will have confidence with you and you will convey the correct impression to the court. Remember that first impressions count. Be organised and this will help ensure your composure and professionalism come across. 10.  Language Bear in mind that words can be a very powerful tool with which to covey a message. Carefully choose your words and consider whether there is a more powerful adjective which will advance the point you are trying to make. When making your submission try to use language which involves the listener. For example: ‘Sir, if I could refer you to the prepared map of the road. This identifies where the collision occurred’. Professional Ethics Solicitors owe a duty to their clients to do the best for them. In addition, solicitors owe a duty to the court and the administration of justice. A solicitor owes a duty to the court to act with independence and in the interests of justice. A solicitor must never deceive, or knowingly/recklessly, mislead the court. For instance, if a client admitted to having misled the court in any material matter relating to the ongoing proceedings a solicitor must not act further in those proceedings unless the client agrees to disclose the truth to the court. A typical example of this would be where the client has misled the court by pleading not guilty when he admits he has misled the court because he has told you he is guilty. If the client admits his guilt to you, you cannot continue to act on the clients behalf because you would be deceiving/misleading the court. Etiquette You need to be familiar with the etiquette of the court you are appearing before, such as the correct way to address the court, your opponent and witnesses. The following details the ways you should address the bench, the other side and witnesses:- Addressing the Bench You should address members of the bench in the following ways: A Bench of lay magistrates should be addressed as Your worships’ or ’Sir/Madam and your colleagues. A circuit judge/recorder should be referred to as Your Honour A district judge of the High Court and County Court should be addressed as Sir or Madam A master of the Supreme Court or a taxing master should be addressed as Master Addressing the other side If the person representing the other party is a Barrister you should refer to them as my learned friend. If the other party is represented by a solicitor you should refer to them as My friend. If the other party is acting as a litigant in person you should refer to them as the claimant/defendant or Mr/Mrs/Miss .. Addressing witnesses You should address witnesses directly as Mr/Mrs/Miss .. etc. If the witness is a child they should be addressed by their forename. Presenting the Evidence To establish and enhance the credibility of your case, ensure your evidence is consistent with the established facts, common sense and within itself. If one of your witnesses gives inconsistent evidence this will cast doubt on the remainder of their evidence. By way of an example, a witness says that X was wearing an orange t-shirt at the scene. In his evidence X denies he was wearing an orange t-shirt because he does not have one. The prosecution then produce CCTV footage showing X wearing an orange t-shirt. This would cast doubt on X’s statement and it will also undermine the whole of his testimony. You therefore need to ensure that your evidence will be consistent to avoid it being undermined. When planning your submission you need to consider which witnesses to call and the order in which they are called. In doing this, remember that this order needs to develop your narrative as your witnesses are telling your story. When considering the order in which to call your witnesses remember that your story needs to be presented in a logically progressive way. This will make it easier for the listener to follow and understand your case. Do not be too stringent however in deciding the order in case any last minute problems arise. You need to be able to adapt your evidence accordingly. Once you have decided the order in which your witnesses will appear, you need to think about your questions. Examining Witnesses Examination-in-chief This is where you obtain evidence from your own witnesses. You need to ensure that your witnesses give clear evidence and that they do not talk too fast in order that notes can be taken. Ensure the witness faces the Judge when answering questions and is not looking at you. This will enhance the quality of their evidence. When asking your witnesses questions, you need to try to elicit from them only the evidence that is relevant. Always therefore bear in mind why you are asking your witness a particular question and what is you want to hear from them. Leading Questions During examination-in-chief the solicitor advocate is forbidden from asking their witnesses leading questions. A leading question is one which requires a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ response. In its phrasing it suggests its own answer. By way of an example, was the man wearing a red and white jumper? By suggesting the answer to the witness you reduce the witness’ impact. Leading questions are forbidden in examination-in-chief because the solicitor is not allowed to lead their witness and in effect put words into their mouth. When you call your own witness you hope and expect that they will provide evidence that is favourable to your case and will ‘come up to proof’. As a general rule when you ask your witness questions you should phrase your questions using simple words and phrases to ensure the witness fully understands what you are asking them. When questioning your witnesses consider using points of reference to add variety to your questioning and to move the witness along from one episode to the next. For example, ‘can you tell us what happened after you saw the car swerve?’ Unfavourable and Hostile Witnesses You will, at any early stage in the proceedings, take statements from each of your witnesses. When a witness is giving their evidence through examination-in-chief you would expect them to give answers consistent with their previous statement. However, in some situations a witness does not give the answers expected of them. The witness can then be declared either unfavourable or hostile. Unfavourable Witnesses An unfavourable witness is one whose testimony does not advance the case of the party who called him, despite the witnesss best intentions. A witness will be unfavourable if they cannot recall some of the facts about their testimony. If you come across an unfavourable witness you can ask the court for leave for the witness to refresh his memory by reading his previous statement. It is very often the case that cases come to trial many months after the witness has provided a statement. Therefore, it is important that before your witness gives their evidence that they have the opportunity to read their previous statements to refresh their memory so that when they are being asked questions they are familiar with what they said in their original statement. They are then less likely to become an unfavourable witness and will hopefully enhance the strength of your case. If after reading their previous statement the witness still cannot recall the facts then you canno t assist your witness by putting leading questions or prompting them. You should instead try to get the witness out of the witness box as soon as possible. Hostile Witnesses A hostile witness is different from an unfavourable one. Whilst an unfavourable witness can be potentially damaging to your case, a more serious situation is having a hostile witness. A witness will be ‘hostile’ if the evidence they give is harmful to the side calling them and it conflicts with the expectations of that side. A hostile witness will have no desire to tell the truth and support the case of the party calling him. An example of a witness being hostile is a witness who has deliberately changed their evidence since they made their original statement. The party calling this witness can ask the Judge to grant leave to treat them as a hostile witness. Open and Closed Questions You can ask your witnesses a variety of open and closed questions. To obtain the information you require from a witness it will be necessary to use for example closed questions to establish the background and set the scene and to bring out details or emphasise a particular part of the story. Open questions will be necessary to allow the witness to freely tell their part of the story or to turn their attention to a subject and then ask the witness to talk about that subject. If you ask more closed questions, you will have greater control. However, what type of questions you ask will depend on the witness. Cross-Examination This is the process of questioning your opponent’s witnesses. The purpose of cross-examination is firstly to establish and advance you own and case and secondly to attack the other side’s case. Before you cross-examine a witness you need to consider whether the evidence they have provided in chief is harmful to your case. If you establish that their testimony has not been harmful then you need to conduct a constructive cross-examination showing that he/she is to be trusted. There is little point in trying to undermine a witness who has provided favourable testimony. On the other hand, if a witness’ testimony has been harmful to your case then in cross-examining them you will seek to either challenge their evidence as inconsistent, improbable or unrealistic, or you will challenge the witness as mistaken or untruthful. If you decide to undermine a witness you need to elicit from them the favourable evidence they provided first and then continue to discredit them. I t is important that when cross-examining witnesses that the questioning is constructive to obtain support for your story and destructive questioning to challenge a version of the story which is not accepted by you. The cross-examination of witnesses needs to be structured and this can be achieved through appropriate planning. Your cross-examination will be structured if you follow the following steps:- (i) Keep your cross-examination to four points which support your theory of the case. This will strengthen your argument (ii) Make your strongest points at the beginning and end of your cross-examination as these are the points likely to remain in the mind of the listener (iii) Anticipate what the answer will be before you ask the question. The purpose of cross-examination is to obtain favourable facts and minimise the impact of the evidence-in-chief. (iv) Do not write a script which you follow as this will not allow you to respond effectively to the witness and will weaken your argument. (v) If the witness says something you do not agree with do not argue with them as this undermines your own credibility and will ultimately impact upon your case. If you are pleasant and courteous to the witness, the witness should relax and cooperate with you. (vi) Do not ask the witness open questions as this gives them the opportunity to say what they like. You need to ensure that you ask closed questions or leading questions as this can help you keep control of the witness. (vii) If the witness during the examination-in-chief has said something which favours your case, then during the cross-examination you should make the witness repeat it for emphasis. (viii) You should put your version of the case to the witness and give them the chance to accept or deny it. As indicated above, one part of cross-examination is challenging the opponent’s case. This involves either discrediting the evidence or discrediting the witness. When cross-examining a witness you need to bear in mind that most of them are not lying. They are often trying to provide an account of the events as they saw them. You should therefore be careful if you decide to attack them as untruthful. It is best to focus upon the manner in which they saw the event. For example, from a distance, poor weather conditions, only got a quick glimpse of the event etc. You should then ask leading questions which suggest to them that they may have mistaken what they saw. In addition, you should look for any inconsistencies with what a witness has said during the trial and what they have said in a prior statement. If you notice any differences, you should ask the witness to repeat the fact which they gave in evidence-in-chief and the read out the part of the previous statement which is in consistent and ask the witness if they made that statement. This will show that what the witness has said is inconsistent and it is will assist you in challenging the opponent’s case. Differences between examination-in-chief and cross-examination With examination in chief the witness is allowed to tell their side of the story. In cross-examination you do not want the witness to tell the story. You indicate the point you wish to make and put it to the witness. Leading questions therefore are used in cross-examination. Leading questions provide for effective cross-examination because the facts are supplied by the advocate instead of the witness and the advocate has most of the control in order to get to the point they want to make. During cross-examination you do not want a witness to tell their story, you want them to verify the particular matters that you put to them. Examination of Experts One of the first questions to be asked to an expert witness in examination-in-chief will be to establish their credentials as an expert in the particular field. You need to consider what the expert says in his report and put questions to him. An expert’s testimony can sometimes be difficult to attack because an expert’s testimony primarily consists of opinions and conclusions. It does not consist of fact. If you do not agree with the testimony of the expert you will need to challenge it by asking the expert appropriate questions. If the export supports your case, you will need the expert, in his oral testimony, to answer questions which show how the experts support your case to enhance your overall argument. Re-examination Once a witness has given their evidence-in-chief and been cross-examined by the other side the solicitor may re-examine their witness. The purpose of re-examination is to give the witness an opportunity to explain any matters raised during cross-examination and is therefore limited to only those matters that were raised during cross-examination. It is not another opportunity to go through the evidence provided. An example of when re-examination might be necessary would be where the cross-examination has perhaps shown the witness’ testimony to be muddled and confused. Alternatively, you might want to use re-examination if during the cross-examination inconsistencies have appeared between a witness’ testimony and a prior statement. You can use re-examination to highlight flaws and/or inconsistencies in the other side’s case or alternatively to attempt to correct anything during cross-examination which potentially could be damaging to your case. Opening and Closing a Case If opening a case you should always introduce yourself and the other side to the Court. For example: Your Honour/Sir/Madam/Master I appear in this case for the Claimant and my friend Mr/Miss/Mrs.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ appears for the Defendant. Civil Matter In a civil trial the claimants solicitor will make the opening speech. The opening speech involves taking the judge through the statements of the case and providing an outline and guide to your case. It should provide a summary of the evidence that will be produced and should not go into any details in relation to the content of the testimony. The opening speech will detail the issues to be decided and you should provide a summary of the facts that you seek to establish. However, in the county court the defendants solicitor can make the opening speech and if they do they are not entitled to make a closing speech, without the leave of the court. You should hand the judge a bundle of documents and take him or her through the chronology of the matter to provide the judge with a picture of the events in the case. The opening speech should be lively and interesting to engage the court. You should use plain language and use eye contact to build rapport with the judge. You should refer to y our client by his or her name in order to personalise them, and refer to the other side, for example as the respondent/defendant etc. Following the opening speech the claimant will give their evidence. This is done by oral examination and the sequence of the questioning is examination-in-chief of the claimants side (to include witnesses), cross-examination by the defendants side, re-examination. The defendant will then give their evidence and can make an opening speech. The judge can, however, dispense with this, particularly in fast-track cases. The sequence of questioning for the defendants evidence (to include witnesses) is examination-in-chief by the defendants side, cross-examination by the claimants side and re-examination. The defendant may make a closing speech and the claimant will then make a closing speech. In a civil matter the claimants solicitor will always have the final word. The closing speech is your final attempt to address the court. It should integrate the evidence the court has heard with your theory of the case and present your underpinning argument. In your final speech you should rebut or explain the evidence that weakens your case and explain how the law applies. If in your opening speech you raised questions, then in your final speech you must answer them based upon the evidence that has been heard. The closing speech should be well structured, be easy to follow and sum up the major points. Criminal Matter In criminal matters the prosecution have the right to make an opening speech. If it is a simple case then very often the Prosecution will forgo an opening speech. If the Prosecution do decide to have an opening speech it should be kept brief. It should provide a non-contentious summary of the case. The Prosecution then proceed to present their case. After their evidence has been heard the defence have the opportunity to give an opening speech and the present their evidence. If the defence decide to make an opening speech it should start with a comment on the evidence given so far by the prosecution, then provide an outline of the evidence to come and conclude with a summary of the questions that they think need to be answered. The closing speech is the final attempt to address the court. It needs to integrate the evidence that has been heard with your theory of the case. Both the Prosecution and the Defence have the opportunity to give a final speech. The closing speech should be short, but long enough to cover the ground and make any final impact.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder In Veterans :: Post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD

As with many other diseases, early detection and treatment of mental disorders are key components to rehabilitation and a cure. The prognosis for a better quality of life for veterans suffering with PTSD is increased through early intervention. The VA has developed the Seamless Transition program for the target group of soldiers that served in Iraq and Afghanistan (Currey, 2007). The focus of the program is to deliver the highest level of care in a timely manner, according to Dr. Roswell, M.D. (Currey, 2007). A holistic approach is taken by social workers to treat the whole person and not just the symptoms. Social work practice often requires advocating and navigating for clients within bureaucratic systems. New soldiers entering the war are at risk of being exposed to trauma, which increases the chance of being diagnosed with PTSD. Other target groups at heightened risk for PTSD are those required to serve multiple deployments and female service members. According to the NADCP (2007) 1 in 5 veterans report symptoms of a mental disorder. These figures can be utilized to predict and implement future treatment needs and funding requirements. Streamlining the application process, by allowing timely access to benefits, can result in reduced benefit necessities. A policy which improves access to benefits for veterans is supported by veteran’s organizations everywhere. A recent change in the policy removes the requirement for veterans to submit written documentation of a stressful event during military service. The most critical support for this change is that of U.S. politicians who make policy decisions. President Obama, in his speech on July 10, 2011, expressed his support for veterans, specifically those suffering with PTSD. He understands the plight of soldiers of war, whether in combat or non-combat, being affected by the war’s trauma. President Obama understood the necessity for new policy as the old policy prevented many of those with PTSD from receiving the care they needed. As stated by the President â€Å"I don’t think our troops on the battlefield should have to take notes to keep for claims applications† (The White House, 2010). The Texas Veteran Commission, realizing the growing number of vete rans with PTSD, is optimistic in its view that the new policies will allow this vulnerable group easier access to benefits (Cervantes, 2010). B. Christopher Frueh, a professor of psychology and director of the Division of Social Sciences at the University of Hawaii, is not a supporter of the rule change.

Frankenstein Summary Essay

Frankenstein opens with a preface, signed by Mary Shelley but commonly supposed to have been written by her husband, Percy Bysshe Shelley. It states that the novel was begun during a summer vacation in the Swiss Alps, when unseasonably rainy weather and nights spent reading German ghost stories inspired the author and her literary companions to engage in a ghost story writing contest, of which this work is the only completed product. Summary: Letter 1 The novel itself begins with a series of letters from the explorer Robert Walton to his sister, Margaret Saville. Walton, a well-to-do Englishman with a passion for seafaring, is the captain of a ship headed on a dangerous voyage to the North Pole. In the first letter, he tells his sister of the preparations leading up to his departure and of the desire burning in him to accomplish â€Å"some great purpose†Ã¢â‚¬â€discovering a northern passage to the Pacific, revealing the source of the Earth’s magnetism, or simply setting foot on undiscovered territory. Summary: Letters 2–3 In the second letter, Walton bemoans his lack of friends. He feels lonely and isolated, too sophisticated to find comfort in his shipmates and too uneducated to find a sensitive soul with whom to share his dreams. In the brief third letter, Walton tells his sister that his ship has set sail and that he has full confidence that he will achieve his aim. Summary: Letter 4 In the fourth letter, the ship stalls between huge sheets of ice, and Walton and his men spot a sledge guided by a gigantic creature about half a mile away. The next morning, they encounter another sledge stranded on an ice floe. All but one of the dogs drawing the sledge is dead, and the man on the sledge—not the man seen the night before—is emaciated, weak, and starving. Despite his condition, the man refuses to board the ship until Walton tells him that it is heading north. The stranger spends two days recovering, nursed by the crew, before he can speak. The crew is burning with curiosity, but Walton, aware of the man’s still-fragile state, prevents his men from burdening the stranger with questions. As time passes, Walton and the stranger become friends, and the stranger eventually consents to tell Walton his story. At the end of the fourth letter, Walton states that the visitor will commence his narrative the next day; Walton’s framing narrative ends and the stranger’s begins. Summary: Chapter 1 The stranger, who the reader soon learns is Victor Frankenstein, begins his narration. He starts with his family background, birth, and early childhood, telling Walton about his father, Alphonse, and his mother, Caroline. Alphonse became Caroline’s protector when her father died in poverty. They married two years later, and Victor was born soon after. Frankenstein then describes how his childhood companion, Elizabeth Lavenza, entered his family. Elizabeth was discovered by his mother, Caroline, on a trip to Italy, when Victor is about five years old. While visiting a poor Italian family, Caroline notices a beautiful blonde girl among the dark-haired Italian children; upon discovering that Elizabeth is the orphaned daughter of a Milanese nobleman and a German woman and that the Italian family can barely afford to feed her, Caroline adopts Elizabeth and brings her back to Geneva. Victor’s mother decides at the moment of the adoption that Elizabeth and Victor should someda y marry. Summary: Chapter 2 Elizabeth and Victor grow up together as best friends. Victor’s friendship with Henry Clerval, a schoolmate and only child, flourishes as well, and he spends his childhood happily surrounded by this close domestic circle. As a teenager, Victor becomes increasingly fascinated by the mysteries of the natural world. He chances upon a book by Cornelius Agrippa, a sixteenth-century scholar of the occult sciences, and becomes interested in natural philosophy. He studies the outdated findings of the alchemists Agrippa, Paracelsus, and Albertus Magnus with enthusiasm. He witnesses the destructive power of nature when, during a raging storm, lightning destroys a tree near his house. A modern natural philosopher accompanying the Frankenstein family explains to Victor the workings of electricity, making the ideas of the alchemists seem outdated and worthless. Summary: Chapter 3 At the age of seventeen, Victor leaves his family in Geneva to attend the university at Ingolstadt. Just before Victor departs, his mother catches scarlet fever from Elizabeth, whom she has been nursing back to health, and dies. On her deathbed, she begs Elizabeth and Victor to marry. Several weeks later, still grieving, Victor goes off to Ingolstadt. Arriving at the university, he finds quarters in the town and sets up a meeting with a professor of natural philosophy, M. Krempe. Krempe tells Victor that all the time that Victor has spent studying the alchemists has been wasted, further souring Victor on the study of natural philosophy. He then attends a lecture in chemistry by a professor named Waldman. This lecture, along with a subsequent meeting with the professor, convinces Victor to pursue his studies in the sciences. Analysis: Preface and Letters 1–4 The preface to Frankenstein sets up the novel as entertainment, but with a serious twist—a science fiction that nonetheless captures â€Å"the truth of the elementary principles of human nature.† The works of Homer, Shakespeare, and Milton are held up as shining examples of the kind of work Frankenstein aspires to be. Incidentally, the reference to â€Å"Dr. Darwin† in the first sentence is not to the famous evolutionist Charles Darwin, who was seven years old at the time the novel was written, but to his grandfather, the biologist Erasmus Darwin. In addition to setting the scene for the telling of the stranger’s narrative, Walton’s letters introduce an important character—Walton himself—whose story parallels Frankenstein’s. The second letter introduces the idea of loss and loneliness, as Walton complains that he has no friends with whom to share his triumphs and failures, no sensitive ear to listen to his dreams and ambitions. Walton turns to the stranger as the friend he has always wanted; his search for companionship, and his attempt to find it in the stranger, parallels the monster’s desire for a friend and mate later in the novel. This parallel between man and monster, still hidden in these early letters but increasingly clear as the novel progresses, suggests that the two may not be as different as they seem. Another theme that Walton’s letters introduce is the danger of knowledge. The stranger tells Walton, â€Å"You seek for knowledge and wisdom, as I once did; and I ardently hope that the gratification of your wishes may not be a serpent to sting you, as mine has been.† The theme of destructive knowledge is developed throughout the novel as the tragic consequences of the stranger’s obsessive search for understanding are revealed. Walton, like the stranger, is entranced by the opportunity to know what no one else knows, to delve into nature’s secrets: â€Å"What may not be expected in a country of eternal light?† he asks. Walton’s is only the first of many voices in Frankenstein. His letters set up a frame narrative that encloses the main narrative—the stranger’s—and provides the context in which it is told. Nested within the stranger’s narrative are even more voices. The use of multiple frame narratives calls attention to the telling of the story, adding new layers of complexity to the already intricate relationship between author and reader: as the reader listens to Victor’s story, so does Walton; as Walton listens, so does his sister. By focusing the reader’s attention on narration, on the importance of the storyteller and his or her audience, Shelley may have been trying to link her novel to the oral tradition to which the ghost stories that inspired her tale belong. Within each framed narrative, the reader receives constant reminders of the presence of other authors and audiences, and of perspective shifts, as Victor breaks out of his narrative to address Walton directly and as Walton signs off each of his letters to his sister. Analysis: Chapters 1–2 The picture that Victor draws of his childhood is an idyllic one. Though loss abounds—the poverty of Beaufort and the orphaning of Elizabeth, for instance—it is always quickly alleviated by the presence of a close, loving family. Nonetheless, the reader senses, even in these early passages, that the stability and comfort of family are about to be exploded. Shining through Victor’s narration of a joyful childhood and an eccentric adolescence is a glimmer of the great tragedy that will soon overtake him. Women in Frankenstein fit into few roles: the loving, sacrificial mother; the innocent, sensitive child; and the concerned, confused, abandoned lover. Throughout the novel, they are universally passive, rising only at the most extreme moments to demand action from the men around them. The language Victor uses to describe the relationship between his mother and father supports this image of women’s passivity: in reference to his mother, he says that his fathe r â€Å"came as a protecting spirit to the poor girl, who committed herself to his care.† Elizabeth, Justine Moritz, and Caroline Beaufort all fit into this mold of the passive woman.Various metanarrative comments (i.e., remarks that pertain not to the content of the narrative but rather to the telling of the narrative) remind the reader of the fact that Victor’s narrative is contained within Walton’s. Victor interrupts his story to relate how Elizabeth became a part of his family, prefacing the digression with the comment, â€Å"But before I continue my narrative, I must record an incident.† Such guiding statements structure Victor’s narrative and remind the reader that Victor is telling his story to a specific audience—Walton. Foreshadowing is ubiquitous in these chapters and, in fact, throughout the novel. Even Walton’s letters prepare the way for the tragic events that Victor will recount. Victor constantly alludes to his imminent doom; for example, he calls his interest in natural philosophy â€Å"the genius that has regulated my fate† and â€Å"the fatal impulse that led to my ruin.† Victor’s narrative is rife with nostalgia for a happier time; he dwells on the fuzzy memories of his blissful childhood with Elizabeth, his father and mother, and Henry Clerval. But even in the midst of these tranquil childhood recollections, he cannot ignore the signs of the tragedy that lies in his imminent future; he sees that each event, such as the death of his mother, is nothing but â€Å"an omen, as it were, of [his] future misery.† This heavy use of foreshadowing has a dual effect. On the one hand, it adds to the suspense of the novel, leaving the reader wondering about the nature of the awful tragedy that has caused Victor so much grief. On the other hand, it drains away some of the suspense—the reader knows far ahead of time that Victor has no hope, that all is doomed. Words like â€Å"fate,† â€Å"fatal,† and â€Å"omen† reinforce the inevitability of Victor’s tragedy, suggesting not only a sense of resignation but also, perhaps, an attempt by Victor to deny responsibility for his own misfortune. Describing his decision to study chemistry, he says, â€Å"Thus ended a day memorable to me; it decided my future destiny.† Summary: Chapter 4 Victor attacks his studies with enthusiasm and, ignoring his social life and his family far away in Geneva, makes rapid progress. Fascinated by the mystery of the creation of life, he begins to study how the human body is built (anatomy) and how it falls apart (death and decay). After several years of tireless work, he masters all that his professors have to teach him, and he goes one step further: discovering the secret of life. Privately, hidden away in his apartment where no one can see him work, he decides to begin the construction of an animate creature, envisioning the creation of a new race of wonderful beings. Zealously devoting himself to this labor, he neglects everything else—family, friends, studies, and social life—and grows increasingly pale, lonely, and obsessed. Summary: Chapter 5 One stormy night, after months of labor, Victor completes his creation. But when he brings it to life, its awful appearance horrifies him. He rushes to the next room and tries to sleep, but he is troubled by nightmares about Elizabeth and his mother’s corpse. He wakes to discover the monster looming over his bed with a grotesque smile and rushes out of the house. He spends the night pacing in his courtyard. The next morning, he goes walking in the town of Ingolstadt, frantically avoiding a return to his now-haunted apartment. As he walks by the town inn, Victor comes across his friend Henry Clerval, who has just arrived to begin studying at the university. Delighted to see Henry—a breath of fresh air and a reminder of his family after so many months of isolation and ill health—he brings him back to his apartment. Victor enters first and is relieved to find no sign of the monster. But, weakened by months of work and shock at the horrific being he has created, he immediately falls ill with a nervous fever that lasts several months. Henry nurses him back to health and, when Victor has recovered, gives him a letter from Elizabeth that had arrived during his illness. Analysis: Chapters 3–5 Whereas the first two chapters give the reader a mere sense of impending doom, these chapters depict Victor irrevocably on the way to tragedy. The creation of the monster is a grotesque act, far removed from the triumph of scientific knowledge for which Victor had hoped. His nightmares reflect his horror at what he has done and also serve to foreshadow future events in the novel. The images of Elizabeth â€Å"livid with the hue of death† prepare the reader for Elizabeth’s eventual death and connect it, however indirectly, to the creation of the monster. Victor’s pursuit of scientific knowledge reveals a great deal about his perceptions of science in general. He views science as the only true route to new knowledge: â€Å"In other studies you go as far as others have gone before you, and there is nothing more to know; but in scientific pursuit there is continual food for discovery and wonder.† Walton’s journey to the North Pole is likewise a search f or â€Å"food for discovery and wonder,† a step into the tantalizing, dark unknown. The symbol of light, introduced in Walton’s first letter (â€Å"What may not be expected in a country of eternal light?†), appears again in Victor’s narrative, this time in a scientific context. â€Å"From the midst of this darkness,† Victor says when describing his discovery of the secret of life, â€Å"a sudden light broke in upon me—a light so brilliant and wondrous.† Light reveals, illuminates, clarifies; it is essential for seeing, and seeing is the way to knowledge. Just as light can illuminate, however, so can it blind; pleasantly warm at moderate levels, it ignites dangerous flames at higher ones. Immediately after his first metaphorical use of light as a symbol of knowledge, Victor retreats into secrecy and warns Walton of â€Å"how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge.† Thus, light is balanced always by fire, the promise of new discovery by the danger of unpredictable—and perhaps tragic—consequences. The theme of secrecy manifests itself in these chapters, as Victor’s studies draw him farther and farther away from those who love and advise him. He conducts his experiments alone, following the example of the ancient alchemists, who jealously guarded their secrets, and rejecting the openness of the new sciences. Victor displays an unhealthy obsession with all of his endeavors, and the labor of creating the monster takes its toll on him. It drags him into charnel houses in search of old body parts and, even more important, isolates him from the world of open social institutions. Though Henry’s presence makes Victor become conscious of his gradual loss of touch with humanity, Victor is nonetheless unwilling to tell Henry anything about the monster. The theme of secrecy transforms itself, now linked to Victor’s shame an d regret for having ever hoped to create a new life. Victor’s reaction to his creation initiates a haunting theme that persists throughout the novel—the sense that the monster is inescapable, ever present, liable to appear at any moment and wreak havoc. When Victor arrives at his apartment with Henry, he opens the door â€Å"as children are accustomed to do when they expect a specter to stand in waiting for them on the other side,† a seeming echo of the tension-filled German ghost stories read by Mary Shelley and her vacationing companions. As in the first three chapters, Victor repeatedly addresses Walton, his immediate audience, reminding the reader of the frame narrative and of the multiple layers of storytellers and listeners. Structuring comments such as â€Å"I fear, my friend, that I shall render myself tedious by dwelling on these preliminary circumstances† both remind the reader of the target audience (Walton) and help indicate the relative importance of each passage. Shelley employs other literary devices from time to time, including apostrophe, in which the speaker addresses an inanimate object, absent person, or abstract idea. Victor occasionally addresses some of the figures from his past as if they were with him on board Walton’s ship. â€Å"Excellent friend!† he exclaims, referring to Henry. â€Å"How sincerely did you love me, and endeavor to elevate my mind, until it was on a level with your own.† Apostrophe was a favorite of Mary Shelley’s husband, Percy Bysshe Shelley, who used it often in his poetry; its occurrence here might reflect some degree of Percy’s influence on Mary’s writing.

Balance Sheet and Inventory

Chapter 4 Discussion Questions |4-1. |What are the basic benefits and purposes of developing pro forma statements and a cash budget? | | | | | |The pro-forma financial statements and cash budget enable the firm to determine its future level of asset needs and the| | |associated financing that will be required. Furthermore, one can track actual events against the projections. Bankers | | |and other lenders also use these financial statements as a guide in credit decisions. | | | | |4-2. |Explain how the collections and purchases schedules are related to the borrowing needs of the corporation. | | | | | |The collections and purchase schedules measure the speed at which receivables are collected and purchases are paid. To | | |the extent collections do not cover purchasing costs and other financial requirements, the firm must look to borrowing | | |to cover the deficit. | | | | |4-3. |With inflation, what are the implications of using LIFO and FIFO inventory methods? How do they affect the cost of | | |goods sold? | | | | |LIFO inventory valuation assumes the latest purchased inventory becomes part of the cost of goods sold, while the FIFO | | |method assigns inventory items that were purchased first to the cost of goods sold. In an inflationary environment, the| | |LIFO method will result in a higher cost of goods sold figure and one that more accurately matches the sales dollars | | |recorded at urrent dollars. | | | | |4-4. |Explain the relationship between inventory turnover and purchasing needs. | | | | | |The more rapid the turnover of inventory, the greater the need for purchase and replacement. Rapidly turning inventory | | |makes for somewhat greater ease in foreseeing future requirement s and reduces the cost of carrying inventory. | | | |4-5. |Rapid corporate growth in sales and profits can cause financing problems. Elaborate on this statement. | | | | | |Rapid growth in sales and profits is often associated with rapid growth in asset commitment. A $100,000 increase in | | |sales may cause a $50,000 increase in assets, with perhaps only $10,000 of the new financing coming from profits. It | | |is very seldom that incremental profits from sales expansion can meet new financing needs. | | | |4-6. |Discuss the advantage and disadvantage of level production schedules in firms with cyclical sales. | | | | | |Level production in a cyclical industry has the advantage of allowing for the maintenance of a stable work force and | | |reducing inefficiencies caused by shutting down production during slow periods and accelerating work during crash | | |production periods. A major drawback is that a large stock of inventory may be accumulated during the slow sales | | |period. This inventory may be expensive to finance, with an associated danger of obsolescence. | | | | |4-7. |What conditions would help make a percent-of-sales forecast almost as accurate as pro forma financial statements and | | |cash budgets? | | | | | |The percent-of-sales forecast is only as good as the functional relationship of assets and liabilities to sales. To | | |the extent that past relationships accurately depict the future, the percent-of-sales method will give values that | | |reasonably represent the values derived through the pro-forma statements and the cash budget. | Chapter 4 Problems 1. Eli Lilly is very excited because sales for his nursery and plant company are expected to double from $600,000 to $1,200,000 next year. Eli notes that net assets (Assets — Liabilities) will remain at 50 percent of sales. His firm will enjoy an 8 percent return on total sales. He will start the year with $120,000 in the bank and is bragging about the Jaguar and luxury townhouse he will buy. Does his optimistic outlook for his cash position appear to be correct? Compute his likely cash balance or deficit for the end of the year. Start with beginning cash and subtract the asset buildup (equal to 50 percent of the sales increase) and add in profit. 1 Solution: Eli Lilly Beginning cash$120,000 – Asset buildup(300,000)(1/2 ? $600,000) Profit 96,000(8% ? $1,200,000) Ending cash($84,000)Deficit No, he will actually end up with a negative cash balance. 2. In problem 1 if there had been no increase in sales and all other facts were the same, what would Eli’s ending cash balance be? What lesson do the examples in problems 1 and 2 illustrate? 4-2. Solution: Eli Lilly (continued) Beginning cash$120,000 No asset buildup—– Profit 48,000(8% ? $600,000) Ending cash$168,000 The lesson to be learned is that increased sales can increase the financing requirements and reduce cash even for a profitable firm. 3. Gibson Manufacturing Corp. expects to sell the following number of units of steel cables at the prices indicated under three different scenarios in the economy. The probability of each outcome is indicated. What is the expected value of the total sales projection? OutcomeProbabilityUnitsPrice A0. 20100$20 B0. 5018025 C0. 3021030 4-3. Solution: Gibson Manufacturing Corporation |(1) |(2) |(3) |(4) |(5) |(6) | | | | | | |Expected | | | | | |Total |Value | Outcome |Probability |Units |Price |Value |(2 ? 5) | |A |. 20 |100 |$20 |2,000 |400 | |B |. 50 |180 |$25 |4,500 |2,250 | |C |. 0 |210 |$30 |6,300 |1,8900 | | | |Total expected value |$4,540 | 4. The Alliance Corp. expects to sell the following number of units of copper cables at the prices indicated, under three different scenarios in the economy. The probability of each outcome is indicated. What is the expected value of the total sales projection? OutcomeProbabilityUnitsPrice A0. 30200$15 B0. 5032030 C0. 2041040 4-4. Solution: Alliance Corporation |(1) |(2) |(3) |(4) |(5) |(6) | | | | | | |Expected | | | | | |Total |Value | |Outcome |Probability |Units |Price |Value |(2 ? ) | |A |. 30 |200 |$15 |$3,000 | 900 | |B |. 50 |320 |$30 |9,600 | 4,800 | |C |. 20 |410 |$40 |16,400 | 3,280 | | | |Total expected value |$8,980 | . ER Medical Supplies had sales of 2,000 units at $160 per unit last year. The marketing manager projects a 25 percent increase in unit volume this year with a 10 percent price increase. Returned merchandise will represent 5 percent of total sales. What is your net dollar sales projection for this year? 4-5. Solution: ER Medical Supplies | |Unit volume 2,000 ? 1. 25 |2,500 | | |Price $160 ? . 10 |$176 | | |Total Sales |$440,000 | | |Returns (6%) |22,000 | | |Net Sales |$418,000 | 6. Cyber Security Systems had sales of 3,000 units at $50 per unit last year. The marketing manager projects a 20 percent increase in unit volume sales this year with a 10 percent price increase. Returned merchandise will represent 6 percent of total sales. What is your net dollar sales projection for this year? 4-6. Solution: Cyber Security Systems |Unit volume 3,000 ? 1. 20 |3,600 | |Price $50 ? 1. 10 |? 55 | |Total Sales |$198,000 | |Returns (6%) |11,880 | |Net Sales |$186,120 | 7. Sales for Ross Pro’s Sports Equipment are expected to be 4,800 units for the coming month. The company likes to maintain 10 percent of unit sales for each month in ending inventory. Beginning inventory is 300 units. How many units should the firm produce for the coming month? 4-7. Solution: Ross Pro’s Sports Equipment |+ |Projected sales |4,800 |units | |+ |Desired ending inventory |480 |(10% ? ,800) | |– |Beginning inventory | 300 | | | |Units to be produced |4,980 | | | | | 8. Digitex, Inc. , had sales of 6,000 units in March. A 50 percent increase is expected in April. The company will maintain 5 percent of expected unit sales for April in ending inventory. Beginning inventory for April was 200 units. How many units should the company produce in April? 4-8. Solution: Digitex, Inc. |+ |Projected sales |9,000 |units (6,000 ? 1. 5) | |+ |Desired ending inventory |450 |units (5% ? ,000) | |– |Beginning inventory | 200 |units | | |Units to be produced |9,250 |units | 9. Hoover Electronics has beginning inventory of 22,000 units, will sell 60,000 units for the coming month, and desires to reduce ending inventory to 30 percent of beginning inventory. How many units should Hoover produce? 4-9. Solution: Hoover Electronics + |Projected sales |60,000 |units | |+ |Desired ending inventory |6,600 |(30% ? 22,000) | |– |Beginning inventory | 22,000 |units | | |Units to be produced |44,600 |units | 0. On December 31 of last year, Barton Air Filters had in inventory 600 units of its product, which costs $2 8 per unit to produce. During January, the company produced 1,200 units at a cost of $32 per unit. Assuming Barton Air Filters sold 1,500 units in January, what was the cost of goods sold (assume FIFO inventory accounting)? 4-10. Solution: Barton Air Filters |Cost of goods sold on 1,500 units | | | | | | | |Old inventory: | | | | Quantity (Units) |600 | | | Cost per unit |$ 28 | | | Total |$ 16,800 | | | | | | |New inventory: | | | | Quantity (Units) |900 | | | Cost per unit |$ 32 | | | Total |$28,800 | | |Total Cost of Goods Sold |$45,600 | 11. On December 31 of last year, Wolfson Corporation had in inventory 400 units of its product, which cost $21 per unit to produce. During January, the company produced 800 units at a cost of $24 per unit. Assuming that Wolfson Corporation sold 700 units in January, what was the cost of goods sold (assume FIFO inventory accounting)? 4-11. Solution: Wolfson Corporation |Cost of goods sold on 700 units | | | | |Old inventory: | | | Quantit y (Units) |400 | | Cost per unit |$ 21 | | Total |$ 8,400 | | | | |New inventory: | | | Quantity (Units) |300 | | Cost per unit |$ 24 | | Total |$ 7,200 | |Total Cost of Goods Sold |$15,600 | 12. At the end of January, Lemon Auto Parts had an inventory of 825 units, which cost $12 per unit to produce. During February the company produced 750 units at a cost of $16 per unit. If the firm sold 1,050 units in February, what was its cost of goods sold? a. Assume LIFO inventory accounting. b. Assume FIFO inventory accounting. 4-12. Solution: Lemon Auto Parts a. LIFO Accounting |Cost of goods sold on 1,050 units | | |New inventory: | | | Quantity (Units) |750 | | Cost per unit $ 16 | | Total |$12,000 | |Old inventory: | | | Quantity (Units) |300 | | Cost per unit |$ 12 | | Total |$ 3,600 | |Total Cost of Goods Sold |$15,600 | b. FIFO Accounting Cost of goods sold on 1,050 units | | |Old inventory: | | | Quantity (Units) |825 | | Cost per unit |$ 12 | | Total |$ 9,900 | |New inventory: | | | Quantity (Units) |225 | | Cost per unit |$ 16 | | Total |$ 3,600 | |Total Cost of Goods Sold |$15,600 | 13. Convex Mechanical Supplies produces a product with the following costs as of July 1, 2009: Material$ 6 Labor4 Overhead 2 $12 Beginning inventory at these costs on July 1 was 5,000 units. From July 1 to December 1, Convex produced 15,000 units. These units had a material cost of $10 per unit. The costs for labor and overhead were the same. Convex uses FIFO inventory accounting. Assuming that Convex sold 17,000 units during the last six months of the year at $20 each, what would gross profit be? What is the value of ending inventory? 4-13. Solution: Convex Mechanical Supplies |Sales (17,000 @ $20) | | |$340,000 | | |Cost of goods sold: | | | | | |Old inventory: | | | | | | Quantity (units) |5,000 | | | | | Cost per unit |$ 12 | | | | |Total | |$ 60,000 | | | |New inventory: | | | | | | Quantity (units) |12,000 | | | | | Cost per unit |$ 16 | | | | |Total | |$192,000 | | |Total cost of goods | | | | | |sold | | |$252,000 | | |Gross profit | | |$ 88,000 | | | | | | | | |Value of ending | | | | | |inventory: | | | | | |Beginning inventory | | | | | |(5,000 ( $ 12) | |$ 60,000 | | | |+ Total production | | | | | |(15,000 ( $16) | |$240,000 | | | |Total inventory | | | | | |available for sale | |$300,000 | | | |– Cost of good sold | |$252,000 | | | |Ending inventory | |$ 48,000 | | | |or | | | | | |3,000 units ( $16 = $48,000 | 14. Assume in problem 13 that Convex used LIFO accounting instead of FIFO. What would gross profit be? What is the value of ending inventory? 4-14. Solution: Convex Mechanical Supplies (Continued) |Sales (17,000 @ $20) | | |$340,000 | | |Cost of goods sold: | | | | | |New inventory: | | | | | | Quantity (units) |15,000 | | | | | Cost per unit †¦.. |$ 16 | | | | |Total †¦.. |$240,000 | | | |Old inventory: | | | | | | Quantity (units) †¦.. |2,000 | | | | | Cost per unit †¦.. |$ 12 | | | | |Total †¦.. | |$ 24,000 | | | |Total cost of goods | | | | | |sold †¦.. | | |$264,000 | | |Gross profit †¦.. | |$ 76,000 | | | | | | | | |Value of ending | | | | | |inventory: | | | | | |Be ginning inventory | | | | | |(5,000 ( $12) †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ |$ 60,000 | | |+ |Total production | | | | | |(15,000 ( $16) †¦.. | |$240,000 | | | |Total inventory | | | | | |available for sale †¦.. | |$300,000 | | |– |Cost of good sold †¦.. | |$264,000 | | | |Ending inventory †¦.. |$ 36,000 | | | |OR | | | | | |3,000 units ( $12 = $36,000 | 15. Jerrico Wallboard Co. had a beginning inventory of 7,000 units on January 1, 2008. The costs associated with the inventory were: Material$9. 00 unit Labor5. 00 unit Overhead4. 10 unit During 2004, Jerrico produced 28,500 units with the following costs: Material$11. 50 unit Labor4. 80 unit Overhead5. 20 unit Sales for the year were 31,500 units at $29. 60 each. Jerrico uses LIFO accounting. What was the gross profit? What was the value of ending inventory? 4-15. Solution: Jerrico Wallboard Co. | |Sales (31,500 @ $29. 0) | | |$932,400 | | |Cost of goods sold: | | | | | |New inventory: | | | | | | Quantity (units) |28,500 | | | | | Cost per unit |$ 22. 50 | | | | |Total | |$641,250 | | | |Old inventory: | | | | | | Quantity (units) |3,000 | | | | | Cost per unit |$ 18. 0 | | | | |Total | |$ 54,300 | | | |Total cost of goods | | | | | |sold | | |$695,550 | | |Gross profit | | |$236,850 | | | | | | | | |Value of ending inventory: | | | | | |Beginning inventory | | | | | |(7,000 ( $18. 10) | |$126,700 | | | |+ Total production | |$641,250 | | | |(28,500 ( $22. 50) | | | | |Total inventory | | | | | |available for sale | |$767,950 | | | |– Cost of good sold | |$695,550 | | | |Ending inventory | |$ 72,400 | | | |OR | | | | | |4,000 units ( $18. 10 = $72,400 | 16. J. Lo’s Clothiers has forecast credit sales for the fourth quarter of the year as: September (actual)$70,000 Fourth Quarter October$60,000 November55,000 December80,000 Experience has shown that 30 percent of sales are collected in the month of sale, 60 percent in the following month, and 10 percent are never collected. Prepare a schedule of cash receipts for J. Lo’s Clothiers covering the fourth quarter (October through December). 4-16. Solution: J. Lo’s Clothiers | |September |October |November |December | |Credit sales |$70,000 |$60,000 |$55,000 $80,000 | |30% Collected in month of sales | | | | | | | |18,000 |16,500 |24,000 | |60% Collected in month after | | | | | |sales | |42,000 |36,000 |33,000 | |Total cash receipts | | | | | | | |$60,000 |$52,500 |$57,000 | 17. Victoria’s Apparel has forecast credit sales for the fourth quarter of the year as: September (actual)$50,000 Fourth Quarter October$40,000 November35,000 December60,000 Experience has shown that 20 percent of sales are collected in the month of sale, 70 percent in the following month, and 10 percent are never collected. Prepare a schedule of cash receipts for Victoria’s Apparel covering the fourth quarter (October through December). 4-17. Solution: Victoria’s Apparel | |September |October |November |December | |Credit sales |$50,000 |$40,000 |$35,000 $60,000 | |20% Collected in month of sales| | | | | | | |8,000 |7,000 |12,000 | |70% Collected in month after | | | | | |sales | |35,000 |28,000 |24,500 | |Total cash receipts | | | | | | | |$43,000 |$35,000 |$36,500 | 18. Pirate Video Company has made the following sales projections for the next six months. All sales are credit sales. March$24,000June$28,000 April30,000July35,000 May18,000August38,000 Sales in Janu ary and February were $27,000 and $26,000, respectively. Experience has shown that of total sales, 10 percent are uncollectible, 30 percent are collected in the month of sale, 40 percent are collected in the following month, and 20 percent are collected two months after sale. Prepare a monthly cash receipts schedule for the firm for March through August. Of the sales expected to be made during the six months from March through August, how much will still be uncollected at the end of August? How much of this is expected to be collected later? 4-18. Solution: Pirate Video Company Cash Receipts Schedule | |January |February |March |April | Forecasted unit sales |4,000 |10,000 |8,000 |6,000 | |+Desired ending inventory |15,000 |12,000 |9,000 | | |–Beginning inventory |6,000 |15,000 |12,000 | | |Units to be produced |13,000 |7,000 |5,000 | | |Cash Payments | | |Feb |March |April |May | |Units produced |8,000 |13,000 |7,000 |5,000 | |Materials ($7/unit) month after production | | | | | | | |$56,000 |$91,000 |$49,000 | |Labor ($3/unit) mon th of production | | | | | | | |39,000 |21,000 |15,000 | |Fixed overhead | |10,000 |10,000 |10,000 | |Dividends | | | |14,000 | |Total Cash Payments | |$105,000 |$122,000 |$88,000 | 21. Dina’s Lamp Company has forecast its sales in units as follows: |January |1,000 | |February |800 | |March |900 | |April |1,400 | |May |1,550 | |June |1,800 | |July |1,400 | Dina’s always keeps an ending inventory equal to 120 percent of the next month’s expected sales. The ending inventory for December (January’s beginning inventory) is 1,200 units, which is consistent with this policy. Materials cost $14 per unit and are paid for in the month after purchase. Labor cost is $7  per unit and is paid in the month the cost is incurred. Overhead costs are $8,000 per month. Interest of $10,000 is scheduled to be paid in March, and employee bonuses of $15,500 will be paid in June. Prepare a monthly production schedule and a monthly summary of cash payments for January through June. Dina produced 800 units in December. 4-21. Solution: Dina's Lamp Company Production Schedule | |Jan. |Feb. March |April |May |June |July | |Forecasted unit sales |1,000 | |900 |1,400 |1,550 |1,800 |1,400 | |+ Desired ending inventory |960 |1,080 |1,680 |1,860 |2,160 |1,680 | | |– Beginning inventory |1,200 | 960 |1,080 |1,680 | 1,860 | 2,160 | | |= Units to be produced |760 |920 |1,500 |1,580 |1,850 |1,320 | | |Summary of Cash Payments | | |Dec. |Jan. |Feb. |M arch |April |May |June | |Units roduced |800 |760 |920 |1,500 |1,580 |1,850 |1,320 | |Material cost ($14/unit) month after purchase | | | | | | | | | | |$11,200 |$10,640 |$12,880 |$21,000 |$22,120 |$25,900 | |Labor cost ($5/unit) month incurred | | | | | | | | | | |5,320 |6,440 |10,500 |11,060 |12,950 |$9,240 | |Overhead cost | |8,000 |8,000 |8,000 |8,000 |8,000 |8,000 | |Interest | | | |10,000 | | | | |Employee bonuses | | | | | | |15,500 | |Total Cash Payments | |$24,520 |$25,080 |$41,380 |$40,060 |$43,070 |$58,640 | 22. Graham Potato Company has projected sales of $6,000 in September, $10,000 in October, $16,000 in November, and $12,000 in December. Of the company’s sales, 20 percent are paid for by cash and 80 percent are sold on credit. Experience, shows that 40 percent of accounts receivable are paid in the month after the sale, while the remaining 60 percent are paid two months after. Determine collections for November and December. Also assume Graham’s cash payments for November and December are $13,000 and $6,000, respectively. The beginning cash balance in November is $5,000, which is the desired minimum balance. Prepare a cash budget with borrowing needed or repayments for November and December. (You will need to prepare a cash receipts schedule first. ) 4-22. Solution: Graham Potato Company Cash Receipts Schedule |September |October |November |December | |Sales |$6,000 |$10,000 |$16,000 |$12,000 | |Credit sales (80%) |4,800 |8,000 |12,800 |9,600 | |Cash sales (20%) |1,200 |2,000 |3,200 |2,400 | |Collections in month after| | | | | |sales (40%) | | |3,200 |5,120 | |Collections two months | | | | | |after sa les (60%) | | |2,880 |4,800 | |Total cash receipts | | | | | | | | |$9,280 |$12,320 | Graham Potato Company (Continued) Cash Budget | |November |December | |Cash receipts |$ 9,280 |$12,320 | |Cash payments |13,000 |6,000 | |Net Cash Flow |(3,720) |6,320 |Beginning Cash Balance |5,000 |5,000 | |Cumulative Cash Balance |1,280 |11,320 | |Monthly Loan or (Repayment) |3,720 |(3,720) | |Cumulative Loan Balance |3,720 |-0- | |Ending Cash Balance |$ 5,000 |$ 7,600 | 23. Juan’s Taco Company has restaurants in five college towns. Juan wants to expand into Austin and College Station and needs a bank loan to do this. Mr. Bryan, the banker, will finance construction if Juan can present an acceptable three-month financial plan for January through March. Following are actual and forecasted sales figures: Actual |Forecast |Additional | | | |Information | |November |$120,000 |January |$190,000 |April forecast |$230,000 | |December |140,000 |February | 210,000 | | | | | |March | 230,000 | | | Of Juan’s sales, 30 percent are for cash and the remaining 70 percent are on credit. Of  credit sales, 40 percent are paid in the month after sale and 60 percent are paid in the second month after the sale. Materials cost 20 percent of sales and are paid for in cash. Labor expense is 50 percent of sales and is also paid in the month of sales. Selling and administrative expense is 5 percent of sales and is also paid in the month of sales. Overhead expense is $12,000 in cash per month; depreciation expense is $25,000 per month. Taxes of $20,000 and dividends of $16,000 will be paid in March. Cash at the beginning of January is $70,000, and the minimum desired cash balance is $65,000. For January, February, and March, prepare a schedule of monthly cash receipts, monthly cash payments, and a complete monthly cash budget with borrowings and repayments. 4-23. Solution: Juan's Taco Company Cash Receipts Schedule |November |December |January |February |March |April | |Sales |$120,000 |$140,000 |$190,000 |$210,000 |$230,000 |$230,000 | |Credit sales (70%) |84,000 |98,000 |133,000 |147,000 |161,000 |161,000 | |Cash sales (30%) |36,000 |42,000 |57,000 |63,000 |69,000 |69,000 | |Collections (month after credit sales) | | | | | | | |40% | |33,600 |39,200 |53, 200 |58,800 |64,400 | |Collections (two months after credit | | | | | | | |sales) 60% | | |50,400 |58,800 |79,800 |88,200 | |Total Cash Receipts | | |$146,600 |$175,000 |$207,600 | | 4-23. (Continued) Juan’s Taco Company Cash Payments Schedule | |January |February |March | |Payments for Material Purchases (20% of current month’s sales) |$ 38,000 |$ 42,000 |$46,000 | |Labor Expense (50% of sales) |95,000 |105,000 |115,000 | |Selling and Admin. Exp. 5% of sales) |9,500 |10,500 |11,500 | |Overhead |12,000 |12,000 |12,000 | |Taxes | | |20,000 | |Dividends | | |16,000 | |Total Cash Payments* |$154,500 |$169,500 |$220,500 | *The $25,000 of depreciation is excluded because it is not a cash expense. 4-23. (Continued) Juan’s Taco Company Cash Budget | |January |February |March | |Total Cash Receipts $146,600 |$175,000 |$207,600 | |Total Cash Payments | 154,500 | 169,500 | 220,500 | |Net Cash Flow |(7,900) |5,500 |(12,900) | |Beginning Cash Balance |70,000 |65,000 |67,600 | |Cumulative Cash Balance |62,100 |70,500 |54,700 | |Monthly Loan or (repayment) |2,900 |(2,900) |10,300 | |Cumulative Loan Balance |2,900 |-0- |10,300 | |Ending Cash Balance |$ 65,000 |$ 67,600 |$ 65,000 | 24. Hickman Avionics’s actual sales and purchases for April and May are shown here along with forecasted sales and purchases for June through September. |Sales |Purchases | |April (actual) |$410,000 |$220,000 | |May (actual) |400,000 |210,000 | |June (forecast) |380,000 |200,000 | |July (forecast) |360,000 |250,000 | |August (forecast) |390,000 |300,000 | |September (forecast) |420,000 |220,000 | The company makes 10 percent of its sales for cash and 90 percent on credit. Of the credit sales, 20 percent are collected in the month after the sale and 80 percent are collected two months later. Hickman pays for 40 percent of its purchases in the month after purchase and 60 percent two months after. Labor expense equals 10 percent of the current month’s sales. Overhead expense equals $15,000 per month. Interest payments of $40,000 are due in June and September. A cash dividend of $20,000 is scheduled to be paid in June. Tax payments of $35,000 are due in June a nd September. There is a scheduled capital outlay of $300,000 in September. Hickman Avionics’s ending cash balance in May is $20,000. The minimum desired cash balance is $15,000. Prepare a schedule of monthly cash receipts, monthly cash payments, and a complete monthly cash budget with borrowing and repayments for June through September. The maximum desired cash balance is $50,000. Excess cash (above $50,000) is used to buy marketable securities. Marketable securities are sold before borrowing funds in case of a cash shortfall (less than $15,000). 4-24. Solution: Hickman Avionics Cash Receipts Schedule | |April |May |June |July |Aug. |Sept. |Sales |$410,000 |$400,000 |$380,000 |$360,000 |$390,000 |$420,000 | |Credit Sales (90%) |369,000 |360,000 |342,00 |324,000 |351,000 |378,000 | |Cash Sales (10%) |41,000 |40,000 |38,000 |36,000 |39,000 |42,000 | |Collections (month after sale) 20% | | | | | | | | |73,800 |72,000 |68,400 |64,800 |70,200 | |Collections (second month after sale) 80% | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |295,200 |288,000 |273,600 |259,2 00 | |Total Cash Receipts | | |$405,200 |$392,400 |$377,400 |$371,400 | 4-24. (Continued) Hickman Avionics Cash Payments Schedule | |April |May |June |July |Aug. |Sept. |Purchases |$220,000 |$210,000 |$200,000 |$250,000 |$300,000 |$220,000 | |Payments (month after purchase—40%) | | | | | | | | | |88,000 |84,000 |80,000 |100,000 |120,000 | |Payments (second month after purchase—60%) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |132,000 |126,000 |120,000 |150,000 |Labor Expense | | | | | | | |(10% of sales) | | |38,000 |36,000 |39,000 |42,000 | |Overhead | | |15,000 |15,000 |15,000 |15,000 | |Interest Payments | | |40,000 | | |40,000 | |Cash Dividend | | |20,000 | | | | |Taxes | | |35,000 | | |35,000 | |Capital Outlay | | | | | |300,000 | |Total Cash Payments | | |$364,000 |$257,000 |$274,000 |$702,000 | 4-24. (Continued) Hickman Avionics Cash Budget | |June |July |August |September | |Cash Receipts |$405,200 |$392,400 |$377,400 |$371,400 | |Cash Payments |364,000 |257,000 274,0 00 |702,000 | |Net Cash Flow |41,200 |135,400 |103,400 |(330,600) | |Beginning Cash Balance |20,000 |50,000 |50,000 |50,000 | |Cumulative Cash Balance |61,200 |185,400 |153,400 |(280,600) | |Monthly Borrowing or (Repayment) |– |– |– |*80,600 | |Cumulative Loan Balance |– |– |– |80,600 | |Marketable Securities Purchased |11,200 |135,400 |103,400 |– | | (Sold) | |– |– |250,000 | |Cumulative Marketable Securities |11,200 |146,600 |250,000 |– | |Ending Cash Balance |50,000 |50,000 |50,000 |50,000 | *Cumulative Marketable Sec. (Aug)$250,000 Cumulative Cash Balance (Sept)–280,600 Required (ending) Cash Balance 50,000 Monthly Borrowing–$80,600 25. Carter Paint Company has plants in nine midwestern states. Sales for last year were $100 million, and the balance sheet at year-end is similar in percentage of sales to that of previous years (and this will continue in the future). All assets (including fixed assets) and current liabilities will vary directly with sales. BALANCE SHEET (in $ millions) AssetsLiabilities and Stockholders’ Equity Cash$ 5Accounts payable$15 Accounts receivable15Accrued wages6 Inventory30Accrued taxes4 Current assets50 Current liabilities25 Fixed assets 40Notes payable30 Common stock15 Retained earnings 20 Total liabilities and Total assets$90 stockholders’ equity$90 Carter Paint has an aftertax profit margin of 5 percent and a dividend payout ratio of 30  percent. If sales grow by 10 percent next year, determine how many dollars of new funds are needed to finance the expansion. (Assume Carter Paint is already using assets at full capacity and that plant must be added. ) 4-25. Solution: Carter Paint Company [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic][pic] [pic] 26. Jordan Aluminum Supplies has the following financial statements, which are representative of the company’s historical average. Income Statement Sales$300,000 Expenses 247,000 Earnings before interest and taxes$ 53,000 Interest 3,000 Earnings before taxes$ 50,000 Taxes 20,000 Earnings after taxes$ 30,000 Dividends$ 18,000 Balance Sheet AssetsLiabilities and Stockholders’ Equity Cash $ 8,000Accounts payable$ 6,000 Accounts receivable20,000Accrued wages2,000 Inventory62,000Accrued taxes4,000 Current assets$ 90,000 Current liabilities$ 12,000 Fixed assets 100,000Notes payable10,000 Long-term debt20,000 Common stock80,000 Retained earnings68,000 Total liabilities and Total assets $190,000 stockholders’ equity$190,000 Jordan is expecting a 20 percent increase in sales next year, and management is concerned about the company’s need for external funds. The increase in sales is expected to be carried out without any expansion of fixed assets, but rather through more efficient asset utilization in the existing stores. Among liabilities, only current liabilities vary directly with sales. Using the percent-of-sales method, determine whether Jordan Aluminum has external financing needs. (Hint: A profit margin and payout ratio must be found from the income statement. ) 4-26. Solution: Jordan Aluminum Supplies [pic] Change in Sales = 20% ? $300,000 = $60,000 Spontaneous Assets = Current Asserts = Cash + Acc. Rec. + Inventory Spontaneous Liabilities = Acc. Payable + Accr. Wages + Accr. Taxes [pic] The firm needs $1,200 in external funds. 27. Cambridge Prep Shops, a national clothing chain, had sales of $200 million last year. The business has a steady net profit margin of 12 percent and a dividend payout ratio of 40 percent. The balance sheet for the end of last year is shown below. Balance Sheet End of Year (in $ millions) AssetsLiabilities and Stockholders’ Equity Cash$ 10Accounts payable$ 15 Accounts receivable15Accrued expenses5 Inventory50Other payables40 Plant and equipment 75Common stock30 Retained earnings 60 Total liabilities and Total assets$150 stockholders’ equity$150 Cambridge’s marketing staff tells the president that in this coming year there will be a large increase in the demand for tweed sport coats and various shoes. A sales increase of 15 percent is forecast for the Prep Shop. All balance sheet items are expected to maintain the same percent-of-sales relationships as last year*, except for common stock and retained earnings. No change is scheduled in the number of common stock shares outstanding, and retained earnings will change as dictated by the profits and dividend policy of the firm. (Remember the net profit margin is 12 percent. ) a. Will external financing be required for the Prep Shop during the coming year? b. What would be the need for external financing if the net profit margin went up to 14  percent and the dividend payout ratio was increased to 70 percent? Explain. * This included fixed assets are the firm is at full capacity. 4-27. Solution: Cambridge Prep Shops a. [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] A negative figure for required new funds indicates that an excess of funds ($3. 06 mil. ) is available for new investment. No external funds are needed. b. [pic] [pic] The net profit margin increased slightly, from 12% to 14%, which decreases the need for external funding. The dividend payout ratio increased tremendously, however, from 40% to 70%, necessitating more external f

Corporate Elite essays

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Elementary School Science Fair Projects

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