news article assignment: part 2 - the assignment

Collect 5 recent (within the last 6 months) newspaper articles relating to the same topic from a newspaper (hard copy or online newpaper), and tell us about them. The topic should be related to business or politics. Make sure your article comes from a newspaper. There are lots of sites that might look like newspapers, but they are different. (Yahoo news, for example, is not a newspaper.) If you choose some of the bigger names, such as New York Times and Washington Post and Japan Times, you will be fine. In each summary, use reported speech at least three times (underlined in the example above).
Summarize each article like the example given in the post above, and give your comment about the article at the end. Your comment should be detailed, informative, and interesting. State the source of each article in the reference list: Number the references according to the article order and number each article too.  The reference list should state the article title, the publication in which it appeared, the date, and the source (either the URL or the page # of the newspaper). 
The contents and the news reported in each article should be different and published on different days. 
After you report on each article in turn, write a paragraph or two in which you comment on the collection of articles as a whole - how the topic developed and what you learned from the assignment.

Possible topics include:
iPhone 6
Alibaba
Sales tax issue in Japan
and many many more

In any case, you should choose your topic by Friday September 26 and email me to tell me what it is. Late emails will receive a penalty.
The assignment is due October 14 at the beginning of class. Articles less than 200 words are not permitted. Each article should go into some detail. 

news article collection assignment: part 1 - sample

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/06/10/business/corporate-business/uniqlo-set-raise-prices-summer/#.VCAI_0urKDo

Example of reading and summarizing a newspaper article below. Read the original article first.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/06/10/business/corporate-business/uniqlo-set-raise-prices-summer/#.VCAI_0urKDo

Simple summary:
Example:
I read an article about Uniqlo reported in The Japan Times Newspaper. It was published on June 10, 2014. According to the article, Uniqlo will raise its prices by 5% this year.  It also said that it was the first time that prices would be raised since the company started in 1984.
The president of Uniqlo said that prices would start to be raised from July. The article said that there were two reasons for raising prices: first, because of the rising cost of raw materials needed to make Uniqlo goods, and second, because the yen has been weakening.
I think                                          because                                              .

Reference
"Uniqlo set to raise prices this summer." The Japan Times, June 10, 2014. http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/06/10/business/corporate-business/uniqlo-set-raise-prices-summer/#.VCAI_0urKDo

Presentation strategies

This post covers 5 presentation strategies for you to try and use.

1. Catch the Audience's Attention and Introduce Your Presentation
When you begin, it is important to greet your audience and get their attention.
Techniques: 
*Ask a question to get the audience involved.
i.e. How many of you . . .?
After you ask your question, give the audience time to raise their hands, and briefly mention what you notice from their answers.
*Provide an interesting fact, definition, or quote.
i.e. Did you know that . . .?
* Tell an interesting story.
i.e., The other day . . . . . 

Once you have gotten your audience's attention, it is important to introduce your topic and provide a plan, or outline, of the main points you will discuss. This will let your audience know what to expect and it will make it easier for your audience to follow your idea. Besides that, it will help you get and keep organized and on track.
Techniques:
* Today, I am going to talk about . . . .
* I'll begin with . . . .  Next, . . .  . After that, . . . . Finally,  . . . .
Use a numbered list.
* First, second, third, fourth, last.

2. Signal a Transition
Transitions help the audience see a presenter's organization. A speaker can use transitions to remind listeners of the overall plan of the presentation. Transitions are especially important in longer presentations where listeners can become tired and lose focus. Some transitions show what is coming next. Others are short summaries of saying what you have discussed so far. Often, these two transition types are used together.
Example: 
* Okay, we've talked about . . . Next, let's discuss . . . . 

3. Use Effective Visuals
These can make your presentation more interesting and easier to understand. They can also help you organize your presentation. However, if your visuals are not designed or explained clearly, they can be distracting or confusing.
Techniques:
* Use a suitable number of visuals (slides or images) for the time you have.
* Limit text to about 6 lines per slide.
* Use text that is at least 24 point font and easy to read.
* Use a dark background with light text or the opposite.
* Put titles on visuals and label charts, graphs, or other diagrams.
* Make good use of the visual by explaining it clearly without looking at the screen.

TWO ADVANCED TECHNIQUES
4. Use Non-Verbal Signals
Your facial expressions, body movements, and hand gestures contribute to how your audience perceives and understands you. Learning to use effective non-verbal signals can establish a feeling of closeness with your audience, show confidence, symbolize important ideas, and improve the emphasis in your voice. As a result, you will look and sound more like a native speaker of English.
Techniques:
* Use facial expressions to show friendliness and confidence.
* Learn common gestures used to symbolize ideas or actions, such as listing or contrasting ideas.
* Gesture on key words to emphasize their importance.

5. Highlight Key Points and Deliver a Take-Home Message
The ending is as important to the success of the presentation as the beginning. A strong conclusion will make the key points more memorable and help the audience see the relevance of your ideas to their lives. An effective ending will do three things: 1. signal that you are about to end, 2. highlight the ideas, and 3. deliver a "take-home" message. That message could be a final thought, a recommendation, a prediction, a challenge or a questions. The take-home message encourages your audience to reflect on your ideas and connect them to their lives, and the world.
Examples of take-home idea phrases:
* I'd like to leave you with these thoughts . . . .
* So next time you . . . remember that….
* Please think about . . . . 

Summer vacation writing assignment

I would like you to write a short research paper/report about the product/company that you chose for your presentations. The focus of the paper is up to you. Think of a question you want to know the answer to and find the answers to it and write about it. This paper should have some statistics or data which you can get from the internet or other easy-to-find sources. To start, think about what you would like to find out, make a question, and do a little research to see if your question is suitable and answerable. When you are sure about your research question, please consult with me. Once I give you the green light, you can go ahead.

Since you will be using some research for this paper, you must include a reference list at the end of the paper for you to write the sources of your data. The title of this section should be "References" (or "Reference" if you have only one).
Most likely, you will consult an internet source. Your reference for an internet source should be:
Name of article. The date it was posted if it is shown. Name of site where you got it. URL.
   Example using the entry from this HP:
"Guinea pig - meaning." 2014.06.19. Intensive Business Today 2014. <http://intensive2014.blogspot.jp/2014/06/guinea-pig-meaning.html>

If you use a book or some other type of data source, please contact me and I will tell you how to write a reference for it.
The structure or your paper should be (the starred words should be your section headings):
     *Introduction - give a general introduction and background and then say what your research question is like this:
                       The research question to be answered in this paper is xxxxxxxxxx.
     *Research and discussion - explain what you found out
     *Conclusion - wrap up
     *References - list up
I cannot assign you a specific topic for this assignment, since your topics are different. Please find a good topic/research question yourself!

Deadline to confirm the topic - August 4 (Monday)
Paper due - September 16 (Tuesday - first class back after summer vacation)
Length of paper - 2-4 typed (12-point Times font), 1.5 spaced. At the top of page one, type your title in the centre and your name only (no student #) on the right side of the same line.
As you have found out, it is very easy to make typing mistakes! Please check your spelling and typing very carefully. Relying on the spellchecker is not enough. Do a human check too.

I will be available by email mostly throughout the summer vacation. If you have any questions once you get started, please get in touch at my uni email address: laura.macgregor@gakushuin.ac.jp

Guinea pig - meaning

According to your textbook (p. 77) a guinea pig is a person used for a test. Here is an example of a guinea pig - Mikey in a commercial for Life cereal.
Watch it and see what the test is:

"Let's get Mikey. He won't eat it. He hates everything. Hey Mikey! He likes it!"

Suntory taps Lawson boss for president job

Quickly read the article about a change in the leader at Suntory below from The Japan Times and with a partner, scan the article to find the answers to the 6questions below.
(Scanning means to search quickly to find specific information. It is different from skimreading, which means to quickly read a passage to get the main idea.)

1. Who will become Suntory President?
2. When will he start?
3. Why was he chosen?
4. Why is this choice unusual for suntory?
5. What is the latest (recent) trend for choosing company leaders reported in the article?
6. What is your opinion about this trend?

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/06/24/business/corporate-business/suntory-taps-lawson-boss-president-job/#.U6rk-4kazCQ
Suntory Holdings Ltd. is set to appoint the chairman of convenience store operator Lawson Inc. as its president, the first time someone from outside the founding family.

Takeshi Niinami will step into the role on Oct. 1. By choosing the 55-year-old, Suntory hopes to accelerate its business expansion, sources said.

Niinami “has an international outlook, vigor, and an ability to crisscross the world, and connections,” current chairman and president, 68-year-old Nobutada Saji, told reporters in Tokyo. “I have big hopes for him.” The appointment will be finalized at a board meeting on July 1.

Saji said he chose the Lawson chairman partly because the younger generation of Suntory’s founding family did not have sufficient experience.

Niinami comes from trading house Mitsubishi Corp., which he joined in 1981. As Lawson president, he oversaw impressive results for the convenience store chain. He became Lawson chairman last month.

As a member of the government panel on industrial competitiveness, Niinami is also a member of the government panel on industrial competitiveness. He recently proposed agricultural reform and deregulation. He is expected to leave Lawson soon to prepare for his new job.

The leadership change comes as Suntory aims to roughly double its group sales, which are now ¥4 trillion, by 2020.

Presentation #1 guidelines

The purpose of the presentation is to give you practice making a presentation. The content is important, but it merely requires you gather, choose, and organize your information. There is no indepth research involved. You will be graded mostly on the organization of your talk, your slides and your presentation style. The content (the information) will be considered when deciding your grade, but it will be less important than the other things.
This presentation is 5 minutes max. Keep that in mind as you prepare.
Target date for presentations: July 8

Prepare 4 slides for your presentation. They don't need to be elaborate (fancy). Save time and keep them simple.
Slide #1: title page
Slide #2: introduction and outline
Slide #3: information that will be in your main section (points or pictures)
Slide #4: conclusion

Technical points for your slides
1. suitable sized font - 24 point minimum?
2. keep text to a minimum - too much text on the slide is NG. Points or single words only (no full sentences). Max 3 or 4 lines?
3. check English - spelling and grammar - this is a MUST

Sample overview of  a presentation about a restaurant you like. SAMPLE ONLY
Intro - the name, location and type of restaurant
Outline - 3 points
1. point #1
2. point #2
3. point #3
Main section - explanation about the three points in your outline. Use key words/phrases in a list on your screen
Conclusion - say why you would recommend it and give advice about going there. End the presentation by asking audience for questions.

USE THIS TOPIC FOR YOUR PRESENTATION OR ANOTHER TOPIC, WITH APPROVAL
Sample overview of  a presentation about a product or company you think is successful OR why you like it. 
Intro - the name of the product/company and some background information about it
Outline - 3 features
1. feature #1
1. feature #2
3. feature #3
Main section- explanation about the three points in your outline. Use key words/phrases in a list on your screen
Conclusion - why you would recommend it or buy it again in the future. End the presentation by asking audience for questions.

Presentation style - 
1. Look up at your audience and look around at all of us.
2. Speak loudly and clearly. The projector for the screen is noisy, so make sure to speak loudly enough.
3. Do not speak too quickly. Add longer pauses between phrases and sentences than you think. When you present, you are usually nervous, which makes you speak more quickly. Slow down!
4. Look at us - DO NOT LOOK AT THE SCREEN. You have the screen in front of you and behind you. Do not look at the screen hanging from the ceiling.
5. You may use a sheet of paper, but you must hold it in your hands and not read it continually.
6. Practise! This is a must. You must get comfortable with your materials, with standing and talking, and with using good presentation style.