George my man. I’ve got this new assignment. I’ve attached a word file with the instructions and examples. I also attached the previous essay you did to use with matrix
unit_2_major_assignment__matrix_.docx
20170212214256how_oil_companies_make_huge_profits.doc
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UNIT 2 Major Assignment: The Illustration of Research
Objectives:
The Illustration of Research/Matrix Assignment is the major assignment for Unit 2. In this
assignment, you will be organizing your sources and putting them into relationships with one
another. This process of organization will help you understand your research more clearly. This
in turn will pave the way to the writing process of Unit 3.
The Matrix must include at least 8 sources, 5 of those sources for be scholarly.
The Matrix:
You will use a “matrix”—a visual chart—to help you organize your sources. Consider this blank
template:
Research Question: ______________________________________
Source #1
-Expert Opinion
-Fact/Data
Source #2
-Expert Opinion
-Fact/Data
Source #3
-Expert Opinion
-Fact/Data
Source #4
-Expert Opinion
-Fact/Data
Topic
-Expert Opinion
-Fact/Data
-Expert Opinion
-Fact/Data
-Expert Opinion
-Fact/Data
-Expert Opinion
-Fact/Data
Topic
-Expert Opinion
-Fact/Data
-Expert Opinion
-Fact/Data
-Expert Opinion
-Fact/Data
-Expert Opinion
-Fact/Data
Topic
Here’s What You Do:
1. State your most up-to-date form of your RQ.
2. Label the columns across the top of your chart with the author’s last name or with a few
keywords from the title of the work. You should have at least 8 sources listed (5 must be
scholarly).
3. Label the left column of the matrix with 4-5 topic or themes that you have noticed during
your research.
4. You may want to create a column to address the counterargument.
5. Using your Research Journals and continuing research, fill in the matrix with claims,
quotes, brief summaries, facts, and data from the source. Be sure to include page
references.
Sample Matrix:
RQ: How were women socially and economically affected by the absence of men in the workplace
as a result of World War II?
American
women were
given many
new roles,
opportunities,
and
responsibilities
in the job
market of the
war economy.
American
women in the
wartime job
force faced
sexist
prejudice and
opposition
from people
who wished to
preserve an
older, more
traditional
social order.
Cornelsen
– Women
accredited the
WASP program for
opening new doors,
challenging
stereotypes, and
proving that women
were as capable as
men (p. 113)
– Women could
compete with men
as equals in the sky
because of their
exemplary
performance (p.
116)
– WASP created
opportunities for
women that had
never previously
existed (p. 112)
– Women’s success
at flying aircrafts
“marked a pivotal
step towards
breaking the
existing gender
barrier” (p. 112)
– “From the outset
male pilots resented
women’s presence
in a traditionally
male military
setting” (p. 1113-4)
– “The WASP were
routinely assigned
inferior planes that
were later found to
have been
improperly
maintained” (p.
114)
– discrimination
against WASP at
every level of
military service,
women were only
paid 2/3 of what
men were for doing
identical tasks (p.
114)
– “In the belief that
women were
emotionally and
physically fragile,
Stewart
– WAAC (Women’s
Army Auxiliary
Corp) was 1st chance
for women to serve
in army, given full
army status in 1943
as WAC (p. 28)
– Needs of the war
were so great that
women’s traditional
social roles were
ignored (p. 30)
– Military women
paid well for the
time period and
given benefits if
they became
pregnant (p. 32)
– The 1940’s
brought more
opportunities to
women than ever
before (p. 26)
Bruley
-Women given equal
opportunities (p. 223)
– Women joined workforce
as a break from the ordinary
to help the war (p. 220)
– Unconscious decision to
cross into male-dominated
roles (p. 221)
– Seized these new
opportunities to bring about
change (p. 230)
– Women in the
military given
extensive physical
and mental tests, but
still discriminated
against, ridiculed,
and considered
inferior to men (p.
29)
– Women given unskilled
labor positions by
government because only
seen as temporary workers,
therefore no reason to train
them (p. 221-2)
– Women given less
significant work and viewed
as less intelligent and
physically able (p. 224)
-“The Church-Bliss diary
reveals how dilution
arrangements…ensured that
women working in male
preserves were prevented
from achieving any sort of
equality” (p. 230)
– more traditionally male
jobs resisted the integration
of women workers, while
other industries were less
resistant… but in most all
cases women were
considered temporary
workers (p. 221)
Scott
– Women born in
the 1920’s found
new doors open
to them where
they once would
have encountered
brick walls (p.
526)
-Even women not
directly involved
in the war were
changing
mentally by being
challenged to
expand their
horizons because
of the changing
world around
them (p. 562)
– War also
brought
intellectual
expansion to
many people (p.
557)
Cornelsen
the military
questioned
women’s
capabilities to fly
an aircraft” (p. 1145), regardless of
their training or
aptitude
– WASP’s not
granted veteran
status until 1979 (p.
115)
Counterargument:
In the end,
WWII did not
have a great
effect on the
socioeconomic
roles of
women.
Stewart
– Women put in
untraditional roles
during/because of
the war, but back to
previous subservient
roles after the war
(p. 35)
Bruley
– Equal pay rarely given to
women, even though women
did the same work (p. 221)
– Women occasionally
found their way to positions
of importance, but were
always treated as inferior (p.
226-8)
– After the war, women were
the first to be let go because
of their temporary status (p.
230)
– Women in the workforce
also faced discrimination
from labor unions (p. 226)
– Women were not affected
because they still remained
in subordinate positions
after the war (p. 217)
Scott
Once your chart is complete, you will notice interesting patterns of information. You will find
that your sources, at times, discuss very similar material, or that they sometimes deal with
completely different aspects of your topic. You will also see more clearly how some of your
sources belong together in groups. These patterns will be useful as you think further about how
to support your main claim.
•
What this assignment provides:
• Connections between sources
• Helps in organizing your research
• Gaps in your research
• Development of your claim
• Along with the Research Journal, this assignment will aid in drafting the paper.
An additional goal of this part of the matrix is to see how sources that agree at a general level can
nevertheless make different points and kinds of points even as they agree. You will start to see
the greater nuances of your sources.
Please note that the sample matrix above is much smaller than your will be. Your matrix will
include more sources and more reasons and acknowledgments.
Surname: 1
Student’s Name
Instructor
Course
Date
How Oil Companies make Huge Profits
Total oil demand across the world keeps growing and it is expected to grow more in the future. The oil
industry is extremely huge. In accordance with the department of Energy, fossil fuels, including oil, natural gas,
and coal, makes up over 85% of all energy consumed within the U.S. The debate on oil prices has always been an
ongoing one as oil prices vary on a minute to minute basis. There are various factors that determine such prices;
however, it all comes down to supply & demand. Nevertheless, companies keep on making huge profits year in
year out irrespective of many claims of oil shortages caused by various factors including political and
environmental issues. Are these oil shortages real and o all these political and other forms of crisis people hear in
the media impact oil supply unfavorably or are they excuses to help retain high oil prices? How exactly do oil
companies manage to make the huge profits?
Background
In 2011, the 5 biggest oil companies (Chevron, BP, ConocoPhillips, Shell, and ExxonMobil) reported
profits of $375 million per day in spite of having reduced their oil production (Leber). This is equivalent to
$261,000 of profits every minute, which was more that 96% of what households in America make in a year. In the
same year, these organizations received $6.6 million in terms of federal tax breaks each day. The 3 largest
American oil companies spent more than 50% ($100 million) of their profits in buying back their own stock in
efforts to enrich their largest shareholders, board, and senior managers in the year 2011 (Leber). The whole oil &
gas industry used on average $400,000 every day lobbying representatives and senators to weaken public health
protections as well as maintain huge oil tax breaks, adding up to approximately $150 million. Teach of these 5
huge companies’ CEOs received $60,110 in average as compensation per day during the year. Their pay hiked
Surname: 2
55% in the year. The compensation for Rx Tillerson, Exxon’s CEO came close to 55% daily. The companies
reported $368 million in profits per day within the first three months of the year 2012. The combined earnings of
these companies totaled $1 trillion right from 2001 through 2011 (Leber).
Research Question: How do oil companies make huge profits?
Rationale
This is an important topic to research because oil is always on high demand across the world. According to
energy outlook2013, utilization of energy across the world will hike 56% by 2014 specifically because of the
growing economies of India and China. Reports indicate a strong growth in alternative energy; however, they as
well explain that fossil fuels are still going to dominate global energy utilization for the foreseeable future. In
addition, people highly depend on oil on their daily to daily survival something that means that it is easy for oil
companies to take advantage of the situation. As an important element of human’s daily survival, oil should be
distributed at fair prices to avoid pressuring those who cannot afford life without it.
How Oil companies Work
Oil companies drill to extract oil from the ground. Most drilling companies are contractors that have been
hired by gas and oil producers. Oil companies then refine he extracted material. The refining sector is one
dominated by few large players within the industry mainly because of the huge capital required. Oil companies
generate profits by selling profits at higher prices that the cost they incur in producing it (Freudenrich). In terms of
finance, it means that oil companies’ revenues are higher compared to cots required to extract, refine and distribute
oil. Particular oil company expenses include exploration costs in each for oil reserves, drilling expenses and
expense involved in processing oil into usable or salable products, for instance, gasoline (Freudenrich). Most oil
companies make extra profits from other sources, for instance, investing in real estate and stocks.
The High price of Oil
Former Energy Secretary Bill Richardson was quoted referring to oil prices as “dangerously high” in the
year 2000 (Bloomberg). He said that the White House was committed towards using all available options to fright
rising energy cost. At the same time, Spanish farmers were protesting the high fuel cost in Spain. Ira President
then, Saddam Hussein was frightening Kuwait for stealing Ira crude. A barrel would cost $38 while a gas gallon
Surname: 3
goes for $1.58. Today, a barrel remains stubbornly above $50 with an unending debate on what reasons are behind
such prices (Bloomberg).
Recently, CNN noted that upon asking 3 experts about the reasons behind oil price’s instability nature,
their response concludes that no one person clearly knows what is happening. Alaron Trading’s Phil Flynn, an
analyst was quoted saying that the world is in trouble during the 2007 peak summer driving season. He meant that
there was little gasoline left in reserve and shortages had been reported in some parts of the country. Such alarms
have always been there since 2001, a time when the oil industry began mentioning to the media about potential
rise of gasoline price to $3 (Bloomberg). In summer 2006, similar new were aired every day, only for Americans
to find that there had been sufficient gasoline between April and July such that 8.1 million barrels were put into
reserve. There was a huge stock of gasoline since 2000 to2007 despite plenty of refinery issues being reported
throughout the 7 years period.
The military action threat against Iraq was a good excuse for hiking fuel prices. At one point it was the
refusal of Iran to abandon its nuclear programs. On another point it was Iran’s seizure of fourteen British sailors.
All these were said to have potential impact on oil prices, yet two Iran and Iraq, two key oil producing neighbors
had been in war earlier in the 1980’s a time hence fuel prices went down (Bloomberg). The major problem with
high oil prices does not really rest on its limited supply but how much information about possible threats to supply
are fed to the media.
Conclusion
Oil companies are making super normal profits. It is clear that such profits are as a result of their revenues,
which are higher than running expenses. Even though that is normal in every industry, the revenues here are much
higher than they should be. Oil companies have been using methods that help them maintain high revenues. The
price of oil keeps on getting extremely high. The key reasons for such high prices are a number of tactics used by
oil companies. A few oil companies have made sure that they dominate the industry meaning that they control the
prices. They repossessed their companies by repurchasing the shares something that also means that only a few
people control the industry. This will only mean that competition is low and prices will remain high considering
that the demand of oil across the world is too high. Another approach these oil companies have been using is that
Surname: 4
they have influenced politicians into deciding in favor of oil companies, hence, have received incentives they no
entitled to through tax breaks. This helps them generate huge profits because they are running at very little
expenses and selling at very high prices. Again, oil companies have oversold the petroleum crisis to meanly
portray low supply. They have misinformed the public that anything that happens across the world impacts the
supply of oil negatively; however, this is not the case. There is sufficient evidence showing that plenty of supply
was there at times of crisis when people had been informed of oil shortages due to crisis across the world. This
way, oil companies have managed to maintain high oil prices something that has helped them make supernormal
profits. It is clear now that these huge profits are not just the normal business where revenue has to be higher than
expenses, in addition to other investments like stocks and real estate that oil companies claim to get their money
from. Oil companies have been for a long time now playing a dirty game and making supernatural profits.
Works Cited
Bloomberg. A Brief History of Oil (Profits). 2007. 10 2 2017
.
FREUDENRICH, CRAIG. How Oil Refining Works. 2017. 10 2 2017
.
Leber, Rebecca. What Five Oil Companies Did With Their $375 Million In Daily Profits. 2012. 10 2 2017
.
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