Writing an Outline for a Research Paper

Writing an Outline for a Research Paper An outline is a plan of how you will arrange ideas in the most effective way possible. Information needs to be organized and must flow logically for readers to understand the point of your research paper. Many students skip outlining because they trust their ability to construct a strong body of work without one. This is rarely true for first-time writers or even experienced writers. The advantages of preparing an outline before writing include: You classify information beforehand; Consequently, you focus on expressing your ideas and using the right grammar and structures when you write the actual paper. Outlining saves time. You do the hard work of finalizing main points and supporting data and facts. All you need to do afterward is write it coherently. An outline reveals irrelevant or weak material. When you view the full plan and how ideas flow and complement each other, unnecessary points are clear to spot. Outlining allows you to select the most relevant sources and incorporate them in a way that strengthens your points. For these reasons, it is one of the most important steps in academic writing a good research paper. Some would argue it is the most important step. How to Construct an Outline Your outline is not set in stone. You can go back and change sections if you find new information or discover how to make better research. However, the elements of an outline are standard, and they separate the blueprint into an introduction, body paragraphs or sections, and a conclusion. Sections can be divided using headings and subheadings. Outline Content Your outline contains the main points of your research. These main points are the core of your paper, and outlining them puts everything in perspective. Change ideas if you notice the outline is not coherent or a particular section offers weak support. These characteristics ensure your outline gives a clear impression of the message you deliver to readers: Headings should match in terms of significance. For instance, all main headings should be the vital points that support your topic. Main headings should be a general theme of discussion. Subheadings are usually longer than main headings. They contain specific information to explore and expand on the general main headings. The grammatical structures of each level should match. For example, if one main heading is a noun (Communication in our example above,) then every other main heading should be a noun. The same applies to subheadings. This way, the focus of a paragraph is clear, and it prepares you for writing. Here are some examples of outlines with different levels. Your instructor could ask you to submit your outline with your paper. They may request a specific outline style too, such as MLA format. This requires attention to line spacings, tabs, margins, and other formatting issues.

The Information Age essays

The Information Age essays The Information Age is now upon us. In the world today, technology is used all around us. Through the use of computers, cell phones, pagers, calculators, video game consoles and many other technologically advanced products, communication has changed dramatically. The information age is changing peoples every day activities and making tedious tasks run more efficiently. Personal use and business-related use of computers and technology are constantly increasing. Although there are many positive aspects of the Information Age, there are also many negatives, such as how the Internet is unregulated. Also, theres a very large legal issue over privacy, as well as many ethical issues computer-users face daily. Many believe that this era, as developed as it currently is, will continue to progress and evolve over the years to come. Our lives have changed greatly because of technology. The Internet has opened up a whole new world of information that everyone can access and utilize. When a student has a project to complete and research is required, years ago the student would have gone to the library and spent hours searching through stacks of books just to find some relevant information. Now, a student can create a query on the Internet through a search engine and is presented with thousands of resources available at their fingertips. The Internet not only provides information but also may new forms of communication. We can correspond with people across the globe through web-cams, instant messaging and e-mail. This is the reason why globalization is becoming a reality. As a result of globalization, people can communicate with relatives over the Internet and businesses can connect with unlikely partners. Not only has communication grown through the Internet but also through newer cell phone technologies and PDAs. In an increasing number of cases, cell phones are replacing land lines and are gaining more uses. PDAs allow...

A relevant furniture piece or other interior design element in the Assignment

A relevant furniture piece or other interior design element in the Regency and Revival period (1810-1860) - Assignment Example Furniture during the Gothic Revival period were made to fit the highest class and with consideration for use by the wealthiest as evident in the uality of the chair and the attention to detail in the design of the chair. Gothic Revival Furniture were important to the Regency and Revival period because it offered a change from the Neoclassic style that had prevailed for a long time and that it was within the period when designers used older designs as inspiration. The effect was a revival of older designs from the 12th century (Siegel, 43). The other importance of the Gothic Revival Furniture is the purity of geometric forms and forceful designs it evidenced, and they were designed with admirable elements. The Gothic Revival Furniture allowed for the emergence of ornamentation, curving forms, and complex design (Nielson, 355). The importance of the Gothic Revival Furniture to the revival period include that it resulted in the mass production of chairs by Lambert Hitchcock (1795- 1852) and Henry Belter (1804- 1863) introduced wood bending i9n his factory making chair making easier and better (Sheumaker and Shirley,

Quality Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Quality Management - Research Paper Example These patterns have been caused by migration of students from one country to the other and from one community to the other, which calls for concern from administrators and educationists (Sharma, 2012). Texas A&M University-Commerce is one of the institutions that have been equipped to prepare the students for an interconnected world. This implies that the interconnectedness of the world is the main concern of the university as it intends to prepare the students to be able to cope with the highly competitive world (Babo & Azevedo, 2012). The institution accomplishes this through focus on better global competence. To ensure that the institution’s objectives are accomplished an initiative has been established on this effect and is known as the Quality Enhancement Plan or QEP. This is one of the most used quality management tool that ensure that the institution is well prepared to equip the students with the most appropriate education so that they can be prepared for the modern job world (Texas A&M University-Commerce, n.db). This includes application of the most up to date facilities, which deliver both traditional and non-traditional learning opportunities. These ensure that the students meet the high expectations of both the job market and the institution’s goals. The mission of Texas A&M University-Commerce is â€Å"to discover and disseminate knowledge for leadership and service in an interconnected and dynamic world† (Texas A&M University-Commerce, n.da). The institution intends to meet the mission through nurturing partnerships for the social, intellectual, economic, and cultural vitality of the region of Texas as well as beyond. The mission is one of the indicators of their commitment in meeting their strategies. The QEP brings international structures as well as process that seek to enhance and improve the global competence of students by application of two other programs that include the Global Fellow Program and the

Workplace Motivation Essay Example for Free

Workplace Motivation Essay The theory of motivation in the workplace is defined as empowering others to perform tasks they would not normally perform. Considering there is a multitude of ideas, theories, and methods promoted by experts in the area of employee motivation, choosing the correct method is daunting. The goal is to select one or combine methods that will motivate employees to excel in the workplace and attempt to increase employees’ personal satisfaction. The challenge in all organizations is to create a perfect balance between employee motivation and how to implement and sustain the program. Positive reinforcement has proven to be one method easily applied in the workplace and is conducive to higher productivity and profitability. However, diligence by the management staff must be required to create and maintain the motivation level of employees. The motivation level of the dispatch department at Prime Satellite had been an issue of contention with the management for many years. The turnover in that particular department exceeded any other department in the company. Admittedly the job was a stressful and frustrating position. These employees were also the least paid per hour than other employees at the company therefore, the massive turnover problem. I had been employed as the technical customer service manager for six years at this time. My department and the dispatch department worked closely to maintain a high-level of customer service. Observing the constant stream of new employees in the department and low morale, I suggested changes to the owner. The owner asked me to become the dispatch manager to correct the situation. The first change was in the recruiting and hiring process. The previous candidates for the position had not been selected on a specific skill set because the job duties were undefined. The job required a person who could understand technical information in addition to possess excellent communication skills. These employees had to relay detailed information not only to satellite technicians but also customers. The most important skill the employees required was intrinsic motivation because the employees would have to work autonomously once they were trained. Understanding the job duties, the company began hiring more competent people. The pay was increased by two dollars an hour to recruit the talent to create a fully functioning and productive department. The first change to the training procedure was to engage the employee to discuss her ambitions and her expectations from the company. I thought this was important to create a dialogue and a sense of belonging. A history of the company was explained to each new hire. This became important because the employees could envision a future with the organization. The business was rapidly expanding and the new employees were encouraged to participate in the exciting possibilities. The next change was in the training process. The department had five employees who required retraining. This action was not received with enthusiasm by four of the five employees. The lack of motivation and low morale of the department had created an environment of apathy. Therefore, retraining was futile. I recruited and hired four new employees within the first two months of managing the department. The new environment was happy, positive, and creative. I could not authorize monetary rewards. However, praise and recognition are free. This created a team of motivated and positive people because teamwork does not depend on monetary compensation. The sense of belonging provided the employees empowerment over their daily duties. Employee satisfaction correlated with the productivity of the department with an increase of 150% within 90 days of implementing the new policies. The humanistic view of motivation may have critics but in this situation the theory proved to be effective. The new procedures were not without pitfalls. Each employee had her own work ethic, cognitive skills, and level of motivation. Learning each employee’s characteristics and habits assisted me in learning how to discipline and reward each individual. This challenge proved to be one of the most rewarding experiences in my work experience because I believe in self-actualization and encourage it in others. The employees were encouraged to develop new skills and techniques to improve their own performance. They were the people performing the job on a day-to-day basis therefore each employee’s suggestion was considered to develop new strategies to eliminate repetition and enhance productivity. The more the employees became engaged in creating procedures, assumed responsibility, and provided feedback the more motivated they were to perform. The incentives the employee’s enjoyed could not be monetary but developed into a sense of worth and accomplishment. Remember, this was not an easy job. The employees had to speak to frustrated, angry technicians, customers, and salespeople. The stressful situation required diffusing on occasions. In those situations, the best solution became a long break and discussion. The employee would be taken to a quiet area of the office and allowed to vent, complain, or just talk through the stressful situation. This not only relieved the stress for the employee but also gave her the sense of validation that the company understood and most important cared about her well-being. I had created a team of people who worked for low pay yet had high motivation because of one simple fact; they were treated with dignity and respect. They were dedicated to perform to the best of their abilities because they could not let the team down. The previous attempts to increase employee retention in the dispatch department failed because the manager used fear to control the employees. He used the old scenario of â€Å"they get a paycheck, what more could they want† method. This extrinsic motivation technique did not apply to this situation of this company or any other. People need more in their workplace than a paycheck. They need to believe they are doing something worthwhile to be intrinsically motivated. What happened next in this organization will validate the last statement. The ownership of the company changed. The changes to the culture of the entire organization were profound and created a cognitive dissonance. The focus of the new administration was the bottom line and nothing else. Promises were not kept and threats of joblessness prevailed. Motivation plummeted. Extrinsic motivation was the only motivation for all the employees. The new method of motivation was not sufficient to retain the best employees. Benefits were curtailed, bonuses and raises were suspended, and recognition was nonexistent. The Expectancy X value theory was destroyed for those employees who depended on that type of motivation. Praise for a job well done became extinct because the new owner decided it was not necessary. The exclusive reliance on extrinsic motivation will fail if intrinsic motivation no longer exists. The employee retention problem returned with vengeance. Within the first 90 days after the new ownership, the department lost three of its best employees because the support for self-actualization ceased to be an important factor. Humans do not tolerate negative changes to their environment such as the workplace. If a hygienic environment becomes confused with misinformation, distrust, and lack of security it will become toxic. This became a very toxic workplace for all involved. Obviously, this was not the correct motivational theory to apply. The company closed one year later. Motivation is imminently important to any organization whether it be business, school, social group, or a family. The more humane and positive the motivation, the more productive anyone or anything will become.

A Frank Piece of Pie :: Free Essay Writer

A Frank Piece of Pie A new movie that came out two weeks ago is â€Å"American Pie.† â€Å"American Pie† is a teen sex comedy that is the most sexually frank and vulgar of a long line of recently released movies that fall in this category. Other such movies that have recently come out but are not quite as frank are â€Å"Can’t Hardly Wait† and â€Å"She’s All That.† When asking what exactly is a teen sex comedy the definition is hard to explain. A teen sex comedy is a comedy with a target audience age of about fifteen to twenty-five. It is a comedy that relates to its target audience and deals with its problems. The movie takes place in either a school or function that deals with people in this target audience. The film shows all of the aspects of this age groups life showing confrontations with sex, drugs, parties, police, parents and friends. â€Å"American Pie† is the most frank and vulgar when showing sexual tension, questions about sex and sex in general. Movies like this have been around for a while, but never one so frank and vulgar. Not every movie shows a guy chug back on semen filled beer, which they refer to as the â€Å"Pale Ale.† In the eighties movies such as â€Å"License to Drive,† â€Å"Fast Times at Ridgemont High† and â€Å"The Breakfast Club† all spoke of sex and joked of sex but not in the manner that â€Å"American Pie† does. When teen sex comedies were made in the eighties they could not be as vulgar for several reasons. One reason is that society would not accept them to be so vulgar. If films like â€Å"American Pie† were released in the eighties they would be bashed to death by critics that reviewed it and would receive a rating of NC-35. The second reason is that the movie was designed to be a good wholesome movie not one that is graphic and raunchy. However times have changed. In present times our society is more relaxed and is prone to these raunchy movies. We as movie viewers are more ready for these vulgar movies and know that each movie in this category tries to be more vulgar and frank than its predecessor merely to gain attention and snag more viewers. One problem with these movies being so frank and vulgar in present times is that they fail to mention that all of this casual sex could lead to someone getting a STD or aids.

Angels Demons Chapter 36-38

36 The Office of the Swiss Guard. Langdon stood in the doorway, surveying the collision of centuries before them. Mixed media. The room was a lushly adorned Renaissance library complete with inlaid bookshelves, oriental carpets, and colorful tapestries†¦ and yet the room bristled with high-tech gear – banks of computers, faxes, electronic maps of the Vatican complex, and televisions tuned to CNN. Men in colorful pantaloons typed feverishly on computers and listened intently in futuristic headphones. â€Å"Wait here,† the guard said. Langdon and Vittoria waited as the guard crossed the room to an exceptionally tall, wiry man in a dark blue military uniform. He was talking on a cellular phone and stood so straight he was almost bent backward. The guard said something to him, and the man shot a glance over at Langdon and Vittoria. He nodded, then turned his back on them and continued his phone call. The guard returned. â€Å"Commander Olivetti will be with you in a moment.† â€Å"Thank you.† The guard left and headed back up the stairs. Langdon studied Commander Olivetti across the room, realizing he was actually the Commander in Chief of the armed forces of an entire country. Vittoria and Langdon waited, observing the action before them. Brightly dressed guards bustled about yelling orders in Italian. â€Å"Continua cercando!† one yelled into a telephone. â€Å"Probasti il museo?† another asked. Langdon did not need fluent Italian to discern that the security center was currently in intense search mode. This was the good news. The bad news was that they obviously had not yet found the antimatter. â€Å"You okay?† Langdon asked Vittoria. She shrugged, offering a tired smile. When the commander finally clicked off his phone and approached across the room, he seemed to grow with each step. Langdon was tall himself and not accustomed to looking up at many people, but Commander Olivetti demanded it. Langdon sensed immediately that the commander was a man who had weathered tempests, his face hale and steeled. His dark hair was cropped in a military buzz cut, and his eyes burned with the kind of hardened determination only attainable through years of intense training. He moved with ramrod exactness, the earpiece hidden discreetly behind one ear making him look more like U.S. Secret Service than Swiss Guard. The commander addressed them in accented English. His voice was startlingly quiet for such a large man, barely a whisper. It bit with a tight, military efficiency. â€Å"Good afternoon,† he said. â€Å"I am Commander Olivetti – Comandante Principale of the Swiss Guard. I'm the one who called your director.† Vittoria gazed upward. â€Å"Thank you for seeing us, sir.† The commander did not respond. He motioned for them to follow and led them through the tangle of electronics to a door in the side wall of the chamber. â€Å"Enter,† he said, holding the door for them. Langdon and Vittoria walked through and found themselves in a darkened control room where a wall of video monitors was cycling lazily through a series of black-and-white images of the complex. A young guard sat watching the images intently. â€Å"Fuori,† Olivetti said. The guard packed up and left. Olivetti walked over to one of the screens and pointed to it. Then he turned toward his guests. â€Å"This image is from a remote camera hidden somewhere inside Vatican City. I'd like an explanation.† Langdon and Vittoria looked at the screen and inhaled in unison. The image was absolute. No doubt. It was CERN's antimatter canister. Inside, a shimmering droplet of metallic liquid hung ominously in the air, lit by the rhythmic blinking of the LED digital clock. Eerily, the area around the canister was almost entirely dark, as if the antimatter were in a closet or darkened room. At the top of the monitor flashed superimposed text: Live Feed – Camera #86. Vittoria looked at the time remaining on the flashing indicator on the canister. â€Å"Under six hours,† she whispered to Langdon, her face tense. Langdon checked his watch. â€Å"So we have until†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He stopped, a knot tightening in his stomach. â€Å"Midnight,† Vittoria said, with a withering look. Midnight, Langdon thought. A flair for the dramatic. Apparently whoever stole the canister last night had timed it perfectly. A stark foreboding set in as he realized he was currently sitting at ground zero. Olivetti's whisper now sounded more like a hiss. â€Å"Does this object belong to your facility?† Vittoria nodded. â€Å"Yes, sir. It was stolen from us. It contains an extremely combustible substance called antimatter.† Olivetti looked unmoved. â€Å"I am quite familiar with incendiaries, Ms. Vetra. I have not heard of antimatter.† â€Å"It's new technology. We need to locate it immediately or evacuate Vatican City.† Olivetti closed his eyes slowly and reopened them, as if refocusing on Vittoria might change what he just heard. â€Å"Evacuate? Are you aware what is going on here this evening?† â€Å"Yes, sir. And the lives of your cardinals are in danger. We have about six hours. Have you made any headway locating the canister?† Olivetti shook his head. â€Å"We haven't started looking.† Vittoria choked. â€Å"What? But we expressly heard your guards talking about searching the – â€Å" â€Å"Searching, yes,† Olivetti said, â€Å"but not for your canister. My men are looking for something else that does not concern you.† Vittoria's voice cracked. â€Å"You haven't even begun looking for this canister?† Olivetti's pupils seemed to recede into his head. He had the passionless look of an insect. â€Å"Ms. Vetra, is it? Let me explain something to you. The director of your facility refused to share any details about this object with me over the phone except to say that I needed to find it immediately. We are exceptionally busy, and I do not have the luxury of dedicating manpower to a situation until I get some facts.† â€Å"There is only one relevant fact at this moment, sir,† Vittoria said, â€Å"that being that in six hours that device is going to vaporize this entire complex.† Olivetti stood motionless. â€Å"Ms. Vetra, there is something you need to know.† His tone hinted at patronizing. â€Å"Despite the archaic appearance of Vatican City, every single entrance, both public and private, is equipped with the most advanced sensing equipment known to man. If someone tried to enter with any sort of incendiary device it would be detected instantly. We have radioactive isotope scanners, olfactory filters designed by the American DEA to detect the faintest chemical signatures of combustibles and toxins. We also use the most advanced metal detectors and X-ray scanners available.† â€Å"Very impressive,† Vittoria said, matching Olivetti's cool. â€Å"Unfortunately, antimatter is nonradioactive, its chemical signature is that of pure hydrogen, and the canister is plastic. None of those devices would have detected it.† â€Å"But the device has an energy source,† Olivetti said, motioning to the blinking LED. â€Å"Even the smallest trace of nickel-cadmium would register as – â€Å" â€Å"The batteries are also plastic.† Olivetti's patience was clearly starting to wane. â€Å"Plastic batteries?† â€Å"Polymer gel electrolyte with Teflon.† Olivetti leaned toward her, as if to accentuate his height advantage. â€Å"Signorina, the Vatican is the target of dozens of bomb threats a month. I personally train every Swiss Guard in modern explosive technology. I am well aware that there is no substance on earth powerful enough to do what you are describing unless you are talking about a nuclear warhead with a fuel core the size of a baseball.† Vittoria framed him with a fervent stare. â€Å"Nature has many mysteries yet to unveil.† Olivetti leaned closer. â€Å"Might I ask exactly who you are? What is your position at CERN?† â€Å"I am a senior member of the research staff and appointed liaison to the Vatican for this crisis.† â€Å"Excuse me for being rude, but if this is indeed a crisis, why am I dealing with you and not your director? And what disrespect do you intend by coming into Vatican City in short pants?† Langdon groaned. He couldn't believe that under the circumstances the man was being a stickler for dress code. Then again, he realized, if stone penises could induce lustful thoughts in Vatican residents, Vittoria Vetra in shorts could certainly be a threat to national security. â€Å"Commander Olivetti,† Langdon intervened, trying to diffuse what looked like a second bomb about to explode. â€Å"My name is Robert Langdon. I'm a professor of religious studies in the U.S. and unaffiliated with CERN. I have seen an antimatter demonstration and will vouch for Ms. Vetra's claim that it is exceptionally dangerous. We have reason to believe it was placed inside your complex by an antireligious cult hoping to disrupt your conclave.† Olivetti turned, peering down at Langdon. â€Å"I have a woman in shorts telling me that a droplet of liquid is going to blow up Vatican City, and I have an American professor telling me we are being targeted by some antireligious cult. What exactly is it you expect me to do?† â€Å"Find the canister,† Vittoria said. â€Å"Right away.† â€Å"Impossible. That device could be anywhere. Vatican City is enormous.† â€Å"Your cameras don't have GPS locators on them?† â€Å"They are not generally stolen. This missing camera will take days to locate.† â€Å"We don't have days,† Vittoria said adamantly. â€Å"We have six hours.† â€Å"Six hours until what, Ms. Vetra?† Olivetti's voice grew louder suddenly. He pointed to the image on the screen. â€Å"Until these numbers count down? Until Vatican City disappears? Believe me, I do not take kindly to people tampering with my security system. Nor do I like mechanical contraptions appearing mysteriously inside my walls. I am concerned. It is my job to be concerned. But what you have told me here is unacceptable.† Langdon spoke before he could stop himself. â€Å"Have you heard of the Illuminati?† The commander's icy exterior cracked. His eyes went white, like a shark about to attack. â€Å"I am warning you. I do not have time for this.† â€Å"So you have heard of the Illuminati?† Olivetti's eyes stabbed like bayonets. â€Å"I am a sworn defendant of the Catholic Church. Of course I have heard of the Illuminati. They have been dead for decades.† Langdon reached in his pocket and pulled out the fax image of Leonardo Vetra's branded body. He handed it to Olivetti. â€Å"I am an Illuminati scholar,† Langdon said as Olivetti studied the picture. â€Å"I am having a difficult time accepting that the Illuminati are still active, and yet the appearance of this brand combined with the fact that the Illuminati have a well-known covenant against Vatican City has changed my mind.† â€Å"A computer-generated hoax.† Olivetti handed the fax back to Langdon. Langdon stared, incredulous. â€Å"Hoax? Look at the symmetry! You of all people should realize the authenticity of – â€Å" â€Å"Authenticity is precisely what you lack. Perhaps Ms. Vetra has not informed you, but CERN scientists have been criticizing Vatican policies for decades. They regularly petition us for retraction of Creationist theory, formal apologies for Galileo and Copernicus, repeal of our criticism against dangerous or immoral research. What scenario seems more likely to you – that a four-hundred-year-old satanic cult has resurfaced with an advanced weapon of mass destruction, or that some prankster at CERN is trying to disrupt a sacred Vatican event with a well-executed fraud?† â€Å"That photo,† Vittoria said, her voice like boiling lava, â€Å"is of my father. Murdered. You think this is my idea of a joke?† â€Å"I don't know, Ms. Vetra. But I do know until I get some answers that make sense, there is no way I will raise any sort of alarm. Vigilance and discretion are my duty†¦ such that spiritual matters can take place here with clarity of mind. Today of all days.† Langdon said, â€Å"At least postpone the event.† â€Å"Postpone?† Olivetti's jaw dropped. â€Å"Such arrogance! A conclave is not some American baseball game you call on account of rain. This is a sacred event with a strict code and process. Never mind that one billion Catholics in the world are waiting for a leader. Never mind that the world media is outside. The protocols for this event are holy – not subject to modification. Since 1179, conclaves have survived earthquakes, famines, and even the plague. Believe me, it is not about to be canceled on account of a murdered scientist and a droplet of God knows what.† â€Å"Take me to the person in charge,† Vittoria demanded. Olivetti glared. â€Å"You've got him.† â€Å"No,† she said. â€Å"Someone in the clergy.† The veins on Olivetti's brow began to show. â€Å"The clergy has gone. With the exception of the Swiss Guard, the only ones present in Vatican City at this time are the College of Cardinals. And they are inside the Sistine Chapel.† â€Å"How about the chamberlain?† Langdon stated flatly. â€Å"Who?† â€Å"The late Pope's chamberlain.† Langdon repeated the word self-assuredly, praying his memory served him. He recalled reading once about the curious arrangement of Vatican authority following the death of a Pope. If Langdon was correct, during the interim between Popes, complete autonomous power shifted temporarily to the late Pope's personal assistant – his chamberlain – a secretarial underling who oversaw conclave until the cardinals chose the new Holy Father. â€Å"I believe the chamberlain is the man in charge at the moment.† â€Å"Il camerlegno?† Olivetti scowled. â€Å"The camerlegno is only a priest here. He is not even canonized. He is the late Pope's hand servant.† â€Å"But he is here. And you answer to him.† Olivetti crossed his arms. â€Å"Mr. Langdon, it is true that Vatican rule dictates the camerlegno assume chief executive office during conclave, but it is only because his lack of eligibility for the papacy ensures an unbiased election. It is as if your president died, and one of his aides temporarily sat in the oval office. The camerlegno is young, and his understanding of security, or anything else for that matter, is extremely limited. For all intents and purposes, I am in charge here.† â€Å"Take us to him,† Vittoria said. â€Å"Impossible. Conclave begins in forty minutes. The camerlegno is in the Office of the Pope preparing. I have no intention of disturbing him with matters of security.† Vittoria opened her mouth to respond but was interrupted by a knocking at the door. Olivetti opened it. A guard in full regalia stood outside, pointing to his watch. â€Å"ee l'ora, comandante.† Olivetti checked his own watch and nodded. He turned back to Langdon and Vittoria like a judge pondering their fate. â€Å"Follow me.† He led them out of the monitoring room across the security center to a small clear cubicle against the rear wall. â€Å"My office.† Olivetti ushered them inside. The room was unspecial – a cluttered desk, file cabinets, folding chairs, a water cooler. â€Å"I will be back in ten minutes. I suggest you use the time to decide how you would like to proceed.† Vittoria wheeled. â€Å"You can't just leave! That canister is – â€Å" â€Å"I do not have time for this,† Olivetti seethed. â€Å"Perhaps I should detain you until after the conclave when I do have time.† â€Å"Signore,† the guard urged, pointing to his watch again. â€Å"Spazzare di capella.† Olivetti nodded and started to leave. â€Å"Spazzare di capella?† Vittoria demanded. â€Å"You're leaving to sweep the chapel?† Olivetti turned, his eyes boring through her. â€Å"We sweep for electronic bugs, Miss Vetra – a matter of discretion.† He motioned to her legs. â€Å"Not something I would expect you to understand.† With that he slammed the door, rattling the heavy glass. In one fluid motion he produced a key, inserted it, and twisted. A heavy deadbolt slid into place. â€Å"Idita!† Vittoria yelled. â€Å"You can't keep us in here!† Through the glass, Langdon could see Olivetti say something to the guard. The sentinel nodded. As Olivetti strode out of the room, the guard spun and faced them on the other side of the glass, arms crossed, a large sidearm visible on his hip. Perfect, Langdon thought. Just bloody perfect. 37 Vittoria glared at the Swiss Guard standing outside Olivetti's locked door. The sentinel glared back, his colorful costume belying his decidedly ominous air. â€Å"Che fiasco,† Vittoria thought. Held hostage by an armed man in pajamas. Langdon had fallen silent, and Vittoria hoped he was using that Harvard brain of his to think them out of this. She sensed, however, from the look on his face, that he was more in shock than in thought. She regretted getting him so involved. Vittoria's first instinct was to pull out her cell phone and call Kohler, but she knew it was foolish. First, the guard would probably walk in and take her phone. Second, if Kohler's episode ran its usual course, he was probably still incapacitated. Not that it mattered†¦ Olivetti seemed unlikely to take anybody's word on anything at the moment. Remember! she told herself. Remember the solution to this test! Remembrance was a Buddhist philosopher's trick. Rather than asking her mind to search for a solution to a potentially impossible challenge, Vittoria asked her mind simply to remember it. The presupposition that one once knew the answer created the mindset that the answer must exist†¦ thus eliminating the crippling conception of hopelessness. Vittoria often used the process to solve scientific quandaries†¦ those that most people thought had no solution. At the moment, however, her remembrance trick was drawing a major blank. So she measured her options†¦ her needs. She needed to warn someone. Someone at the Vatican needed to take her seriously. But who? The camerlegno? How? She was in a glass box with one exit. Tools, she told herself. There are always tools. Reevaluate your environment. Instinctively she lowered her shoulders, relaxed her eyes, and took three deep breaths into her lungs. She sensed her heart rate slow and her muscles soften. The chaotic panic in her mind dissolved. Okay, she thought, let your mind be free. What makes this situation positive? What are my assets? The analytical mind of Vittoria Vetra, once calmed, was a powerful force. Within seconds she realized their incarceration was actually their key to escape. â€Å"I'm making a phone call,† she said suddenly. Langdon looked up. â€Å"I was about to suggest you call Kohler, but – â€Å" â€Å"Not Kohler. Someone else.† â€Å"Who?† â€Å"The camerlegno.† Langdon looked totally lost. â€Å"You're calling the chamberlain? How?† â€Å"Olivetti said the camerlegno was in the Pope's office.† â€Å"Okay. You know the Pope's private number?† â€Å"No. But I'm not calling on my phone.† She nodded to a high-tech phone system on Olivetti's desk. It was riddled with speed dial buttons. â€Å"The head of security must have a direct line to the Pope's office.† â€Å"He also has a weight lifter with a gun planted six feet away.† â€Å"And we're locked in.† â€Å"I was actually aware of that.† â€Å"I mean the guard is locked out. This is Olivetti's private office. I doubt anyone else has a key.† Langdon looked out at the guard. â€Å"This is pretty thin glass, and that's a pretty big gun.† â€Å"What's he going to do, shoot me for using the phone?† â€Å"Who the hell knows! This is a pretty strange place, and the way things are going – â€Å" â€Å"Either that,† Vittoria said, â€Å"or we can spend the next five hours and forty-eight minutes in Vatican Prison. At least we'll have a front-row seat when the antimatter goes off.† Langdon paled. â€Å"But the guard will get Olivetti the second you pick up that phone. Besides, there are twenty buttons on there. And I don't see any identification. You going to try them all and hope to get lucky?† â€Å"Nope,† she said, striding to the phone. â€Å"Just one.† Vittoria picked up the phone and pressed the top button. â€Å"Number one. I bet you one of those Illuminati U.S. dollars you have in your pocket that this is the Pope's office. What else would take primary importance for a Swiss Guard commander?† Langdon did not have time to respond. The guard outside the door started rapping on the glass with the butt of his gun. He motioned for her to set down the phone. Vittoria winked at him. The guard seemed to inflate with rage. Langdon moved away from the door and turned back to Vittoria. â€Å"You damn well better be right, 'cause this guy does not look amused!† â€Å"Damn!† she said, listening to the receiver. â€Å"A recording.† â€Å"Recording?† Langdon demanded. â€Å"The Pope has an answering machine?† â€Å"It wasn't the Pope's office,† Vittoria said, hanging up. â€Å"It was the damn weekly menu for the Vatican commissary.† Langdon offered a weak smile to the guard outside who was now glaring angrily though the glass while he hailed Olivetti on his walkie-talkie. 38 The Vatican switchboard is located in the Ufficio di Communicazione behind the Vatican post office. It is a relatively small room containing an eight-line Corelco 141 switchboard. The office handles over 2,000 calls a day, most routed automatically to the recording information system. Tonight, the sole communications operator on duty sat quietly sipping a cup of caffeinated tea. He felt proud to be one of only a handful of employees still allowed inside Vatican City tonight. Of course the honor was tainted somewhat by the presence of the Swiss Guards hovering outside his door. An escort to the bathroom, the operator thought. Ah, the indignities we endure in the name of Holy Conclave. Fortunately, the calls this evening had been light. Or maybe it was not so fortunate, he thought. World interest in Vatican events seemed to have dwindled in the last few years. The number of press calls had thinned, and even the crazies weren't calling as often. The press office had hoped tonight's event would have more of a festive buzz about it. Sadly, though, despite St. Peter's Square being filled with press trucks, the vans looked to be mostly standard Italian and Euro press. Only a handful of global cover-all networks were there†¦ no doubt having sent their giornalisti secundari. The operator gripped his mug and wondered how long tonight would last. Midnight or so, he guessed. Nowadays, most insiders already knew who was favored to become Pope well before conclave convened, so the process was more of a three – or four-hour ritual than an actual election. Of course, last-minute dissension in the ranks could prolong the ceremony through dawn†¦ or beyond. The conclave of 1831 had lasted fifty-four days. Not tonight, he told himself; rumor was this conclave would be a â€Å"smoke-watch.† The operator's thoughts evaporated with the buzz of an inside line on his switchboard. He looked at the blinking red light and scratched his head. That's odd, he thought. The zero-line. Who on the inside would be calling operator information tonight? Who is even inside? â€Å"Citta del Vaticano, prego?† he said, picking up the phone. The voice on the line spoke in rapid Italian. The operator vaguely recognized the accent as that common to Swiss Guards – fluent Italian tainted by the Franco-Swiss influence. This caller, however, was most definitely not Swiss Guard. On hearing the woman's voice, the operator stood suddenly, almost spilling his tea. He shot a look back down at the line. He had not been mistaken. An internal extension. The call was from the inside. There must be some mistake! he thought. A woman inside Vatican City? Tonight? The woman was speaking fast and furiously. The operator had spent enough years on the phones to know when he was dealing with a pazzo. This woman did not sound crazy. She was urgent but rational. Calm and efficient. He listened to her request, bewildered. â€Å"Il camerlegno?† the operator said, still trying to figure out where the hell the call was coming from. â€Å"I cannot possibly connect†¦ yes, I am aware he is in the Pope's office but†¦ who are you again?†¦ and you want to warn him of†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He listened, more and more unnerved. Everyone is in danger? How? And where are you calling from? â€Å"Perhaps I should contact the Swiss†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The operator stopped short. â€Å"You say you're where? Where?† He listened in shock, then made a decision. â€Å"Hold, please,† he said, putting the woman on hold before she could respond. Then he called Commander Olivetti's direct line. There is no way that woman is really – The line picked up instantly. â€Å"Per l'amore di Dio!† a familiar woman's voice shouted at him. â€Å"Place the damn call!† The door of the Swiss Guards' security center hissed open. The guards parted as Commander Olivetti entered the room like a rocket. Turning the corner to his office, Olivetti confirmed what his guard on the walkie-talkie had just told him; Vittoria Vetra was standing at his desk talking on the commander's private telephone. Che coglioni che ha questa! he thought. The balls on this one! Livid, he strode to the door and rammed the key into the lock. He pulled open the door and demanded, â€Å"What are you doing?† Vittoria ignored him. â€Å"Yes,† she was saying into the phone. â€Å"And I must warn – â€Å" Olivetti ripped the receiver from her hand, and raised it to his ear. â€Å"Who the hell is this?† For the tiniest of an instant, Olivetti's inelastic posture slumped. â€Å"Yes, camerlegno†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he said. â€Å"Correct, signore†¦ but questions of security demand†¦ of course not†¦ I am holding her here for†¦ certainly, but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He listened. â€Å"Yes, sir,† he said finally. â€Å"I will bring them up immediately.†