Tuesday, November 26, 2019

How to Get the Most Realistic ACT Practice Test Experience 8 Steps to Follow

How to Get the Most Realistic ACT Practice Test Experience 8 Steps to Follow SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The same way that musicians practice their concerts before going in front of a live audience and athletes have scrimmages before a game, it’s important to practice taking the ACT before you sit down for the real exam. There are many free ACT practice tests available that you can take in your own home, however; it can be difficult to simulate real test-taking conditions.The closer the conditions of your practice test are to the real ACT, the more useful and accurate your results will be. Read this guide to learn ways that students and parents can create realistic test conditions in order to achieve the most accurate results from ACT practice tests. This guide will give you all the information you need to create realistic testing conditions for a practice ACT exam. There are eight recommendations to follow in order to have an ultra realistic practice test: Take a complete test Have the required materials Have a set starting time Simulate a classroom environment Have an â€Å"official test† mindset Keep strict timing on each section Use only official breaks Review your exam results Benefits of Realistic Practice Testing As with other methods of preparing for the ACT, taking ACT practice tests can help students become more familiar with the types of questions that are asked on the exam and identify subject areas they need to strengthen. Taking a practice test in a realistic setting is even better because it gives you the most accurate sense of how you're scoring and helps you feel comfortable with and prepared for the test day proceedings. Let's go over the benefits of realistictesting in more depth so you know why this extra hassle is worth the effort. More Accurate Scores The closer your practice ACT is to real test-taking conditions, the more accurate your scores will be because your practice tests will take many variables into account, such as if you were able to finish each section before time ran out and how well you were able to concentrate with only limited breaks. Having more accurate scores gives you a better estimate of what your total ACT score would be, as well as how well you would do on each separate test section. This will let you more accurately determine what your strengths and weaknesses are and make your future studying more effective. Better Understanding of How the Length of the Test Affects You ACTs are long: with the optional essay and breaks included, the entire test takes 3 hours and 40 minutes. While taking a few practice questions here and there can help you improve your score, it is important to also take full-length exams to learn how well you manage to hold up after several hours of testing. You may learn that your accuracy drops after the first two hours, which gives you something to work on that you probably would not have discovered if you’d never taken a full-length practice test under realistic conditions.Taking multiple full-length practice tests with only the officially designated breaks will also increase your test-taking stamina, so you are less likely to run out of energy during the real ACT. Less Anxiety About the Test The more familiar you are with something, the less worrisome it becomes.By making your practice ACT exams as close to the real test as possible, you will become more comfortable with the exam and its format, so that when you take the ACT for real, you will have a better idea of what to expect and will likely be more confident and prepared. Image source: YSU How to Make Practice Testing as Realistic as Possible Below are eight steps you can take in order to make your practice ACT as close to the real test experience as possible. You don't have to follow all of the recommendations, but doing so will give you a highly realistic test experience. 1. Take a Complete Test In order to make your practice test as realistic as possible, you should take a complete practice test.You can get old ACT tests here. If there is any chance that you’ll be applying to a school that requires the ACT essay, it’s recommended that you include the writing section as well. (Wondering whichschools require ACT writing? We have a complete list available!) Take the sections in the order you will take them for the real ACT: English first, then Math, Reading, Science, and the essay if you are including it.Before you begin the test, print off the entire exam and its instructions so that you are ready to go.For your practice test, you should bubble in the answers on the answer sheet, just like you would for the real ACT. To help manage your time, know that real ACT tests begin at 8:00am, and generally finish at 12:15pm, or around 1:00pm if the student is taking the optional essay. 2. Have the Required Materials The ACT has strict rules on what you must bring with you on test day and certain things you are forbidden to bring. Learn these rules ahead of time and follow them during your practice test. The ACT requires you to bring: A photo ID (such as a driver’s license or school ID) Your ACT admission ticket with your photo printed on it Even though you won’t need either of these things for a practice exam, you should have them with you at your practice test (using a blank sheet of paper that represents your admission ticket), so that you get used to remembering to bring them. You should also have: No. 2 pencils: bring several in case one breaks and NO mechanical pencils. Make sure they have good erasers as well. A calculator:try and use the same calculator you plan to use for the real ACT, and make sure it meets the ACT’s calculator requirements. A watch: this will help you keep track of your time because you can never be sure if there will be a visible clock during the test. Make sure your watch doesn’t beep though, because that is grounds to get you dismissed from the exam. Snacks and water: the ACT is a long test and having something to eat and drink during the break can help keep your energy up. Don’t bring pens, highlighters, or additional scratch paper to use during the practice test, since none of these things is allowed for the real ACT. 3. Have a Set Starting Time You and the parent who is proctoring you should establish beforehand a starting time foryour ACT.In order to simulate a real ACT as much as possible, this practice test should begin when real ACTs do: at 8:00am on a Saturday.This is early, but taking your practice test at that time will help you be better prepared for the real ACT. If you stayed out late the night before and spend your practice test exhausted and half-asleep, that will be a strong incentive to be more prepared and better rested for future practice tests, as well as the real ACT. Regard this start time as unchangeable. You cannot push it back or change it, even if you accidentally ended up staying out with your friends late the night before, decide you want to go for a run first, or find something really good on television. You won’t be able to delay the start time of the real ACT, so don’t do sofor the practice ACT either. Get up early enough so that by 8:00am, you are sitting at the desk or table where you’ll take the exam, with all your materials ready. 4. Simulate a Classroom Environment Make the room where you’ll be taking your practice test as close to a classroom as possible.Don’t take your test while sitting on the couch or hanging out at the kitchen table where the rest of your family is eating. Pick a quiet room where you and your proctor you will be undisturbed. You should take your practice test at a desk or table.Only have necessary materials around you. Your workspace shouldn’t be cluttered with extraneous papers or other material not related to the test, and your phone should be turned off and put away, like it will be for the real exam. This is very important to rememberbecause having your phone on for the real ACT is enough to get you kicked out of the exam and your scores tossed out. Image source: York Libraries 5. Have an "Official Test" Mindset Both you and your proctor should have the mindset throughout the entire test that this a realistic practice exam and should be as close to a real ACT as possible.The person acting as your proctor (likely your parent), should act as much like an official proctor as possible.This means things like reading instructions aloud, not making jokes, and not watching TVor listening loudly to music while you’re taking the test. You should take this test as seriously as you would a real ACT. Don’t ask for extra time, don’t try and check your phone during the test, don’t skip questions just because you got tired and know this isn’t a â€Å"real† test.Say it with me: If you wouldn’t do it during the real ACT, don’t do it during this practice exam. Taking a practice test under realistic conditions can provide you with a very accurate example of how you’d score on the real ACT, which can significantly help your future studying and raise your score for the actual exam, so take the practice test seriously. 6. Keep Strict Timing on Each Test Section This is an important consideration to keep in mind and one of the most critical things you can do to make your practice test as close to the real ACT as possible. The ACT includes a lot of questions in each section, and taking the test under real timing conditions will help you get used to the time pressures of the ACT and improve your time management skills. Your proctor should follow the ACT’s time restrictions exactly: English: 45 minutes Math: 60 minutes Reading: 35 minutes Science: 35 minutes Optional essay: 30 minutes Have your proctor keep track of the time with a watch or timer, announcing when you have five minutes left in each section. You can also keep track of the time with your watch, if you’re wearing one. As soon as your proctor calls time, set your pencil down. Do not ask for or try to take any additional time. Even adding two extra minutes to a section can allow you to answer several more questions, which will give you an inflated and less accurate score.Also, if you finish a section before time is called, do not move onto the next section. Just like for the real test, review your answers for that section until time is called. 7. Use Only Official Breaks The ACT allows only 2 breaks: a ten-minute break after the Math section and a five-minute break after the Science section for those writing the essay. During your practice test, only take breaks at these times, and only for the specific amount of time allowed. Like strictly timing your sections, this will get you more used to the challenges of taking a long test and let you see if having few breaks affects your score. Taking multiple practice tests with limited breaks can help you manage long tests better over time and improve your score. During these breaks, don’t do things you wouldn’t be able to do during the real ACT breaks, like check your phone, go on the computer, or go outside.You can (and should) use these breaks to get up and stretch, sharpen your pencils, use the bathroom, and eat the snacks or drinks you brought with you. Optional: Take Your Practice Test with Others This isn’t a requirement, but if you have other friends studying for the ACT, it can be helpful to take your practice tests at the same time.Doing sowill make your practice test closer to the real thing because you’ll take the real ACT with other people in the room, and, when you do, you’ll be more used to noises other test takers can make, like rustling papers or tapping their feet. 8. Grade and Review Your Exam Once you have finished with the entire test, take a bit of a break before reviewing your answers. This can be anywhere from a few hours to a few days. Either you or your proctor should grade your multiple choice answers.If you included the writing section, try to have two other people grade it, following the ACT’s essay rubric.Also check out our guide on converting your raw score into a scaled score. Now you have your score for your practice ACT, but you’re not finished yet.You should review each question you got wrong, working to understand what mistake you made and how you can avoid making it again in the future.If you skip this step, your ACT scores likely won’t improve very much, no matter how many practice tests you take because you’ll keep repeating the same mistakes. We also have a ton of resources to help you study for the ACT and raise your score. Check some of them out below. ACT Study Resources Want to learn ways to boost your ACT score? Check out our guide on the 21 ACT tricks you should be using. Don't have a lot of time to study for the ACT?Learn the best last-minute study tips you should use. Wondering when you should start your ACT prep? We have a step-by-step guide that tells you how long you should study for the ACT What should you do when you get a question wrong on a practice test? Read our guide on the best way to review your ACT mistakes. Aiming for a 36 on the ACT? Check out our guide on how to get a perfect ACT score. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points?We have the industry's leading ACT prep program. Built by Harvard grads and ACT full scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so you get the most effective prep possible. Check out our 5-day free trial today:

Friday, November 22, 2019

How to Study for AP Exams 5-Step Plan

How to Study for AP Exams 5-Step Plan SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Preparing for AP exams can feel like a Sisyphean task. On top of keeping up with the demanding coursework and all your other obligations, you have to prepare for a three-hour, multi-part exam? Yes, you do- butmore importantly, you can! If you don’t know how to study for AP exams, this is the guide for you. I’ll cover all the major steps to AP success, including content review, exam skill-building, and prepping for triumph on test day. 5 Essential Steps to AP Test Preparation Once the school year is underway, it can be easy to get caught up in the whirl of classes and clubs, and completely forget about test prep. And even once you do remember, you might not know how to study for AP tests. Never fear- read on for ourfive-step AP prep plan! Step 1: Establish What You Need to Review/Learn About halfway through the school year is when you’ll want to start studying for AP exams. This is the ideal time since you’ll have plenty of time to prep andwill know enough information to really get into reviewing content. A crucial first step to AP prep is to establish what you need to review or learn for the purposes of the exam.There are a few resources you’ll want to gather in order to do this: Syllabus for your AP class Any of your old tests,quizzes, or papers "AP Course and Exam Description" for the course You can find this last document on the main course page for the class, which you can access onthe College Board’s AP Student list of AP courses.Note that for courses that haven’t been revised in a long time, this is just called the "AP Course Description." This document offersa comprehensive description of the skills and content areas that will be tested on the exam. You’ll want to review, at least on a high level, all the major content areas from your AP course. But since it’s not efficient to try to retain every single piece of information your teacher tells you, your AP prep should be specifically focused on reviewing what you need to know for the exam. Once you have all your documents gathered, compare your class’s syllabus with the AP Course and Exam Description. Your class should cover all the major content areas- the syllabus had to get approved by the College Board, after all! That said, teachers do have some discretion on the specifics of what they can cover within the College Board’s broader structures. By comparing the two documents to see whether there are areas your class syllabus focused on in less (or more) detail than is necessary for the exam, you'll get an idea of what you should target in your own studying. Concepts you covered sparsely in class should be reviewed more closely, whilethings you covered more in-depth might not need to be reviewed as much. Your tests and quizzes are also important in establishing areas you should review. You don’t need to spend as much time reviewing material you got high marks on. By contrast, you should be sure to focus on reviewing content areas for which your test and quiz scores were weaker. The AP Course and Exam Description will also clarify for youwhat exam skills you need to build. Are there free-response math questions? Short answers? Essays? You’ll want to make sure you know how to succeed on all parts of the AP test. So plan to practice working on all question types. In sum, this is what you’ll want to review: Content High-level review of all major content areas of your course/test Focus more on areas where your knowledge is weaker, as determined by your AP quiz and test grades and the AP Course and Exam Description whencompared with your class syllabus Exam Skills Be prepared to answer all question types on the AP exam Student diligentlyreviewing the AP Course and Exam Description (artist's representation). Step 2: Make a Study Plan Once you’ve figured out what you need to review, you'll need tocome up with a review schedule. This doesn’t have to be super specific- you don’t have to know exactly what you are going to cover every single day. But you should have a general idea of what content areas you'll be reviewing and what skills you'll be working on every week leading up to the test. This is another time your class syllabus will come in handy, as you’ll be able to plot out your review schedule in a way that makes sense. You’ll want to review all the major content areas you have covered or will cover in class. But it doesn’t make a lot of sense to review something before your teacher has gone over it! So schedule the things you’re going to learn later for later review. You’ll want to weigh your prep plan more toward content review when you begin to prepare, and thenshift it more toward exam prep asyou get closer to test day. Assuming you're preparing over the course of several months, the first few weeks of your prep schedule should be dedicated almost entirely to reviewing content, and the last few weeks should be dedicated mostly to taking practice exams and doing practice questions. Here’s a sample study plan a studentmight make for the few months leading up to her AP Euro exam: Week Learning in Class Content to Review Prep to Complete 1 Turn of the century Make outlines and flash cards for Renaissance (Italian vs Northern), 100 Years’ War, black plague Look over some old free-response questions and a few sample multiple-choice questions 2 WWI Make outlines and flash cards for Reformation, religious wars Write practice DBQ and get Mr. Smith to score 3 WWI Make outlines and flash cards for Columbus, other explorers, 30 Years’ war Write practice FRQ and get Mr. Smith to score 4 Russian Revolution Make outlines and flash cards for absolutist rulers, agricultural revolution Take complete timed multiple-choice section 5 Between the world wars Make outlines and flash cards for slave trade and colonialism, Enlightenment Work on thesis statements and outlining practice for DBQ 6 WWII Make outlines and flash cards for French Revolution, Industrial Revolution, Napoleon Work on thesis statements and outlining practice for FRQ 7 WWII Make outlines and flash cards for Nationalism, Marxism, socialism Practice DBQ and FRQ and get Mr. Smith to score 8 The Cold War Make outlines and flash cards for Western imperialism, WWI Take complete timed multiple-choice section 9 The Cold War Make outlines and flash cards for Russian revolution, between the wars, WWII, Cold War Take complete practice test 10 Post Cold War Review outlines and flashcards Final practice FRQ (timed) In-class review Review outlines and flashcards Final practice DBQ (timed) 12 (test week!) Final review and test prep! Final outline review/flashcards Rest up! See, this business suit lady gets the importance of making a study plan. Step 3: Find Content Review Resources A high-quality review book is your best friend in AP prep. We currently have guides to the best review books for AP Psychology, AP Biology, AP US History and AP Chemistry.Beyond that, The Princeton Review and Barron’s generally make reliable review books for AP tests. Supplemental resources beyond areview book can also be helpful. Your textbook for the course, beyond providing explanations of key concepts, likelyincludespractice questions or tests at the end of each chapter. You can also look for podcasts, watch YouTubevideos, and use websites such as Khan Academy for content review purposes. Another option is tomake your own resources.I can’t recommend Quizletenough. With this website, you can make your own flashcards and then quiz yourself using various tools. You have to make an account to be able to use it, but the service itself is free. Once you’ve amassed all your review tools, you’ll be ready to review content. However, you’ll still need to practice AP exam questions! Be sure to really drill down in your search for high-quality AP resources. Step 4: Find Practice Exams and Questions In addition to content review materials, you’ll want to find practice exams and questions to build specific AP test competencies.The best AP practice questions and tests are those created by the College Board- the group that makes the AP exams. As a result, their materials will be most similar to the real AP test you’ll take in the spring. So where can you find College Board AP resources? In three places: In the AP Course and Exam Description booklet. Remember the AP Course and Exam Description booklet I mentioned above for figuring out what you need to review? It also has sample exam questions (of all types!) in the back. Hurrah! Official free-response questions.The College Board has kindly released free-response questions (and sample responses) from previous testing years. You can get these by going to the College Board’s AP exam information page and clicking on your desired exam; scrolling down from that page will take you to the free-response questions. The College Board also sometimes releases complete exams from past years for free. You can usually find these on the College Board exam overview page for your specific test; however,some of these are hard to find even though they're hosted on the College Board website. If you're having trouble finding tests for your exam, Google the name of your test along with "previously released materials college board" or "complete released exams college board" to find the free exams. For your convenience, here are the previously released materials pages for some of the most popular AP exams: AP English Literature and Composition 2012 Exam 1999 Exam 1987 Exam AP Chemistry 1999 Exam 1994 Exam AP US History 2017 Practice Exam AP Psychology 2012 Exam 1999 Exam 1994 Exam AP Biology 2013 Exam 1999 Exam AP Statistics 2012 Exam 1997 Exam AP Environmental Science 1998 Exam AP Calculus AB Sample 2014 Questions 2012 Exam 1998 Exam 1988 Exam AP US Government and Politics 1999 Exam AP Macroeconomics 2012 Exam 1995 Exam We’ve also gathered some practice question and exam materials for you here: AP World History AP Psychology AP Biology AP Chemistry AP US History AP English Language and Composition AP Human Geography AP English Literature and Composition Step 5: Get to Work and Stay on Schedule Once you’ve gathered all your materials- content review as well as practice questions and tests- it’s time to get to work! How many hours you need to spend on studying for AP tests every week is going to depend a lot on how much material you need to review and how comfortable you are with the format of the exam questions.In general, though, you should expect to study for several hours a week split over two to three sessions. Setting specific times and places for your AP studying will help you stay consistent and keep pace with your review schedule! With good content review and a solid approach to practice exams (more on this later), maintaining a consistent studying pace and schedule will catapult you to exam success. The true path to AP success: the trebuchet. AP Review: 3 General Tips As you review course material in preparation for your AP exam, here are some things to keep in mind. #1: Be Aware Of Your Own Learning Style Focus on review methods that work for you and not against you. If you’re a visual learner, don’t force yourself to listen to recorded lectures; draw diagrams or mind maps instead. Or if you’re an auditory learner, find podcasts and audio booksto listen to for concept review. #2: Review Material More Than Once It’s generally accepted that you need to encounter a piece of information several times before you really start to retain it. Therefore, plan to review essential information for the test more than once. The more important it is, the more times you should go over it. #3: Engage With the Material The more you interact with the material you're studying, the better you’ll retain it. If you can do some kind of activity with the information- such as practice problems, outline-writing, flashcard-making, etc.- you'll be able to remember it better. Not this kind of engagement! How to Make the Most Of AP Practice Tests Since College Board AP practice tests and resources are limited, you want to make sure you make the most of them.Here are my top three tips for how to do this effectively: #1: Take an Entire Practice Exam Under AP Test Conditions It will be a huge help for you to take an entire practice test under actual AP-like conditions. So with a timer, in a quiet room, with short breaks- the whole nine yards. If you only have one complete practice test you can use, do this toward the end of your prep time (maybe a few weeks before the test), when you’ve reviewed most of the content already. This will help you get a feel for what the actual test day will be like. And themore comfortable you feel, the better you'll do on the exam! #2: Track Your Progress If you have access to more than one complete practice test, it’s a good idea to also take a practice test toward the beginning of your prep timeso you can figure out what areas you need to work on the most.This will give you a rough benchmark of where you're starting, so then when you take another practice test toward the end of your prep, you’ll be able to see how you’ve improved! #3: Prep for Individual Sections Apart from complete practice tests, practice questions serve as great prep for individual parts of the AP test. Because the College Board has released so many free-response questions, you can practice those over and over again. You don’t necessarily have to do a complete, timed essay every time, although you should practice that. You can also practice outlining your essays or even writing thesis statements for prompts. Work specifically on the skills you need to build. In addition, be sure to look over practice multiple-choice questions closely so you can get a sense of the feel and format of AP multiple-choice questions. Make like an astronaut and prepare for everything! Critical Test-Taking Tips for AP Exam Day When test time arrives, you’ll want to maximize your study time investment with positive test-taking strategies.Here are my top tips to remember for test day: Before Your AP Test Get a good night’s sleep the two nights before the exam.This will help you stay alert and remember everything you’ve studied. Pack your bag for test day the night before. You don’t want to stress yourself out running around looking for your calculator five minutes before the bus comes on exam day. Be sure to also pack a snack and water- you can’t have them during the test, but you’ll appreciate the nourishment during the break! Eat breakfast the morning of your test.Again, you want your brain to be running at full power. Try to stick with a balanced meal that isn't too sugary. Bring lotsand lots of pencils and erasers. The College Board requires #2 pencils on exam day, so don't forget to bring a bunch. Also, bring a good eraser for back-ups and mishaps. During Your AP Test Pace yourself.You’ll be under time pressure for every section, so make sure you knowwhat pace you need to be working at. Periodically check that you're on pace. You can (and should) bring a watch, just so long as it doesn’t beep or have an alarm. Maintain positive self-talk throughout the exam. If there’s something you don’t know, don’t waste time beating yourself up about it. Just keep telling yourself that you are awesome and will crush the rest of the test. Don’t get hung up on a question you’re stuck on. This is true even on the free-response section- move on to the second essay if you’re getting stuck on the first. If you try to break through a mental block full-on, you might end up running out of time. Answer every question- there’s no penalty for guessing! Go through the ones that you know first, and then go back over the test and answer any remaining questions in the time you have left. With all these best test-taking practices, you'll be set up to succeed on your AP test, guaranteed! Don't neglect this critical aspect of test day (bananas optional). How to Prepare for AP Tests: Key Takeaways The AP prep process can be overwhelming. To lend you a hand, though, I'vesummarized how to study AP examsinto digestible steps below. Choose an AP Exam Figure out which classes your school offers and which fit into your schedule. Consider your interests and abilities. Consider how much time you’ll have for studying. Prepare for the Test Establish ways you need to review/learn. Make a study plan. Find content review resources. Find (official) practice questions and tests. Get to work and stay on schedule! AP Content Review Tips Be mindful of your own learning style. Review things more than once. Engage with the material! AP Practice Exam Tips Take at least one complete practice exam under full test-day-like conditions- and do this more than once if there is more than one practice test available to you. Practice individual exam sections, especially free response, to work on skills for those specific sections. Look closely at all sections to ensure you're familiar with the way AP questions are worded! AP Test-Taking Tips Do all the usual best test practices- get a good night’s sleep, eat breakfast, pack your bag the night before, and bring extra pencils. Pace yourself and stay on track. Think positive! Don’t get hung up on a single question- it you find yourself stuck, skip it and come back. Answer every question- there’s no penalty for guessing! Ultimately, just remember thatbreaking down the AP into little steps will make it manageable for you to scale the whole AP mountain! AP Mountain (artist's rendition). What's Next? Looking for more information about your AP exam? We've got expert guides to AP US History, AP Chemistry, and AP Psychology. If your AP exam has a DBQ, check out my total overview of the DBQandmy how-to DBQ essay guide. Looking for AP exam resources? Check out our guide to finding quality AP practice tests. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Philo 110 2nd midterm Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Philo 110 2nd midterm - Essay Example Most motorists believe that the majority of speed limits set by the Congress are usually below the average speed of traffic. The Congress usually set recommendable speed limits, on the federal highways, in order to protect innocent people from perishing in road accidents since every highway death is a regrettable death. Therefore, the key purpose of setting higher speed limits of 55 miles per hour is not to kill innocent citizens, but to provide a reasonable balance between convenience and safety. However, even with the set speed limits, people usually fall victims of highway accidents on a daily basis. Therefore, if Congress is aware that its set speed limits still leads to increased highway accidents and death, then it should be considered as a murder. Likewise, there is no need, for the Congress, to set speed limit at 45 miles per hour since it will not reduce road accidents with any significant amount, but it will only increase a driver’s violation of speed limit. I, there fore, agree with Lackey that such an action should be perceived as murder, and Congress should adopt more comprehensive actions to address this problem effectively. In defending and understanding of Preferential Treatment Programs, Wasserstrom bases his arguments on a statement â€Å"We are still living in a society in which a person’s race, his or her blackness rather than whiteness, is a socially significant and important category† (Shaw 350). Wasserstrom argues that preferential treatment programs are necessities in any society because they help in making the social condition of life less racially oppressive and unjust, and it also help in the equal distribution of national resources and opportunities. Additionally, such programs help people to realize their desirable aims and objectives without violating an individual’s rights, taking an impermissible character into account, denying other people what they deserve, and treating other people fairly. I agree wi th Wasserstrom’s perception because racism is one form of social discriminations that most societies are currently fighting to abolish. Preferential treatments are presumptively acceptable in any society because they work to fight the system of racial oppression, which is still in place, but it should not be, and their significance can only be relevant once they are fully adopted and integrated, in the society. I, therefore, agree with Wasserstrom that the preferential treatment programs should only be perceived as unjust if the constitute part of the larger system of racial oppression. John Isbister is determined to establish the meaning of justice in relation to economic and social fairness, in the context of boundaries of capitalism. He takes a practical approach about some significant questions about social and economic justice. For example, he argues â€Å"The greatest injustice of unregulated, free-market capitalism is that it provides for only some of the people and e xcludes others† (Shaw 386). I agree with Isbister that free-market capitalism is a means of benefiting the developed countries and exploiting the developing countries. Free-market capitalism has accumulated global wealth into one market, which has sent different nations to fight for their share. This implies that in order to obtain a significant share, a country has to have a significant amount of resources and

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Election Fraud in the USA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Election Fraud in the USA - Essay Example Being a democratic state, it is of paramount importance for America that the elections must be fair, neutral and faithfully conducted. The US constitution empowers the federal government to conduct the presidential elections. Their role is, however, very questionable. In 2000, the butterfly ballots were modified with new electronic voting machines to avoid accidental votes but it failed to generate any document that proved voter’s intent to vote. Besides that, in Florida alone, a list of 50,000 ex-felons was compiled with a directive to bar them from voting but it turned out that the list had the names of almost 20,000 innocent people. That list was discarded and a new list was generated which also turned out to be flawed. Furthermore, many votes were uncounted till at the very last time. With unsatisfactory results, a recount was held which did not make much difference. According to D. Margolick, E. Peretz and M. Shnayerson, â€Å"†¦many of Florida's 67 counties "recoun ted" merely by looking at their previous tallies†¦Ã¢â‚¬  In the state of Ohio, which has always played a decisive role in presidential elections for more than a century, the results shifted dramatically in the favor of Bush. Most of the Americans living abroad did not receive their ballots or received them too late. It is alleged that many voters who applied for registration were not registered and many fake votes were cast. From the results of exit polls, it looked like Kerry would win easily as he was ahead in the polls in 10 states out of 11. It is generally the case that the outcomes of the exit polls do not deviate very much from the actual polls. Exit polls are conducted because of their brilliant accuracy. Great deviation from the exit polls means that there has been a sudden and dramatic change in the general public opinion in a very short period. The political campaigns attempted to mould the public opinion as always. In 2004, people were discontented from Bush as the y regarded him to be reason for some troubles that the Americans had. Also, in Ohio, according to Robert F Kennedy Jr, â€Å"(The officials) illegally derailed a recount that could have given Kerry the presidency.† During elections, the people at the structural level might be regarded as those who help in conducting the elections at the very basic level. Many polls were understaffed and it became difficult to keep track of the votes. A lot of news reports and analysis showed that a lot of votes casted by eligible voters were neglected and a lot of them were not registered deliberately. Their dishonest role is evident from the story of two sisters who voted in different lines. The vote in favor of Bush was counted and the one in favor of Kerry was not. If the elections were rigged, the whole system is responsible. Opinion I think that most of the allegations are credible. It is because whenever the questions were raised, for example, when media revealed that almost 20,000 of t hose enlisted in the ex-felon list were innocent, there was no negation of this fact by the higher authorities. They simply compiled another list which was also faulty. Failure to count votes in a timely manner naturally raises some objections. Also, the actual polls deviated too much from the exit polls.  

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Case Essay Example for Free

Case Essay Telefonica de Espana. Does your analysis lead to the same conclusions as Telefonicas managers? The textbook explains SWOT as an acronym for â€Å"Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats†. Strengths; Telefonica is a monopoly at this time because it is state owned and this is a major strength for them. The fact that Spain’s culture and language is similar to the market in South America is a major advantage as well. Weaknesses; According to the textbook the prices associated with Telefonica’s service was high. Competitors were looking to exploit this by offering cheaper service with better technology. Companies who could lower their profit margin are a major concern for Telefonica. Opportunities; The deregulation of telecommunications in South America (with the cultural similarities as I mentioned before) seemed to be the perfect opportunity to enter this market and be successful. Threats; Due to the many complaints from their customers Telefonica faces many threats from competitors in this â€Å"new market†. There is a chance that they may not survive in this market if they do not provide better service and technology. 2. How would you characterize the corporate strategy adopted by Telefonica? 3. Minority investors in Telefonicas South American subsidiaries are unhappy with the parent corporation. Suppose you are a senior manager at the parent corporation. How would you handle the problem with the minority investors? What would you recommend to the CEO should be done about the minority investors? 4. The Latin American telecommunications market is growing much faster (12. 6 percent in 2007) than that of Spain or Europe, both of which grew at a 4. 9 percent rate in 2007. Should Telefonica have continued to focus on the Latin American market, rather than acquire O2 and Cseky? What about its purchase of a minority position in China Netcom?

Thursday, November 14, 2019

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee Essay -- To Kill a Mockingbird Essa

To Kill A Mockingbird Courage, the mental or morale strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty, is displayed in many different ways throughout Harper Lee ¹s only published novel, To Kill A Mockingbird. To some, the courage manifested by the characters in this book is either offensive, or frivolous, but to those who realize the true meaning of this word, the fortitude and bravery exhibited by certain individuals is considered uncustomary. In fact, To Kill A Mockingbird revolves around courage, as the author of this book describes Jem and Scout ¹s (the two main character ¹s in the story) childhoods living in Maycomb County, and how, as they grow older , they learn to realistically define heroism. To distinct courage in this book however, is not an easy task to accomplish, for typically, courage is displayed in the smallest or most unnoticeable fashions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In To Kill A Mockingbird, Atticus, a man who provides the morale guidelines in the story, and also Scout and Jem ¹s father, demonstrates courage in a variation of different ways, but the biggest of all the tasks that he had to overcome was when he was given the opportunity to defend Tom Robinson in court. Atticus did not treat this litigation such as any other case that he had ever dealt with before, for he new that this one would most likely change his life. The reason: Tom Robinson was a Negro. At the time, segregation was very common among the citizens of his town, and therefore he knew that he stood no chance in winning this indictment, especially based upon the fact that Robinson was charged with a transgression such as rape. Atticus was courageous in this situation for many different reasons, but mainly because he stood up for what he believed in; in this case it was that blacks should have equal rights as whites in a court of law. A quote that fascinated me while reading this book was:  ³Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win. ²(p76) Atticus was the one to have said this, showing his acknowledgment of the fact that he was going to be on the losing end of the lawsuit. Still, he prepared for this case, willingly putting his heart into it, disregarding the insults and attacks thrown in his direction by white supremacists. Although he lost, he came out victorious in the end, as he receiv... ...asing the amount of time that she was spending without taking the drug. Eventually, by the time that Jem was no longer obligated to read, she had accomplished her goal; she was going to be free when she died, as she did kick her habit. A suffering and feeble woman going a month without consuming a drug that she has been addicted to for over five years is undeniably courageous. Mrs. Dubose could easily have died taking morphine to soothe her pain, but instead she did what in her mind was right, suffering for a month on earth, permitting her to be untroubled for eternity in heaven.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Defending a Negro, resisting the temptation of fighting, and kicking a morphine addiction. All three of these acts of courage can somehow relate to the quote:  ³Real courage is when you know you ¹re licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. ²(p112) This quotes continues, implying that you rarely win, but sometimes you do, such as in Mrs. Dubose ¹s case. In both Atticus and Scout ¹s cases though, they lost, but neither winning nor losing is important, as long as inside you know you have done the right thing.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Online Learning V.S Traditional Classroom Learning Essay

I think whether it is online learning or traditional class learning both should be taken into consideration when planning to further education. I personally did not consider the facts when I decided to further my education. I had started out in a traditional classroom but soon after realized it was not the right choice. It was hard to fully apply myself when I was attending a traditional classroom because I was a working wife and mother. Online learning and traditional learning will show that both of these are great options depending on who the student may be and which educational program the student has chosen. Online learning and traditional learning each have their merits and faults. Online degrees have become a perfect option for individuals who may not be able to enroll in a traditional classroom. When you compare the two learning classes, the biggest difference is that students studying online have the flexibility to attend classes at their own pace and time. In a campus-based classroom they require that students attend class a certain number of times every week, at specific times. Traditional class learning may not be the option for people who have children or work long hours. Learning online would be a better option for these people because they can make their own schedule for when they will attend class. Both online and traditional classes give students the opportunity to interact with other students and their professors. With a traditional classroom you can interact with students and professors face -to -face. In online learning there is no face- to -face interaction with classmates or instructors. Online learning interaction can consist of chat rooms, e-mail, main forums, and over the telephone. Traditional class students have a better advantage of understanding the materials because they can have that one –on- one time with the instructor face- to -face. It may be a little harder for online students to grasp the materials because they do not have that face- to -face interaction. Online learning and traditional class learning work assignments are similar and different in their own ways. In both online and traditional learning classes you still have assignments that have to be completed by a certain time. In the traditional class your assignments are done on paper and with online learning you have to submit your assignments on the computer. Also with traditional class learning one has the opportunity to present in front of their classmates, while online students do not have that option. They are only able to present their presentations to the instructors. In both classes you still have homework and you have to participate in class. Online learning requires you to participate and attend class a certain number of times but there is no specific times or days. They have the option to decide when that will be but with traditional class you have to attend class every day you are scheduled and participate every day. Earning a degree at a traditional college can be very expensive but obtaining a online degree can be a lot less expensive for students. Exceptionally less, but they offer students the same loan and grant benefits offered at a traditional college. Online schools and traditional schools offer the same financial aid packages. Students who attend a traditional class usually have to pay traveling cost and living cost. Online learning students do not have to pay these extra costs because they are learning from home and that requires no traveling. Also with online schools you do not have to pay for facilities like residence halls, dining halls, gyms and libraries. Most provide access to virtual libraries and some even have partnerships with local facilities. There are many similarities and differences between online learning and traditional class learning. The facts show that both are great options to consider, depending upon the person and his or her day- to- day schedule. One method to determine how well online learning and traditional class learning might work for you is to consider the benefits and disadvantages of both. Researching and planning ahead can help a person in deciding which would better fit his or her needs. I have found online learning to better fit my needs because I can make my own schedule concerning attending class. I am a mother and wife so I have many responsibilities and this option gives me time to take care of my household while still being able to obtain a degree at my own pace. Do the research to see which one is the right option for you at this time in your life. Most people think that their decision to go to college only affects them but it affects your family also. You have to still be able to do for your family and handle your business at home. I also suggest if you are attending a traditional college and it seems to be too overwhelming for you at times you should really consider trying the online learning. Becoming successful in life depends on the choices you make throughout life, whether they be good or bad choices. So choose wisely which learning class be it online learning or traditional learning is right for you and your family.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Alice Walker’s Beauty: When the Other Dancer Is the Self

In this essay, â€Å"Beauty: When the Other Dancer Is the Self† by Alice Walker, is about the realization or fulfillment of one's own potential or abilities, and a detailed and harrowing account of how the author's life has been affected by a childhood accident that left her disfigured and blind in one eye and that the world is what we make it to be. As a child Alice Walker has great confidence in herself, her capabilities, and her beauty or cuteness. We see the different changes and her realizations about herself, which she goes through throughout her life. Walker gives us much more than a simple report of what happened in her early years, however. She engaged the readers in delivering a straightforward and attractive story relating to her life as a recollection by also using the accident which happened during her childhood. She shows that she is confident in her beauty at the age of two and a half when she wants to go to the fair with her father and tells him â€Å"take me daddy. I’m the prettiest. † She also shows she is confident in her capabilities and her beauty on Easter Sunday, 1950, when she is all dressed up in a green, flocked, scalloped-hem dress that had a smooth, satin petticoat and hot pink roses. She feels everyone is admiring her beautiful dress. Alice also states that it was not her dress they admired, but it was her spirit they adored. She thanks them to this day for saying things like â€Å"isn’t she the cutest thing† or â€Å"and got so much sense†. (259)

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Challenges administrative assistants face and how to deal with it

Challenges administrative assistants face and how to deal with it Administrative assistants are the office superheroes. Their job includes  making sure the office is running effectively and as smooth as possible while still juggling their other duties. Great administrative assistants are an invaluable asset to any company. But sometimes they face challenges from their coworkers  whether is it being taken for granted or even being taken as a personal assistant; administrative assistants constantly have to fight these challenges in the office. Here are 5 common challenges administrative assistants face and how to deal with it effectively.Source [Quill]

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

10 Cheap Ways to Get Books for Class

10 Cheap Ways to Get Books for Class College classes are a chance to expand your mind, explore new subjects, meet new people and learn more than you ever wanted to know about just how expensive books can be. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to find books on the cheap. These helpful hints can trim down your book budget, see also how to find money for education, and help you to work smarter instead of harder. Find Out If You Need the Textbook First Plenty of courses have a recommended textbook and plenty of students know that doesn’t mean youll actually use them. Each year, thousands of students buy expensive textbooks they open once and then throw into a corner to collect dust until the end of the school year. Talk to former students or ask your professor or TA directly if youll need the textbook. Shop Online Secondhand books have become a huge industry online. Websites like ABE and Alibris specialize in out of print and hard to find titles – including textbooks. Amazon also offers quite a few options – including a marketplace solely dedicated to used and secondhand books. When shopping online for textbooks, there are a few tips that can help make sure you find a great deal. Ask About the Edition – Some textbooks go through major revisions every year. Others move the placement of a comma and release it as an Updated Edition. Trawl through the Table of Content, look for a list of updates and changes or simply ask your professor if an older version is fine for the course. Being able to buy an older edition could slash the cost of a textbook in half. Check the Condition – Secondhand books are, by their very nature, used. However, not all students go through a Highlight Fever phase so many textbooks are in great shape with little, if any, marks or highlights. Others, however, can be so marked up that youll start to think the previous owner fostered a deep seated marker scent addiction. If a textbook is priced especially low, be sure to check the notes on its condition. If youre able to ignore marks and notes in the margins, then a heavily used copy will be a lot cheaper than one with little or no marks. Cast the Net Wide – When looking for textbooks online, be sure to include websites that arent completely dedicated to books. Both eBay and Craigslist can be great places to find used textbooks, especially if you manage to search right after a semester ends. Plenty of students try to sell their own textbooks directly and some even sell them as a lot on sites like Craigslist. Factor in Shipping – When you buy books online, they could be coming from anywhere. If youve only started to look for textbooks a few weeks before class starts, be sure theyll arrive in time. Also factor in the shipping costs – textbooks are notoriously heavy. Get Local If your university is near a major city, be sure to check out the local thrift stores. Many students dont bother trying to resell their old textbooks and you may be surprised how many end up on the bookshelves of a local charity shop. While the editions may be older, if your course doesn’t require the most up to date edition, picking up a used copy at a thrift store could make a real difference in how much you end up paying for books. Consider International Editions International editions of major textbooks have the same content as domestic editions. The difference typically has to do with the quality of paper and other materials used to publish the book. These books are not available through US websites or stores. That means youll need to consider extra shipping costs and more shipping time since youll be ordering from abroad. Explore E-Book Options These days, more and more publishers are offering electronic versions of popular university and higher education textbooks. Although you wont be able to easily resell these books once the class is over, they are typically priced much lower than their traditional counterparts. Rent Them! Renting textbooks has become the newest way for students to help take the crunch out of their book budgets. Smaller websites like Textbook Rentals and Book Renter have become hot buzzwords on college campuses. Even the book giants Amazon and Barnes Noble are beginning to get into the textbook rental business. Although currently there are a limited number of books you can rent, its growing popularity suggests that soon students will be able to rent everything from Accounting 101 to Zoology 999. There are many expenses associated with getting a college degree. Paying for tuition and class fees is really the top of the iceberg. Books come a close second in terms of how much of your education budget but these tips can help lessen the sting of buying books for every class. Freeing up a bit of money by getting textbooks cheaper means less stress on your budget and your mind which can make your next semester a lot easier.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

The Ontological and Economic Trinity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

The Ontological and Economic Trinity - Essay Example The three persons are said to be equal in nature and in their attributes. By saying that the three persons are equal in attributes, it means that they are omniscience, they are omnipresent and they are holy. It is acceptable among all Christians across the world that the three persons do not change, they are holy and that they are divine. This state of the three persons having equal attributes and being equal in nature is referred to as the Ontological Trinity2.The word Ontology refers to the study of essence. As a result, the Ontological Trinity can also be referred to as the Essential Trinity or the Immanent Trinity. On the other hand, these three persons are said to differ in the manner with which they work and also the way they associate with the world and with each other. Each of them has varying roles in how they relate to the world. Their roles within the Godhead are also different. Each of them has their own activities and they perform them independently. This difference in h ow these persons relate to each other and to the world is referred to as the Economic Trinity. The name economic has been derived from the Greek word oikonomikos which means management of activities3. Therefore, the three persons manage their activities differently. The Ontological Trinity and the Economic Trinity are usually confusing among many Christians This makes it difficult for Christians to understand the exact nature of God Himself. It is not easy for a typical Christian to distinguish between the Ontological Trinity and the Economic Trinity. In addition, it is not easy for Christians to figure out the relationship between the two. This makes the understanding of God and how He works to become a mystery to many. Understanding these two issues can be of much importance to Christians in that they will understand how God works Project Summary The purpose of this project is to conduct a research that will help Christians understand the three persons in Trinity. They will be abl e to distinguish between the Economic Trinity and the Ontological Trinity. Having understood this, Christians will be in a better position to understand the Existence of God and also understand how God works in through the three persons in trinity (i.e.) the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. In this project, I hope to bring out a clear distinction between Ontological Trinity and the Economic Trinity. I also hope to outline and evaluate how the three persons relate to each other and how they work together. Once I am able to achieve this, the project will have achieved its mission which is to enable Christians understand God in a better way. To accomplish this purpose, I will do extensive research from academic literature and compile a report at the end of the research that gives relevant answer to the research question. History of the Doctrine of the Trinity The root of the doctrine of the Trinity can be traced from as early as the first century. The doctrine has taken centuries t o develop leading to the modern definition that is the subject of this paper. The word "Trinity" is not seen in the New Testament and neither is the doctrine explicitly taught in the scriptures4. However, we can trace the foundations of the concept of the Trinity from the New Testament, particularly from the Gospel of John, which arguably is one of the latest and one of the most theologically developed books of the New Testament. Mentions of the Trinitarian beliefs also can be seen in the extra-biblical teachings of theological writers