A Brief Look at Rene Descartes - 829 Words

Rene Descartes was a brilliant man who came up with many inventions and thoughts to put in people’s minds and let them ponder off and question life in itself. In one of the many things Rene Descartes created, he wrote a book called Discourse on the Method and Meditations. Descartes discusses how there are two main proofs of God’s existence, the casual argument in meditation three and the ontological argument in meditation five. There are a few differences between these two meditations and one is more convincing of the other, but Descartes needed these two proofs to prove a certain point. Also, he shares in meditation four how human error is possible even though a perfect God created humans. Although, those are points that Descartes spent a lot of time thinking about and attempting to prove, they are not really convincing points that can be believed. In the third meditation, Descartes discusses how God does in fact exists and is perfect. It is definitely more of a cosmol ogical argument that is more so for the thinkers in the medieval times. Descartes claims â€Å"I think there for I am.† (Descartes, p. 19) He claims that an evil mastermind is misleading him, so he wants to prove that God exists. He believes of what an ideal being should be but that he could not come up with that idea on his own, and it was ingrained by God. He exists because God put the ability in his thoughts to be able to think. God exists in the real world because if he only existed in Descartes psyche, heShow MoreRelatedThe Mind Body Problem, By Rene Descartes Essay1331 Words   |  6 Pages Mind-Body Problem Oluwadamilola Kamson Philosophy 101: Introduction to Philosophy November 2016 INTRODUCTION The Mind-body problem dates back to Plato and was well received by the scholastic philosophers. However, it was Rene Descartes the famous French philosopher, mathematician, and scientist. The mind-body problem is not, of course, a single problem at all, but a large collection of problems which focuses upon the fundamental issue of reality and knowledge in so far as such analysisRead MoreThe Relationship of the Mind and the Body: The Person1071 Words   |  5 Pagesfunctions as usual, and in the same manner as if it was still in union with its partner? In his book, Discourse on the Method and Meditations on First Philosophy, Rene Descartes analyzes the mind and the body as two entirely distinct and separate entities. Through his analysis, he concludes that the mind does not need the body to exist. Descartes argues that since we are at the basest form, â€Å"thinking things,† our bodily senses are not necessary to our minds and to knowing what truly does and does not existRead MoreThe Discovery Of A New Science1634 Words   |  7 Pages The Discovery of a New Science A Brief History Physiology has piqued human curiosity for thousands of years. In the early centuries, examination and dissection of the human body was a taboo practice and consequently became mired due to ethical or religious concerns. Scientist had no choice but to undertake inconceivable acts, such as grave robbery in the name of learning and educating. They carried out dissections in secrecy. Human physical and mental health practices have greatly benefittedRead MorePersonal Growth Through Learning Essay1427 Words   |  6 Pagesolder college student, my desire is to learn everything that I possibly can with the aid of Victory University. It was fascinating reading about Rene’ Descartes who grew up in France. Descartes was also a life-long learner. He was the thinker and writer who coined the phrase, â€Å"I think, therefore I am† (Gluck, Mercado, Myers, 2014, p. 7). Although Descartes existed during the time of the Renaissance, his theory that the eyes were significant to stimulating other parts of the body, such as the fingersRead MoreDescartes s Meditations On First Philosophy Essay2099 Words   |  9 PagesFirst published in Latin in 1641, Renà © Descartes philosophical study, entitled Meditations On First Philosophy, poses a question that continues to be both continously relevant, and hotly debated, in the field of philosophy. One of Descartes main queries in his meditations is as follows; how can we be fully assured that we know anything at all? Descarets theorises that, whilst not all knowledge may provide probable doubt, we can never be fully certain that there is no room for doubt, and if we cannotRead MoreWhy I Don t Think Philosophy Is A Secret Society1485 Words   |  6 Pages After reading this book it is safe to say that I don’t think philosophy is a secret society because I have entered into it. Groothuis takes on a large subject and looks into the minds of seven philosophers and what they think of God, the universe, and humanity. This book shows the significance within the history of Western philosophy. One of the philosophers we will discuss first is Protagoras he is best known for this saying â€Å"Man is the measure of all things.† His ideas can be explainedRead MoreAnimal Testing (Speech Outline)1200 Words   |  5 Pagesfirst look at the problem of animal testing.) br brbBody/b br brI. As I have mentioned, the question on animal testing was posed even as early as the 17th century, according to the All For Animals Newsletter. brA. According to this newsletter, Philosopher Jeremy Bentham rejected philosopher Rene Descartes theory that because animals have no reasoning that humans have, they therefore cannot feel pain or suffering. br1. But Bentham went further in this issue, rejecting Descartes ideaRead MoreLanguage and the Destiny of Man12402 Words   |  50 PagesÅžtefan Afloroaei / Descartes and the â€Å"metaphysical dualism† Descartes and the â€Å"metaphysical dualism†: Excesses in interpreting a classic* Al.I. Cuza University of Iasi Abstract The article focuses on one of the most serious accusations brought against Descartes and modern philosophy, namely â€Å"the dualism of substance†. The accusers claim that the human body and soul were viewed as completely separate; consequently, their relationship as such and the united being of man become incomprehensible. AsRead MoreAthanasia: Human Impermanence and the Journey for Eternal Life in the Epic of Gilgamesh1740 Words   |  7 Pageswith mortals, the status of immortality means a complete separation from humanity. â€Å"I could imagine that I had no body, and that there was no world nor any place that I occupied, but that I could not imagine for a moment that I did not exist.† (Descartes 21) With everything considered thus far, The Epic of Gilgamesh is proof of mankind’s ingenuity and aptitude for fantasy and lore. The epic is amongst the oldest works of human literature. The fable is a work of literary art that is focused on mankindsRead More Animal Testing (speech Outline) Essay989 Words   |  4 Pagesdiscussing the various alternatives that can be taken. (Transition: Let us first look at the problem of animal testing.) Body I.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;As I have mentioned, the question on animal testing was posed even as early as the 17th century, according to the All For Animals Newsletter. A.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;According to this newsletter, Philosopher Jeremy Bentham rejected philosopher Rene Descartes’ theory that because animals have no reasoning that humans have, they therefore

Does the Caribbean Contribute to the Americanization of...

â€Å"Do you believe Caribbean Media are victims or causal factors of the Americanization of Caribbean Culture?† There has been an ongoing debate as to whether The Americanization phenomenon, has been perpetuated by the media across the Caribbean. It must be stated, that the Americanization phenomenon, can be synonymous with Globalisation. Hence it very pertinent to the discussion, to first defines the denotative meaning of the term Globalisation. (Dr.Maria Alfaro) defines Globalisation as: â€Å"A phenomenon generated simultaneously by the application of new technologies, which overcome barriers of time space, and the generalisation of the principles of free trade in a market of world dimensions. In itself this phenomenon does not†¦show more content†¦Globalization has allowed U.S media to be prevalent and readily available to Caribbean people, thorough cable television among others. They have become accustomed to all things American and so Caribbean media practitioners feel the need to copy their format in order to secure viewers. For example food; American fast food such as h amburgers, fries, pepsi has all but replaced traditional dishes such as ground provisions, ackee and salt fish among other things. This is not the only result, as Ssenyonga states, other areas include fashion â€Å" the casual American style of wearing Jeans, T- shirts and sports shoes is common and acceptable in many places, [Replacing traditional Caribbean fashion forms.] He future added that â€Å"the American music industry has also gone a long way influencing the dress culture of other people around the world for instance 50 cent, Lady Gaga, 2 Pac and others, who are normally characterised by flashy fashions and bling bling (expensive shiny jewellery).† At this point it is important to bring into focus, whether Caribbean media causes the Americanization of Caribbean culture? Ssenyonga states that â€Å"The transmission of American culture has been done mainly through several conduits with the number one medium being the electronic media, Television in particular has done a lot of Americanizing where the localShow MoreRelatedDoes the Caribbean Contribute to the Americanization of Its Media?1336 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"Do you believe Caribbean Media are victims or causal factors of the Americanization of Caribbean Culture?† There has been an ongoing debate as to whether The Americanization phenomenon, has been perpetuated by the media across the Caribbean. It must be stated, that the Americanization phenomenon, can be synonymous with Globalisation. Hence it very pertinent to the discussion, to first defines the denotative meaning of the term Globalisation. (Dr.Maria Alfaro) defines Globalisation as: â€Å"ARead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 PagesCentury of Environmental Transitions †¢ Richard P. Tucker 315 About the Contributors †¢ 343 _ IN TR OD UC TIO N Michael Adas B y any of the customary measures we deploy to demarcate historical epochs, the twentieth century does not appear to be a very coherent unit. The beginnings and ends of what we choose to call centuries are almost invariably years of little significance. But there is little agreement over when the twentieth century c.e. arrived, and there were several

A Sirens comparison of Homers Odyessy and Marga Essay Example For Students

A Sirens comparison of Homer?s ?Odyessy? and Marga Essay ret Atwood?s ?Siren Song?A Sirens comparison of Homers Odyessy and Margaret Atwoods Siren Song Siren ComparisonIn the Siren Song there are three Sirens and in the Odyssey there are only two sirens. The Sirens in the Odyssey sing a song filled with passion and yearning to lure men to them. The Sirens in Sirens Song use a song of secrets to lure the men treacherously to their deaths. The Sirens Song Sirens use the mens own natural curiosity to bring the men to them. The Odyssey Sirens use enchantment and the promise of passion to get the men.I believe that Ms. Atwood did not want the Sirens in Siren Song to be the stereotypical siren of mythology. They are smarter and more deadly than the ones in the Odyssey. She seems to be saying females dont always have to use sex to interest a man and that makes them totally different and modern. The Sirens in the Odyssey use the promise of sex and the enchantment of their song to lure men to death. The passion in their voices held such a strong hold on the men that they could not turn away. If you did not know that the Odyssey was written by a man you could more than likely tell by just the part about the Sirens. Women causing the troubles of man seems to be the theme throughout the ages for male writers. Ms. Atwood talks about the sirens from a totally different viewpoint. You would know that Siren Song was written by a woman from the tone of the poem. She could be saying that men are easily led by their desires, but their curiosity is an even more powerful tool to be used by a crafty female.

Locke And The American Political System Essays -

Locke And The American Political System John Locke and his ideas about philosophy was a major influence on the American political system, not to mention many other political systems, too. His ideas were very universal, especially those regarding rights and freedom, two topics for which the United States of America is best known. Locke claimed that ?there is a law of nature governing human beings and that it is knowable by human reason?(Lavine, 136). This law of nature is the basis of American politics, one by which we all live by today. This law included the idea that all human beings are equal, ?possessing the same natural rights of life, liberty, and property...? and that all human beings have the ?same obligation not to infringe on the rights of other?(136). Most of laws and justifications Americans live by today are based on exactly these arguments. John Locke's statements about this law of nature for all human beings justified many revolutions, including the American revolution of 1776. Because this revolution had such a great impact on American political system, it is clear just how significant Locke's beliefs were, and still are. His ideas were even clearly put in the American Declaration of Independence. In Jefferson's words, the Declaration of Independence states: ?We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness...? Today, the American people may not recognize it at all, but they do all live by the laws revealed by John Locke.

The Irregular Latin Verb Sum To Be

The Irregular Latin Verb Sum To Be The Latin word sum is perhaps among the best known of all the Latin verbs and it is among the hardest to learn. Sum is the present indicative tense of the verb esse, meaning to be. As with many other living and dead languages, esse is one of the oldest verb forms in Latin, one of the most frequently used of the verbs, one of the most irregular verbs in Latin and related languages. It is also often contracted in casual use (such as in English Im, thats, theyre, hes), becoming almost invisible to the listener. Etymology The progenitor form of to be is in the Proto-Indo-European  (PIE) language, the parent language of Latin, Greek, Sanskrit, Iranian, Germanic, and indeed most of the languages spoken in all of Europe, India, and Iran. Each of the PIE languages has a form of to be, perhaps because it is so eminently useful: sometimes to be can have an existential significance (To be or not to be, I think therefore I am), but also retains its use in everyday language. In etymological circles, to be is the b-root word, and like all of the b-roots probably is derived from an ancient PIE root, today reconstructed as *h1à ©s-mi (I am). It is also possible that to be in Latin derives from the root word *bhuH- meaning to grow.  Other closely related words to esse are asmi  in Sanskrit and eÃ… ¡mi in Hittite. Conguating Sum Mood Tense Person Singular Plural indicative Present First sum sumus Second es estis Third est sunt Imperfect First eram eramus Second eras eratis Third erat erant Future First ero erimus Second eris eritis Third erit erunt Perfect First fui fuimus Second fuisti fuistis Third fuit fuerunt Pluperfect First fueram fueramus Second fueras fueratis Third fuera fuerant Future Perfect First fuero fuerimu Second fueris fueritis Third fuerit fuerint Subjunctive Present First sim simus Second sit sitis Third sit sint Imperfect First essem essemus Second esses essetis Third esset essent Perfect First fuerim fuerimus Second fueris fueritis Third fuerit fuerint Pluperfect First fuissem fuissemus Second fuisses fuissetis Third fuisset fuissent Irregular Verbs and Compounds There are several other Latin irregular verbs and compound verbs formed from sum. Eo - to go Fio - to become nolo, nolle, nolui - to be unwilling and malo, malle, malui to prefer are similar. Volo - to wish Fero - to carry Sum - to becompounds: adsum, desum, insum, intersum, praesum, obsum, prosum, subsum, supersum Do - to give Edo - to eat

Seven Strategies to Provide Help for Teachers

Seven Strategies to Provide Help for Teachers Most teachers are eager to learn, want to improve, and work hard at their craft. Some are more natural than others and innately understand what it takes to be an effective teacher. However, there are many teachers that need time and assistance in developing the skills it takes to be an outstanding teacher. All teachers have areas where they are strong and areas in which they are weak. The best teachers will work hard to improve in all areas. Sometimes a teacher needs assistance in identifying their strengths and weaknesses as well as a plan to improve. This is a crucial part of a principal’s job. A principal should know each teacher’s individual strength and weaknesses. They should develop a plan for providing help for teachers that focus on areas that need improvement. There are many ways that a principal can provide help for teachers. Here, we examine seven strategies that a principal may use in developing a plan of improvement for each teacher. Identify the Essential There are many areas that a teacher must be solid in to be an effective teacher. Being ineffective in one area often has an effect on other areas. As a principal, it is vital that you narrow the focus to what you consider being the biggest areas of need. For example, you may be working with a teacher in which you have identified six areas that need improvement. Working on all six areas at once will be overwhelming and counter-intuitive. Instead, identify the two that you believe are most prominent and start there. Create a plan that focuses on improving in those top areas of need. Once those areas improve to an effective level, then you can create a plan to work on other areas of need. It is critical that teacher understands that you are trying to help them throughout this process. They must trust that you have their best interest in mind. A strong principal will build a relationship with their teacher that allows them to be critical when they need to be without hurting a teacher’s feelings. Constructive Conversation A principal should have in-depth conversations on a regular basis with their teachers about the happenings in their classroom. These conversations not only give the principal perspective about what is happening in the classroom, they allow the principal to give helpful suggestions and tips through informal conversation. Most young teachers especially are sponges. They want to improve and seek out knowledge of how to do their job better. These conversations also are significant trust builders. A principal who actively listens to their teachers and works to create solutions to their problems will gain their trust. This can lead to helpful conversations that can immensely improve a teacher’s effectiveness. They will be more open when you are critical because they understand you are looking out for what is best for them and the school. Video/Journaling There are occasions in which a teacher may not see something as an area in which they need to improve. In this case, it may be advantageous for you to video a series of lessons so that they can watch it back to understand what you are seeing in your observations. Watching video of your teaching can be a powerful tool. You will be surprised at what you learn about yourself as you watch the tape back. This can lead to powerful reflection and realization that you do need to change to your approach in how you teach. Journaling can also be an exceptional tool to help a teacher improve. Journaling allows a teacher to keep track of different approaches they have used and to compare their effectiveness days, months, or even years later. Journaling allows to teachers to look back at where they were and see how much they have grown over the course of time. This self-reflection can spark a desire to continue to improve or to change an area in which the writing helps them realize they need to make changes. Model the Skills Principals are supposed to be the leaders in their building. Sometimes the best way to lead is to model. A principal should never be afraid to put a lesson together that focuses on an individual teacher’s weakness and then teach that lesson to the teacher’s class. The teacher should observe and make notes throughout the lesson. This should be followed up with a healthy conversation between you and the teacher. This conversation should focus on what they saw you do in their lessons that many of their lessons often lack. Sometimes a teacher simply needs to see it done right to understand what they need to change and how they are supposed to do it. Set up Observations With a Mentor There are teachers that are experts at their craft who are willing to share their insights and experiences with other teachers. This can be powerful in many different areas. Every young teacher should be given the opportunity to observe an established veteran teacher and have them serve as their mentor. This relationship should be a two-way street where the mentor could also observe the other teacher and provide feedback. There are so many positives that can come out of this type of relationship. A veteran teacher may be able to share something that clicks with the other teacher and sets them on the path of them becoming a mentor someday themselves. Provide Resources There are so many resources that a principal can provide a teacher that focuses on every possible area in which they may struggle. Those resources include books, articles, videos, and websites. It is essential to give your struggling teacher a variety of resources that provide multiple strategies for improving. What works for one teacher may not work for another. After giving them time to look through the material, follow it up with conversations to see what they took from the resources as well as how they plan to apply it to their classroom. Provide Specific Professional Development Another way to provide help for teachers is to give them professional development opportunities that are unique to their own individual needs. For example, if you have a teacher that struggles with classroom management, find an outstanding workshop which deals with classroom management and send them to it. This training can be invaluable to improving a teacher. When you send them to something you hope that they are able to gain valuable, applicable insights that they can immediately bring back to their classrooms and apply.

Research paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Research Paper Example Services offered can either be of personal or corporate finance levels. Similar to any other industry, financial sector needs appropriate tools and technologies in managing and delivering services to clients. Use of those tools facilitate efficient and effective service provision; hence enhancing the commercial concept of profitability. This research paper strives to appraise the breadth and depth of technology integration in finance, especially information technology and changes brought by the integration. Four decades ago, information technology only found wide application in military institutions. Military units used secured networks in relying communications. Financial institutions used traditional ledger books in keeping transaction records. Later, banking sector adopted the use of secure communication channels to deliver sensitive information for processes like confirming funds reception. Currently, technology dominates almost every aspect of financial services industry. According to Balling and Lierman (2009), technological tools like computers allow generation of financial statements, budgets and expected rate of return with a single click of an icon. In addition, investment companies can easily make precise predictions of future financial trends using customized software programs. Technology not only enhances production of records but also improves the labor aspects of the industry. Effective communication tools like internet, Skype and video conferencing allows company manage rs to outsource jobs to experts’ location. Times when Wall Street had to mail each client a stamped copy of a general meeting letter are long gone. Moreover, piling of financial records in files became redundant. With rapid evolution of technology, computer systems are becoming increasingly sophisticated, reliable and fast. This speed of evolution created the

Educational Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Educational Policy - Essay Example According to him the educational system was getting more and more influenced by the changing political scenario. Contrary to this, in his paper written in 2011 he has argued upon the importance of leadership and values in the current educational institutions. He has thoroughly discussed the changing nature of schools while stating that more research is required in order to resolve educational issues. Ball’s position has actually evolved from the first to the second paper because initially he was considering educational system as a weak social institution but later in 2011 he analyzed that institutional policies have greatly changed and they are now strong enough to be compared with any successful business (Ball, 2011, p.50-52). 5. Identify the main points that Ball makes in the paper he wrote in 2011. Be careful to use your own words to show your understanding and avoid direct citation from the text. (approx. 600 words) In his paper ‘A New Research Agenda for Educational Leadership and Policy’ written in 2011, Ball makes some significant points in relation to the research issues and education policy for English. He has critically analyzed three unified variables including ownership, interests and values, and leadership. Moreover, he has discussed the necessary skills and cognitive thinking required by contemporary researchers and business analysts (Ball, 2011, p.50). Leadership Over the time leadership skills especially for the school managers have changed drastically. For instance, the modern educational institutions are now exposed to the management freedom and role enhancements particularly in the area of public administration. Hence entrepreneurial heads are emerging. These individuals are specifically working for the betterment of deficient schools in order to help the disadvantaged groups of the society (Ball, 2011, p.50-51). Contrary to this there are also corporate heads appointed by the major sponsors. For instance, Ark and Harris o perate their companies on the basis of some regional offices headed by a particular office which ensures the economies of scale, standardization and values. These companies are also involved in the supply of chain heads or corporate heads.In addition to this there is also an emerging concept of category heads that are fundamentally responsible to look after different branches of schools working under the same trust or non-profit organization. They are also involved in supporting failed educational centers. These developing approaches in leadership are incorporated with identity and loyalty (Ball, 2011, p.50-51). Interests and Values Contemporary organizations are introducing new career sectors, for instance, management practiced by boundary spanners. Consider E-Act, which is forming educational standards through making a close association with local authorities and parents. However, this process becomes more and more challenging with the involvement of private associates which incre ases the tension among students, parents, sponsors, shareholders and employees (Ball, 2011, p.51). For instance, WS Atkins discontinued its services to Southwark LA as a result of shareholder and share price

World Wide Web and Internet Essay Example for Free

World Wide Web and Internet Essay The Internet is certainly the place for businesses to expand, reach new markets and provide new services but there must be a balanced approach to the Internet. The Internet must be regarded as a strategic resource important to the whole business. The technical detail of the Internet can be complex. Management responsibility however is more productively focused on managing the implementation process to achieve strategic goals and assure smooth, secure operations. The IS Manager must first define why the company wants to be connected to the Internet then move to establish the appropriate connection, choosing the most cost effective option between capacity and speed. For medium businesses it is recommended that high speed modem links to a provider with dedicated telephone lines would be most appropriate. Issues such as how to advertise and promote the company on the Web must then be tackled, taking into account the human and social issues on the net. Users of the Web can include both employees and potential customers. By learning what and how the Internet can help the employees in their day to day work, non-business use of the Internet can be reduced, and by offering on-line services and supporting the customer via the Internet, a whole new market can be created for the business. A medium business would consider having a Web site with the Internet provider but perhaps creating and updating the web pages themselves. Finally security against intrusion has to be maintained. Technology is a vital tool to IS Managers to cope with this. Also by having the Web site at the provider and linking to the Internet by regular telephone lines it makes the companys data safe from hackers. In conclusion, with careful planning and proper management, putting a business on the Internet can make it more effective and productive. However understanding and knowing how the rapid changes and various complex issues that can be encountered in getting the business onto the Net is imperative to its success. This responsibility lies largely on the IS Manager who must know what options are available to him or her before being able to cope with it. Surfing the internet can be an interest for people. But people need to use it properly. If not, it will become internet addiction. Internet addiction harmfulness is bigger than â€Å"TV addiction†. In deed internet addiction can be called â€Å"a mental illness†.Playing online games reasonably can make people happy on free time.

Critical Thinking Is More than Common Sense Essay -- Critical Thinking

If one were to ask a group of high school seniors questions like, â€Å"Who was the first U.S. president?† or, â€Å"What equation is associated with the Pythagorean Theorem?† they would likely discover that the majority of the students would answer correctly. However, if one were to pose the questions, â€Å"Why did the Civil War occur?† or, â€Å"Why are international trade relations between other countries important to the U.S.?† they would receive fragmented responses at best; few students would be able to provide clear and concise answers. This simulated example clearly underscores some of the current flaws in the education system across the nation. Instructors teach students, and expect them to learn; they do not teach them how to learn. Many educators have taught students well how to compile trivia and miscellaneous facts, but few have truly embraced the method of critical thought in the classroom. Kansans praise the system for the improving te st scores, yet they fail to see through the blanket of such pseudo-success, and they do not realize the true mediocrity of the Kansas educational curriculum. Secondary schools in Kansas should place a greater emphasis on critical thinking in the classroom. As indicated by studies from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, students fall short when it comes to critical thought and reasoning (Jasparro, 86). Because of the current classroom practices of rote memorization, â€Å"students are generally deeply habituated to passivity and low-level performance,† reports Linda Elder, executive director for the Center for Critical Thinking, who promotes the integration of critical thought into current curriculum. â€Å"Most [students] have no conception of what discursive reasoning is. Most have spen... ...mprovement Research Series. Nov. 1991. Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory . â€Å"Critical Thinking Skills Key to Raising SAT Scores.† Business Wire. Lexis-Nexis Online. 30 August 1991. Keywords: Critical Thinking. Elder, Linda. â€Å"The 18th International Conference on Critical Thinking and Educational Reform.† 18th International Conference on Critical Thinking. 4 Aug. 1998. The Center for Critical Thinking . Jasparro, Ralph. â€Å"Applying Systems Thinking to Curriculum Evaluation.† NASSP Bulletin 82.598 (1998): 86. Paul, Richard. â€Å"Content is Thinking; Thinking is Content.† Content is Thinking. 28 June 2001. The Center for Critical Thinking . ---.

Caring for individuals with additonal needs

The medical model of disability views disability as a ‘problem’ that belongs to the disabled individual. It is not seen as an issue to concern anyone other than the individual affected. For example, if a wheelchair using student is unable to get into a building because of some steps, the medical model would suggest that this is because of the wheelchair, rather than the steps. However the social model of disability would see the steps as the disabling barrier. This model has the idea that it is society that disables people, through designing everything to meet the needs of the majority of people who are not disabled.There is a realization within the social model that there is a great deal that society can do to reduce, and ultimately remove, some of these disabling barriers, and that this task is the responsibility of society, rather than the disabled person. The social model of disability focuses on people’s attitudes towards disability. These attitudes are many and varied, ranging from prejudice and stereotyping, to unnecessary inflexible organisational practices and procedures.An example of a medical model approach would be a course leader who refuses to produce a hand-out in a larger font for a visually impaired student. The student cannot therefore participate in the class discussion impacting on the students learning development and also could make that student feel isolated and alone. The medical model of disability also affects the way disabled people think about themselves. Many disabled people internalise the negative message that all disabled people’s problems stem from not having ‘normal' bodies.Disabled people too can be led to believe that their impairments automatically prevent them from participating in social activities. This attitude can make disabled people less likely to challenge their exclusion from mainstream society. Regarding the social model, society is shown to disable people who have impairments becau se the way it has been set up prevents disabled people from taking part in everyday life. It follows that if disabled people are to be able to join in mainstream society, the way society is organised must be changed.Removing the barriers which exclude disabled people who have impairments can bring about this  change. An example of this would be a course leader meeting with a visually impaired member of the group before the beginning of a course to find out how hand-outs can be adapted so that the student can read them.Positive working practice allows health and social care workers to meet the specific needs of clients. Every area of work needs to make sure that it meets the needs of all individuals with additional needs. Positive working practice becomes a great addition when considering how it can be applied to help those with additional needs. Before this was brought in, it was a common for individuals with additional needs to be expected to fit in with the rest of society meani ng that their needs were not being met. In recent years, this has been changed.Services provide a more patient orientated examination resulting in the patient being directly involved in every decision made. This left all decisive action down to them, ensuring they got the treatment they needed and felt comfortable with.

Homeschooling should replace normal schooling

Homeschooling should replace normal schooling for the betterment of students in Hong Kong. Homeschooling refers to the education of children at home, typically by parents or tutors, unlike the formal settings of schools. In many countries around the world, children are not legally obligated to attend school. In England, France, Canada, the United States and Australia, it is perfectly legal for parents to educate their kids at home. Homeschooling is becoming more popular every day, with a growth rate of 7 to 15 percent per year over the world. There are about two million children currently earning at home in the world.Homeschooled kids do well on standardized tests, are welcome at college and universities, and as adults, have a reputation for being self- directed learners and reliable employees. This essay is going to examine whether homeschooling should replace normal schooling for the betterment of students in Hong Kong. Homeschooling makes children miss the golden opportunity to pr actice their social skills. School is the miniature of society. One needs to have not only knowledge of the world, but also interpersonal communication skills in order to survive, not to mention excel in a society.If a child is taught at home solely by his/ her parents, the child misses the chance to meet and interact with other kids. Peer learning has vital benefits as well. By communicating with friends, students can improve their interpersonal skills. Homeschooled children cannot take part in extra-curricular activities like debate, choir and team sports. As interactive learning is such an important component in modern education, homeschooling deprives children of their chance to develop their social skills and network, and even friends. Furthermore, home is not the most suitable environment for learning which lower he effectiveness of learning.Home cannot provide many different hardware which can only be provided by day schools. For instance, the different kinds of experiments m ust be conducted in a safety equipped and qualified laboratory . The many apparatus like Bunsen Burner, funnel and beaker can only be found in a laboratory. Home can never provide such hardware to support the diverse learning needs of children . The equipment of language labs, music room and library only appear in a school setting. Besides, there are too many temptations at home, such as television nd computer games, which would prevent children from concentrating on learning.Homeschooling undermines the development of creative thinking. Parents-to- children teaching is atter all the indoctrination ot parents thinking and values system to their children. In Hong Kong, most parents are very concerned about their children and hope them have a bright future. Therefore, they may try to give what they think is the best to the children. It is common that parents force their children to have piano lesson, choir practice, drawing class and so on in Hong Kong. Parents tend to orcefully spoon feed what they want their children to know.In many cases, children cannot develop multiple thinking perspectives. They Just do what their parents ask them to do. Their creativity and critical thinking, which are highly-valued in today's competitive world, can hardly be formed. On the other hand, it is not suitable to implement home-schooling in Hong Kong. Most parents have full time Job. They do not have time to teach their children. Moreover, parents are not professional in teaching when compared to trained teachers. They may not know how to teach their children effectively. Also, it is impossible for parents to know all knowledge of different subjects.In school, teachers are specialize in few subjects and they can concentrate on those subjects to prepare teaching materials. According to Bill and Ana Moody, who homeschool their children, they admitted that it is hard to teach science topics properly at home. They do not have sufficient knowledge of science and science requires to do experiments. Homeschooling brings another problem: how to assess the ability of students? Hong Kong is a knowledge-based society, it is important to have certificates to prove ne's academic Usually, one will get a Job easily with higher education level.Different jobs have different required education levels. If homeschooling is implemented, there is no standard to assess students unless all students Join public examinations offered by authorized organization and the Education Bureau. Homeschooling does not provide a standard to assess whether students has understand the knowledge fully. As every parents and tutors may have design a different curriculum for students, there is no standard of what basic knowledge that students should learn.Some people argued that a unified education system simply cannot cater for the individual needs of each and every student and, therefore, homeschooling is a better way for children to learn as it is more flexible which can cater individual's needs . It can provide a tailor-made learning schedule which can cater learning speed of the children and specific requirements by those who best understand them: their parents. It may allow students a more flexible combination of subjects which cater for individual needs. This would arouse interest in study, giving students the initiative to learn.However, small class teaching , which is quite popular in Hong Kong, can also cater the needs of different children. Due to the decreasing birth rate, schools started to implement small-class teaching and has smaller teacher-to student ratio. This allows teachers to pay more attention to each student in class. Flexible combination of subjects can also be achieved by new curriculum. In the past, usually students were divided into art, science and commerce classes and they were only allowed to choose subjects which are related to each other. Now, students under the new curriculum are allowed to choose subjects freely.For example, student can choo se to study Biology, a science subject, and grapny, an art subject. Some also claimed that homeschooling can enhance close family relationship. However, this may not be true. Conflicts and arguments are easily happened when parents stay with their children all the time. Parents may easily lose temper when their children are not listening to them or cannot follow their teaching schedule as they are more emotionally affected when facing their own children. Moreover, children may easily lose concentration on learning as there are too many temptations at home as mentioned before.If parents punished their children for this, the parent- child relationship would suffer. All in all, homeschooling should not replace normal schooling for the betterment of students as there are too many weaknesses of homeschooling though admitted that normal schooling has its flaws. In the current education system, students are required to study a fixed and long syllabus within a short period of time. Students study under tremendous pressure and may eventually lose interest in study. However, homeschooling neglects the social development of children which is vital in modern society.

Liberal Studies Writing Task- School drug testing in Hong Kong

Liberal Studies Writing Task- School drug testing in Hong Kong Free Online Research Papers Liberal Studies Writing Task- School drug testing ‘Public opinion concerning the implementation of the school drug testing scheme was ignored by the HKSAR Government.’ To what extent do you agree with the statement? Explain your answer with the aid of three examples. With less than a month to go before the commencement of the Trial Scheme on School Drug Testing in Tai Po, important issues concerning implementation of the program such as invasion of privacy still remain unresolved. Despite this and the objection of some citizens, the government still decides to go ahead with the scheme. In this way, the public opinion was thought to be ignored by the government. However, someone thinks that the government has already made some amendments in response to the public. To be frank, I partly agree with the statement of the question. First of all, the government has been lessening the legal force of constraint in order to reduce the resistance of implementing the scheme. The government has promised that the police will not involved and the students who are tested positive will not be charged. In addition, the letter of consent has to be signed by both the student and his parent. Furthermore, the students can feel free to withdraw from the scheme. All these are the amendments made by the government in response to the demand of public. Therefore, the government can be considered to have deliberated the public opinions. Next, a hundred of students joined the demonstration to show their discontentment with the scheme. When they arrived the government headquarter, the security guards refused to open the gate to let them in and submit the petition. In this case, I think that the government officials should at least have accepted the petition to show their concern. Otherwise, the government would be thought to have ignored the public opinion. Thirdly, more than fifty briefing sessions of the drug testing scheme have been held in the Tai Po schools. The government said that what they had gained was positive feedback where negative feedback only took up a small part. During those sessions, the students and parents were free to express their opinions and interact with the government officials directly. Thus, the government officials can listen to the public opinion and make the scheme as ideal as possible. To sum up, I partly agree with the statement because of the amendments made to the scheme, the demonstration and the briefing sessions. After all, I do hope the number of drug abusers in Hong Kong will reduce gradually. Research Papers on Liberal Studies Writing Task- School drug testing in Hong KongStandardized TestingMoral and Ethical Issues in Hiring New EmployeesUnreasonable Searches and SeizuresQuebec and CanadaPETSTEL analysis of IndiaThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug Use19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraBringing Democracy to AfricaRelationship between Media Coverage and Social and

Free sample - Anti-alcoholism Programms. translation missing

Anti-alcoholism Programms. Anti-alcoholism Programms1 (same as 3). I completely agree with this point of view. Alcoholism is a complete degradation of human as a person. It hurts to see how close person plunges into this abyss. Sometimes you lose heart and do not know how to help. I think that the12-step programs can help many. It is very important to understand that the treatment of alcoholism, which has a devastating impact on absolutely all aspects of life, can be effective only in the long run. 12-steps program aimed at the full change of life of such people – physical, spiritual and social spheres of his existence. I believe that every man is able to help himself, to make absolutely conscious and suffered choice. 2. I hope to God that 12-step programs are able to hill alcohol dependant people. But it is obviously for me that the behavior of relatives and friends should be appropriate. Many just feel sorry for the loved ones suffering from alcohol dependence, not realizing that failing to provide them with proper assistance make the situation even more complex and infinite. I think it is of great need to be strong in such situation, even stronger than alcohol abused ones. Only strong desire to save person, to make his life and life of all close people worth human being can rescue whole family, of course with the help of qualified professionals. Alcoholic has to be sure that he makes right decision; he has to see and feel his problem as a disease that makes hurt to everyone who loves him. So, I am deeply convinced that 12-step program can help to find the way to freedom and healing. 4. I completely agree that drinking alcohol makes people behave inadequately. This question is still opened and even professionals can not answer the question â€Å"Why?† We are all individuals and not everybody knows what our consciousness hides. Many think that alcohol helps to reveal our true personality but also many drink because of desire to hide it or escape from reality. To my mind the 12-step program’s treating includes such aspects as analysis of the past and making certain findings (own way to cure), and that helps to understand clearly the deep need of deliverance from alcohol abuse. Communicating with people who face the same problem also helps in realization of healing from alcohol dependence.

Labor Discrimination Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Labor Discrimination - Essay Example The intention of this study is labour discrimination refers to the discriminating behaviour practices within the process of hiring, promoting, assignment and allocation of job responsibilities and compensation to the employees. There are several types of harassment also included in labour discrimination like sexual harassment, cultural harassment and wages discrimination etc. There have been several jurisdiction implemented to prohibit different types of labour discrimination and the victims have been given the right to file lawsuit against the employers in case of encountering discrimination at work place. Labour discrimination could occur intentionally or intentionally due to prejudice or ignorance. The discrimination of labour has been evolved as an important and serious area of concern for the business related people, workers and general people because all over the world it is common to see filing of lawsuits against major companies of the world on the charges of labour discrimin ation.If the lawsuits are filed against well-known companies then the cases often turn sensational and gain the attention of the community to look for the outcome of the case. Several cases of labour discrimination have been ended with multimillion dollar settlement. The class actions taken against the companies are usually supported and favoured by the people because they think that decisions in favour of labour put pressure upon the employers to change their practice and make it justified and fair with the workforce. (Susan et al, p28). The paper discusses two lawsuits filed against popular American companies Abercrombie & Fitch and Wall Mark on the allegation of labour discrimination. These two cases were widely followed by people because they involved popular retail brands of the country. These cases ended up with different conclusion and the accused companies are given different decisions. Abercrombie & Fitch was ordered to pay $50 million compensate the plaintiffs however, the case of Wal-Mart was blocked by the Supreme Court due to lack of sufficient evidences about the existence of discriminating labour practice by the management of Wal-Mart. The decision of Abercrombie & Fitch encouraged the class workers to raise voice for their due rights however, the case of Wal-Mart clarifies that the lawsuit must be filed with complete preparation and practice so that the court become able to make a justified decision. These two important lawsuits of the U.S. business world are discussed below and their comparative analysis has also been conducted to illustrate the practical implications of these decisions to the business world and labour management practice. Abercrombie & Fitch Lawsuit Abercrombie & Fitch is a popular American retailer company that main deals with the casual wean for the consumers age group 18-22. It also operates three other offshoot brands of children wear and other fashion wear. The company has established around 300 locations across US and t he process of international expansion is also on its way. The company employs over 22,000 workers in over 700 stores. Most of the employees are college age adults of different sex, race and ethnic groups (Jane, p2). The case was filed by the employees of the company who charged it for discrimination of the work force at workplace. The case against Abercrombie & Fitch was settled on the 14th of April 2005 when Judge Susan Illston of U.S. District Court for the Northern district of California finally approved the settlement of case Gonzalez v. Abercrombie & Fitch. The court required Abercrombie & Fitch to pay $40 million to several plaintiffs that were mostly females and others belonged to minority community (Shiffer et al, p7). After the settlement of the case the company established settlement fund to distribute the amount among the workers. The plaintiffs were sent the award checks in

Should the IMF and World Bank cancel all the debts of poor countries Research Paper

Should the IMF and World Bank cancel all the debts of poor countries C.Q. Researcher, September 28, 2001, vol. 11, issue - Research Paper Example A good example is the oil crisis of 1973 whereby oil prices escalated forcing governments of many developing countries to borrow heavily from the IMF, the World Bank and other creditors to procure much needed oil supplies. Much of this borrowed capital was spent on noncapital generating ventures or was lost through corruption. This means that these countries were mostly unable to channel these borrowed funds into their economies to fuel economic growth that would in the near future generate the capital necessary to pay off the debt (Palley, 2003, p. 83). Review Proponents of debt abolition have been advocating heavily for cancellation of all debts of poor countries. The most prominent of these is the Jubilee Debt Coalition, a UK-based coalition of local groups and organizations calling for the cancellation of heavy debts owed by developing countries. The issue of debt cancellation is important because heavy debts which are not payable prevent the eradication or reduction of poverty i n the third world. The World Bank and IMF are party to the Millennium Development Goals one of the main aims of which is to significantly reduce the number of the world’s people living below the poverty line (Pettifor, 2003, p. 71 – 73). ... xperiences of countries such as Nigeria, Afghanistan and Iraq indicate that this general lack of insecurity provides a conducive environment for the growth of terrorist organizations with a global reach. These terrorists pose a serious threat to the national security of all countries, including developed countries. The arguments proposed by both proponents and opponents of debt cancellation have their strengths and weaknesses. Proponents include organizations such as the Jubilee Debt Coalition, experts such as renowned economists in the US, and policy makers in the US and the European Union. They have put forward a number of good arguments. Firstly, they argue that many of the loan deals have terms that are unfair to the borrowing poor countries. According to Palley (2003) the interest rates are usually set very high because many of the developing countries are desperate and they borrow on short notice (p. 86). For this reason, the loans end up being very expensive, an unfortunate si tuation considering that the developing countries are the poorest yet they often receive loans that are more expensive than those received by developed countries. In fact, many countries have already paid the amounts they owed several times over because the debt grows faster than they can pay due to high interest. Therefore, it is only fair that the World Bank and the IMF cancel these debts while it is working on a solution to ensure that in future, terms of loans consider the state of a country’s economy and its rate of economic development. Secondly, proponents argue that debt needs to be cancelled in order to harmonize goals of the United Nations with those of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. The UN’s Millennium Development Goals heavily emphasize the reduction of

Christian Stewardship and Sustainability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Christian Stewardship and Sustainability - Essay Example When God created man in the Garden of Eden, He gave him authority over all the earth. This authority involves taking care of the environment, and all its constituents. Consequently, Christian stewardship refers to a moral obligation conferred on human beings by God over the natural resources. It includes using the natural resources in ways that benefit humanity, and the perpetuation of such resources. Promoting the continuity of the resources maintains order in the universe as the resources allow man to meet his various needs and aspirations successfully. In addition, future generations get to enjoy quality resources in abundance, thus boosting their earthly experiences. God holds Christians accountable for their actions on earth. The accountability falls in many categories, including the environment. God ordained man to take care of the earth, and the responsibility goes with accountability. Consequently, Christians endeavor to safeguard the biodiversity in a compassionate and respectful manner. These attitudes also characterize the concept of sustainability as it bears the future generations in mind. More to this, sustainability aims at countering the environmental crisis, and ensuring that humanity enjoys the goodness of nature in future. Christian stewardship recognizes that natural resources serve as resources (Robinson, 20). Resources help in fulfilling the daily needs of humanity, hence the need for their conservation. Absence of such resources would lead to inadequate provision of the required needs, which would contravene God’s will for our lives. Likewise, sustainability realizes the need for resource protection. It encourages the proper utilization of such resources with an intention of providing the current and future society with a good life. More to this, Robinson (21) asserts that â€Å"stewardship is a value to be passed from generation to generation†. This means that Christian stewardship, just like

Effect of THNPs on Heroin OD Mortality | Methodology

Effect of THNPs on Heroin OD Mortality | Methodology Chapter 2. Methods 2.1 Introduction This chapter contains a precise description of the process used to search and appraise the evidence for this systematic literature review. The search was carried out during August and September 2014. An in-depth description of how evidence and research available related to the PICO question were generated, will be discussed. As mentioned in the previous chapter, the aim of this dissertation is to determine the effect of THNPs to heroin users, on heroin OD mortality. The analysing process of the PICO question, whether THNPs reduces the incidence of fatal heroin OD deaths, will be amplified through a description of the actual search strategy, and the methods used to appraise the retrieved studies. Through specific criteria, a systematic approach was applied in obtaining and selecting the relevant literature. Identified keywords used for the search syntaxes will be presented, together with the databases used for the retrieval of evidence, and the number of hits produced from each database. Search syntax is the relationship of a sequence of words used in a search strategy. A discussion of the inclusion and exclusion criteria set for this systematic review (SR) will follow, together with the methods of appraisal chosen to evaluate the studies. 2.2 Keywords and databases used PICO Element Description Keywords Population Heroin injection users in the community heroin users, injection drug users, drug users, opioid users Intervention Take-home naloxone program take-home naloxone program, naloxone distribution program, Comparison No comparison Outcome Reduced incidence of fatal heroin OD deaths OD reversal, OD prevention, opioid OD prevention, heroin OD prevention, harm reduction According to Timmins and McCabe (2005) the cornerstone of an effective search strategy is the use of proper keywords. A number of keywords were formulated from the PICO question elements, and from the preliminary search of the literature. These were mainly identified from titles and keywords used in articles found from the preliminary search. Table 2.1 below, shows the keywords used in relation to each PICO element. Table 2.1 Keywords developed to describe the PICO framework The main electronic systematic search with the search syntaxes explained further on in this chapter was carried out using different databases accessed from the Hybrid Discovery (HyDi) available from the online library at the University of Malta. Relevant databases were found on HyDi by choosing the category ‘Health Sciences’ and sub-category ‘Nursing’ since the other sub-category is ‘Midwifery’ which is unrelated. Six databases were used to conduct a search for the literature. These were Academic Search Complete, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health CINAHL Plus with Full Text, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Cochrane Database of SRs; via EBSCO host search engine together with Medline via ProQuest search engine, and Science Direct. In addition to these databases Google Scholar was also utilised, but the search syntaxes combinations could not be used since the search engine does not have an advanced search strategy, a nd the search resulted in large thousands of articles. Therefore simple keywords alone were used to search for any other relevant studies, or to obtain full text versions which are not available in other databases. Strengths and limitations of each database are described below in table 2.2. Database Strength Limitation Academic Search Complete Daily updates Provides full text journals Available only from EBSCO host CINAHL Plus with Full Text Weekly updates Over 950 journals Covers references and abstracts from 1982 onwards Available only from EBSCO host English and American language bias Cochrane Library Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials Cochrane Database of SRs Research analyzed using trustworthy methods Large source of literature Up-to-date Complete text reviews Limited by restrictions Medline Records indexed with Medical Subject Heading (MeSHÂ ®) Provides a large source of life sciences evidence needed by health professionals Limited by restrictions Science Direct Provides full text from Elsevier Science journals Provides full text articles Limited by restrictions Google Scholar Free access web based search engine Large amount of results due to lack of an advanced search strategy Table 2.2 Databases strengths Limitations 2.3 Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria For readers to assess reliability and validity of a SR they have to be provided with a set of inclusion and exclusion criteria (Cronin, Ryan, Coughlan, 2007). Furthermore, Torgerson (2003) suggests that a set of inclusion and exclusion criteria are important so that throughout the search, only the articles that will answer the PICO question are extracted while others are eliminated. During the preliminary search it was noted that literature about the subject lacks randomized controlled trials (RCTs’), meta-analysis, and SRs. As shown in figure 2.1, these study designs are found at the top of the hierarchy of evidence as described by Aslam et.al (2012). Hence, all types of study designs were part of the inclusion criteria. Sibbald Roland (1998) said that clinical trials are known to be a gold standard to perform good evidence based practice and although they were in the inclusion criteria, the results were negative since up-to date no RCTs have taken place. Although this is a major limitation for this literature review, one must keep in mind that currently, the first and largest RCT is being carried out as described in chapter 1. Source type selected in all databases was ‘Academic Journals’ since books, newspaper articles, and magazines are not of strong evidence for evidence based healthcare because sometimes they do not have any type of study design, and may be narrative. Each search was limited to English language literature only. Studies that administered intranasal (IN) naloxone were excluded since this method is an off-label method (Doe-Simkins, Walley, Epstein, Moyer, 2009), and in an RCT by Kelly et al. (2005) it was found that IM naloxone was clinically more effective than IN naloxone (6 minutes vs 8 minutes). Table 2.3 and table 2.4 below describe further in detail the inclusion and exclusion criteria respectively. Figure 2.1 The Hierarchy of Evidence Pyramid (adapted from Aslam et al. 2012, p.3) Table 2.3 Inclusion Criteria Inclusion Criteria Rationale Literature had to be in English language Not possible to translate to English Studies published from 1980’s till September 2014 Studies about THN commenced in the 90’s, and so all studies are obtained (Darke Hall, 1997) Involving heroin injection drug users above 18 years of age Since the population are adults injecting heroin, and in all studies found, drug users were of 18 years and above Involving THNP Since this review concerns the outcome of THNP Experimental studies including RCTs’, reviews, observational studies including cohort studies and longitudinal studies To include all study designs and to not eliminate valuable literature Study needed to have an outcome of survival rates or OD reversals associated to THNP If outcomes were different, studies would not answer the PICO question Exclusion Criteria Rationale Studies researching attitudes, views and opinions of health care practitioners providing THN and other stakeholders such as police Outcome of studies unrelated to PICO question Studies about experiences of fatal OD victims where naloxone was not provided to heroin users as a preventive measure of fatal OD Studies had to have THNP studied as a preventive measure rather than other measures Development of instrument tools for THNP evaluation These instruments do not answer the PICO question Users of prescription opiates including methadone Since population is specifically heroin injection drug users Studies including HIV, AIDS, buprenorphine, methadone, and supervising injecting facilities as a main topic For the fact that THNP is the main subject and intervention of this SR Studies were intra nasal naloxone was used Naloxone nasal spray is not yet approved or licensed anywhere in the world Studies where naloxone was not administered by any of the participants The outcome was not attributed directly to naloxone administration Studies not published in English Not possible to translate to English Table 2.4 Exclusion Criteria 2.4 Search Strategy The keywords mentioned in table 2.1 were developed so that each PICO element has its own search syntax as identified by Bettany-Saltikov, (2012). The use of search syntaxes has assisted in narrowing the search to the most relevant studies to the PICO question. Table 2.5 below, shows the search syntax used for each PICO item. PICO element Search syntax number Search syntax Population Search syntax 1 heroin users OR injection drug users OR drug users OR opioid users Intervention Search syntax 2 take-home naloxone program OR naloxone distribution program Outcome Search syntax 3 overdose reversal OR overdose prevention OR opioid overdose prevention OR heroin overdose prevention OR harm reduction OR overdose mortality Table 2.5 Search syntaxes Search syntaxes were combined as described here: Population (syntax 1) AND Intervention (syntax 2) Population (syntax 1) AND Outcome (syntax 3) Intervention (syntax 2) AND Outcome (syntax 3) Boolean logic operator ‘OR’ was used to combine each keyword of each PICO element syntax, while the operator ‘AND’ was used to combine the PICO elements together as described above. In all search fields of the databases used except Google Scholar, ‘In All Text’ was selected for all searches. In Google Scholar the keywords searched independently were ‘take-home naloxone’ and ‘naloxone distribution’. These keywords were searched in titles only, since when searched for anywhere in the article the results were over 50,000 with most of them irrelevant to the dissertation. As shown in table 2.6 below, the defined search resulted in 2,260 articles. After the titles were evaluated whether they fit with the inclusion and exclusion criteria mentioned previously, and removing duplicate articles the search results were reduced to 160 articles by reading through the titles. The abstracts of these 160 articles were read and consequently 25 articles were noted to be directly related to the PICO question addressed in this dissertation, as they all met the inclusion criteria. One of the 25 articles which is a study by Lenton Hargreaves (2000) was not available online for free. The author, Professor Lenton was contacted via e-mail. Fortunately there was an immediate response, and the article was provided for free. However, after reading these 25 articles, 15 were eliminated because they had one or more of the exclusion criteria fit. The remaining 10 articles were identified and had fit all of the inclusion and exclusion criteria and were chosen for the critical a ppraisal of this systematic literature review. Furthermore the search was enhanced by looking up at all the reference lists of the final articles chosen for critical appraisal, but no new studies were found. Identified studies for critical appraisal are the following: Strang et al. (2008), Piper et al. (2008), Tobin, Sherman, Beilenson, Welsh, Latkin (2009), Enteen et al. (2010), Wagner et al. (2010), Bennett, Bell, Tomedi, Hulsey, Kral (2011), Bennett Holloway (2012), Lankenau et al. (2013), Banjo (2014), and Clark, Wilder, Winstanley (2014). In addition to the electronic search, a hand search was done within the University of Malta library which did not produce any results. Table 2.6 below presents the number of hits obtained from each of the databases above and the different search syntaxes combination. Database Keywords Number of hits Academic Search Complete search syntax 1 AND search syntax 2 274 search syntax 1 AND search syntax 3 272 search syntax 2 AND search syntax 3 55 CINAHL Plus with Full Text search syntax 1 AND search syntax 2 7 search syntax 1 AND search syntax 3 114 search syntax 2 AND search syntax 3 10 Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials search syntax 1 AND search syntax 2 0 search syntax 1 AND search syntax 3 0 search syntax 2 AND search syntax 3 0 Cochrane Database of SRs search syntax 1 AND search syntax 2 0 search syntax 1 AND search syntax 3 1 search syntax 2 AND search syntax 3 0 Medline search syntax 1 AND search syntax 2 31 search syntax 1 AND search syntax 3 228 search syntax 2 AND search syntax 3 28 Science Direct search syntax 1 AND search syntax 2 532 search syntax 1 AND search syntax 3 485 search syntax 2 AND search syntax 3 145 Google Scholar take-home naloxone, naloxone distribution 78 Total number of literature found = 2,260 Table 2.6 Number of articles found from each search 2.5 Refining of the research question After finding the relevant literature to the original PICO question, and considering properly the population being studied, the research question was duly refined since this systematic literature review will be based on the impact of THNP effect on heroin OD deaths amongst heroin injection drug users. Initial PICO question was: ‘Do naloxone take-home programs provided to drug users in the community reduce the incidence of fatal opioid OD?’ The question was refined to: Do naloxone take-home programs reduce the incidence of fatal heroin OD amongst heroin injection users? The refining of the PICO question was essential since some of the literature concerned prescription opioid users or general drug users, but the reviewer’s main interest is heroin injection users. 2.6 Methods of Appraisal After identifying the relevant studies and refining the PICO question, the next step for this dissertation was to critically appraise the literature. This will be covered in chapter 3. Critical appraisal is the evaluation of strength and quality of research studies in order to deliver evidence-based clinical decisions and after determining the worthiness of different studies through the use of different critical appraisal tools, multiple research findings can be synthesized together to develop evidence-based-practice (LoBiondo-Woods Haber, 2013). Furthermore, Burls (2009) argues that studies being biased can result in false outcomes and conclusions, because they are not composed of an acceptable quality. A bias is an orderly deviation of the results occurring from the way that a study is led, investigated or reported. In light of this, critical appraisal tools were developed to help researchers in identifying valid and reliable studies. Specific critical appraisal tools in the form of checklists are used to analyse different study designs. Commonly used appraisal tools are: Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) Centre for Evidence Based Mental Health (CEBMH) Critically Appraise Topic (CAT) After studying and considering all of the above methods of appraisal, together with other appraisal tools, it was decided that the CASP appraisal tools are to be used for critically appraising the identified studies relevant to the PICO question. The reason for choosing the CASP appraisal tools is because it is clear, concise, and easy to understand. CASP offers different checklists appropriate for different research designs where one can critically evaluate research through a set of questions and helps in determining the quality of the literature being appraised. At this phase, the studies were also rated and arranged according to the hierarchy of evidence adopted from Aslam (2012) as shown in figure 2.1. 2.7 Conclusion In conclusion, the study’s main objective is to determine whether THNPs reduces the mortality rate of heroin OD. Several keywords were identified from the PICO question elements, and from preliminary search results. These keywords were systematically searched in different databases using different search syntaxes combinations. A set of inclusion and exclusion criteria were then set up in order to get to the studies relevant to the PICO question. PICO question was then refined and then it was decided to use the CASP appraisal tools for evaluating the relevant studies which will be discussed in the next chapter. Words 1763

An Organizational Study of The United States Air Force :: Business Organization Research

The United States Air Force faced a leadership vacuum with the resignation of Air Force secretary James Roche and his Undersecretary Peter Teets. The Pentagon decided to take over of the buying decisions for the Air Force since they believed that there was no one who was in the position to take on the responsibility. The Department of Defense is now taking in charge to support and to assist the Air Force Command by overseeing and providing advice on important Air Force programs during a time of transition. It was clarified however that within the next six months, a new Air Force Secretary will be appointed. At present though, the Air Force is under the temporary command of Lt. Col. Michael Rodriguez (http://money.cnn.com/2005/03/28/news/fortune500/pentagon/). All organizations whether it be in the business industry, socio-civic, private or government-regulated face the challenge of running the whole system according to the principles as well as the goals and objectives of the system. The organization normally is confronted with how it will operate accordingly to meet the expectations and put up with the responsibilities and duties of the members as well as the departments that make up the whole system. The changes in the surroundings of the workplace in the internal as well as in the external environment and affairs make influence the overall operations of the structure. The military is not an exemption in this regard even for the fact that the defense team of a country undergo regulations that are very systemic and defined. There are internal as well as external affairs, issues and problems that should be attended to in order for the whole organization to function fully and provide the necessary outputs being demanded. That i s why it is interesting to look at a certain military arm experience a challenge of change in the system to be able to fit in the constantly changing global and wide social context on which it operates. Air Force Organizational Structure Just like other organizations, the United States Air Force is composed of complicated and systematic divisions. The people in this particular service are classified not just according to ranks. Since the recruits in this defense arm came from different state with varying cultural orientation, it is but expected that the people in this service are also diverse.

Client Relationship Management (CRM) Essay

Introduction The abbreviation CRM is Client Relationship Management and defined as it is a process to create a solid relationship with the customer and to know all the more about the client needs. Stronger associations with the clients will help in the improvement of the business. This process also helps to customer by getting the information about customer needs and what they desires from reputed company. CRM makes the utilization of innovation and human assets for the advancement of the business. By actualizing CRM Better client administration might be given (Avinashramana). Figure 1: CRM relationship and Management (James D. Mckeen) Minitrex Company History: Minitrex is an organization with two real divisions including finance and insurance. George Degas is the chief of offers at Minitrex, thinks about the correspondence issue happened in deals group, in light of the fact that there is no bring together client correspondence framework. , Jon Bettman designated as VP of promoting, eighteen months prior, to bring together the client correspondence focus which will be useful to expand the offers of the organization in cross and up bearings. Anyhow the thought is not executed, in view of absence of coordination between Harold Blumfen, VP of insurance, and the VP of financing, Mariella Hopkins. Insurance is a high benefit segment, which is utilizing credit organization framework to track the client charging. Blumen accepts that machines respect store data yet can’t swap persons for client learning and backing. Hpokins is an IT aficionado, who needs to overhaul IT framework, to bring about a significant improvement. Figure 2: CRM representation (James D. Mckeen) Harold Blumfen, VP of insurance, is a real benefit creator for Minitrex. His division utilizes a credit organization framework, which is created more than twenty years prior to track client billings and installments and a general administration framework to stay informed regarding which items a client has brought and what administrations the client is qualified for. Both are in a general sense backend frameworks. For front end they are  utilizing their own particular documentation. Mariella Hopkins, VP of financing, has effective involvement in managing an account division, subsidized the improvement of administration business focus application, to join together enormous keeping money administrations with little organization adaptability. This application demonstrations as an online client self administration framework, by which clients can get explanations and financing online and can get credit sanction immediately. Organization can utilize this application for client following. By co-ordinating the usefulness and client data of credit organization framework general administration frameworks and administration business focuses organization can expand its cross deals by creating the unified client contact framework Due to these reasons Denny Khan, chief of IT said, without collaboration of insurance and money Beltman can’t attain incorporated client contact data framework. CRM at Minitrex: 1. Explain how it is possible for someone at Minitrex to call a customer and not know (a) that this is a customer and (b) that this is the third time this week that they had been called? Minitrex deals group didn’t have entry to client data of protection and account divisions which are significant lines of organization. Absence of data causes this issue. Deals group is not by any means upgrading their information base. In light of these two reasons, somebody at Minitrex called n existing client and third time in same week. 2. Outline the steps that Bettman must take in order to implement CRM at Minitrex. In your plan, be sure to include people, processes, and technology As per Khan Analysis, none of the VPs assign committed business staff and plan to new framework. The execution of a client relationship administration (CRM) result is best treated as a six-stage methodology, moving from gathering data about your clients and preparing it to utilizing that data to enhance your showcasing and the client experience. Stage 1 – Collecting data The necessity ought to be to catch the data we have to recognize the obliged client contact data, with restricted offering over the groups according to security approach. Data ought to incorporate clients and order their conduct. Those organizations with a site and online client administration  have favorable element as clients can enter and keep up their own particular subtle elements when they purchase. Stage 2 – Storing data The best approach to store and deal with your client data is in a social database – an unified client database that will permit you to run all your frameworks from the same source, guaranteeing that everybody uses avant-garde data. Stage 3 – Accessing data With data gathered and put away midway, the following stage is to make this data accessible to staff in the most helpful arrangement. Stage 4 – Analyzing client conduct Utilizing information mining instruments within spreadsheet programs, which examine information to recognize examples or connections, you can start to profile clients and create deals methods. Stage 5 – Marketing all the more successfully Numerous organizations find that a little rate of their clients produce a high rate of their benefits. Utilizing CRM to addition a finer understanding of your clients’ necessities, goals and distinguish toward yourself, you can remunerate and focus on your most significant clients. Stage 6 – Enhancing the client experience Generally as a little gathering of clients are the most beneficial, a little number of griping clients regularly takes up an unbalanced measure of staff time. In the event that their issues could be recognized and determined rapidly, your staff will have more of an opportunity for different clients. References Avinashramana (2014, 09). CRM at minitrex. StudyMode.com. Retrieved 09, 2014, from http://www.studymode.com/essays/Crm-At-Minitrex-50337471.html, Customer Relationship Management, retrieved September 20th, 2014, from http://www.studymode.com/essays/Customer-Relationsihp-Management-84388.html James D. Mckeen and Smith, H.A., Making IT Happen, Wiley UK, Chichester, UK, 2003, p. 124)

Business Plan Essay

The executive summary will end with a summary statement, a â€Å"last kick at the can† sentence or two designed to persuade the readers of your business plan that your business is a winner. While the business plan’s executive summary is the first thing the readers of your business plan see, it should be the last part of the business plan you write. The purpose of the executive summary of the business plan is to provide your readers with an overview of the business plan. Think of it as an introduction to your business. Therefore, your business plan’s executive summary will include summaries of: †¢ a description of your company, including your products and/or services †¢ your mission statement †¢ your business’s management †¢ the market and your customer †¢ marketing and sales †¢ your competition †¢ your business’s operations †¢ financial projections and plans The executive summary will end with a summary statement, a â€Å"last kick at the can† sentence or two designed to persuade the readers of your business plan that your business is a winner. How to write an Executive Summary To write the executive summary of the business plan, start by following the list above and writing one to three sentences about each topic. (No more!) If you have trouble crafting these summary sentences from scratch, review your business plan to get you going. In fact, one approach to writing the executive summary of the business plan is to take a summary sentence or two from each of the business plan sections you’ve already written. (If you compare the list above to the sections outlined in the Business Plan Outline, you’ll see that this could work very well.) Then finish your business plan’s executive summary with a clinching closing sentence or two that answers the reader’s question â€Å"Why is this a winning business?† For example, a business plan’s executive summary for a pet-sitting business might conclude: â€Å"The loving on-site professional care that Pet Grandma will provide is sure to appeal to both cat and dog owners throughout the West Vancouver area.† (You may find it useful to read the entire Pet Grandma executive summary example before you write your own.) Tips for Writing the Business Plan’s Executive Summary †¢ Focus on providing a summary. The business plan itself will provide the details and whether bank managers or investors, the readers of your business plan don’t want to have their time wasted. †¢ Keep your language strong and positive. Don’t weaken the executive summary of your business plan with weak language. Instead of writing, â€Å"Dogstar Industries might be in an excellent position to win government contracts†, write â€Å"Dogstar Industries will be in an excellent position†¦Ã¢â‚¬  †¢ The executive summary should be no more than two pages long. Resist the tempation to pad your business plan’s executive summary with details (or pleas). The job of the executive summary is to present the facts and entice your reader to read the rest of the business plan, not tell him everything. †¢ Polish your executive summary. Read it aloud. Does it flow or does it sound choppy? Is it clear and succinct? Once it sounds good to you, have someone else who knows nothing about your business read it and make suggestions for improvement. †¢ Tailor the executive summary of your business plan to your audience. If the purpose of your business plan is to entice investors, for instance, your executive summary should focus on the opportunity your business provides investors and why the opportunity is special. †¢ Put yourself in your readers’ place†¦ and read your executive summary again. Does this executive summary generate interest or excitement in the reader? If not, why? Remember, the executive summary of the business plan will be the first thing the readers of the business plan read. If your business plan’s executive summary is poorly written, it will also be the last, as they set the rest of your business plan aside unread! †¢ a description of your company, including your products and/or services Bordeaux Wine Trading is a Wine trading company based in Bordeaux, France with a wide network of Bordeaux Wine distribution and export all over the world. Bordeaux Wine is a premium brand with unique pleasing taste. †¢ your mission statement The purpose of our company is to create awareness and increase demand, establishing a successful business for the export and distribution of Bordeaux French wine. †¢ your business’s management Bordeaux Wine Trading is planning to export and distribute Bordeaux Wine in Brazil. Brazil is one of the emerging economies of the world with great opportunities of business development. †¢ the market and your customer In Brazil, Bordeaux Wine Trading’s main focus is upper and aspiring middle class of Sao Paulo and Rio De Jinero. †¢ marketing and sales Bordeaux Wine Trading is looking to have some local licensed distributor for the distribution purpose. †¢ your competition †¢ your business’s operations †¢ financial projections and plans Mission Statement; The purpose of our organization is to create awareness and increase demand, establishing a successful business for the export and distribution of Bordeaux French wine into Brazil. Corporate position; A well established French organisation that successfully distributes and trades Bordeaux wine globally. Objective in Brazil; We expect to invest over a three year period, building sales of over 2 million USD per year by our third year of operation, maintaining an average of 20-25% Gross margin. This is a one page synopsis of your plan, including a description of product, target market and positioning of product within the target market. Note the specific competitive advantage(s) of your product and the value it provides to the customer. Include your marketing objectives for the first year and the overall size of the marketing budget you are requesting. ⠝â€" EXECUTIVE SUMMARY We are interested in export and distribution of Bordeaux Wine in Brazil. Brazil is one of the emerging economies of the world with great opportunities of business development. We have found attractive market of Wine users in Brazil. Our target market will be upper and aspiring middle class of Sao Paulo and Rio De Jeniro. Brazil is currently 34m case market, with a per head consumption of 2 liters. Brazilian-produced wine – most of it red – tends to have sweeter profile than in other producing nations. In competition with it, we have finest wine from Bordeaux. In Brazil, there is also wine from other wine producing countries like Italy, Chile, Argentina and Portugal. But our competitive advantage is that the Brazilian people have awareness about Bordeaux Wine but not available in market in a frequent manner. In Rio 47% and in Sao Paulo 26% of awareness which is quite appealing for market entry. Brazil’s 80% wine market is captured by Red wine and also White wine market got the growth of 9% between 2003 to 2007 which is still growing. Initially, we will make some wine tasting events with the help of local distributor during festivals especially in Rio Carnival. We will participate in world largest Food and Beverages exhibition, SIAL in 2012, Sao Paulo. We will publish the advertisement in major newspapers and magazines.

life expectancy essays

life expectancy essays The environmentalist view of the energy intensity is based on the legacy of the I = PÃâ€"AÃâ€"T equation in which environmental Impact equals Population, multiplied by Affluence, and further multiplied by Technology (Earth Report 2000: Revisiting the True State of the Planet. 1999). The further desegregation of this formula implies that energy intensity can be looked upon as an integrative variable describing the impact of both technology and affluence. Bruce et al. (1996) argue that intensity is inversely related to efficiency. Improving efficiency reduces the amount of energy required to provide a given output, i.e. an output of the same quality and quantity. In real life, though, the precise nature of the output is unknown, hence intensity is a proxy for efficiency. The Kaya Identity is an expression that is introduced by Bruce et al. (1996) to describe the relationship among the factors that influence trends in energy-related carbon emissions: C = (C E) Ãâ€" (E GDP) Ãâ€" (GDP POP) Ãâ€" POP. The formula links total energy-related carbon emissions (C) to energy (E), the level of economic activity as measured by Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and population size (POP). The first two components on the right-hand side represent the carbon intensity of energy supply (C/E) and the energy intensity of economic activity (E/GDP). Economic growth is viewed from the perspective of changes in output per capita (GDP/POP). At any point in time, the level of energy-related carbon emissions can be seen as the product of the four Kaya Identity components - energy intensity, carbon intensity, output per capita, and population size. In fact, growth in energy intensity in industrialized countries has historically lagged behind economic growth, whereas the two are more closely correlated in developing countries. As a country's energy intensity changes, so does the influence of a given level of economic activity on carbon emissions. Increased energy use and ...

Beowulf vs. the Knight in Canterburry Tales essays

Beowulf vs. the Knight in Canterburry Tales essays Heroes have amazing qualities that make them extraordinary people. Many types of heroes live in the world: men, women, children, or even next-door neighbors. Both Beowulf and the Knight act heroically, each in their own way. Heroes usually have an abundance of strength, and act as great warriors. They risk their lives for a cause. For example, a general of an army is a strong warrior and a hero, because he does anything for his men. The firefighters on September 11th acted like heroes. They climbed the stairs of the tower though they knew they probably wouldnt come down, because they understood that their job required them to help people. Heroes, like the ones just mentioned, do not always benefit from what they do. Heroes usually have ethics and honesty, with a high moral conviction. They tend to obey a higher law. For example, William Wallace, the man who died helping the Scottish fight the British, had a strong faith in G-d and admirable ethics. Believing in G-d helps a hero, because he realizes his weaknesses, so he might as well help society. The hero says to himself G-d put me on this planet to live His way, and I am nothing compared to Him, so I should help other people. Heroes often do not quite fit into normal society. This helps them perceive wrong. They do not live normal lives. They usually always work for a cause. They live alone, and sacrifice a social life for what they believe in. Often when a great peril threatens society, the hero takes a vital role. It may involve a trial from which the hero must emerge on a higher level. For example, Harry Potter often faces a problem, which, while trying to solve, makes him into a better person. Heroes should also have confidence. A hero should possess bravery and courage, but it may damage him to have too much confidece. Arrogance could hurt a warrior, because he may think he could win a battle when he should really back off. This shows why he...

What Sections Are on the ACT All 4 Test Sections, Explained

What Sections Are on the ACT All 4 Test Sections, Explained SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you’re not sure what sections are on the ACT, we can help! In this guide to ACT sections, we’ll give you a quick summary of all the sections of the test. Then, we’ll take a closer look at each section. Finally, we’ll discuss which ACT test sections- and scores- are most important for you. ACT Sections: Quick Overview There are four sections on the ACT, and they are always offered in the same order: English, Math, Reading, and Science. If you take the ACT with Writing, the Writing section will be last. Every section is scored out of 36 points, except for Writing, which is scored out of 12 points. The longest section in terms of number of questions is English, with 75 questions. The longest section time-wise is Math, at 60 minutes. Reading and Science both give you 40 questions to answer in 35 minutes. Here’s a chart with a quick breakdown of the questions and time for each of the sections of the ACT: Section # of Questions Time Time/Question English 75 45 mins 36 seconds Math 60 60 mins 1 min Reading 40 35 mins 52.5 seconds Science 40 35 mins 52.5 seconds Writing (optional) 1 essay 40 mins 40 mins Total (without Writing) 215 2 hr 55 min (not counting breaks) - Total (with Writing) 216 3 hr 35 min (not counting breaks) - In the following sections, we’ll take a closer look at each of the sections of the ACT, in the order they appear on the test. We’ll discuss what’s tested, what question types you’ll encounter, and the most important tips for that section. Are you ready for your close up (look at ACT sections)? ACT Section 1: English The ACT English section has five passages with accompanying four-choice multiple-choice questions. In the ACT English section, you’re the editor: you’ll be looking at a passage and making sure that the grammar and punctuation are correct and that the passage is well-organized and rhetorically sound. The ACT English section tests two broad skill areas. First, it tests your knowledge of usage and mechanics- grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, and so on. Basically, do you know the rules of the English language and can you implement them correctly? The second broad skill area is rhetorical skills- your big-picture ability to make sure that a passage of writing flows, makes sense, and effectively communicates a point. You’ll receive a subscore for both usage and mechanics and rhetorical skills when you get your ACT scores back. Question Types Between the two broad skill areas of usage/mechanics and rhetorical skills, there are six question types on the ACT English section: Usage and Mechanics Punctuation (10-15% of test, 7-12 questions): These questions test your knowledge of the rules of proper use of periods, commas, apostrophes, dashes, colons, and semicolons. Grammar and usage (15-20% of test, 12-15 questions): These questions test your knowledge of grammar rules associated with subject-verb agreement, pronoun use, modifiers, verb forms, comparatives, superlatives, and some idioms. (Refer to our complete ACT grammar guide for more specifics). Sentence structure (20-25% of test, 15-19 questions): On these questions, you’ll be tested on your understanding of the correct relationship between clauses. You’ll have to correctly link clauses to make clear, correct sentences (not fragments or run-ons)! Rhetorical Skills Strategy (15-20% of test, 12-15 questions): Strategy questions target your ability to build the clearest possible argument. You’ll be asked if the author should add or delete particular material and then need to choose the answer that justifies your decision. Consider if the material in question strengthens the passage or if it’s confusing or irrelevant. Organization (10-15% of test, 7-12 questions): Organization questions test your ability to build appropriate introduction and closing sentences for paragraphs and to choose the best transitions. Basically, are you able to create a passage with clear structural signposts throughout? Style (15-20% of test, 12-15 questions): On these questions, you’ll be tasked with choosing the best words, phrases, and images to go with the passage’s tone. You’ll also need to correct sentences for excessive wordiness and redundancy. Style: it's not just for your closet. Most Important English Section Tips To get a solid score on the English section of the ACT, follow these tips! Develop a Passage Strategy Because the questions on the English test are integrated with the passage, it’s critical that you develop a solid, consistent passage strategy. We recommend the graf-by-graf approach. In this approach, you’ll skim an entire paragraph, then go back and answer all of the questions associated with that paragraph. This gives you enough context to answer the questions while still being efficient. But figure out what works best for you! Learn Essential Grammar Rules While there is an array of grammar rules that will be tested on the ACT English section, there are a few rules that the test likes to ask you about over and over again. These include rules about forming correct sentences and using proper punctuation, especially commas. Learning the most important rules inside out will take you successfully through a sizable chunk of the test! Don’t Be Afraid to Pick â€Å"No Change† Students are often afraid to pick â€Å"no change† because it seems like it’s a trick or too easy. But don’t avoid â€Å"No Change†! Sometimes the sentence really is fine how it is. In fact, if you aren’t sure of the answer, â€Å"No Change† may be your best bet for guessing! Change? I haven't got any. ACT Section2 : Math There are six main content areas tested on ACT math: Pre-Algebra, Elementary Algebra, Intermediate Algebra, Coordinate Geometry, Plane Geometry, and Trigonometry. Here’s a breakdown of the topics you can expect to see in each content area: Pre-Algebra: (20-25% of test, 12-15 questions) Basic operations (think PEMDAS) Place value Calculating square roots and exponents Scientific notation Factors Ratios, proportions, and percents Linear equations with one variable Absolute value and number order Basic counting techniques and simply probability Data collection, representation, and interpretation; simple descriptive statistics Elementary Algebra: (15-20% of test, 9-12 questions) Properties of square roots and exponents Solving algebraic expressions through substitution Using variables to express relationships Understanding basic algebraic operations Solving quadratic equations by factoring Intermediate Algebra: (15-20% of test, 9-12 questions) The quadratic formula Rational and radical expressions Absolute value equations and inequalities Sequences and patterns Systems of equations Quadratic inequalities Modeling functions Matrices Roots of polynomials Complex numbers Coordinate Geometry: (15-20% of test, 9-12 questions) Graphing equations, including lines, polynomials, circles, and other curves Graphing inequalities Properties of lines, including slope and parallel and perpendicular lines Distance and midpoints Conics (parabolas, circles, ellipses, and hyperbolas) Plane Geometry: (20-25% of test, 12-15 questions) Properties and relations of plane figures, including angles and relations among perpendicular and parallel lines Properties of circles, triangles, rectangles, parallelograms, and trapezoids Transformations Proofs and proof techniques Simple applications of plane geometry to three dimensions, including volume Trigonometry: (5-10% of test, 3-6 questions) Right triangles Trigonometric functions: their values and properties, graphing, modeling Trigonometric identities Solving trigonometric equations Is this the right triangle or the wrong one? Question Types The questions on the ACT math section are all five-choice multiple choice questions. We covered the topics you can expect to see in the questions above. Some of these questions will be presented as word problems, and others as pretty straightforward math problems. Some will have figures, graphs, or charts. You can check out practice ACT math questions here to get a feel for the question styles. You should also be aware that the questions are loosely ordered by difficulty and content. Roughly the first 1-20 questions will be â€Å"easy,† questions 21-40 will be â€Å"medium† difficulty, and questions 41-60 will be â€Å"hard.† Of course, whether you experience a particular question as easy or difficult depends partly on your own comfort level with different concepts. But in general, more complex questions that take more time to solve come later in the test. Questions are also loosely arranged by subject matter. The first half of the test (questions 1-30) will have more algebra and pre-algebra questions, and the second half of the test will have more geometry and trigonometry. Most Important ACT Math Section Tips Here are 3 ACT Math section tips! Learn Critical Formulas The ACT doesn’t give you any formulas for the math section, so you’ll need to memorize any you’ll need to use. We have a guide to the most important ACT formulas here, as well as advice on the best way to practice and use formulas for ACT success. Bring an Allowed Calculator While you technically don’t have to have a calculator to solve any of the questions on the math ACT section, having one will make your problem solving much more efficient! But only some calculators are allowed on test day, so be sure to use one that’s permitted! It’s best if you’re familiar with that calculator, too, so try to practice with the calculator you are going to use on test day. Work on Time Management With 60 questions to solve in 60 minutes, one of the most challenging things on the ACT math section is time management. There are a number of strategies you can use to help improve your time management skills on this section, but here are some general principles: All questions are worth the same amount of points, so focus on faster and simpler questions first to maximize points. Don’t sink too much time into any one question. If you aren’t going for a super-high score, it may be better to focus more energy on fewer questions. You’ll feel less of a time crunch that way. Crunch is a good thing for your chips and a bad thing for your time. ACT Section 3: Reading ACT Reading presents you with passages and then asks you multiple choice questions that test your reading comprehension skills. Can you correctly understand and interpret passages on a variety of subjects? Can you interpret the meaning both of small details and major theme in a passage? Can you analyze author’s purpose and tone? These are kinds of skills that ACT Reading assesses. The actual test will present you with four subsections. Three subsections will have longer passages, while one subsection will have two paired passages. The subsections will come from four different subject areas and they always appear in the same order: Prose fiction/literary narrative: The kind of fiction passages you’re probably encountering all the time in English class. Also includes passages from literary memoirs. Social science: Nonfiction passages on soft sciences areas, like psychology, sociology, and education. Humanities: This is a broad topic area that includes both personal nonfiction pieces like essays and memoirs and also nonfiction pieces on the arts, literature, and philosophy. Natural science: Nonfiction passages about hard sciences topics like biology, chemistry, physics, and medicine. Any of the four topic areas could contain the paired passages, although it seems like literary fiction and humanities are the most frequent areas where you’ll see the paired passages. Quite a pair. Question Types There are five main types of multiple-choice questions that you’ll see on ACT reading. Big Picture Questions (about 10% of test; approximately 4 questions) Big picture questions ask you a question about the passage overall: the passage’s main theme or the author or narrator’s overall perspective. In general, you’ll be asked one big-picture question about each passage/passage set. Detail Questions (about38% of test; approximately 15 questions) Detail questions (also sometimes called â€Å"little picture† questions) ask you for straightforward information about a small detail in the passage. These questions are typically the easiest on this ACT test section, because they are literal questions and you can find the answer directly in the passage! Detail questions typically make up the largest proportion of the ACT Reading section. Vocab in Context (about10% of test, approximately 4 questions) These questions ask about the meaning of a word in the context of a passage. Typically, you’ll need to pick a synonym for a given word that still makes sense within the context of the sentence. Development and Function (about 22% of test, approximately 9 questions) Development and function questions test your rhetorical analysis skills. They’ll ask about the function of a particular phrase or paragraph within the passage, how the argument in the passage is developed and advanced, or how the passage is structured. Inference (about20% of test, approximately 8 questions) Inference questions ask you to make a logical conclusion about something based on the information available in the passage. Don’t be fooled into thinking these questions are subjective- the correct answer will always be supported by evidence directly in the passage! Investigate the passage. Find the evidence. Solve the potato murder! Most Important Reading Section Tips These tips will help you sail to success on the Reading section of the ACT. Passage Evidence Students often get tripped up on this section by questions that seem subjective at first glance. But remember this: all questions have one right answer, and that answer will always be supported by evidence from the passage. Don’t be tripped up by answers that seem like they could be right because they aren’t directly contradicted by the passage- only pick an answer if you are confident that the actual content of the passage supports it. Develop Passage Strategy Developing an effective approach to the passages on ACT reading helps you manage time and more easily find the correct answers to questions. Some people like to skim the passage first and others prefer to glance over the questions first. Both of these strategies can work fine. However, we don’t recommend closely and thoroughly reading the passage on your first pass. You won’t need every detail of the passage to answer the questions, so reading too closely is a waste of precious time. Hone your strategy. Rule ACT Reading. ACT Section 4: Science What’s tested: In spite of what you may think, the Science ACT test section tests your scientific interpretation skills more than your pre-existing scientific factual knowledge. It involves more reading- of passages, charts, and graphs- than anything else! Using the information in the passages, you’ll need to apply the scientific method, evaluate theories or hypotheses, and interpret data. There are seven â€Å"passages† on this ACT section. I put â€Å"passages† in quotes because not all of them will just be straightforward written material. You can expect to see three passages summarizing research and experiments (which may or may not include graphs and figures), three passages primarily made up of graphs and figures, and one paired passage set describing conflicting viewpoints on an issue. You can expect about 5-7 questions about each passage. Question Types There are eight question types split among the three passage types on the ACT science section. They are all four-choice multiple choice questions. Research Summary Passages There are three question types you can expect to see on research summary passages, related to designing and interpreting experiments. Experimental Design and Description: These questions ask you about how and why the researcher designed the experiment the way that they did. (For example: â€Å"In experiment 2, which solution was the titrant and which solution was the sample solution?). Many of these questions are simple reading comprehension questions that just require you to find the relevant information in the passage. Some of these questions ask you to choose the figure that best describes the experimental results. Hypothetical Experiment: These questions ask you to predict what would happen if one of the described experiments was changed somehow. Interpreting Experiments: These questions ask you if a certain scientific claim is supported by the results of the described experiments, and why. There will be two â€Å"no† answers and two â€Å"yes† answers, with different justifications. So you need to choose both if the conclusion is supported or not supported and why correctly. Data Representation Passages There are another three question types you’ll encounter on data representation passages, related to reading, interpreting, and working with data. Factual Questions: These data representation questions just ask you to identify factual information presented in the graph/chart/table/etc. They essentially test your ability to read different types of data representations. Identifying Trends: On these questions, you’ll need to read the graph or chart more holistically to identify if there’s a trend or relationship between two factors. Does the graph or chart show one thing increasing while another decreases? Do they both increase or decrease together? Extrapolations: These questions ask you to make a prediction based on what is shown in the graph or chart. Conflicting Viewpoints Passages Finally, there are two question types you’ll see on conflicting viewpoints passages. These are essentially reading comprehension questions based on descriptions of different perspectives on scientific issues. Understanding Viewpoints: These questions check your comprehension of one of the author’s points of view. No synthesis of the two viewpoints is required. Comparing Viewpoints: These Science section questions will ask you to identify similarities and differences between the two viewpoints. I wish all this science could be this delicious. Most ImportantTips Here are two tips to help you make the most out of the Science section! Hone in on the Information You Need Science passages often give you way more information than you’ll actually need to answer the questions. So instead of trying to absorb every factoid from the passage, it’s better to hone in on the information you actually need to answer each question. You can develop your own strategy for doing this, but you might try quickly skimming the passage for the main ideas first and then looking back more closely for the information you need to answer each question. Save the Paired Passage for Last Answering the questions for the paired passages will almost always take the longest, because you’ll likely need to read the passages more closely to be able to accurately compare them. Because all questions are worth the same amount of points, it make sense to leave the section that will take the longest for last. So skip the paired section when you come to it and circle back around at the end of the section so you don’t waste time you could spend on faster questions. If only the paired passages were as beautiful and soothing as this pair of swans. Optional ACT Section: Writing ACT Writing tests your ability to write a clear, well-argued essay that analyzes an issue in relation to different viewpoints- all in a limited 40-minute time period! You’ll then be evaluated along four domains and given a score from 1-6 by two graders, leading to a score out of 12. If all that sounds like a tall order, well, it is a lot to take in. We’ll break down what you need to do in this overview. The Topic and Prompt On the ACT Writing section, you’ll first be presented with the topic. This will consist of two parts. First, you’ll get a paragraph introducing an issue of some global or universal importance. It will most likely be something that’s primarily philosophical in nature and it will be something that can be argued from multiple angles. For example, the sample topic below is about the implications of â€Å"intelligent machines† for human society. After the initial introductory paragraph, you’ll be presented with three positions on the topic. The positions will be a little bit more nuanced that just â€Å"this thing is good† or â€Å"this thing is bad,† but they are only a couple of sentences each. Then comes the actual prompt, which is always the same and describes the task you need to complete with the topic information. So what’s the actual task? You will need to write an essay that clearly states your perspective on the issue, analyzes the relationship between your perspective and at least one other perspective, and supports your own position with well-developed, logical support. You can choose to completely agree with one perspective, partially agree, or make your own different perspective. Here is a sample topic (Intelligent Machines) and prompt from the ACT’s website. Intelligent Machines Many of the goods and services we depend on daily are now supplied by intelligent, automated machines rather than human beings. Robots build cars and other goods on assembly lines, where once there were human workers. Many of our phone conversations are now conducted not with people but with sophisticated technologies. We can now buy goods at a variety of stores without the help of a human cashier. Automation is generally seen as a sign of progress, but what is lost when we replace humans with machines? Given the accelerating variety and prevalence of intelligent machines, it is worth examining the implications and meaning of their presence in our lives. Perspective One Perspective Two Perspective Three What we lose with the replacement of people by machines is some part of our own humanity. Even our mundane daily encounters no longer require from us basic courtesy, respect, and tolerance for other people. Machines are good at low-skill, repetitive jobs, and at high-speed, extremely precise jobs. In both cases they work better than humans. This efficiency leads to a more prosperous and progressive world for everyone. Intelligent machines challenge our long-standing ideas about what humans are or can be. This is good because it pushes both humans and machines toward new, unimagined possibilities. Write a unified, coherent essay about the increasing presence of intelligent machines. In your essay, be sure to clearly state your own perspective on the issue and analyze the relationship between your perspective and at least one other perspective develop and support your ideas with reasoning and examples organize your ideas clearly and logically communicate your ideas effectively in standard written English Your perspective may be in full agreement with any of the others, in partial agreement, or wholly different. HowWill Your Essay Be Assessed? There are four domains in which ACT graders will be assessing your essay: Ideas and analysis: This domain refers to how well you discussed perspectives on the essay topic, including your own. A clear thesis is critical for this domain. Development and support: How well did you develop your thesis? How well-argued was your position? This domain assesses how you presented evidence in support of your perspective. Organization: This domain scores the organizational structure of your paper. Do your paragraphs come in a logical order? Do each of your paragraphs make a clear, well supported point with a topic and concluding sentence? Language use: Scores for this domain reflect your deployment of standard written English. Two different graders will give you a score from 1-6 in each domain, for a score out of 12 in each domain. These 4 domain scores will then be averaged for your total essay score out of 12. For a complete breakdown of scoring on this ACT test section, check out our guide to the ACT essay rubric. Not how your scores are assessed. Most Important Tips for ACT Writing Here are two tips for ACT Writing success. Become Familiar with the Rubric If you want to do well on the ACT Writing section, it stands to reason that you should have a good idea of what the graders will be looking for. So you should become familiar with the rubric for the Writing section. Seeing what makes for a solid score of 5-6 in each domain will help you deliver it! Choose One of the Three Perspectives While you can create your own perspective to argue in your thesis, it’s more efficient to simply choose one of the perspectives offered with the prompt to argue in support of. (You could also blend two perspectives). This will save you time in coming up with a new, unique argument, and make it simpler to analyze the relationship between your perspective and the other perspectives. When choosing between the three perspectives, pick the one you think you can support the best. Tip #3: Sharpen those pencils! Which ACT Sections Are Most Important? You may be wondering if your scores on some ACT test sections are more important than others. While this depends somewhat on you, in general, what’s generally going to be most important is your composite score. This is what colleges are typically most interested in. However, some research suggests that the English and Math ACT sections have the most predictive power for your performance in college. So some colleges may place comparatively more weight on English and Math than on Reading and Science. You’ll note that your Writing section score is not included in your composite score. You will probably not be surprised to learn, then, that the writing section score is the least important part of your ACT score. This doesn’t mean you should totally bomb it; if schools are requesting it you should still put in your best effort. But you probably don’t need to retake the entire test to raise up your 8/12 if you’re happy with your composite score. With that said, even though composite score is the most critical thing, having a higher score in your area of interest is definitely not a bad thing. So if your composite score is a 31 but you got a 34 on math and you’re applying to engineering, that 34 will matter to admissions officers. Similarly, it may set off red flags if your score in your area of interest is considerably lower than your other scores. (It’s one thing if it’s a 27 and all your other scores are 28s, it’s another if it’s a 27 and all your other scores are 33s). Sadly, ACT, Inc. won't send you a certificate of "Epic Win" if you get a good score. Key Takeaways: ACT Sections There are four required ACT test sections and one optional one. The sections of the ACT appear in the same order, as laid out below: ACT English tests your command of written English grammar and rhetoric. You’ll have 45 minutes to answer 75 4-choice multiple choice questions. ACT Math tests your math skills in pre-algebra, elementary algebra, intermediate algebra, coordinate geometry, plane geometry, and trigonometry. You’ll have 60 minutes to answer 60 5-choice multiple choice questions. ACT Reading tests your reading comprehension skills. You’ll have 35 minutes to answer 40 4-choice multiple choice questions. ACT Science tests your ability to read and interpret scientific information and your knowledge of the scientific method. You’ll have 35 minutes to answer 40 4-choice multiple choice questions. ACT Writingtests your ability to analyze an issue and argue in support of a position. You’ll have 40 minutes to complete an essay. This section is optional. What's Next? Looking for more information on the ACT? We can help you prepare for the test, figure out what ACT score you need, andwhat to expect on test day! If you want test practice, see our massive compilation of online practice testsand a compendium of all of our ACT guides and explainers. Trying to decide if you need to take the SAT and the ACT? We can help. We can also help you decide if you need to take the ACT with Writing. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes your prep program to your strengths and weaknesses. We also have expert instructors who can grade every one of your practice ACT essays, giving feedback on how to improve your score. Check out our 5-day free trial: