People Who Go To The Gym Essays (349 words) - Anti-war, Conscience

People who go to the Gym: There are many health conscience people today. Many of these people also enjoy working out in the gym. There are three groups of people that go to the gym. These groups are The one timers, The buddies only, and The dedicated. There is the group of people who are considered ?The one timers. This is the group of people who are trying to be health conscience. Often this is the group of people who make it a New Year resolution to make there life healthy. There first step is to get a membership at a gym. The first step is usually followed through. ?The one timers? often make it to the gym the day after they join and do not return due to the lack of motivation. Then there is the group who are known as ?The buddies only?. These are the people who join a gym only if they know someone who has a membership at the same gym. This is often due to the thought that working out alone would not be motivating and boring. The buddies only is a large majority of those who are at a gym. Many people enjoy working out with a companion and will only go to the gym with another buddy. The most health conscience group of all is ?The dedicated?. This is the group of people who will go to the gym no matter what conditions. These people have a set schedule to go to the gym in their life. The dedicated have plenty of motivation and could care less to go with a ?buddy?. This is often the most admired group in the gym. Being health conscience seems like an easy part of life but not everyone can be dedicated?. When it comes to going to the gym there are many excuses that a person may have. Within the three groups there are only two groups that people want to belong to. These two groups would be The buddies only, and ?The dedicated.

The Top 10 SAT Reading Tips You Must Use

The Top 10 SAT Reading Tips You Must Use SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips To do well on the SAT Reading section, you'll need to prepare yourself to understand the material and pace yourself according to the structure of the test. In this article, I’ll take you through 10 quick tips for improving your Reading performance! SAT Passage Reading Tips Tip #1: Skim Strategically (Or Start with the Questions!) Many students make the mistake of thinking they need to read passages on the SAT Reading section closely right off the bat.Actually, it’s often beneficial to skim the passage first to get the gist of the author’s argument. The best way to skim is to read the introduction and conclusion paragraphs and the first and last sentences of every body paragraph.That way you can be sure you’re not missing any main ideas.This will save you a lot of time because most passage-based questions on the SAT give you line numbers to reference. You'll know exactly where to look for the answers (or at least where to start). You might even consider skipping the passage altogether at first and just heading straight for the questions.You can answer all the questions about specific details in the passage first (since they give you line numbers).By the time you answer all the detail questions, you'll have a good sense of the main ideas of the passage. If not you can always go back and skim the passage (paying special attention to the introduction and conclusion paragraphs) to find the answers to big picture questions. Tip #2: Read the Passage Intros You know those little preliminary notes in italics before each passage on the SAT? They’re useful if you take the time to read them. Passage intros give you context for what you’re reading so you don’t just plunge into it without understanding anything about who wrote it or when it was written.This can be helpful ingaining a stronger understanding of the basis for the author’s argument and its historical context. Here's an example: The following passage is an excerpt from a 1909 novel. Georgia, the main character, is a reporter in an otherwise all-male newsroom. Reading this introduction gives you a lot of information that you might otherwise have to infer. You now know the setting of the passage as well as the main character's name and her position in society. With this background in hand, you can get your bearings before you start reading and be more confident about your interpretation. Tip #3: Force Yourself to Engage with the Passages If you go into the SAT Reading section assuming that the stuff you have to read is boring, it will be much more difficult to absorb information.As challenging as this may be, try to get yourself genuinely interested in what you’re reading.Think of each passage as a learning experience rather than a slog that you are forced to endure to answer questions. Some of the passages on the SAT are interesting if you allow yourself to see them in that light.Your reading experience will be faster, less painful, and more easily absorbed if you have a positive attitude about it! Here's to a safe passage. ;) (I'm so sorry) Overall SAT Reading Tips Tip #4: Put It in Your Own Words First If you encounter a confusing question, it's often helpful to rephrase it in your own words before attempting to answer it. The SAT sometimes words questions in strange ways that don't make sense at first glance, although this is less common on the new version of the test. Try to restate the question in a way that is easier for you to understand before moving on to the answer choices. The SAT also dabbles in confusing answer choices that might make you second guess yourself.A good way to avoid this is to think of an answer in your own words first.If you already have an answer in mind, it’s a lot easier to keep your focus in the midst of tricky choices. Think about how you would answer the question if it were open response based on what you read in the passage. Tip #5: Use Connotation and Keywords This is very important if you want to be able to answer questions you’re unsure about.Look for indications of positive or negative connotation, words that point to contrast (like "rather than" or "however"), and strong adjectives in the sentence or passage you are referencing. These clues will help you eliminate at least a couple ofincorrect answers even if you’re not sure what the correct answer is yet. Here's an example: The passage indicates that the assumption made by gift-givers in lines 41-44 may be A) insincere. B) unreasonable. C) incorrect. D) substantiated. Here are the lines we need to look at for this question: "What is surprising is that gift-givers have considerable experience acting as both gift-givers and gift-recipients, but nevertheless tend to overspend each time they set out to purchase a meaningful gift. In the present research, we propose a unique psychological explanation for this overspending problem- i.e., that gift-givers equate how much they spend with how much recipients will appreciate the gift (the more expensive the gift, the stronger a gift-recipient’s feelings of appreciation)." From reading this paragraph, we know that gift-givers tend to "overspend" on meaningful gifts. That means that their ideas about gift-giving are misguided. The word that describes their assumption will have a negative connotation. That means Choice D can be eliminated - the whole point is that the assumption is NOT substantiated. However, there is also nothing to indicate malicious intent or illogical thinking on the part of gift-givers. Choices A and B, "insincere" and "unreasonable" can be eliminated as well. The passage is talking about presenting research, so A and B are unsuitable because they are too subjective. "Incorrect" is the only choice that gels with the scientific tone of the passage and the conclusion it draws about the assumptions of gift-givers. Tip #6: Eliminate Incorrect Answers Rather than trying to find the correct answer on a difficult question, you should focus on eliminating incorrect answers.Every question is about finding ways to get rid of answers that don’t fit. This the fundamental rule of SAT reading: every question has one unequivocally correct answer, and all three other potential answers can be eliminated based on evidence. If there’s even one word that doesn’t match up with the information provided in the passage, you can cross out that answer.It’s much easier to throw away the duds until you’re left with only the best choice than to pick the best choice out right away. The correct answer might not be exactly what you’re expecting, but you KNOW that each incorrect answer will have something completely wrong with it.See our article on strategies for getting an 800 on SAT Reading for details on the different types of incorrect answers and how to spot them. Tip #7: Skip Difficult Questions It’s easy to get stuck on difficult questions if you aren’t paying attention to time management.The strict time constraints on the SAT meant that it's crucial toskip questions when you've spent more than 30 seconds unsuccessfully searching for the answer. Answer all the easy questions first, then come back to tougher ones at the end. You can circle all the questions you skip as you go along to make them easier to pick out on your second pass through the test.This way you won’t miss any easy points later on in the section. Tip #8: Double Check Your Answers If you have extra time at the end (hopefully if you follow Tip #1 and Tip #6 you will!) you should use it to check over your answers.Nothing is more frustrating than getting a question wrong due to carelessness. Something that you can do to help yourself in this process is to circle questions you're unsure about along the way. This means you'll only check the answers that you need to check instead of going over questions that you were sure about in the first place. Always dubble check your bubbles. Tip #9: Bubble in Your Answers at the End Waiting to bubble in your answers until you finish a section can save you a lot of time on the test. You won’t constantly be looking back and forth between the booklet and the answer sheet.Mark your answers in the test booklet first, and when you’re done you can go through and fill in all the bubbles at once. This tip is conditional - it’s best to do this only if you already know you can finish the section with enough time to spare. If you know you can finish the Reading section with at least five minutes left on the clock, you should be able to benefit from this strategy. Tip #10: Don’t Get Discouraged Psyching yourself out, whether because you ran out of time or because you came across a question that totally stumped you, can only hurt you. Pause to take a deep breath and calm your nerves before moving onto the next question with confidence! Tip, Tip, Hooray! Let’s review: For passages†¦ Skim strategically or read the questions first Read the italicized introductions Get interested in the material For the reading section overall.... Put it in your own words first Use connotation and keywords Eliminate incorrect answers Skip difficult questions Double check your answers Do all your bubbling at the end Don’t get discouraged Now you know some of the best ways to quickly improve your score on the SAT Critical Reading section!Remember, though, tips can only get you so far - try and focus on more in-depth strategies first, then use this advice to take your scores to the next level. What's Next? Check out thesesix strategies to improve low SAT Reading scores. If you think you're ready to take it to the next level, you should also read our article on how to get an 800 on the SAT Reading and Writing section. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Reading lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Diversity in Colleges and Universities Research Paper

Diversity in Colleges and Universities - Research Paper Example To achieve this, the project will rely on relevant literature and research procedures and analyze the findings with a view of drawing an informed conclusion and making significant recommendations. Definitions Cultural differences refer to the variations in how different countries, people, and religions live and what they believe. Different cultural identities form cultural differences in the society (Tasmanian Government, 2013). Diversity refers to the positive acceptance and respect of other people’s unique differences based on race, gender, economic status, ideologies, religion, political beliefs, cultures, and age (University of Oregon Administration, n.y). Review of Literature A study by Fischer examines the impact of college characteristics, social distance felt toward other groups, and precollege friendship diversity on the formation of interracial friendships in the first year of college (Fischer, 2008). The study establishes that campus racial/ethnic diversity is signi ficant in predicting friendship heterogeneity in the first year of college (Fischer, 2008). Moreover, the study notes that the minorities have higher predicted friendship diversity than whites have in the same context (Fischer, 2008). Furthermore, a study by Rebecca Hochradel analyses the effects of diversity mandates in relation to Mississippi institutions of higher learning (Hochradel et al, 2010). The study seeks to explore the diversity among these institutions and to determine the effect of the mandate by the IHL on the diversity of employees and students at these universities (Hochradel et al, 2010). The study establishes that there have been few... A study by Fischer examines the impact of college characteristics, social distance felt toward other groups, and precollege friendship diversity on the formation of interracial friendships in the first year of college (Fischer, 2008). The study establishes that campus racial/ethnic diversity is significant in predicting friendship heterogeneity in the first year of college (Fischer, 2008). Moreover, the study notes that the minorities have higher predicted friendship diversity than whites have in the same context (Fischer, 2008). Furthermore, a study by Rebecca Hochradel analyses the effects of diversity mandates in relation to Mississippi institutions of higher learning (Hochradel et al, 2010). The study seeks to explore the diversity among these institutions and to determine the effect of the mandate by the IHL on the diversity of employees and students at these universities (Hochradel et al, 2010).The study establishes that there have been few changes in diversity in Mississippi i nstitutions of higher learning and that such changes mimic the state's population (Hochradel et al, 2010). The study established that changes in diversity fostered overall gender diversity, ethnic diversity among students, increased numbers of female, and minority employees, increased numbers of administration female new hires (Hochradel et al, 2010). The study by Brown Warren explores Student multicultural awareness in online community college classes

Engineering Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Engineering Ethics - Essay Example The NSPE codes of ethics relevant to this case include (NSPE, 2007): 1. â€Å"Engineers shall disclose to their employers or clients potential conflicts of interest or any other circumstances that could influence or appear to influence their professional judgment or the quality of their service.† From the facts presented in this case, I have an obligation to my employers or clients (NSPE, 2007). After conducting research with this local company, I got appealing results, which does not necessarily mean that the results would be in tandem with their expectations. Since I am not sure that the company’s product, urethane, is closest to matching the human muscle response, I should search for more evidence. Otherwise, blindly accepting their concept as true will be acting in violation of the NSPE codes, which states that engineers shall disclose any situation that may impact engineer’s professional judgment or service quality. Therefore, asking for additional funding should allow ample time for establishing the correct results that should be presented to the company leaders. Severally, such moves may be misinterpreted for conflicting interest in an established business venture (Harris, Michael, & Michael, 2009). As such, I should make all my intentions regarding the p roject clear before the company officials prior to requesting for additional funding. This will ensure that doubts that may have existed about my intention of requesting for additional funding are eliminated. ... nces that could influence or appear to influence their professional judgment or the quality of their service.† From the facts presented in this case, I have an obligation to my employers or clients (NSPE, 2007). After conducting research with this local company, I got appealing results, which does not necessarily mean that the results would be in tandem with their expectations. Since I am not sure that the company’s product, urethane, is closest to matching the human muscle response, I should search for more evidence. Otherwise, blindly accepting their concept as true will be acting in violation of the NSPE codes, which states that engineers shall disclose any situation that may impact engineer’s professional judgment or service quality. Therefore, asking for additional funding should allow ample time for establishing the correct results that should be presented to the company leaders. Severally, such moves may be misinterpreted for conflicting interest in an esta blished business venture (Harris, Michael, & Michael, 2009). As such, I should make all my intentions regarding the project clear before the company officials prior to requesting for additional funding. This will ensure that doubts that may have existed about my intention of requesting for additional funding are eliminated. In that sense, I will have acted in the right manner and without violating the NSPE codes of ethics that require engineers to disclose their plans for participating in projects. 3.0 Case Study Three The NSPE codes of ethics relevant to this case include (NSPE, 2007): 1. â€Å"Engineers shall at all times strive to serve the public interest.† 2. â€Å"Engineers shall hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public.† 3. â€Å"Engineers shall disclose to their employers or

Employee Resourcing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Employee Resourcing - Essay Example Employee resourcing is an important function undertaken by organizations to ensure that they obtain and retain the human capital that they need, for productive employment. This includes aspects of employment practice that relate to welcoming people to the organization, and releasing them if it is necessary to do so. Employee resourcing is a key part of human resource management which "matches human resources to the strategic and operational needs of the organization" (Armstrong, 2003: 347), and ensures the complete utilization of those resources. Its main focus is on selecting and promoting people who fit the culture and the strategic requirements of the organization. Recruitment is the process by which candidates are located and attracted for employment in an organization. The necessary effort and extent of the search is based on the selection rate and the qualifications and skill sets needed for job competence. Companies usually attempt to attract large numbers of candidates, depending on the job and purpose of the recruitment effort. Further, they aim to fill vacancies quickly, select people who will perform well, and hire people who will give sustained and long-term service to the organization (Stahl, 2003: 163).The purpose of this paper is to examine the processes of employee resourcing which include attracting job applicants, recruiting candidates and selecting employees for the workforce; and to discuss the significance of employee resourcing as an important function of the human resource management activities carried out by organizations.... Approaches to Employee Resourcing There are three paradigms or frames of reference that managers can use when undertaking employee resourcing functions. According to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), each paradigm may be suitable for a particular situation. The traditional paradigm represents established best practice in employee resourcing activities. The contingency-based paradigm accepts that different approaches to employee resourcing should be used for different types of situations. The new paradigm advocates innovation in the use of employee resourcing strategies according to the situation and needs that arise (Taylor, 2002: 16).As compared to traditional personnel management, human resource management (HRM) emphasizes more on finding people whose attitudes and behaviour are aligned with what management believes to be appropriate and contributive to productivity in the organization's working environment. The HRM approach to employee resourcing believes that matching resources to orga nizational requirements does not simply mean maintaining or ensuring the continuation of the existing conditions; on the other hand, it "promotes radical changes in thinking about the competencies required in the future to achieve sustainable growth and to achieve cultural change" (Armstrong, 2003: 347). The two fundamental questions addressed by HRM resourcing policies are: 1) What kind of people do we need to compete effectively both now and in the future' 2) What do we have to do to attract, develop and keep these people' Attracting Job Applicants and Recruiting Candidates Increased Use of Inside Recruitment Sources: Inside recruitment sources

Madonna and Child Paintings Throughout History

Madonna and Child Paintings Throughout History Through history, people had used art as a reflection of their religious beliefs and culture values. The illustration of Madonna and Child had been one of the most recurring arts in Christianity and European art in general. According to Christian beliefs, Madonna represents the virgin marry and the child represents baby Jesus. Thought these religious paintings and sculptures of The Madonna and Child may be along the same lines in their depiction of Christian iconography and artistic style, each carries a different taste and reflects the different time periods and the different artists that had created them. Three examples of these paintings are Madonna and Child, created by Berlinghiero from the Italian Maniera Greca period, Madonna and Child created by Duccio during the Italian Proto-Renaissance, and Madonna and Child with Angels created Cosimo Rosselli during the Early Italian Renaissance periods. When a viewer observe these three Italian paintings, the viewer would recognize a deve lopment that takes place through the three time periods which is from the early thirteenth century to later fifteenth century. Differences in these three paintings include the illustrations of the figures, drapery style, treatment of space, and inclusion or the exclusion of the viewer. Nonetheless, the paintings represent similar religious and cultural values since they all depict the Christian iconography of the Virgin Marry with baby Jesus. Madonna and Child is a very common Christian iconography that was seen through history since the Byzantine Empire. The painting Madonna and Child was painted around 1230 during the Italian Maniera Greca period by Berlinghiero, the outstanding painter of the thirteenth-century Lucca (Museum Label). This painting is tempera on wood with the two figures on front of a gold background. Madonna is wearing a huge dark blue cloak with golden decorations which covers most of her body and a reddish dress underneath the cloak that can only be seen in her arms. To show her modesty the only things that can be seen from her body are her face, neck, and hands. Her face shows a depressed feeling with the lines around her eyes and her small mouth that depicts a frown. Her hand has an unrealistic look which are elongated and skinny. According to the Museum label, Berlinghiero was always open to Byzantine influence, and this Madonna is of the Byzantine type known as the Hodegefria, in which the Madonna points to the child as the way to salvation. The Hodegefria illustrate the Christian values and the value of the B yzantine art. The Child is wearing an orange Clock that covers most of his body. He is seated on top of one of his mothers hands with his body tilted towards his mother and his head facing the viewer. One of his hand points towards the right and in the other hand he is holding a scroll that represent the religious scriptures, which carries a Christian iconography in which the scriptures represents the bible. Thought his is suppose to be a child his face is an adult like face, which also can be a religious iconography that show Jesus as a mature child who leads people to salvation. Berlinghieros Madonna and Child is inorganic and unrealistic when it comes to the drapery of the clothing and the treatment of space. The figures are also set in an awkward way with inorganic style of the body. There are many folds in the figures clothes which extreme for a realist dress. The treatment of space is missing in this painting, where the figures seem to be flat and the light source is not clear in depicting the space and atmosphere. This painting is similar in its drapery and treatment of space to the painting Madonna and Child Enthroned with Angels which is from the same time period. Thought the painting is unrealistic, it is still considered as a very great artistic work that depicts cultural and religious values of that time. Duccios Madonna and Child was created during the Italian Proto-Renaissance around 1300. Like the Berlinghieros painting, Duccios painting is tempera on wood with golden background. Moreover, Madonna is wearing a blue cloak with golden lines on the edges which covers most of her body. Madonna is looking at the Child who is trying to play with her checks and holding him with both of her hands. She seems to have a sad look with her tilted head towards her child. The Child or Jesus is also wearing an orange dress with a red cloak over his shoulders. Compare to the child from Berlinghieros painting, Duccios child is looks more like a normal child. We can see that the depiction of the child has developed to a more realistic and organic one. In this painting not only does the child looks realistic in his facial characteristics but with his childish movement while playing with his mother checks. The drapery style is more organic than that of Berlinghiero but is not totally realistic. It has a very heavy and earthy feeling with its huge curves and wrinkles. This painting also lacks the emphases of space, since the figures looks like flat on the golden background. This painting can be compared with Giottos paining Madonna Enthroned with Angels and Saints, which is from the same time period, where we can see similar drapery style and facial characteristics of the child. Furthermore, this painting also shows the counting religious values of Italian art. This painting, like all the Madonna and Child paintings, has the Christian values. The third painting is the Early Italian Renaissance painting Madonna and Child with Angels by Cosimo Rosselli which dates about 1480 to 1482. Thought this painting is made of tempera and gold on wood, it is much more complex than both of the other paintings. In this painting Madonna is dressed in a light red cloth and a light blue cloak floating over her head and shoulders while the child is shown nude, which is different than that of Berlingiero and Duccios paintings. The posture of the figures is also different; Madonna is holding the child with both of her hands to make him stand on top of a table. Although, the childs body is a little disproportional, the bodies of both figures are more organic and natural. The bodies do not have a longitude hands and awkward faces like the other two paintings, which show the development in artistic design of the figures. Moreover, Rossellis painting has a more developed drapery style and space treatment. The drapery is more organic with ordinary looking wrinkles. The treatment of space is also a lot more developed than the other two paintings. Since the other two paintings had the figures as if they are flat, this painting is more organic because the viewer can feel like the figures are close while the background is seems far. This painting also has a vanishing point that gives the painting the feeling of space. As seen in the three paintings of the Madonna and Child, we can see that art develops through the years. Even thought the paintings of Madonna and Child carries the same religious cultural values, one can see how the style of the painting changes over periods of time in its drapery style, space treatment, figures characteristics, and even the postures of the figures. As a result, we saw that the depiction of the Madonna and Child in the late fifteenth century is more complex and organic than that of the early thirteenth century.

Language Essay -- Essays Papers

Language Language is essential; language is what we use to communicate among others. It is something that joins us just as strongly as it separates us. There are many different â€Å"languages† in the world but really they are all bound by certain rules, they all have a format that they follow, all of them have, nouns, verbs, tenses, and adjectives. Language is almost like a math, the point of it is that when you speak, you try to reach a conclusion with a different person, and in math you use equations to solve problems and reach conclusions, one is numbers the other is words. Math is not easy, and learning a Language can be challenging. I came here from Mexico years ago, and I still remember how it was to not know how to communicate. I had to learn and I did; now I’m what you would call bilingual. While learning the language I was also adapting to culture, to a totally different life style than the one I was used to, learning a different language was in a way helpful in adapting to this new world because it opened doorways for me which would be closed with out it. In my younger years it seemed routine but now that I am older and reflect on my experience I can relate to those who just came here and have a â€Å"language barrier†, it’s almost like being handicapped. When I read the Tan essay, it hit close to home for me, because I knew what a language barrier feels like, I knew how people could take advantage of you because they assume that you are stupid, the thing is that society makes assumptions about people who have a language barrier, they make fun of kids who go to bilingual class, where in fact those kids are learning something that the other ones in the future can only wish that they could have learned. When it comes t... ... key factor, our ability to communicate. In school’s they should have kids talk to each other, have the Caucasian boy talk to the Asian girl, let them learn from each other, because when a child is young its mind is pure, its not â€Å"programmed† yet, so lets fill that mind with useful things which will teach them tolerance to others, and so we could filter our society of people who will look at a Mexican and call him a â€Å"spic†. Our society is full of different people, tall people, short people, rich, poor, but there is only one thing that brings all those people together and that is language. When you read this paper you will make a comment on it, post it, write it down, do whatever with it, but anyway you look at it, you will use a language, and the moment you do my point is made, that language is a essential part of our society, and that we have to let it expand.

The Effects of Standardized Tests on Education

Standardized tests have been debated and argued for as many years as they have existed. It is worthwhile to look at some of the arguments for both sides and find out if there can be some middle ground. Two important factors of standardized tests are the way the tests are administered and how the results are handled. These two issues may be more important than the tests themselves. There must be ways to have accountability in most areas of society. In schools, we need to know if teachers are teaching and if students are learning. There has to be some way to judge whether the system is working. Standardized tests can show students’ strengths and weaknesses. Ideally, teachers then develop strategies to address the needs of the student that the test has outlined. These tests can help predict selection at college, justification for scholarships, and selection for employment. They can document achievement, both for the student and the teacher. â€Å"The fundamental ideas behind the construction and use of tests are not beyond our understanding†. Says Andrew J. Strenio Jr.  These tests â€Å"certify that the examinee does have the requisite skills and competencies needed to graduate from high school programs, practice in an occupation or profession, or receive elevated status within a profession†. (Defending Standardized Testing; Phelps, Richard. We could not function in society without some basic standards and these standards need to be uniform throughout our society. Chauncey and Dobbin write in their book Testing: It’s Place in Education Today:â€Å"Every school and almost every teacher uses a test at some point in the process of planning instruction that will fit the student and his capacities†. Standardized testing is just a larger scale for comparison. It offers feedback to the student and the school system about where achievement is in certain areas. But it should not be the only criteria for what we consider success. There is a great deal of criticism of standardized tests. Making test scores public is a way to see them as indicators of school quality. This has increased their value 100% but not in a particularly good way. Officials use an assortment of bribes and threats to coerce everyone into concentrating on test results. If the scores are high, the bribes may include bonuses for teachers and schools. Students may receive food, tickets to theme parks or sporting events, exemptions from in-class final exams, and even scholarships. The threats include loss of funding or accreditation for schools, while students may be held back a year or denied a high school diploma if they don’t test well, regardless of their over-all academic record. All together, these tactics are known as ‘high stakes’ testing. There may not be data on this, but Alfie Kohn states â€Å"the people who work most closely with kids are the most likely to understand the limits of standardized tests. † He says that â€Å"support for testing seems to grow as you move away from the students, going from teacher to principal to central office administrator to school board member to state board member, state legislator, and governor. † 3 Standardized Minds by Peter Sacks talks about the unquestioned position of standardized testing which he terms â€Å"an unhealthy and enduring obsession†. He also writes about the cost of all this testing. â€Å"The amount Americans spend taking tests, preparing for tests, scoring tests, and running magnificently elaborate testing programs in schools, colleges and the workplace is stunning, probably running in the billions of dollars each year. It is possible that Americans may be taking as many as 600 million standardized tests annually, or more than two tests per year for every man, woman, and child in the United States. Unreasonable demands of ‘higher scores’ from schools has many negative results. Alfie Kohn says â€Å"Teachers are beginning to tire of the pressure, the skewed priorities, and the disrespectful treatment as they are forced to implement a curriculum largely determined by test manufacturers or state legislators. † A hostile environment develops as teachers feel the need to prove that low scores were not their fault. An unhealthy competition is set up between teachers. High-stakes testing has led to widespread cheating. Recently, Atlanta schools cheating scandal has been front page news. An article in Substance News by George N. Schmidt on Dec. 26, 2010 details the depth and breadth of the CRCT scandal. The article is part of series that has examined the statistically improbable gains in test scores in Atlanta schools and how school district officials responded to them. The money spent on this investigation could probably build a new school. The expectation of higher scores means teachers are more likely to â€Å"teach to the test’ and become drill sergeants. Other things like fine arts fall to the wayside as math and science are emphasized. From the book Standardized Minds: â€Å"Researchers have found consistently that one of the most damaging effects of large-scale, big-stakes standardized testing in schools has been to: (1) oversimplify what’s taught in school; and (2) to severely constrict what is taught to only those items most likely to appear on an upcoming standardized test. There is blame and consequence to cheating, whether it is outright erasures on tests or days of teaching the test. But it should help us to rethink the pressures on ‘high-stakes’ testing. Maybe the Atlanta cheating scandal can show us that our response to the test score is way out of line. School districts, schools, teachers, and students should not have to be tested under such extreme pressure. This threatening atmosphere makes cheating a likelihood. Grades and test scores don’t tell us what we really want to know about somebody. The Case Against Standardized Testing includes a list offered by educator Bill Ayers: â€Å"Standardized tests can’t measure initiative, creativity, imagination, conceptual thinking, curiosity, effort, irony, judgment, commitment, nuance, good will, ethical reflection, or a host of other valuable dispositions and attributes. What they can measure and count are isolated skills, specific facts and functions, the least interesting and least significant aspects of learning†. Maybe it is not a ‘bad test’ but how the results are handled. Daniel Koretz in Measuring Up talks about the limits of test scores. He says â€Å"What education leaders want is a fair, straight-forward measure of school performance, to be able to monitor schools and hold them accountable. The problem is that we tend to overestimate what tests can do. Tests are not designed to summarize all that students and schools can do†. By the same token Andrew Strenio states that â€Å"Standardized tests convey an illusion of much greater precision than they are actually capable of achieving†. Learning is a process and process is defined as movement, a series of actions or changes. That is what makes it hard to precisely measure. So maybe we should not pin so much on standardized tests. Instead, make them a component of the over-all measurement of quality achievement. Valerie Janesick states in The Assessment Debate that â€Å"Learning does not take place by sheer dumb chance or luck . It takes place by design†. She makes reference to Grant Wiggins saying â€Å"the goal is not instant reform or instant knowing but rather a continuous process that results in understanding†. Priscilla Vail states â€Å"Above all, parents, students, and educators must remember that a test only shows what one person did on one exercise on one day. A standardized test score is not a license to live or a measure of deserving oxygen and space on our planet. † The opportunity to demonstrate what you know can also be done with portfolio assessment, group or individual projects, and take-home exams. We should strive to create schools that help students flourish. We should also strive to hire administrators who can develop and implement new criteria for measuring achievement that could go along with the standardized tests.

How to Study for the SAT

How to Study for the SAT SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The SAT is an extremely important test for those planning to attend college. It's definitely not one to neglect or ignore until the last minute. Preparing for the exam is the only way to make sure you're doing your best on test day. Well, that's all well and good, but how exactlydo you study? It's easy to feel overwhelmed by the prospect, or else overloaded by information from a number of different sources all claiming to have the answer to every one of your testing woes. Read on for myvery best suggestions on how to study for the SAT, based on my extensive experience as a tutor.I'llcover eachstep you need totaketo improve your score, from finding the best SAT practice tests to setting a goal to fine-tuning your section strategies. After reading this article, you'll know exactly how to prepare for the SAT. The 3 Guiding Principlesof SATPrep While we've gotplenty of specific advice on how to studyfor the SAT, there are also some more general concepts that underlieall aspects of theprocess. #1: Personalize Your Program It's crucial that you individualize any plan to fityour needs. We might be the experts on the SAT, but you're the expert onyou.All the suggestions in this guide should be looked at with the understanding that you can tweak them to fit what you, individually, need. If, for example, you need to study three times a day for a shorter period of time rather than knocking it all out in one chunk in the evening, that's fine. If the opposite is true for you, that's fine, too. Do what will work best for you. #2: Leave Plenty of Time to Study If you're looking for an improvement of 100 points or thereabouts, three months is a good amount of time. If you need something significantly more substantial, though, you might want to stretch that timeline out to six months.This means you should have a good idea of your goal at least six months before the SAT. This ensures you'll have time to takeappropriate action, even if that action is letting it rest for three months. Get that test date on your mental calendar. #3: Do What You Can With What You Have It's always better to do something than it is to do nothing. For instance, if you don't have the aforementioned three tosix months, use what you do have to your best advantage.If you simply can't take a practice exam in one sitting without getting interrupted, take it in several sittings. Not having ideal circumstances is not an excuse to sit on your hands and do nothing. SAT Study Plan: 10-Step Process Now that we've established the basic ideas you need to keep in mind, let's coverthe actual steps of how to study for the SAT. Step 1: Read Up on the SAT Find out any information you're not sure about. What is the SAT? How is it scored? What score do you need to maximize your chances of getting into your dream school? Find the answers to all these questions (and more) on our extensive SAT blog.In short, spend time learning what to expect from the test so that you'll be prepared for what it looks like and how to approach each section and question type on test day. Step 2:Take Your First Practice Test This first attempt should definitely be anofficial practice exam.This is the closest you can get to an actual SAT without taking it. Published by the College Board, official practice SAT tests are extremely representative of the SAT. Do your best on this first run-through;itwill serve as your baseline, indicating how well you are currently able to perform on the SAT. In the same vein, it's important totake this test under actual exam conditions. Sit in a quiet, well-lit room and time yourself using official time constraints. This will help your practice score be as accurateas possible. Step 3:Score Your Practice Exam Spend some time reflecting on your results. Review every question you got wrong,determining why it was wrong and why the correct answer was right. If there are any questions you got right by guessing, try to nail those down, too.Most official practice tests includeanswer explanations, which area great tool you can use to aid your studying. You can also try plugging the right answer back into the problem and working through it with the end in sight. Does it make any more sense this way? Don't ignore outside resources,such as your teachers, tutors, or parents.Ask someone when you need help figuring something out. Once you've got a grip on your answers, use this information to determine your strongest and weakest areas of the test. The SAT includes subscores, which will help you zero in specific types of problems, so don't forget to pay attention to those results, too.The areas in which you struggle more consistently are the areas you're going to focus on in the coming weeks. Your results might not look like this the first time through. Step 4:Set a Goal Score You know what the SAT is like, and you know how you perform on it. Now, take time to consider what a reasonable goal score might be for you. This goal should be achievable: don't expect a 600-point increase over your practice score. It's fine to set a goal that's a stretch,though. Don't give up on your dream school just because one practice exam didn't come back in the full glory you'd hoped for. To set a specific SAT goal score, you'll need to know the average scores of admitted applicants to the schools you're applying to. Your goal score must be higher than these averages to give you the best chance of admission. For more info, take a look atour step-by-step guide on how to set an SAT goal score. Step 5:Decide What Tools You'll Need to Use Consider how far you have to go to reach your goal score as well as what resources are available to you. The more of a gain you need to make, the more intensive your methods will need to be. Consider whether it's reasonable to think you can afford individual tutoring, a group class, or an online prep program. The SAT is important, no doubt, but there's no use in overstepping the bounds of your means for it. Do what you can with what you have. As you gather resources, be savvy about evaluating them. Are they official (endorsed by the College Board) or unofficial? Official resources are best becausethey mimic the test as closely as possible. If you're looking at an online program or tutor, what kind of credentials do they boast? Have students who've used them seen a lot of improvement? These are the sorts of questions it's important to ask yourself. Now, you can always work solo.There are plenty of resourcesyou can use to correct any issues that come up, including SAT books, prep websites, apps, and the SAT's partner siteKhan Academy. These resources can be very helpful, and many of them are free. Realize, though, that working entirely on your own with resources like these might not be enough. Think about what other resources you can access if possible. You can also work with an online prep program. These are great because they personalize their recommendations based on your performance, provide plenty of personal attention to tracking trends in your work, and are generally more affordable than in-person options. Unfortunately, you're missing that in-person contact that can be sovaluable. Another option is to work in a group class. These courses are a great way to get the support of both peers and an instructor. You can ask questions and review the content that's most important to you. Classes are also more affordable, in most cases, than individual tutoring. The degree of personalization, however, suffers because of the group format. Finally, you can work with an individual tutor, eitheronline or in-person. This option maximizes the individual and purely custom attention you get;you get an expert walking you, personally, through every step of the way. That being said, prices are frequently prohibitive,and your time with your tutor will probably be limited week by week. Whatever tools you're using, make sure they help you learn. Step 6:Set a Pattern of Practicing Generally, if you've given yourself plenty of time, you should be looking at somewhere between30 minutes and three hours a sitting- closer to 30 minutes if you're practicing daily, and closer to three hours if you're only practicing a couple times a week. YourSAT study plan is something to personalize.Small, manageable, regular chunks of time are ideal, but listen to your own needs. Don't cheat yourself out of study time in the name of personalization! Plan to use a combination of books and videos,as well as any class or tutor available to you (the College Board has a free Question of the Day app to look into, too). Set these resources into your regular schedule;don't plan to study for three hoursthe same day as your three-hour SAT class. Step 7:Take Another Practice Exam Ideally, this should take place about a month after you start studying. Otherwise, take it when you can, even if that's two weeks after you start or two months after you start. Just don't take it within a few days before the actual test. Frying your brain completely isn't going to help you reach your goal score on test day. Once again, score your practice test carefully,checking the explanation forevery question you got wrong. See where you've grown, where you've stagnated, and where you've backslidden. Figure out where you need to redouble your efforts and where you can ease off a little. Step 8:Adjust Your Study Plan Based on Your Progress Don't forget to stillstudy areas of consistent strength- just brush them off periodically,though, rather than dwelling in your comfort zone. With areas of persistent weakness, make sure to studythese areas using a variety of angles,and drill the problems you've already worked through until they become second nature to you. If you're backsliding, increase your attention to that topic.If you're growing, stay on course. Continue to make use of the resources that are working well for you. Step 9:Repeat Steps7 and 8 In the early stages of a more leisurely plan, take a practice test every month or so.In the later stages, bump it up to every week or so. If your study plan is more compressed, you might need to start straight away with a test every week or every other week. Try to maximize the number of practice tests you take without totally burning yourself out.Four or five practice tests is a great number to shoot for, roughly. Don't forget to adjust your study plan after each practice test based on your results. Hopefully the cycle of studying will be more stimulating than this fellow's treadmill. Step 10:Maintain Self-Care The week before the SAT, start putting the brakes on studying by slowingdown your pace. A day or two before the test, stop studying altogether.Your know what you're going to know, so there's no use stressing at this late point in time. Instead, make sure you're resting up and putting things in order for test day. Get a solid amount of sleep for at least three nights before the test.Gather your supplies prior to the morning of. Plan to eat a healthy breakfast on test day, lay out your outfit the night before, and know what time you need to leave so you'll arrive in time for the test. Reminders for Your SAT Studying When you take your practice tests, use them as an opportunity to get familiar with the format and instructions. Pay solid attention to these aspects of the exam so you don't waste valuable time on test day rereading them. In your studying, don't forget the worthof simple, active reading.It's invaluable. Try to read challenging literature across genres, and actively engage with what you're reading. This will help you do even better on the SAT Reading and Writing sections. Set minor goals as a way to achieve your major goals. For example, if your goal score is pretty far from your baseline score, aim for smaller increases in-between practice tests and try to hit those instead. Most importantly, acknowledge the progress you're making. Lastly, find a buddy- a friend, parent, guidance counselor, etc.- who can encourage you, make suggestions in your process, and hold you accountable to your goals. Conclusion: How to Study for the SAT Studying for the SAT can be daunting, but it's less daunting if you head into it with a plan. Remember to leave yourself plenty of time,assess your strengths and weaknesses, and consider all the resources available to you. Allot plenty of time for studying and doing practice tests so that you can get used to the SAT format and learn what to expect on test day. Finally,remember to breathe and take care of yourself.The SAT is a tool to get you into the college you want to attend- it's not anything that should own you. What's Next? Not sure when to start studying for the SAT?We've got a detailed discussion of the benefits of starting early. Be sure to also check out our complete SAT study planfor more tips on when to start prepping. Want to learn how to build an SAT study plan? Look no further. We've gotfour sample SAT study plans you can use as well as a four-step guide onhow to study for the SAT in a month. Are you aiming for a perfect SAT score? Read aboutthe steps you can take to get there, written by our resident full scorer. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points?We have the industry's leading SAT prep program. Built by Harvard grads and SAT full scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so you get the most effective prep possible. Check out our 5-day free trial today:

The 5 Easiest AP Exams to Self-Study

The 5 Easiest AP Exams to Self-Study SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Once you’ve decided to self-study for an AP, you’ll need to choose an exam that’s right for you. With dozens of potential choices, it might seem overwhelming. I can demystify the choice for you. First, I’ll give you four important things to consider when you make your choice. Then, I’ll list the five easiest APs toself-study. After that, I’ll touch on some other solid self-study choices, and wrap up with a few AP exams you should NOT try to study for on your own. How to Choose WhichAP Exam to Self-Study There are four things to consider when selecting whichAP exam you want to prepare for on your own. Consideration 1: What's the Course Workload? The less material covered by the course, the less you will need to study to ace the exam. It makes sense to choose an AP that is narrower in scope instead of a behemoth. Let’s say you want to self-study a science AP; all things being equal, it’s going to be better for you to choose a comparatively content-light course like AP Environmental Science than a content-heavy class like AP Chemistry. (Also, don’t self-study AP Chemistry. More on this later.) If you aren’t sure how much work is involved in learning all the material for a given AP, ask friends, ask the internet, ask teachers...you get the idea. You can also look on the College Board’s individual AP course pages. On each â€Å"Course Overview† page, you’ll find a link to a document that describes the general scope of the course as well as the format of the exam. Consideration 2: How Conceptual Is The Material? Does the exam involve applying a lot of abstract and theoretical concepts, or is it primarily based on memorization? Memorization can be kind of tedious, but it’s often easier to learn this kind of material on your own than to teach yourself to understand, say, particle physics. So try to look for APs that are not overly conceptual. This is why I generally don’t advise people to self-study for math APs, with the possible exception of statistics. Generally, a course weighted more towards memorization as opposed to complex concepts is probably better for self-study. Weighing the options. Consideration 3: How Full Is Your Schedule? You probably already thought aboutyour course schedule when you first considered self-studying for an AP exam to make sure you would have enough time for the extra work. This is all well and good, but you shouldalso consider your schedule whenchoosing the actual exam to self-study. There are a few AP exams that might overlap with your high school coursework even if you aren’t in that specific AP class. You might consider self-studying one of these: One notable example of this is biology. If you are in an honors biology class, you might consider self-studying for AP biology because you will onlyneed to supplement what you are learning in class with any additional competencies necessary for the AP exam. (See the College Board’s helpfulcourse and exam description for AP Biology.) Another common course to take the AP for when you are taking the honors class is US History. Again, you’ll need to learn additional information, but you’ll be learning a lot of the material anyways in your non-AP US History class. You’ll just need to learn some extra information and do some dedicated exam prep. (This is what I did, and I got a 5 on APUSH without a crazy amount of outside studying.) If you are a particularly strong student in English, you might also consider self-study in one or both of the English APs while you are in an honors English class (I did this with AP Language and Composition). This could be a little trickier because it’s very important to be able to get feedback from a knowledgeable person about any practice essays you are writing, but if you have a supportive teacher or mentor, it can definitely work. Consideration 4: What Are Your Strengths? If you are going to self-study for an exam, it makes the most sense to choose a subject you are good at and enjoy. If you rock at social studies, choose a social studies AP. If science is your jam, choose a science AP (but not AP Chemistry or AP Physics! Don’t do it.) And so on.It will help you stay motivated if you actually like the subject. Don’t try to self-study an exam in a subject you hate, even if the exam has a reputation for being an easy self-study choice. If you already have a special skill tested by an AP examforeign languages and computer science come to mindit might make sense to self-study for that AP. You will need to make sure you fill any gaps in your knowledge and are prepared for the exam format, but it’s a good way to make the most of your own personal resources and skills. With these four factors in mind, we can move on to my recommendations for the best five AP exams for relatively painless self-study. The best self-study choice will be almost as easy as pie! But less delicious. 5 Best AP Exams To Self-Study Let's go through a few of the easiest APs to self-study. AP Environmental Science AP Environmental Science is a hugely popular self-study option, and with good reason. The test is considered to be fairly easy, and the coursework assumes no prior knowledge in any environmental sciences, so the material is not particularly advanced. There is some course material about experimental design, some basic statistics for reading charts and tables, and some historical/environmental trend information. Many questions on the test focus on cause-effect relationships. This is going to be a solid choice for anyone who is good at science or history and needs something relatively quick and easy. AP Human Geography This is another popular self-study exam with a reputation for fairly easy material that’s limited in scope. The test is on the short side, clocking in at only 2 hours and 15 minutes with 75 multiple choice questions and 3 â€Å"constructed responses.† Human Geo is essentially a soft-sciences course about how societies develop; think anthropology. To be successful, you’ll need to do some memorization of facts/dates/etc., perform some analysis/synthesis of how cultures came to be and how they might develop, and learn some specialized vocab. AP Psychology This test is a self-study home run.If you want to self-study AP Psychology, you’ll need to learn some psychological concepts and memorize details about some notable scientists in the field as well assome seminal experiments. You’ll also need to learn some discipline-specific vocab. The test is short, tooonly 2 hourswith 100 multiple-choice and two free-response questions. Free-response questions are known for being fairly straightforward. AP US Government and Politics and AP Comparative Government and Politics Both the politics exams are decent self-study APs. You probably already have some background knowledge in US Government and Politics from years of US History coursework, plus the exam is fairly narrow in scope. Comparative Government is a little harder to self-study for just because there’s likely to be more material you aren’t familiar with, but it’s still pretty manageable. The rare self-studying jellyfish, exploring the ocean on her own. Other Good AP Exams to Self-Study Some exams aren’t quite universal self-study slam dunks, but if you have a proclivity for a certain subject, a particular interest, or some prior knowledge, they canstill be good choices for you. This is particularly true if, for whatever reason, the thought of self-studying Psychology, Environmental Science, Human Geography, or Government and Politics is tedious and repugnant to you. AP Economics Exams: AP Macroeconomics and AP Microeconomics Macroeconomics deals with overall economics systems while Microeconomics examines the economy from the perspective of smaller actors within the system. You will need to learn concepts for this course, and there is some basic math, but they are often seen as good self-study options because each exam has a fairly limited scope, and there is some overlap in material. Especially if you took the class for one, you might consider self-studying for the other. Additionally, self-study students found it fairly easy to prepare for the FRQs by looking at old tests. AP Biology The general consensus is that taking onAP Biology self-study with no previous bio coursework is not a good idea, but that if you have taken or are taking honors biology, it can be a solid choice. There’s definitely a lot of content to cover and a lot to memorize, but if it’s a subject you are very gifted in/are very interested in, it could be worth it. AP US History Self-studying for APUSH is considered easier than self-studying for most of the other history APs because most American students will already have some background knowledge in US history. The scope of information is also narrower than AP European or AP World History, so there’s less to learn! It’s going to be more content-heavy than something like AP Environmental Science, but definitely doable. AP English Language and Composition and AP English Literature and Composition If you have a particular proclivity for English, one (or even both) of the English APs could be a good self-study choice for you. The most important skill you will need to work on is timed analytical essay writing, so your self-study way will be much smoother if you have a teacher or other knowledgeable person willing to look over your practice essays. You don't have to self-study in an empty stadium...unless you want to. Do Not Try To Self-Study These AP Exams There are three AP subject areas in particular that are not very well-suited to self-study. These are the APs that are the both very conceptual AND content-heavy in nature. In these cases, having an instructor and a structured class tends to be very important for learning and understanding. I strongly advise you not to self-study for any of the following exams: AP Calculus AB andBC Calculus is hard to learn. This is because it introduces concepts that are very different fromany math class that comes before it; in a lot of ways it involves a massive recalibration of your brain’s understanding of math. It is likely that, in the course of learning calculus concepts, you will get very confused, and this is why it is essential to have a good teacher. In the immortal words of the Legend of Zelda:it’s dangerous to go alone. You will be very frustrated if you try to self-study AP Calculus. AP Chemistry The AP Chemistry class is known for having a high workload, and it'sanother course where the guidance of a good teacher is very important. In addition to there being a lot of content to learn, you will need to understandlots of concepts and problem-solving methods to do well on the exam. Having a class to keep you on track and a teacher to explain material you don’t understand is going to be essential for most people to succeed on the exam. AP Physics AP Physics is a double-whammy, with a lot of math and science concepts to learn. The exams (there are four!) themselves are known for being particularly difficult, even for those who do well in a structured course. Self-studying for this exam is not an efficient use of your time.Even if you were able to do well, you would most likely need to self-study for many more hours than you would in a guided course to achieve the same level of mastery. It's dangerous to go alone! Here, take this. And an AP class. Look, I don’t want to tell you what you can and can’t do. Maybe you’re the next Isaac Newton, and you’ve been learning derivatives since you were a wee child; maybe Richard Feynman was your grandpa, and he taught you physics in the cradle. In that case, self-study for one of these APs if you feel you must. For most people, however; even very smart people, the entire experience of learning these subjects will be much more pleasant and effective, not to mention more efficient time-wise, if you learn it in a classroom and not by yourself. Also, the intensity of these classes makes them a bonding experience! The people in my Calculus BC crew became some of my favorite high school classmates. Key Takeaways What makes an AP exam easy to self-study will vary somewhat from person to person, but, in general, AP exams with a narrower scope, without too many complex concepts, and insubject areas where you have special interests or talents will be the best choices for self-study. The five easiest exams for self-study, in general, are AP Environmental Science, AP Human Geography, AP Psychology, AP US Government and Politics, and AP Comparative Government and Politics. A number of other exams may also be good choices depending on your situation. However, you should NOT try to self-study for AP Calculus AB or BC, AP Chemistry, or any of the AP Physics exams! If you keep these tips in mind, you will be able to choose the right AP exam to self-study for with ease! What's Next? When you're ready to start self-studying, see my article on how to self-study for an AP exam. If you'd really like to take an accredited AP course, but you can't make it workwith your schedule, or your school doesn't offer it, consider AP online courses- we can guide you in the right direction, towards the best and worst online AP classes. Taking the ACT or SAT? Let us revealthe secret to getting a perfect score. Did you know the SAT haschanged? Check out our complete guide to the new SAT. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Open topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Open topic - Essay Example This paper argues for morality of current laws that allows for abortion. Deontology ethics offers one of the bases for evaluating morality of abortion. According to the ethics, an act is moral if it is consistent with existing rules in a society and this means that reviewing such rules as the constitution are fundamental to understanding morality of abortion. Important to the abortion debate is the constitutional provisions for human rights and its protection thereof from contravening legislations. The Ninth Amendment of the constitution provides that citizens’ rights are supreme and no law can be made to create some rights that can infringe the former category of rights. Examples of the protected righst are rights to privacy and autonomy in decision-making. Pregnancy issues meet the privacy definition and should remain at a woman’s description, subject to the existing laws. Further, the same laws provide that such a right is supreme, no law should be made to contravene it, and this means that calls for illegalization contravene deontology ethics. While some people may argue that the defined rights in the Ninth Amendment also protect the fetus, such arguments can only be valid if the same constitution offered definition of fetus and provided for its rights. The Fourteenth Amendment however offers a solution to this problem through its definition of people who are entitled to rights under the constitution. One of its provisions is the phrase that ‘people who are born or are naturalized in the United States’ and this does not include fetus because it is not yet born. Consequently, the constitution, as an element of existing laws, protects a woman’s decision to have or not to have an abortion and arguments against such a position is Deontologically unethical (University of Minnesota 1). A person also has right to private property and this rationale grants a woman the right over her body and her body parts. The fetus is considerabl y part of a woman’s body as long as it is in her womb and this means that the woman has right over decisions affecting the fetus because of privacy and autonomy principles (University of California 1). Utilitarian approach to morality on abortion also guides the debate on whether abortion is moral and should be legalized or not. According to utilitarian ethics, an actor is moral if it offers net benefits to a majority of members of the society and immoral if its net effects are harmful to most of the involved stakeholders. Considering the case of an unwanted pregnancy, the child, the mother, and people in the environment are the involved stakeholders. An abortion terminates the child’s life but meets the interest of the expectant woman and the immediate society that already considers the child as unwanted. Forcing the woman to have the pregnancy however exposes her to rejection and rejection of the child that the woman may also reject and this leads to psychological ha rm to all the stakeholders. In such a case therefore, allowing for abortion benefits the expectant woman and the society while not allowing abortion identifies harm for all the stakeholders. Abortion would therefore be moral. The fetus is also not yet a human being and this means that it lacks feelings. Consequently, no harm can be attributed to abortion with respect to the fetus as a victim. This further means that a woman’s interest is important in an abortion case and the abortion should be legal

Business Communication Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Business Communication - Case Study Example A lack of central knowledge portal A communicative gap can be caused by inability of the employees and employers to find a common point and a common solution can be hardly found. It should be noted that a communication gap between different departments and regions is the result of invisible silos. Communication gap in the business world is often referred to differences of communication between men and women. The latter have changed their communicative strategies and reached incredible heights and leading positions in their companies. Credibility is hardly reached by women. They have to assure their business partners of their professionalism and well-developed skills. There are different communicative strategies among men and women, when the former play their communicative rules in accordance with well-established communicative strategies and the latter do not have those communicative strategies at all (Darling & Beebe 2007, p. 78). A lack of formal meeting structure It is hard to sol ve a problem of communication gap, especially when there is no formal basis for meeting and discussion of the employees’ concerns. Moreover, communication problems were even more intensified by the absence of the feedback system. The company tries to introduce their own communication improvement system, but taking different measures often fails. For example, there are â€Å"performance development reviews† as a formal tool between a manager and direct report. Personnel are concerned about their salaries, but there are a lot of those, who do not believe in the reliability of this strategy. Lack of formal Training It is evident that employees of the company are lacking of formal training. A relevant strategy is to improve communication in different departments, because implementation of innovations and changes is rather challenging for the company. A lot of flaws in the feedback system. It is also appropriate for the company to develop and promote a clear cooperation amo ng the employees. Managers of the company implement two basic approaches to foster communication in the company: laissez faire approach and traditional culture. Due to the conservative leadership practices in the organization, there are a lot of weaknesses in communication style of the company. Old views of the company’s leaders are preventive factors for innovative and creative thinking development of the employees. A presence of another leader, who is able to foster progressive thinking and policy of the company, is a great benefit for the staff (Johnson, Donohue, Atkin & Johnson 1994, p. 113). A modern approach is a strong background for development and innovations implementation in the company. A different background is a favorable factor for the company’s development. Employees are engaged in different activities and are promoting and increasing the Inglis Value of teamwork. No clear demarcation of responsibilities especially implementing operational change An imp ortant advantage for the company is the fact that the MD brought with him innovative elements from his previous company. This fact is appropriate for success and development within the organization, because Minsky and Martin (1998) claim: â€Å"first, the dissolution of  the hierarchical model of organization  has been accompanied by a changing relationship between the organization and the individual; individual contributors become the organization’s most valuable resource; contemporary organizations have highly permeable