Using Gibbs Reflective Cycle In Coursework - 1639 Words

Using Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle (or Gibbs’ Reflective Model) Gibbs’ reflective cycle is a theoretical model often used by students as a framework in coursework assignments that require reflective writing. The model was created by Professor Graham Gibbs and appeared in Learning by Doing (1988). It looks like this: Action plan If it arose again what would you do? Descripiton What happened? Conclusion What else could you have done? Feelings What were you thinking and feeling? Analysis What sense can you make of the situation? Evaluation What was good and bad about the experience? Gibbs’ reflective cycle has 6 stages. They are usually given the following headings: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Description Feelings Evaluation†¦show more content†¦Reconsider the things that went badly and write what you think this lead to (consequences of action). Think about what could have been done to have avoided these negative consequences. Reconsider the things that went well and write why you think they went well (causes of action). Reconsider the things that went well and write what you think this lead to (consequences of action). Think about how this positive action could have been further improved. Think about your contribution to the experience and say how useful it was and why it was useful (did a previous experience help you? can you compare it to a previous experience?). If you were unable to contribute to the experience say why. Think about other people present during the experience and try to assess whether their reactions were similar or different to yours. Try to say why they were the same or different. this part is analytical, it does not describe, it tries to explain the causes and consequences of things that happened, it asks questions like why?, so what? and whatShow MoreRelatedReflection Paper On Nursing Practice2633 Words   |  11 PagesGibbs Reflective Model (1988) Reflection Relating to Care on Pressure Sore In Nursing Practice The purpose of this assignment is to reflect on the aspect of my Adult Nursing Practice placement, and study that was gained by me in my studies and the need of pressure sore care and management in nursing practice. To reflect on my learning action, I am going to apply Gibbs (1988) Reflective Cycle to highlight the need for nurses to provide holistic care. It will outline the basic aspects ofRead MoreReflective Writing : My Personal Employability Skills1784 Words   |  8 Pages1. INTRODUCTION Reflective writing is evidence of reflective thinking, which is a beneficial learning tool as it allows me to critically think about my personal employability skills. This self-reflection mode of writing allows me to recognise and identify my current skills, strengths, weaknesses, progress and achievements. 2. TIME MANAGEMENT Time-management is one of my core academic and employability skills I possess. This skill allows me to prioritise effectively, which includes planning workloadsRead MoreUnit 8: Promoting Health and Well Being Essay15634 Words   |  63 PagesEvaluation†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.23 Conclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..24 Reference†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.26 Unit 8: Promoting health and well being Introduction   The Aim of my coursework is to carry out and write a report of a scale health promotion Project relevant to one of the services user groups, the services user group that I have choose is Health (ill people) this group are people who are ill or who suffer from any diseases

Honor A Tragic Hero - 1399 Words

Evan Oblak Kochanski Honors English 10 19 January 2016 Honor Does Not Lead to Good Things The definition of a tragic hero is perceived as one who is neither wicked nor purely innocent, one who â€Å"is brave and noble but guilty of the tragic flaw of assuming that honorable ends justify dishonorable means†. In The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Brutus takes the role of the tragic hero. Brutus’s honor, nobility, and self-righteousness makes him â€Å"a tragic figure, if not the hero† (Catherine C. Dominic). As the play opens, Brutus is known as a Roman nobleman and a member of one of the most illustrious families in Rome. He is first seen in Act I, scene ii, as one of Caesar’s â€Å"close friends† who is part of his entourage. But while alone with Cassius he is persuaded into taking a part in the assassination of Caesar. He is weary at first, and it seems as though it took Cassius some time to talk him into agreeing, yet Brutus looked at Caesar as some type of threat as well. As a â€Å"speculative man of high motives and refined sensibility†(Catherine C. Dominic) Brutus does have his confusion of motives. Act I, scene ii, is the first we see his weakness, â€Å"his concern with reputation and appearance, his subtle vanity and pride†(Gayle Green). Yet the main bases of Brutus’s bewilderment of motives takes place in Act II, scene I, with his famous soliloquy beginning with â€Å"It must be by his death†. This speech may be the turning point in which Brutus feels better about the assassination of his onceShow MoreRelated Essay on Hotspur as Tragic Hero of Henry IV1322 Words   |  6 PagesHotspur as Tragic Hero of Henry IV       In Shakespeares Henry IV Part One, the characters many different conceptions of honor govern how they respond to situations.   Each characters conception of honor has a great impact on the characters standing after the play.   For instance, Falstaff survived because he dishonorably faked his own death, and his untrue claim that he was the one who killed Hotspur may get him a title and land.   On the other hand, Hotspur lies dead after losing a duel forRead MoreWas Brutus A Tragic Hero772 Words   |  4 Pagesbackstabbing friend, or really a tragic hero? Marcus Brutus from William Shakespeare’s, Julius Caesar, was a tragic hero in my opinion. I am going to try and convince you that he was and why he was a tragic hero in this essay. Brutus meets all of the criteria of a tragic hero. He is arguably the protagonist of the play; he has a fatal flaw that leads to his downfall, which he cannot recover from. He had good qualities like patriotism, and he was honorable. His tragic flaw was also one of his good qualitiesRead MoreEssay On Tragic Hero In The Crucible815 Words   |  4 Pagescompassion, courage and hope. Not even tragic accident or disaster can destroy such treasures of the heart† (Daisaku Ikeda). In the play, â€Å"The Crucible† there are many characters that have an effect on each other. Two of the characters that could be called tragic heroes are John Proctor and Reverend Hale. The most tragic hero in my opinion was John Proctor. Although Reverend Hale may be considered a tragic hero to some people, John Proctor is the definition of a tragic hero because he risked his life, heRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller994 Words   |  4 Pagesfor a hero and n this story a tragic hero will arise. A tragic is a character who makes a judgment error that inevitably leads to his own demise. In The Crucible the character of John Procter being a tragic hero has been a big debate for many years. Based on the definition of a tragic he ro as well as information directly from The Crucible, it can be concluded that John Proctor is in fact a tragic hero. John Proctor plays a major role in the play and can easily be identified as a tragic hero. InRead More Brutus is the Tragic Hero of Julius Caesar Essay858 Words   |  4 PagesBrutus is the Tragic Hero of Julius Caesar      Ã‚  Ã‚   Shakespeares play Julius Caesar is a tragic play, where the renowned Julius Caesar is on the brink of achieving total control and power by becoming emperor of the Roman Empire. Ironically enough, when he thinks he is one step away from pulling it off, his friends (most from the senate) decide to overthrow him, with Caesars most trusted friend, Marcus Brutus, acting as leader of the conspirators. Though the fall of Caesar from the mostRead MoreSir Gawain and the Green Knight: the Exploration of a Tragic Hero1023 Words   |  5 PagesTragic and hero may not be words that easily reveal a relationship, but throughout literature the two have been linked to create an enthralling read. The emergence of the tragic hero seemed to take shape in ancient Greece where such works as Oedipus and Antigone were popular among all classes of people. Aristotle defined a tragedy as the imitation of an action that is serious and also, as having magnitude, complete in itself. It incorpo rates incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplishRead More Shakespeares Macbeth and Hamlet as Tragic Heroes Essay893 Words   |  4 PagesHamlet as Tragic Heroes      Ã‚   William Shakespeare has written many literary works - from his sonnets to his plays, each has its own individual characteristics.   One popular characteristic that comes from his plays is the tragic hero.   The audience can always relate to the tragic hero and the many trials he faces.   Macbeth and Hamlet are just two of Shakespeares plays that involve the tragic hero.   Through their nobility, tragic flaws, and dignity Macbeth and Hamlet prove to be tragic heroes.Read More tragoed Oedipus as the Ideal Tragic Hero of Oedipus the King (Oedipus Rex)1217 Words   |  5 PagesOedipus as the Ideal Tragic Hero of Oedipus the King In the introduction to Sophocles Oedipus the King, Sophocles defines a tragic hero as one who [behaves] admirably as a man, [but who] is nevertheless tripped up by forces beyond his control and understanding... (Sophocles 76).   In Oedipus the King, Oedipus is the tragic hero. The force that trips up the hero is fate, or, moira. It is Oedipuss actions that set the events into motion,   but it is ultimately his fate, and his attemptedRead MoreEssay on Sophocles Antigone923 Words   |  4 Pagescharacterized as the tragic hero in the story. The argument that Antigone is the hero is deffinatly a strong one. There are many critics who believe that Creon, however, is the true protagonist of the play. In order to determine whether or not Creon is the tragic hero one must first examine what a tragic hero is. Aristotle states that a hero is neither purely innocent nor purely malevolent. A hero is usually born into high rank of society, and this person must possess a tragic flaw. T his flaw normallyRead MoreEt Tu Brute: The Man Who Lost It All1037 Words   |  5 Pagesrightful name of tragic hero. Brutus lives in the golden age of the Roman era. He is one of the most honored men that walks the street; but while supposedly trying to protect his beloved country from tyranny, he looses everything and helps raise chaos and the exile of patriots. Brutus is seduced into the idea of blood for freedom, thus killing his closest friend Caesar. Through his mistake he looses his name, home, and faces the demise of his wife and himself. Brutus truly is the tragic hero of Tragedy

Study of Adolescent Learner Practices

Question: Discuss about theStudy of Adolescent Learner Practices. Answer: Introduction There have been numerous attempts for explaining and addressing the learning practices of the middle year school students in Australia. Most of the students at this stage are seen to fight with their lack of engagement with studies. They do not seem like they are involved in the school curriculum. This stage is also important in the learning activity of children, as several students are seen to have different kinds of learning and communication difficulty at this stage. Therefore it is necessary to carefully observe their learning developments in the classroom so that their difficulties can be taken care of (Greenhow, Gleason Li, 2014). Numerous students are seen to become frustrated with their repeated failures and tend to give u what they are doing. Scholars have found out that due to the repeated failure the formation f the perception regarding their capability is greatly influenced (Wong et al., 2015). This is very much necessary for their later life as self perception regarding own capability is essential to accomplish anything. The sense of incapability may be static in later life and children tend to acquire a sense of helplessness. In this case study, I will observe a second grad student in the elementary school, Robert Smith. EmergingNarrative I was observing nineteen fifth grade students in the elementary schools while I was focusing on a specific student, Robert Smith as among them he was the only one who was having problem with the learning abilities and having communication issues. I chose him after observing him for few weeks and after talking to his teachers about her previous grades. He has a severe lack of motivation in studies. He also had the tendency of withdrawing himself from any kind of event as most of the time he expected failure as an outcome. His teachers observed the same. Therefore, it was considered that he is having the learned helplessness and he was having clear symptoms of that. I had created a profile which had included the family information of the child, schooling information and the other inputs about his previous teachers. I was interested more in gaining an insight about the learning techniques of the child and how he copes up with his schooling. Other than Robert, I also find other students who were losing engagement in the learning process. Ellis (2015) suggests that engagement in schooling should be considered as a concept being multifaceted. From this point of view the school engagement can be characterized in three different methods; emotionally, behaviorally and cognitively. Therefore any kind of attempts that increase the student engagement in their regular schooling can face different challenges from both the perspectives, the role of teachers promoting various outcomes and the scope for actions. There are a large number of teachers who spoke about their experiences facing disengaged behavior of students. Many commented that no matter how hard they try the students do not respond to anything and do not try to improve their present conditions. They observed that the learning abilities of Robert were responding to their try in a very slow motion. Roberts parents were also worried about his learning developments. His parents also expressed worry about his inability of interacting with other children. His parents indicated that he is reluctant to go to school and he is mostly in a bad mood before coming to school. I had checked last three grade reports of Robert and noted that he is mostly getting average marks in the language and reading part. However, his maths grades are worse. He was getting far low than the average grades. I had asked Robert to sit for a small assignment where he was supposed to answer questions such as what do you feel when the teaching is talking to the cl ass?, can you complete your homework within time?; do you like to read? All the students who sat for this study were writing different kinds of answers to the entire question paper, where I noticed that Robert was not at all attentive towards whatever he was asked to do and trying to copy from other students. Robert was also having problem at the lunch time where he could not gel up with his peers. They have repeatedly complained against him. Even some teachers had complained because of his behavioral problems. Seeing him having difficulties in communicating with his peers, I had doubts whether he is being treated in a bad way at home front or not. Most of the times children who are being yelled at home tend to grow such tendencies. I had talked to all of his teachers and observed his classroom practices. Therefore, his low level of coping up capabilities were seen to affect his natural communications as well, Connecting Practice and Theory Observing the overall profile of Robert has suggested that he is definitely a victim of learned helplessness. He was rigid at this point that he does not have any kind of social and intellectual characteristics; therefore his situation cannot be changed. He has a low perception about his own capabilities and also has a feeling that he has no control over the outcome of any situation. Scholars who found out that the children with learned helplessness has a sense of failure in their own ability than in the surroundings such as the difficulty of any job or the failure of the teacher. They can also detect whether any particular teacher is compassionate enough towards them. Therefore, I have seen that Robert recognizing that his science teacher is giving the positive judgments about his abilities. This analysis gives me a better understanding with the situation inside the classroom and the impact of the learning practices on the students with learning difficulties. Scholars have indicated the fact that in most of the cases the teachers are unable to identify the symptoms of the learning difficulty of the child. Therefore, I had developed an intervention that may alleviate his learned helplessness across the academic and physical domains. An effective policy may involve targeting a specific setting where the child can be motivated with the learning practices. The child needed to be motivated so that he can further take part in different events in schools. The interventions were: The children with learned helplessness are not positive about having improvements in their abilities. Wexler et al. (2015) suggest that they focus more on comparing their own performance to others therefore they tend not to identify their own improvements. Thus, most of the times Robert were also seen to overlook his improvements. However, in the proposed learning practices, I have tried to make him realize that he is improving as well. When the teacher is pointing towards his own achievements, it made him happy and he left the class with a big smile. Mikulincer (2013) indicated that the children with the learned helplessness stress on themselves way more than a child should do and they mostly expect a negative outcome from any situation. Robert is always scared that his classmates will make fun of him if he fails to do something. However, in the designed classroom, the students had the space to practice things on their own; therefore Robert was enthusiast to practice new things. As the children with learned helplessness think themselves to have a low ability, they avoid situations where they might be asked to perform (Brunson, 2015). They have a continuous fear of judgment. Therefore, they avoid such situations. However, in the designed curriculum, the students had lower peer pressure and were encouraged to be engaged in physical activities outside the classroom. This made him happy and energized. According to Maier Seligman (2016), these children also have problems in having control over situations in life. In the learning practices, they were encouraged to involve in tasks where they need to take care of something and be responsible. This enhances their ability of taking responsibility and expresses their feelings about a situation. Implications for Teachers and Teaching In this section, I will suggest few implications that the middle year teachers can make to encourage and involve the students more in the curriculums. In these years students spend more time in their schools and with their peers. Therefore, they should be careful just as the parents are. In most of the cases, it can be seen that when the teacher asks something in the class, few students raises their hands but some of them not if the teacher asks someone who had not raised his or hand for answering the question, tend to be quiet or say I do not know. However, most of the time the teachers also do not have time to focus on that particular student and in the need to cover the entire study materials, he or she misses a specific student (Hwang Kearney, 2013). The teacher should take care of some other things in the class other than the study materials too. Therefore, I am suggesting some of the implications that the teacher could follow to improve the situation: These children want to see themselves as successful ones and they tend to compare their own performances with others. Thus they tend to feel insecure. Therefore, the teachers are suggested to encourage them continuously and give them positive feedbacks. The teachers are also suggested to identify their little improvements. This will make them happy and they will not expect the negative outcome anymore. Some of the students may not be comfortable enough to share his or her feelings in front of the whole class. Therefore, the teacher should make sure that he or she is given personal time and space where they can share their views about their performance. This difficulty is more prevalent in the early years. Even these patterns are also established in this stage where the children learn their capabilities. Therefore the elementary teachers should identify the specific patterns so that they can be intervened with suitable reinforcements. Therefore, they are suggested to put more attention to the students. The teachers should praise and reinforce the innate ability of the child when they are successful in a particular task. If the students starts believing that they are good at something, they will let themselves more opportunities. The positive feedback from the teachers will make the students with learned helplessness difficulty more encouraged. This can act as a powerful tool in their improvement. () suggest that the teachers may set a specific goal from each of the student so that they can try to achieve something tangible. The accomplishment will give them more confidence as well. Conclusion This study shows that it is necessary for the students to be observed, so that the teachers could identify the specific issues with their developmental phases. In this study, we have seen the child with the learning difficulty was having severe issues in coping up with his surroundings. These children tend to be anxious most of the times as they tend to compare their performances continuously. They tend to be sad or in bad temper most of the times. They may also have issues with their communication skills with the peers. In this situation, the peer support is also necessary. If they realize they are not being judged all the time, they tend to be less anxious. The teachers may apply the I do, I do model by providing the students a guided practice or release their sense of responsibility gradually, so that they can move towards the independent practice. As mentioned by the scholars that having collaborative practices can enhance their skills and the teachers may monitor their individua l improvements during this time. With a careful observation, responsibility, planning and ensuring the implications, we can make sure that the students with the learned helplessness difficulty can cope up with this situation. The caring and thoughtful teachers who are willing to take care even if there are difficulties should be appointed so that they can help the students. Reference List and Bibliography Brunson, B. I. (2015). The Type A coronary-prone behavior pattern and reactions to uncontrollable events: An analysis of learned helplessness. Ellis, R. (2015).Understanding Second Language Acquisition 2nd Edition-Oxford Applied Linguistics. Oxford university press. Greenhow, C., Gleason, B., Li, J. (2014). Psychological, social, and educational dynamics of adolescents online social networking.Media Education: Studi, Ricerche, Buone Pratiche,5(2), 115-130. Hwang, Y. S., Kearney, P. (2013). A systematic review of mindfulness intervention for individuals with developmental disabilities: Long-term practice and long lasting effects.Research in developmental disabilities,34(1), 314-326. Maier, S. F., Seligman, M. E. (2016). Learned helplessness at fifty: Insights from neuroscience.Psychological review,123(4), 349. Manuel, J., Carter, D. (2015). Current and historical perspectives on Australian teenagers' reading practices and preferences.Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, The,38(2), 115. McPherson, G. E., Osborne, M. S., Barrett, M. S., Davidson, J. W., Faulkner, R. (2015). Motivation to study music in Australian schools: The impact of music learning, gender, and socio-economic status.Research Studies in Music Education,37(2), 141-160. Mikulincer, M. (2013).Human learned helplessness: A coping perspective. Springer Science Business Media. Mirrione, M. M., Schulz, D., Lapidus, K., Zhang, S., Goodman, W., Henn, F. A. (2014). Increased metabolic activity in the septum and habenula during stress is linked to subsequent expression of learned helplessness behavior.Frontiers in human neuroscience,8, 29. Sedibe, H. M., Kahn, K., Edin, K., Gitau, T., Ivarsson, A., Norris, S. A. (2014). Qualitative study exploring healthy eating practices and physical activity among adolescent girls in rural South Africa.BMC pediatrics,14(1), 211. Taboada Barber, A., Buehl, M. M., Kidd, J. K., Sturtevant, E. G., Richey Nuland, L., Beck, J. (2015). Reading engagement in social studies: Exploring the role of a social studies literacy intervention on reading comprehension, reading self-efficacy, and engagement in middle school students with different language backgrounds.Reading Psychology,36(1), 31-85. Ware, P., Kessler, G. (2016). Telecollaboration in the secondary language classroom: case study of adolescent interaction and pedagogical integration.Computer Assisted Language Learning,29(3), 427-450. Wexler, J., Reed, D. K., Pyle, N., Mitchell, M., Barton, E. E. (2015). A synthesis of peer-mediated academic interventions for secondary struggling learners.Journal of Learning Disa Fitton, V. A., Ahmedani, B. K., Harold, R. D., Shifflet, E. D. (2013). The role of technology on young adolescent development: Implications for policy, research and practice.Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal,30(5), 399-413.bilities,48(5), 451-470. Wilcox, K. C., Jeffery, J. V. (2015). Adolescent English language learners' stances toward disciplinary writing.English for Specific Purposes,38, 44-56. Wong, C., Odom, S. L., Hume, K. A., Cox, A. W., Fettig, A., Kucharczyk, S., ... Schultz, T. R. (2015). Evidence-based practices for children, youth, and young adults with autism spectrum disorder: A comprehensive review.Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders,45(7), 1951-1966. Young, J. A., Symons, C. M., Pain, M. D., Harvey, J. T., Eime, R. M., Craike, M. J., Payne, W. R. (2015). Role models of Australian female adolescents: A longitudinal study to inform programmes designed to increase physical activity and sport participation.European Physical Education Review,21(4), 451-466.

Fahrenheit 451 (563 words) Essay Example For Students

Fahrenheit 451 (563 words) Essay Fahrenheit 451RayBradburys satire, Fahrenheit 451, is a novel full of symbols criticizing themodern world. Among those symbols appears The Hound. The Hounds actions andeven its shape are reflections of the society Bradbury has predicted to come. Montags world continues on without thought; without any real reason. There isno learning, no growth, and no purpose. The Mechanical Hound slept but didnot sleep, lived but did not live in its gently humming, gently vibrating,softly illuminated kennel back in the dark corner of the firehouse (24),wrote Bradbury to describe this hound. Like the hound, society was alive yetdead as well, drudging through life; mindless. The Hound was a programmed robotthat didnt thing on its own; that only acted as it was told. Captain Beattystates, It just ?functions. It has a trajectory we decide on for it. Itfollows through. It targets itself, homes itself, and cuts off. Its only copperwire, storage batteries, and electricity (20), and It doesnt thinkanything we dont want it to think (27). That society was programmed to notthink, wonder or ask why. They didnt do anything that they werent supposedto do. Today, everything is happening just as The Hound is controlled. Programming is happening in our very world. Take schools for example. ConsiderPavlovs experiment with ringing bells to provoke an automatic response indogs. He rang a bell; the dogs salivated expecting food. The school board ringsa bell, and students rise to show respect for the American flag because ?nowis the designated time to be patriotic, and you will or face consequences. The bell rings, students stand. The bell rings, the students sit, the studentwalks, the student is allowed to eat. Were robots in the programmed society. The perversion of Montags society was eminent in the appearance of theMechanical Hound. A ?hound with eight spidery legs, a metal body andelectrical eyes is far from just short of a normal dog. As it was with TheHound, society was far from normal. The society was strange, backward andtotally abnormal. There was no compassion for life as Mildred makes apparent bystating Its fun out in the country. You hit rabbits, sometimes you hitdogs. Go take the beetle (64). Here Mildred tells Montag to take the car outand hit animals to relieve stress and anxiety. Schools no longer teach coresubjects, only sports and ?fun things. Bradburys society hasnt thetime, nor the desire, to actually learn or better themselves. Society isperverted. Today, the computer games, television programs, and other suchentertainment possesses more attention than family members, creating a voidwhere once lay family value, and important family time. Therefore, more oftenthan not, that void is filled with harmful, unmora l behavior, much like thatbehavior demonstrated in Bradburys novel when some teenagers wereintentionally trying to run him over with their car. Is this normal?Unfortunately, it is becoming exactly that. In this society Bradbury created,you are pampered, entertained and kept completely happy with no worries; nothingto fear. However, the quest for happiness ultimately leads to the downfall. Allcommunication to the ?disturbing outside world was cut off as to protectthe citizens from having to worry. The people were oblivious to the war ragingoutside, and the bomb that eventually killed them. The society lived in blindhappiness. Paralleling this society is The Hound. When it attacks its victim, itinjects lethal doses of morphine, causing the person to experience drowsinessand fall into a deep relaxing sleep, unaware that they will never wake up.

The Time Machine Essays (1136 words) - The Time Machine, Morlock

The Time Machine The Time Machine Let me start off this essay by saying that I believe H.G.(Herbert George) Wells is one of the most intelligent writers of his time: a true futurist. Obviously, I read The Time Machine by H.G. Wells and I would like to say that it was extremely well written and sounds as though it was written fairly recently. It may just sound this way because the human race has not really tried Time Traveling. The theme of The Time Traveler is, as I see it: Think about what you are doing before doing it. The Time Traveler should have thought his journey through and taken precautions for everything that could possibly go wrong, or right for that matter. If he had done this, I am sure he would have had a camera, matches (to fight off the Morlocks), cigars (he constantly longs for them throughout the novel) and of course, his machine would not have been captured by the Morlocks. The main characters in The Time Machine were The Time Traveler, Weena (an Eloi who The Time Traveler rescued), the Eloi as a race and the Morlocks as a race. Now that you know the main characters, I will explain their purpose in the novel and their behaviors. Weena was by far the most interesting character in the novel. She was an Eloi who was drowning while trying to bathe in a river. The Time Traveler quickly jumped into the river and rescued her. Weena then started following The Time Traveler everywhere during his explorations. He learned about the Eloi people and their language and the Morlocks from Weena. The Time Traveler was definitely intelligent. He figured out a way to travel through time! He was also a very charming, rich and friendly man, a little too anxious and curious, I would say. His anxiousness made him go to another time unprepared, nothing with him but a package of matches. The Morlocks are a futuristic equivalent to our current day primates-just uglier, smellier and they live underground. They are very aggressive and are blinded by even weak sources of light. The Morlocks are carnivorous and sometimes make a meal of an Eloi. The Eloi are a beautiful, friendly and fragile race of small creatures. They seem to have a great fear of the dark, because that is when the Morlocks come out from their Underworld. Both are descendents of humans. The Morlocks stole The Time Machine (I think) to lure The Time Traveler into the brass gates so they could make a meal out of him. The Time Machine is about a man, whose name is not revealed, referred to as The Time Traveler. He builds a Time Machine and travels forward in time. When The Time Traveler arrives at his destination, 8 million years later, he discovers that the world is not futuristic at all, but rather primitive! The Time Traveler explores this new world and finds that there are two primitive species, the Eloi and the Morlocks, which seem to be descendents of humans. The oddest thing about the Morlocks is that they cannot leave their Underworld in daylight, because the light will blind them. This is why the Eloi stay inside during the night and the Morlocks come out. During the Time Traveler's exploration, his Time Machine was stolen. When The Time Traveler noticed his missing machine he began to go crazy. There were a million thoughts going through his head, the most prominent one being: the machine is gone or destroyed and he will have to spend the remnants of his life there. After this unfortunate event The Time Traveler spent most of his time exploring; at one point he went into the underworld-stupid move. He soon found that he was surrounded by Morlocks, so he lit a match. The light from the match scared the Morlocks away, then he made an escape back to the surface. At this point, the Time Traveler, to his dismay, realized that the Morlocks were not as nice as the Eloi. In fact, the Morlocks had stolen his Time Machine. One day, exploring with Weena, The Time Traveler came across what seemed to be a museum. The museum was full

Purpose Of The Structure Of The Services Social Work Essay Example

Purpose Of The Structure Of The Services Social Work Essay Example Purpose Of The Structure Of The Services Social Work Essay Purpose Of The Structure Of The Services Social Work Essay In this assignment, I will explicate the intent of the construction of Social Services and explicate the consequence of the direction construction on these services. I will besides look at the different services available from the chief sectors explain the operation of one Social Work puting every bit good as analyse the Impact of Social Work on a peculiar client or group. I will explicate the intent of the construction of Social Services At the start of the 20th century in the United Kingdom, money, encouragement and advice were given to households in demand through the Charity Organisation Society. Magistrates called upon the aid of police tribunal missionaries to assist wrongdoers in problem and voluntary administrations made it their concern to assist orphans, pregnant misss and impoverished adult females. The beginnings of societal work go back to the 19th century. The services that were provided merely concerned the hapless and workhouses were the lone proviso of public assistance ran by the authorities for the destitute under the Poor Law Act 1834. Aid was besides given in the signifier of affluent ladies sing the hapless to offer services that were given in a really condescending and patronizing manner. Another of import development came approximately in the 20th century when infirmaries started using medical social workers ( Social Workers ) , whose initial function was to measure whether patients needed or deserved free intervention. The extent of their functions was shortly widened and the Institute of Almoners was set up in 1920 which provided preparation classs. At the start of the public assistance province, local governments started supplying public assistance services for some groups of people. The National Health Service Act 1946 made local governments responsible for supplying Maternity and Baby Welfare, supplying after attention for the mentally sick every bit good as place services for the aged and some other groups of people. The Children s Department was set up in 1948 to supply services to kids deprived from a normal place life. The National Assistance Act 1948 required that local governments to supply adjustment and other services to aged and disabled people every bit good as stateless households. These divided services and duties were non organised in a logical manner and it frequently caused confusion over duty of run intoing the demands of those involved. The authorities so set up the Seebohm Committee to look into the societal services provided by local governments. The commission so published a study in 1968 urging that a incorporate and household orientated service be established. In the study, it was in support of a new local authorization section, supplying a community based and household orientated service, which will be available to all. This new section will, we believe, will make far beyond the find and deliverance of societal causalities ; it will enable the greatest figure of persons to move in return giving and having service for the wellbeing of the whole community. Following the study of 1968, the Local Authority Social Services Act 1970 came into topographic point and it incorporated the proposals of the Seebohm Committee. Under the act of 1970, it required local governments to name a Director of Social Services and put up Social Services Committees. Under the new Social Services sections, they would be responsible for all subdivisions of public assistance proviso in the community. This was the beginning of generic societal work, whereby societal workers dealt with a wider scope of people and jobs, alternatively of specializing in a peculiar country such as mentally sick and disadvantaged kids. The Central Council of Education and Training in Social Work ( CCETSW ) so became responsible for the proviso of preparation for the new generic Social Workers in 1971. explicate the consequence of the direction construction on these services and the Different Services Available from the Main Sectors The overall control of societal attention is provided under local governments, through a societal attention / wellness and societal attention budget. Information from Cerebra ( online ) states that ; at the top of the administration, there is an Area Director of Social Services and under this are Area Managers. One of these directors will hold duty for additional demands , with a squad for kids. Increasingly, all kids s services are being brought together. Under this strategy, there is a Chief Executive ( Director of Children s Services ) , which includes societal attention services, instruction, youth piquing, services for passage to maturity ( e.g. the Connexions service ) , and Sure Start services for immature kids, each subdivision holding its ain manager / director. In some countries, there are Keyworkers to ease entree to the different services for households with handicapped kids. A Keyworker is normally one of the professionals who is involved with the household anyhow, who may be working in any of the services including Health. They should assist to cut down the work that parents frequently have to make to turn up services, make communications drum sander, and do the system work better for the kid. Social Services besides provide grownup services, and carry out carers appraisals for parents and others involved with the attention of a child in demand ( because of disablement or some other ground ) . This can be done at the same clip as a community attention appraisal for the kid and siblings, taking to entree to services such as respite interruptions / carers / assistants and reding ( or Direct Payments for these ) . In add-on they run local Child Protection Registers for kids whose exposure may take to a demand for alternate attention. This besides involves appraisals and meetings. The organizational construction within the societal services hierarchyA authorization construction has changed over the past few old ages to enable newA functions which had been made compulsory by a new statute law. Due to thisA alteration, many sections have had to alter their staffingA construction in order to accommodate the new maps. It now means that thereA is more accent on for the societal services geting the attention, A instead to the suppliers of the attention. This new alteration will meanA that the societal services can now measure the demand for attention. To achieveA this, the societal services divide into different groups to supply forA specific groups, such as aged, kids and households etc. This has now meant that a clear division between the suppliers and purchases ofA attention has been created, and because of this societal services have beenA able to go more efficient by the splitting into the assorted groupsA to supply for them. Sourced from Mastering Social Welfare ( Pat Young ) , Social workers covers a diverse country of work that largely concentrates on jobs with the aged, handicapped, mentally sick, low income, juvenile tribunals and household relationships ; peculiarly with kids. With the different client groups there are statutory duties of the societal services administrations concerned. For illustration, they are obligated to step in when kids are concerned, as they may be in problem with the constabulary or for kids whose parents are thought to be unable to supply unequal attention. In these cases, societal services would supply residential adjustment, organise surrogate parents and supply supervising in the place for kids populating with their parents. The construction of service proviso varies with authorities construction. One being a Comprehensive field coverage, A This is the degree of policy-making and planning, making a model of services to run into a scope of demands. This degree is sometimes losing where coverage is done through programmes and ad hoc services instead than by authorities. Another being a Comprehensive service proviso which is the administration and way of a service or programme, like a lodging section or societal services section. A 3rd being Systematic service provisionA , where it is responsible for executing peculiar maps within a service, such as in schools, residential attention places or the units within a infirmary. A 4th proviso trades with jobs as state of affairs, A which is by and large the degree at which professionals such as Doctors, societal workers, wellness visitants, country lodging directors and constabularies officers work. Covering with jobs as demands.A This is a reactive attack, where service is provided in response to a specific demand ; the response made is prescribed for the individual who makes it. Receptionists or societal security clerical officers are illustrations. [ 4 ] Explain The Functioning of One Social Work Puting Analyse the Impact of Social Work on a Particular Client or Group Baer, B. and Frederico, R. ( 2008 ) . DEFINITION OF SOCIAL WORK ( online ) . Available from: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.wright.edu/cola/Dept/social_work/sw_definition.htm gt ; ( accessed 27 December 2010 ) hypertext transfer protocol: //www.cerebra.org.uk/parent_support/information_and_advice/cp_information/who_does_what/structure_of_statutory_services/social_care_structure

Environmental Science Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Environmental Science Questions - Essay Example Mars has 95 percent carbon dioxide, three percent nitrogen, two percent argon and less than one percent of oxygen. The differences and similarities offer clues of atmospheric evolutions over millions of years. In the same manner, if all life ceases on earth, it would take several hundreds of millions of years for it to be like Venus and Mars. Of all life forms, plants play the most significant role in reducing levels of carbon dioxide in Earth’s atmosphere. Without plants, the Earth’s atmosphere would be carbon-dominated in a similar way to Mars and Venus. For instance, millions of years ago, Venus was cooler that it currently is. Via a process known as runaway greenhouse effect, the planet was heated and most of the carbon dioxide in the rocks was released. This created a dense atmosphere that did not allow enough solar energy to reach the surface as well as hindering radiation back into the space. Effectively, without life on Earth, especially plant life, the atmosphe re would eventually have no oxygen and hydrogen and be laden with carbon dioxide. Temperatures and atmospheric pressure would also rise significantly. Question Two The Gaia hypothesis suggests that on Earth, there is a constant interaction between organisms and their inorganic surroundings. Evolving together, they form a complex, self-regulating system which contributes to the maintenance of the conditions supporting life on earth. The hypothesis is a true representation of how nature works because it explains how the abiotic environment is influenced by the biota and how, in turn, the environment influences the biota. For example, from the Precambrian era, photosynthetic bacteria and their activity have modified the atmosphere of planet Earth and transformed it into an aerobic one, which supports the evolution of life. This aspect of Gaia renders true the fact that the earth is constantly seeking the optimum chemical and physical balance to sustain contemporary life via an assortme nt of feedback loops. The hypothesis brings out the dynamic processes on earth and shows that there actually exists a link between the apparently contrasting biological and physical processes. Indeed, the balance as explained by the hypothesis regulates the salinity of oceans, atmospheric oxygen, carbon dioxide processing and Earth’s surface temperature. Like shown through scientific examples like the simplified Daisyworld simulations, organisms on Earth can influence and control their own survival as well as the environment. In the simulations, black daisies absorb most of the solar energy, making the environment unbearably hot. On the other hand, white daisies reflect back most of the solar energy, making the environment significantly cooler. When self-regulation takes over, there is a fluctuation in the number of black and white daisies and, eventually, the atmospheric temperature until a balance which can sustain life is achieved. Question Three In a natural environment, there exists a mixture of species with varied levels of success. One species or a combination of several may overshadow the rest in biological activity and their mass, hence become the dominant one. They greatly affect environmental conditions for other species. Conversely, there are also other species of intermediate abundance or scarcity, and their numbers primarily determine the diversity (or the richness in species) of the community. When a

Can other parts of a crime lab be as scientific as the DNA lab Essay

Can other parts of a crime lab be as scientific as the DNA lab - Essay Example Many police and anti-crime organizations the world over still rely on fingerprint evidence to track down a criminal but this technique has recently been put into doubt. Part of the reason is that new DNA technique is more accurate and reliable but most organizations lack the expensive equipment and expertise to do DNA testing. However, experts claim fingerprinting is not 100% fool-proof or reliable. Overview of fingerprinting – the first-ever precedent-setting criminal case in which the only evidence of fingerprints left at the crime scene was used to convict a suspect was the Rojas murders; this was a case in Necochea, Argentina back in 1892 in which the mother killed her two young children but originally accused her neighbor of the twin murders. However, when she was confronted with the incriminating evidence of bloody fingerprints on her door post, she admitted to the crime. Prior to fingerprinting, there was also the Bertillion system that had utilized a set of body measurements to identify and classify people; it was named after Alphonse Bertillion who was a French anthropologist. However, the famous case of Will West – William West in which two people had the same measurements, had almost the same names also and almost identical facial features (based from their photographs) called his systems reliability into question and caused doubts among criminologists. Fingerprinting was found to be reliable than the Bertillion system, in the same way that DNA testing is today more reliable than fingerprinting. Basic scientific principles – the method of fingerprinting was first developed by a great British anthropologist named Sir Francis Galton who first suggested the use of fingerprints based on the uniqueness of very minute details. It was another Englishman named Sir Edward Henry, assigned to Bengal, India as inspector general of the police during the

Coco Chanel - Fashion Merchandising Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Coco Chanel - Fashion Merchandising - Assignment Example The essay "Coco Chanel - Fashion Merchandising" focuses on the Coco Chanel and her strategies. Coco Chanel never thrived from a fashion background, but hailed from a poverty stricken family. Coco was a performer in her early life periods after pursing a singing career as a nightclub singer. She seemed to be comfortable with singing and the career appeared to be her forte. Nonetheless, Coco realized that her fortune lied elsewhere far from the music industry. She thus later moved to fashion industry, where she left a mark before her demise. It was not until 1920s that Coco stamped a lasting authority in the world of fashion. In the years preceding World War I, Women’s attires were very restrictive and tended to make them more feminine. Women simply dressed to please men. Coco revolutionized the fashion industry by breaking that code by developing simpler clothing for women, which were more practical. Coco brought into existence female trousers as well as suits, which was strang e owing to the female dress code in the preceding years. Coco became iconic during mid 1920s not only for specializing in female garments, but also for the historic â€Å"black dress†, which took the fashion industry by storm. Coco launched Chanel No. 5 fragrance in 1922 and also initiate Chanel signature cardigan jacket in 1925. Coco worked as a nurse in the middle of World War II, but had to get into hiding following her affair with a Nazi soldier. In 1954, she returned to Paris where she bounced back to fashion world.

Extensive Reading Why And How English Language Essay

Extensive Reading Why And How English Language Essay An extensive reading program was established at the British Council Language Center in Sanaa, Yemen. An elementary level class of government employees (age range 17-42) was exposed to a regime of graded readers, which was integrated into normal classroom teaching. Students followed a class reader, had access to a class library of graded readers, and had classes in the British Council library, which gave them access to a collection of 2000 titles. Questionnaires were used to examine students reading interests, habits and attitudes, both prior to, and following the program. The class library contained 141 titles in the published readers of some major publishers (see inventory of titles in Bell, 1994). Familiar titles (e.g. popular Arab folk tales) were selected for both the class readers and the class library, so as to motivate the students to read. These titles proved very popular, as did the practice of reading aloud to the class. Students reading was carefully monitored; formal and informal records being kept both by the researcher, and by the students themselves. Reading diaries and book reports were used, together with a card file system to document the program and record both the titles read and students written comments on the books. A wall chart acted as a focal point for in-class reading, discussion and exchange of titles. Reader interviews were conducted throughout the program, which ran for a period of six months over the course of two semesters. Students became actively involved in running the class library; tables were arranged and titles displayed attractively during the periods set aside for the reading program. Students were taken into the main British Council library for one lesson a week, during which they participated in controlled twenty-minute sessions of USSR 1 (cf. Davis, 1995). With reference to research evidence, we now turn to the role of extensive reading programs in fostering learners progress in reading development and improvement. The Role of Extensive Reading in Language Learning 1. It can provide comprehensible input In his 1982 book, Krashen argues that extensive reading will lead to language acquisition, provided that certain preconditions are met. These include adequate exposure to the language, interesting material, and a relaxed, tension-free learning environment. Elley and Manghubai (1983:55) warn that exposure to the second language is normally planned, restricted, gradual and largely artificial. The reading program provided in Yemen, and the choice of graded readers in particular, was intended to offer conditions in keeping with Krashens model. 2. It can enhance learners general language competence Grabe (1991:391) and Paran (1996:30) have emphasized the importance of extensive reading in providing learners with practice in automaticity of word recognition and decoding the symbols on the printed page (often called bottom-up processing). The book flood project in Fiji (Elley Manghubai: op cit.), in which Fijian school children were provided with high-interest storybooks, revealed significant post treatment gains in word recognition and reading comprehension after the first year, and wider gains in oral and written skills after two years. 3. It increases the students exposure to the language The quality of exposure to language that learners receive is seen as important to their potential to acquire new forms from the input. Elley views provision of large quantities of reading material to children as fundamental to reducing the exposure gap between L1 learners and L2 learners. He reviews a number of studies with children between six and twelve years of age, in which subjects showed rapid growth in language development compared with learners in regular language programs . There was a spread of effect from reading competence to other language skills writing, speaking and control over syntax, (Elley 1991:404). 4. It can increase knowledge of vocabulary Nagy Herman (1987) claimed that children between grades three and twelve (US grade levels) learn up to 3000 words a year. It is thought that only a small percentage of such learning is due to direct vocabulary instruction, the remainder being due to acquisition of words from reading. This suggests that traditional approaches to the teaching of vocabulary, in which the number of new words taught in each class was carefully controlled (words often being presented in related sets), is much less effective in promoting vocabulary growth than simply getting students to spend time on silent reading of interesting books. 5. It can lead to improvement in writing Stotsky (1983) and Krashen (1984) reviewed a number of L1 studies that appear to show the positive effect of reading on subjects writing skills, indicating that students who are prolific readers in their pre-college years become better writers when they enter college. L2 studies by Hafiz Tudor (1989) in the UK and Pakistan, and Robb Susser (1989) in Japan, revealed more significant improvement in subjects written work than in other language skills. These results again support the case for an input-based, acquisition-oriented reading program based on extensive reading as an effective means of fostering improvements in students writing. 6. It can motivate learners to read Reading material selected for extensive reading programs should address students needs, tastes and interests, so as to energize and motivate them to read the books. In the Yemen, this was achieved through the use of familiar material and popular titles reflecting the local culture (e.g.. Aladdin and His Lamp). Bell Campbell (1996, 1997) explore the issue in a South East Asian context, presenting various ways to motivate learners to read and explaining the role of extensive reading and regular use of libraries in advancing the reading habit . 7. It can consolidate previously learned language Extensive reading of high-interest material for both children and adults offers the potential for reinforcing and recombining language learned in the classroom. Graded readers have a controlled grammatical and lexical load, and provide regular and sufficient repetition of new language forms (Wodinsky Nation 1988).Therefore, students automatically receive the necessary reinforcement and recycling of language required to ensure that new input is retained and made available for spoken and written production. 8. It helps to build confidence with extended texts Much classroom reading work has traditionally focused on the exploitation of shorts texts, either for presenting lexical and grammatical points or for providing students with limited practice in various reading skills and strategies. However, a large number of students in the EFL/ESL world require reading for academic purposes, and therefore need training in study skills and strategies for reading longer texts and books. Kembo (1993) points to the value of extensive reading in developing students confidence and ability in facing these longer texts. 9. It encourages the exploitation of textual redundancy Insights from cognitive psychology have informed our understanding of the way the brain functions in reading. It is now generally understood that slow, word-by-word reading, which is common in classrooms, impedes comprehension by transferring an excess of visual signals to the brain. This leads to overload because only a fraction of these signals need to be processed for the reader to successfully interpret the message. Kalb (1986) refers to redundancy as an important means of processing, and to extensive reading as the means of recognizing and dealing with redundant elements in texts. 10. It facilitates the development of prediction skills One of the currently accepted perspectives on the reading process is that it involves the exploitation of background knowledge. Such knowledge is seen as providing a platform for readers to predict the content of a text on the basis of a pre-existing schema. When students read, these schema are activated and help the reader to decode and interpret the message beyond the printed words. These processes presuppose that readers predict, sample, hypothesize and reorganize their understanding of the message as it unfolds while reading (Nunan 1991: 65-66). Practical Advice on Running Extensive Reading Programs 1. Maximize Learner Involvement A number of logistical hurdles have to be overcome in order to make an extensive reading program effective. Books need to be transported, displayed and collected at the end of each reading session. Considerable paperwork is required to document the card file system, reading records, inventories, book reports and in maintaining and updating lists of titles. Students should therefore be encouraged to take an active role in the management and administration of the reading program. In the Yemen program, students gained a strong sense of ownership through running the reading resources in an efficient, coordinated and organized manner. 2. The Reader Interview Regular conferencing between teacher and student played a key role in motivating students in the Yemen to read the books. This enabled effective monitoring of individual progress and provided opportunities for the teacher to encourage students to read widely, show interest in the books being read, and to guide students in their choice of titles. By demonstrating commitment in their own reading, teachers can foster positive attitudes to reading, in which it is no longer viewed as tedious, demanding, hard work, but as a pleasurable part of their learning. 3. Read Aloud to the Class In the Yemen study, reader interviews conducted with students revealed the popularity of occasions when the teacher read aloud to the class. The model of pronunciation provided acted as a great motivator, encouraging many students to participate in classroom reading. Students gained confidence in silent reading because they were able to verbalize sounds they previously could could not recognize. This resulted in wider reading by some of the weaker readers in the class. Often thought of as bad practice, reading aloud should play a full part in motivating the emerging reader to overcome the fear of decoding words in an unfamiliar script. 4. Student Presentations Short presentations on books read played an absolutely crucial role in the program and students frequently commented on the value of oral work in class for exchanging information about the books. The reader interviews revealed that most of the book choices made by students resulted from recommendations made by friends and not by the teacher. This demonstrates that given the right preparation, encouragement, sense of ownership and belonging, an extensive reading program will achieve a direction and momentum governed by the learners themselves; a large step in the promotion of student independence and autonomy. 5. Written Work Based on the Reading Effective reading will lead to the shaping of the readers thoughts, which naturally leads many learners to respond in writing with varying degrees of fluency. Elementary level students can be asked simply to write short phrases expressing what they most enjoyed about a book they read, or to record questions they wish to ask the teacher or other students in class. With intermediate students, book reports may be used, with sections for questions, new vocabulary, and for recording the main characters and events. At this level, summary writing is also a valuable practice because it allows learners to assert full control, both of the main factual or fictional content of a book, and of the grammar and vocabulary used to express it. Advanced students can be asked to write compositions, which, by definition, are linguistically more demanding written responses to the reading material. 6. Use Audio Material in the Reading Program The use of audio recordings of books read aloud and of graded readers on cassette proved very popular with the students in Yemen, and is advocated for wide application. Listening material provided the learners with a model of correct pronunciation which aided word recognition, and exposed students to different accents, speech rhythms and cadences. Student confidence in their ability to produce natural speech patterns and to read along with the voice of a recorded speaker is central to maintaining their motivation to master the language as a medium for talking about their reading. 7. Avoid the Use of Tests Extensive reading programs should be without the pressures of testing or marks (Davis 1995:329). The use of tests runs contrary to the objective of creating stress-free conditions for pleasure reading because it invokes images of rote learning, vocabulary lists, memorization and homework. Extensive reading done at home should be under the learners control and not an obligation imposed by the teacher. By their very nature, tests impose a rigor on the learning process, which the average student will never equate with pleasure. 8. Discourage the Over-Use of Dictionaries While dictionaries certainly have a place in the teaching of reading, it is probably best located in intensive reading lessons, where detailed study of the lexical content of texts is appropriate. If learners turn to the dictionary every time they come across an unfamiliar word, they will focus only on the language itself, and not on the message conveyed. This habit will result in slow, inefficient reading and destroy the pleasure that reading novels and other literature are intended to provide. Summarizing comments on the extensive reading done by his subjects, Pickard (1996:155) notes that Use of the dictionary was sparing, with the main focus on meaning. 9. Monitor the Students Reading In order to run an extensive reading program successfully, effective monitoring is required, both to administer the resources efficiently, and to trace students developing reading habits and interests. In the Yemen program, a card file system was used to record titles and the dates the books were borrowed and returned. Input from the monitoring process helps us to record students progress, maintain and update an inventory of titles, and locate and select new titles for the class library. It therefore serves both the individual needs of the reader and the logistical task of managing the reading resources. 10. Maintain the Entertainment This is perhaps the most important aspect of the program to emphasize. Teachers need to invest time and energy in entertaining the participants by making use of multimedia sources to promote the books (e.g. video, audio, CD ROM, film, etc.). They should also exploit the power of anecdote by telling the students about interesting titles, taking them out to see plays based on books, exploiting posters, leaflets, library resources, and even inviting visiting speakers to give a talk in class on a book they have read recently. In these ways, teachers can maintain student motivation to read and secure their full engagement in the enjoyment the program provides. Conclusion Tsangs (1996) study, carried out in Hong Kong secondary schools, provided further persuasive evidence of the effectiveness of extensive reading in fostering learners language development. He found that the reading program was significantly more effective than the writing program (1996:225) . Extensive reading programs can provide very effective platforms for promoting reading improvement and development from elementary levels upwards. Although they do require a significant investment in time, energy and resources on the part of those charged with managing the materials, the benefits in terms of language and skills development for the participating learners far outweigh the modest sacrifices required. If such programs receive institutional support and can be integrated into the curriculum so that they become agreed school policy, as suggested in Davis (1995), they will likely be more readily and widely adopted, particularly in countries where material and financial resources are adequ ate. Notes 1. USSR is uninterrupted sustained silent reading.

Getting to Yes by Roger Fisher Essay examples -- Negotiation Getting Y

Getting to Yes by Roger Fisher Whether or not we are aware of it, each of us is faced with an abundance of conflict each and every day. From the division of chores within a household, to asking one’s boss for a raise, we’ve all learned the basic skills of negotiation. A national bestseller, Getting to Yes, introduces the method of principled negotiation, a form of alternative dispute resolutions as opposed to the common method of positional bargaining. Within the book, four basic elements of principled negotiation are stressed; separate the people from the problem, focus on interests instead of positions, invest options for mutual gain, and insist on using objective criteria. Following this section of the book are suggestions for problems that may occur and finally a conclusion. In this journal entry I will be taking a closer look at each of the elements, and critically analyse the content; ultimately, I aim to briefly bring forth the pros and cons of Getting to Yes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Principled negotiation allows disputants to obtain what they are entitled to, while enabling them to be fair, at the same time protecting against those who would take advantage of their fairness . Although the points made are logical and indeed a great approach to certain types of conflict, I found that in some cases the method did not completely come together. More than anything, I found the method altogether was simplistic and for an ideal situation. While going through the four elements, I shall illustrate these points.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first method of principled negotiation is to separate the people from the problem. Although it seems to be quite a simple process, I found a major question came to mind: â€Å"What if the people are the problem?†. Being a teenager, I know that sometimes the only reason for conflict is emotions and feelings. A person feels they have been wronged, the other disagrees, and separating the people from the problem becomes virtually impossible. Getting to Yes briefly proposes some solutions to emotion, such as recognizing both side’s emotions, making emotions explicit and acknowledging them as legitimate, allowing the other side to let off steam, not reacting to emotional outbursts, and using symbolic gestures . Again, I found these guidelines to be oversimplified and completely void of the fact that human’s are inapt to simply putting their feelings aside. Also... ...Although this theory is very rational and scholarly it again asks for a very ideal situation of fairness where the chances of both disputants coming to these terms seems unattainable. Also, it is quite obvious that what one sees as fair, another may not. All the same, the theory by itself provides great principles for negotiation that if followed honestly by both parties would most likely lead to a satisfactory agreement.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In conclusion, the theory of principled negotiation is very impressive, although it at times seems to be simplistic and meant for an ideal world. Nevertheless, it allows all sides of the conflict to be examined through the broadening of options. It allows disputants to maintain any relationship that they had before the conflict and negotiation. Overall, principled negotiation is meant to lead to satisfactory results for both sides, creating a win-win situation for all. Works Cited Colti, Laurie S. Conflict Diagnosis and Alternative Dispute Resolution. New Jersey,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  USA.: Pearson Education, 2004. Fisher, Roger, William Ury, and Bruce Patton. Getting to Yes: Negotiation Agreement   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Without Giving In. New York, USA.: Penguin Books, 1991.

Internet Does More Harm Than Good

Do you really want to hear the news of having your child being mass murdered? Committing suicide? Or even viewing inappropriate content? The internet can be a dangerous place for you, your computer and your children. It is extremely important to be aware of the fact that not everyone on the internet is as honest about themselves that you are about yourself. Undoubtedly the Internet brings more harm than good. Predators, they are everywhere waiting for you and your child. Sexual predators do exist and are a real threat.They target both girls and boys of all ages and use the anonymity of the internet to their advantage since they can meet whoever they want. Many are master manipulators with skills that can cripple any child's sense of awareness. These predators mainly aim for emotionally vulnerable children, trying to gradually seduce their targets through attention, kindness, and also affection. They use these seductive techniques against their victims to build a relationship. This pl ays right into the adolescent mind as they look for people that can relate to their feelings.With the presence of searchable Facebook and Twitter profiles predators can easily find information about potential victims since many naive children list personal information with no regard to safety. Even simple statements listed on a profile such as school attended, state lived in, or even work place can allow predators to gain necessary information to target these children. Once the predators achieve their victim’s trust the predator often manipulates their victim into doing things they shouldn’t be doing to compromise their safety. One in five U. S. teenagers who regularly log on to the Internet says they have received an unwanted sexual solicitation via the Internet†1. Of the five U. S teenagers the victims are often pressured by their predator to send pornographic images of themselves to their predator. The victim often mistakes their trust as feelings of love whic h could ultimately result in the victim’s death. Even though children are willing to engage in conversion that appears innocent and harmless, parents must keep on guard to protect their families.Consequences could be authorities finding the dead body of their child in a lake, their child getting raped and left to die, or even only finding the remains of the body. The internet imposes lots of threats, one of them being viruses. According to Norton Symantec, they cannot cover every single virus that is out there, because some are just too strong. There are some viruses that can’t be put off, and some viruses that even put you in danger of seeing inappropriate material. Even though you may not have been doing anything incorrectly, harm may still come your way.Not only are there viruses, but there are also inappropriate websites that reach innocent eyes. Children suddenly get pictures or a file in their computer, and out of curiosity, fall under the trap they are put in. C hildren then click on these files and out of nowhere they are no longer in control of their computer. Not only are children at risk, adults are schemed of their money through the internet, â€Å"55. 7% of people say that email or internet is the most common known method through which victims are exposed to a scam.Around one in seven victims stated they were unaware of the scam. †2 Using the Internet is a great skill at any age; however the slower speed among some older people makes them easier targets for Internet scammers since seniors are thought to have a significant amount of money sitting in their accounts. Their unfamiliarity with browsing the web makes them especially vulnerable to such traps as pop-up browsers and fake items on sale. This is not something we certainly do not want to continue, but merely something we want to stop.If this doesn't prove internet is dangerous, nothing does. Cyber bullying is not just some insignificant problem experienced by a few. Cyber bullying is widespread, your children are aware of it, they understand how it happens and yet they are not aware of or concerned with the consequences of such actions. It is widely known that bullying can cause long-term psychological problems that are harmful to victims, including low self-esteem, depression, anger, school failure, violence and in worse case scenarios suicide.In a study of over 3000 students, it was found that â€Å"38% of bully victims felt vengeful, 37% were angry, and 24% felt helpless†3. Cyber bullying is even more harmful to young people than face-to-face bullying. The insults, comments or images can be repeated by the bully or by others so that the victim may read or view them over and over again as the harm is re-inflicted with each reading or viewing. The size of the audience that is able to view or access the damaging material on the Internet increases the victim’s humiliation.In addition, social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter allows cyber bullies to engage in campaigns against a particular person which may involve many others. Due to the humiliation felt by the victim they are at a vulnerable position in which they are afraid to seek help but rather think to take the easier option to end their life. Regardless of any situation, cyber bullies are ought to be dealt with, parents should be more concerned about their child’s safety, and more help should be offered to the victims.If we ignore everything, the crimes of cyber bullying will go unpunished. Are we ready to lose another young life? The internet definitely does more harm than good. An individual could feel so helpless to the point of taking their own life. A computer could be taken over by a deadly virus and never return to its original form. But perhaps the scariest Internet safety concern is what could happen to an unprotected child doing battle with an Internet predator alone in cyberspace. Word count- 981

How to Use Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)

How to Use Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) A Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) is a written document that provides product users and emergency personnel with information and procedures needed for handling and working with chemicals. MSDSs have been around, in one form or another, since the time of the ancient Egyptians. Although MSDS formats vary somewhat between countries and authors (an international MSDS format is documented in ANSI Standard Z400.1-1993), they generally outline the physical and chemical properties of the product, describe potential hazards associated with the substance (health, storage cautions, flammability, radioactivity, reactivity, etc.), prescribe emergency actions, and often include manufacturer identification, address, MSDS date, and emergency phone numbers. Key Takeaways: Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) A Material Safety Data Sheet or is a summary of the key properties of a substance and the hazards associated with its use.Material Safety Data sheets are not standardized, so its important to consult one provided by a respected source.Two chemicals that have the same name may have very different MSDS sheets because the particle size of the product and its purity may significantly affect its properties.MSDS sheets should be kept in an easy-to-find location and made accessible to all persons dealing with chemicals. Why Should I Care About a MSDS? Although MSDSs are targeted at workplaces and emergency personnel, any consumer can benefit from having important product information available. An MSDS provides information about proper storage of a substance, first aid, spill response, safe disposal, toxicity, flammability, and additional useful material. MSDSs are not limited to reagents used for chemistry, but are provided for most substances, including common household products such as cleaners, gasoline, pesticides, certain foods, drugs, and office and school supplies. Familiarity with MSDSs allows for precautions to be taken for potentially dangerous products; seemingly safe products may be found to contain unforeseen hazards. Where Do I Find Material Safety Data Sheets? In many countries, employers are required to maintain MSDSs for their workers, so a good place to locate MSDSs is on the job. Also, some products intended for consumer use are sold with MSDSs enclosed. College and university chemistry departments will maintain MSDSs on many chemicals. However, if you are reading this article online then you have easy access to thousands of MSDSs via the internet. There are links to MSDS databases from this site. Many companies have MSDSs for their products available online via their websites. Since the point of an MSDS is to make hazard information available to consumers and since copyrights dont tend to apply to restrict distribution, MSDS are widely available. Certain MSDSs, such as those for drugs, may be more difficult to obtain, but are still available upon request. To locate an MSDS for a product you will need to know its name. Alternate names for chemicals are often provided on the MSDS, but there is no standardized naming of substances. The  chemical name  or  specific name  is used most often to find MSDSs for health effects and protective measures.  IUPAC  (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry) conventions are used more often than  common names.  Synonyms  are often listed on MSDSs.The  molecular formula  may be used to locate a chemical of known composition.You can usually search  for substance using  its  CAS (Chemical Abstracts Service)  registry number.  Different chemicals  may have the same name, but each will have its own CAS number.Sometimes the easiest way to locate a product is to search by  manufacturer.Products may be found using their  US Defense Department NSN. A National Supply Number is a four-digit FSC class code number plus a nine-digit National Item Identification Number or NIIN.A  trade name  or  product name  is the brand, commercial, or marketing name the manufacturer gives the product. It does not specify what chemicals are in the pr oduct or whether the product is a mixture of chemicals or a single chemical. A  generic name  or  chemical family name  describes a group of chemicals with related physical and chemical properties. Sometimes an MSDS will list only the generic name of a product, although in most countries laws require that chemical names also be listed. How Do I Use a MSDS? An MSDS might appear to be intimidating and technical, but the information is not intended to be difficult to understand. You might simply scan an MSDS to see if any warnings or hazards are delineated. If the content is difficult to understand there are online MSDS glossaries to help define any unfamiliar words and often contact information for further explanations. Ideally you would read an MSDS before obtaining a product so that you could prepare proper storage and handling. More often, MSDSs are read after a product is purchased. In this case, you can scan the MSDS for any safety precautions, health effects, storage cautions, or disposal instructions. MSDSs often list symptoms that might indicate exposure to the product. An MSDS is an excellent resource to consult when a product has been spilled or a person has been exposed to the product (ingested, inhaled, spilled on skin). The instructions on an MSDS do not replace those of a health care professional, but can be helpful emergen cy situations. When consulting an MSDS, keep in mind that few substances are pure forms of molecules, so the content of an MSDS will depend on the manufacturer. In other words, two MSDSs for the same chemical may contain different information, depending on the impurities of the substance or the method used in its preparation. Important Information Material Safety Data Sheets are not created equal. Theoretically, MSDSs can be written by pretty much anyone (although there is some liability involved), so the information is only as accurate as the authors references and understanding of the data. According to a 1997 study by OSHA one expert panel review established that only 11% of the MSDSs were found to be accurate in all of the following four areas: health effects, first aid, personal protective equipment, and exposure limits. Further, the  health effects  data on the MSDSs frequently are incomplete and the chronic data are often incorrect or less complete than the acute data. This doesnt mean that MSDSs are useless, but it does indicate that information needs to be used with caution and that MSDSs should be obtained from trustworthy and reliable sources. The bottom line: Respect the chemicals you use. Know their hazards and plan your response to an emergency before it happens!

The Experts Guide to the AP Biology Exam

The Expert's Guide to the AP Biology Exam SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you're taking AP Biology, it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with the exam before you get too far into the course. Preparing ahead of time for the AP exam format and fully understanding which concepts are covered on the AP Biology test can go a long way toward earning a high score (and potentially getting college credit!). This article will take you through the structure and scoring of the AP Bio exam and give you some key tips on the best ways to study for AP Biology. How Is the AP Biology Exam Structured? The AP Biology test has a multiple-choice section (that also includes grid-in questions, so it’s not purely multiple choice) and a free-response section. It is three hours long in total. The next AP Biology exam will take place on Monday, May 11, 2020, at 8 am. Multiple-Choice Section The first section on AP Bio consists of multiple-choice questions and a handful of grid-in questions. Here's an overview of what to expect: 63 multiple-choice questions Six grid-in questions 90 minutes long Worth 50% of your score Grid-in questions ask you to integrate math and science skills to make calculations and then enter your answer into a grid on the answer sheet (essentially, these are short-response questions that are similar to grid-in questions on the SAT Math section). Free-Response Section The second section is the free-response section, which looks like this: Six short-response questions Two long-response questions 90 minutes long (including a 10-minute reading period) Worth 50% of your score (25% for the short responses and 25% for the long responses) One of the long-response questions will be lab- or data-based, while all short-response questions require you to write at least a paragraph for your response or argument. Expectations of the AP Biology Exam Here's what both sections on the AP Biology test expect you to know how to do: Understand how graphical and mathematical models can be used to explain biological principles and concepts Make predictions and justify events based on biological principles Implement your knowledge of proper experimental design Interpret data Is this coffee smiling at me? Or am I delirious from lack of sleep? What's Tested on the AP Biology Exam? 4 Big Ideas The AP Biology test doesn't include a set number of questions that deal with each topic area, but you should note that the exam is centered around four major themes (or "Big Ideas," as the College Board calls them). Here's a list of these themes, followed by the topics that fall beneath each of them: Big Idea 1: The Process of Evolution Drives the Diversity and Unity of Life Topics that fall into this category include the following: Natural selection Mathematical modeling of populations Species classification Biodiversity Big Idea 2: Biological Systems Utilize Free Energy and Molecular Building Blocks to Grow, to Reproduce, and to Maintain Dynamic Homeostasis Topics that fall into this category include the following: Molecular biology Cell structure Photosynthesis Cellular respiration Thermodynamics and homeostasis The immune response Big Idea 3: Living Systems Store, Retrieve, Transmit, and Respond to Info That's Essential to Life Processes Here are the main topics in this category: Genetics The cell cycle (mitosis and meiosis) Viruses Communication between cells The endocrine system The nervous system Big Idea 4: Biological Systems Interact, and These Systems and Their Interactions Have Complex Properties The topics that fall into this category include the following: Plant structure Enzymes The circulatory system Digestion The musculoskeletal system Ecology AP Biology Sample Questions Now that you have a basic content outline, here are some examples of the types of questions you'll see on the AP Biology test so that you can get an even better idea of what to expect. Multiple-Choice Here is an example of a multiple-choice AP Biology exam question: This question looks kind of complicated, but let’s break it down. The first sentence is background information that isn’t really necessary for answering the question, besides the fact that it tells us we’re talking about sickle cell anemia. This is helpful if you can remember basic facts about the disease that you can use to contextualize the question. The main part of the question asks what will be affected when you replace a hydrophilic amino acid with a hydrophobic one on a hemoglobin protein. Based on your knowledge of sickle cell anemia and molecular properties, you should be able to eliminate choices B and C, which don’t have much to do with the abnormality described in the question. Choice D can also be eliminated because the internal secondary structure of the protein is not altered by the existence of the hydrophobic group. This would only affect how the molecule interacts externally with other hemoglobin molecules, as in choice A (the correct answer). Grid-In Here’s an example of a grid-in question that you might see on the AP Biology test: This question just asks you to read a graph and perform some basic calculations. We can see from the graph that from day 3 to day 5, the population size grew from 200 to 900 individuals. This means that it increased by 700 individuals in total. If we divide 700 by the time period of two days, that's a mean growth rate of 350 individuals per day. Therefore, you would enter â€Å"350† into the grid for this question. Bacteria gettin' it on. Short Free Response Here’s an example of a short free-response question you might see on the AP Biology test: On this particular question, you could earn a maximum of 4 points (one for each type of data you describe in part a and one for the explanation for each in part b). Here are three types of data and their corresponding explanations you could cite for points: Option 1 Data Description: The ability of the plants to produce viable seeds/offspring in nature Explanation: This is consistent with the definition of a biological species Option 2 Data Description: Comparison of the two plants’ DNA sequences or structures of other conserved molecules. Explanation: Sufficient similarity between the DNA structures would support the existence of a single species Option 3 Data Description: Discovering the existence of fertile hybrid plant populations living between the two other populations of plants Explanation: This is also consistent with the definition of a biological species (again, ability to produce fertile offspring) There must be jobs out there for which you just have to collect plant samples. Start building your experience now by never showering. Long Free Response Here’s an example of a long free-response question you might see on the AP Biology exam: On this question, you could earn up to 10 points in total. Part A is worth 3 points. To earn these points, you have to: Create a graph that is correctly labeled, is correctly scaled, and uses proper units. Make it a bar graph with correctly plotted sample means. Show the standard error (+/- 2) on your graph above and below the means. Part B is worth 2 points. To earn these points, you have to: Identify populations I and III as the most likely to have statistically significant differences in the mean densities. Explain why this is the case (because the margins of error do not overlap for the mean densities of these two populations; 9+2 is less than 14-2). Part C is worth 5 points: You'd earn 2 points for identifying the independent variable (presence of herbivores) and dependent variable (trichome density). You would earn 1 point for identifying a control treatment (absence of herbivores). You would earn 1 point for identifying an appropriate duration of the experiment (more than one generation of plants). The final point would be earned by predicting experimental results that would support the hypothesis (higher trichome density under the experimental conditions as compared to the control conditions). Ugh, gross! This leaf is full of trichomes. How Is the AP Biology Exam Scored? As mentioned, on AP Bio the multiple-choice section (including the grid-ins) makes up 50% of your score, and the free-response section makes up the other 50%. For the multiple-choice section, it’s easy to calculate your raw score: you just get 1 point for each question you answer correctly. There are no point deductions for incorrect or blank answers. This is also true for the grid-in questions. Scoring is a bit more complicated on the free-response section (which is scored by actual graders rather than a computer). Each of the six short response questions has a different point value depending on its complexity. Three are scored out of 3 points, while the other three are scored out of 4 points. Finally, each long free-response question uses a 10-point scale. To figure out your final AP Bio score, you’ll need to do a couple more calculations. This can change from year to year based on the performance of students, but this is the most recent estimate I have regarding the methodology behind it: Multiply the number of points you got on the multiple-choice section by 1.03 Multiply the number of points you got on the two long free-response questions by 1.5 Multiply the number of points you got on the short free-response questions by 1.43 Add all these numbers together to get your raw AP Biology score Here's a conversion chart you can use to see how raw score ranges (generally) translate into final AP scores (on a scale of 1-5). I've also included the percentage of students who earned each score in 2017 to give you an idea of what the score distribution looks like: Raw Score AP Score % of Test Takers Earning Score (2017) 92-120 5 6.4% 72-91 4 21.0% 52-71 3 36.7% 31-51 2 27.5% 0-30 1 8.4% For example, if you got 40 points on the multiple-choice section, 13 points on the long-response questions, and 14 points on the short-response questions, your AP Bio score would be (40*1.03) + (13*1.5) + (14*1.43) = 80.72. This indicates that you'd likely earn a 4 on the AP Biology test. If you want to spice things up a little bit, you can even do the math on a snazzy calculator with red buttons! Isn't this fun?!?!? What’s the Best Way to Prep for the AP Biology Exam? Now that you know all about what's on the AP Biology test, it's time to learn how to ace it. Follow these four tips so you can get a great score! Tip 1: Review Your Labs Labs make up about 25% of the AP Biology course, and for good reason. It’s important to understand how labs are conducted and how the principles behind them relate to the main ideas of the course. This will help in answering both free-response and multiple-choice questions that deal with lab scenarios on the test. Many free-response questions ask you to identify the components of a proposed experiment (dependent and independent variables) or to design a lab to test a certain hypothesis. You might have forgotten about the labs you did toward the beginning of the year, so take extra care to go over them. Make sure that you understand exactly how they were conducted and what the results mean. Tip 2: Learn to Connect Small-Scale Terms With Large-Scale Themes The AP Biology test covers four major themes: Evolution Energy use in biological systems Processing of stimuli in biological systems Interaction of biological systems Under each of these umbrella topics are many terms and ideas you'll need to review. Memorization can be a big part of studying for AP Biology. However, memorizing the definitions of terms will only get you so far. You'll also need to understand how they relate to one another and to the four themes listed above. The exam emphasizes making connections between biological terms, corresponding biological systems, inputs and outputs of these systems, and the overall impact on living organisms and the environment. You should be able to follow a chain of reasoning from the specific to the broad, and vice versa. If this tree is AP Biology, the four big branches are the four themes, and all the smaller offshoots are different terms and concepts. For it to survive, there has to be a lot of communication between the trunk and the rest of the tree! Tip 3: Practice Eliminating Irrelevant Information Both multiple-choice and free-response AP Biology questions include lots of scientific terminology and visual aids, and this kind of format might be intimidating if you’re not used to it. It’s important to practice sorting through this jumble of information so that you can quickly get to the root of the question rather than obsessing over small details you don’t understand. Try underlining important words and phrases in the question to help you stay focused on the main points and avoid misleading distractions. You should also practice responding to free-response questions in a straightforward way without any unnecessary fluff. Remember, this isn’t an English test; the graders are just looking for clear facts and analysis. Make it easy for them to give you points! Tip 4: Learn Good Time Management The AP Bio exam is pretty long (even for an AP test), and many of the questions require quite a bit of thought. You need to ensure that you have a good handle on time management before exam day. The best way to do this is to take at least one AP Biology practice test. There are 69 questions in total on the multiple-choice section, and you have 90 minutes to answer them. This comes out to about one minute and 15 seconds for each question. Based on that fact, you should spend no more than a minute on each multiple-choice question the first time you go through a practice test. If you find yourself spending extra time on a question, skip it and come back to it later. It’s best to give yourself some leeway in case you run into trouble on the grid-in questions. You also have 90 minutes for the free-response section, but you'll spend different amounts of time on the long and short questions. Limit your time on the long questions to 22 minutes each or less (44 minutes total), and your time on the short questions to six minutes each or less. If you can’t work this fast right away, try doing additional practice free-response questions until you feel comfortable with the time constraints. Really get to know the test. Take it on a romantic getaway, and watch the sunset with it. Deep down, the AP Biology exam just wants to be understood. Summary: How to Do Well on the AP Biology Exam The AP Biology exam is three hours long, with two sections that take up an hour and a half each. The multiple-choice section has 69 questions in total, while the free-response section has eight questions in total. The content of the exam spans four major themes, or Big Ideas, that are central to the course. These include the following: Evolution Energy use within biological systems The processing of stimuli within biological systems Interactions that occur between biological systems on a larger scale in nature Questions ask you to connect specific terms and concepts to these central topics. They'll test your ability to interpret data, to make predictions and inferences based on biological evidence, and to analyze different experimental scenarios. Overall, AP Biology is a tough test, but as long as you study hard and know what to expect, you're perfectly capable of getting a great score! What's Next? Review key biology ideas and facts with our subject-focused guides. You'll learn about cell theory and the functions of the cell membrane and endoplasmic reticulum, what the distinction is between homologous and analogous structures, how enzymes work, and when and how to use the photosynthesis equation. If any of your prospective colleges require or recommend Subject Test scores, you might want to take the Biology SAT Subject Test in addition to the AP Biology test. Read this article to learn more about the differences between AP tests and Subject Tests, and which ones matter the most. Still planning out your class schedule? Find out how many AP classes you should take in high school based on your college goals. The difficulty level of different AP classes might play a role in your decision whether or not to take them. Check out these articles for more info on which AP classes are the hardest and which are the easiest. 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: