Strategic Reward Key Models and Practices Essay

Strategic Reward Key Models and Practices - Essay Example For example, it is possible to create a plan for performance related pay using different strategies such as the following: (1) merit-based pay plan; (2) job- or skill-based pay plan; (3) competency-based plan; and/or (3) job-evaluation-based pay (Heneman and Werner, 2005, p. 45; Baldwin, 2003, p. 45, 70). After examining the potential impact of introducing a performance related pay in a German public service, Shmidt, Trittel and Muller (2011) found out that the use of different types of performance related pay schemes can lead to different effects in terms of public sector employees’ work motivation and performance and that a highly selective performance related pay will never work in government offices. It simply means that depending on the type of performance-based appraisal used by each government office, there will always be the risk wherein the public sector employees would perceive the type of assessment and evaluation process used within the government office to be inef fective, inconsistent, and unfair to some government employees (Shmidt, Trittel and Muller, 2011; Rayson, 2013). Another possible reason behind the reluctance of the public sector employees in integrating performance related pay is the fact that most of the non-performing government employees would fear that their superiors would be closely monitoring their overall work performance. Because of the on-going tight government budget, Weiner (2013) reported that the public sector employees may no longer have the opportunity to enjoy so much of work-related flexibility options. Since there is a need for the government to cut down their unnecessary fixed operating costs, some of the underperforming public sector employees may think that they can be one of the candidates in case... It is the duty and responsibility of the public HR managers to design and implement the performance related pay effectively within the UK government offices. As a common knowledge, the public sector employees will be affected by the new pay and reward scheme. Therefore, the reservations made by the public sector employees should be considered legitimate. The use of performance related pay is a good form of pay and reward strategy particularly in terms of increasing the quality service provided by the public sector employees. For this reason, the public HR managers should exert more effort to effectively address all reservations made by the public sector employees. It is also necessary to create a S.M.A.R.T performance-based criteria that could guide the public sector employees on what they are expected to do. In the process of removing the reservations of each public sector employee, the HR professionals can easily win the support of all affected individuals.

Higher Education Essay Example for Free

Higher Education Essay The tasks of the ENIC/NARIC offices in Denmark, Sweden and Norway include work on issues related to education from India. All three offices receive applications and questions concerning recognition of education from the country both from institutions, representatives from the labour market and other stakeholders. The number of applications and enquiries are growing. All three countries have relatively large populations of persons of Indian origin settled in their countries, Denmark about 4,300, Norway 7,000 and Sweden 13,600 (2005). A need to learn more about the country and especially the system of education has been felt for some time. The most important motivation for a study tour was to facilitate the work of giving advice concerning education from India and daily credential evaluation work. In addition to this, the Nordic ENIC/NARIC offices wished to achieve closer future contact and cooperation with different educational organisations in India. The visit was planned and implemented in cooperation with the Norwegian Embassy in India, the Nordic Center, both located in New Delhi, and the National Accreditation and Assessment Council (NAAC) in Bangalore. The main focus was to gather information about the educational system in the country; the financing of education, information about public and private education and how they are governed; how the authorities plan and implement quality assurance work (QA), and how the institutions deal with these challenges. Information about future plans for education in India was also of great interest. The delegation visited the University Grants Commission (UGC), the National Accreditation and Assessment Council (NAAC), the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), the Association of India Universities (AIU) and the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) as well as various institutions of higher education. The first two organizations mentioned are responsible for the higher education sector while the rest of the boards and councils organise and work with the development and maintenance of intermediate and secondary education, technical education and teacher education. The study tour was planned as a joint visit by the ENIC/NARIC offices in Denmark, Sweden and Norway to both India and Pakistan from 24 September to 6 October 2005. The delegation consisted of 8 representatives. Report Structure The report is based on information and impressions which the delegation obtained during the study tour. Information was also gathered from sources such as the websites of the organisations and institutions visited and from agencies including the National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (NOOSR) in Australia, World Education Services (WES) in the USA, IAU and UNESCO/IAU among others. At several places in the text, sources have been specifically mentioned. An additional list of sources can be found in the appendices. 3 The report describes the system of education in India and the quality assurance system. Chapter 1 introduces the administration of the school system and the organisation of primary, secondary and higher secondary education, while Chapter 2 provides information about technical and vocational education. Chapter 3 outlines the system of higher education by reviewing the institutional structure with a discussion of both public and private education. Information on degree structure and grading systems is included, as well as examples of some bachelor degree programmes. In Chapter 4, teacher training at higher secondary level and at university level is described. Chapter 5 presents India’s response to globalisation in the higher education sector. The last chapter deals with the quality assurance work in education, both at secondary and higher level. Impressions and reflections about the education system and how it functions are incorporated into the report in frames where appropriate. Country Profile India is one of the world’s oldest civilisations, dating back to 2,500 B. C. Aryan tribes from the northwest invaded the country in about 1,500 B. C. ; their merger with the earlier Dravidian inhabitants created the classical Indian culture. Arab incursion starting in the eighth century and Turkish in the twelfth century were followed by those of European traders, beginning in the late fifteenth century. By the nineteenth century, Great Britain had assumed political control of virtually all Indian lands. Mohandas Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru helped end British colonialism through non-violent resistance. India achieved independence in 1947. The Republic of India was established in 1947 and comprises 32 states and Union Territories, the latter controlled by the central government. The country covers about 3. 3 million square kilometres with a population of 1. 029 billion and dominates southern Asia. It is slightly larger than one-third the size of the United States. India is home to 17% of the world’s total population, accommodated in an area that is 2. 4% of the world’s total area. India has the world’s twelfth largest economy and the third largest in Asia behind Japan and China, with a total GDP of around $570 billion. Services, industry and agriculture account for 50. 7%, 26. 6% and 22. 7% of GDP respectively. The United States is India’s largest trading partner. Bilateral trade in 2003 was $18. 1 billion. There are some 16 official major languages and 844 dialects. Among these languages, English enjoys associate status, but is the most important language for national, political, and commercial communication. Hindi is the national language and primary tongue of 30% of the people. The other official languages are Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Oriya, Punjabi, Assamese, Kashmiri, Sindhi, and Sanskrit. Hindustani is a popular variant of Hindi/Urdu spoken widely throughout northern India but is not an official language. Hinduism (80. 5%), Islam (13. 4%), Christianity (2. 3%), Sikh (1. 9%) are the major religions in the country. The literacy rate is 52% (of the total population of age 15 or older). 4 Chapter 1 General Education. Administration of Education The central and the state governments have joint responsibility for education, with freedom for the state governments to organise education within the national framework of education. Educational policy planning is under the overall charge of the central Ministry of Human Resource Development which includes the Department of Elementary Education and Literacy and the Department of Secondary and Higher Education. The Ministry is guided by the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) which is the national level advisory body. The education ministers of all the different states are members of the board. The National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT) (1961) defines the National Frame Curriculum for classes I XII. It also functions as a resource centre in the field of school development and teacher education. State Councils of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) are the principal research and development institutions in all the states. At secondary level, school boards at state level affiliate schools and set examination standards in accordance with the national framework. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) cover all India besides the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS). National Policy on General Education Under the national constitution, education was a state matter until 1976. The central government could only provide guidance to the states on policy issues. In 1976 the constitution was amended to include education on the concurrent list. The initial attempts of designing a National Education Policy were made in 1968 but it was only in 1986 that India as a whole had a uniform National Policy on Education. The National Policy on Education 1986, modified in 1992, defines the major goals for elementary education as universal access and enrolment, universal retention of children up to 14 years and substantial improvement in the quality of education. The National Policy of Education of 1992 also aims at vocationalisation of secondary education and greater use of educational technology. The policy has been accompanied by several programmes such as the District Primary Education Program (DPEP) launched in 1994 and the National Campaign for Education for All (Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan) launched in 2001/2. A proposed bill on the right to education (draft, November 2005) stresses the right of all children from age 6 until their 15th birthday to receive elementary education either in school or non-formal education (NFE). The Indian government is preparing the universalisation of secondary education (USE). The main aim is to provide high quality secondary education to all Indian adolescents up to the age of 16 by 2015, and senior secondary education up to the age of 18 by 2020. 5 Crucial problems in India are teacher absenteeism, noted by UNESCO in 2005; high teacherpupil ratios; and inadequate teaching materials and facilities, particularly in rural areas. At the other end of the scale, children attending urban schools, especially middle and upper class children in private schools, are subjected to extreme competition from a very early age in order to qualify for admission into the best schools. In 1979-80, the Government of India, Department of Education launched a programme of Non-Formal Education (NFE) for children of 6-14 years age group, who cannot join regular schools drop-outs, working children, children from areas without easy access to schools etc. The initial focus of the scheme was on ten educationally backward states. Later, it was extended to urban slums, and hilly, tribal and desert areas in other states. Source: UNESCO: India, updated August 2003 and Annual Report 2004/5, Ministry of Human Resource Development, India (overview). Newsletter, October-December 2005, International Institute for Educational Planning, UNESCO. Learning without Burden, NCERT, 1993, reprinted 2004. Annual report 2004/5, Ministry of Human Resource Development, India (annexes). School Education. A uniform structure of school education, the 10+2 system, has been adopted by all the states and Union Territories (UTs) of India following the National Policy on Education of 1986. Elementary school, Class I – VIII, is recognised as the period of compulsory schooling, with the Constitutional amendment making education a fundamental right. A majority of the states and Union Territories (UTs) have introduced free education in classesI-XII. In states/UTs where education is not free for classes IX and above, the annual fee varies considerably. The pre-school covers two to three years. The elementary stage consists of a primary stage comprising Classes I-V (in some states I-IV), followed by a middle stage of education comprising Classes VI -VIII (in some states V-VIII or VI -VII). The minimum age for admission to Class I of the primary school is generally 5+ or 6+. The secondary stage consists of Classes IX-X (in some states VIII-X), and a senior secondary stage of schooling comprising classes XI-XII in all states. In some states/UTs these classes are attached to universities/colleges. The number of working days of school education in a year is generally more than 200 days in all the states/UTs. Participation in primary and secondary education The Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER), which indicates the number of children actually enrolled in elementary schools as a proportion of child population in the 6-14 years age group, has increased progressively since 1950-51, rising from 32. 1% to 82. 5% in 2002-03, according to statistics published by the Ministry of Human Resource Development in India. The rate of increase in GER of girls has been higher than that of boys. The dropout rate at the primary level (Classes I-V) declined from 39% in 2001-02 to 34. 9% in 2002-03. However the GER only covers 61% of children from classes VI to VIII. 6 In 2002/3 the dropout rate was estimated at 34. 9% at the end of lower primary classes and 52. 8% at the end of upper primary. The dropout rate was 62. 6% at the end of secondary school (Class X). There are wide disparities among the different states in the number of children completing primary and secondary school from less than 20% to more than 80%, according to the central statistics from the Ministry of Human Resource Development. Source Selected Educational Statistics 2002-03. Provisional. Ministry of Human Resource Development, India Annual Report 2004/5. Ministry of Human Resource Development, India Secondary Education. Department of Secondary and Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development, India (information on the Departments website) National Curricula The National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT) formulated the first Curriculum Framework in 1975 as a recommendation to the individual states. NCERT was accorded the responsibility of developing a binding National Curriculum Framework through the National Policy on Education (NPE) (1986). NCERT reviews the curriculum every five years on the basis of consultations within the whole school sector. The core areas of the curriculum are common. Teaching of English is usually compulsory in classes VI-X in most of the states/UTs. NCERT published a New National Curriculum framework in 2005. The New National Curriculum will be introduced in textbooks in three phases: Phase one, 2006-07: classes I, III, VI, IX and XI. Phase two, 2007-08: classes II, IV, VII, X and XII Phase three, 2008-09:classes V and VIII NCERT has gradually been changing the curriculum from traditional information provision to be more learner-oriented and competence-based. National Curriculum Framework 2000 The National Curriculum Framework 2000 operates with the concept of the Minimum Levels of Learning (MLLs) identifying certain essential levels of learning for each stage of school education. Pre-primary education The National Policy on Education defines the objective of early childhood care and education (ECCE) as being the total development of children in the age group 0-6 years. Early Childhood Education (ECE) or pre-primary education (2 years), part of the ECCE, shall prepare children for school. Teaching at this stage, according to the National Curriculum Framework, comprises group activities, play–way techniques, language games, number games and activities directed at promoting socialisation and environmental awareness among children. Formal teaching of subjects and reading and writing are prohibited. However, NCERT strongly criticised the actual pre-school programmes for exposing children to structured formal learning, often in  7 English with tests and homework, in the introductory notes to the new National Curriculum Framework 2005. The competition for the best education starts at a very early age. Newspapers from September 2005 in India report of tremendous pressure on three-year old children being prepared by their parents for nursery interviews and competing with a huge number of other children for places in the most prestigious private pre-schools. The newspapers report on private persons/institutes that offer help to parents in preparing their children for nursery interviews. Other newspapers report the need for psychological support for children having developed speaking difficulties after having been exposed to onerous preparation by their parents for nursery interviews. Primary education At the primary stage, emphasis is on the process of understanding, thinking and internalising. The National Curriculum contains the following subjects: Subject Language(s) Lower primary Classes I-II The mother tongue/regional language Lower primary Classes III-V The mother tongue/regional language Upper primary Classes VI-VIII. Three Languages — the mother tongue/the regional language, a modern Indian language and English All kind of creative activities including the childs own creations Essentials of mathematics for every day activities, including geometry Art education Mathematics Art of healthy and productive living Woven around the world of the learner Creative education, health and physical education, work education, value inculcation Integrated approach Environmental studies Health and physical education Science and technology Social sciences. -Work education Integrated approach to music, dance, drama, drawing and painting, puppetry, health and physical education, games and sports, yoga and productive work Experiences to help socio- emotional and cultural development with a realistic awareness and perception of phenomena occurring in the environment Games and sports, yoga, NCC and scouting and guiding Key concepts across all the disciplines of science, local and global concerns Social, political and economic situation of India and the world, including Indian cultural heritage. Academic skills social skills and civic competencies Agricultural and technological processes including participation in work situation Source: National Curriculum Framework 2000 8 In all language education programmes, the stress is placed on the ability to use the language in speech and in writing for academic purposes, at the workplace and in society in general. The duration of a class period may be around 40 minutes and, according to NCERT, the school year should be a minimum of 180 days, and â€Å"†¦A primary school should function for five hours a day out of which four hours may be set aside for instruction. For the upper primary and secondary schools, the duration of a school day should be six hours out of which five hours should be kept for instruction and the rest for the other routine activities. † Secondary education (2 years, grades IX-X) In grades IX-X the scheme of studies should include the following subjects: three languages (the mother tongue/the regional language, a modern Indian language and English), mathematics, science and technology, social sciences, work education, art education, health and physical education. Foreign languages such as Chinese, Japanese, Russian, French, German, Arabic, Persian and Spanish may be offered as additional options. The curriculum in mathematics should take into account both the learning requirement of learners who will leave school for working life, and of students who will pursue higher education. According to the NECRT Secondary School Curriculum 2002-2004 (Vol.1, Main Subjects) the suggested number of weekly periods per subject in grade X is as follows: Subject Language I Language II Mathematics Science and technology Social science Work education or pre-vocational education Art education Suggested number of periods in grade X 7 6 7 9 9 3 + 2 to 6 periods outside school hours 2 The boards, however, according to NCERT, often offer limited or no optional courses: two languages (one of which is English), mathematics, science and social sciences are the typical examination subjects. A few boards encourage students to choose an optional course from a range that includes economics, music and cookery. Higher secondary/Senior secondary education (2 years, grades XI–XII) The curriculum at this stage is divided into an academic stream and a vocational stream. Academic stream The objectives of academic courses are to promote problem-solving abilities and convey higher levels of knowledge. The curriculum at this stage comprises foundation courses and elective courses. Foundation courses consist of (i) language and literature, (ii) work education, and (iii) health and physical education, games and sports. The study of language prepares a student to both learn and use language in the classroom, the community and the workplace. The choice of the language to be studied is decided by the learner. Work education includes e. g. developmental projects in a village or city. Generic Vocational Courses (GVC) aim at developing employment-related generic skills regardless of the persons’ occupations. The student should choose three elective courses out of the subjects 9 prescribed by the boards. Elective courses may include bridging courses between the academic and vocational streams. The list of courses may include modern Indian languages, Sanskrit, classical European languages and their literatures, English (academic and specialised), other foreign languages, subjects in the sciences and mathematics, computer science, accountancy, business studies, engineering, political science, history, sociology, psychology, philosophy, fine arts and others. NCERT prescribes that courses should be listed together without dividing them into mutually exclusive groups. Nonetheless, several boards restrict the combinations in the form of a science stream, arts stream and commerce stream. Some schools tailor their classes to medical and engineering courses. Universities restrict admissions based on the subjects and combinations of courses studied in the +2 stage. Sixty percent of the instructional time is devoted to the instruction of elective subjects and forty percent to the foundation course. Vocational stream The introduction of the vocational stream was recommended by the central Kothari Commission (1964-66). The National Policy on Education, 1986 (revised 1992) set a target of twenty-five percent of higher secondary students in vocational courses by 1995. So far, enrolment is far below this. The courses for the vocational stream consist of: †¢ A language course †¢ A general foundation course †¢ Health and physical education, and †¢ Elective vocational courses Vocational education covers areas like agriculture, engineering and technology (including information and communication technology), business and commerce, home science, health and para-medical services and humanities. Language courses are organised to cover the grammatical structures and additional vocabulary particular to the trade or vocation. The general foundation course for the vocational stream comprises general studies, entrepreneurship development, environmental education, rural development and information and communication technology. Vocational electives are organised according to employment opportunities. Practical training is an essential component of the vocational courses, according to the National Curriculum Framework, with seventy percent of time devoted to vocational courses. The certificate issued should mention the competencies acquired and the credits earned. Organisation The organisation of teaching is based either on an annual or semester system. In most cases, a year’s course is divided into two parts to be covered in the two halves of an academic session in the annual system. Marks are accorded to a certain number of periods; the total mark is an average of marks accorded to the different parts of curriculum in an annual or semestrial examination (e. g. a paper corresponding to a 3-hour written examination). 10 The example below copied from the Senior School Curriculum 2007 (Central Board of Secondary Education) illustrates a typical curriculum (in history) and the maximum marks accorded to the different parts of the curriculum. History/Class XI Paper One Unit Part A Ancient India 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. . 30. Total Introduction Paleolithic Cultures and Beginning of settled Life Harappan Civilization The Early Vedic Period Later Vedic Phase and Iron Age South and North-East India Religious traditions Mahajanapada Mauryas Society, Economy and Culture during Mauryan period Post-Mauryan India The age of India from Guptas and after The Society and Culture in the age of Guptas and Harsha Project Work 100 marks 8 4 8 8 5 2 10 4 10 6 6 8 8 . 5 8 9 5 2 7 7 Time: 3 Hours Periods 100 Marks Marks. In the semester system, recommended by NCERT, students take a number of credit hours corresponding to their requirements and capacity, and at their own pace. However, only a few institutions have adopted the semester and credit system. National Curriculum Framework 2005 The National Curriculum Framework 2005 points out the need for plurality and flexibility within education while maintaining the standards of education in order to cover a growing variety of children. The Framework recommends that learning shifts away from rote methods and that the curriculum reduces and updates textbooks. Peace education is included as a dimension in education. The new curriculum proposes a broader spectrum of optional subjects, including the revalorisation of vocational options. Courses may be designed to offer optional modules, rather than trying to cover everything and overfilling courses too much. The National Curriculum Framework 2005 also proposes changes within the examination system (examinations for classes X and XII) allowing reasoning and creative abilities to replace memorisation. The children should be able to opt for different levels of attainment. Textbooks 11. Most states have legislated to create bodies for the preparation of syllabi and textbooks. The states have established various mechanisms for the preparation and approval of textual materials. However, a study in 2005, undertaken by the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE), of textbooks used in government schools (not following the CBSE syllabus) and in nongovernment schools (including social and religious schools) showed that many textbooks reinforce inequalities and neglect rural, tribal or female realities. According to NCERT Newsletter, in 2005, CABE proposed the institution of a National Textbook Council to monitor textbooks. Source: National Curriculum Framework 2000, National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT), India National Curriculum Framework 2005, National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT), India Newsletter July 2005, National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT), India Senior School Curriculum 2007, Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), India, 2005 Examination and Assessment In all the states and Union Territories, public examinations are conducted at the end of classes X and XII by the respective State Boards of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education. Ministry of Human Resource Development has published a list of recognised state boards for secondary and higher secondary education. The minimum age for admittance to the Secondary School Examination generally varies from 14+ to 16+. The minimum age for Higher Secondary School Examinations varies from 16+ to 18+ years. Some states/UTs do not have an age restriction. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), established by a special resolution of the Government of India in 1929, prescribes examination conditions and the conduct of public examinations at the end of Standard X and XII. The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE), Delhi, was established in 1958 by the University of Cambridge, Local Examinations Syndicate as a self-financing national examination board. The Council conducts the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (Standard X) and the Indian School Certificate (Standard XII) examinations. CISCE affiliates schools using English as a medium of instruction. The title of the final qualification varies depending upon the examining body. The titles used by the central examining boards are: CBSE: †¢ All India Secondary School Certificate (Standard X). †¢ All India Senior School Certificate (Standard XII). 12 CISCE: †¢ Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE Standard X). †¢ Indian School Certificate (ISC Standard XII). †¢ Certificate of Vocational Education (CVE XII). Information from the procedure of the All India Senior School Certificate (Standard XII) (extract): The Board conducts examination in all subjects except General Studies, Work Experience, Physical and Health Education, which will be assessed internally by the schools based on cumulative records of students periodical achievements and progress during the year. In all subjects examined by the Board, a student will be given one paper each carrying 100 marks for 3 hours. However, in subjects requiring practical examination, there will be a theory paper and a practical examination as required in the syllabi and courses. A candidate may offer an additional subject that can be either a language at elective level or another elective subject as prescribed in the Scheme of Studies, subject to the conditions laid down in the Pass Criteria. A candidate will get the Pass Certificate of the Board, if he/she gets a grade higher than E in all subjects of internal assessment unless he/she is exempted. Failing this, result of the external examination will be withheld but not for a period of more than one year. In order to be declared as having passed the examination, a candidate shall obtain a grade higher than E (i. e. at least 33% marks) in all the five subjects of external examination in the main or at the compartmental examinations. The pass marks in each subject of external examination shall be 33%. In case of a subject involving practical work a candidate must obtain 33% marks in theory and 33% marks in practical separately in addition to 33% marks in aggregate in order to qualify in that subject. A candidate failing in two of the five subjects of external examination shall be placed in compartment in those subjects provided he/she qualifies in all the subjects of internal assessment. A candidate who has failed in the examination in the first attempt shall be required, to re-appear in all the subjects at the subsequent annual examination of the Board. A candidate who has passed the Senior School Certificate Examination of the Board may offer an additional subject as a private candidate provided the additional subject is provided in the Scheme of Studies and is offered within six years of passing the examination of the Board. A candidate who has passed an examination of the Board may reappear for improvement of performance in one or more subject(s) in the main examination in the succeeding year only; however, a candidate who has passed an examination of the Board under Vocational Scheme may reappear for improvement of performance in one or more subject{s) in the main examination in the succeeding year or in the following year provided he/she has not pursued higher studies in the mean time. He /she will appear as private candidate. Candidates who appear for improvement of performance will be issued only Statement of Marks reflecting the marks of the main examination as well as those of the improvement examination. Central Board of Secondary Education Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is one of the three national boards of secondary education in India. CBSE has affiliated around 8,300 schools including government and independent 13 schools. It also affiliates schools in some 20 African and Asian countries. About 200 new schools are affiliated each year. Study teams conduct regular inspections of the affiliated institutions. CBSE has a central office and 6 regional offices. Permanent affiliation is obtained after a number of years. Affiliation is granted according to strict criteria. A list of affiliated schools can be found on CBSE s website: http://www. cbse. nic. in. The major objective is to prescribe conditions of examinations and conduct public examinations at the end of Classes X and XII and to grant certificates to successful candidates of the affiliated schools. All affiliated schools follow the national scheme of 10+2. Here is an example of testimonial for All India Senior School Certificate Examination from 2000: CBSE is regulated but not financed by the central government. Financing is assured by fees from the affiliated schools. CBSE accepts private candidates. CBSE develops its curriculum on the basis of the national curriculum framework. The curriculum is revised every 5 to 10 years. Two of the front line curriculum subjects are revised every year. According to CBSE, it strives notably to adapt current teaching methods and content of teaching to an innovative and creative society in the form of subjects such as functional English, bio-technology, entrepreneurship, life skills education, and disaster management. An important objective is the destressing of education, including no homework or examinations in grades I and II and only achievement reports in grades III-V. Information technology is compulsory in grades IX +X. Language studies include a possible 27 different languages besides Hindi and English. One teacher may teach four subjects up to grade X.

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Nietzsche’s early work On the Birth of Tragedy put forth the Apollonian and Dionysian concepts. Within the work, the German philologist and philosopher states â€Å"The effect aroused by the Dionysian also seemed ‘Titanic’ and ‘barbaric’ to the Apollonian Greek: while he was at the same time unable to conceal from himself the fact that he was inwardly related to those fallen Titans and heroes.† Nietzsche goes on further â€Å"Indeed, he was obliged to sense something even greater than this: his whole existence, with all its beauty and moderation rested on a hidden substratum of suffering and knowledge, which was once again revealed to him by the Dionysian.† He then strongly concludes, â€Å"And look! Apollo was unable to live without Dionysus!† Nietzsche terms the Dionysian as â€Å"Titanic† to indicate his concept’s vastness. This vastness is similar to the vastness of Schopenhauer’s ocean imagery that describes how the earlier philosopher felt about consciousness unconstrained by ego. If an Apollonian Greek were to break his ego, or what Nietzsche would term his ‘shell,’ he creates the possibility of experiencing the pleasure offered by the Dionysian element. He allows himself to be overtaken by an ‘ecstatic’ ocean. The word ‘Titanic’ implies an enormity unable to be controlled. In this sense, the feeling of vastness can present itself as the antithesis to the Apollonian ideal of structure and thus prove overwhelming. So overwhelming, that one may be destroyed. This is where the description â€Å"barbaric† comes into the picture. Nietzsche goes to great lengths to define what he terms the â€Å"Dionysian barbarian† and which he separates from the Dionysian Greeks. In this passage he expounds upon the traditional Dionysian festivals which occurred â€Å"in all c... ... about accurately portraying facts. Rather, Nietzsche is interested in affective interpretations. There is also a possibility he had not reexamined the pros of On the Birth of Tragedy until he wrote Ecce Homo. What is more, Nietzsche is blunter in his Nachlass when he states â€Å"there are no facts, only interpretations.† Additionally, some insight can be provided based upon the very nature of Ecce Homo, in which Nietzsche puts himself on trial, ironically in Socratic fashion, and defends his life’s work chapter by chapter. Nietzsche is ultimately interested here in providing a definitive rationale for his philosophy, which celebrates the Dionysian worldview of emotion and instinct over cold rationality and reason. Birth of Tragedy, offers an extended defense of the Dionysian worldview and, with all of its flaws, was a work with which Nietzsche was finally able to com

Benefits of Playing a Musical Instrument

Did you know that musicians have better hearing than people who don't play an instrument at all? Scientists have done research to prove that this statement is a fact. This is more than just being able to pick out a drum beat from the background of a song, like many people can. Musicians hear better overall. The reasons for this are not fully understood, but some people have some pretty good ideas as to why musicians develop better hearing. Musicians can hear better than non-musicians. Hearing depends on microscopically small hairs deep inside of the ear. If the hairs in the ear are gone, so is the person's hearing. (HearingAids.com) People never stop hearing. Even while sleeping the brain just ignores all sound, not letting the person hear what is actually going on around them. (The Hearing Place, February 6, 2017) This is in fact the same for musicians too., Iit is just something the body does, and playing an instrument or not does not affect this part of the hearing process. Musicians hear better in ways, like being able to hear from further away, and they are better at remembering sounds. (NPR music, October 19, 2009) This likely happens because musicians improve due to auditory attention and memory. (National Science Foundation, November 13, 2009) Hearing changes due to the experiences the person has had in their life. (NPR music, October 19, 2009) Musicians can hear better because a lot of experiences they've had are related to sound. These experiences would be the music they are playing, composing, or listening to. These claims may seem a little confusing, since some people believe that loud music or sounds are related to hearing loss, but these facts are scientifically proven. The differences between musicians hearing and non-musicians hearing is more to do with memory than anything else. This is surprising because better hearing is usually equated with hearing quieter sounds, or the ability to hear from further away. The scientist who found that musicians hear better and remember sounds better than people who don't play instruments is Nina Kraus. (NPR music, October 19, 2009) Thanks to her we have this information which could help people who are concerned about losing their hearing with old age. (Jane Langille, September 26, 2012) Nina Kraus says that playing an instrument, no matter how good someone is at playing, could improve hearing. (NPR music, October 19, 2009) This could happen at any point in life, although children who play instruments at a young age seem to have better hearing than people who start playing later in life. Musicians have better hearing than people who do not play an instrument. This happens because hearing changes due to the experiences the person has had in their life. (NPR music, October 19, 2009) This also happens because musicians improve due to auditory attention and memory. (National Science Foundation, November 13, 2009) If a 20 year old started playing an instrument, that person's hearing could improve, and stay that way through old age. Composing, playing, and listening to music are all important factors to better hearing and/or memory.

Medical Bioethical Essay

My newspaper article was about a woman named Samantha Burton, a pregnant woman who was forced to be hospitalized. She was 25 weeks pregnant and forced on â€Å"bed rest†. Although Burton’s doctor confirmed that she was not in labor. Burton’s doctor took matters in his own hands and came back with an attorney forcing Samantha Burton to stay in the hospital against her will. The attorney was on line with the judge John C. Cooper. Ms. Burton wanted to obtain prenatal care somewhere else and the courts ordered her to stay. In the ruling, the judge said, â€Å"The state had a right to ensure that children receive medical treatment which is necessary for the preservation of life and health†. â€Å"Does the state own the inside of a woman’s womb that it can kind of intervene at will†? No, I say in my personal opinion and believe in Pro-choice of the â€Å"fetus†. I know smoking cigarette’s is wrong while pregnant but I have heard and read about worse that mother’s do while pregnant. According to legal precedents, Abrams said, doctors should have determined if the fetus was â€Å"viable,† or could survive outside of the womb without medical heroics. There also should have been a second opinion, he said. I believe this is a prime example of why we need the â€Å"patient’s bill of rights† and the use of needing a second opinion. I was very shocked to read this newspaper article about this poor woman and everything she went thru for the state of medical and media views of her baby. This is a good view on medical ethics. I hope it doesn’t happen to another woman. We have the right to do what we will with our bodies and the state or hospital can’t force us to anything. I hope I covered everything in my paper. My paper is a bioethical and legal I believe. Thank you.

The Cheese and the Worms essays

The Cheese and the Worms essays Not much is known of the popular (peasant) culture of the western world during the sixteenth century. There are virtually no records regarding how they lived their daily lives or what their religious beliefs were. Historians are therefore forced to piece together as much information as possible in order to make an educated guess of what life was like for the 16th century peasant. One historian, Carlo Ginzburg, took an original approach to shedding a new light on this ever intriguing issue. In his book The Cheese and the Worms: The Cosmos of a Sixteenth-Century Miller, 1976, Ginzburg analyzes the court inquisition and elite book collection of a very religiously opinionated miller, Domenico Scandella (more commonly referred to as Menocchio). He finds that Menocchios ideas are a mix of the texts he had read and the oral tradition of which he is a part. Ginzburg argues that a glimpse of the ideas of the general peasant culture can be found by analyzing Menocchios statements and sub tracting the knowledge Menocchio had acquired from reading the elite text books. It can be argued that Ginzburgs thesis and the methodology behind it are inappropriate, irresponsible, and ineffective; however, I propose to the contrary. Ginzburg presents his thesis in a very appropriate, very responsible, and very effective way with a great deal of examples backing it. One of Ginzburgs main objectives is to compare Menocchios statements to the books that were found in his possession at the time of the trial. Nearly all of Menocchios religious ideas have a corollary in one of the works noted. Ginzburg is also trying to derive a picture of the peasant culture by analyzing the difference between Menocchios statements and the texts. He does this in several ways: 1) Ginzburg makes note that Menocchios statements are both contorted and awkward, and 2) he addresses from where these contorted and awkwar...

How to Attack Paired Passages in ACT Reading

How to Attack Paired Passages in ACT Reading SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Paired passages on the ACT have been around since 2013, and they can make the Reading section seem a lot more difficult than it really is. After all, you're required to answer multiple questions to two whole reading passages! But there are ways to do this effectively. How should you go about attacking ACT Reading paired passages? Read on for our best strategies. Feature Image:Randy Robertson/Flickr Paired Passages on ACT Reading: A Brief Rundown Paired passages are two short passages (40-50 lines each) that are related in some way (usually by topic). There is only one set of paired passages per ACT.I've only seen them in literary narrative or humanities sections, but that doesn’t mean they can’t pop up elsewhere. The set of paired passages will have 10 questions altogether; the first few questions will be about passage A, while the next few will be about passage B.The final three to four questions(I’ve only seen three, but I’m using a range to be on the safer side) will ask about both passages. The presence of paired passages on ACT Reading allowsACT, Inc. to test students' abilities to "use evidence to make connections between different texts that are related by topic." Attacking Paired Passages on ACT Reading: 4 Strategies There's no one surefire strategy that'll let you power through questions on paired passages. Why? Depending on how you approach ACT reading passages, certain strategies simply might not work as well for you. I've gathered together my top four strategies for mastering paired-passage questions on ACT Reading.I recommend trying all of them out and then using the one that works best for you! Strategy 1: Start by Answering Questions on Individual Passages For paired passages,I highly recommend answering all the questions about each individual passagebefore moving on to the multi-passage questions. Even if you're planning to guess on questions that ask about multiple passages (more on why you might want to do that later), it’s still worth it to take time to answer questions dealing with individual passages. But why?The advantage of answering questions that refer to a single passage before moving on to multi-passage questions is twofold. For one, each passage that's part of a pair of passages is shorter and less complicated than the standalone long passages. This is because you're comparing two separate passages and not just focusing on one. As a result, it's usually easier to answer questions on one or the other of the set of paired passages, compared with questions on the longer, unpaired passages- each of the paired passages has fewer words after all, making it easier to find details in them. Secondly, the questions the ACT asks about each individual passage will help you with the multi-passage questions. For example, take a look at the two questions below about individual passages (adapted from official ACT sample questions): 2. In Passage A, the narrator’s descriptions of Alsop suggest that she sees her as ultimately: F. self-confident and triumphant.G. isolated and alone.H. awe-inspiring and heroic.J. stiff and ceremonial. 5. Passage B indicates that compared to the narrator’s expectation about how the first woman to conduct a major orchestra would be treated in print, the articles themselves were: A. similar; the narrator had expected the newspapers to prolong the event with preliminary material leading up to Alsop’s first performance.B. similar; the narrator had expected Alsop would be announced as the next conductor of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.C. dissimilar; the narrator had expected there would be more coverage of male conductors of color before a woman conducting would be written about.D. dissimilar; the narrator had expected to be able to read about Alsop’s performance in the papers shortly after it occurred. Now, here’s a question that asks about both passages: 7. Which of the following statements provides the most accurate comparison of the tone of each passage? A. Passage A is fondly nostalgic, while Passage B is impersonal and scientific.B. Passage A is optimistic and exuberant, while Passage B is sarcastic and cynical.C. Both passages begin by conveying some sense of the narrator’s wonder but conclude with a note of disenchantment.D. Both passages begin by conveying the narrator’s doubt but conclude with some sense of lasting pride. If you’ve answered questions 2 and 5, you already know a little bit about the tones of the passages (the answer to question 2 tells you how the narrator of passage A views Alsop, while the answer to question 5 tells you a little about the expectations of passage B's narrator). This informationisn’t necessarily enough to give you the answer to question 7 (the one about both passages),but it might help you eliminate some answers. Strategy 2: Guess on Multi-Passage Questions If you’re aiming for an ACT Reading score around or below 26, my recommendation is to not even bother with trying to answer questions that ask about two passages. W-w-w-w-whaaaaat? (Hamner_Fotos/Flickr) I know- this strategy sounds like it could be risky. But based on the small sample size of ACTs with paired-passage questions, I have been able to glean the following: the questions that ask you to compare aspects of two passages are (unsurprisingly) far more complex than those that ask you to answer questions about one passage. Take this sample question (modified from a sample question on the ACT, Inc. website): "It can reasonably be inferred that after seeing the first woman conducting a major orchestra, compared to the narrator of Passage B, the narrator of Passage A felt ..." Answering this question requires you togo back to passage Ato determine how the narrator felt after seeing a woman conduct a major orchestra. You must then do the same for passage B. There are some strategies you can use to help with eliminating answers (which I’ll discuss later in this article). But if you're aiming for a 26 on ACT Reading, you can afford to guess on the multi-passage questions. The proof can be found in the sample scoring chart below, taken from the most recent official ACT practice test. As a reminder, a raw score is equal to the number of questions you got right. (For more information, check out our in-depth guide to ACT scoring.) Note that althoughthis scoring chart does not apply universally to every ACT Reading section, it should give you a general idea of how many questions you'll need to answer correctly in order to get a certain scale score on Reading. Raw Score Reading Score Raw Score Reading Score Raw Score Reading Score 40 36 27 24 9-10 12 39 35 25-26 23 8 38 34 24 22 6-7 10 37 33 22-23 21 - 9 35-36 32 21 20 5 8 34 31 19-20 19 4 7 33 30 18 18 3 6 32 29 17 17 - 5 31 28 15-16 16 2 4 30 27 14 15 - 3 29 26 12-13 14 1 2 28 25 13 0 1 As this chart indicates,if you’re aiming for a 26 on ACT Reading, you only need a raw score of about 29 out of 40 questions. If you guess on the three or four multi-passage questions, you: Can still miss another five to six questions on the Reading section and get a 26 Will now have 35 minutes to answer 34-35 questions, giving youmore time per question Pick your favorite answer choice (A/F, B/G, C/H, or D/J) and fill it in for all the multi-passage questions. If there are three multi-passage questions, you'll have a 75% chance of getting one of them right ... and you won’t have to spend more than a few seconds on any one of them! Strategy 3: Use the Process of Elimination This tip is partially related to strategy 1. Questions that ask about both passages have to meet the same standard as questions about a single passage: there must be one unambiguously correct answer. But what does this mean for multi-passage questions? If part of an answer is wrong, then you can immediately eliminate that answer choice. For instance, take the ACT Reading example I used earlier: 7. Which of the following statements provides the most accurate comparison of the tone of each passage? A. Passage A is fondly nostalgic, while Passage B is impersonal and scientific.B. Passage A is optimistic and exuberant, while Passage B is sarcastic and cynical.C. Both passages begin by conveying some sense of the narrator’s wonder but conclude with a note of disenchantment.D. Both passages begin by conveying the narrator’s doubt but conclude with some sense of lasting pride. Let’s say you’ve just finished answering questions about passage B when you get to this question about both passages, so it’s clear in your mind. You can tackle two of the answers right away. Look at answer A: A.Passage A is fondly nostalgic, while Passage B is impersonal and scientific. Ask yourself: was Passage B impersonal and scientific? Let’s say no (for the sake of argument). It doesn’t matter, then, whether the part in this answer choice about passage A is correct or not- since the part about passage B is wrong, that whole answer is wrong. What about answer choice B? Let's take a look: B.Passage A is optimistic and exuberant, while Passage B is sarcastic and cynical. My thinking: for answer choice B, passage A does start out exuberant, and passage B does end with something sort of sarcastic or cynical. On the other hand, answer choice C, C. Both passages begin by conveying some sense of the narrator’s wonder but conclude with a note of disenchantment, ... isdefinitely correct.Passage A starts out with the sentence, "I was amazed to see a woman on stage," while passage B starts with, "I’d been hoping so long to read about someone like me doing something I wanted to do that I couldn’t stop my foot from nervously jiggling."Both of these intro sentencesconvey a sense of wonder. Moreover, passage A ends with, "I guess it was too much to expect the newspapers would ignore her sex and focus on her musicianship," while B ends with, "In the end, I didn’t feel bolstered by the performance; I felt more discouraged than ever." Both of theseconvey disenchantment. A common recommendation for using the process of elimination is to cross out any answers that suggest that the passages are the same (the ACT wants you to compare passages, so what would be the point in comparing two nearly identical ones?). As you can see from the example above, though, eliminating answers that point out the passages' similarities might cause you to get rid of the right answer, too.So read carefully! Don’t make Marin Alsop come after you for accidentally eliminating the right answer. (Governo do Estado de So Paulo/Flickr) Strategy 4: Practice With Official SAT Paired-Passage Questions Honestly, this feels like a bit of a cop-out. It’s weird to advise students to prepare for one test by using questions from another one. Unfortunately, ACT Inc. doesn’t leave students much choice. The only official (and free) paired-passage questions availableare the three on theACT, Inc. websiteand the three in the most recent official ACT practice test. This means that, in total, there aresix multi-passage questions you can use for practice(19 paired-passage questions altogether). This lack of practice questions is partly what makes preparing for ACT paired passages so difficult. Luckily, recentchanges to the SAT have made the test strongly resemble the ACT- and both have paired-passage questions on their respective Reading sections. SAT paired passages involvelong (approximately 45-line) passages with a few questions about each passage followed by some questions about both passages. In total, there are about 10- questions per paired passage set on the SAT.Because this format is so similar to that on the ACT, SAT paired passages are quite useful for ACT Reading practice. Every official SAT practice testcontains a set of paired passages with 10- questions (for a total of more than 80 questions). That's about four times as many paired-passage questions as ACT, Inc. currently provides for practice (bonus math practice if you want to check that ratio). This will also give you a chance to figure out what the most difficult question types are for you when it comes to paired passages. Since ACT, Inc. only has six multi-passage questions available, it's hard to know if there's a particular type of multi-passage question you struggle with more than others. Use the SAT paired-passage questions to hunt down your weaknesses and overcome them. How to Attack Paired-Passage Questions: A Summary As you can see, paired passages on ACT Reading can be tricky- but they're certainly not impossible to master. To wrap up, let's briefly go over the four best strategies you can use to attack paired passages: Answer single-passage questions first:Answering questions about individual passages will often give you clues you can later use to answer questions that deal with both passages. Guess on multi-passage questions:Figure out which type of question you tend to get wrong and then focus on improving that skill. Use the process of elimination:If even just part of an answer is wrong, you can eliminate that answer choice immediately. Remember the rule: there is only ever one unambiguously correct answer. Practice with official SAT paired-passage questions:Since not many ACT paired-passage questions are available for practice, it's a good idea to use SAT paired-passage questions so you can get more used to answering questions that address multiple passages. What’s Next? For more reading strategies, take a look atmy article on SAT paired passages. What about answering questions on non-paired passages? Learn more about how to approach passages on ACT Readingwith our in-depth guide. Wondering what will the ACT Reading passages be about? Read my article on the four types of ACT Reading passagesto learn everything you need to know. Dig into your ACT prep by studying each skill the Reading section tests, starting with vocab-in-context questions. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Reading lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

How to Guess Strategically on ACT Math

How to Guess Strategically on ACT Math SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The ACT allows for guessing without penalty (no negative points here!), but how can you turn guessing into the best strategy to maximize your ACT math score? The more you can increase your guessing odds, the better off you’ll be. And we’re here to show you how. We’ll go through when and how to guess strategically on the ACT math section as well as show you examples of how to guess most effectively in action. Refresher on ACT Math Scoring The ACT is a standardized test and is issued multiple times per year to hundreds of thousands of students, all of whom are scored on the same grading structure. What this means is that each ACT must look and feel like every other ACT as much as possible so that the scoring system is evenly balanced. The individual questions may vary, but the patterns in how the test-makers design both the questions and the answer choices will be as similar as possible. With time and practice, you can learn to not only recognize the structural patterns of the ACT math section when you see them, but also use the clues in both the question and the answer choices to help you find theright answer (or at least narrow down your options!). After all, why take a 20% shot of guessing the right answer when you can bump those odds up to 33% or even 50%? In terms of structure, the ACT math section is 60 math questions in 60 minutes. Each and every question will be a multiple choice question with 5 answer choices. Because the test is presented as multiple choice, the right answer will always be there amongst the answer choices, while incorrect answers are usually generated by common student errors. As for how the test is scored, for each multiple choice question, you will get: +1 point for every correct answer and 0 points for every incorrect or blank answer. There is no negative penalty for an incorrect answer. Developing a Target Score Though you will not be penalized for answering a question incorrectly, your overall test-taking strategy is still going to be tremendously influenced by your target score. And these strategies will change as your score goals change. Why does your target score matter if you aren’t penalized for wrong answers? The ACT math section puts the pressure on by putting you on a strict time crunch, which means that many students cannot take as much time per question as they would like to. You may find you cannot even finish the whole test in the time allotted, or that you couldn’t take the time to be as careful on each problem as you had hoped. Because of this, you will have to develop a plan of attack in terms of questions you can answer thoroughly and questions you have to take a guess on. But before you develop your attack plan, you must first figure out your baseline. Take a practice test andcome up with different ways to mark your questionsone mark for questions you don't know how to do, and another mark for questions you're only somewhat confident about. You may even want to create a third marker for questions that youknowhow to do, but will take a long time or will require multiple steps, so must be done carefully to avoid error. This way, you can save them for last (though this is optional). For now, use your best judgment on how to guess the questions you've marked, but do make sure that you can identify which problems were which later. These marks will help you when you go to analyze your answers (and your guessing strategy) in the next section. Lastly, once you're done with the test,check out our guide to developing your ideal target score, based on your current score and your future goals. Remember too that progress doesn't happen all at once. Let yourself celebrate milestones as you improve towards your target, or even adapt your target score based on your trajectory. Guessing Based on Target Score After you find your target curved score, see how that translates to your raw score. How many questions must you answer correctly to get that target score? Keep that number in your head and then focus the majority of your attention on a few more questions than that target. Why? You're leaving yourself room to get a few questions wrong. So if you need a raw score of 40 to reach your goal, focus the majority of your attention on the first 45-48 questions. The questions are grouped in order of ascending difficulty, so your best bet is to concentrate your hardest on this area. Do note that you should answer each and every question on the ACT math section, even if you have to make a random guess. The reason we said that you should â€Å"focus the majority of your attention† on the questions in your target range is because your time and your focus are precious commodities on the ACT. You’re trying to get as many points possible across the board, so your maximum focus should be on your target score range. Once you’ve dedicated your time to the first 35, 40, or 50 questions (whatever your score range may be), you can feel free to guess on the rest of your questions without fear of reprisal. The odds are that you’ll get a few of them right and there are absolutely no consequences. (For more on this, check out our guide on how to stop running out of time on the ACT math section.) So when should you guess and when should you try to answer the problem? Even if a question is in your prime scoring range, the time to guess is when: You have absolutely no idea how to solve the problem You think the question will take too long to go through properly (make a guess now and come back to it later if you have time) You’re running out of time and need to answer several more questions You’re in your â€Å"bonus scoring† zone (aka, not your prime scoring range) Again, remember to mark these different question types. Once you’ve scored your test, look back on the questions you marked. How accurate is your guessing right now? Is there a pattern in your missed guesses? Odds are that you've gotten some of the questions right that you guessed on, but we're looking to increase that accuracy as much as possible. So let’s talk about themost effective guessing strategies for ACT math. Think of your test-taking like a science experimentyou will have your own unique score goals and ways of thinking. As you get more used to working with ACT questions, you'll get better at refining the methods that work best for your unique skill set. ACT Math Guessing Strategies The ACT math section is designed to test how well you’ve learned your math topics and principles and whether you can recognize and figure out how to apply these mathematical concepts to new situations. Most ACT math questions will be fairly straightforward (meaning they are not designed to trick you, even if they are difficult), and each and every math topicon the test is one that you are likely familiar with and have studied for a number of years. This is all to say that you likely have a better understanding of the questions than you may think, even if you don’t know how to actually solve the problem. Often (though not always), a little strategy will allow you to eliminate at least one or two answer choices and make an educated guess. Note: this may seem obvious, but only use your guessing strategies when you don't know how to solve a problem or are not confident about your answer. Guessing often takes a little more time than a straight-solve, so if you know the answer, great! Move on to the next problem. Only stop and take the time to guess if you're stuck. We’ve laid out three of the most important rules of thumb that go into making an educated guess on an ACT math problem. Most of the time you will use a combination of these three techniques on any given problem, so they are less individual strategy than they are a combination of thought processes that you should go through every time you make a guess. So let’s look at all three techniques needed to best make guesses (and when to do so!) on the ACT math section. Guessing Strategy 1: Process of Elimination Being able to eliminate answers onACT questions is arguably a more important skill than even being able to solve questions (or at least equally as important). The entire ACT math section is multiple choice, which is great news for guessing. For every multiple choice question, the right answer is there somewhere. The more you can narrow down your options, the better off you’ll be when you go to make your selection. You don’t even need to know the right answer so long as you know that four of the answers are wrong. If you can eliminate four wrong answers, whatever remains must be correct. Do you know the answer must be a line that slopes up and to the right, even if you don't know where it's supposed to be positioned horizontally? Do you know that the answer must be negative? Even knowing just a tiny bit about the problem or its possible answer will often be enough to eliminate a few answer options. But what if can't eliminate four answer choices and find the final, correct answer? Not to worry! Even if you can only eliminate one answer choice, you’re still better off doing so than taking a shot completely in the dark. Let’s break it down. Eliminating 0 Answer Choices So you’ve come to a question and you can’t eliminate any answer choices at allshould you still guess? Always! There are two scenarios for when you can’t eliminate any answer choicesquestions you’ve looked at but don’t know how to solve, and questions that you haven’t even gotten a chance to look at. For the second scenario, imagine that you’ve just answered question 45 and you’ve got one minute left on the clock. You have no time to even look at the next 15 questions, so you’ve got to just fill in your bubbles and hope that the odds will be in your favor. But no matter what the scenario, if you truly cannot eliminate any answer choice, your best plan of attack will be the same. DON’T pick the most â€Å"tempting† answer or an answer at â€Å"random.† Instead, when guessing without elimination, choose your favorite letterA, B, C, D, or Eand always choose the same letter every time you have to make a blind guess. (Note: A is the same as F, B is the same as G, etc.) Wait, what? There are always five answer options for any given multiple choice question, so the odds of choosing the right answer at random is one-in-five, or 20%. But the catch is that human beings are NOT random. No matter how we try, our attempts at creating randomness will inevitably fail. If you try to make your best attempt at â€Å"randomness,† and guess wildly across the board, you’re more likely to get less than 20% of your guesses right. The best way to achieve randomness is to go in the complete opposite directionpick one letter and stick with it every time. When in doubt, pick your same favorite letter for every question you have to answer blindly, and move on. Eliminating 1 Answer Choice All right, but let’s say you can eliminate one answer choice. How should you guess now? Again, you will always have five total answer options for each question. Now, with one option removed, the odds of us guessing the right answer will be one-in-four, or 25%. And yet, this is still a time to stick with your â€Å"favorite letter† strategy. There are still too many options at play to start jumping around in your guessing strategy, so your best bet is to stick with your previous strategy and guess your same, favorite letter. Unless your designated letter is the answer choice that has been eliminated (in which case, go ahead and pick a backup letter), your best shot of succeeding at the random odds are to guess your same consistent answer choice. Eliminating 2 Answer Choices (Now We’re Getting Somewhere!) You’ve eliminated two answer choices that you know have to be wrong and are down to three possibilities. This is the time to change up your guessing strategy. If you can eliminate two answer choices, the odds are that you know at least a little bit about this kind of math problem. Maybe you’ve only got enough knowledge about exponentsto know that the answer can’t possibly be negative, or enough of an understanding of probabilitiesand fractions to know that the denominator must be even. If you’re familiar enough with the type of math problem that you can eliminate two answer choices, you’re likely to be familiar enough with the problem to make your best guess. A random shot at the answer will get you a one-in-three chance of getting it right, or 33%, and your best guess should put you at those same odds, if not a little higher. But the best way to test your mathematical instincts on problems like these is to look back through your practice test. For any questions where you were down to three, how many times did you guess the correct answer? How many times did you get it wrong? Take a look at your previous patterns. If your odds were less than 33%, it might be time to go back to your â€Å"favorite letter† strategy. Eliminating 3 Answer Choices If you can eliminate three answer choices, you’re in a great place! This will give you a one-in-two shot of choosing the correct answer, or 50%. Go with your gut, do eenie-meenie-miny-mo, or choose the letter you like best. And again, look over your previous guesses of this nature. How often were you right or wrong? Did you guess at 50% odds every time you were able to eliminate three answer choices? Your strategies for guessing and elimination should always be informed by your past performance. When something is working, refine it as best you can. When something isn’t working, alter your approach. Eliminating 4 Answer Choices If you can confidently eliminate four answer options, then celebrate! No need for guessing hereyou’ve found the correct answer. We’ve talked about guessing after you’ve eliminated answers, but how exactly do you go about eliminating answer choices? Let’s take a look. Always adjust your strategies based on how well they're working. If your guesses are netting lower than chance percentage, take a step back and try to find the patterns in how you're working to see what might be going wrong. Guessing Strategy 2: Approximating If you have even a general idea of what the right answer might be (even a ballpark figure will do), you will often be able to eliminate one or two of the most blatant outliers. Though the answer choices are most often generated based on common student errors, there will still generally be answer choices that are way far afield. Do you know that the answer must be positive? Discard anything negative right away. If you’re given the hypotenuse of a triangle, you know that each leg must be less than that given hypotenuse. Discard anything equal to or greater than the hypotenuse. Let’s take a look at this in action. Don’t worry about actually solving the problem, just give yourself enough of a ballpark to see if you can eliminate one or two (or three or four!) answer choices. Our two triangles are in a ratio of 2:5 for all their sides. Now we are looking to compare both their hypotenuses. The smaller triangle has a hypotenuse of 5, which means that the larger triangle must have a hypotenuse that is larger than 5. Already, we can eliminate answer choices F and G, since they are less than 5. Now that leaves us with three answer choices, H, J, and K, which aren't bad odds for guessing, but we can go a little further than this. We know that the ratio is 2:5, which if we know anything about ratios, we know means that the larger side is a little more than double the smaller side. If the smaller hypotenuse is 5, the larger hypotenuse must be a little more than double this. This means that the hypotenuse of the larger triangle must be larger than 10. The only answer choice that is larger than 10 is answer choice K, 12. 5. Though we haven't officially done the work to solve the problem, this is a very good guess, just based on approximation and process of elimination. [Note: the correct answer is, indeed, K, 12.5.] You can also approximate answers on geometric figures on the test. Although the instructions state that "illustrative figures are NOT necessarily drawn to scale," they essentially alwaysare. (The exception is those inquestions that ask about what MUST be true, i.e. what you can prove.)If you're attempting a question that asks about side lengths, angle measures, or ratios, you can use the figure to make a ballpark guess about these values. This question is asking about specific values, so we can assume it's toscale. We can, therefore, make our guesses based on the given measurements. In addition, as a general rule of thumb, the correct answer will be "cannot be determined" less than 20% of the time. So it's a good idea to eliminate this answer choice if you don't know how to solve this kind of problem. Always guess one of the values if you are forced to make a guess. So, based on the given hypotenuse measure of 6, and the fact that our drawing is to scale, we can estimate that the measure of CD appears to be about half of that. This means that CD probably measures about 3. Maybe it's little more, maybe a little less, but we can most certainly eliminate answer choices F and G. And, since we already eliminated answer choice K, that leaves us with answer choices H and J. We've got a 50-50 chance, so it's a good time to make a guess. And an educated guess between the two choices would better favor answer choice H rather than answer choice J because it's close to our initial estimate of 3. [Note: the correct answer is, indeed,H, 3.6.] Guessing Strategy 3: Finding the Round Answers and Shortcuts If we remember that the ACT math section is designed so that a student without a calculator can solve every problem, this can inform how we go about both solving our problems and eliminating our answer choices. Not being able to use a calculator limits one’s mathematical possibilities, especially when a time-crunch is involved. For this reason, the ACT tends to favor shortcuts (like triangle shortcuts) and round numbers. If you can eliminate answer choices that would not produce nice, round numbers, you can often find your right answer. Let’s look at this principle in action, We are told that a bag originally contains 18 marbles, and we must find the additional number of marbles to get a 3 5 ratio. Well, a 3 5 ratio of marbles (an object that CANNOT be broken into pieces) means that our new total number of marbles must be divisible by 5 (since 5 is our denominator). This, in turn, means that our total number of marbles must have a units digit of either 0 or 5. For 18 + x to equal a number ending in 0 or 5, x MUST end in either 2 or 7. (e.g., 18 + 2 = 20, or 18 + 17 = 35). We can, therefore, eliminate every answer choice that does NOT end in 2 or 7. In this case, we can eliminate every answer choice except for F. We didn’t even have to know how to solve the problem or walk through the steps. We just knew to look for a round and easy number to work with and found it through process of elimination. [Note: the correct answer is, indeed, F, 12.] Guessing Strategy 4: Avoiding Temptation The test is designed around the statistically average student, and many of the answer choices are generated based on common student errors. Though the ACT is not designed to "trick" you, people have a tendency to fall into predictable thinking patterns, and it’s easy to select wrong answers that the average student falls for again and again if you’re not paying close attention. If you look at a question in the medium or difficult range that you can solve in a second or two, it may just be too good to be true. If an answer choice seems immediately appealing, especially on a difficult question, it might just be a trap. Think about how many other students would have felt the same way on trial tests. Take a moment to really examine the question. Even if you don’t know how to solve it, you might still be able to spot a trap when you see it if you take a second to breathe. Let’s say this is a problem that you have no idea how to go about solving, but you do know a little about averages. If you’re going quickly through the test or you are only thinking about the bare principles of averages, you might think that answer choice C looks awfully tempting. After all, Tom’s starting with a score of 78 and he needs an 80. If he gets an 82, that seems like it will balance out about right...right? Except that this question is number 47 out of 60, which means it is in the "medium-high difficulty" range. 82 is way too tempting of an answer to be correct for this level of difficulty. Even if we don’t know how to solve the question, we can pretty safely eliminate answer choice C. Based off of our basic understanding of averages, we can also safely eliminate answer choices D and E. We might not know how to do weighted averages, but these answer choices seem way too small to raise up our current average of 78 to 80. Without knowing how to solve the problem, we have narrowed down our options to answer choices A and B, which gives us a 50-50 chance of guessing correctly. Not bad at all! [Note: the correct answer is A, 90.] Go you and your awesome, ACT-guessing self! The Take-Aways Though it is very useful to know how to actually solve your ACT math problems, we’ve seen that it is not always necessary. Though you shouldn’t guess on every ACT math question, it can help your scores to guess strategically when you have to do so. Just remember to always use your guessing strategies when you have the chance to look at the problem, and stick with your favorite letter whenever you must make a blind guess. And take a deep breath. You probably know more than you think, and you probably know enough to at least eliminate an answer choice or two, even if you’re feeling overwhelmed. Practice and focus will have you beating the odds and boosting your scores in no time. What’s Next? Still not satisfied with your ACT math scores?Improve your individual ACT math topicskills by working through ourindividual math topic guides. In each guide, we willwalk you through the definitions of each math topic, the formulas you'll need, and how you'll see the questions on the ACT math section. We'll also give you real ACT math problems (and answer explanations) for you to practice your skills on. Been procrastinating on your ACT prep?If you've found yourself in a procrastination rut, check out our guide onhow to stop procrastinatingso you can get back to studying. Aiming for a perfect score? If you're looking to score a perfect 36 on your ACT math section, then look no further than ourguide to getting an 36 on the ACT math, written by a perfect-scorer. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Math lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Conflict Resolution Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Conflict Resolution - Research Paper Example This makes it dependent on inspirational communication. Unlike persuasive communication, the latter aims at motivating and promoting growth in an organization (DuBrin, 2011). Listening skills enhance effective communication in a powerful way so that the listeners easily get the message. The art of listening is an essential item of communication; thus, when the audience adapts to the necessary listening skills, the process becomes easy. For example, the audience should remain calm during communication to avoid distractions that could tamper with the message. Asking questions depicts a picture of good reception. The audience should not be biased about the speaker but be open-minded and listen to their content. For example, during a conversation the participants should practice turn taking and listen to their partners. These skills result in an effective communication process (Downs & American Society for Training and Development, 2008). In order to avoid the barriers in cross-cultural communication, people should learn and appreciate each other’s cultures. In the process, they comprehend different languages, thus facilitating successful cross-cultural communication. In addition, the use of non-verbal communication enhances proper intercultural communication. When an individual cannot hear, signs and observation play a vital role in understanding the message being delivered to them, such as eye contact (Stringer & Cassiday, 2009). To overcome cross-cultural barriers that already exist, the creation of cultural awareness is extremely essential. This aims at educating people on the importance of cultural diversities and urges them to be open-minded and respectful. In addition, in public places an interpreter should be provided for the audience. This is an effective strategy that prevents conflicts and misinterpretation of information (Stringer & Cassiday,

Rhabdomyolysis Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Rhabdomyolysis - Term Paper Example However, the severity of the syndrome normally range from asymptomatic rise in serum muscle enzymes to the presence of life threatening complications associated with extreme electrolyte imbalances, enzyme elevations as well as acute renal injury (Knochel, 2003). Although Rhabdomyolysis is often common among individuals who have suffered trauma or major injuries, the clinical condition has also been known to develop as a response to particular medications, drugs and dietary supplements. This paper discusses the history and physical findings of rhabdomyolysis, the background of the disease, its etiology, pathogenesis, natural history and management. History and Physical Findings of Rhabdomyolysis The patient in this medical case study was a 24 year old female who was displaying symptoms consistent with rhabdomyolysis. The clinical history revealed that the patient had taken statin medications to help lower her cholesterol levels and this resulted into a severe muscle pain. Immediately after taking the medication, the patient also suffered from severe muscle weakness, extreme muscle aching throughout her entire body and the production of dark colored urine. Although the dose of statin dose taken was not high, the patient had also taken another drug known as meofibrozil(Lopid) which could have aggravated the condition((Baxter and Moore, 2003). On the other hand, further inquiry revealed that the patient normally uses nutritional supplements as part of their weight reduction strategies. Confirmatory diagnosis was carried out by using a number of standardized examinations to show the damaged skeletal muscles. Some of the tests carried out included analysis of the patient’s urine, urine myoglobin test, analysis of Creatine kinase level and serum potassium level analysis. The treatment of the patient included giving her fluids that particularly those containing bicarbonate in order to prevent the potential kidney damage by flushing the remnants of myoglobin from the kidneys (Baxter and Moore, 2003). Additionally diuretic and bicarbonate medicines were also prescribed. After fluid resuscitation, the patient was transferred to a medical facility where measures were also taken to correct potential electrolyte imbalance in the patient. For example, ECG was obtained to help monitor any likely effects of hyperkalemia or other electrolyte imbalances. Background of the Disease Disease Etiology and Pathogenesis The etiology of rhabdomyolysis is normally broadly categorized into acquired and hereditary causes. Hereditary causes of rhabdomyosis largely consist of enzyme related defects that often result in disorders such as mitochondrial lipid metabolism, carbohydrates metabolism as well as other important inherited disorders such as neuroleptic malignant disorders and hyperthermia. On the other hand, acquired causes generally result from any condition that potentially damages the skeletal muscles such as crush injuries, muscle tremors due to alcohol ism, drugs such as statin, cocaine, heroin and amphetamine, extreme exercises, ischemia and trauma (Brancaccio and Lippi, 2010). Excessive intake of alcohol and other commonly abused drugs such as heroin, cocaine and amphetamines has also been known to result in severe damage to skeletal muscles thereby triggering rhabdomyolysis. Additionally individuals who routinely use nutritional supplements and performance enhancing drugs such as anabolic steroids may also develop rhybdomyolysis which

Happy Family Life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Happy Family Life - Essay Example One simple rule that I have observed to be the most effective is when families eat dinner together. I remember several outdated TV commercials that portray a happy family on the dinner table while eating. The father would often come home from work tired and weary while the mother would burst out of the kitchen door and upon seeing off her husband, would gaily call â€Å"Kids, your father’s here!† The scene cuts then to the mother serving the dish she prepared for her family, to which her husband and children give a beaming look to each other before deciding to dig in and eat. The cutscene is particularly critical and it can be interpreted as the time to cook dinner for the mother is but just a few moments because she loves what she is doing. It is the smile that she sees in her husband and children’s faces that make it all worthwhile and thus the emphasis of the commercial is on the eager faces of the people she loves who are bound to get fed. Commercials like th ese are still successful in getting their point across millions of families worldwide and they are as attractive today as they were four decades ago. I recently went out with a girlfriend to the mall and when it was about past eleven, she was already seeming impatient and anxious, always checking her watch and her mobile. I never knew her to be a stickler for a time but about a quarter before twelve, she promptly asked if we could go home already as she is concerned that her family might get worried about her. I, of course, conceded to her wish and she verbally thanked me and gave me a hug. Later on, she would reveal to me the reason why she acted the way she did. She recalled that every evening at about eight o’clock, her parents would let her and her sister sit in the dining room and eat dinner. While eating, her parents would casually ask her and her sister how was school or how was their day in general.

Reflective Report- Oticon the disorganised organisation Assignment

Reflective Report- Oticon the disorganised organisation - Assignment Example This research enabled Oticon to keep up with the pace of technology, as well as recognize customer’s demands and make the correct adjustments where required (Perlitz 2007, p.26). This case study is about Oticon that is undergoing or has undergone a change between the years 2010 and 2014. In addition, the essay will provide the description of the organization and industry in which the change happened, and the particular information. Moreover, it will give the environmental elements that impacted the change and chronology of the milestones. Furthermore, nine more reflections on the analyses associated to the topic of the week will be noted. The reflection will be based on Kolb Model of Learning. The Kolb’s cycle is the procedure that expands ideas from the way of encounter. In most situations, the procedure is comprehended on the basis of the events. In this model, there is a circle of reflective observation that evolves to solid encounter of occurrences in abstract conceptualization (Moon 2013, p. 24). The figure below represents the Kolb’s cycle of learning. This case study’s information is obtained from the annual records of the Oticon company and personal conversation with Lars Kolind the initiator of spaghetti organization between the year 2010 and 2011 (Cattani 2011, p.68). Oticon is a Danish corporation that began in 1904 and specializes in behind the ear hearing aid devices. The project-based organization (PBO) change happened in the company in a big way. A project based organization process plays the function of reacting to the unknown environmental factors. The Oticon Company indicated this form of organization change through spaghetti organization (Cattani 2011, p.61).The spaghetti organization assisted the company to manage it in a particular time of industry unstableness. In addition, it assisted the managers in their quest for a better framework to arrange innovation inside the corporation. The spaghetti organization got tests on two

Changes To Be Considered Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Changes To Be Considered - Essay Example I know you are a very busy person too but I am requesting if we can extend the meeting to 16th if it is okay with you. We are ready to hear your ideas and discussion regarding the above issues when we meet. I am confident that your knowledge and expertise are critical to this company, and all the co-workers, me included hope to benefit under your supervision. I am sure that you are aware that this company, Tech-Shield, has done well and is continuing to well. This is due to the hard work that we put as workers in the company. For example, I gave three presentations last quarter, all of them around the same time. The report discussed key aspects of financial corporate liability because the quarterly profits of the company had declined. We discussed a loss of $200,000 and how to improve our performance. The presentation was candid, and we suggested a form of conservation to curb expenses with Tech-Shield by installing auto-sensors for the lights, encouraging ride-sharing programs, and introducing a day care to help address the expectation of longer hours. I have some ideas to help solve the problems that I listed above. Scheduling is always a challenge, but perhaps meetings that coordinate travel expectations and additional hours might benefit all and eliminate miscommunications. We could have flexible weeks, instead of fifty hours a week; we could have employees’ alternate hours for each week. Some employees who had more time on a particular week could work more hours on that particular week and then work less on the following week. This can benefit everyone. We could add more employees. We could inform all of the employees about the daycare facilities and promote them. We already have these facilities, so there would be only a negligible affect on the budget. We could be more efficient by not training people to do new jobs. I hope you will understand and appreciate all of these ideas. You can implement all, or at least some of them, to good use. I am

Reflective Report- Oticon the disorganised organisation Assignment

Reflective Report- Oticon the disorganised organisation - Assignment Example This research enabled Oticon to keep up with the pace of technology, as well as recognize customer’s demands and make the correct adjustments where required (Perlitz 2007, p.26). This case study is about Oticon that is undergoing or has undergone a change between the years 2010 and 2014. In addition, the essay will provide the description of the organization and industry in which the change happened, and the particular information. Moreover, it will give the environmental elements that impacted the change and chronology of the milestones. Furthermore, nine more reflections on the analyses associated to the topic of the week will be noted. The reflection will be based on Kolb Model of Learning. The Kolb’s cycle is the procedure that expands ideas from the way of encounter. In most situations, the procedure is comprehended on the basis of the events. In this model, there is a circle of reflective observation that evolves to solid encounter of occurrences in abstract conceptualization (Moon 2013, p. 24). The figure below represents the Kolb’s cycle of learning. This case study’s information is obtained from the annual records of the Oticon company and personal conversation with Lars Kolind the initiator of spaghetti organization between the year 2010 and 2011 (Cattani 2011, p.68). Oticon is a Danish corporation that began in 1904 and specializes in behind the ear hearing aid devices. The project-based organization (PBO) change happened in the company in a big way. A project based organization process plays the function of reacting to the unknown environmental factors. The Oticon Company indicated this form of organization change through spaghetti organization (Cattani 2011, p.61).The spaghetti organization assisted the company to manage it in a particular time of industry unstableness. In addition, it assisted the managers in their quest for a better framework to arrange innovation inside the corporation. The spaghetti organization got tests on two

Harlem Renaissance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Harlem Renaissance - Essay Example It brought to the forefront the cultural specifics of the black community in all possible spheres. In literature, Harlem Renaissance enriched poetry, fiction, drama and essay. In arts, the traditional and popular songs, dance forms and paintings exhibit a vibrancy characteristic of the Harlem spirit of the times. And politically, the founding of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the United Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) has brought the revolutionary ideas of W.E.B Du Bois and Marcus Garvey to good effect, which eventually led to appropriate representations and fortifications of the black community. 4. ‘Renaissance’ can literally means a rebirth or reawakening. The term is usually used to encompass a period that shows a renewed interest in art, literature or music. The Italian Renaissance of the 14th Century that focused mainly on painting led to a flowering of all forms of arts, literature and cultural artifacts in all Europe that lasted till the 16thy Century. In Harlem Renaissance, the interest in black tradition and art forms were evident. Moreover, it was a period when an abundance of artistic and literary products took birth and were circulated. 5. Harlem Renaissance works carried the general theme of a dual identity – of being an American and a black a colored individual at the same time. They explore the African-American identity with a lot of enthusiasm and optimism, since the racial prejudices were ameliorated at the time due to various reasons. The fact that there was scope for black arts at the specific environment gave the players of the movement great confidence and a sense of significance. The characteristic feature of the Renaissance is that it relied on the African heritage and tradition as much as it proclaimed the contemporary African-American existence and its accommodative, liberal spirit. New art forms like the Jazz did break away from traditions