Effects Of Rising Foreign Debt On Australia - 1237 Words

3.0 Positive and negative: While rising foreign debt is widely viewed as a concern, Glenn Stevens (2009) argues that it is not an issue since the imported capital is being used productively. This may be true to some extent however Australia has been in a significant amount of debt for a while. Although the investment benefits are substantial in Australia and we would be no where without the ability to borrow and accumulate debt, there are is much longer list of negatives linked to foreign debt. 3.1 Positives: i) Investments If foreign debt is accumulated through borrowing funds used to increase the development of industries or productive capacity it is considered a positive thing for the Australian economy, helping grow Australian†¦show more content†¦So to encourage investors the RBA would have to increase interest rates making borrowings more expensive, but because of the inverse relationship high interest rates has with demand in Australian economy it would also mean a slow in domestic income and consumption and consequently higher unemployment. (Foster, 2013) ii) Impacts on standards of living Eventually the debt has to be paid back, and when it does Australians income is diverted from consumption to servicing the debt. This means that luxuries that are classified as the basic standard of living for everyday Australian’s have to be foregone to be able pay taxes and the increased prices in everyday prices. In paying off debt the government has to raise revenue to service their public debt, this is usually done in increasing taxes which is why so many governments are hesitant to peruse this difficult issue. Or provided the return is high enough the profits from the investment should be enough to deliver to the shareholders. (Adkins, 2015) On the other hand the private sector must also repay investors or loans through maximising profits to service their liabilities, this is sometimes done by pushing the burden onto the customer or by cutting costs (job cuts). If that is not possible businesses or individuals go bankrupt are forced into liquidation. It is much more diff icult for the government or entire country to go bankrupt, as government could just sell more bonds or their citizens would

Comparing Barnes of The Sun Also Rises and Caraway of The...

Similarities Between Barnes of The Sun Also Rises and Caraway of The Great Gatsby Supported by Ten Quotes from Sun Also Rises, No quotes from Gatsby Jacob Barnes shares a personality quirk with Nick Caraway; both want to give the impression of being decent, honest men forced to endure the corruption and pettiness of those around them. â€Å"Whats not clear through most of The Sun Also Rises is whether or not Jake believes his own press†(Trilling, 34). Nick Caraway speaks openly of his integrity and then contradicts himself with his actions. Hemingway uses the contrast between Jakes descriptions of others and what is left unsaid to establish his superior morals. This leaves room to wonder about Jakes sincerity, but its not†¦show more content†¦His very cynicism comes off as a rough kind of honesty. This seems validated by his disclosure of his war injury and the implication that it has left him impotent. All thats needed now is a denied love interest: enter the Lady Brett Ashley amidst a crowd of chattering homosexual men. Brett joins Jake at t he bar and they take up the dance of advance, retreat and parry that is their relationship. Brett loves a good time and is not shy about pursuing her desires. Perhaps its unfortunate that she now desires Jake, but his very inaccessibility could be irresistable to her. Who wouldnt sympathize with Jake? His dilemma is agonizing and yet he maintains some dignity, most of the time anyway. When he cries in the night, [feeling] like hell again (Hemingway, 34), he is truly the victim of cruel fate, isnt he? When Cohn sees Brett, hes immediately in over his head or as Jake observes, He looked a great deal as his compatriot must have looked when he saw the promised land. Cohn, of course, was much younger. But he had that look of eager, deserving expectation. (Hemingway, 22) When the two men lunch together the next day, Cohn is mad to know more about Brett. Jake is brusque and dismissive about Brett, almost warning Cohn off. Theres a momentary stand-off as Cohn takes offense and Jake tells him to go to hell. Both back down and Cohn ends with youre really about the best friend I have, Jake; Jakes interior

Influence of Indigenous Culture in Sydney †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Influence of Indigenous Culture in Sydney. Answer: Introduction The following report is based on the study of the influence of indigenous culture on Sydney. A positive cultural identity provides an individual with a proper sense of belonging, purpose and social support in the community. This process may initiate at the time when there is an attachment to the cultural group where the values, belief systems and practices are shared and implemented by all the members present in the community. Australian aboriginal culture refers to a number of different practices and formal ceremonies that are practiced by a group of people who are believed to be the original and traditional inhabitants of the country. Therefore the culture of the aboriginals has a major impact on the lives of the population living in the country (Mooney et al. 2016). Sydney city in the state of Victoria acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres strait islander people as the custodians of the land. They were the first to inhabit the total continent. The Gadigal of the EORA nation are the traditional custodians of Sydney (Kelly and Rowse 2016). The authority that manages the cultural traditions of Sydney organizes different programs tthat includes a traditional performance by the aboriginals. The community groups, event producers as well as other organizers are encouraged to involve the traditional people to the welcome programs on different occasions (Fitzpatrick et al. 2017). The term traditional owners are used to describe the original people who stayed in the area for a long time. The aboriginals who exist today are the descendants of the earlier inhabitants and thus have a spiritual, cultural and physical connection with them. According to the census carried out by a popular company, there are around 17,252 aboriginals in the city of Sydney itself. The male population is more than 50% amongst the following whereas the female population stands at around 48.9%. There are more than 3000 families at present in the country and the number of private dwellings stands at more than 8500. The study clearly highlights the small figures of aboriginal population in the Australian city (Fitzpatrick et al. 2017). Most of the people are married amongst the population of the Torres Strait people and education has gradually taken the front seat in the last decade with a record number of aboriginal children and students being enrolled in primary and secondary schools. Apart from the school level education the students are also enrolling themselves for high school as well as colleges and universities. Sydney has a large number of people who speak different languages. Though English is the most common language but the presence of different people from different countries of the world have forced the people to learn different new languages. Amongst which Chinese, Thai, Indonesian and Korean languages are the most preferred ones. Most of the people are enrolled in full time employment whereas there are many who are employed as just part time workers. Train, bus and private cars are the most common forms of transport. However, train and buses are the main modes of transport for the aboriginals who bas ically belong either to the middle strata or the lower strata of the community. Indigenous Services Some of the indigenous services provided to the Torres Strait Islanders are; Development and implementation of the education system Development of different support programs for both the people as well as the students who pursue their career in the educational institutions Supporting the aboriginals in their choice of careers Development of platforms to display the cultural talents of the aboriginals Places of Significance Some of the main places of significance which displays a strong sense of Aboriginal Culture are; Yiribana Art gallery Bangarra Dance Theatre Boomalli Royal Botanic Gardens Waterloo Library Barangaroo Reserve Sydney Cove Key Members The entry of the aboriginals in Sydney region saw the entry of the Gadigal people in the following city. However the latest inhabitants are the Eora descendents of the city. At present there are about 29 different groups in the metropolitan area. This includes the Eora, the Guringai, the Dharawals as well as the Dharug people (Dobia and Roffey 2017). These key members form the backbone of the aboriginal community dwelling in Sydney. They are supported in different ways by the government as well as the local authority to help them mix with the community easily. Aboriginal Organizations in Sydney A number of different Aboriginal organizations are present in Sydney to protect the cause of these people. These organizations display the traditional heritage cultures of the aboriginal people (Wu PhD and Hsieh 2016).The Australian Aborigines Progressive Association is one such organization which operated in the city from the year 1924 till 1927 before being disbanded due to continuous police harassments. The Aboriginal Australian Fellowship operated for a brief period of 1956 to 1969 which was led by a latest generation of leaders like Pearl Gibbs, Faith Bandler and many more as such. Apart from this a number of educational institutions were specially established for the well being of the Aboriginals which helped in their development process. Tranby co-operative Aboriginal College is an example of one such college for the aboriginal population in Sydney. Apart from this the particular group of early inhabitants has also established themselves in other different areas like dancing a nd singing. One of the famous dance groups in Sydney is the Bangarra Dance Theatre. The following group uses dance, music and song to educate and entertain both local as well as international audiences. Conclusion The paper has established many unknown and detailed description of the aboriginals present in the city of Sydney. The study of the demographic qualities of the people has clearly highlighted the huge influence of aboriginal culture in the city of Sydney. The presence of a special status to these people is utmost necessary for their economic benefits which can happen only by the proper mix of their culture with the culture of other residents in the country. A thorough analysis of the following report will help the readers to get an idea about the aboriginals and their cultural characteristics in Australia. References Dobia, B. and Roffey, S., 2017. Respect for CultureSocial and Emotional Learning with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Youth. InSocial and Emotional Learning in Australia and the Asia-Pacific(pp. 313-334). Springer, Singapore. Fitzpatrick, E., Martiniuk, A., D'antoine, H., Oscar, J., Carter, M., Lawford, T., Macdonald, G., Hunter, C. and Elliott, E., 2017. Yarning with remote Aboriginal communities about seeking consent for research, culturally respectful community engagement and genuine research partnerships.Internal Medicine Journal,47(S3), pp.22-22. Kelly, M. and Rowse, T., 2016. One decade, two accounts: the Aboriginal Arts Board and'Aboriginal literature', 1973-1983.Australian Literary Studies,31(2). Mooney, J., Seaton, M., Kaur, G., Marsh, H.W. and Yeung, A.S., 2016. Cultural perspectives on Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australian students' school motivation and engagement.Contemporary Educational Psychology,47, pp.11-23. Perz, J.M., Ussher, J.M., Robinson, K.H., Parton, C.M., Metusela, C., Churruca, K. and Metusela, L., 2016. The Five Big Ideas Program Evaluation: An Examination of the Process and Efficacy of an Early Intervention Program for Aboriginal Pre-school Children, from the Perspective of Key Stakeholders: Teachers and Program Developers. Turner, G., Fiske, J. and Hodge, B., 2016.Myths of Oz: reading Australian popular culture. Routledge. Wu PhD, T.C.E. and Hsieh, Y.L., 2016. Seeking Serious TouristsBalancing Culture, Conservation and Economic Gains from Aboriginal Tourism. Yang, P., 2015. Appreciation of cultural diversity through translating Australian aboriginal culture: A project-based learning approach.

Contribution to the Patient as a Nurse-Free-Sample for Students

Question: Write a Reflection Essay on My Contribution to the Patient as a Nurse. Answer: As a nurse I want that my patients gets the best possible treatments, and I would always assure that I would try my best to go beyond any limits to provide the quality of care to the patient. I am dedicated as a nurse and I believe a dedicated nurse would provide care to the patient in any circumference, because this is the job that I am entitled with. I will offer my listening ear to whatever they say and would try to help them out in every possible way to see a better outcome. Like any other job this job will also pose challenges, but it is up to me, how I will deal with it. It becomes very difficult to see a person in pain or being limited in the extent I can comfort them, but the reality is that I am also bounded by some limits beyond which I cant extend my help. There are few qualities that a nurse should possess. One is the excellent communication skill with the patients. It is necessary to know what or how the patient is feeling or it is necessary to explain the pros and the cons of the disease to the patient and his family. To give a proper care I need to communicate and consult with the specialist (Cockell McSherry, 2012). Therefore I should possess excellent communication skills. In this job patience is the ultimate key to provide an efficient care to the patient. Some patients are just not happy with the type of care they are getting. It is my duty to listen to them patiently and then make sure that there is no valid complaint. Then I will try to reassure him that he is being given the perfect quality of care. All valid grievances of the patient and his family should be addressed properly (Engel Prentice, 2013). In this reflection essay I would like to introduce a case scenario of a patient and the quality of care I provided to the patient by using the 5 Rs of refection (McAllister, 2013). One I came across a girl, who was admitted into the community hospital for a week because of acute gastroenteritis. After the treatment she was being discharged from the hospital. After one day her mother observed that she was having difficulties in breathing and after a day she began spitting out green sputum. It was diagnosed that he has contracted with community acquired Pneumoia. A doctor can assess the patient and can prescribe medications and do the necessary treatment. But it is the role of a nurse to help the patients meet their needs including physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs. The child was crying out of pain; I consulted a doctor and provided macrolides and antitussives to give her some relief. I tried to divert her mind from the pain and tried to talk something else. Since she is a girl of just 9 years, she was feeling anxious and was scared of the procedures. I assured her and tried in my possible ways to draw out the fear from her. I provided her with oxygen as she was having respiratory distress. I ensured that she gets a proper care on my part. I took measures to improve the airway patency. I ensured that she takes enough fluids, placed her in the semi fowler position. I have learnt from the past clinical experiences that when we are dealing with children we should avoid the medical jargon. The words used have to be as simple as possible to get down to the level of the child. Before application of the planned treatment, it is important to make a personal relationship with the child (Hazinski, 2012). All these experiences has helped me to gain knowledge about, how to deal with such situations. Once I came across a heart patient who was just 2 years old and was going to have his first open heart surgery. The night before the surgery, I went to him with a bag of toys. It contained the tubes that would be used, hairnet that he would wear the next day. He was fascinated with his new toys instead of being afraid. All these activities have helped me to understand how to deal differently with different patients. When you are communicating with a child it is very difficult to explain her difficult situation (Hockenberry Wilson, 2014). Again we have to deal differently with an elderly person just as I have stated above. Thus it can be concluded that with the increased specialization in the field of health care, the type of care provided by the nurses are also getting diverse. The nurse always remains in the primary team of care because she always has the information about the patient as a whole. As a Nurse I would try to provide a holistic care of approach to the patient. I would try to support him spiritually, mentally and physically to get a better outcome. References Cockell, N., McSherry, W. (2012). Spiritual care in nursing: an overview of published international research.Journal of nursing management,20(8), 958-969. Engel, J., Prentice, D. (2013). The ethics of interprofessional collaboration.Nursing ethics,20(4), 426-435. Hazinski, M. F. (2012).Nursing Care of the Critically Ill Child-E-Book. Elsevier Health Sciences. Hockenberry, M. J., Wilson, D. (2014).Wong's Nursing Care of Infants and Children-E-Book. Elsevier Health Sciences. McAllister, L. (2013). Reflective Practice: The What, the Why and the How, of Reflection?.The ANZTLA EJournal, (7), 50-63. Stodd, J., James, M., James, A., Cowan, C. J., Tomlinson, M., Middleton, A., ... Team, L. EXPLORING REFLECTION IN THE SOCIAL AGE OF LEARNING.

Capitalism A Love Story A Reflective Paper

Outline The paper will start by giving an overall impression of the documentary, followed by an examination of what the documentary meant to me. This will be followed by an analysis of whether I agree with Moore’s message in the movie or not, and why. The conclusion will be a discussion on whether the movie has in any way changed my perception on capitalism. There will be included a bibliography page citing the resources used in the paper.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Capitalism: A Love Story: A Reflective Paper specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More If you cut out the drama, the people-bashing and the over-simplification of complex economic systems in Michael Moore’s documentary movie ‘Capitalism: a Love Story’, you can still find substance in there. Having had reviews to both extremes; with others claiming that Moore should have stopped making movies at ‘Roger and Me’, and t he other half exclaiming that it was an eye-opener, it was with mixed expectations that I watched the documentary. I admit it was at first difficult to follow the storyline, but by the middle of the movie, I could see clearly the point that Moore was trying to put across. Moore was presenting the social and economic inequalities that have been the result of decades of capitalism. He pointed out at institutions such as Wall Street and Goldman Sachs as being the major culprits (Dargis n.p). He argued that politics and the corporate world are too closely tied in America, and this undermines democratic practice. Who suffers for this? It is the small people, who, ironically make up 99% of the population and only own 5% of America’s wealth (Dargis n.p). A broad definition of capitalism is an economic system where business enterprises are privately owned while the rules and policies that run market conditions are determined by a central government (Bowles 5). After watching Mooreâ⠂¬â„¢s movie, I had to rethink my understanding on the benefits of capitalism. Capitalism, as it was argued for by its earliest advocates: Max, Smith and others in their league, is that it stimulates economic growth. This is generally accepted as fact to date. A more important but less considered question, is, who does the economic growth benefit. Or rather, what percentage of a population does capitalism benefit? Moore’s movie provides a clear answer for that; in America, which is considered one of the wealthiest nations in the world, 1% of the population own 95% of country’s resources (Gritten n.p). Is that not shocking? In a country that preaches constantly freedom, equality, democracy and human rights, something close to neo-slavery is being practiced. For in this materialistic age, are you not owned by the person who owns the material resources?Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OF F Learn More Democracy is hampered, as Moore illustrates, because the process of elections and voting has become compromised; the corporations contribute to the campaigns for those candidates who they feel will best serve their needs, the candidate with the biggest campaign stash wins the election (Dargis n.p). And the 1% remain at the top of the game, getting off lightly for crimes such as the ‘pheasant insurance’ or the 700 billion dollar tax write off awarded to sustain failing financial institutions after the most recent economic downturn (Dargis n.p). I agree with the movie to a large extent.The facts may be presented with some pomp and circumstance but they are still facts. Just because there are myriad facts involved in the foreclosure does not change the fact that a home in America is foreclosed every seven minutes (Gritten n.p). There are still thousands of people losing their jobs monthly, there are thousands more who cannot afford insurance cover. Mo ore is right in his message; there are a select few who have abused the American capitalistic system and made a ‘plutonomy’ out of the system (Dargis n.p). Conclusion The movie changes my view of capitalism in the sense of ‘unregulated capitalism’. Every social theory has its time, Karl Max evolved capitalism because the time was right for it, and the people, at that point in time, were ripe for the capitalistic revolution. But for every period in history there are systems that work, as well as others that simply do not. From Moore’s movie, I see that perhaps it is time that not only the U.S, but also the rest of the world, reviewed how capitalism is put to work. With or without the blaster in Moore’s movie, the cold, hard facts do not change that there is a gross imbalance in the distribution of resources, as was intended in the first place, and that perhaps, it is about time there was a post-capitalism revolution. Works Cited Bowles, Paul. C apitalism. London: Pearson Longman, 2007. Print. Dargis, Manohla. â€Å"Capitalism: A Love Story.† Movies.nytimes.com. 23 Sep 2009. Web.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Capitalism: A Love Story: A Reflective Paper specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Gritten, David. â€Å"Capitalism: A Love Story, Review.† Telegraph.co.uk. 25 Feb 2010. Web. This essay on Capitalism: A Love Story: A Reflective Paper was written and submitted by user General Hux to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

How to Build an SAT Study Plan 4 Sample Schedules

How to Build an SAT Study Plan 4 Sample Schedules SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips To do well on the SAT, you’ll need to have an SAT study plan. This plan tells you what, when, and how to prep for the SAT. It also helps you manage your time so that you’re not focusing too much (or too little) on certain topics and skills. In this guide, we give you four SAT study plans to choose from, based on your SAT score goals. Before we dive into those, though, let’s go over the benefits of having an SAT study schedule and the preliminary steps you'll need to take to get your SAT plan off the ground. Feature image: danyeela/Flickr What Are the Benefits of a Study Plan for SAT Prep? Everyone who takes the SAT should have a study plan. But what exactly can an SAT plan do for you? For one, an SAT study plan lets you balance your schedule so that you’re spending enough time prepping for the SAT but not overworking yourself.For example, if you’ve got two months until your test date, an SAT plan tells you how many hours per week you must study so that you’re prepping regularly but not squeezing in too many study hours each day. An SAT study schedule also tells you when and how to study the topics you must master to get a high score. If you're not sure where to start with algebra, for instance, a good plan will show you when and how to study all major algebraic concepts you need to know for the test. Likewise, an SAT plan should give you time to review and strengthen any content weaknesses you have. Finally, a solid SAT study schedule indicateswhether you’re improving. By studying consistently for several weeks or months, you’ll be able to determine whether your SAT score is in fact getting higher, as well as whether you’re getting more questions correct in your weaker areas. The easiest way to check your progress is to use official SAT practice tests(we'll tell you how to use these later). As you can see, an SAT studying schedule can greatly benefit you. With a plan, you’ll not only be able to manage your prep time better but will also be able to use your time more effectively to hone the skills and study the content areas you struggle with the most. What’s more, you can use your plan to help you track your progress and see whether you’re improving your likelihood of getting the SAT score you want. Getting Started on Your SAT Study Plan: 5 Preliminary Steps Don't jump into an SAT study schedule without a plan! These five preliminary steps will help you gather the info and materials you need to choose the right SAT plan for you. Step 1: Set a Target Score First and foremost, you'll need to set an SAT goal score. A goal score is the score most likely to get you into all of the schools you’re applying to. To get your goal score, you must find the 25th and 75th percentile SAT scores for each of your schools (excluding any safety schools). But what does these numbers mean? And where can you find them? The 25th and 75th percentile scores represent the middle 50 percent of scores for admitted applicants, or the average range of scores. A75th percentile score means you’re scoring higher than 75 percent of admitted applicants to a school, while a 25th percentile score means you're scoring higher than only 25 percent.The best way to keep track of your schools' SAT info is to make a chart (or downloadour pre-made chart). Once you've got a chart,get on Google and search for â€Å"[School Name] PrepScholar." Then, click the link to your school’s â€Å"Admission Requirements† page.On this page, you'll see a table listing your school's 25th and 75th percentile SAT scores. For example, here is the SAT score table for theUniversity of Hawaii at Manoa: Repeat this process for each of your schools until you’ve got all 25th and 75th percentile scores in your chart. Then,choose the highest 75th percentile score in your chart; this will be your SAT goal score sinceit’s the one most likely to get you into all of your schools. Let’s say I am applying to the University of Hawaii at Manoa, UC Davis, the University of Oregon, and the University of Washington. Of these schools, the highest 75th percentile score is 1420 (for the University of Washington). This means my SAT goal score would be 1420. Step 2: Find Your Baseline Score The next step is to get your baseline score. This score is essentially your starting point; it’s the score you’d get on the SAT at this very moment, without any prep. To find your baseline score, take an official SAT practice test. Official tests are the best resources for getting a baseline since they’re the most similar to the SAT.As you take your practice test, try to recreate real testing conditions as closely as possible: take it in a quiet room, usean SAT-approved calculator, and follow the official section time limits. Once you finish, use your test’s scoring guide to calculate your scores for each section as well as overall (out of 1600). Your total score- that is, your Math and Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW) scores combined- will be your baseline score.So ifI earned a 630 on Math and a 600 on EBRW, my baseline score would be 1230. Your baseline score is your starting point in SAT prep. Step 3: Calculate How Many Hours You’ll Need to Study Next, use the info you got in steps 1 and 2 to calculate the approximate number of hours you’ll need to studyto raise your current score to your target score.To do this, subtract your baseline score from your goal score. Then, match the difference you get to the numbers below to see how many total hours you'll need to prep for the SAT: 0-30 point improvement: 10 hours 30-70 point improvement: 20 hours 70-130 point improvement: 40 hours 130-200 point improvement: 80 hours 200-330 point improvement: 150 hours+ As you can see, the bigger the point increase you want, the more hours you’ll need to study. In my example from steps 1 and 2, my goal score was 1420 andmy baseline score was 1230. The difference between these two scores is 190 points. Using the conversions above, I find that 190 points translates to about 80 study hours. Step 4: Choose a Test Date When taking the SAT, always choose a test date that: Gives you ample time to prepare for the exam Fits well with your schedule Ensures your scores will get to your schools in time Let's look at time first. The amount of time you’ll need for SAT prep will vary depending on your baseline and goal scores.Simply put, the more hours you need to study, the more time you should give yourself before your test date. Generally, anywhere from three to six months of study time should be enough. However, you might find you have less (e.g., a month) or more (e.g., a year) time than this. In any case, try to find a time frame that lets you easily fit in the total number of hours you need to study. Secondly, pick a date that works well with any obligations or commitments you have (personal, school, or otherwise). For example, if you’re starring in a school play in April, a spring SAT probably wouldn’t work as well for you as a summer or fall SAT would. Lastly, if you’re taking the SAT as a senior, choose a date that's guaranteed to get your scores to your schools before yourcollege application deadlines. If your scores arrive after the deadlines, your application could get disqualified. In general, seniors (who aren’t applying early actionor early decision) should be safe with all fall test dates and likely the December test date- but not anything later! Step 5: Gather Study Materials It's important to gather all of your study materials before you begin prepping for the SAT. This way you won’t waste any study time trying to find resources you can use. Official SAT resources are by far the best ones to use.Luckily, the College Board has released many free prep materials online. Here's what we recommend using in your prep: Official SAT practice tests:These full-length tests are exactly like the real SAT in terms of structure and overall content. They're the closest you can get to taking the SAT without actually taking it! Official practice questions: You can accesstons of practice questions for all SAT sections through the College Board website. Each question comes with a question difficulty and detailed answer explanation to help you understand how to find the right answer. The Official SAT Study Guide: This is the official SAT prep book, covering everything you need to know about the format of the exam, what's on it, and how to study for it. There are also plenty of sample questions you can work through. The best part is that the College Board has uploaded the entirety of the book to its website, making it entirely free to download! Khan Academy:A free partner website with the College Board, Khan Academy offers thousands of official practice questions, answer explanations, and video lessons for the SAT. Furthermore, there are many high-quality, unofficial SAT resources you can buy. Our guide to the best SAT prep books offers a look at which prep books are worth investing in. As a reminder, always be a little pickier with unofficial resources since many are low quality and don’t contain realistic SAT practice questions. We give each of our four SAT study plans four stars. Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free, SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today! 4 SAT Study Plan Options for You to Choose From Now that you’ve finished all preliminary steps for your SAT plan, it’s time to find the plan that’s right for you. Below, we give you four SAT study plans to choose from. These plans differ in both length of time (e.g., one month, three months, etc.) and intensity (that is, the total number of hours you’ll need to study per week). Each SAT study plan gives you an overview of what to study for the week and comes with suggested time frames.These guidelines tell you (approximately) how much time you should spend on each activity. That said, you are welcome to tweak them if you feel you need more or less time with a certain topic. Remember, a good SAT prep plan willadapt tofit your needs. If you're stronger at math and want more study time for Reading and Writing, it's OK to replace some of your Math prep time with Reading and Writing prep. Just know that by changing content focuses or time frames, you'll likely need to shift other days' topics or make up for missed time on other days. Ultimately, what's most important is that you're getting in the total number of study hours you need. Now, let's take a look at our study plans. We offer the following four programs: A three-month program of medium intensity (80 hours) A three-month program of low intensity (40 hours) A six-month program of medium intensity (150 hours) A one-month program of high intensity (40 hours) SAT Study Plan 1: 3-Month Program, Medium Intensity This moderate, three-month SAT plan aims to get you as many as200 pointson test day. To reach this goal, you'll need to study a total of 80 hours, or six and a halfhours per week.Since you'll be spending several hours a week prepping, this SAT plan is best if you're studying over the summer and taking the SAT in the fall. As with any plan, you may spread out your hours however you like each week. Those studying in the summer should try to prep fairly regularly- two or three days a week is ideal. On the other hand, if you’re currently in school, it may be easier to study mostly on weekends. In the end, just do what works best for you! To be successful, always start with the foundation. Month 1: The Basics This month is all about familiarizing yourself with the SAT's structure and content. Week 1: Get to Know the SAT 1. Take a practice test to get your baseline score. If you haven’t taken an official SAT practice test yet, use this time to take one and get your baseline score. Try to take the test in a quiet room without distractions so that you’re getting an accurate representation of your current SAT abilities. Suggested Time: 4 hrs 2. Score your test and analyze your results.Calculate your baseline score and take some time to see what kinds of questions and content areas you struggled with on the test. Suggested Time: 1 hr 3. Learn the format of the exam. To do well on the SAT, you’ll need to understand the format of the test, including what kinds of concepts it tests and how these concepts are given as questions. Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs Week 2: Focus on Reading 1. Learn the Reading test format. Know what kinds of passages and questions there will be and how much time you’ll get. Suggested Time: 2.5 hrs 2. Figure out the best passage-reading strategy for you. Take a couple of Reading practice tests (you can use official practice tests) to test out different reading strategies. When finished, choose the strategy that gave you the highest score. Suggested Time: 2.5 hrs 3. Try out Reading practice questions with the strategy you’ve chosen. Put your strategy to the test and aim to get better at it the more you use it. Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs Week 3: Switch to Writing Language 1. Learn the Writing and Language test format. Understand how it’s different from Reading, what kinds of questions it asks, and what sorts of grammar and stylistic rules you’ll need to know. Suggested Time: 2 hrs 2. Review core English grammar topics and punctuation rules.Go over standard English conventions and familiarize yourself with the kinds of errors you’ll see on the SAT. Suggested Time: 2.5 hrs 3. Find the best passage-reading strategy for you. This strategy might differ from the one you use for the Reading section. To figure out which one you like most, take some Writing practice tests, using a different strategy each time. Stick with the one that gives you the highest score. Suggested Time: 2 hrs Week 4: Move Toward Math 1. Learn the Math test format. Understand the differences between the No Calculator and Calculator subsections as well as the differences between multiple-choice questions and student-produced responses. Suggested Time: 2 hrs 2. Review basic math concepts. Start by reading our guide to integers andour advanced guide to integers. Then, check out our fundamental guide to fractions, ratios, and proportions. Suggested Time: 2 hrs 3. Go over major algebraic concepts, including: Linear functions Single-variable equations Systems of linear equations Algebra plays a key part on SAT Math, so you’ll need to know what it is and how it looks on the SAT. Suggested Time: 2.5 hrs You can't do well on the SAT without strategy. Month 2: Strategies For this month, you'll study additional concepts you need to know and learn basic test-taking strategies that'll help you attack questions effectively on test day. Week 5: Learn More Math 1. Get to know other SAT Math concepts, specifically those in the realms ofadvanced math and problem solving and data analysis. Topics include: Statistics Reading data tables, bar graphs, histograms, and scatterplots Quadratic and nonlinear functions and equations Exponential functions and equations Polynomials Coordinate geometry (points, lines and slopes, etc.) Plane and solid geometry (lines and angles, polygons, solid geometry, etc.) Trigonometry Suggested Time: 2.5 hrs 2. Memorize important formulas.Get down the main formulas for SAT Math. Suggested Time: 1 hr 3. Practice SAT Math questions and drill difficult topics. As you practice, check your answers and analyze your mistakes so that you can see which concepts you need to study more. Suggested Time: 3 hrs Week 6: Start Strategizing 1. Learn key SAT Math strategies, including plugging in answers and plugging in numbers. In addition, learn how to pace yourself and practice guessing strategically on Math. Suggested Time: 2.5 hrs 2. Learn key SAT Reading strategiesand Writing tips. Understand what to look for in different question types and how to rule out incorrect answer choices. Also, study possiblevocabulary words. Suggested Time: 2.5 hrs 3. Practice Math, Reading, and Writing questions. Put your strategies to the test with realistic practice questions for each section of the exam. Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs Week 7: Check Your Progress 1. Take an official practice test. You'll use this score to see how much you’ve improved since your baseline test.As always, try to recreate a real SAT-testing environment as you take the test. Suggested Time: 4 hrs 2. Score your practice test and determine your weaknesses. Look at your results to get a clearer idea of what you’ve improved and what you’re still struggling with. Over the next month, you'll primarily study the weaknesses you find in this test. Suggested Time: 2.5 hrs Week 8: Hone Your Essay-Writing Skills 1. If you’re planning on taking the optional SAT Essay, use this time to go over the basic format of the essay.Understand what kind of writing you'll need to do and how long your essay should be. Suggested Time: 2 hrs 2. Readofficial practice SAT Essay prompts.This will give you a broad idea of the kinds of topics you might see on test day. Learn how prompts are usually worded and look at sample responses, too. Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs 3. Write a few practice essays.Once finished, grade yourself using the official SAT Essay rubric. You can also get another person to grade your essays and offer suggestions for improvement. Suggested Time: 3 hrs Test day is coming up, which means it's time to start reviewing. Month 3: Review Practice Almost done! In this last month, you’ll focus mainly on reviewing and practicing what you've already studied. This means there will be no new content to learn. Week 9: Strengthen Your Weaknesses 1. Use high-quality practice questions to drill any major weaknesses you still have. For example, if you’re struggling to get trig questions right, review the basic concepts you need to know and test yourself with more trig questions. Suggested Time: 6.5 hrs Week 10: Check Your Progress 1. Take your third and final practice test.This will give you a last-minute look at what kinds of weaknesses you still have at this point. Suggested Time: 4 hrs 2. Score your test and closely analyze your results. Are there any areas you really need to improve these next two weeks? What confuses you or eats up your time? Learn what's holding you back and then attack it head-on. Suggested Time: 2.5 hrs Week : Practice Still-Difficult Concepts 1. Spend all of your time reviewing and practicing difficult concepts.Use practice questions to try out what you've learned and to ensure you’re making progress on the concepts you struggle with the most. Suggested Time: 6.5 hrs Week 12: Review as Needed 1. Keep reviewing concepts or strategies you still need to work on- but don’t overdo it. This week should feel more relaxed than other weeks. As you study, focus on staying calm and confident. Don’t study the day before the test or the day of your test; you’ll need this time to give your brain a break and calm your nerves. Suggested Time: 6.5 hrs (with 0 hrs on test day and the day before the test) SAT Study Plan 2: 3-Month Program, Low Intensity Compared to the plan above, this SAT schedule is slightly more relaxed and instead targets those looking to make smaller gains- anywhere from 70 to 130 points. With this plan, you’ll study a total of 40 hours, or only about three and a half hours per week. This plan is ideal for those studying for the SAT during the school year, though you can also use it during the summer. If you're any having trouble finding time to prep during the week, try opting for Saturdays and Sundays. You need to go back to the basics if you want to do well on the SAT. Month 1: The Basics This month familiarizes you with all of the main parts of the SAT, including how it’s structured, how it’s scored, and what kinds of Reading and Writing content you’ll need to know. Week 1: Find Your Baseline Score 1. Take a practice test and score it.Although this test will likely exceed your weekly number of study hours, it’s important to get it done so you can see where you’re currently scoring. Once you finish the test, score it to get your baseline SAT score. Suggested Time: 4 hrs Week 2: Get to Know the SAT Format 1. Analyze your baseline test’s answers from the previous week. Just getting your baseline score doesn’t illuminate your weaknesses and strengths. Take some time to go over each of the answers on your practice test, and see if you can re-solve any questions you missed without relying on the answer explanations. Suggested Time: 2 hrs 2. Learn the format of the exam. You need to understand the format of the SAT to know how to attack it on test day. This means getting to know the question types, what kinds of topics are tested, and how the sections are arranged. Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs Week 3: Focus on Reading 1. Learn the Reading test format. Go over the different kinds of passages and question types on SAT Reading. Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs 2. Figure out the best passage-reading strategy for you.Try out different strategies with a variety of Reading passages and question sets. Give yourself 13 minutes to get through each passage and question set. Once finished, calculate the number of questions you answered correctly to determine which strategy gave you the highest score. Suggested Time: 1 hr 3. Practice answeringReading questions with the strategy you’ve chosen. You’ll need to understand how your passage-reading strategy works and how you can use it effectively on test day. Suggested Time: 1 hr Week 4: Switch to Writing Language 1. Learn the Writing and Language test format. Go over the basics of what’s on this section, how it differs from Reading, and what kinds of passages and questions it has. Suggested Time: 1 hr 2. Review core English grammar topics and punctuation rules. SAT Writing is all about channeling your inner editor, so be sure to familiarize yourself with all of the major grammar and punctuation topics tested. Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs 3. Practice the graf-by-graf method for reading passages. This method is the best one out there for Writing section passages, so be sure to try it out on a couple of SAT passages to get a feel for how it works. Suggested Time: 1 hr Time to get calculating! Month 2: Math Strategies Next up, you’ll get to know the SAT Math section, what it tests, and how to strategize for it. You’ll also learn key Reading and Writing strategies. Week 5: Move Toward Math 1. Learn the Math test format. Know what kinds of question types and math topics to expect. Also, understand the difference between regular multiple-choice questions and student-produced responses, or grid-ins. Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs 2. Review basic math concepts. You must have a basic knowledge of integers (make sure to also read our advanced guide to integers) as well asfractions, ratios, and proportions. Suggested Time: 2 hrs Week 6: Learn More Math 1. Go over common algebraic concepts, such as linear functions, single-variable equations, and systems of linear equations. Since algebra plays a huge part on the Math section, you’ll need to understand how it's tested and how to solve these types of problems. Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs 2. Review other major math concepts, mainlyadvanced math and problem solving and data analysis. Additional topics you should know include the following: Statistics How to read data tables, bar graphs, histograms, and scatterplots Quadratic and nonlinear functions and equations Exponential functions and equations Polynomials Coordinate geometry (points, lines and slopes, etc.) Plane and solid geometry (lines and angles, polygons, solid geometry, etc.) Trigonometry Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs 3. Memorize important SAT Math formulas.Focus primarily on the formulas you won't get to see on test day (though it’s a good idea to memorize all of them!). Suggested Time: 30 mins Week 7: Practice Reading Writing 1. Learn key SAT Reading strategiesand Writing tips.Specifically, you should know how to answer different question types and how to rule out an incorrect answer. Suggested Time: 1 hr 2. Practice SAT Reading and Writing questions. Drill Reading and Writing questions until you’re comfortable with your passage-reading strategies. If you have extra time, learn some of the most common SAT vocabulary words, too. Suggested Time: 2.5 hrs Week 8: Practice Math 1. Learn key SAT Math strategies. These include plugging in answers, plugging in numbers, and the process of elimination. Suggested Time: 1 hr 2. Practice SAT Math questions. Test out the strategies you’ve learned and try to drill questions on topics you struggle with. Use the correct answers to guide your thinking if you’re having trouble understanding how to solve something. Suggested Time: 2.5 hrs You won't get the SAT score you want if you don't practice, practice, practice. Month 3: Review Practice This month is all about making sure you understand the major concepts tested on the SAT. Week 9: Check Your Progress 1. Take an official practice test. Make sure to recreate a real testing environment as closely as possible. When finished, score your test to see how much you’ve improved since your baseline test. Suggested Time: 4 hrs Week 10: Strengthen Your Weaknesses 1. Use high-quality practice questions to drill any major weaknesses you still have at this point. For example, if you don’t understand how to answer big-picture questions on Reading or coordinate geometry questions on Math, focus on getting those concepts down pat. Suggested Time: 3.5 hrs Week : Practice Still-Difficult Concepts 1. Spend time reviewing difficult concepts until you can correctly answer practice questions on these topics. Keep using the strategies you’ve learned and review any other topics as needed, such as vocabulary words, formulas, etc. Suggested Time: 3.5 hrs Week 12: Review as Needed 1. Continue going over any topics you still need to study before test day- but don't overdo it. Your goal now is to feel calm and confident on test day. Keep reviewing any topics, question types, etc., you struggle with and then relax the day before test day. Suggested Time: 3.5 hrs (with 0 hrs on test day and the day before the test) You'll know you're almost done with this next SAT plan when these kittens are nearly full-grown cats. SAT Study Plan 3: 6-Month Program, Medium Intensity For this medium-intensity plan, you’ll study 150 hours over the course of six months- that’s six or six and a half hours per week. This plan can give you a maximum score increase of 330 points. So if your baseline score is far from your goal score, this is a perfect plan for you! I highly recommend this plan to high-achieving sophomores, as it gives you a head start on SAT prep and dramatically raises your potential to get a high score on your first SAT attempt (which should ideally be in the fall of your junior year). Juniors can benefit from this plan, too, by using it to prepare for a spring or early summer SAT. What's especially great is that you can spread out your study sessions across the school year, helping you to avoid overwhelming yourself with school work and test prep. Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Month 1 Find Your Baseline Score Take an official practice test (4 hrs) Score your test to determine your weaknesses (2.5 hrs) Understand Structure Learn the SAT format (3 hrs) Learn the Reading test format (3 hrs) Understand Structure Learn the Writing and Language test format (3 hrs) Learn the Math test format (3 hrs) Learn How to Read Find your preferred passage-reading strategy for Reading (2.5 hrs) Find your preferred passage-reading strategy for Writing (2 hrs) Study vocabulary (2 hrs) Month 2 Learn Math Content Review basic math topics and formulas (3 hrs) Build algebra foundation (3.5 hrs) Learn EBRW Content Review English grammar and punctuation topics (3 hrs) Build reading comprehension knowledge (3 hrs) Learn More Math Content Build problem solving and data analysis foundation (3 hrs) Build advanced math foundation (3 hrs) Check Your Progress Take a practice test (4 hrs) Score the test and review your answers (2.5 hrs) Month 3 Learn EBRW Strategy Learn how to eliminate wrong answer choices and practice (3 hrs) Practice other EBRW strategies (3 hrs) Learn Math Content Strategy Build additional topics foundation (2.5 hrs) Practice plugging in answers and numbers (2.5 hrs) Practice other Math strategies (1.5 hrs) Focus on Your Weaknesses Practice Math and EBRW topics and question types you struggle with (6 hrs) Check Your Progress Take a practice test (4 hrs) Score the test and review your answers (2.5 hrs) Month 4 Review Practice Practice Math and EBRW topics and question types you struggle with (6 hrs) Learn the Essay Format Learn the Essay format (2 hrs) Practice writing essays (4 hrs) Review Practice Practice Math and EBRW topics and question types you struggle with (6.5 hrs) Check Your Progress Take a practice test (4 hrs) Score the test and review your answers (2.5 hrs) Month 5 Review Needed Math Concepts Review any Math topics you’re still struggling with based on your practice test results (6.5 hrs) Review Needed Reading Concepts Review any Reading topics you’re still struggling with based on your practice test results (6 hrs) Review Needed Writing Concepts Review any Writing topics you’re still struggling with based on your practice test results (6 hrs) Check Your Progress Take a practice test (4 hrs) Score the test and review your answers (2.5 hrs) Month 6 Review Needed Concepts Review any Math or EBRW topics you’re still struggling with based on your practice test results (6.5 hrs) Review Needed Concepts Review any Math or EBRW topics you’re still struggling with based on your practice test results (6 hrs) Check Your Progress Take a practice test (4 hrs) Score the test and review your answers (2.5 hrs) Prep Lightly Review Practice any topics or question types you want to review and get some rest before test day (6 hrs) SAT Study Plan 4: 1-Month Program, High Intensity For this quick, high-intensity plan, you’ll spend 40 total hours, or 10 hours a week, studying for the SAT. By the end, you'll be able to raise your baseline score by up to 130 points. In order for this plan to work, however, you must be willing to put in the time and effort to study each week. One month isn’t a whole lot of study time, especially if you’re trying to make gains of more than 100 points, but it’s certainly doable if you know how to use your time wisely. For more tips on studying for the SAT in a month, check out our step-by-step guide. Week 1: Study Structure 1. Take a practice test.First and foremost, you’ll need to have a baseline score. Make sure to take the test in a quiet room without distractions. Suggested Time: 4 hrs 2. Score your test and analyze your results. To figure out what areas you struggle with the most, look closely for any patterns in your mistakes. Suggested Time: 1 hr 3. Learn the SAT format. Go over what’s tested, all question types, and how it’s scored. Suggested Time: 2 hrs 4. Learn theReading test format.Get a feel for what the Reading section tests and what kinds of passages it contains. Suggested Time: 1 hr 5. Learn theWriting and Language test format. Get to know the Writing section by learning how it differs from Reading and what kinds of passages it includes. Suggested Time: 1 hr 6. Learn theMath test format. Familiarize yourself with the topics it tests, its No Calculator and Calculator sections, and the differences between multiple-choice questions and grid-ins. Suggested Time: 1 hr Make sure you understand the structure before focusing on content. Week 2: Concentrate on Key Content 1. Reviewcore English grammar topics andpunctuation rules. You’ll need to know a variety of grammar rules for the Writing section, so memorizing these is critical for a high Writing score. Suggested Time: 2 hrs 2. Review and practice core math concepts. These include the following: Integers (we also have an advanced guide to integers) Fractions, ratios, and proportions Algebra (linear functions, inequalities, equations, systems of equations) Advanced math (nonlinear functions, polynomials) Problem solving and data analysis (statistics, how to read graphs) Suggested Time: 5 hrs 3. Memorizeimportant SAT Math formulas. Knowing these formulas will give you a leg up on test day. Suggested Time: 1 hr 4. Choose and practice a passage-reading strategy for Reading. To choose one, practice different strategies using official SAT Reading tests. The one that gives you the highest score is the one you should use on test day. Suggested Time: 2 hrs Week 3: Strategize Check Your Progress 1. Practice thegraf-by-graf method for reading passages on SAT Writing. This is the best strategy for Writing passages since it is less time consuming than others and easy to learn. Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs 2. Learn key Math, Reading, and Writing strategies.For Math, the best ones to know are how to plug in answers and how toplug in numbers. For Reading and Writing, learn how to eliminate incorrect answer choicesand when to choose â€Å"No Error.† Suggested Time: 4 hrs 3. Check your progress by taking a practice test.Once finished, calculate your score to see how much you’ve improved since your baseline test and to determine where your weaknesses lie. Suggested Time: 4.5 hrs Week 4: Review Practice 1. Go over any SAT topics, question types, or strategies you want to practice more. You’ll need to get down the most important concepts if you hope to do well on test day, so focus on any glaring weaknesses you still have. Don’t study the day before the test, though, as you should take some time to rest your brain a bit! Suggested Time: 10 hrs What to Remember When Choosing an SAT Study Plan Before choosing an SAT schedule, set a target score, take a baseline practice test, choose a test date, and gather all of the materials you'll need for your prep. This will help you find an SAT study schedule that's perfect for you and your goals. But which plan will work well for you? In short, the best SAT study plan for you is the one that'll help you reach your goal score on test day. As you consider what plans might work for you, keep the following points in mind: Consider your obligations. Choose a study plan that doesn’t interfere with any major commitments you have. For example, if you have sports practice every day after school, opt for a plan that lets you get in all of your prep hours over the weekend. Stick to a regular schedule. The plan you select will be most effective if you stick to a regular schedule each week. This means you should try to study on the same days each week and for the same number of hours. Customize your plan- but don’t forgo critical steps. We encourage you to tweak our SAT plans to better fit your study needs. However, you should still follow the general order of steps we’ve given you so that you don’t skip crucial information or practice. Don’t overwhelm yourself. Study plans can be heavy, but they should still be doable. Don’t choose a plan that’ll require you to pull all-nighters every week- exhausting yourself won't get you the score you want! With that, I wish you the best of luck with your SAT study plan! What’s Next? Want more guidance on SAT study plans?Get tips on how long you should study for the SAT and learn how many times you should take the SAT. Looking to get a perfect 1600?Read our expert guide to getting a perfect SAT score, written by a real full scorer! Taking the ACT?We've got a separate guide to help you come up with your own ACT study plan today (coming soon)! Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points?We have the industry's leading SAT prep program. Built by Harvard grads and SAT full scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so you get the most effective prep possible. Check out our 5-day free trial today:

Summary of chapter 6 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

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NIKE Co Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

NIKE Co - Research Paper Example They gain a better work-related understanding of their own behavior and that of others hence, motivate, influence, and to succeed. Nike Company is dynamic in that it obtains raw materials from the environment and processes them into finished goods or services that are returned as outputs to the environment. From finished goods and services, Customers create a continuing demand of Nike Company products resulting to a circle known as a value chain (Nelson, Debra & James 25). How Nike Company Functions Organizational structure of Nike Company is centered in managers and their team leaders who foresee efficient running of the company. Their nature of managerial work revolves around planning, organizing, leading and controlling. They execute informational, interpersonal and decisional roles. Informational roles is whereby a manager exchanges and processes information through team leaders and also liaise with the employees in decision making for the betterment of the company. Effective man agers must integrate technical, human and conceptual skills. As well they must be sensitive to workforce dynamics while consistently adapting to their environment and understand broad applications of technology, focus on quality and customer service. In Nike Company, emphasis on managing emotions both personally and in relationships with others, is considered an important leadership competency since a manager’s emotional intelligence contributes significantly to their leadership effectiveness (Nelson et al. 30-5). Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and deal with emotions such as self-regulation, relationship management and self-awareness. Positive organizational cultures in this Company tap the talents, ideas of employees, and their potential creativity. Therefore it makes the organization a better employer and helps it to effectively compete more in the job market. Diversity programs in Nike Company includes; emphasis on recruitment, selection, and retention of potential employees who provide a basis for more effective job satisfaction and productivity. In order to accomplish the diversity management in Nike Company, all levels of management in the company must be committed across all functions of the organization in order to get the best from the company. Diversity therefore, promotes creativity and innovation, social responsibility, reduced legal noncompliance costs and appreciating differences /value of inclusion. The mission statement of Nike Company describes and helps focus on the attention on the company’s core purpose, vision and future aspiration in a way that inspires commitment, innovation, emotion, and courage (Nelson et al. 45-6). Attitudes and Job Satisfaction in Nike Company Attitudes play an important role in employees work output in Nike Company. Managers should therefore be interested in their employees’ attitudes since attitudes give warnings of potential problems and influence behavior. If managers in Nike Company can improve employee attitudes, it will likely result in heightened growth of the company’s effectiveness. The key managerial goal in Nike Company is the employee’s job satisfaction. This is assessed through managerial observation and interpretation of employee’s attitudes and behavior by use of job satisfaction interviews and administering of

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Childhood obesity - Research Paper Example The obesity trends is rising day by day, and all that does emanate from the imbalance in the caloric content consumption. The trend has had detrimental effect to the children, exposing them to cardiovascular diseases, cancer and diabetes. The essay will expound childhood obesity with relation to classification, causes, effects and preventive measures. Obesity is determined by use of BMI in children who are two years or older. The center for disease control and prevention has come up with the acceptable body mass index from that that needs medical attention. A BMI of 18 to 24 is classified as a standard body mass index with 25 to 29 being overweight. Obesity sets in when ones weight and height ratio goes beyond 30. On the other hand, a BMI of less than 18 is classified as underweight as well (Anderson and Butcher). However, the United States preventive task force confirmed that high BMI can identify a health problem but does not mean that all children need to lose weight. The prevalence  of obesity in  childhood  is increasing in the world with the current estimates being in 42 million cases of overweight children (International Obesity Taskforce). According to (Force), the number of obese children has doubled from the ones in 1980 in all countries of North America that include Mexico, the United States, and Canada. Even though there is a decreased rate of childhood obesity development in the United States, the prevalence still remains high at 32.8 percent among children of age 6 to 11 years old, and 18 percent of the children with the age brackets of 6 to 9 years old (UniMelb Obesity Consortium). A myriad of factors often act in combination hence leading to the development of obesity among children. The mixture of elements that can result in the development of obese are termed as obesogenic in medical terms. One of the greatest risks of the child developing obesity is a situation whereby the parents to are suffering from the same condition. This can

The History Of Education

The History Of Education Education is one of the most important aspects of society and benefits the individual and society as a whole. It benefits society through economical, political and cultural means. But what has to be assessed is whether the aim of education is to benefit each individual, whether it is to further the development and production in society, or whether it is to do both, but in a fair and equal manner without causing separations and problems within society. Modern day society is ever expanding and globalization, which Coatsworth says is where the movement of people, goods or ideas among countries and regions accelerates, increasing. This then results in the world requiring a global workplace of people working for TNCs (Trans-National Corporations) across multiple continents in order to create the biggest amount of profit and spread of goods. Whether globalization is a good thing is one question but what is central, is whether education needs to be transformed to prepare children for this e ver developing market. Arguably, there are many different purposes of education. The Functionalist view is that education unifies and stabilizes society, it benefits society as a whole and is based on a meritocratic system. Education contributes towards social cohesion through shared experiences and a common curriculum. The expansion of education, for Functionalists, is directly linked to the requirements of industrial production. Therefore, the essential purpose of education for Functionalism is to keep society going by creating workers and people who can benefit society economically. The Functionalist belief is that each individual childs achievement is based on how hard the individual works (meritocracy) and whether they want to achieve highly. This is a very positive view of education but unfortunately, Functionalism fails to notice any negatives within society and education. It fails to recognize any exterior or genetic factors that can affect a childs achievement within education such as poverty, gen der or ethnicity. Karl Marx would argue that the purpose of education is to reproduce inequality and social hierarchy (keep the rich, rich and the poor, poor). What Marx says is that children are being labelled in school according to their social class and then the education system makes sure they are kept in that class to produce low-skilled workers and manual labourers for means of production within society. The bourgeoisie has torn away from the family its sentimental veil, and has reduced the family relation into a mere money relation (Marx, 1848). Making profit is more important to the capitalist society than the effective development and education of our future generations. One of the ways children could be kept in their social class within education is through language. Basil Bernstein said that humans use a restricted and elaborated language code depending on what social situation they find themselves in and with which types of people. The Restricted code is a simple understanding of language used with family and friends whilst the elaborated code is more abstract and complex and would be more commonly used within institutions. Bernsteins research found that working-class children had access to the restricted code whereas middle-class children had access to both the restricted and the elaborated code. It is the dominant use of the elaborated code within education though, that is disadvantaging working class children by affecting their understanding and ultimately resulting in lower achievement from them.(Bernstein, 1977). Marxism would argue that social class is based on the possession of means of production but in the modern day society class is based upon knowledge and wealth. Capitalism has created a society where knowledge creates wealth and power. Overall, the Marxist view would be that education is already preparing children for the global workplace by reproducing inequality and manual labourers who will be underpaid and mistreated in the workplace so that Trans-Na tional Corporations can make the biggest profits; whilst the middle class children shall become the management of the companies and the hierarchy shall be present in the global workplace as it was in school. Webers Interactionist theory examines how individuals and groups create patterns of behaviour which shape the systems. Beckers labelling theory explains how if a teacher labels a pupil negatively in school then a pupil will go on to fulfil that label. Labelling is an effect of the characteristics of a pupil on a teachers views of the student. If a child is labelled in school by a class teacher because they appear scruffy or lazy, this can be down to relative poverty in the home which could cause the child to be frequently tired and without the necessary resources to assist their learning. This can result in a teacher labelling a pupil as lazy, unenthusiastic or simply unwilling to learn, which then goes on to affect the childs achievement within school and possibly even later life. Labelling is potentially a major factor in working class children going on to perform manual labour jobs, making up the majority of a national and global workforce and remaining in their social class. Marx ism would maintain this is true and would state that this is the sole aim for the education system, to produce a global workforce that can benefit society economically. The world is in a transformation that means there is no longer a clear distinction between international and domestic, external and internal affairs (Rosenau, 1990). This statement by Rosenau explains how the world through modernisation is now merged into one global workplace. Globalisation has created a world where each individual country is now reliant upon one another for goods and services and so act not alone, but more as one. Globalisation has integrated rich, affluent, and educated classes, but has fractured working classes and marginalised the poor, who do not have the skills and economic clout to profit from open markets (Shalmali Guttal 2007). This statement from Guttal shows how Globalisation may be positive in terms of benefitting the rich and providing opportunities for the middle class but at the expense of the working class. Therefore if a student struggles academically and cannot go on to higher education, they should not suffer in todays society by not benefitting from the gains of globalisation. This is one way that Globalisation is creating inequality in society and if the education system was to prepare students for the global workplace then this would simply be reinforcing inequality in school. The purpose of education is to benefit the lives of all children in school not just to progress the lives of those children who have already been born into the middle and upper classes. Economic gain is not the vital target for the result of education. Globalisation enters the education sector on an ideological horse, and its effects on education and the production of knowledge are largely a product of that financially-driven, free-market ideology, not of a clear conception for improving education (Carnoy, 1999). Bowles Gintis explain how school relates to the workplace via the overt and the hidden curriculum. Orders are given by the teacher/boss to the student/worker to follow. The person in charge of the student/worker will have to give permission for the individual to use the toilet, when to go and return for fixed time breaks, will assign work tasks to the individual/group, give rewards for hard work, place emphasis on attitude towards tasks, give work to be done at home and discipline the students/workforce. Nearly every single thing a person will experience when they enter the workplace is imitated within the schooling system to prepare students for the global workplace. The restricted and elaborated language code explained by Bernstein not only puts working class children at a disadvantage in the schooling environment but also in the working environment and especially in the multi-national corporations of todays global workplace. If a working class child is underachieving in school because of the dominant elaborated language code used by teachers, then that student will not secure themselves a well-paid job in the management sector of TNCs because of their achievement academically and because of their dominant use of the restricted language code. In the global workplace, as well as in education, the elaborated language code is used. Therefore, the use of the elaborated language code in education and the global workplace is reproducing inequality by keeping the working class limited to the restricted code which results in them only gaining manual labour jobs and becoming the primary workforce of the global workplace. As a result of this, more emphasi s needs to be put on teaching children the elaborated language code in school before they reach the workplace, but in a gradual, subtle way so they can pick it up rather than being at a disadvantage right from the beginning of school. This is one major way that education needs to prepare students for the global workplace simply so that inequality is not being reproduced as a result of the schooling system. Bourdieus forms of capital can link to Bernsteins language codes in terms of class and social structure. Bourdieus says that a group or an individuals position in the social structure depends on three forms of capital: Economic, social and cultural. Economic capital is everything with a monetary value a person owns, social capital is what types of groups the individual may belong to and cultural capital is the way a person may have been cultured such as frequenting museums and art galleries as a child. These three forms of capital are something a child is either born into or not and as a result is crucial to the individuals position in the social structure as they grow up. It is also important to mention that economic capital can be converted into cultural and social capital by means of paying for a University degree from Kings College, London, and influencing the right to membership of an esteemed social group. A further form of capital that Bourdieu also explains is linguistic capi tal. If an individual is raised in a higher class family where the elaborated language code is used on a daily basis and the child even comes into contact with another language such as Greek or Latin, then that is going to raise their position in the social structure right from a young age (Bourdieu, 1986). Consequently, it is easy to see what role that child shall go on to take in terms of hierarchy in the global workplace and what role a child who has grown up without that form of capital will take. Harbison and Myers say that the role of education Unlocks the door to modernization. In terms of capitalism though, it is debatable whether modernization is a positive thing when it is reproducing inequality and reinforcing the class system. However, inequality is being reproduced not just now in a national sense, but a global sense where the poverty-stricken underclass are being exploited for cheap labor in third world countries by capitalist countries such as America. In conclusion, education is crucial to the development of society but not at the expense of the majority of individuals within that society. The rise of the global workplace through Globalization has created possibly more inequality and greed within the world and to prepare students for that in school would be ethically and morally wrong. It would be right to prepare students for the global workplace by dismissing social backgrounds, treating all equally and assisting those in more need. This could go on to reduce the gap in social class to create equal opportunities for all within the hierarchy of the global workplace. School already prepares students for the world of work in terms of its discipline and rules, and with the world becoming an ever increasingly multi-cultural place, schools are teaching children about other cultures. This therefore, is already preparing children for the global workplace. However, when there is so much inequality and exploitation in the global workplace , simply to enable cheap labour costs and higher profits, it is more important to focus on creating equality in the classroom and trying to make sure all children can achieve what they desire. Karl Marx- (1848), The Communist Manifesto. Margaret L. Andersen Howard F. Taylor, (2005) Sociology: understanding a diverse society. Fourth edition. Howard F. Taylor, (2007). Sociology: The Essentials. Cengage learning, P.425 S. Bowles H. Gintis, (1976). Schooling in Capitalist America. Basic Books Ltd. Shalmali Guttal, (2007). Development in Practice, vol 17, numbers 4-5. Taylor Francis Ltd. Bourdieu, P. (1986). The forms of capital. Reproduced in Ball, S. (ed.) (2004) The RoutledgeFalmer reader in sociology of education. London: RoutledgeFalmer, pp.15-29. Bourdieu, P. and Passeron, J.-C. (1977). Reproduction in education, society and culture. London: Sage. Layard, R. Dunn, J. (2009). A Good Childhood; Searching for Values in a Competitive Age. London, Penguin. Paul Willis, (1977). Learning to Labour: how working class kids get working class jobs. Columbia University Press; Morningside edition. Bernstein, B., (1977). Class, codes and Control vol 3. London: Routledge. Bourdieu, P., (1986). The forms of capital. Reproduced in Ball, S. (ed.) (2004). The RoutledgeFalmer reader in sociology of education. London: RoutledgeFalmer, pp.15-29.

The Rumba Dance Essay examples -- Afro-Cuban, Cuba

The rumba is a dance that rivets its image on the mind. Holding much history, it has been and is a dance of oppositions: love and hate, hostility and harmony, sensuality and prudence. Musically, it taps into the realms of technicality and improvisation. The dance and music is a marvel, leaving a lusty taste in its trail so that a natural tendency towards it never fades. The origins of the rumba stem from Africa. The steps and song of traditional rumba may have begun as remembered pieces of dance from the Ganga or Kisi people in Cuba, generalized groups of West Central African descent. Some prospect that the Sara peoples of northern Nigeria are the originators of rumba, a similar dance is of rows of boys in front of rows of girls, approaching one another in movement and then separating. In present-day Zaire, a traditional BaKongo dance called vane samba appears to directly link to rumba’s progenitors. A characteristic highlight occurs when the bodies of a dancing pair meet, or almost meet at the navel. This movement mirrors the rumba’s vacunao, a prominent feature in some forms of rumba. The name rumba possibly derives from the Spanish language, the word rumbo translates to route, rumba translates to heap pile, and rum is of course the liquor popular in the Caribbean. Any of these words might have been used descriptively when the dance was being formed. The name has most often been claimed to be derived from the Spanish word for carousel, or festival. Rumba developed in the 1850s and 1860s among free black slaves gathered to express their struggles with one another. Following the abolition of slavery in Cuba in 1886, poor Cubans dealt with a society still emphasizing color and class, by... ...national dance. As a native Afro-Cuban simply put, â€Å"This will never die. Nothing can stop it† (Farr 80). Works Cited Pà ©rez Jr., Louis A. On Becoming Cuban. Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press, 1999. Daniel, Yvonne. Rumba: Dance and Social Change in Contemporary Cuba. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1995. Farr, Jory. Rites of Rhythm. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2003. Shepherd, Verene A., and Hilary McD. Beckles., ed Caribbean slavery in the Atlantic world. Kingston, Jamaica: Ian Randle, Oxford: James Currey, Princeton, NJ: M. Weiner, 2000. Moore, Robin Dale. Nationalizing Blackness: Afrocubanismo and Artistic Revolution in Havana, 1920-1935. Diss. U of Texas at Austin, 1995. Ann Arbor: UMI, 1995. 9534899. Roy, Maya. Cuban Music. Trans. Denise Asfar and Gabriel Asfar. London: Latin America Bureau, 2002.

Children’s learning needs Essay

As an early years practitioner it is your job to ensure that you meet children’s learning needs and understand and work with all children’s learning needs. It is important that you provide different kinds of opportunities also focus on individual children’s learning needs each and every child is unique and all learn at different rates. When in a setting it is important that you plan an enabling environment that children will find challenging but will allow them to learn in different areas. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is a legally-binding international agreement setting out the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of every child, regardless of their race, religion or abilities. The (UNCRC) was brought together to focus on children’s rights, it is there to show that children’s have rights and their safety is priority as they are more vulnerable. The (UNCRC) states that all children’s wants and learning needs should be met, also it has 5 core rights these being;- The right to life The right to his or her own name and identity The right to be protected from abuse or exploitation The right to an education The right to having their privacy protected To be raised by, or have a relationship with, their parents The right to express their opinions and have these listened to and, where appropriate, acted upon The right to play and enjoy culture and art in safety The (UNCRC) has two main articles that state that children have the right to an education so as a practitioner it is your job to ensure that you are meeting the educational needs for the children within your setting. (Article 28- Right to education)Every child has the right to an education. Primary education must be free. Secondary education must be available to every child. Discipline in schools must respect children’s dignity. Richer countries must help poorer countries achieve this. (Article 29-Goals of education) Education must develop every child’s personality, talents and abilities to the full. It must encourage the child’s respect for human rights, as well as respect for their parents, their own and other cultures, and the environment. https://www.unicef.org.uk/Documents/Publication-pdfs/betterlifeleaflet2012_pr  ess.pdf When in a setting it is important that you ensure that you and parents are working together to ensure that that child is learning the best possible way. It is key to ask parents to encourage their children and help their child out at home. As a practitioner it is your job to ensure that all children are learning some that you can do is send things home for the parent and child so they can learn and have fun at the same time. As an early years practitioner you will recognise that children’s play is closely linked to their learning and development. Children learn in so many different ways but you will notice that they learn mainly through play. When children are able to do many different activity’s that allows them to lean but have fun at the same time thy will find what they are doing fun and will engage the children. It is important that when in you your setting you set up a variety of educational activity’s this way the children will be able to choose freely what they want to do. Play is essential to every part of children’s lives and is important to their development. It provides the children with different ways of doing things children will want to explore and learn new things. The Early years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is a piece of frame work that relates to children from birth to five years old and id there to ensure that every child has the best possible start to in life and to make sure that all children are given support that enables them to fulfil the potential. It is important that as a practitioner you understand that children develop quickly and the children’s experiences between birth and age five have a major impact on their future lives. The EYFS specifies requirements for learning and development and for safeguarding children and promoting their welfare. The learning and development requirements cover: The Seven Areas Of Learning And Development which must shape activities and experiences (educational programmes) for children in all early years settings which are described below; The Early Learning Goals that providers must help children work towards. The goals summarise the knowledge, skills and understanding that all young children should have gained by the end of the Reception year, ie. the year that they turn five years old; Learning Goals. Assessment Arrangements For Measuring Progress when and how  practitioners must assess children’s achievements, and when and how they should discuss children’s progress with parents and/or carers. The Safeguarding and Welfare Requirements cover the steps that providers must take to keep children safe and promote their welfare. http://www.harwoodnursery.com/page_10.html Learning and development requirements There are six areas covered by the early learning goals and educational programmes: Personal, social and emotional development Communication, language and literacy Problem solving, reasoning and numeracy Knowledge and understanding of the world Physical development Creative development. http://www.playengland.org.uk/media/130519/eyfs-ofsted-childcare-register-summary.pdf There are many different theorists that relate to children’s play and provide the importance of it one of the theorists being Lev Vygotsky, Vygotsky believed that imaginative play was crucial to a child’s normal development also he believed that play and activity gives children much keener experiences of pleasure than play. He saw that play was important to a child he said that early years play built the foundations of a child’s early life due to the child being able to learn from all the different kinds of activity’s he stated that there was many different kinds of things that would act as the stepping stones of the child’s future development. â€Å"In play a child’s always behaves beyond his average age, above his daily behaviour. In play it is as though he were a head taller that himself.† https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=lev+vygotsky+quotes+on+play http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/1721196.stm Bibliography- https://www.unicef.org.uk/Documents/Publication-pdfs/betterlifeleaflet2012_press.pdf http://www.harwoodnursery.com/page_10.html http://www.playengland.org.uk/media/130519/eyfs-ofsted-childcare-register-summary.pdf http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/1721196.stm https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=lev+vygotsky+quotes+on+play

War in the World essays

War in the World essays On Aug. 2, 1990, Iraqi military forces, on orders from President Saddam Hussein, invaded and occupied the small country of Kuwait. The Persian Gulf War of 1991from January 16 to February 28was fought to expel Iraq and restore Kuwaiti independence. The war introduced several technologically advanced weapon systems. As well,the United States forged a broad-based international coalition that confronted Iraq militarily strategy. The military coalition consisted of: unni-versus-Shia (for and Arab-versus-Persian religious and ethnic disputes, to a personal animosity between Saddam Hussein and Ayatollah Khomeini. Above all, Iraq launched the war in an effort to consolidate its rising power in the Arab world and to replace Iran as the dominant Persian Gulf state. Phebe Marr, a noted analyst of Iraqi affairs, stated that "the war was more immediately the result of poor political judgement and miscalculation on the part of Saddam Hussein," and "the decision to invade, taken at a moment of Iranian Iraq and Iran had engaged in border clashes for many years and had revived the dormant Shatt al Arab waterway dispute in 1979. Iraq claimed the 200-kilometer channel up to the Iranian shore as its territory, while Iran insisted that the thalwega line running down the middle of the waterwaynegotiated last in 1975, was the official border. The Iraqis, especially the Baath leadership, regarded the 1975 treaty as merely a truce, not a definitive settlement. The Iraqis also perceived revolutionary Iran's Islamic agenda as threatening to their pan-Arabism. Khomeini, bitter over his expulsion from Iraq in 1977 after fifteen years in An Najaf, vowed to avenge Shia victims of Baathist repression. Baghdad became more confident, however, as it watched the once invincible Imperial Iranian Army disintegrate, as most of its highest ranking officers were executed. ...

The Writer Unplugged - Freewrite Store

The Writer Unplugged - Freewrite Store This is a guest post by Selena Chambers, who writes in Florida. Selena  is co-author of the Hugo and World-Fantasy nominated THE STEAMPUNK BIBLE (Abrams Image), and is currently writing a travel guide to STEAMPUNK PARIS (Pelekenisis Press) with Arthur Morgan out later this year. You can follow her at:   www.selenachambers.wordpress.com or steampunkparis.com. Distraction is the greatest form of resistance a writer faces on a daily basis. I’ve been struggling with it for years, and have come close to throwing my laptop in the trash and running as far away from the publishing game as possible. What kept me from giving up? Slowly realizing that other writers (especially those who seem like they have their act together in the public eye) and creatives struggle with the same issues. Evading distraction and finding focus is, of course, a personal journey and you have to find what works for you and your environment, but in speaking with my friends and gazing into my own navel, I have realized that distraction comes in two forms:   that which takes you closer to writing, and that which takes you away from it. The former is Life and all its abstracts:   birth, death, health, sickness, economy, employment, politics, friendship, family, solitude, love, sex, hate, education, and travel. True, not much writing is happening while undergoing these experiences, but they all inform it by putting you physically in the world to observe, absorb, and feel. It shapes your perspective, gives you an impulse and ultimately grants you something to say. The other kind of distraction, that which takes you away from your writing, are the activities designed for amusement and instant gratification and while relaxing, do very little to inform the work, even though we may trick ourselves in to thinking so. For some, it may be playing video games, binging on Girls, fingernails that need clipping, or in my case, going online.   By no means is this some kind of Jonathan Franzen rant. I love the internet. It is ubiquitous with all the things, and while that is a modern-day marvel, its pervasiveness can be a modern-day time sink. When I sit down to write, I have no problem ignoring my eyebrows and the cat bunnies blowing by like tumbleweeds under the A/C vents, because I can resist the urge to get up from my desk to go handle them. Not so the online â€Å"to-do† list, which is much harder to disregard because all the tools are right here at my fingertips. More often than not, on days when the writing is like digging into dry Georgia clay, I find myself mulling over this list. With a few clicks, I am out of Scrivener’s composition mode, and am in Safari riding the instant gratification wave of multitasking immediacy. I’ll send out queries, answer e-mails, answer social media direct messages, respond to tags and mentions, make a blog post, share the blog post, console in friends and families tribulations, cheer on peers and colleagues triumphs, read this timely article and discuss that timely article, read this stupid drama and discuss even more, scan recent calls for submissions, research a story idea, seek source texts, and when all of that is done, pay bills. I can kill a whole day checking things like this off and feel pretty good about myself. The next day, however, when I am back with that blank page, I would realize how much was left undone and how much more was now left to do. On on that next day, I try to unplug. To do this, I have to get completely away from the computer. Sure, you can deactivate your Facebook, turn off wi-fi, unplug the router, or install some sort of time management or focus software, all of which can be turned back on, plugged in, or disabled. If I really want to avoid distraction, I scrawl in longhand or peck on a typewriter. Even with these two methods, I inevitably come back to computer when I have to transcribe into Word, which sometimes feels redundant and archaic. Even so, at the end of the day I feel more accomplished and nearer to my true writing goals than all the networking, posting, and chasing I do online. Social media and the writer’s platform is one of the puzzle pieces to gaining and maintaining a successful writing career, but what has become even more bewildering is that unplugging and working with focus and without noise is even harder for the twenty-first century writer to navigate. The Writer Unplugged - Freewrite Store This is a guest post by Selena Chambers, who writes in Florida. Selena  is co-author of the Hugo and World-Fantasy nominated THE STEAMPUNK BIBLE (Abrams Image), and is currently writing a travel guide to STEAMPUNK PARIS (Pelekenisis Press) with Arthur Morgan out later this year. You can follow her at:   www.selenachambers.wordpress.com or steampunkparis.com. Distraction is the greatest form of resistance a writer faces on a daily basis. I’ve been struggling with it for years, and have come close to throwing my laptop in the trash and running as far away from the publishing game as possible. What kept me from giving up? Slowly realizing that other writers (especially those who seem like they have their act together in the public eye) and creatives struggle with the same issues. Evading distraction and finding focus is, of course, a personal journey and you have to find what works for you and your environment, but in speaking with my friends and gazing into my own navel, I have realized that distraction comes in two forms:   that which takes you closer to writing, and that which takes you away from it. The former is Life and all its abstracts:   birth, death, health, sickness, economy, employment, politics, friendship, family, solitude, love, sex, hate, education, and travel. True, not much writing is happening while undergoing these experiences, but they all inform it by putting you physically in the world to observe, absorb, and feel. It shapes your perspective, gives you an impulse and ultimately grants you something to say. The other kind of distraction, that which takes you away from your writing, are the activities designed for amusement and instant gratification and while relaxing, do very little to inform the work, even though we may trick ourselves in to thinking so. For some, it may be playing video games, binging on Girls, fingernails that need clipping, or in my case, going online.   By no means is this some kind of Jonathan Franzen rant. I love the internet. It is ubiquitous with all the things, and while that is a modern-day marvel, its pervasiveness can be a modern-day time sink. When I sit down to write, I have no problem ignoring my eyebrows and the cat bunnies blowing by like tumbleweeds under the A/C vents, because I can resist the urge to get up from my desk to go handle them. Not so the online â€Å"to-do† list, which is much harder to disregard because all the tools are right here at my fingertips. More often than not, on days when the writing is like digging into dry Georgia clay, I find myself mulling over this list. With a few clicks, I am out of Scrivener’s composition mode, and am in Safari riding the instant gratification wave of multitasking immediacy. I’ll send out queries, answer e-mails, answer social media direct messages, respond to tags and mentions, make a blog post, share the blog post, console in friends and families tribulations, cheer on peers and colleagues triumphs, read this timely article and discuss that timely article, read this stupid drama and discuss even more, scan recent calls for submissions, research a story idea, seek source texts, and when all of that is done, pay bills. I can kill a whole day checking things like this off and feel pretty good about myself. The next day, however, when I am back with that blank page, I would realize how much was left undone and how much more was now left to do. On on that next day, I try to unplug. To do this, I have to get completely away from the computer. Sure, you can deactivate your Facebook, turn off wi-fi, unplug the router, or install some sort of time management or focus software, all of which can be turned back on, plugged in, or disabled. If I really want to avoid distraction, I scrawl in longhand or peck on a typewriter. Even with these two methods, I inevitably come back to computer when I have to transcribe into Word, which sometimes feels redundant and archaic. Even so, at the end of the day I feel more accomplished and nearer to my true writing goals than all the networking, posting, and chasing I do online. Social media and the writer’s platform is one of the puzzle pieces to gaining and maintaining a successful writing career, but what has become even more bewildering is that unplugging and working with focus and without noise is even harder for the twenty-first century writer to navigate.