How Does AP Credit Work at Colleges

How Does AP Credit Work at Colleges SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Whether you already have five AP classes under your belt, or if you’re just considering whether to take AP classes at all, you may be wondering how exactly getting AP college credit works. This article will go over how different colleges grant credit for AP, and what you can do to maximize the amount of AP credit you earn. We will explore some different ways colleges grant AP credit, using specific universities as case studies. Possibility 1: AP Courses Grant Credit for Real College Classes The first way your AP credits could be used is to directly substitute for actual college classes. In this case, instead of taking, say, Chemistry 101, your 4 on AP Chemistry will count for that beginning course. So you’ll get the credit hours for taking the class – even though you took it back in high school! Plus you will be able to enroll in a more difficult course right off the bat. To see what this can look at, let’s look at my local state school, the University of Utah. They accept AP credit for many courses. Case Study: University of Utah AP exams – often with a score of 3 or higher – are enough to grant you credit hours for general education classes at the U of U and also place you into higher level courses. General Education at the University of Utah means any courses that fall in the following categories: Fine Arts, Quantitative Reasoning, Science, Social Science, Humanities, Fine Arts, or American Institutions. If you managed to have an AP class for each one of these general ed requirements, you could skip each one. Since the General Education requirements are designed to fill up the first year, skipping them would make it possible to graduate the University of Utah in just two or three years, depending on what you major in. (A degree in engineering will probably take longer than one in history, for example.) You couldn’t apply, say, both AP English Literature and AP English Language, since they waive the same requirement, but if you submit AP English Literature and AP Calculus AB you would fulfill two different requirements. While these Gen Ed requirements aren’t the same at every university, most universities have some variation of them – at the very least they'll require a course each in humanities, social science, science, and math. This is why taking a variety of AP classes can be helpful if you’re aiming to complete your generals in high school. Also, notice that at the U of U, you can often get more credit hours for 5’s than 3’s and 4s. So even at universities that accept 3s, there are still perks to earning 5s. Possibility 2: AP Courses Don't Get Credit, but Allow You to Skip Intro Courses There are some schools – particularly competitive ones – that don’t give you credit for AP classes. While they will use high scores to place you into higher-level classes freshman year, they won’t give you credit towards graduation. We'll take a look at Dartmouth College to see what this can look like. Case Study: Dartmouth One such school is Dartmouth. You can actually read a statement about their policy on AP credit here. To summarize, Dartmouth will use AP classes to place students in higher-level classes, but not for credit towards graduation. They revised their AP policy because they want students to take full advantage of Dartmouth courses and they’re worried AP courses aren’t true replacements for college level classes. So how does the credit work? To take an example, if you get a 5 on AP Micro Economics, you will be placed in an intermediate or advanced economics course right off the bat, but you won’t receive any credit for AP Micro itself. This can still be helpful if you’re excited to jump into higher classes or want to fit in a minor or double major. You can also be exempted from the foreign language requirement if you score high on an AP language test. So while AP courses won't get you credit at Dartmouth, they are still worthwhile since they will allow you to skip introductory courses. Possibility 3: A Mix of Both Some schools have a mix of both policies. In particular, some departments (say the history department or math department) might accept AP credit to place students in classes. But the school as a whole might have a policy on AP you can choose to take advantage of – for example Harvard’s advanced standing program. Case Study: Harvard So what is advanced standing?Think of it as skipping straight to sophomore year when you start college at Harvard. You can apply for it using your AP credits, and graduate in six or seven semesters instead of eight. You could also just use your AP credits to get into higher-level classes in particular departments or get out of the foreign language requirement, but not apply for advanced standing if you want to stay all four years. So should you apply for advanced standing? Harvard’s website has a lengthy discussion of why or why not a student may apply for it. Some students may prefer to take four years at Harvard undergrad so they don't have to decide their course of study too soon. Taking the full four years gives you more chances to try out classes in various departments. Others may take advantage of advanced standing to earn a masters within four years. In short, if you're lucky enough to go to Harvard, you can decide whether you want to use your AP credits to graduate faster, or if you would rather take four years of undergraduate classes to explore different interests. In either case, you can also use your AP credits to skip introductory courses in various departments. Sending Your Scores Before you can get any AP credit, after you graduate but before you start at your college, you have to send an official AP score report from College Board. While you self-report your AP scores on your college applications, you can only cash in on your AP credits by sending an official score report. This gives the official record of your scores to the registrar’s office. (Think of the registrar as the guidance counseling office of college.) Once the registrar has those scores, they can apply them to pre-requisite, general education, or other departmental requirements as the case may be at your college. Look out for our post on how to send AP scores to colleges if you want a more complete guide. Next Steps If you’re still in high school and wondering how AP credit will work for you, look up the policies at some of your top choices as well as your safeties. Start with College Board’s AP credit database, but also double check college websites to see what they say about AP credit. The database should provide a link to each college’s individual policy, but if not, search â€Å"[Name of College/University] Advanced Placement†. By looking up policies, you can get a sense of how the AP credits you have already earned will translate into college credit. This can also help you choose AP classes for future years. Take notice of AP exams that seem to be recognized at most of the schools you’re interested in. In many cases, AP math courses, particularly Calculus BC, can waive a math requirement or get you into higher level math classes. AP language courses are also often accepted as a way to waive a foreign language requirement. Also notice how high your passing score needs to be (for example, at the U of U, a 3 was fine for many classes, but Harvard only accepts 5s). If most of your schools require 5s to get credit, you have to study very hard! Also look and see if any AP classes you’re thinking about aren’t recognized in any way. Sometimes it can be harder to get credit for courses like Human Geography or Art History. This doesn’t mean to not take them. It does mean that you should only take them if you are really interested in the subject and would get a lot out of the class. What’s Next? How many AP classes should you take, anyway? Get an answer to that question here. AP classes aren’t the only thing that will get you into college – far from it. Your ACT/SAT score is a huge part of your application. Read about the ACT/SAT scores you need to be competitive at your top schools. Not sure when you should take the ACT/SAT for the first time? Find out here. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

When to Hyphenate - Proofeds Academic Writing Tips Blog

When to Hyphenate - Proofeds Academic Writing Tips Blog When to Hyphenate Hyphenation is a term for linking two words with a hyphen to make a compound word. In this context, compound simply means two separate words have been joined together. Compound Adjectives Compound adjectives are formed by joining two words (e.g., good-looking, power-hungry or accident-prone). Further examples include: Free-range Part-time Long-term Well-known Compound adjectives can be composed of more than two words, making them more like phrases: Tongue-in-cheek Happy-go-lucky Devil-may-care Compound adjectives like these should only be hyphenated if they appear before what they are describing in a sentence. For example, the compound adjective in The well-known artist Whistler†¦ could also be used without a hyphen later in the sentence: e.g., The artist Whistler was well known†¦ Compound Nouns and Verbs It is more difficult to know when to hyphenate nouns and verbs. In many cases, it is simply a matter of convention (e.g., mother-in-law). The best thing to do with these terms is check a dictionary. If you find a term where the hyphen is optional, your main guideline should be consistency. Many words that begin with the prefixes non-, pre-, de- or re- are hyphenated, but this is only necessary when it prevents a letter clash. For example, we hyphenate re-evaluate because evaluate starts with the same letter that precedes it. But we do not hyphenate retry because there is no letter clash. This isnt always true, but it is a good rule of thumb (and you can always check a dictionary if youre not sure about a word). Hyphenating for Clarity In some cases, we also use a hyphen to ensure clarity. Omitting a hyphen can even change the meaning of some sentences. For example: I once saw a man-eating crocodile. I once saw a man eating crocodile. The first sentence here describes a crocodile as man-eating (i.e., a crocodile that eats humans). The second, non-hyphenated sentence describes a man eating crocodile meat. Rules about which words should be hyphenated can very between institutions, though, so be sure to double check your style guide. If you would like to have your paper checked for style, grammar and formatting errors, make use of Proofed’s specialist academic proofreading service.

Financial Statement Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Financial Statement Analysis - Assignment Example The financial position and performance of a company can be analyzed with the help of different tools available. However, for the relative performance analysis, common size analysis as well as the traditional ratio analysis is the most effective tools such that they provide a same yardstick to compare the performance of two or more companies over several periods. This particular report emphasizes the performance of Kellogg Co. and Kraft Foods on the basis of common sized analysis and the traditional ratio analysis. Kraft Food Company is one of the world’s largest food companies. In 2011, the estimated revenue of the company is approximated as $54.4 billion whereas the earnings of the company before taxes are amounted as $4.8 billion. Kraft Food incorporated in Virginia in 2000. They have around 126,000 employees all over the world. The company manufactures and markets products related to food which includes confectionery, biscuits, cheese, beverages, packaged grocery, convenient meals etc. The company sells its products to its customers in over 170 different countries. At the end of 2011, the company reported gross assets of $93.8 billion and net assets of $35.5 billion. Kraft Food Company is a member of Standards and Poor 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average, Ethibel Sustainability Index and Dow Jones Sustainability Index. In 2011, the company’s portfolio included 12 brands. All these 12 brands reported revenues of $1 billion each. The most renowned brands of the company included Oreo, Mila and Cadbury Chocolates, Philadelphia Cream Cheese, Nabisco, Maxwell House Coffees, Trident gum, Kraft cheese, dressings and dinners, Tang powdered beverage, LU biscuits and Oscar Mayor Meats. The brand portfolio of the company included around 80 brands which generate revenues exceeding $100 million each year. Kellogg Company was founded in 1906. Its subsidiary companies are engaged in marketing and manufacturing convenience and ready to eat food. The major

Why standards Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Why standards - Essay Example Although this paper will focus most on standards in reference to technical scientific requirements and standards, they are of course important in general too, and have extremely widespread importance and relevance. Introduction A standard in its definitive sense is ‘a required or agreed level of quality or attainment’ (Merriam-Webster). In other words, it is a published set of guidelines that defines a certain criteria that an object, measurement, procedure or otherwise should fit into. It set out rules that act as definitions or references for anything in particular and are expected to be enacted exactly as they are without change or adjustment. Standards are generally enforced not as rigid rules to make things more complicated but rather to simplify things when viewing from a bigger picture. Standards allow all involved in something, whether it is a researcher looking to publish a bit of information, or a student wishing to learn something, or a manufacturer aiming to sell a product, or a consumer wishing to buy one, to effectively and exactly explain what they are offering or understanding, without ambiguity or confusion (Brownell, 1917). Where these standards are used and how they are used is what this paper will now begin to examine. Consider the standards employed by a manufacturing industry. To a certain measurable level as a standard reference point is very important for them for a great number of reasons. Without manufacturing norms, products would have little to no mobility. Each country and manufacturer would be working on their own terms of reference, thereby making it difficult for a consumer. A typical consumer will buy products from different manufacturers or will use services from different companies, and will ultimately have them all at use in one place. It would therefore be redundant and a hassle to have one particular product in one specific room only and be unable to use anything else with it, as they would not be standardized to work with each other. Furthermore, if you consider using the product or service in another country, unless the plugs, sockets, voltage supply required, power consumed etc were not standardized, it would be impossible to import or export a product for any widespread use. In terms of science though, standards have an importance so immense that without them science would not only be unable to progress, rather they would face setbacks so severe in the form of chaos and confusion that it would ultimately do more damage than good. One main reason for this is that science is not localized. It is universally applicable, universally required, universally used and therefore, universally researched upon and worked with. When there is a subsidized standard in place, a scientist in Muscat can pick up the thesis of a scientist in Russia, build upon it, research it further and produce a paper with terms and references of a specific format so that tomorrow, when someone in yet another country wi shes to learn from it, they will do so without confusion and conflict. Communicating on a standardized subject is far easier than having to communicate on a relative subject where first you would have to explain your terms of perspective and then get your point across. Luckily, some standards have been in use for so long and so widespread that they have become second nature to use and alternates are not even considered. For example, when illustrating the size of an object, without a standard form of measurement, we would have to employ words like small and big, which are relative terms. To say something is very small could mean a very large number of things,

Nutrition - Food Essay Example for Free

Nutrition Food Essay In our today’s society, especially western countries, the issue of fast food seems to be at the top of every health related debate. As these debates become more controversial, the question of who bears the responsibility remains unanswered. In his essay, Don’t Blame the Eater, David Zinczenko attempts to answer this key question by placing the greater responsibility of America’s obesity and other fast food related health issues on the fast food industries. Contrary to Zinczenko’s argument, Raldy Balko, in his essay, What You Eat Is Your Business, states that, people should take ownership of their health and well-being, and are therefore responsible for what and how they eat. Although both Zinczenko and Balko address the issue of responsibility, though with contrast, but valid arguments, Zinczenko seems to present a more convincing argument due to the way in which he explains the politics of food, the way in which our lifestyles are altered by what we eat, and things we can do to change the way we see food and its role in our lives. Although Zinczenko hold consumers responsible to an extent, he blames the fast food industries for the rising rate of obesity and other health issues related to fast food due to their failure to provide labels for their products. Zinczenko convincingly supports his claim by noting statistical data that shows the rise in money spent to treat diabetes. â€Å"Before 1994, diabetes in children was generally caused by a genetic disorder only 5 percent of childhood cases were obesity related, or Type 2 diabetes. Today, according to the National Institutes of Health, Type 2 diabetes accounts for at least 30 percent of all new childhood cases of diabetes in this country†(Zinczenko 392). He argues that, if the fast food companies are regulated so that they are responsible for their food contents, by providing proper labels, than consumers will make informed food choices. Contrary to Zinczenko, Balko argues that what one eats should be a matter of personal responsibility. To Balko’s credit, I believe that people should take personal responsibility for their health by adding a sensible diet and exercise to their routines. Where I differ from Balko is when he says that government restrictions on food are a result of people making poor food choices. According to Balko, â€Å"a society where everyone is responsible for everyone else’s well-being is a society more apt to accept government restrictions† (397). I think Balko’s argument in this regard, is a selfish one, and is an attempt to exempt the rich from paying their fair share of taxes that would otherwise benefit the poor or some middle families who cannot afford the high cost of health insurance. Both Zinczenko and Balko seem to agree on the rising health costs that are somehow a result of fast food, these two authors seem to differ on reasons. Zinczenko argues that health care cost is on the rise because of diseases caused by fast food due to the failure of fast food companies to provide labels and that consumers should not be blame for it. However, Balko argues that it is so that, we allow the â€Å"government to come between us and our waistline† (396). Balko states that, the more the government continues to fund health issues that are direct attribute of poor food/health choices, the more people will continue to dine on fast food and engage not in an effective diet and exercise regimen. (398) The growth of the fast food industry and the rate at which fast food is consumed is so fast, and its accompanying risks of obesity and related cardiovascular diseases have become a societal epidemic. Zinczenko blames the fast food industries for the spring in the rate to which obesity have grown in the United States. Even though Zinczenko is right about the rising rate of obesity, and that the consumption of fast food forms part of its etiology, the thesis of his argument cannot be proven and therefore cannot form the basis for his claims against the fast food companies since there are other contributing factors regarding the cause, onset, and progression of obesity. Obesity is also biologically linked. These biological attributors include: genetics, hormones, enzymes, and vitamins and minerals. Some people have fat in their genes that, no matter what they do, they are just fat. Others have issues with hormonal imbalances and or inadequate enzymatic actions that would aid in the adequate digestion and absorption of certain foods. Fast food is just one of the many environmental attributes associated with obesity. So Zinczenko can accurately make his case against the fast food industries for providing labels so as to enable consumers make informed food choices and not a case of obesity. Sometimes, people are too fast to pass judgment on others, especially people that are obese. I am equally guilty of the accusation myself. I work as a nurse at a nursing home facility and, in most cases, when staff member comes to me complaining of headache, first thing I say to them is; let’s check your blood pressure and, God forbid, the blood pressure is elevated, or if that person just look fat to me, my next comment is, it is because of all the junk you eat. My judgment, though may be incorrect, is based on the fact that most of these staff members are single parents, live in inner cities, and have a total commute time of two hours to and from work. Not to mention, some of them have more than one job. However, these people are being made to feel guilty about something that is totally out their control. In most instances, their wages aren’t even enough to meet up with their rents and utilities bills. Fast food comes handy in such instance where one can spend ten dollars and get ten cheeseburgers to feed a family of three to five versus going to the grocery store where each healthy ingredient is almost equivalent to the price of the entire dinner comprising of fast food. People fall back on fast food because it is cheap. Zinczenko explains that his parents were split up and that he had to live with his mother who worked long hours just to make the monthly bills. â€Å"Lunch and dinner, for me, was a daily choice between McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Kentucky Fried Chicken or Pizza Hut. † (Zinczenko 391). In Zinczenko’s case, his lifestyle is altered because fast food is his only option since his family is dysfunctional. His single mother has to work very hard to pay bills and provide him a meal. It doesn’t matter the kind of meal. A meal is a meal, especially for someone who doesn’t have the time to prepare a home cooked meal. The people afflicted with fast food related obesity are not to blame for what they eat because they have very little or no options regarding what they eat due to all of the above reasons. However, to Balko’s point, while people may not have the option about what they eat, they have the option to control how they eat. Zinczenko states in his essay that fast food is â€Å"the only available options for an American kid to get an affordable meal†, and so, he urges his readers not to â€Å"blame the Eater† (392). But as with Zinczenko, we are well aware of the role fast food play in our lives. We understand that, though fast may be one, or the only available meal choice that we have, the way we eat can help us determine the role these foods play in our lives. Zinczenko supports his argument about the role food play in his life by giving information about his pre-college weight. â€Å"By age 15, I had packed 212 pounds of torpid tallow on my once lanky 5-foot-10 frame† (392). Even Zinczenko believes that, consumers are as equally responsible for the way they eat. However, he maintains his argument that the fast food companies bare the greater responsibility. In conclusion, both the eater and the producer are responsible for fast food related obesity, but I believe that the fast industries should bare the greater responsibility. Fast food companies must provide their consumers with proper food labels that enable them to make inform decision about what they eat. Label should not be falsified or misleading, like in the example giving by Zinczenko about the misleading label on the â€Å"chicken salad† (393). He refers to the salad as not healthy and that it is a caloric death- trap aimed at eaters who will not suspect it. Although Balko makes some really good points, his objectives seem to me as a means to an end. Zinczenko cautions that there are few or no alternatives to what we eat and that things have to change. Balko cautions that allowing food regulations for labels means letting the government between you and your waistline. In either case, we as a people have a responsibility to consider what and how we eat.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Essay -- Diseases/Disorders

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a developmental disorder that displays as distracted, hyperactive, and unable to focus on tasks and activities. Also known as Hyperkinetic Impulse Disorder, Hyperkinesis, Hyperactive Syndrome, Minimal Brain Damage, Minimal Brain Dysfunction, and Undifferentiated Deficit Disorder, ADHD is the most commonly diagnosed neurological disorder in children. Although many children with ADHD are quite intelligent, their lack of focus can frequently lead to poor grades and a low self esteem. The exact cause of ADHD is still unknown, but it is considered highly inheritable. Results from numerous international studies on twins have found that ADHD may have a genetic link. The occurrence of ADHD in one twin is more often mirrored an identical twin who has the same genetic makeup, then in a fraternal twin whose genetics are similar but not identical. It is also believed that if a parent, uncle, or grandparent had ADHD, it is more likely their famil y may develop it as well. No gene has been discovered that directly relates to the disorder. MRI studies comparing the brains of children with and without the condition have shown that children with ADHD have weaker brain activity in the frontal area of the brain when responding to tasks that require inhibition. Because of this, it is thought that ADHD affects certain sections of the frontal cortex, parietal lobe, and possibly parts of the cerebellum. ADHD presents itself in three major categories; predominately hyperactive, predominately inattentive, or a combined hyperactivity and inattention. Predominately hyperactive presents as excessive physical activity and impulsive behaviors. This can include constant fidgeting, an inability to stay in ... ...nd drugs, and exercising can all lessen symptoms. The prognosis for ADHD is promising. Approximately 70-80% of patients treated with stimulant therapy experience significant relief from symptoms. About half of all children outgrow the symptoms as they mature into adulthood, the other half retain symptoms throughout their adult life. Works Cited Hoyle, Brian. â€Å"Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.† Gale Encyclopedia of Neurological Disorders. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 17 May. 2012 http://www.encyclopedia.com Zieman, Gayle and Dewan, Naakeesh A. â€Å"Attention Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in Adults.† RelayClinical Education. Feb. 2012 v2012 i1 pNA â€Å"Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).† Tish Davidson, AM., Teresa G. Odle., and Laura Jean Cataldo, RN, Ed.D. The Gale Encyclopedia of Genetic Disorders. 3rd Edition. 2010.

Human ecology Essay

As it is evident that the earth is in the verge of being overwhelmed by pollution and destruction and the only way to alleviate this is for humanity to â€Å"go green† or be more earth friendly. If I were given the money to do so, I would practice â€Å"go green† living. For starters, the car I would purchase would be a Honda Civic Hybrid. Hybrid cars are the alternative to cars that consume fossil fuels – main contributors to global warming and pollution. With the Honda Civic Hybrid, one does not have to give up style and luxury in order to give way to be more earth-friendly as the fuel it uses is hybrid or a combination of natural gas, gasoline electric hybrid and natural gasoline. On the other hand, I want to build a house in a dune as this does not need cooling, hence, there would be no need for air conditioning. It should also be facing south, towards the sun in order to utilize the sun and its heat. The house must also have a cistern that will capture rainwater which will be used for flushing toilets and watering the lawns. Furthermore, it must be built with pine or from wood coming from sustainable forests – trees that grow quick. Since the house is facing south and utilizing the sun’s heat, it is good to add solar panels on a recycled rubber roof to provide heating through coils in the floor. The sun’s solar power can also be used to power the appliances inside. It is still possible to splurge on appliances; although in order to save electricity, the appliances inside the house must be energy efficient especially the air conditioner, water heater, furnace and refrigerator. For entertainment, cable television will do and a CD player for some music.

American Renaissance

The American Renaissance period is widely acknowledged as the country's richest time in literature. It was during this years that legendary writers like Emerson, Thoreau, and Hawthorne lived and made their contributions. According to Woodlief (2001), calling the time between 1840-1865 a renaissance or rebirth is a misnomer because there was no rebirth of greatness in American literature or culture. This period was, in fact, the first era of maturity for American literature. For the first time, literary figures sought and established their marks in the world. Literary works of great value were published and influenced society.Writers of this time were struggling to establish the American identity as opposed to the British and other Europeans. They were looking for ways to realize their potentials in order to satisfy individual egos and rise above what they perceived as social concerns. The search for identity was deeper for it delves into the individual's place and role in society. Co nsidering the short period that American literature blossomed and flourished, one would wonder what brought on the sudden burst of literary enthusiasm. There are no distinct and clear-cut explanations for this, only speculations.Some believe that literature became popular because at this point, America was well established as an independent nation. The society was ready to indulge its senses as practical matters were settled. Publishers became available to print and distribute materials for a public that was ready to embrace new thoughts and expand its experience and knowledge. The societal structure, perhaps, also contributed to this golden age in literature. There were many clashing ideas and realities that gave rise to many American Renaissance 2 inspirations for writers.The society was also rich enough to afford patronizing writers, and a  new class emerged who sought cultural enrichment. American writers during the Renaissance struggled to be original and different from Europ e's acclaimed literary figures. Because of this desire to establish identity, the writers questioned and found wanting established norms. The questions and wonderings turned into a distinct style of writing that was exclusive to America. Literary writers of this time sought new roots that would require personal involvement in a meaningful level. They wanted to escape the cloying tendencies of tradition and the increasingly materialistic drive of their time.In a way, the renaissance writers could be considered rebels. They rebelled against restraints imposed by classic dogmas and traditions. Society and literary cultures were full of clashing moralities and ambiguousness that literary responses became expected and natural. In literature, the classic school advocated form more than the emotion or the senses, a practice that the Renaissance writers changed. In short, individualism was embodied in this period. American Renaissance writers' style of writing exhibited less restraint and f ewer adherences to traditional styles and forms. They wrote according to how they think they should.In their works, the writers were more focused on inspiration and emotion rather than following conventional styles. The American way of writing was centered on human nature and the person as an individual. From Emerson to Dickens, the individual was always encouraged to be the best he can be. Emotions and the reactions against realities in the society were also favorite subjects among writers. Writers also often talked of nature and how it was lost to industrialism and modernism. American Renaissance 3 The writers used literature to explore and discover the wonder of what had been lost to progress.They turned to nature for inspiration and ideas. Writers also wrote reactions and opinions about slavery and its abolishment. The writers even declared their independence from Britain. By doing so, the American writers showed that their writings were distinct and have their own brand. The wr iters during this time knew and influence each others' thoughts and works. They wrote and respond to each others' writings, but they would insist that each was an individualist. Literary forms included tales of slavery; novels whose themes were moralistic or political; poetry; and the transcendentalism began by Ralph Waldo Emerson.These writings affected society in great measures. Some dictated proper behavior for women and men. Some were intended to affect political issues and help fuel the movement for the abolition of slavery, Despite the public opinion opposing emancipation, writers supported and advocated for abolitionism. Many writings were also published to allow Americans to think back on their past in order to establish their individualism. To thoroughly understand the American Renaissance's style of writing and its characteristics, it is necessary to discuss some of the great ones who graced the era.Abolitionism Ralph Waldo Emerson was considered by many literary scholars as the proverbial match who sparked the literary creativity of his time. Many of his contemporary writers followed his doctrines and his influence remained long after he died. As an essayist, poet, and philosopher, he made the famous â€Å"The American Scholar† speech, which is deemed to be the formal declaration American Renaissance 4 of America's intellectual independence, presumably, this means the establishment of American literary writers as serious writers comparable to their peers in Europe.In his time, Emerson was the leader of the American Transcendentalist movement, which was a group of people who protested against the prevalence of materialism in the society. The members of this group embraced new literary, cultural, religious and philosophical ideas in rejection to societal norms and concerns. Among his many accomplishments, Emerson was notably known for his 1844 speech that described his thoughts and position regarding slavery in the country. This speech was the first time that Emerson admitted openly to the public that he was for abolition.The abolitionist movement in the United States was in full swing by the time of the American Renaissance. As such, it was often used as subject for literary discourse and debates. Emerson, one of the literary giants of the period, was one of its biggest supporters. In his speech, the writer spoke against slavery even if public opinion was against abolition. Before Emerson made his famous speech, Henry David Thoreau helped convinced people to attend and listen to the speech. Lockard (2004) said that Thoreau went door-to-door to ensure attendance.Emerson's public rhetoric traced the history of slavery and the horrors associated with it. In keeping with his advocacy for individualism and the sense of self, Emerson informed the public that he welcomed the participation of the African-Americans in political discourse and self-determination. His overall speech was centered on the emancipation of the slaves and welcoming them as equals in society. Emerson was criticized as a result of speech declaring his true position on slavery. But despite this setback, he did not lose his place as the foremost literary master of the time. American Renaissance 5 IndividualismIndividualism was the central theme of the American Renaissance. It embodied the concept that a person must and always question the conventions of society. The individual should challenge accepted intellectual, as well as religious, ideals. Individualism requires a person to govern his thoughts and actions based on his personal standards rather than the dictates of society. It encouraged freedom of expression and the rejection of conventional ideas in order to foster growth. As an ardent follower of Emerson, Henry David Thoreau followed his philosophies and applied them to his own writings and in his personal life.In relation to Emerson's doctrine on self-reliance, Thoreau expanded this thought and considered individual freedom as society's highest ideal. He explored individualism as a writer, a man, and as an intellectual. To do this, Thoreau left the society he knew and lived where he was in closer contact with the natural world. As an individual, Thoreau wanted to explore new aspects of his being and personality. By living along, he sought to discover a new self that was unencumbered by traditions and conventions. As an intellectual, he wanted to know how he would rebuild his life away from the established norms of a complex societal structure.As a writer, Thoreau experimented with different styles that reflected his individuality. His writings were the product of careful study. His essays were his experiences; his poetry and prose reflected a thorough attention to languages nuances. Thoreau got his inspiration from nature. Studying nature and getting inspired by it later became a traditional mark of individualism. Thoreau's focus on nature was his way of moving away from the traditions of a materialistic society. By moving away and living in a place far from the so-called civilized American Renaissance 6 society, Thoreau escaped and transcended the lures of the world.His voluntary exile and return to nature was also a form of sacrifice and self-renewal. By successfully turning to nature as his expression of individualism, Thoreau made his greatest legacy to the literary world. Human Nature and Morality Another person who was a part of Emerson's Transcendentalist movement was Nathaniel Hawthorne, who authored The Scarlet Letter. In his stories, he repeatedly expressed his views on human nature and morality. He explored the side of humanity that is normally hidden from society. Hawthorne used human psychology to explain morality issues and ambiguities.Hawthorne did not believe that man is all good. His themes involved the wickedness of the human nature and how this weakness resulted to conflicts in society. His Puritan upbringing was also evident in the way he portrayed sinners in a s trictly moral community. Hawthorne was a descendant of a Puritan New England family. In his exploration of human nature, Hawthorne questioned moral issues. Despite his background, he didn't believe in things like heaven or hell. Hawthorne's individualism could be seen through his use of modern ideas in his themes that opposed the conservatism of the nineteenth century literature.Hawthorne used symbolism to express topics that were considered too radical in his time, like adultery and sexual conduct. Despite his being secretive and shy, he successfully wrote about sexual and moral guilt with depth. He also challenged, through his writings, the scientist and reformers of the time who dared experiment with nature. Reactions to Hawthorne's brand of writing differ. Many thought his work to be sensitive, sentimental and pure. Still, there are those who think his works as too gloomy and moralistic.

The Last Day of My Life †Creative Writing Informal Essay

The Last Day of My Life – Creative Writing Informal Essay Free Online Research Papers The Last Day of My Life Creative Writing Informal Essay Everyday people come and go. There are people born into this world and there must be some leaving in the meantime. Sometimes, such coming and leaving make me think about the life. What’s the meaning of life? People always want to live a meaningful life, but how do we define a â€Å"meaningful† life? I think that everybody would have his own definition of â€Å"meaningful.† Most people work very hard day and night in search of fame and fortune. When they become millionaires eventually, they may think it is enough for their life. But if they had only one day to live, what would they do? Suddenly, their fame and fortune end up nothing at all, for they cannot take their possessions with them when they die. Therefore, they may worry about their possessions and be annoyed even on their last day. It’s not my type of life. I won’t pursue fame and fortune so that when my very last day comes, I will have nothing to worry about and can be relieved in the long run. But I cannot be sure when I will leave this world. If the answer is tomorrow, what will I do on the last day of my life? First, I will clean up my room. Some people may think, â€Å"Since I am going to die, what good will it do me?† None, actually, but it means something to me. After living my life, I may find that all my life was chaotic, and I don’t want to leave the chaos in the world. Therefore, I will clean up my room so that I can make my life neat and tidy. I want it to be perfect. Second, I want to thank people who give a lot to me, such as those who have helped me, who have loved me and who I loved, for it was they who gave me the meanings in my life. Then, I will visit many places where I was born, I grew, I studied, I worked, and I lived. Those places can evoke my precious memory. I cannot bring anything with me but my reminiscences. At last, I will find a place where nobody can find me. I will be contented if anyone can weep for my death, but it will be too sorrowful for an emotional person like me to see those once happy faces become sad. Therefore, a serene place like seasho re will be good. I can lie on the yellow sand, listening to the relaxing sound made by waves. I can see the last sunset in my life. It will be a little sentimental, though. At night, crescent moon will shine on me and the sky will glitter with the myriad stars. With the unremitting waves, sea breeze will blow lightly, brushing through my hair, as if beautiful melody resounds harmoniously. In a state of comfort, I will lose my consciousness gradually and finally lapse into deep sleep. And it will be the finale of my life. In our daily life, we take everything for granted that parents should take care of us and friends help us without return. All seems to be natural, but actually it isn’t. They devote themselves selflessly to us because we are their beloveds. However, people always treasure what they have lost. Don’t be people of that kind. Sometimes, return our favor to them and then we won’t have remorse when the last day of our life comes. Research Papers on The Last Day of My Life - Creative Writing Informal EssayThe Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows EssayMind TravelBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm XTrailblazing by Eric AndersonNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This Nice19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoThe Spring and AutumnThe Effects of Illegal Immigration

Vygotsky Scaffolding What It Is and How to Use It

Vygotsky Scaffolding What It Is and How to Use It SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you’re an educator or have a student in school, you may have heard of the concept Vygotsky scaffolding. It may sound like a construction term, but Vygotsky scaffolding and the related concept of the zone of proximal development are teaching methods that can help students learn much more information much more quickly than they would with traditional instruction. However, Vygotsky scaffolding is only effective if you know how to properly implement it; otherwise it can actually hinder a student’s learning.Read this guide to learn what scaffolding and the zone of proximal development are, what the scaffolding psychology is, if studies have found these teaching methods to be effective, and how you can use these methods in the classroom to promote learning. What Is Instructional Scaffolding? Instructional scaffolding, also known as â€Å"Vygotsky scaffolding† or just â€Å"scaffolding,† is a teaching method that helps students learn more by working with a teacher or a more advanced student to achieve their learning goals. The theory behind instructional scaffolding is that, compared to learning independently, students learn more when collaborating with others who have a wider range of skills and knowledge than the student currently does.These instructors or peers are the â€Å"scaffolding† who help the student expand her learning boundaries and learn more than she would be able to on her own. Vygotsky scaffolding is part of the education concept â€Å"zone of proximal development† or ZPD.The ZPD is the set of skills or knowledge a student can’t do on her own but can do with the help or guidance of someone else. It’s the skill level just above where the student currently is. ZPD is often depicted as a series of concentric circles. The smallest circle is the set of skills a student can learn on her own, without any help. Next is the ZPD, or skills a student wouldn’t be able to do on her own, but can do with a teacher or peer helping her. Beyond that are skills the student can’t do yet, even with help. For example, say there is a kindergartner who is learning how to read and write. He knows all the letters of the alphabet, but he can’t yet read or write words. No matter how much guidance he was given, he could never read a novel on his own at this point, but with a teacher’s help, he can learn how to read and write short words like â€Å"at,† â€Å"boy† and â€Å"dog† because this skill is within is ZPD. It would have taken him much longer to learn this skill on his own, but it’s still simple enough that he can understand it if he has someone to explain it to him.The student’s ZPD is reading and writing short words, and the teacher who helps him learn them is the scaffolding. Proponents of ZPD and instructional scaffolding believe they are highly effective ways to maximize a student’s learning. Scaffolding can be used to help a person of any age learn something new, but in the classroom it is most often used with younger students (preschool and elementary school) since they are learning new skills and concepts they haven't been exposed to before most frequently. What’s the History Behind Vygotsky Scaffolding? Lev Vygotsky (1896-1934) was a Soviet psychologist who coined the term â€Å"zone of proximal development† and conducted many studies that led to instructional scaffolding. This is why the concept is often referred to as â€Å"Vygotsky scaffolding.† Vygotsky focused his work on developmental psychology, and it was in the 1920s and early 1930s, towards the end of his career, that he developed the concept of ZPD. Vygotsky believed that educators should help students learn within their ZPD so that they can increase their skills and knowledge without becoming frustrated by things that are currently too difficult for them to accomplish. Vygotsky came up with the idea of ZPD after extensive studying of how young children learn and the effectiveness of different teaching methods. He found that individual knowledge-based tests are often an inaccurate way to measure a young student’s intelligence since children need to interact with others who are more intelligent than they currently are in order to learn. He cited many examples of cultures where young children are taught new skills and knowledge passed down by older generations. For example, when infants are learning how to walk, they often start by holding onto the clothes or hands of an adult or older child, who guides them. The infant will continue to do this until they have enough skills and strength to walk on their own. This way they’re able to learn to walk much faster than if they were expected to learn without being able to hold onto anything. Vygotsky instead believed that the proper way to test young students was to test their ability to solve problems both independently and with the help of an adult.Dr. Maria Montessori, who established the Montessori education philosophy, also published similar research several decades before Vygotsky.Vygotsky died in 1934, less than a decade after he introduced the idea of ZPD, and after his death research on his ideas greatly decreased. In the 1960s, Vygotsky’s work was revived by a new group of psychologists studying developmental psychology. Dr. Jerome Bruner coined the term â€Å"scaffolding† and connected it to Vygotsky’s work. Dr. Bruner and other psychologists began studying the use of ZPD in different educational contexts, and they found that encouraging students to tackle the most difficult tasks within their ZPD leads to the most learning. Today scaffolding continues to be studied and used in schools, and much recent research has focused on how to use scaffolding to make classes (including online classes) more effective. Does Vygotsky Scaffolding Work? Over the past several decades, numerous studies have been conducted to study the effectiveness of using ZPD and scaffolding as teaching methods. Overall, research has shown that these methods can often help students learn more than they would compared to traditional teaching methods, but they require the instructor to have a good grasp of the student’s ZPD so they can adapt the teaching method to them. An early study from 1975 found that four-year-olds whose mother’s interacted with them and gave them advice were able to build significantly more complicated block towers than those who worked alone. The children who were most successful were those whose mothers adapted their strategy based on how well their child was completing the task. They made different comments based on whether the child was doing well or was struggling. A 1990 study found similar results when children were asked to put dollhouse furniture into the correct room. Children whose mothers gave them guidance were significantly more successful than those who completed the task on their own. A study published in 2000 that focused on a teacher using ZPD and scaffolding to teach a Farsi speaker English found that these methods can be an effective way to teach someone a new language. As the student improved his English skills, his teacher went from teaching individual words and phrases, to asking yes/no questions, to asking questions that required more in-depth responses. This gradual increase in difficulty helped the student improve his English skills while reducing feelings of frustration from attempting language skills beyond his current level. A similar scaffolding psychology study published in 2014 found that, in a group of 30 Australian language students, those who had tutors that used scaffolding techniques made significantly more progress in their writing quality and strategy application. Two studies, one from 2003 and one from 2010, found that ZPD and scaffolding can be effective, but if the instructor doesn’t know how to implement them correctly, she is at risk of helping students too much which turns them into passive learners and hinders their growth. Tips for Using Vygotsky Scaffolding in the Classroom From the studies discussed above, we know that instructional scaffolding can be an effective teaching tool, but only if the instructor understands how to use it. Below are four tips for using scaffolding in the classroom. Know Each Student’s ZPD In order to use ZPD and scaffolding techniques successfully, it’s critical to know your students’ current level of knowledge. Without this information, you won’t be able to teach them in their ZPD or provide effective scaffolding support. Before you begin a lesson with ZPD or Vygotsky scaffolding, find their baseline knowledge by giving a short quiz or having an introductory discussion on the topic where you ask students questions to figure out what they already know. Also remember that each student will have a different ZPD for each topic you teach. If a class has widely varying ZPDs for a specific topic, it can be more effective to have them work in groups or individually while you walk around the classroom and provide guidance so that you can tailor your techniques to each student’s ZPD. Encourage Group Work Group work can be a very effective way of using scaffolding principles in the classroom because students can learn from each other while working together on a project. More advanced students can help others learn while improving their own skills by explaining their thought process.Try to create groups that contain students with different skill sets and learning levels to maximize the amount students learn from each other. Make sure each student in the group is actively participating. If you see one student doing most of the work, have her ask the other students for their opinions, and emphasize the importance of everyone contributing. Don’t Offer Too Much Help A potential drawback of Vygotsky scaffolding is the possibility of providing too much help. This causes the student to be a passive, instead of active, learner and actually reduces the amount the student learns. If you’re using scaffolding techniques, don’t jump in right away and start offering advice. Let each student work on their own first.When they begin to struggle, first start by asking them questions about what they’ve done and what they think they should do next. As much as possible, ask open-ended questions that encourage them to find a solution on their own, as opposed to just telling them the next step. For example, if a student is trying to build a block tower, it’s much more helpful to say things like â€Å"How do you think you can make this tower stronger?† or â€Å"Why do you think the tower fell down?† than â€Å"You need to make the base bigger.† If after you’ve had the student think through the problem, then you can begin offering concrete advice for what to do next, but be sure to continue to ask questions to help increase the student’s understanding. For example, after giving advice on how to improve the block tower, you can ask â€Å"Why do you think making the base bigger helps the tower stay up?† Have Students Think Aloud Having students discuss their thought process is one of the best ways to figure out where their current skills are (and thus determine their ZPD) and make sure they’re actively learning.As a student is working on a project, have her talk about why she’s making certain decisions, what she thinks she should do next, and what she’s unsure about.When you give advice, make sure you also explain your own thought process so students can understand why you’re making the decisions you did. Summary:Vygotsky Scaffolding and the Zone of Proximal Development Vygotsky scaffolding is a teaching method that uses instructors and more advanced peers to help students learn. The Vygotsky theory of cognitive development states that students will learn more when they receive guidance from someone with more skills in the subject they’re learning than they would if they were tackling the subject on their own. Vygotsky scaffolding is part of the education theory the zone of proximal development. The zone of proximal development states that each student, for each subject, has three levels of learning: things the student can accomplish on her own, things she can accomplish with help from someone else (the zone of proximal development) and things she can’t accomplish no matter how much help she has. The ZPD and Vygotsky scaffolding theory is that students learn the most when they’re in their ZPD. Soviet psychologist Lev Vygotsky developed the ZPD and the Vygotsky theory of cognitive development, while Jerome Bruner developed scaffolding psychology several decades later.Studies have shown that scaffolding can be a very effective teaching method, as long as the teacher understands the concepts behind it and doesn’t provide too much guidance. If using scaffolding and the zone of proximal development in the classroom, remember to know each student’s ZPD, encourage group work, don’t offer too much help, and have students explain their thought process out loud. What's Next? Are you a teacher writing recommendations for your students? Read all about how to write an outstanding recommendation letter for your students, along with what not to include. When do colleges start looking at a student's grades? Do colleges look at middle school grades? Read our guide to learn how middle school grades are important for college admissions. Writing a research paper for school but not sure what to write about?Our guide to research paper topics has over 100 topics in ten categories so you can be sure to find the perfect topic for you.

Uninsured patients in relation to nursing practice in America Essay

Uninsured patients in relation to nursing practice in America - Essay Example The health insurance practice is one in which an insurance company (signs an undertaking with an individual to provide heath care services if and when necessary with a commitment by the issues to make regular payments in this regards).The uninsured patient is therefore a person who for one reason or the other is unable to have this kind of commitment to his or her health. A study of the nursing practice as it obtains in America presently would reveal the fact that attention is concentrated on the insured patients in hospitals to the detriment of the uninsured patients. As not all uninsured patient may query for Medicaid. This therefore poses a question "Is the health policy one for a review" Particularly as it concerns the uninsured and the nursing practice. It is reported that the rate of increase in the uninsured population is at an average of 1 Million people per year from 1987, which culminated into over 32 million adults without health insurance in the United States as at 1998. (permanenete journal 2003). For most of these uninsured people it is by no wish of their own that they found themselves in their present state. Most neither quality for Medicaid nor the insurance care packages. Despite the fact that many of these insurance patients desire no much for health care packages it is beyond their reach by reason of the uninsurance labels they wear. This inability has without doubt complicated seemingly easy - to - handle medical cases, when you consider illness like Cancer where routine checks could reveal a tomour at an early stated of development and for which subsequent application of chemotherapy man prevent the tumor from further development or get it This is the standard practice in nursing, however this routine check man be unavailable to the insured. A possible question at this junction is: should health uninsurance loom larger than the Medical needs of a patients. While we may agree that there is no strength forward and easy answer to this question, an attempt will be made to justify it as much as possible. The major pre-occupation in the minds of the leaders in any nation is the welfare of its citizens. This therefore suggests that irrespective of the background and circumstances surrounding any one of its citizens they all should be entitled to the same level of care and treatment. So many factors combine to contribute to the inability of some patients to meet with their private health insurance needs, factors like infrastructure job conditions - (low paying and part-time jobs) not covered by the health care packages. The unwillingly uninsured patients in this scenario look up to the government of the day to come to their aid and resume. A government's sensitivity and rapid response in this direction will go along way as much as flaming the embers of patriotism among its citizenry. While this may be largely true, it is not also a hidden fact that there are many things that compete for the attention of the government and policy makers. The health sector is only an aspect of an entire spectrum that is exerting pressure in the government for attention. State security, education, unemployment, state of the economy etc. are pact of this spectrum. The resultant of this that a lid is placed over what can be spent on any given sector considering the limited resources available. Budgetary constraints as this make it very difficult to engage in very robust healthcare programs that will adequately provide for the needs of the uninsured patients. Although it is arguable that if the priorities of the government of the day are well spelt out, a drastic reduction in foreign aid and grant could be made thereby making funds available for the uninsured patients. Existing health policy needs not be static in a dynamic world environment. The citizens of a country are the target of any nations health policy an the effects if not having a proper health insurance for individuals is really