Social Program Beneficiaries in the US

Introduction A number of American citizens are of the opinion that the majority of social programs in the nation need to be discontinued. On the other hand, these programs have genuine beneficiaries whose lives will never be any easy or bearable if they are phased out. Examples of these programs include Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. The argument is that it is not justified to take the yields of some other individual’s toil to cover the costs of these programs.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Social Program Beneficiaries in the US specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is as well incorrect to compel citizens into an inexhaustible succession of reliance, which according to this group is the only outcome at the end of the day attained by these programs (Zeleny, 2009, p. 1). It is in addition divergent to the purpose of the United States government, as projected by the founding figures. The opponents s uggest phasing out times covering a length of time spanning from five years at the least and fifty years at most. Social Security This refers to the national Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) program. It is financed by way of devoted payroll levies referred to as Federal Insurance Contributions Act. It avails benefits to retired persons and those without employment, and another benefit when one passes away. The disabled are also covered by this act. Imbursements to present retired individuals are covered by a levy on present employees’ earnings, partly directly as a payroll levy and partly remunerated by the employing firm. States also are assigned funds to offer support to elderly persons and the disabled (Samuelson, 2005, p. 1). Medicare This is a societal assurance scheme run by the American government and it offers health care assurance coverage to persons above sixty five years of age, and those who conform to other exceptional standards. This schemeâ €™s coverage caters for eighty percent of any given medical care expenses with the rest twenty percent being catered for through other means which the patient will be responsible for. Generally, all people who have attained 65 years of age or above and have been official inhabitants of the United States for leastways 5 years are entitled to Medicare. Other beneficiaries in the nation are those with impairment, provided their circumstance(s) are innate or else everlasting, not considering age (Medicare.gov). This is as a result of the provision that such impaired persons are as well intrinsically warranted to Social Security Disability Insurance. Participation in this gives one the right Medicare coverage. Medicare also finances nationality education courses for the greater part of medical doctors in the United States.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Medicaid This is the Unit ed States’ healthcare scheme for entitled persons and households with little earnings and resources. The program is in cooperation financed by the state and central administrations while management is carried out by the states. Amidst the groupings of individuals covered by this scheme include low-earning grown-ups together with their children, and individuals with given impairment. Medicaid offers the major fraction of central administration funds used up on health care for persons living with HIV/AIDS. Conclusion The above social programs are offering invaluable aid to their beneficiaries and need not to be done away with. This is for the simple fact that the intended beneficiaries have no other way(s) of catering for what these schemes make possible (Zeleny, 2009, p. 1). Efficiency of these programs should be ensured at all times while making sure that fraud is avoided at all costs. Reference List Medicare.gov – the Official U.S. Government Site for Medicare. Availa ble from https://www.medicare.gov/ Samuelson, R. (January 14, 2005). â€Å"It’s More Than Social Security (washingtonpost.com).† The Washington Post. Available from http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A8100-2005Jan13.html Retrieved Zeleny, J. (January 7, 2009). â€Å"Obama Promises Bid to Overhaul Retiree Spending.† The New York Times. Available from https://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/08/us/politics/08obama.html?_r=1ref=politic Retrieved This essay on Social Program Beneficiaries in the US was written and submitted by user Kayson Johnson 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.

Psychology Term Paper A Complete Guide

Psychology Term Paper A Complete Guide A term paper is a common format of academic writing psychology students encounter in college. It is a research paper of significant size (normally up to 6000 words) that is assigned in the beginning of a term to be written over its duration, either individually or in a group. It should contain original research and detailed discussion of its subject matter, providing evidence in support of the writer’s point. Writing a good term paper will account for a large portion of your grade, so it pays to put every effort into it. In this psychology term paper writing guide, we will discuss the proper order of organizing your work on such assignments. Selecting a Topic Unlike essays whose topics are normally simply assigned to you, you can usually choose a topic of your term paper yourself (albeit in collaboration with your tutor). As you are going to spend the better part of the next term working on it, it pays to tread carefully here. Don’t choose a topic without thinking, hoping to find the necessary information later on – when the time comes, you may find out that the job is too challenging, and it will be too late to ask your tutor to change the topic. Try finding a topic of personal interest. It is not just that writing about something that fascinates you is easier – the quality of your writing is always directly proportional to how interested you are in the subject matter. At this point you probably won’t be able to single out a specific topic, so try to at least mark a general area (e.g., symptoms and treatment of depression); If you cannot think of something specific, try reviewing available literature using an online database (e.g., PsycInfo). This may inspire you to narrow the topic down to something more manageable and will show what sources you can base your research on; Narrow the topic down but don’t overdo it, or you risk ending up with a topic without relevant sources to use; Check if your topic contains a direct or implied question. You don’t write a report on someone else’s research, you are expected to do individual work and come up to your own conclusions, and for that you need to have a question to begin with. E.g., â€Å"Symptoms of a Histrionic Personality Disorder† is not a very good topic as it calls for a simple enumeration of symptoms. â€Å"Potential of Using Gestalt Therapy in Treatment of Histrionic Personality Disorder† is better, because it implies a question: Is gestalt therapy effective for that purpose? Discuss the topic with your tutor. If the topic you’ve come up with is off, he will be able to point it out and suggest alterations that will make it easier to write and to find the necessary information. In the end, you should get a topic that is both sufficiently broad to provide a lot of source materials to build upon and narrow enough to let you exhaustively study it within your word limit. Here are some examples: Situational Variables of Human Behaviors as Seen in Stanford Prison Experiment; Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Social Anxiety Disorder: Causes of Misdiagnosis and Ways to Prevent It; Comparative Efficiency of Treatments for Reactive Attachment Disorder in Children; Externalizing and Extroversion: Distinctions and Similarities; Conditioning Theory in Explaining Placebo Effect. Doing Your Research As a psychology researcher, you should learn to read and analyze sources critically for at least three reasons: To create valuable work you have to be well-versed in the subject matter; Through learning how to notice weak spots in papers of other researchers you will become better prepared to finding them in your writing, thus turning into a critical reader of your own work; Not all sources are equally valuable, and you have to learn how to differentiate between them to avoid relying too much on untrustworthy information. Remember – more sources is not always better by definition. From the abundance of information on the subject you should only choose what will be helpful in establishing the truth. Here are some ways to find information sources: Reading list. If you are given one by your tutor, start with it – it likely contains the most pertinent information on the subject; Online databases. PsycInfo and PubMed are the two most widely databases used in the field of psychology. More general ones like Google Scholar and Academic Search Premier can also be of help; Reference sections. Start with your textbook and go through all the sources you’ve found by other means. Here are the questions you should ask yourself when reading and analyzing every information source you deal with: Does the author have an agenda? Every paper is written to advance a certain point of view, but in some cases, an author may be blinded by his goal to do so and intentionally twist, conceal or fabricate evidence to promote his position. If the author has an obvious or implicit bias, it greatly decreases the value of the work as evidence. Is the author’s methodology sound? Students are often tempted to skip the Methodology section of a research paper, but it is very important in establishing the value of evidence. Check if the author’s methods are appropriate and relevant for the question he tries to answer. Is the author’s statistical analysis appropriate? Again, you may be tempted to skip this section (especially if you haven’t yet taken a statistics course), but even those without special training can glean important insights from statistical data. Does this information corroborate the author’s hypothesis? Are his conclusions logical? What is the amount of evidence supporting the conclusion? In psychology, just like in many other disciplines, empirical studies often report contradictory results. That is why a single study or experiment doesn’t automatically become evidence unless it is replicated multiple times. And if an author makes sweeping generalizations at a slightest provocation, he is likely to be biased. Is this information evidence? The fact that that author states something doesn’t make it evidence. Moreover, different disciplines have different standards of what is to be considered evidence. For example, in social sciences logical and rhetorical conclusions are treated as viable evidence. In psychology, however, these are considered are nothing more than personal opinions that have no value without being corroborated by empirical evidence. Writing Your Psychology Term Paper Psychology writing has many similarities to what you have previously learned in expository writing: you are expected to study an idea, investigate the available evidence, produce a thesis, support it with convincing and well-founded evidence and be ready to objections and corrections from your audience. However, there are differences. Psychology writing is based on the standards of American Psychological Association publication style. In addition to a host of formatting requirements (which you can learn on case-by-case basis using the publication manual), there are three general principles: clarity, conciseness and accuracy. As a result, psychology writing is supposed to be easy to read even for non-experts, straightforward so as to eliminate potential misunderstandings and devoid of redundancies. The main goal of psychology writing is information transfer with minimal distractions. Thesis Statement A thesis statement is a short summary of the main point of your paper (e.g., the claim you want to prove or disprove), usually limited to a single sentence. Thesis statement is different from topic – a topic is a general area of your investigation. A thesis statement is a claim or a viewpoint related to the topic. For example, â€Å"Correlation between time of diagnosis and necessary depression treatment methods† is a topic. â€Å"Early diagnosis of depression may prevent the need for medication-based treatment† is a thesis statement. Sometimes you have a basic idea of what you are going to write about and what you will try to prove before you do any research; sometimes you will have to review available literature before you can formulate your idea. Having an idea for thesis statement to begin with is useful because it limits the scope of your searches and motivates you to proceed. However, don’t feel obliged to stick to it. Remember, you are a researcher, and your thesis should be supportable by empirical evidence. If you start finding evidence to the contrary, change your thesis statement accordingly. A quality thesis statement is based on existing research done by other people but goes further than just summarizing and reiterating their findings. It should contain something new, something that is not immediately apparent from the topic itself. For example, â€Å"Bipolar disorder severely influences patient’s quality of life† is so obvious that writing a term paper about it has no sense. Here are some good ideas for thesis statements: Criticize an existing theory or hypothesis or offer your own that is better supported by your findings; Combine information from several topics that aren’t usually connected with each other to come to unexpected conclusions about them; Compare and contrast two or more theories on the subject and make a conclusion which one has more basis in empirical data; Point out a correlation between factors or a trend in statistical data that wasn’t noticed by other researchers. Outline Outline is a plan of your paper: here you jot down its basic structure, make notes of what you should mention at each moment and how to connect points with each other. It should contain the following: Main points of your argument; Evidence you will use to back up each point; How you address potential objections to each point; How you explain evidence that contradicts your points; Everything you will use to tie parts of the paper together: transition words and phrases, subtitles, etc. Body Paragraphs Body of the paper is where you say what you intended to say. Usually students consider it the main part of their work, but it is only true for those who haven’t done proper research. If you’ve carefully studied your sources, made notes and prepared a detailed outline, writing the body paragraphs turns into simple putting of already prepared content onto paper in an orderly form. It means that you should proceed in a uniform fashion: introduce a new point – provide empirical evidence to support it – address potential contradictions and objections – recap the point and relate it to the thesis statement of the paper or a current section. There are a few other principles you should follow: Consider your audience to be intelligent novices in the field of psychology. That is, assume that they have knowledge of general psychology but aren’t well-read in any particular branch of the science. Don’t explain the most basic terminology but provide the necessary background when you get deeper into specifics. Be as concise as possible. The fewer words you use, the better. However, don’t strive to achieve complete brevity in your first draft – that is what revision is for. Avoid emotionally charged language. You are writing a scientific paper, not a novel or poetry. Make your words as neutral and objective as possible. Make sure you define the most important terms relevant to your field of study or introduce them in context that makes their meaning immediately obvious. If a term has more than one meaning or connotation, specify which one you use in your work (e.g. â€Å"Aggression, for the purposes of this work, will be defined as any instance of unmotivated physical attack of one person upon another†). Don’t overload your writing with direct quotations. Remember that opinions of other scholars aren’t considered to be evidence in psychology. You should concentrate on documented facts and results of observations, not on what other people write about them. Try to rephrase quotations so that they are integrated into the flow of text more smoothly. Don’t use footnotes and endnotes. According to APA style guide, if information is important enough for understanding a point, it should be introduced directly into the body of the paper. If it isn’t that important, it shouldn’t be used altogether. Don’t write in first person. Phrases â€Å"I think† or â€Å"I suppose† shouldn’t be used in scientific writing. Revising Your Paper: Steps Our Academic Writers Make The first draft never turns out the way you’ve envisioned your paper. When you’ve finished writing the last line your work isn’t yet done, because revision is just as important a part of it as research and writing per se. If you have time to spare, leave your term paper alone for at least 24 hours. Immediately after finishing a paper you are too used to it and tend to skim over entire phrases, missing mistakes and flaws. Ask for a second opinion. Get somebody whom you trust to read your paper and ask for constructive criticism. It may be anybody – a friend, a relative, a roommate, a peer from the Writing Center. You don’t necessarily have to follow all the recommendations and comments he makes, but they will give you a much-needed perspective on your work. Check your paper for clarity. Read it as if you were seeing it for the first time and ask yourself if you would understand it were it written by somebody else. Check logical connections. Do your arguments naturally follow from one another? Do they really prove what they are supposed to be proving? Eliminate unnecessary words. Psychology values succinct writing, so remove every word, sentence, paragraph or even a section if it doesn’t move your point forward. Read your paper aloud. It is an old yet effective method for singling out fragments that don’t work, sound wrong or don’t serve any purpose; Don’t hesitate to rewrite huge swathes of your paper if you feel it will improve it; Check your paper for consistency with the APA style guide. Only practice can teach you how to write excellent psychology papers consistently, but with this guide, you will have sufficient groundwork to get you started.

What Is the ACT Kaplan ACT Low Cost Test Prep Program

What Is the ACT Kaplan ACT Low Cost Test Prep Program SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The ACT has just announced its first official partnership with a test prep company: Kaplan. This may be big news for students who are planning to take the ACT - in cooperation with Kaplan, ACT, Inc. will be providing a low-cost (or even free) test prep program calledACT ® Kaplan Online Prep Live. There isn’t a ton of information just yet about the quality of the new test prep platform - students won’t be able to access it for a while - but we do know what the program should include and what it should cost. Free streaming courses are airing live in advance of the program launch - you can read more about what these courses are like towards the end of the post. Read more to find out what this new test prep partnership will mean for you! The ACT/Kaplan Partnership The ACT and the SAT are in perpetual competition for student test-takers. Last year, the College Boardannounced a partnership with Khan Academy to provide free test prep - it’s no surprise that ACT, Inc.has followed suit with a similar move:formally partnering up with Kaplan to offeran online prep programat no cost to low-income students and a â€Å"significantly lower cost† than other prep programs for all other students. Although the partnership was just announced, the test prep program won’t be available until Fall 2016 (so it won’t be of much help to students who are taking the ACT this summer). The program is offering a few free classes before the official launch date, however - check out the ACT streaming events page, and keep reading for more info. Program Costs This test prep program will be free of charge for low-income students. To qualify, students need to register for the ACT with a fee waiver (read our complete guide to ACT fee waivers for more information). Access to the platform should come to less than $200 for students who don’t qualify for the fee waiver. What Will the Program Include? The price for this test prep program seems pretty reasonable, but more important than the price is what you’ll get for your money. First, the program includes access to live classes taught by Kaplan instructors. Students should be able to interact with these instructors through the course platform, although it’s unclear how much individual feedback each student will receive (it’s likely that many students will be watching each live class - there’s no way one instructor could respond, in real time, to questions from hundreds of students). Students will also have access to recorded classes if they’re unable to watch live - this affords some flexibility. These courses will be available on computers, tablets, and phones, so you can watch them on the go. The ACT/Kaplan haven’t publicized a list of class topics, but they currently have a few free courses on the calendar - I imagine that the new prep program’s courses will be similar in scope. Here’s the free course schedule: Understanding Your ACT Scores and What to Do Next (April 30, 2016 @2pm EDT) Introduction to Stem Concepts (May 11, 2016 @7pm EDT) Introduction to ELA Concepts (May 22, 2016 @2pm EDT) The program will also include access to a social platform including teachers and peers. This social media platform is supposed to facilitate a community for discussion, encouragement, and support. Whatthe Program Will Not Include Based on the program’s press release, there are a few key things not provided by this test prep program. First, as an online version of an ACT prep course, this prep program does not provide personalized or customized instruction to students (aside from any feedback provided via live course instruction). Instead, I predict that it will serve as an introduction to core concept areas, test strategies, and logistical concerns. Second, although instructors will use official ACT questions as examples when they teach thelive courses, it doesn’t seem that students will have access to any additional official practice materials. The ACT does release some official practice materials for free - these are available to everyone -but other official prep materials must be purchased. The Bottom Line What’s included with this program is definitely subject to change, but for now (at least based on the official press release), here’s what students seem to get for their money: Access to live (or on-demand, if you can’t watch live) courses on ACT content and logistics topics. Opportunities for interactions with teachers during live classes. Access to a social media platform with peers and instructors. No extra practice materials or personalized instruction. However, keep in mind that we have only very preliminary informationright now. A lot of details could change before the program's official release this fall. Online Prep Live: Free Streaming Events To get a taste for what the paid Online Prep program will be like, I watched the program's firstfree streaming class: Understanding Your ACT Scores and What to Do Next. It aired on Saturday, April 30. Course Overview This live, online course(presumably similar to what the actual Online Prep Live classes will be like) was easily accessible via this announcement page. This course addressed: What the info on your ACT score report means and how you can use it ACT College and Career Readiness Standards (both what they are and why they matter) ACT next steps, including deciding whether or not to retake the test and improving your scores Exploring future college and career options Pros I was impressed with howeasy it was to access this course, as well as how clearly the information was communicated. The instructor (Boris) was engaging and knowledgeable, which is a big plus. Although students weren't able to chat directly with the instructor, he noted at the beginning of the course that a "team of ACT experts" were online to answer student questions throughout the live session. Borisnoted particular student comments or questions throughout the live event, so he seemed generally plugged in to student concerns. In addressing student questions, the instructor referredto real-life data which helped back up his claims.He wanted to answer, for example, whether retaking the ACT would make students look bad to admissions officers. In responding, he pointed out that many students retake the test, and the majority of them (57%) end up with a higher score the second time around. Finally, I appreciated that anyone who's interested caneither watch the recorded event on-demand and access a full transcript of the course at any time. Cons First, this hour-long prep course was nowhere near an hour long. If you reference the event recording, you'll notice that the first and last sections are ads for the paid ACT Online Prep Live program, NOT course instruction footage. This meant that Boris was actually teaching for about 36 minutes in total. Second, the coursedidn't always providehelpful, concrete instructions or resources when addressing student concerns. In discussing some free tools that are available to help students raise scores, for example, Boris notes that you should take a list of your weak test skills to a guidance counselor for more help. Although it's greatto know where you should work to improve, students may have benefitedfrom references to helpful test prep materials. Next, the instructor spent some time encouraging viewers to participate in the chat platformwith prompts like "tell me if you empathize with these struggles!" Some viewers may really appreciate how this approach fosters a sense of community among viewers, but I felt it wasted time that could have been spent reviewing other material. These free streaming courses won't be helpful for everyone (especially students who already know the ins and outs of the test), but I encourage you to check out the transcript or recordingbefore deciding whether they're right for you. How the ACT/Kaplan Partnership Will Affect Student Test Prep Since this is the first time the ACT has officially partnered with any test prep company, the new online prepprogram is bound to make waves. It hasn’t officially launched, so no one can be completely sure of the program’s strengths and weaknesses. Based on what the program offers (and what it doesn’t), however, I can speculate as to the program’s benefits and drawbacks. The important stuff:what does this program have to do with how you study for the ACT? Here’s how I think students may benefit (or not) from this new partnership: Potential Advantages The ACT Kaplan Online Prep Live program is a step in the right direction when it comes to providing reasonably-priced and flexible prep to busy students. Here are the program's biggest perks: Official ACT Material Whenever you're studying for any sort of standardized test, it's best to get your hands on official test prep material. ACT questions are written in a very specific style and format (something that's difficult for unofficial test prep sources to emulate).In order to do well on the test, it's important to familiarize yourself with itsunique style. Test-makers are usually pretty careful with how much official material they release for practice. Since this Live Prep Program is endorsed by the ACT, you can be sure that instructors will only refer to official sample questions as they teach. Ease of Access Whenyou sign up for your standard ACT course, it means committing to attending classes at certain times and dates.If you're dealing with a packed schedule and/or limited transportation options, an in-person ACT course may not work for you. The ACT Live Prep program makes it easy to watch classes at times that are convenient for you - all you need is internet access. You can choose to watch classes live or on-demand, which is helpful if you're working around other commitments. Even the best ACT course won't help you if you can't find the time to attend - an online program should make things a lot easier for the average student. Price Point One of the major barriers to accessing quality ACT prep is the cost. Kaplan is one of the biggest names in test prep - before this partnership announcement, the company's least expensive ACT course was priced at $299, whereas its more intensive courses start at $749. This is simply out of reach for many students and their families. This Live Prep program is reasonably priced when compared to many other test prep programs (especially if students qualify for ACT fee waivers, in which case they can sign up for free). A lower price point means greater access to ACT prep, which is always a good thing. Social Media Support When they sign up for the Live Prep course, students also gain accessto a social media platform with other peers and instructors. Some students may study just fine independently, but others may find it helpful to interact with peers in an effort to maintain good study practices. Potential Drawbacks Like I mentioned earlier, it's difficult to say for certain what we can expect from theACT Kaplan Online Prep Live program. Based on the itsdescription, however, there are some important weaknesses in the prep program's approach. No Extra Practice Material Like I noted earlier, there's no mention of extra material provided to students for independent study. If you want to practice any content or strategy that was discussed in a particular class, you'll likely have to find your own practice questions or tests. No Customization This is a weakness that you'll find with any test prep course. Instructors are there to teach an entire class, not individual students - as such, you may find certain lessons less helpful than others (for example, a lesson that goes over content you're already very familiar with).Conversely, there won't be opportunities for you to get extra help with concepts youstruggle with. To study most effectively and most efficiently, you'll want to spend the most time on things that are difficult for you. Because every student is different, every student's ideal study plan will be different. This is something that the ACT Kaplan Online Prep Live program can't accommodate. Most group classes take a "one size fits all" approach out of necessity. Limited Interaction With Instructors The program description states that students will be able to ask questions of instructors during live classes. Although this is an interesting idea, I don't see how it would work in practice -each live course will likely have hundreds of students (or even more) watching at one time. There's no way that an instructor could personally respond to questions from so many students. I expect that select questions (e.g. questions that would apply to the greatest number of students) will be answered during live questions. Hearing teachers respond to others' inquiries may be helpful, but I wouldn't go into a class expecting to have my own personal questions answered. Reliance on Social Media Support You may be wondering why I have this in the "potential drawbacks" section. A big problem that I have with the social media support platform is that the prep program is preemptivelydirecting students therefor answers to test-related questions. This is problematic because most of the people on this platform aren't going to be ACT instructors - they're going to be other students. Although it's possible to get reliable help from savvy students, it's also possible to get very misguided (and simply incorrect) advice. The social media platform is likely to be an awesome resources for thosewho are looking for a test prep community,but students who turn to it for test prep help should take advice with a grain of salt. Overview Versus In-Depth Course Material The Live Prep course has yet to release the full rangeof topics that they'll cover with their classes. They may very well introduce classes that address higher-level content and strategy concerns, but based on their list of free streaming classes, I doubt that will be the case.Students who are already familiar with ACT logistics, strategy, and content won't benefit from classes that primarily address the basics. Should You Use the New Prep Plan? Now that you have all the available information on theACT Kaplan Online Prep Live program, you might be wondering if you should sign up. I can't tell you whether you should definitely buy the program, but I think some students would benefit from it more than others. Consider Signing Up If ... You qualify for an ACT fee waiver.If you qualify for a waiver, the program is free. There's no harm in signing up, even if you don't end up finding it that helpful. You don't know much about the ACT and you would benefit from an overview course.Based on the free streaming events the program is offering in advance of its actual launch, it looks like the courses will address important introductory concepts (e.g. "Understanding Your ACT Scores and What to Do Next"). If the ACT basics are new to you, this program may be a good fit. It's difficult for you to committo any in-person ACT prep programs. This ACT/Kaplan program makes it easy for students to watch courses anywhere, anytime. If you require more flexibility from an ACT prep program, you might want to check this one out. Consider Passing on the Course If ... You're a relatively high-scorer and need in-depth ACT review. If this is the case, I doubt the course will teach you anything you don't already know. Spend your time more effectively by perfecting your scores. You're planning on taking the ACT this summer, fall, or early winter. The program doesn't launch until Fall 2016, so if you're taking the ACT before then (or soon thereafter), you won't have enough time to benefit from the online courses. You have the resources (and motivation) to participate in a program that provides customized feedback. You'll be able to prep more effectively if you can get real feedback on your strengths and weaknesses. Courses like this one are a good place to start, but if you want more guidance and support, I'd encourage you to look into other options. What's Next? Want more information on other ACT prep options? Read about whether online prep (and online tutoring) is right for you, and learn more about the differences between in-person and online ACT courses. Maybe you've considered getting an ACT tutor, but you also want the flexibility of online prep. Learn more about the difference between online and in-person tutoring. Want to improve your ACT score by 4+ points? Download our free guide to the top 5 strategies you need in your prep to improve your ACT score dramatically.

Strategic management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 13

Strategic management - Essay Example For conducting external audit of the company, its opportunities and threats are discussed below. Consumers are becoming more health conscious and consequently the demand for healthy and organic food products is also increasing significantly. Kellogg’s’ is capitalising on this trend to develop its brand image (Seaberg et al, n.d.). The company has expanded its business in global market and is equipped with necessary human and other resources to gain upper hand position in the international market (Wayne State University School of Business Administration, n.d.). The rate of competition is increasing drastically which poses a vital threat to the company. The company is facing intense competition from General Mills and PepsiCo. The products offered by its competitors act as substitute for its ready-to-eat cereal products. The main buyers of its products are Wal-Mart and Target Group. Their bargaining power is very high and it affects the pricing strategy of the company. Porter’s Five Forces analysis indentifies the five factors that affect the competition level of an industry. These five forces are bargaining power of suppliers and customers, threat of substitute products and new entrants, and rivalry from existing competitors (Henry, 2008, p.69). The company relies on its suppliers for manufacturing high quality food products. It needs suppliers for a wide range of products from raw materials and ingredients, packaging equipment and skilled labours. However, a large number of such suppliers are easily available in the global market and it can negotiate with them. Therefore, the bargaining power of the suppliers is quite low in this industry. In convenient food market, a large variety of ready-to-eat products are available. Fast-foods are the greatest threats to Kellogg’s products. The barrier to enter this industry is comparatively low due to low

Prison life and strategies to decrease recidivism upon an inmates Essay

Prison life and strategies to decrease recidivism upon an inmates release from prison - Essay Example In the US, the rate of recidivism is estimated to be approximately two-thirds of all released inmates (Andrews & Bonta, 1994). This means that at least two-thirds of prisoners released will ultimately be re-imprisoned within a period of three years. High recidivism rates impose immense costs with regard to public safety, as well as tax dollars utilized in arresting, prosecuting and imprisoning re-offenders. Due to these high costs, programs for inmates, as well as released prisoners, which reduce recidivism, can prove cost effective, even in the event of modest success (Perkinson, 2010). This paper will consider the US prison system, describing its aspects such as prison life, the existence and effectiveness of programs that reduce recidivism and programs aimed at reintroducing released prisoners into society. Purpose for Prisons in the US As an institution, the prison plays a critical role in the society. The US justice system bestows on prisons various roles. The first essential ro le is rehabilitation; prisons provide convicts with second chances to appreciate and learn from their misconducts and change. In essence, prisons help inmates reflect on their lives and search for ways through which they can coexist peacefully within the society. In addition, prisons offer inmates with learning environments in which they acquire new skills essential in enabling them earn decent livelihoods after their release (Armitage, 2002). Another critical role of prisons is deterrence and punishment aimed at discouraging inmates and others within the society from committing similar crimes. Forms of punishment vary contingent on the crimes committed, ranging from hard labor to the death penalty. Such punishment deters others in the society from committing crimes, thus ensuring peace and harmony within the society (Andrews & Bonta, 1994). Moreover, prisons provide justice to victims of crimes. Because law centers on justice and equity, victims of crimes receive justice through th e incarceration of those that harmed them. The incarceration of a wrongdoer provides closure to the victim of the crime. Lastly, prisons in the US protect the public from threats to security and safety as incarceration deters criminals such as serial killers and rapists from committing crimes within the society. Current conditions in US prisons The present condition of US prisons is less than ideal. Prisoners presently live in deplorable conditions characterized by extreme overcrowding. The situation in US prisons provides a viable environment for crime to thrive within prison boundaries. Perkinson (2010) poises that the California and Texas prisons, which are the biggest in the US, have, in the last thirty years, experienced an eight fold increase in the number of prisoners incarcerated. Despite the growing number of inmates, funding for prisons has barely increased, making it difficult to meet the needs of prisoners (Armitage, 2002). Inadequate funding makes it difficult for priso ns to teach prisoners effective skills to enhance their re-introduction into society. Although the US encompasses 5% of the global population, its prisons encompass 25% of the global prisoner population; this indicates the enormity of the issue. Increased congestion in US prisons is also attributable to increased levels of crime and recidivism in the US. This congestion diminishes the rehabilitative role of prisons as congestion makes it difficult

Benefits of Video Games Essay Example for Free

Benefits of Video Games Essay In todays frantic and stressful society, a desire to escape sometimes is imminent. There are piles of work to do, constant headaches, and relationship tensions are rising. In this current condition one may be aware that it will be impossible to get anything accomplished. What one really needs is a chance to get away from it all, to replenish the mind and release all of their apprehension. A relaxing vacation to a secluded private island would do the trick, but of course this is impractical. Instead, at no cost one can fully immerse into a lush, stunning virtual paradise oozing with beauty and serenity. This is the magnificence of the modern video game world; it lets a person be somebody they could only dream of, construct amazing structures and inventions, or can even provide relief and fulfillment. However, stress relief and personal enjoyment are not the sole advantages. Video games should be more widely accepted and integrated into the daily and professional lives of individuals because of the many positive effects they create, which include: self satisfaction, educational and economic opportunities, advances in technology and science, and the spawning of creativity and ingenuity. One of the age old attacks against video games is the statement that they contain an addictive allure that grabs hold of students and chokes the academic life out of them; well, according to recent studies, quite the opposite may be observed. In a study of young children age four and five, conducted by the Ready to Learn Initiative, it was found that through the addition of digital devices and video games into a school curriculum, it was possible to greatly increase letter recognition and early literacy skills. A further study by the Education Department Center found that kindergarteners with poor home conditions, who had experienced a video game based curriculum in preschool, were more adapted and successful (The Benefits). This prevents students from falling behind and creates interest in school. Although it is true that a handful of games possess no real advantages and are a distraction from work, the sheer number of games designed as educational tools or as brain-teasers clearly outweigh that fraction. In fact, nearly sixty percent of all video games are categorized as E for veryone, which primarily consists of healthy brain-growing challenges and activities. Large video game companies such as Big Fish, Broderbund, and Educational Insights are devoted to developing products that will wrack a players brain. Collectively, they provide exciting puzzles, history and science education in an interesting way, and dynamic math-oriented games (Gibson). The majority of players are hard at work improving their skills and cognitive abilities, while a few negative cases of video game players get all of the publicity. The benefits of games do not end there, however. (The Benefits) Many online video games provide valuable economic lessons and other important skills required in jobs and professional life. For instance, Second Life, a colossal in the MMORPG (Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games) industry, contains thousands of college students working for credit in their classes and career-related experience. Business students can take advantage of the game currency called Linden dollars, which can be exchanged for real money; they do this by selling in-game real estate and running retail businesses while learning about marketing, budgeting, and management. Fashion design and 3D-modeling students can collaborate to create articles of clothing and wardrobes. Even architectural students are taking advantage of the opportunities that Second Life provides by designing virtual buildings and structures (Driscoll). This video game opens up a world for these students to directly apply the information they are learning in class in a hands-on and logistically sound way. It also provides them with a source of income that supports and encourages their efforts. Other games and simulations are even used to ethically train medical students and to ready military recruits for the harsh reality of war. As a result of sophisticated games such as these, the pupils make less mistakes and are more prepared when they begin their high-risk careers. Aside from these rigid settings, other casual games are developing the skills of teenagers and adults in a more subtle way. Cooperative games such as World of Warcraft require teams of players to work together to reach a common goal. Each individual is given responsibilities and specific roles, and a few people are even selected to lead the group and provide direction and structure. Hundreds of similar games also teach the same teamwork, leadership, and responsibility to their players, which are all vital qualities to have in order to be successful in society. Not only can video games polish an individuals abilities, but they have the potential to facilitate advancements in the fields of technology and science as well. For example, the highly commended game, Foldit, requires the players to fold real proteins in the most efficient way as possible while competing against others online. Computer software alone is not very successful at predicting the future shapes of irregular objects, and so with the presence of the human minds puzzle-solving skills scientists have been able to create breakthroughs through utilizing this game (Toppo). For example, a sample of a monkey HIV protein which had mystified scientists for over fifteen years was recently introduced to the players for analyzing, who were then able to solve it in a mere ten days. The most proliferate solutions may even help scientists develop cures for many medical conditions such as AIDs, cancer, and Alzheimers disease (Toppo). However, playing video games such as these isnt the only way advancements have been produced. According to Rick Nauert, PhD, the hardware used in gaming consoles, particularly the graphics cards, have been implemented into medical and research equipment in order to enhance the quality of MRI images and the maps produced by seismic waves. These improvements allow scientists to diagnose medical issues more readily, and helps geologists find new clues to the Earths history. In addition, as a result of the competition between elite video game companies such as Microsoft and its adversary Sony, this hardware is advancing so quickly that improvements are constantly available and becoming much more affordable. Smaller laboratories are now able to get their hands on this technology rather than being limited by their budgets. Video game antagonists will argue that gaming chains individuals to their televisions and leads to unhealthy and sedentary activity. Although this can be true in some cases, it is at least a lot more beneficial than passively watching a television program, which would most likely be the obvious second choice for activity. While immersing oneself into a video game, it is required to use critical thinking, imagination, and creativity. If one is about to tackle a ferocious monster, it is imperative that all available information is processed quickly and logically so as to avoid death. The same thing is true if one is navigating through a dangerous obstacle course, or solving a difficult puzzle. Games such as The Sims series allow players to harness their inner creativity to design their own houses, develop their families, and to interact in a simulation of real life. The Tycoon series includes several games such as Rollercoaster Tycoon, Zoo Tycoon, and Hospital Tycoon. In these games individuals act as the boss and coordinator of everything. One is required to build structures and fences, determine admission and event prices, and manage policies as well as staff. As long as one can think of an idea, it can be built and they can watch their ideas come to life. Another fascinating and interactive game is titled Spore. The goal of this game is to guide a group of organisms in the players control through the evolutionary stages of life. The individual starts in the cell level and directs their units to find food and reproduce. After undergoing several mitoses, they proceed to the creature stage where it is possible to design the organisms physical characteristics and mechanical features. How well the creature is created determines how adept its survivability and competitiveness is in the upcoming tribal, civilization, and space stages (Spore). Games such as these require a high level of entrepreneurship and originality in order to succeed and crowd out all of the competition. They develop the imagination and promote higher order thinking skills which are invaluable in our demanding society. Finally, the reason that hits home for the majority of video game users is its effectiveness as a stress reliever and object of entertainment. It can be safely assumed that on several occasions individuals have been locked up in their house on a rainy day with nothing to do. In this situation, it is too sloppy outside to do anything and everyone may be plagued with a sedentary attitude. This is a perfect time for them to pick up a controller to keep their brains functioning and themselves amused. Working towards a goal, trying to solve a challenging puzzle, or even just letting loose and dancing to music is a great way to keep oneself stimulated and content. Games allow players to work at their own pace and to make their own choices. This provides them with a healthy outlet to rid the mind of stress. The core of every game is its goal and reward system. There almost always is a goal, and there are always rewards for doing objectives correctly and improving upon past trials. These rewards supply individuals with gratification and a sense of accomplishment. Also, since there is such a wide variety in the genre of video games, everyone can find something that interests them. In short, games are fun; there are games designed to cater to everyones interests which can provide a few moments of carefree enjoyment. This reason alone is a good enough rationale to participate in the exciting world of video games. In conclusion, video games are the source of many positive effects. They have been proven to aid struggling students in their academic life, to increase cognitive abilities, and advance the fields of technology and science. They even spark the imagination of individuals and sharpen their ability to be creative. Many professions have already started to utilize the amazing potential that games hold, and the focus of video game companies has started to shift towards education and helpful mediums rather than pure entertainment and mindless violence. Although some may contain addictive qualities and promote physical inactiveness, they are a lot healthier choice than most forms of media and entertainment available today. Video games could very well be the future of education and productivity; outdated curriculum and textbooks could be replaced by them, and they should therefore be embraced and celebrated rather than shunned and ignored by some adults and children alike.

The Year that Changed My Perspective of School :: Expressive Essay

The Year that Changed My Perspective of School It all started a week before the new school year. The year of the sneezing, coughing and nonstop runny nose was preparing its over throw of summer. I wasn't too excited about it. In fact I dreaded it. Advertisements came flying through the mail. Every one of them had printed boldly "Back To School" and "Back to School" again. It made me sick to my stomach. I threw every ad in the garbage. I never knew it but this school year was to change my view of school and the people in it completely. The first hour of school was a disaster. Mainly because of Mrs. Laurel my new history teacher. At the sound of the bell she carried a pile (2ft. high it seemed) of papers from her desk to all the students. "Welcome to the wonderful world of history," she announced, "My name is Mrs. Laurel and these here few papers are the requirements and rules of my class." She passed out what amounted to be forty papers for each student. Then she smiled and said, "We will start with you." She pointed directly at me. "You start reading for us and then we'll circle all around the room so everyone can get their chance." My face flushed red, my heart pounded through my chest. I was sitting way in the back but some how or another she picked me. She noticed me. This was the worst first day of school in my life. Well, I read. I read and I read and I read. I read the whole entire thirty minutes because Mrs. Laurel never stopped me and I was too afraid to stop. So I jumbled and mumbled over words. My face turned oven red and my voice sounded hoarser and hoarser. Some of the students began to giggle. I felt terrible. It was the bell that saved me. "Young lady!" Mrs. Laurel called to me as the class shuffled out the door. "You will start on the 'Student Expectations' paragraph tomorrow okay!" "Yes Mrs. Laurel," I said quietly. Then I ran quickly out the door. The next morning I didn't go to class. I hid in the bathroom stall.

Critical Analysis of Quantitative Research Essay

The researchers in this experiment aimed to â€Å"Investigate the quantitative differentiation of pulmonary dendritic cells in smoker with or without chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) to explore the possible role of dendritic cells in smokers suffering COPD† (Yan-wei, Yong-jiang, & Xian-sheng, 2010). Dendritic cells (DCs) are inflammatory cells that are considered to be the promoter of immune responses; knowing this the researchers hypothesized that DCs may play an important role in the development of the disease. See more: how to write an analysis Subjects were broken into three groups based on an illness gradient: (control group, smokers without airflow obstruction, and COPD group as determined by the Chinese Society of Respiratory Disease). Samples of alveolar tissue were taken from these three groups and studied using immunohistochemical staining and immunofluorescence confocal laser scanning. The results from the experiment are portrayed using a one-way analysis of variance, Pearson’s r coefficient, graphs, and scatter plots. The conclusion of the data showed that â€Å"The quantity of the DCs significantly increased in smokers with COPD compared with non-smokers or smokers without COPD† (Yan-wei et al., 2010). A critical analysis of this article received a 31.5. The article was well put together and provided many up to date references as resources to give a better understanding of the research. The authors explained their methodologies in great detail and the production of their data was concise and easy to read. However, the study lacked when it came to representing a diverse population. The study also lacks in terms of providing evidence of the consent of the subjects and the evidence of the governing body of the experiment. The research that was done in this experiment allowed scientist to develop new hypotheses concerning dendritic cells and their role in chronic diseases such as COPD. The links that were made with this research between dendritic cells, lung capacity, and cigarette smoke could potentially be the forefront of new treatments and earlier diagnoses for COPD victims. References Yan-wei, S., Yong-jian, X., & Xian-sheng, L. (2010). Quantitative differentiation of dendritic cells in lung tissues of smokers with and without chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Chinese Medical Journal, 123(12). Retreived from http://www.cmj.org/Periodical/PDF/200481469383420.pdf

Virgin Mobile Marketing Metrics

Virgin Mobile’s business model consists of several different strategies for success. On July 2002, Virgin launched its new cellular service company, mostly geared for individuals ages 15- 19. The UK-based company had plans to acquire new clientele by tapping the youth market with the following tactics: Text messaging bundles: Virgin believed text messaging was a key selling point for youth as kids would often communicate with friends or family through this medium as it was cheaper than daytime minutes and a more discrete form of communication while in class.Ring Tones: Virgin offered a large selection of favourite and popular tunes and music that could be set as your cellular ringtone. Fun Clips: Are audio clippings of new gossip, sports information, jokes and other information that teens generally have interest in and have the time to review. Other features such as Music Messenger allowed cell phone users to share their favourite music with their friends and classmates.These features appealed more to the youth market and generated additional cell phone usage (if not by using minutes) and customer loyalty. Virgin believed that these mediums would bond customers to their phones therefore creating more interest. Virgin signed contracts with several phone manufacturers such as: Kyocera, Nokia, LG and more to enable a variety of phones to choose from; each providing a different benefit that would appeal to the youth.By adding these features and targeting the 15-24 market, as well as being a contract-free cell phone provider, this generated more interest in the market because the ones under 18 would have had to use their parents to sign a contract for them in order to have a wireless device, this way, Virgin enables customers the freedom. Assuming the number of customers is 5 in year one, and retention rate is 75% the decline in customers yearly thereafter will be deducted by the same percentage.By taking the number of effective customers in 2001 and multiply ing it by retention rates we acquire the pattern or deduction. (copy and pasting the formula along the years 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006; the five-year wireless contract). | | | | | | Retention rate was calculated by assuming the number of total customers was 100. 25 customers left to another service provider. 100-25 = 75. (75/100) *100 = 75% Retention. Tab 1 of spreadsheet Tab 2 of spreadsheet

Social Change essays

Social Change essays * Is violence even a necessity for social change?* Malcolm X stated that the ideals that he took early on in the Civil Right movement should be sought "by any means necessary", he was one of the first leaders in history to coin that phrase. Even without the alluring words, many other leaders utilized the simple concept countless times before. Malcolm X felt that social change could be gained in many ways and violence was one of them. (Why violence?) Furthermore, the French Revolution is another example of how violence was used in order to create peace and a better life. Although, the Civil War wasnt primarily about abollishing slavery, it still shows how violence changed life. The violence of slavery was eradicated through the bloodshed of war. (Intro. Sent) When people find suppression in their paths, they move it. In most cases they do this with force. It is a natural instinct to use force to attain a goal; watch any group of young children and see their strategies, there is no such thing as diplomacy. Kids will not naturally hand over...(continue sent.) And for the most part, diplomacy doesnt always work. The allies of World War II tried to mollify Hiltler in peaceful ways, never the less in the end they still went to war in order to stop further distruction and save inumerable lives. Another group that is portrayed as notorious is the Black Panther party. (Why?) Other factions of countries have gone to war amongst themselves in order to create social change (Vietnam, Cambodia, Russia/former U.S.S.R). A film that talks about Khmer Rouge and the conflict in Cambodia is The Killing Fields. This is about.... Another common example of social change is that a heinous event has to occur in order for attention to be brought to an already unfavorable situation. An example of this would be the Amber Alert System, which "originated in Arlington, Texas after the 1996 abduction and mur ...

Laugh About Writing

Laugh About Writing Laugh About Writing Laugh About Writing By Sharon Writing doesnt always have to be a serious business. Though its wise to make sure that you write correctly, theres a lot of fun to be had when playing with words. Two emails that landed in my inbox the other day made me chuckle. The first was called Humor for Lexophiles. I wont reproduce the whole thing, but here are a few of my favorites: The butcher backed up into the meat grinder and got a little behind in his work. To write with a broken pencil is pointless. A thief fell and broke his leg in wet cement. He became a hardened criminal. The professor discovered that her theory of earthquakes was on shaky ground. A dentist and a manicurist fought tooth and nail. You are stuck with your debt if you cant budge it. Acupuncture: a jab well done. The second source of amusement was an email featuring metaphors from student essays. Here are a few that caught my eye His thoughts tumbled in his head, making and breaking alliances like underpants in a dryer without Cling Free. She grew on him like she was a colony of E. coli, and he was room-temperature Canadian beef. Her vocabulary was as bad as, like, whatever. McBride fell 12 stories, hitting the pavement like a Hefty bag filled with vegetable soup. Even in his last years, Granddad had a mind like a steel trap, only one that had been left out so long, it had rusted shut. The plan was simple, like my brother-in-law Phil. But unlike Phil, this plan just might work. It was an American tradition, like fathers chasing kids around with power tools. Obviously, Im not the only one who got these emails, so if you want to see more of these gems, look here and here. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the General category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Writing a Reference Letter (With Examples)How to spell "in lieu of"Apostrophe with Plural Possessive Nouns

Potential Hardship that young adult encounter after aging out of Dissertation

Potential Hardship that young adult encounter after aging out of foster care - Dissertation Example It is evident from the study that since the inception of foster care in the United States, over half a million children have been placed in these homes from the end of the year 2000. The authors continue to state that these numbers have been decreasing in the recent past with 423,773 children being in this care in the year 2009. This represents a 20% drop in their numbers during that decade, and the number of African American children in this care accounts for 40% of the children, whereas Whites account for 20% of children under foster care. The remaining percentage of children in foster care is composed of children from the Hispanic community. Other reports by Krebs and Pitcoff indicate that most of the children who enter this care do so involuntarily. This occurs when the children encounter neglect from their guardians, and are bound to encounter many physical or psychosomatic problems. However, the placement of children in foster care could also be voluntary, and could occur when their guardians are unable to cater for their needs. A survey carried out in the state of Missouri on 325 children to ascertain the differences that existed after foster care found out that their mental abilities decreased by about 60% after a month of leaving this care. Many of the persons leaving foster care withdraw from taking medication for their mental problems out of their own consent. The mental abilities of the young people leaving the care centers decrease because of various circumstances. These circumstances include the absence of managers for controlling them, the aging out from the pediatric systems and shifts in decision-making as the child matures. Shifts in the care for the young people from foster homes to insurance companies who are responsible for covering the expenses incurred on their care is another cause of reduced mental abilities, and this is because the children are no longer funded (Meltzer, 2003). The problem identified is that most states do not continue offering foster care services for children who have left the foster homes (Stott, 2007). For this reason, governments are urged to continue providing Medicare through the Medicaid scheme, which guarantees medical attention for the vulnerable youth leaving foster care (Ward, Henderson and Pearson, 2003). There are several states in America, which offer the Medicaid option including Missouri, Michigan, Massachusetts, West Virginia and Minnesota among others (Stott, 2007). The inability of various foster care homes to account for many of the children who leave their homes arises from the fact that most are incarcerated, die or join the military and dropout of these systems (Meltzer, 2003). Reports by Ward, Henderson and Pearson (2003) in their book â€Å"One Problem among Many: Drug Use among Care Leavers in Transition to Independent Living† indicate that many youths encounter problems in their access and use of medication. There is a decline in