BSN Nursing Schools Nursing Informatics Combines Nursing with Information Technology 2019

According to June Kaminski, RN, MSN, available information in the 21st century doubles every 5 years. In order to maintain easy access to the most recent health care knowledge, the profession of nursing relies on nursing informatics. By incorporating information technology into the curriculum of BSN nursing schools, such as Kaplan University, graduates can be prepared to take part in this rapidly growing field. Graduates of Kaplan BSN Nursing Schools Play Vital Roles as Nursing Informatics Professionals The need for Registered Nurses who are knowledgeable in information technology has never been greater than it is today. Graduates of Kaplan BSN nursing schools who choose to work in nursing informatics perform the following crucial activities: Graduates of BSN nursing schools study how nursing data is acquired, stored, and managed. Graduates of BSN nursing schools support nursing education, research, and practice by facilitating access to data. Graduates of BSN nursing schools design and implement information systems that enhance the practice of nursing. Graduates of BSN nursing schools analyze data in order to improve patient care. .u62cebd9bc7b3fdfebc697f1893ad406b { padding:0px; margin: 0; padding-top:1em!important; padding-bottom:1em!important; width:100%; display: block; font-weight:bold; background-color:#eaeaea; border:0!important; border-left:4px solid #34495E!important; box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); -moz-box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); -o-box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); -webkit-box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); text-decoration:none; } .u62cebd9bc7b3fdfebc697f1893ad406b:active, .u62cebd9bc7b3fdfebc697f1893ad406b:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; text-decoration:none; } .u62cebd9bc7b3fdfebc697f1893ad406b { transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; } .u62cebd9bc7b3fdfebc697f1893ad406b .ctaText { font-weight:bold; color:inherit; text-decoration:none; font-size: 16px; } .u62cebd9bc7b3fdfebc697f1893ad406b .post Title { color:#000000; text-decoration: underline!important; font-size: 16px; } .u62cebd9bc7b3fdfebc697f1893ad406b:hover .postTitle { text-decoration: underline!important; } READ Find Business and Management Degree ProgramsNursing Informatics Improves the Field of Nursing for Graduates of Kaplan BSN Nursing Schools Advances in the field of nursing informatics have a positive impact on the entire profession of nursing. Students of Kaplan BSN nursing schools who are exposed to technology reap benefits, such as: Encouragement of the creative process in nursing. Access to an effective tool for patient education. Vehicles for teaching and learning nursing skills. Availability of health promotion and prevention programs on a global scale. No matter which nursing specialty a student chooses to enter, computer skills are a necessary component of nursing education. For links to BSN nursing schools and a description of curriculums, prospective students are encouraged to visit College-Pages.com, the leading education and career resource website. Related ArticlesHealth Care Informatics FactsOnline Colleges For Health CareInformation Technology In Health CareOnline Education Options in HealthcareFind Medical and Nursing Degree ProgramsOnline Master of Science Nursing Program Offers 5 Popular Specialties .u15bc276901d0a6527b71f3212c45bf96 { padding:0px; margin: 0; padding-top:1em!important; padding-bottom:1em!important; width:100%; display: block; font-weight:bold; background-color:#eaeaea; border:0!important; border-left:4px solid #34495E!important; box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); -moz-box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); -o-box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); -webkit-box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); text-decoration:none; } .u15bc276901d0a6527b71f3212c45bf96:active, .u15bc276901d0a6527b71f3212c45bf96:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; text-decoration:none; } .u15bc276901d0a6527b71f3212c45bf96 { transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; } .u15bc276901d0a6527b71f3212c45bf96 .ctaText { font-weight:bold; color:inherit; text-decoration:none; font-size: 16px; } .u15bc276901d0a6527b71f3212c45bf96 .postTitle { color:#000000; text-decoration: underline!important; font-size: 16px; } .u15bc276901d0a6527b71f3212c45bf96:hover .postTitle { text-decoration: underline!important; } READ Career Options in Computer Science

Enduring Convictions Of The Restoration - 1200 Words

As I read Fundamentals: Enduring Convictions of the Restoration, through the lens of this assignment, I gained new insight and a different appreciation for his visionary calling to provide a theological perspective that aligns us with a larger Christian understanding. In his book, Fundamental’s F. Henry provides statements of primary belief of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. His writing reflects both the older RLDS theology and provides an opening for new paths. For this paper, I have chosen areas that have been reflected in one of our most recent Doctrine and Covenants: Scripture, prophetic guidance, knowledge, and discernment in the faith community must walk hand in hand to reveal the true will of God.†¦show more content†¦He also addresses the historical understanding of the Restoration Movement reminding us that it began in an affirmation that existing creeds were wrong. He reminds us that the historic creeds, of course, have not been changed; but the attitude of religious people toward these creeds have changed very perceptibly. Whether through creed, morals, or rules we cannot have religion without God. God is our best explanation of the world about us. He is our best explanation of moral progress, even though this progress is so spasmodic. (f 11) Therefore, to minister to our world, we must meet the deepest needs of man, we must go beyond duty, beyond morality, and beyond patriotism, and must consider the claims of religion - the claims of God - in our lives. I felt Edwards calling us to look beyond our works and accept that God desires to be in our life and we are provided His grace. He encourages us to understand what we believe and to shape our testimony. I found his statements reflective again of the Apostles’ Creed. Whatever our final decision may be, Edwards challenged us to a concept of understanding our faith and identifying who God is. More specifically in this chapter and in the following chapters he states, â€Å"I believe in God †¦ the Son of God became also a man and lived amon g men (28 fundamentals) The Holy Spirit is God

Definition of Integrity Essay Example For Students

Definition of Integrity Essay The Definition of Integrity Essay according to Websters Dictionary is, a rigid adherence to a code of behavior. There are though many ways to look at a persons integrity. A person with integrity possesses many qualities. Three of these qualities are honesty, the ability to follow a moral code, and loyalty to yourself and your beliefs. In The Crucible, a prime example of a person with integrity is Elizabeth Proctor. Elizabeth shows her personal purity when she refuses to persuade her husband to confess to crimes of witchcraft. She refuses because she believes that he is good now in Gods light. God, to her, will show her the right way, and she believes that by following Gods moral code she will be right and just. John Proctor, Elizabeths husband, also shows his integrity when he refuses to confess to crimes of witchcraft. Even though confessing would save his life, he wont confess to a crime he didnt commit. He knows that being dishonest isnt being loyal to his beliefs. Elizabeth shows her personal purity when she refuses to persuade her husband to confess to crimes of witchcraft. She refuses because she believes that he is good now in Gods light. God, to her, will show her the right way, and she believes that by following Gods moral code she will be right and just. John Proctor, Elizabeths husband, also shows his integrity when he refuses to confess to crimes of witchcraft. Even though confessing would save his life, he wont confess to a crime he didnt commit. He knows that being dishonest isnt being loyal to his beliefs. In The Crucible, an example of not possessing integrity is also shown. Danforth, is the prime example of having no loyalty towards himselfor his beliefs. Danforth, is the Deputy Governor who convicts the citizens of being witches. When Danforth is asked to pardon the accused, he refuses saying that he cant because twelve have already hung for the same crime, and he refuses to let asnyone off. Even though he knows what is right and that they are innocent he wont because it would ruin the integrity of the court, and his own recitude. Indictment: The McMartin Trial, also has many characters who posses a great sense of integrity. For instance the McMartin family sticks together even when they are being accused of the horrible crime of child molestation. They also will not confess to the crime because they know they are innocent and that it wouldnt be right to say that they were guilty. The McMartins also never give up hope in the rest of the world. They never lose faith in their belief in that truth will always prevail. They keep their uprightness, through everything never giving up and always keeping the faith that if they are loyal to their beliefs in God everything will work out in the end. Fox Moulder, the main character from the TV show the X-Files has a sense of integrity, in that he always does what he believes is right, and what he feels is the truth. No matter what happens in his life he always believes that his sister was abducted by aliens, even though the popular belief is that aliens dont exist. He also doesnt follow the norm in his thinking, he follows the path that he thinks is right. He also never conforms to the popular opinion, he always look for the truth. Integrity shows up in many places and has many faces. The faces of truth, moral code, and loyalty are all parts of integrity and show up everyday in many ways. To have a true sense of integrity one must posses all three. You have to be honest to yourself and to others, follow your personal beliefs and stick to what you think is right, and you have to be loyal to yourself. Integrity is to be truly honest, and fair, and to uphold the beliefs important to you. .

Music in American Culture free essay sample

One of the biggest pioneers of American classic rock is Elvis Presley, is known worldwide and is still listened to today. Presley created a catchy class of rock that almost every American from that era and the generations that followed enjoy. I am from Gloucester City, New Jersey. , people consider it the birthplace of rock and roll. Bill Haley and the Comets played six nights a week at what is now Jacks Twin Bar. Bill Haley and the Comets are considered the original rock and roll band as well as the band that paved the way for so many bands and solo artists to blossom and become a part of American ultra. Alternative rock became pretty big in the sass with bands like Nirvana and Creed that led the way. Nirvana was such a force when they hit the music scene. The world had never seen anything like them. Their songs were popular and received mainstream acknowledgement. We will write a custom essay sample on Music in American Culture or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The song Smells like Teen Spirit was voted the greatest song of the ass. Their only fame and success was cut short because the lead singer, Kurt Cabin, killed himself after a long, strenuous battle, against drugs. After this tragic event the band split up and went their own way. One of the members went on to form the and Off Fighters which also became a popular alternative rock band. Another popular band was known as Creed. They formed after the Nirvana hysteria started to fade away. Creed was popular in the late 1 9905 and early sass. Throughout their time on top of the rock world Creed had accumulated multiple ARIA Recording Industry Association of America ) certifications as well as a three Grammar nominations, winning one of these Grammar nominations for the song With Arms Wide Open. Heavy metal rock is beginning to form a cult following. Not as mainstream as other types of music but it is starting to make a name for itself. The original pioneer of heavy metal is Metallic. Their hits are influential among most of the heavy metal bands that are active today. The song Enter Sandman is widely known as one of the greatest metal songs of all time. Rap is completely different then any genre of music you have ever heard. In the sass rock was not the only popular type of music. What is now considered old-school rap was quite popular in its day.Artists like Outpace, Biggie Smalls, and Snoop Dog paved the way for todays rap artists. These artists were popular all throughout the sass and their hits are still listened too regularly. What derailed Outpace and Baggies careers were their deaths. Snoop Dog is still popular today since he has adjusted his style to the ever- changing times. Today, the rap game as it is referred to has evolved to a mixture of fast beats and a quick mind. Mine, Ill Wayne, and Wiz Kalmia are the three most popular mainstream rappers in this day in age.All three of these rappers became popular at a very young age. Mine is widely considered one of the greatest rappers of all time. This is an even tougher accomplishment and feat to achieve because he is white. Most rappers are African-American. For Mine to be white and come out with so many songs and raps is probably one of the hardest goals to fulfill in life. But he did not let that get in the way of him and success. In the summer of 2000 when he came out with the song The Real Slim Shady he set the rap world ablaze.That was the most instrumental song for paving the way to his successful career as a rap artist. Ill Wayne has had so many songs on the radio as well as underground hits that are still garnering followers each and everyday. Starting with the song Go DC Ill Wanes career skyrocketed. The aspect people like about Ill Wayne is his flow. Flow is how good you make a particular line or verse sound. If you want to be considered a good rapper the you have to have flow. In Ill Wanes songs his lyrics do not even make sense, the reason everyone overlooks this and listens is because he makes it sound good.This is why having flow is so important. Wiz Kalmia has not been a household name in the rap world for a long time but sure has made a name for himself in the brief period he has been in the game. Since 2008, Wiz Kalmia has steadily risen to the top. Starting with his first big hit Say Yeah Wiz Kalmia has been working as hard as he can to get o the top. Finally in 2011, after all the hard work and effort put into the cause. Wiz Kalmia is considered one of the best rappers out there with so much potential to be one of the greatest of all time.Country music has become very popular in American culture in recent years. Artists such as Kenny Cheney, Brad Paisley, and Keith urban have been leading the way and being main contributors to country musics mainstream popularity. Kenny Cheney has been involved in the country music world since he was in college. He began to gain some steam in 1994 and never looked back. From that point on he has been producing hit after hit and is still one of country musics top artists. Brad Paisley started making music at a very early age and has never looked back.

A distinct advantage over traditional brick and mortar schools Essay Example

A distinct advantage over traditional brick and mortar schools Paper A distinct advantage over traditional brick and mortar schools LATA Language and Communication: Research western Governors university Online Learning: A Distinct Advantage Over Traditional Brick And Mortar Schools As the times change and technology advances, people need to look for new and better ways to apply this technology to their lives. This does not just apply to someones personal or business lives, this also can apply to the way individuals learn. Information Is stored and backed up on computers. While online learning Is the fastest growing segment of learning, this idea is not new. Distance learning began before computers and online classes. It started with correspondence schools, moved to audio books, tapes and videos. Students had little to no interaction with the Instructor or with other classmates (Miller, 2000). There were several Issues with this type of learning, mainly due to materials easily becoming outdated. This changed with the advent of the personal computer and later with the Introduction of the internet in 1994. While the internet initially originated to promote communication between academics, scientist and government organizations, It helped to pave the ay for a new way to deliver education (Miller, 2000). This turned into online learning. This new way of learning has caught on in many households around the world. Traditional brick and mortar schools. They are the following: What technological benefits that a person can come away with after completing an online degree? ; How does online learning offer more flexibility to the learner compared to a brick and mortar school? In what ways are online learning programs more cost effective than a brick and mortar school? With the discussion of these topics this will show that experts agree that online learning is a better learning forum than brick and mortar schools because they utilize the latest technologies, offer flexible learning to a wide variety of people and offer a lower cost solution to valuable degrees. This paper will look at the three factors that support online learning as a better format than brick and mortar schools. We will write a custom essay sample on A distinct advantage over traditional brick and mortar schools specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on A distinct advantage over traditional brick and mortar schools specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on A distinct advantage over traditional brick and mortar schools specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Technological Benefits Online learning uses the latest technologies to provide the student with practical knowledge they can use after they have completed their degree. Online education is a microcosm of business practices and prepares the students for the real world Macmillan, 2010). Online school programs help the students gain the knowledge they will need for when they are completed with their degree and enter the business world. They take real experiences from companies and teach based on them. Online programs require the learner to use several programs, maintain files and utilize email and other programs to turn in coursework. All of that coursework is distributed online either through email or websites. The internet also provides access to several tools to aid the learner in completing the required coursework. The traditional brick and mortar schools use text books and examples, whereas online schools use the current technology and focus on student experiences. Online business courses allow teachers and students to utilize the same processes as companies when it comes to the use of computers and the internet, as well as communication, teamwork, self-direction and meeting deadlines from a distance. (Macmillan, 2010). Online learning teaches the student how to multi-task unlike a traditional college setting. The benefits of online education helps the students gain perspective on here they fit into the world and keeps their learning relevant and rigorous (Macmillan, 2010). Online learning prepares students to work in groups, which encourages team building, independent learning and accountability of the stude nts (Lie Ruby, 2008). Online group projects keep the student interacting with each other. Everyone needs to work together, find times coordinate online, and get their part done. This way of team building is similar to a company setting. Employees are busy with their own tasks and sometimes work needs to be done by email, phone, or internet. Not all projects can be completed in person. In the traditional learning experience, textbooks and manuals simply offer fact after fact with occasional static illustrations. Interactive online learning enhances that experience and brings education too more engaging level for the learner (Wendell, 2002). Online learning supports three types of learning experiences, expository instruction (digital devices transmit knowledge), active learning (the learner builds knowledge through online drills, simulations and games), and interactive learning (the learner builds knowledge through interaction with others) (US Department of Education, 2010). Online learning also requires the learner to be focused in learning; there could be distractions in the home that can cause the student to lose focus when learning. The majority of the individuals have full time Jobs or families. These students look at college as an education and not a social experience. Some of the online students go back to school to get career advancement, higher pay, or even for personal growth. Whereas the traditional brick and mortar has students with an average age of 18 21 and can be more focused on their social life. These students get pressure from their parents to tend and can are likely to attend parties, sporting events and even Join a Fraternity or Sorority. They also lack the discipline for time and financial budgeting. Many students rely on their parents for financial support during college. Online learners demonstrate particular ambition and resourcefulness especially when balancing work and family, life that can be an asset in the work place. As the years go on, technology grows and develops. A little over twenty years ago computers were Just starting to Join the household and today it is very common to have many computers with other advanced technology. The explosion of technology has made teaching outside the classroom possible for the learners with easy access to course material (Lie Ruby, 2008). Teachers are able to use the latest technology in their virtual classes, with Just the click of a button a new experience appears. More students are choosing the choice of online learning everyday due to the use of technology that it uses and the convenience that it has. Unlike traditional classrooms where immediate verbal and non-verbal feedback can be given to the entire class, teachers of online programs recognize the significance of offering prompt feedback on dents assignments and questions (Lie Ruby, 2008). If a student has questions online, the teacher is able to respond quickly, compared to a brick and mortar school where the student might have to wait until the next class to ask the question. Even though educators utilize technology in the delivery of online education, those educators have to remain focused on the instructional outcomes not Just the form of delivery. Flexibility The flexibility of online learning allows individuals from varied backgrounds and experiences opportunities to attend school on their own schedules. Not only is there legibility for the students but also for the institutions they attend. Many people have found that an online education is able to fit their lifestyle better. Online education appeals to employees who otherwise could not pursue higher education due to time or geographic constraints. (Merrimac, 2006). Online education allows the employees flexibility to choose a major that might not be available in their local geographic area (Merrimac, 2006). Instead of driving 3 hours to a school, that has a major of ones choice, one is able to get online and not leave the area of their home and major in he area they want to study. This not only saves time for the student, but also money for gas and any car maintenance. An online school lets you attend class anytime be it lunchtime, at home with your kids, or even traveling on vacation (Merrimac, 2006). A student is now able to have a family vacation and go to school at the same time. This would not be able to happen in a traditional brick and mortar school. One would have to take time off school to have a family vacation. Online schools are very convenient for their students. Online method of teaching allows the student to main access to the syllabus, course assignments, scoring guides, power point presentations and other important documents 24 hours a day 7 days a week (Lie times so they have better understanding of the course materials. A traditional brick and mortar school only allow the students to refer to their book or their notes for their class. They only have these two resources to help them through the course. They are not able to go back to a certain days lesson and look at the power point that was used for the day. By delivering flexible means of online education, this has increased the acceptance of online learning to businesses allowing for a better- educated workforce (Merrimac, 2006). More companies are allowing online education for their staff and encourage them to further their education because of the flexibility online schools offer. Employees can now attend school at any time as they are not constrained by their work schedule. The flexibility of online learning has sparked interest in the military. Soldiers in the military are able to attend college even if they are out at sea (Mullein, 2002). The military offers online learning to provide a program that soldiers need. With the amount of movement required by soldiers, all that is required is a laptop and internet connection to bring high quality education to the soldier. Everyone has their own experience when it comes to high education. In Germans 2004 article, students were asked questions regarding their experiences with online courses. Mr.. Irony responded the amount of homework was roughly the same for both online and traditional courses, the amount of class time spent online was minimal. He was able to go online for 15 minutes to see new material and reply to questions whereas in a traditional class he would have to stay en hour for the same information (Ackerman, 2004). The flexibility of online schooling is a great asset when students are deciding where to get an education. Cost Effective Online learning offers more cost effective solutions for not only the learner, but for businesses offering tuition assistance. Online schools are catering to businesses by offering a discounted tuition and customized programs to fit the needs of specific companies and industries (Merrimac, 2006). Companies are able to send their staff through school at a discounted rate and focused on the classes that they seem fit to heir industry. The processing of tuition reimbursement and admissions is often times easier for employees at online schools versus brick and mortar schools (Merrimac, 2006). This is Just another advantage of online schools. In a study performed in March of 2005, some of the most important reasons cited for online education were due to increasing employee satisfaction and retention (Merrimac, 2006). This has not only been effective for businesses but for the military as well. The online programs have been useful in not only recruiting efforts, but in also retaining soldiers for re-enlistment. In the same study 29% of corporate reimbursements go to online programs (Merrimac, 2006). This has increased over the years as more Universities have added more online classes to their curriculum and more students choose the online education. The technology used for online education can be cheaper than those in traditional brick and mortar schools. When a student has a class that involves a lab, online technology can create virtual laboratory simulations. This will be cheaper for the student and the school. The school will save money on supplies for the labs and the students are able to get the same lab experience online without the extra lab and commuting costs. The demand of online education allows institution to broaden their student body without building parking back on the amount of staff they would need for the online base versus traditional schools. More students are able to Join a well-known University without paying extra costs like a traditional student. A traditional students extra costs can consist of a meal plan, room and board, technology fees, lab fees, and even book costs. An online school provides the materials needed online and can cut hundreds of dollars for the student. These costs are cut because most students already have the necessary equipment required for successful completion of the courses, a personal computer and an internet connection. This is another reason students should choose online school over a traditional school. Conclusion Online schooling has an advantage over brick and mortar schools for many reasons. The technologies people learn during their classes can be applied to Jobs they receive after school. The students become more qualified going into positions with already having experience with the technology from their school. Next, flexibility of inline schooling is more appealing to a person than the traditional brick and mortar schools. A person is able to go to class while in their pajamas on their couch. Online classes is the only way a student does not have to miss a day of school and still go on their family vacation. A student is also able access all the forms and coursework needed at any time of the day. Flexibility of the class is an asset for the student. The student is able to go online for as long as they need to, be it 15 minutes or 2 hours. The last point is the cost savings the student and or company will have. Some cost paving are better for online schooling than brick and mortar. The usual fees off meal plan, room and board, technology fees, and book fees are not included for the online schools. This is leaving the costs for online schools to be only at a fraction off cost than traditional schools. Students can get the same education and spend the money saved on other items. Experts agree that online learning is a better learning forum than brick and mortar schools because they utilize the latest technologies, offer flexible learning to a wide variety of people and offer a lower cost solution to valuable degrees. Contain, W. W. (2003). Education into what it used to be.

How One Word Transformed a Hollywood Screenwriters Career

How One Word Transformed a Hollywood Screenwriters Career How One Word Transformed a Hollywood Screenwriter's Career With more than 25 produced credits to his name, Stu Krieger is best known as the writer of the animated classic, The Land Before Time. Almost 30 years later, Stu is here to share how moving outside his comfort zone has shaped his career as a writer. This fall, Stu is publishing his debut novel, That One Cigarette.Yes to publishing my novelAfter the talk had been posted to YouTube, I received an email from Publishizer, a company that connects authors with publishers after launching a pre-sale campaign to generate interest in the project. They asked if I’d thought about turning the topic of my Ted talk into a book. I hadn’t, and told them instead about the novel I’d been working on. After my pitch, I was asked if I’d like to work with Publishizer to try and get my book published. I said YES.The next challenge was to find an editor. Publishizer founder Guy Vincent suggested I check out Reedsy. He said he knew several writers who had worked successfully with e ditors through them and asked if I wanted to give the site a look? I said YES. On Reedsy I hired assessment editor Lauren Hughes, who would become the first outside eyes to read and offer a detailed analysis of the manuscript’s strengths and weaknesses. Her in-depth memo was incredibly positive and encouraging, and her suggestions for improvement were sharp and beneficial. I said YES to her notes and revised the manuscript accordingly.After a successful pre-sale campaign with Publishizer - that resulted in over 300 books sold - I received interest from fifteen publishing houses and signed a deal with Harvard Square Editions. My first novel, That One Cigarette, will be on sale November 24, 2017.All of this is happened because when opportunities arose, I said YES to them. In each instance, I had no idea where the new road would lead, just that I wanted to meet each challenge head-on. Staying engaged in life is a really good way to keep from being dragged under by the inevitab le gravitational pull of aging. Staying engaged in life is a good way to keep from being dragged under by the pull of aging. One of the perks of becoming a professor has been that I’ve learned to listen to the things I tell my students. This â€Å"practicing what you preach† business really has its benefits. Who knew? I am endlessly encouraging my students to be proactive. If you can’t see something as a possibility for you, there’s no way it can happen. I often tell my students that one day I’ll go to court to legally change my name to Professor Nike, because when they come to me with a dream, a goal, a project they’re hoping to pursue, my response is always the same: â€Å"Just do it.†I have no idea how That One Cigarette - a counterfactual history tracing four families from November of 1963 to January of 2009 - will be received. There’s no way to know if it will get some decent reviews or if my readers will enjoy it. What I do know is that when someone asks me if I have a book coming out this fall, I can tell them†¦ YES.Please  share your thoughts, experiences, or any questions for Stu Krieger, in the comments below!That One Cigarette is available for pre-order from Harvard Square Editions.

Blogging Emerging Technologies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Blogging Emerging Technologies - Essay Example The dynamics of Web 2.0 have been modified to reflect the true purpose of creating new avenues of communication that have never been utilized. The whole essence of Web 2.0 is to generate means of cloud computing in which collaboration and discussion is encouraged. In this particular scenario, blogs can be critical towards achieving Salford Sports Village goals. One of the critical things to implement in order to thrive in blogging is understand search optimization engine key words. In essence, search engines such as Google tend to send â€Å"spider bots† that crawl and search for key words whenever an individual types in the Google search bar. A successful blogger must understand this technique and use it to their advantage. Blogging for this specific purpose is to clearly transition from subject matter to another subject in a very transitive manner. For example, blogging should be conducted and discussing the advantages of sports and community. Using keywords such as sports, community, football, street, parks and recreation, stress reliever can tremendously help. Another huge element towards expanding this horizon is offering free services. For instance, giving a free view of upcoming programs in the community can really engage all the individuals, which can boost clicks on the webpage. The best thing Suzane can do is write something along the lines of â€Å" Today, I have realized that the parks and recreation center needs drastic improvements. I had a brilliant opportunity to visit the Glenside Public District which has transformed the dynamics of their recreation. They have implemented a senior center that has been a catalyst for healthy aging. The kids have an amazing new playground that accommodates to their needs. Moreover, creating a playground for the kids is a long-term investment because it will add value to the community. Since tax money already is allocated, hiring construction workers will also raise employment and the value of the communi ty. One of the key things to exploit is to get sponsorship from outside vendors. Suzanne must overcome the challenge of a budget and seek outside resources through blogs, videos, audio podcasts that will continue to grab attention. Blog post 2 – Write a blog post (100+ words) that embeds a relevant image and/or video combines with text that shows Suzanne Bolt how visual media can help her achieve Salford Sports Village goals, 21 November Deadline for posting for maximum marks (paste the blog post url into the Reflection section of your assignment – see page 3) The best way to advertise oneself is through youtube because of many reasons. First and foremost, Youtube allows individuals to sign up for a policy in which the user uploads videos that Youtube will compensate the user for. Moreover by clicking the subscription button, individuals are allowed to penetrate the online community because people will constantly receive updates on new videos posted. It is crucial that Suzanne continues to make videos that engage people to discuss ideas and

Ole Wever and the Idea of Securitization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ole Wever and the Idea of Securitization - Essay Example The critique will highlight opinions from two different authors who have covered the idea of securitization in detail. Waever approach to securitization does not address the dynamics of security in the current world. His arguments raise moral and ethical concerns that render the arguments weak (WÃ ¦ver, 1993). Issues of radical and disturbing security elements arise from his books. In his article, Words, Images, and Enemies: Securitization and International Politics, Williams (2003) highlights identifies ethics in politics as one of the dynamics of security that has not been addressed comprehensively. The theory can offer a platform for engaging in dialogs whenever security issues across the international border arise, but it does not have divergent perspective on all problems that ail the global security platform. Williams asserts that Waever would have covered securitization issue comprehensively if he concentrated on a reflexive approach. The approach would have encompassed social practices, analysis and theories surrounding security in the society. The main tool for addressing security does not lie in the conventions and meanings related to security but substantive approach in the issue. The proposition of Waever that securitization relates to speech-act is flawed. The author is criticized for presenting the securitization theory with a narrow approach such as speech-act (WÃ ¦ver, 1993). Williams notes that the author fails to cover the communicative and social context of the theory with respect to contemporary politics. Every securitization procedure must follow the due processes of the relevant institution handling security. Williams is discontented by Waever for deciding to include Schmittian legacy in the securitization theory. While William feels that the context should have been met with a comprehensive interrogation, Waever is convinced that there are no political consequences or ethical

International Financial Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 2

International Financial Management - Essay Example Companies engage in foreign direct investment due to various reasons, but mainly to generate profit and secondly to hedge risk. Sometimes the companies would have huge cash surplus and fear that due to unfavourable movement in the exchange rate the dollar value of the cash surplus would decrease (Bajaj, 2001). The companies would park their extra cash in various foreign countries in the form of foreign direct investment. Generally the FDI are long term in nature but a company looking for quick gain can resort to short term borrowing. The research endeavours to create an international financial management report on FDI for Infosys. Infosys, a software giant in India is contemplating to conduct a FDI in another international country. The target firm chosen is Apple and the target market chosen is USA. The choice of the target market and the choice of the target company bear special significance (Bonaccorsi and Daraio, 2009). Apple has a myriad of products and service starting from elec tronic gadgets to the creation of operating systems. Apple has experienced one of the highest rises in the price of shares and apart from that the company is in an excellent growth trajectory. Infosys wants to cash in from the excellent growth opportunity of Apply by investing directly in it its path breaking technologies. Apart from this USA has a strong track record of FDI. These are two motivating factors behind the choice of Apple and America for FDI. Infosys wishes to follow a joint venture Greenfield with Apple. The joint venture Greenfield will help to create new products in USA. 2. Literature review The factors affecting the global flow of foreign direct investment in USA or as a matter of fact any country is many and varied. Although in the present context, only 4 important factors are considered which are transportations costs, market imperfections, strategic behaviour, product life cycle and location specific advantage. 2.1 Transportations Costs The diagram given below is an indication of the transportation cost at present in USA. The cost of transportation is shown as cumulative of the average costs incurred by travelling both by air and road. The cost of transportation is major issues but only for those products which have a low value to weight ratio. In the present case the value to weight ratio is assumed to be very high (Clark and Mathur, 2013). This is because of the reason that the target products (electronic gadgets) are negligible in terms of weights. So the cost of transportation will not pose as a serious threat. Fig 1: Transportation cost over the last 10 years Source: (Mintzberg and Waters, 2011) 2.2 Market imperfections Over the last 50 years almost 56% of the foreign companies that took part in the FDI considered market imperfections to be the single most important factor. Whenever there are impediments in both exporting and sale of know-how through licensing then FDI takes place. Barriers to export include quotas, complete bans, tari ffs and other restrictions that hinder the free flow of product between two nations. Most of the foreign countries in the world do not share a mutual bilateral trade between themselves that facilitates the flow of goods and services (Das, Quelch and Swartz, 2000). During 2000 to 2012 phases some of the emerging nations resorted to FDI with USA since international groups like NATO ordered restrictions on establishing trade relations with different countries. Thus these countries like China, Japan, Korea,

A critical evaluation on two theories of aggression

A critical evaluation on two theories of aggression Aggression is as a form of anti social behaviour, showing a lack of emotional concern for the welfare of others, as described by Baron and Richardson (1994). It is a cultural, cognitive process as well as a biological response, affecting every human being. Furthermore, it appears in many forms, verbal, physical, symbolic or injurious with the environment, personal beliefs and individuals society mediating its nature. In society, you will find some people more aggressive compared to others, with the levels varying when in different social situations. Some environments provoke aggression in people much more regularly, than others do. Yet such situations do not give rise to the same degree of aggressive behaviour in every person. There are two main social psychological theories that proposed to explain the nature and application of aggression, the Social Learning Theory and the Deindividuation Theory. The social learning theory of Bandura emphasizes the importance of observing and modelling the behaviours, attitudes, and emotional reactions of others. The theory suggests that for an individual to learn new behaviours this can only occur through direct experience. In the book, Social Learning Theory, Bandura (1977) states: Learning would be exceedingly laborious, not to mention hazardous, if people had to rely solely on the effects of their own actions to inform them what to do. Fortunately, most human behaviour is learned observationally through modelling: from observing others, one forms an idea of how new behaviours are performed, and on later occasions this coded information serves as a guide for action. Bandura argued that individuals, most likely children, learn aggressive responses from observing others in different social influences, i.e. role models in real life situations, their surroundings and the media. He also mentioned, individuals believing aggression produces reinforcements. Siegel (1992) who suggested that these reinforcements could be gaining financial rewards, a rise in self-esteem or receiving praise from other people supports this. Skinner (1953) proposed that learning occurs through reinforcement. Vicarious reinforcement occurs when an individual observes the consequences of aggressive behaviour as being rewarding, for example a person achieving what they want through aggressive behaviour. If a child is to see this happening in a school playground, whereby a bully gets their way for instance, the child may become to think of such behaviour as appropriate and therefore worth repeating. Bandura (1986) went on to suggest that for social learning to take place, the child had to form mental representations of certain events from their social environment to see possible rewards or punishments for the aggressive behaviour, alongside observational learning. The Bobo doll studies by Bandura, demonstrated how children learn and imitate aggressive behaviours they have witnessed in other people. The young participants observed an adult acting violently towards a Bobo doll and when the children received permission to play in a room with the Bobo doll, they began to imitate the aggression they had previously observed. Bandura identified three basic models of observational learning. The first model involves an actual individual demonstrating a particular behaviour. The second model includes descriptions and explanations of any certain behaviour. The third model involves real or fake role models acting out behaviours in books, films, TV programs or web media. Observational learning, also known as modelling consists of four phases, influenced by the observers behaviour (Bandura, 1977). The first is where the individual pays attention and perceives the most important aspects of the models behaviour by observation. Therefore, a child would need to attend to the role models actions or sayings (Allen Santrock, 1993). For example, children exposed to aggressive behaviour within the home and by watching the consequences, slowly associate such behaviour as effective conduct. Hence, children learn aggressive responses largely through observation. The second stage of observational learning is the coding of this behaviour into memory, also known as retention, for the information to be retrievable when an appropriate situation arises. This is where mental representations form, including events from the individuals social environment. The child must be able to distinguish possible rewards or punishments expected in future outcomes, which is vital in observational learning. In the Bobo doll experiment, the children aggressively beat the doll because this information was stored in their memory. The third process is rehearsing this acquired modelled behaviour, in conjunction with possessing the physical capabilities of the behaviour observed. If a child gains rewards i.e. appraisal, for their aggressive behaviour, they are more likely to repeat that same behaviour regularly. This is direct reinforcement and allows for the improvement of the behaviour. Moreover, individuals are more likely to repeat a modelled behaviour if the model is a role model or similar to them. Examples include parents or people of the same age group or race. Bandura (1976) proposed that members of the family were most influential in reinforcing aggressive behaviour in children, as they are likely to imitate them when they are older. The final stage involves the individual being motivated to successfully repeat and reinforce this modelled behaviour with the expectation of receiving rewards. Additionally, the individual will gradually gain confidence in their will to carry out aggressive behaviours, thu s self -efficacy expectancies are developed. The second theory of deindividuation, originates from Gustave Le Bons crowd theory (1895). In the book The Crowd, he describes how an individual within the crowd is psychologically altered. He state, Within the crowd, the collective mind of the group takes possession of the individual. As a result, a member of the crowd then becomes irrational. The individual submerged in the crowd loses self-control and becomes a mindless puppet, sometimes controlled by the crowds leader. Hence, they are capable of performing any impulsive and emotionally charged act, however undesirable or regressive to society. Festinger, Pepitone and Newcomb (1952) defined deindividuation as a state of affairs in a group where members do not pay attention to other individuals qua individuals and, correspondingly, the members do not feel they are being singled out by others. Festinger believed that when one becomes deindividuated, he or she merges their identity with that of the group and therefore becomes anonymo us. As a result of being unidentifiable in a large group, this has the psychological outcome of reducing individuals inner restraints, and increasing deviant behaviour that is normally avoided. The causes of deindividuation were extended from anonymity in groups to other factors, such as reduction in responsibility, arousal and altered consciousness influenced by drugs or alcohol (Zimbardo, 1969). In todays society especially, this is evident, as aggression seems to be the result of reduced inhibitions amongst individuals due to binge drinking, with excessive alcohol intake arousing aggressive acts such as fighting in a nightclub. Later versions of the theory focus on the psychological process of reduced private self-awareness as the key element of deindividuation, i.e. the individuals attitudes and norms (Prentice-Dunn and Rogers, 1982). In their study, they induced a sense of reduced self-awareness by continuously instructing participants to focus their attention outwards. Conditions for external attention cues included sitting in a dimly lit room with loud music playing, verbal interaction and stimulating video games to play, to increase deindividuation amongst the participants. In the controlled condition, participants were required to focus on internal attention, through no interaction and sitting in silence. The findings showed that when required to administer electric shocks to confederates, deindividuated participants that focused on external attention cues, produced higher aggressive behaviour by delivering shocks that were more painful, than the control group. This is because the experimental group w as made to ignore their own beliefs and self-identity, when their attention focussed on other aspects such as loud music and video games. In turn, this supports the idea that becoming less self aware, rather than just anonymity in a group, leads to deindividuation having the effect of producing aggression. Empirical support for the deindividuation theory is minimal. Zimbardo (1969) conducted a study to demonstrate the effects of deindividuation on aggression. Some of the female participants used wore oversized lab coats and hoods, and sat in a dimly lit room; increasing anonymity. In contrast, those in the control group wore normal clothes, nametags and were placed in a bright room, making them easily identifiable. The participants task was to shock a confederate and findings suggested that anonymous participants shocked longer and therefore more painfully than identifiable participants did. This gives support to the theory, as the study suggests that deindividuation or anonymity played a huge role, because when one is appearing as anonymous, they are likely to act in an aggressive approach than they would if their identity was easily available. Other research to support the deindividuation theory (Deiner et al., 1976) showed that American children who wore halloween costumes that hid their identities stole more sweets and money than those who wore costumes where they remained identifiable. The Stanford Prison Experiment by Haney et al. (1973) illustrated how college students assigned to act out the role of guards in a mock prison, behaved very aggressively in the cruelty they showed towards those assigned to the role of prisoners. This is largely due to the guards wearing mirrored glasses, thus rendering them anonymous, as their eyes were not visible to the prisoners. The brutality posed by the guards can be explained in terms of social norms. The guards only did what they thought was expected of them, although the state of deindividuation did cause them to ignore personal beliefs and perform the expected aggressive behaviour. This is one criticism of the study, as it did not show how real guards actually behave. Hence, the findings may have no real-life validity with the possibility of demand characteristics coming into play. In contrast, Bandura et al., (1961) were successful in showing that children learn aggressive behaviour through observation, which is reinforced by rewards and avoided by punishment (1962). A major strength of the Bobo doll studies is high control achieved by the use of laboratories, which produced sufficient applicable results. However, a problem with this is that the studies hold no ecological validity because of where and the manner in which they were carried out. In addition, it is possible to argue that the children also reacted aggressively to the Bobo doll as they were responding to demand characteristics. The children may have known what they had to do for the experiment. Another limitation is that the Bobo doll is fictional as was unable to fight back which a real person would have done; hence, this could also have influenced the childrens behaviour. Although the Bobo doll experiment shows that for an individual to express aggressive behaviours, observational learning has to take place, individuals may not always display such behaviour due to social constraints, or fear of receiving punishment. This means that even if an individual has learnt of an aggressive behaviour, he or she will not necessarily act it out, especially if perceived to be socially undesirable. Nonetheless, if the opportunity arises where they can demonstrate the behaviour without being punished for it, such as when they are deindividuated, then it is possible that they will behave aggressively. The social learning theory places great emphasis on individuals, especially children, imitating observed behaviour from watching others individually, the environment, and the mass media. However, the biological approach would argue that a persons state of biology is not taken into account within the Social Learning Theory. Moreover, it ignores individual genetic differences (Jeffery, 1985). For example, if an individual were to observe a brutal killing, they will respond differently when compared to someone else. Biological theorists would suggest that, heart rate and blood pressure would possibly rise, as a response made by the autonomic nervous system when in this particular circumstance. Hence, the response or behaviour acquired is genetically inherited to some extent. In addition, other research has shown increased aggressive behaviour to be associated with testosterone (Kalat, 1998). This hormone is higher in males, which may explain higher aggression in males than in females. There is still some doubt in establishing the effects of violent television on childrens aggression. Although, some studies have reported that there is no link between the two, and that aggression viewed on television is not always related to aggressive behaviour. For instance, one study had findings to suggest that juvenile boys, who regularly watched non-violent television shows, were more likely to express aggressive behaviour than those who witnessed the violent programs. This is because watching violent shows enabled the viewer to use the media as a way of relieving their own inner inhibitions or aggressive thoughts and ideas (Feshback Singer, 1971). As a result, the individual is less likely to be aggressive than if they had watched non-violent television. In addition to this, there is a theory that suggests; a way to reduce aggressive behaviour is by viewing violent television programs, known as the Catharsis effect (Gerbner.G, Gross.L, and Melody.W.H). As television is highl y influential, then positive and non-aggressive programs can aid in reducing aggression among viewers. Cooke (1993) believed that positive and kind-hearted television shows should encourage viewers to be more courteous to one another, if aggression in people is triggered by violent television. Therefore, the media can serve as a prevention method if individuals focus solely on the positive aspects, or use violent media to channel their own personal aggressive inhibitions. In comparison, one likely reason for the minimal support for the deindividuation concept is that the theory, which is based on Le Bons analysis of the crowd, is too simplified. According to Le Bon, collective behaviour is always irrational i.e. the individual in the crowd loses cognitive control. Researchers argue that deindividuation settings do not account for a loss of self-identity. Instead, they alter a person from an individual identity to a collective identity as a member of the group. Therefore, deindividuation leads to individuals conforming to the group norms. A meta-analysis of sixty studies on deindividuation conducted gave no results suggesting that deindividuation is the cause for increased anti-normative and disinhibited behaviour. Instead, individuals under anonymity complied more rather than less strongly with situational norms (Postmes and Spears, 1998). Overall, aggression is extremely difficult to define as well as investigate as not one theory can be used to explain it fully, even though it affects our every day-to-day life, either personally or through observation. The difficulty is when trying to measure and control this behaviour because it is quite impossible to reproduce aggression in a laboratory to bring about results and findings that fully apply to real life situations. However, these two theories by Bandura and Zimbardo have tried in their attempt to explain aggression. One advantage with the Social learning theory is that not only can it be applied to explaining childrens behaviour, adults too. Philips (1896) found that the daily rate of homicide in the US usually rose a week after a major boxing match. This suggests that the culprits may have been viewers imitating the aggressive behaviour they watched. Hence, social learning is evident in adults. In contrast, the deindividuation theory does not clearly state whether deindividuation occurs amongst young children as well. Instead, it focuses on mainly adults, which maybe another reason for the minimal empirical research to support the theory. Although the social learning theory was initially an explanation for aggression, it has recently been extended to explain other behaviours such as anorexia. Furthermore, the theory can explain differences between and within individuals, in terms of cultural v ariation, with one study showing the US to be highly violent compared to societies in Central Africa, which manage to live in harmony (Aronson, 1999). Differences within individuals are due to selective reinforcement; with people reacting differently as each individual will observe that aggression is rewarded in some cases and not others. Hence, people learn about behaviours differently along with the circumstances in which they are applicable, and so these differences should be a result of social learning. However, Banduras theory has its limitations because it does not suggest what leads people to aggress once they have witnessed aggressive behaviour. Thus, it does not explain the possibility of acting out a modelled behaviour for example, if an individual has been angered. Nevertheless, Dollard et al. (1939) who proposed the frustration -aggression theory, explored this. The theory suggests that frustration always leads to aggression and aggression is only a cause of frustration. When looking at the deindividuation theory, one study that both supports as well as criticises the theory, suggests that anonymity increases the possibility of an individual conforming to the social group norms. Participants were made anonymous by either wearing overalls and hoods similar to those of the racist Ku Klux Klan, or wearing nurses uniforms. Results showed that participants to deliver more shocks when dressed as the racist group, and fewer, as nurses (Johnson and Downing, 1979). Hence, this also showed that anonymity does not always lead to aggressive behaviour, instead individuals may simply be responding to the norms of the group and doing what is expected. One realistic approach to aggression is one that covers a number of explanations, from neuro-physiological and evolutionary ones to social-psychological theories. In conclusion, the social learning theory supported by extensive research compared to the deindividuation theory, has shown to conclusively illustrate that the acquisition and behavioural expression of aggression is socially influenced, and is therefore more successful in explaining this behaviour.

The Physics of the Sound Wave and its Effects on the Human Ear Essay

The Physics of the Sound Wave and its Effects on the Human Ear Could you imagine living in a world without sound? It would be enormously different from the world that we know. Our primary form of inter-human communication would be based on visual or tactile imagery. Our sense of perception would be changed. Telecommunication would be different. We would not have the pleasure of music or the soothing sounds of nature. Sound has had an immense impact on our world. This essay will explore the unseen world of sound waves and how humans perceive them. Generally, people hear sound waves traveling through air. These waves cannot be seen, but are heard or felt via vibration. Sound waves originate from vibrating objects and travel in longitudinal waves through mediums (such as a solid, a liquid, or a gaseous material). These types of waves are defined by the textbook as: â€Å"†¦wave[s] in which the vibrations of the medium are parallel to the direction the wave is moving.1† Figure 8.52 shows an excellent example of a tuning fork producing longitudinal waves, which are perceived as sound. It is apparent that as the prongs are struck, they move outward. As they move outward, the neighboring air molecules are compressed together creating what is called compression. The tuning fork prongs reverse the pressure as they move inward and cause a rarefaction (the opposite of a compression) in the neighboring air molecules. The process is repeated until the tuning fork returns to its resting state. As previously stated, sound waves can travel through various mediums. The universal formula to obtain the speed of a sound wave is:Speed=distance/time. â€Å"The faster which a sound wave travels, the more distance it will cover in the same period of tim... ...le that has an intensity of 10-3 W/m2 can be determined2: db = 10 log 10 ( 10-3/10-12 ) = 90-dB. Decibel levels from 0-80 dB are safe to the human ear. Prolonged exposure to sounds higher than that can result in hearing damage. With the factors of frequency and amplitude brought into relation of hearing, it is apparent that nothing would be understood without the concepts that can be referred to from physics. Physics enables the analysis of the human’s ability to understand sound waves. References: 1-Kirkpatrick, L.D. (2001). Physics A World View. (4 ed.) Philadelphia: Harcourt 2-Russell, K. (1997). Sound Waves. Retrieved: 4-30-03 From: www.umanitoba.ca/faculties/arts/linguistics/ressell/138/sec4/actoust/htm 3-Henderson, T. (1998). Sound Waves and the Eardrum. Retrieved: 4-30-03 From: Http://www.glenbrook.k12/gbssci/phys/mmedia/waves/edl.html 4

The Social Developmental Value of Theater Arts

Applied Theatre is an umbrella term used to describe theatre and drama based practices with the aim of social development. The topics can range from targets of community building, protest, cultural awareness and sensitivities, harm reduction, religion, health, socio-economic representation, and educational purposes. Within Applied Theatre, there are no set traditional theatrical methods but a preference towards innovative and interactive methods where actors often have the freedom to engage with the audience and where audiences shape the philosophy as well as the content of the piece. As once said by Augusto Boal, a famous Applied Theatre practitioner who spearheaded a creative arts movement called â€Å"Theatre of the Oppressed;’’ â€Å"Theatre is a form of knowledge; it should and can also be a means of transforming society. Theatre can help us build our futures, rather than just waiting for it’’ This philosophy is a statement of artistic humanitarianism where creative and performance arts reach the height of their power to create and inspire, as performance is combined with everyday people and represents individuals and their society rather than fulfilling a goal of entertaining, thrilling, and profit making. This is using theatre as an investment in the social economy. To look more in-depth at the educational value and social significance of Applied Theatre, major concepts of the field could be examined through three diverse applications. These applications will include culture, harm reduction, and protest. Culture From primitive story telling, to Shakespearean cultural-political representations of Elizabethan society; the performing arts has historically always been a part of most cultures. Nowadays where cultures are highly mosaic in nature and where we find ourselves in the midst of fusing and evolving identities, and an influence of masses of media and technology; the need for cultural identity is more crucial than ever. This is greatly apparent in the North American indigenous population that throughout history has suffered copious amounts of underrepresentation, abuse, and annihilation. Rooted in the 16th century European explorations, the Native eople of North America have always undergone ill treatment. The historical European desire to colonize and assimilate foreigners was carried out up until the end of the 20th century where indigenous peoples’ children were sent to concentration camp-style schools run primarily by the catholic church under rigid government policies concerning Natives which was referred to as â€Å"Indians affairs. ’’ The children were stripped of their language, culture, religion, and traditions and forced to behave in a foreign way. This caused domino effects amounting to Canada and America’s current situation where Native people continue to suffer from social disorders, and be at a high risk for alcoholism, drug-use, prostitution, poverty, and subjection to adoption and fostercare as well as a lack of community resources. In recent years, great efforts have been put in place to restore Native culture that was once outlawed. Traditionally their history was an oral tradition recorded through story telling. This was seen as a unique opportunity to apply theatre arts to a suffering population in hopes of gaining cultural identity and applied to the greater North American population to raise awareness and understanding towards Native people. In the Eastern Canadian province of Ontario in the small town of Manitowaning there is a theatre group called the De-ba-jeh-mu-jig. This name comes from the indigenous languages of Cree and Ojibway meaning â€Å"Story Tellers. The company is non-profit and community based and currently produces a number of performances including children’s performances and interactive theatre using their own unique creation/writing process and methodology with the purpose of representing and showcasing the local indigenous culture and engaging in home-grown solutions to their own challenges for cultural and social development. They’ve done numerous productions and tours of shows with unique titles such as â€Å"The Indian Affairs’’ and â €Å"New World Brave,† whose titles themselves exemplify the content of their aim. The productions often encompass the stories of their traditions, religion/spirituality, history, language, and survival and are often intertwined with modern day cultural challenges. The company has also done improvisation projects with topics such as careers and fetal alcohol syndrome as well as other outreach programs to foster artistic engagement in the community. The works of this company sum up the power of theatre arts in a culturally applied sense and continue to educate, inspire, and engage a generation as well as harmonize and restore a once lost people and their culture into modern society. Harm Reduction Harm reduction is a term, which refers to policy put in place to cut down the practice of human-behavioural activity that may produce harmful effects. This includes a range of topics including illegal, and risky/dangerous practices. For example, harm reduction public policy could be attributed to things such as Drugs including illegal substances, needles, alcohol related issues, Tobacco, and drug crime, as well as Sex including topics such as safe sex, STI’s, HIV, AIDS, prostitution, as well as more psychological and less intensive topics like mental health, self-harm, and bullying. By analyzing the works of Sponsored Arts For Education, known as S. A. F. E. , a Kenyan non-governmental organization with the mandate of delivering social change by addressing controversial topics. They primarily focus on social aspects, treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS and safe sex and family planning, but also include topics such as peace, female circumsicion, and female rights/empowerment, water and health, prisoner outreach, environmental issues, Drug use, and LGBT topics. All of these outreach topics are delivered through creative mobile theatre performances targeting rural areas of Kenya where social stigma, the lack info technology and education are hindering people’s health and safety and contributing to the expanse of the aforementioned issues. S. A. F. E. , started by British actor Nick Reding, is a proactive charity whose philosophy states it’s belief that dance, music and theatre break down barriers and draw people in thus creating social change. In 2012 Coronation Street writer Damon Rochefort collaborated with S. A. F. E. with a vision that the dramatic effect of a soap opera in Britain could have the same effect anywhere with any culturally differing social circumstances. Soap operas play on issues and emotions that reflect real people’s lives in the cultural sense of the viewers, and they perform long running dramatized renditions that offer a real insight into each characters’ lives. Thus, they are drawing the viewers into long time subscription and allowing them to experience a sense of escape. During the collaboration, the cast of Coronation Street visited Kenya to create a unique soap style piece of drama that plays on life changing messages in the sense of local cultural and the issues and struggles that face their society. The team visited Bangala, a slum of 20 000 people, one of the nation of 1. 5 million HIV positive people’s hardest hit areas. Most people don’t know how to prevent the spreading of the disease and usually don’t know their own status. There is a huge social stigma about HIV and families known to be positive are demonized and alienated. Infected mothers pass the virus to their children because there is a lack of knowledge about drugs for pregnant women that block the passing, and the children face barriers to education and freedom because they too are infected. The virus continues to be spread because of stigma, ignorance, and unavailability of condoms. The cast of Coronation street had to use these issues to train Kenyan actors and collaborate to put on a rehearsed non scripted (improvised) production. The finished product was a story about two local families who have to come to terms with a series of events consisting of whatever life threw at them (in a local context) including relationships, rape, child prostitution, family planning, female courage, health, and violence. They portrayed positive ways of dealing with and preventing these things and used comedic effect to break stigma and engage the audience and set them at ease. The production was done with the use of a mobile theatre that consists of a large vehicle, which has been fitted to store a stage, which retracts out of the side of the vehicle forming a large raised platform, and fitted with speakers. This is a very pure and original form of theatre, which is intimate and innovative. A perfect fit for the unique and original concept of applied theatre. Analyzing the creation a such performance, it is apparent that copious attention to detail is necessary to create the right effect. Dealing with such serious opics it is important to know how to combine the right amount of comedy with the right amount of seriousness. In utilizing this form of theatre correctly it is possible to realize the full potential of the arts and reduce harm to the masses. After the Coronation Street/S. M. A. R. T. show, counseling services and resources were available such as a condom tent and family planning tutorials. After a one year tour of one S. M. A. R. T. applied theat re tour in Kenya, an audience of 80 000 people would have viewed the show and 18 000 would have learned their HIV status as a result. Protest The early formations of applied theatre are apparent through the theatrical practices of classical drama and the politically motivated arts movements of 18 and 19th century Europe. Most notably, the French Revolution had a largely politically fuelled theatre scene. During France’s period of the ‘’Ancien Regime’’ where France was under monarchial rule, theatre was highly regulated by the monarchy and only three approved theatres existed in France. These displayed works that were highly censored and apolitical. After the fall of the monarchy, there was more freedom, which allowed for more theatres to be put up and a more vivid dramatic arts scene emerged, but continued to be censored. In 1791 a law was passed called the Chapelier Law which gave theatres the right to operate free from governmental oversight. Immediately following this the number of theatres boomed and theatre began to be seen as an arena of new French ideology and a pillar in the community. This period, known as the Enlightenment, fifty three new theatres opened and were constructed with vast audience space whilst new plays were constantly being written. There was an area of the theatre known as the ‘Parterre’ where were the working class would react and interact with their emotions towards what was being portrayed on stage quickly became a melting pot of political ideology and national identity and emotion. During the Enlightenment, plays were so politically fueled that French newspapers would criticize plays which lacked political representation saying that they were anti-revolutionary and a distraction from the pressing issues of society. For example, a famous and elaborate dramatic opera by Paisielo performed in Paris and was condemned, publicly petitioned against and reported to the National Assembly because of the general opinion of it being sensuous blasphemy with no significance or respect towards political fuel, national identity or democratic flow of interest. In fact, the importance of political theatre was so grave that the law even stated that any theatre that ‘’performs works attempting to undermine public spirit and to revive the shameful superstition of royalty will be closed, and the directors will e arrested and punished to the full extent of the law. ’’ This type of theatre was labeled as ‘Pieces de circonstance’ or more literally translated, Pieces representing the circumstances. Plays such as ‘’The Fall of Toulon’’ by benoit Picard used a story line based on true events and speeches by notable French figures such as Robespierre, whils t incorporating fuel for national pride, the national anthem, and a portrayal of overcoming struggle, freedom of expression, and comedy to make a mockery of the plight once faced in regards to the old monarchial system. These innovative pieces gave the ever so changing nation pride, courage, and esteem to address issues facing the build of their new society, as well as a safe place to discuss political feelings and national identity. The role played by the more scripted and political classical French drama from the Enlightenment period of the French Revolution, was pivotal in producing direct effects upon society and can be used as inspiration for modern theatre applied to modern day struggles. Now with an added creativity and freedom, with aspects such as improvisation, and deliberate engagement with the audience, the ower to be mobile, and more insight to the diversity of issues that perturb the human race, theatre can be used as a perfect tool for engaging a society in forms of protest and movements in a peaceful and democratic manner. These early works gave way for modern practitioners to fulfill their own philosophies using theater as a catalyst in an ongoing protest for change. Augosto Boal, a Brazilian applied theatre pioneer spent a lifetime producing social change via dramatic arts. In his early life he felt the need for the underclass of his nation to up rise through peaceful means. He recognized the social iniquities and racial divide facing them. He felt that his own social class, race, and social status impeded the progression of a generation of people subjected to life in the slums of his city. His philosophy was that change came from within the target group rather than an imposition of change upon them. His slogan was a quote from William Shakespeare’s Hamlet stating that ‘’theatre is like a mirror that reflects our virtues and defects equally. ’’ Boal went on to start the Centre for Theatre of the Oppressed. This organization had as an objective the study, discussion, and expression of social issues. They used this to protest and up-rise against diverse issues such as citizenship, culture, and oppressive policy all by means of theatricality. The works of Boal through the Centre for Theatre of the Oppressed even gained a feat of having a law passed protecting crime victims and witnesses in Brazil, a valuable asset in the society of the oppressed people represented by the organization. Boal wrote many books including Theatre for the Oppressed, Games for Actors and Non Actors, The Rainbow of Desire: The Bo al Method of Theatre and Therapy, and Legislative Theatre. In Games for Actors and Non Actors, Boal outlined a nearly every dramatic exercised he applied during his career. From this stemmed new kinds of innovative theatre such as the following: Newspaper Theatre is a technical system allowing an audience to make use of local news articles and other non-dramatic pieces of literatre, and apply them into becoming a theatrical scene. Legislative theatre is a form that provides an opportunity for local voters to voice and protest their opinions in dialogue with government and institution using theatrical methods. The formulation of a piece is created based on proposed laws and policies. The audience may join in as actors and express their views thus impacting the creation of the local policy. Forum Theatre is a highly interactive form of theatre where audience members could call upon a piece to pause, where mistreatment or oppression was evident in the storyline or amongst character interactions. Audience members would formulate solutions for a rational and preferred means of addressing and dealing with the subject. The audience shaped the course of which the piece would take. Invisible Theatre is the pursuit of an ambiguous performance in a location unsuspecting of a performance such as in a public setting. This tricked spectators into thinking that a real event was taking place but the theme would always address social issues. It is a means of getting a message across to an audience who may not normally be open to view a such performance. It also allowed for public interaction into the piece. Boal’s work went on to creating a practice called Drama Therapy based on the aforementioned principles. It is apparent that by drawing upon classical methods and applying dramatic aims into aims of social development; that theatre can be used as a catalyst for change in modern society. Innovation in theatrical forms are endless, and as long as creativity is used with enough insight into social needs, a powerful fusion is developed. Whether the goal is to educate to reduce harm in a developing country and within vulnerable communities, or to build a sense of community and culture, to gain political interest, or to revolutionize a nation, the power of the dramatic arts is an unparalleled tool where possibilities are endless. Task List 1) The topic for my research is the social developmental aspect of theatre. The aim is to look at the diversity in which theatre can be used as an applied tool. The research will analyse Applied Theatre methods, history, and applications. My reasoning for choosing this topic was because of a personal career specific interest. The only limitation was my inability to find live performances to gain a first hand experience as there were none in my area. I was also limited to choosing only a few possible applications of applied theatre as the lists are endless as it is a creative process rather than a set method. 2) My sources of info are listed in detail in the bibliography. I used books and Internet. Primary sources are sources of information that offer first hand knowledge of the subject. They are created during the time and within the direct context/environment of the subject. Secondary sources are continuations of primary sources, they are analysis, continuation, and interpretation of subjects, and events out of direct context/period. 3) I chose to use books mainly and internet to look more in depth at concepts discovered in my readings. I will acquire my books from the Central Vancouver Public Library where there is the largest collection of books in Canada as well as a wealth of resources. (I used the system to earch keywords such as: social change, applied theatre, theatre for change, political theatre, social drama, sociological drama, democratic drama, drama for change, theatre in the third world, humanitarian theatre. ) When using Internet I will verify sources prior to relying on their information. I will check the credibility of the authors and publicists. 4) Choose topic on the day asked by the instructor, find practical examples to broaden my perspective, select sources, gather notes and source details in a clear and concise method including brain tools such as mind maps and connections logs, analyse notes including primary and econdary information, choose a format for the final piece including the desired form of presentation, compose piece based on chosen format and information, proof read, edit, submit/present. 5) Do the research and write up project 6) Present project 7) Evaluation of Aims and Methods – Drawing on personal interests, my aims of showing the breadth of applications of theatre, its educational value, and its ability to impact society by bringing about social change, became very easy. I feel that the sources of my information applied directly to my aims and that breaking down my aim into three subcategories of culture, protest, and harm reduction- made for a more concise way of getting my point across. These three subcategories embodied the initial aim and each showed the educational value of theatre for that specific application. This happened through using practical examples, historical events, and practitioner profiling. My time table was effective as everything came together easily and on time. My time table was more of a checklist instead of a dated series of events. My sources were very clear and understandable, as well as verified for credibility. Looking at websites, I always checked the name of the author and searched them on google, as well as the date of their publication to get the most up to date examples. Also when looking at the study of Applied Theatre I found that referring to university prospectuses aided myself in personally understanding its researchable value.

ACT Writing Rubric Full Analysis and Essay Strategies

ACT Writing Rubric Full Analysis and Essay Strategies SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips What time is it? It's essay time! In this article, I'm going to get into the details of the newly transformed ACT Writing by discussing the ACT essay rubric and how the essay is graded based on that. You'll learn what each item on the rubric means for your essay writing and what you need to do to meet those requirements. feature image credit: A study in human nature, being an interpretation with character analysis chart of Hoffman’s master painting â€Å"Christ in the temple†; (1920) by CircaSassy, used under CC BY 2.0/Resized from original. ACT Essay Grading: The Basics If you've chosen to take the ACT Plus Writing, you'll have 40 minutes to write an essay (after completing the English, Math, Reading, and Science sections of the ACT, of course). Your essay will be evaluated by two graders, who score your essay from 1-6 on each of 4 domains, leading to scores out of 12 for each domain. Your Writing score is calculated by averaging your four domain scores, leading to a total ACT Writing score from 2-12. NOTE: From September 2015 to June 2016, ACT Writing scores were calculated by adding together your domain scores and scaling to a score of 1-36; the change to an averaged 2-12 ACT Writing score was announced June 28, 2016. The Complete ACT Grading Rubric Based on ACT, Inc’s stated grading criteria, I've gathered all the relevant essay-grading criteria into a chart. The information itself is available on the ACT's website, and there's more general information about each of the domains here. The columns in this rubric are titled as per the ACT’s own domain areas, with the addition of another category that I named ("Mastery Level"). ACT Essay Rubric - Scoring Guide Raw Score [Mastery Level] Ideas and Analysis Development and Support Organization Language Use 0 Blank, Off-Topic, Illegible, Not in English, or Void 1 demonstrate little or no skill in writing an argumentative essay. The writer fails to generate an argument that responds intelligibly to the task. The writer’s intentions are difficult to discern. Attempts at analysis are unclear or irrelevant. Ideas lack development, and claims lack support. Reasoning and illustration are unclear, incoherent, or largely absent. The response does not exhibit an organizational structure. There is little grouping of ideas. When present, transitional devices fail to connect ideas. The use of language fails to demonstrate skill in responding to the task. Word choice is imprecise and often difficult to comprehend. Sentence structures are often unclear. Stylistic and register choices are difficult to identify. Errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics are pervasive and often impede understanding. 2 demonstrate weak or inconsistent skill in writing an argumentative essay The writer generates an argument that weakly responds to multiple perspectives on the given issue. The argument’s thesis, if evident, reflects little clarity in thought and purpose. Attempts at analysis are incomplete, largely irrelevant, or consist primarily of restatement of the issue and its perspectives. Development of ideas and support for claims are weak, confused, or disjointed. Reasoning and illustration are inadequate, illogical, or circular, and fail to fully clarify the argument. The response exhibits a rudimentary organizational structure. Grouping of ideas is inconsistent and often unclear. Transitions between and within paragraphs are misleading or poorly formed. The use of language is inconsistent and often unclear. Word choice is rudimentary and frequently imprecise. Sentence structures are sometimes unclear. Stylistic and register choices, including voice and tone, are inconsistent and are not always appropriate for the rhetorical purpose. Distracting errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics are present, and they sometimes impede understanding. 3 demonstrate some developing skill in writing an argumentative essay The writer generates an argument that responds to multiple perspectives on the given issue. The argument’s thesis reflects some clarity in thought and purpose. The argument establishes a limited or tangential context for analysis of the issue and its perspectives. Analysis is simplistic or somewhat unclear. Development of ideas and support for claims are mostly relevant but are overly general or simplistic. Reasoning and illustration largely clarify the argument but may be somewhat repetitious or imprecise. The response exhibits a basic organizational structure. The response largely coheres, with most ideas logically grouped. Transitions between and within paragraphs sometimes clarify the relationships among ideas. The use of language is basic and only somewhat clear. Word choice is general and occasionally imprecise. Sentence structures are usually clear but show little variety. Stylistic and register choices, including voice and tone, are not always appropriate for the rhetorical purpose. Distracting errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics may be present, but they generally do not impede understanding. 4 demonstrate adequate skill in writing an argumentative essay The writer generates an argument that engages with multiple perspectives on the given issue. The argument’s thesis reflects clarity in thought and purpose. The argument establishes and employs a relevant context for analysis of the issue and its perspectives. The analysis recognizes implications, complexities and tensions, and/or underlying values and assumptions. Development of ideas and support for claims clarify meaning and purpose. Lines of clear reasoning and illustration adequately convey the significance of the argument. Qualifications and complications extend ideas and analysis. The response exhibits a clear organizational strategy. The overall shape of the response reflects an emergent controlling idea or purpose. Ideas are logically grouped and sequenced. Transitions between and within paragraphs clarify the relationships among ideas. The use of language conveys the argument with clarity. Word choice is adequate and sometimes precise. Sentence structures are clear and demonstrate some variety. Stylistic and register choices, including voice and tone, are appropriate for the rhetorical purpose. While errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics are present, they rarely impede understanding. 5 demonstrate well-developed skill in writing an argumentative essay The writer generates an argument that productively engages with multiple perspectives on the given issue. The argument’s thesis reflects precision in thought and purpose. The argument establishes and employs a thoughtful context for analysis of the issue and its perspectives. The analysis addresses implications, complexities and tensions, and/or underlying values and assumptions. Development of ideas and support for claims deepen understanding. A mostly integrated line of purposeful reasoning and illustration capably conveys the significance of the argument. Qualifications and complications enrich ideas and analysis. The response exhibits a productive organizational strategy. The response is mostly unified by a controlling idea or purpose, and a logical sequencing of ideas contributes to the effectiveness of the argument. Transitions between and within paragraphs consistently clarify the relationships among ideas. The use of language works in service of the argument. Word choice is precise. Sentence structures are clear and varied often. Stylistic and register choices, including voice and tone, are purposeful and productive. While minor errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics may be present, they do not impede understanding. 6 demonstrate effective skill in writing an argumentative essay The writer generates an argument that critically engages with multiple perspectives on the given issue. The argument’s thesis reflects nuance and precision in thought and purpose. The argument establishes and employs an insightful context for analysis of the issue and its perspectives. The analysis examines implications, complexities and tensions, and/or underlying values and assumptions. Development of ideas and support for claims deepen insight and broaden context. An integrated line of skillful reasoning and illustration effectively conveys the significance of the argument. Qualifications and complications enrich and bolster ideas and analysis. The response exhibits a skillful organizational strategy. The response is unified by a controlling idea or purpose, and a logical progression of ideas increases the effectiveness of the writer’s argument. Transitions between and within paragraphs strengthen the relationships among ideas. The use of language enhances the argument. Word choice is skillful and precise. Sentence structures are consistently varied and clear. Stylistic and register choices, including voice and tone, are strategic and effective. While a few minor errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics may be present, they do not impede understanding. ACT Writing Rubric: Item-by-Item Breakdown Whew. That rubric might be a little overwhelming - there's so much information to process! Below, I’ve broken down the essay rubric by domain, with examples of what a 3- and a 6-scoring essay might look like. Ideas and Analysis The Ideas and Analysis domain is the rubric area most intimately linked with the basic ACT essay task itself. Here's what the ACT website has to say about this domain: Scores in this domain reflect the ability to generate productive ideas and engage critically with multiple perspectives on the given issue. Competent writers understand the issue they are invited to address, the purpose for writing, and the audience. They generate ideas that are relevant to the situation. Based on this description, I've extracted the four key things you need to do in your essay to score well in the Ideas and Analysis domain. Choose a perspective on this issue and state it clearly. Evaluate how true (or untrue) each (of the three given) perspectives is Analyze each perspective. Compare the remaining two perspectives to the perspective you have chosen. There's no cool acronym, sorry. I guess a case could be made for "ACCE," but I wanted to list the points in the order of importance, so "CEAC" it is. Fortunately, the ACT Writing Test provides you with the three perspectives to analyze and choose from, which will save you some of the hassle of "generating productive ideas." In addition, "analyzing each perspective" does not mean that you need to argue from each of the points of view. Instead, you need to choose one perspective to argue as your own and explain how your point of view relates to the perspectives provided by evaluating how correct each perspective is and analyzing the implications of each perspective. Note: While it is technically allowable for you to come up with a fourth perspective as your own and to then discuss that point of view in relation to each of the three given perspectives, we do NOT recommend it. 40 minutes is already a pretty short time to discuss three different points of view in a thorough and coherent manner - discussing four is nigh-on impossible. To get deeper into what things fall in the Ideas and Analysis domain, I'll use a sample ACT Writing prompt and the three perspectives provided: Many of the goods and services we depend on daily are now supplied by intelligent, automated machines rather than human beings. Robots build cars and other goods on assembly lines, where once there were human workers. Many of our phone conversations are now conducted not with people but with sophisticated technologies. We can now buy goods at a variety of stores without the help of a human cashier. Automation is generally seen as a sign of progress, but what is lost when we replace humans with machines? Given the accelerating variety and prevalence of intelligent machines, it is worth examining the implications and meaning of their presence in our lives. Perspective One: What we lose with the replacement of people by machines is some part of our own humanity. Even our mundane daily encounters no longer require from us basic courtesy, respect, and tolerance for other people. Perspective Two: Machines are good at low-skill, repetitive jobs, and at high-speed, extremely precise jobs. In both cases they work better than humans. This efficiency leads to a more prosperous and progressive world for everyone. Perspective Three: Intelligent machines challenge our long-standing ideas about what humans are or can be. This is good because it pushes both humans and machines toward new, unimagined possibilities. First, in order to "state...your own perspective on the issue," you need to figure out what your point of view, or perspective, on this issue is going to be. For the sake of argument, let's say that you agree the most with the second perspective. A essay that scores a 3 in this domain might simply restate this perspective: I agree that machines are good at low-skill, repetitive jobs, and at high-speed, extremely precise jobs. In both cases they work better than humans. This efficiency leads to a more prosperous and progressive world for everyone. In contrast, an essay scoring a 6 in this domain would likely have a more complex point of view (with what the rubric calls "nuance and precision in thought and purpose"): Machines will never be able to replace humans entirely, as creativity is not something that can be mechanized. Because machines can perform delicate and repetitive tasks with precision, however, they are able to take over for humans with regards to low-skill, repetitive jobs and high-skill, extremely precise jobs. This then frees up humans to do what we do best - think, create, and move the world forward. Next, you need to evaluate how true/untrue each perspective is. Since you've already decided you agree with Perspective Two, you presumably think that perspective is true, which will save some work. A 3-scoring essay in this domain would likely be absolute, stating that Perspective Two is completely correct, while the other two perspectives are absolutely incorrect. By contrast, a 6-scoring essay in this domain would, again, show a more nuanced understanding: In the future, machines might lead us to lose our humanity; alternatively, machines might lead us to unimaginable pinnacles of achievement. I would argue, however, projecting possible futures does not make them true, and that the evidence we have at present supports the perspective that machines are, above all else, efficient and effective completing repetitive and precise tasks. To analyze the perspectives, you need to consider each aspect of each perspective. In the case of Perspective Two, this means you must discuss that machines are good at two types of jobs, that they’re better than humans at both types of jobs, and that their efficiency creates a better world. The analysis in a 3-scoring essay is usually "simplistic or somewhat unclear." In contrast, the analysis of a 6-scoring essay "examines implications, complexities and tensions, and/or underlying values and assumptions." Finally, you must compare the other two perspectives to your perspective throughout your essay, including in your intitial argument. Here's what a 3-scoring essay's argument would look like: I agree that machines are good at low-skill, repetitive jobs, and at high-speed, extremely precise jobs. In both cases they work better than humans. This efficiency leads to a more prosperous and progressive world for everyone. Machines do not cause us to lose our humanity or challenge our long-standing ideas about what humans are or can be. And here, in contrast, is what a 6-scoring essay's argument (that includes multiple perspectives) would look like: Machines will never be able to replace humans entirely, as creativity is not something that can be mechanized, which means that our humanity is safe. Because machines can perform delicate and repetitive tasks with precision, however, they are able to take over for humans with regards to low-skill, repetitive jobs and high-skill, extremely precise jobs. Rather than forcing us to challenge our ideas about what humans are or could be, machines simply allow us to BE, without distractions. This then frees up humans to do what we do best - think, create, and move the world forward. Again, to summarize what you need to do to score well in the Ideas and Analysis domain: Choose a perspective that you can support Evaluate how true/correct each perspective is Analyze the implications of each perspective Compare the other two perspectives to your own (with analysis and evaluation folded in). To score well on the ACT essay overall, however, it's not enough to just state your opinions about each part of the perspective; you need to actually back up your claims with evidence to develop your own point of view. This leads straight into the next domain: Development and Support. Development and Support Another important component of your essay is that you explain your thinking. While it's obviously important to clearly state what your ideas are in the first place, the ACT essay requires you to demonstrate evidence-based reasoning. As per the description on ACT.org [bolding mine]: Scores in this domain reflect the ability to discuss ideas, offer rationale, and bolster an argument. Competent writers explain and explore their ideas, discuss implications, and illustrate through examples. They help the reader understand their thinking about the issue. The bolded part is the aspect of the ACT Writing rubric that’s most changed from the old ACT essay. You must not only use logical reasoning, but also employ detailed examples to support and explain your ideas. Let’s say you’re discussing machine intelligence and are arguing Perspective Two: â€Å"Machines are good at low-skill, repetitive jobs, and at high-speed, extremely precise jobs. In both cases they work better than humans. This efficiency leads to a more prosperous and progressive world for everyone.† In your essay, you might start out by copying the perspective directly into your essay as your point of view, which is fine for the Ideas and Analysis domain. To score well in the Development and Support domain and develop your point of view with logical reasoning and detailed examples, however, you’re going to have to come up with reasons for why you agree with this perspective and examples that support your thinking. Here's an example from an essay that would score a 3 in this domain: Machines are good at low-skill, repetitive jobs and at high-speed, extremely precise jobs. In both cases, they work better than humans. For example, machines are better at printing things quickly and clearly than people are. Prior to the invention of the printing press by Gutenberg people had to write everything by hand. The printing press made it faster and easier to get things printed because things didn't have to be written by hand all the time. In the world today we have even better machines like laser printers that print things quickly. Essays scoring a 3 in this domain tend to have relatively simple development and tend to be overly general, with imprecise or repetitive reasoning or illustration. Contrast this with an example from an essay that would score a 6: Machines are good at low-skill, repetitive jobs and at high-speed, extremely precise jobs. In both cases, they work better than humans. Take, for instance, the example of printing. As a composer, I need to be able to create many copies of my sheet music to give to my musicians. If I were to copy out each part by hand, it would take days, and would most likely contain inaccuracies. On the other hand, my printer (a machine) is able to print out multiple copies of parts with extreme precision. If it turns out I made an error when I was entering in the sheet music onto the computer (another machine), I can easily correct this error and print out more copies quickly. The above example of the importance of machines to composers uses "an integrated line of skillful reasoning and illustration" to support my claim ("Machines are good at low-skill, repetitive jobs and at high-speed, extremely precise jobs. In both cases, they work better than humans"). In order to develop this example further (and incorporate the â€Å"This efficiency leads to a more prosperous and progressive world for everyone† facet of the perspective), I would need to expand my example to explain why it’s so important that multiple copies of precisely replicated documents be available, and how this affects the world. World Map - Abstract Acrylic by Nicolas Raymond, used under CC BY 2.0/Resized from original. Organization Essay organization has always been integral to doing well on the ACT essay, so it makes sense that the ACT Writing rubric has an entire domain devoted to this. The organization of your essay refers not just to the order in which you present your ideas in the essay, but also to the order in which you present your ideas in each paragraph. Here's the formal description from the ACT website: Scores in this domain reflect the ability to organize ideas with clarity and purpose. Organizational choices are integral to effective writing. Competent writers arrange their essay in a way that clearly shows the relationship between ideas, and they guide the reader through their discussion. Making sure your essay is logically organized relates back to the â€Å"development† part of the previous domain. As the above description states, you can't just throw examples and information into your essay willy-nilly, without any regard for the order; part of constructing and developing a convincing argument is making sure it flows logically. A lot of this organization should happen while you are in the planning phase, before you even begin to write your essay. Let's go back to the machine intelligence essay example again. I've decided to argue for Perspective Two, which is: â€Å"Machines are good at low-skill, repetitive jobs, and at high-speed, extremely precise jobs. In both cases they work better than humans. This efficiency leads to a more prosperous and progressive world for everyone.† An essay that scores a 3 in this domain would show a "basic organizational structure," which is to say that each perspective would be discussed in its own paragraph, "with most ideas logically grouped." A possible organization for a 3-scoring essay: Paragraph 1: Introduction (with your stated point of view) Paragraph 2: Intelligent machines don’t really challenge ideas about humanity (analyze perspective 1) Paragraph 3: On the other hand, intelligent machines can help us (analyze perspective 2) Paragraph 4: Machines are not making the world worse (analyze perspective 3) Paragraph 5: Conclusion An essay that scores a 6 in this domain, on the other hand, has a lot more to accomplish. The "controlling idea or purpose" behind the essay should be clearly expressed in every paragraph, and ideas should be ordered in a logical fashion so that there is a clear progression from the beginning to the end. Here's a possible organization for a 6-scoring essay: Paragraph 1: Introduction (with your stated point of view) Paragraph 2: Machines help us because [evidence] (discussion of perspective 2) Paragraph 3: Some argue that machines are hurting us, but here’s my contrary evidence (comparison of perspective 1 and perspective 2) Paragraph 4: While I do believe that machines are advantageous, this advantage lies in what they can do for us, not what they reveal about us (comparison of perspective 3 and perspective 2) Paragraph 5: Conclusion In this example, the unifying idea is that machines are helpful (and it’s mentioned in each paragraph) and the progression of ideas makes more sense. This is certainly not the only way to organize an essay on this particular topic, or even using this particular perspective. Your essay does, however, have to be organized, rather than consist of a bunch of ideas thrown together. Here are my Top 5 ACT Writing Organization Rules to follow: Be sure to include an introduction (with your thesis stating your point of view), paragraphs in which you make your case, and a conclusion that sums up your argument When planning your essay, make sure to present your ideas in an order that makes sense (and follows a logical progression that will be easy for the grader to follow). Make sure that you unify your essay with one main idea. Do not switch arguments partway through your essay. Don't write everything in one huge paragraph. If you're worried you're going to run out of space to write, you can try using a paragraph symbol,  ¶, at the beginning of each paragraph as a last resort (if you can't write smaller). Use transitions between paragraphs (usually the last line of the previous paragraph and the first line of the paragraph) to "strengthen relationships among ideas" (source). This means going above and beyond "First of all...Second...Lastly" at the beginning of each paragraph. Instead, use the transitions between paragraphs as an opportunity to describe how that paragraph relates to your main argument. Language Use The final domain on the ACT Writing rubric is Language Use. This the item that includes grammar, punctuation, and general sentence structure issues. Here's what the ACT website has to say about Language Use: Scores in this domain reflect the ability to use written language to convey arguments with clarity. Competent writers make use of the conventions of grammar, syntax, word usage, and mechanics. They are also aware of their audience and adjust the style and tone of their writing to communicate effectively. I tend to think of this as the â€Å"be a good writer† category, since many of the standards covered in the above description are ones that good writers will automatically meet in their writing. On the other hand, this is probably the area non-native English speakers will struggle the most, as you must have a fairly solid grasp of English to score above a 2 on this domain. The good news is that by reading this article, you're already one step closer to improving your "Language Use" on ACT Writing. There are three main parts of this domain: Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics Sentence Structure Vocabulary and Word Choice I've listed them (and will cover them) from lowest to highest level. If you're struggling with multiple areas, I highly recommend starting out with the lowest-level issue, as the components tend to build on each other. For instance, if you're struggling with grammar and usage, you need to focus on fixing that before you start to think about precision of vocabulary/word choice. Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics At the most basic level, you need to be able to "effectively communicate your ideas in standard written English" (ACT.org). First and foremost, this means that your grammar and punctuation need to be correct. On ACT Writing, it's all right to make a few minor errors if the meaning is clear, even on essays that score a 6 in the Language Use domain; however, the more errors you make, the more your score will drop. Here's an example from an essay that scored a 3 in Language Use: Machines are good at doing there jobs quickly and precisely. Also because machines aren't human or self-aware they don't get bored so they can do the same thing over over again without getting worse. While the meaning of the sentences is clear, there are several errors: the first sentence uses "there" instead of "their," the second sentence is a run-on sentence, and the second sentence also uses the abbreviation "" in place of "and." Now take a look at an example from a 6-scoring essay: Machines excel at performing their jobs both quickly and precisely. In addition, since machines are not self-aware they are unable to get "bored." This means that they can perform the same task over and over without a decrease in quality. This example solves the abbreviation and "there/their" issue. The second sentence is missing a comma (after "self-aware"), but the worse of the run-on sentence issue is absent. Our Complete Guide to ACT Grammar might be helpful if you just need a general refresh on grammar rules. In addition, we have several articles that focus in on specific grammar rules, as they are tested on ACT English; while the specific ways in which ACT English tests you on these rules isn't something you'll need to know, the explanations of the grammar rules themselves are quite helpful. Sentence Structure Once you've gotten down basic grammar, usage, and mechanics, you can turn your attention to sentence structure. Here's an example of what a 3-scoring essay in Language Use (based on sentence structure alone) might look like: Machines are more efficient than humans at many tasks. Machines are not causing us to lose our humanity. Instead, machines help us to be human by making things more efficient so that we can, for example, feed the needy with technological advances. The sentence structures in the above example are not particulary varied (two sentences in a row start with "Machines are"), and the last sentence has a very complicated/convoluted structure, which makes it hard to understand. For comparison, here's a 6-scoring essay: Machines are more efficient than humans at many tasks, but that does not mean that machines are causing us to lose our humanity. In fact, machines may even assist us in maintaining our humanity by providing more effective and efficient ways to feed the needy. For whatever reason, I find that when I’m under time pressure, my sentences maintain variety in their structures but up getting really awkward and strange. A real life example: once I described a method of counteracting dementia as â€Å"supporting persons of the elderly persuasion† during a hastily written psychology paper. I’ve found the best ways to counteract this are as follows: 1. Look over what you’ve written and change any weird wordings that you notice. 2. If you're just writing a practice essay, get a friend/teacher/relative who is good at writing (in English) to look over what you’ve written and point out issues (this is how my own awkward wording was caught before I handed in the paper). This point obviously does not apply when you're actually taking the ACT, but it very helpful to ask for someone else to take a look over any practice essays you write to point out issues you may not notice yourself. Vocabulary and Word Choice The icing on the "Language Use" domain cake is skilled use of vocabulary and correct word choice. Part of this means using more complicated vocabulary in your essay. Once more, look at this this example from a 3-scoring essay (spelling corrected): Machines are good at doing their jobs quickly and precisely. Compare that to this sentence from a 6-scoring essay: Machines excel at performing their jobs both quickly and precisely. The 6-scoring essay uses "excel" and "performing" in place of "are good at" and "doing." This is an example of using language that is both more skillful ("excel" is more advanced than "are good at") and more precise ("performing" is a more precise word than "doing"). It's important to make sure that, when you do use more advanced words, you use them correctly. Consider the below sentence: â€Å"Machines are often instrumental in ramifying safety features.† The sentence uses a couple of advanced vocabulary words, but since "ramifying" is used incorrectly, the language use in this sentence is neither skillful nor precise. Above all, your word choice and vocabulary should make your ideas clearer, not make them harder to understand. untitled is also an adjective by Procsilas Moscas, used under CC BY 2.0/Resized and cropped from original. How Do I Use the ACT Writing Grading Rubric? Okay, we've taken a look at the ACTual ACT Writing grading rubric and gone over each domain in detail. To finish up, I'll go over a couple of ways the scoring rubric can be useful to you in your ACT essay prep. Use the ACT Writing Rubric To...Shape Your Essays Now that you know what the ACT is looking for in an essay, you can use that to guide what you write about in your essays...and how develop and organize what you say! Because I’m an Oldâ„ ¢ (not actually trademarked), and because I'm from the East Coast, I didn’t really know much about the ACT prior to starting my job at PrepScholar. People didn’t really take it in my high school in my day, so when I looked at the grading rubric for the first time, I was shocked to see how different the ACT essay was (as compared to the more familiar SAT essay). Basically, by reading this article, you’re already doing better than high school me. Vale_Youth_Art_Project_100 by Bureau of Land Management Oregon and Washington, used under CC BY 2.0/Resized from original. An artist’s impression of L. Staffaroni (at age 16) (look, junior year was/is hard for everyone). Use the ACT Writing Rubric To...Grade Your Practice Essays The ACT can’t really give you an answer key to the essay the way it can give you an answer key to the other sections (Reading, Math, etc). There are some examples of essays at each score point on the ACT website, but these examples assume that students will be at an equal level in each of domains, which will not necessarily be true for you. Even if a sample essay is provided as part of a practice test answer key, it will probably use different context, have a different logical progression, or maybe even argue a different viewpoint. The ACT Writing rubric is the next best thing to an essay answer key. Use it as a filter through which to view your essay. Naturally, you don't have the time to become an expert at applying the rubric criteria to your essay to make sure you're in line with the ACT's grading principles and standards. That is not your job. Your job is to write the best essay that you can. If you're not confident in your ability to spot grammar, usage, and mechanics issues, I highly recommend asking a friend, teacher, or family member who is really good at (English) writing to take a look over your practice essays and point out the mistakes. If you really want custom feedback on your practice essays from experienced essay graders, may I also suggest the PrepScholar test prep platform? As I manage all essay grading, I happen to know a bit about the essay part of this platform, which provides you with both an essay grade and custom feedback. Go here to learn more! What’s Next? Desirous of some more sweet sweet ACT essay articles? Why not start with our comprehensive guide to the ACT Writing test and how to write an ACT essay, step-by-step? (Trick question: obviously you should do this.) Round out your dive into the details of the ACT Writing test with tips and strategies to raise your essay score, information about the best ACT Writing template, and advice on how to get a perfect score on the ACT essay. Want actual feedback on your essay? Then consider signing up for our PrepScholar test prep platform. Included in the platform are 5 practice tests, with 5 practice essays that are graded by experts here at PrepScholar. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Writing lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We're special in having expert instructors grade your essays and give you custom feedback on how to improve. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial: