The Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc - Environmental Conservation Awareness Assignment

The Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc - Environmental Conservation Awareness - Assignment Example The major characteristic that differentiates the Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engine, is its enhanced environmental-friendly attributes, which sees the engine deliver the lowest lifetime fuel burn (Wall, 2014:n.p.). Therefore, environmental conservation awareness is the main drive behind the construction of this engine. In this respect, the project lifecycle will follow a well-defined process that will begin with starting phase of the project lifecycle that will entail the collaboration of the R&D and the marketing teams to define the project objectives. This will be followed by project organizing and preparing, which will share the tasks between the two teams, with the marketing team taking the responsibility for identifying the market needs and conveying the same to the R&D team, while the R&D team will take the responsibility of the actual designing of the engine. This will be followed by the carrying out the work phase of the project lifecycle, where the marketing team will provide the R&D team with the product information ranging from the appropriate design drawing, the colouring scheme of the engine and the appropriate features such as the size and weight details. On the other hand, the R& D team will be responsible for the analysis of the design of the aircraft engine with minimal noise. After the design analysis, the R&D team shall pass over the product to the marketing team for test marketing and promotion. The full launch of the product will form the closing phase of the project lifecycle. The whole project is estimated to take 3 months from the start to close. The project proposal seeks to develop a whole project engine production lifecycle, where all the necessary tools and concepts will be derived from PMBOK and similarly relevant reading materials. The project aimed at defining the project lifecycle of the development of Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engine. The essence of the project was to achieve a low noise aircraft engine, which also confers other environmental benefits.  Ã‚  

Terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 5

Terrorism - Essay Example Terrorism has become one of the most misused terms since 9/11. There is a need to differentiate between a terrorist and a freedom fighter. Many politicians and scholars combine these two types of militants, depending on their personal positions or views. Freedom fighters use violence and sometimes public panic, but they do not target civilians. Terrorists can sometimes use freedom fighter tactics, but generally prefer to resort to violence, public panic, and civilian targets. For example, is Osama bin Laden a terrorist? Yes, but not all of his acts of violence can be classified as terrorism. Even all the violence on 9\11 cannot be defined as terrorism. The Twin Towers were a terrorist attack. Bin Laden utilized all of three elements of terrorism given in the text; violence, public panic, and the targeting of civilians when the Twin Towers fell. The Pentagon and White House planes were targeted for government and military installations. This ruled out the targeting of civilians, even though they knew civilians would be killed. Civilians have always been causalities of wars, whether on purpose or not. The attack on the USS Cole was not terrorism. It was an attack on the US government and military. War acts are also not classified as terrorism. The difference is civilians are not solely targeted. Civilians will die in conflicts, but there is a difference in a bomb accidentally falling short, killing civilians and targeting a civilian neighbourhood. There is also a difference between bombing a munitions factor that a dictator houses civilians in. The intent is what matters. Terrorists intend to cause the maximum civilian deaths to cause panic. Now that difference between terrorism and freedom fighters have been established, the statement that â€Å"terrorism is never justified† holds true. Terrorism is mass murder. Murder in a civilized society is wrong. Not only is terrorism never justified, it does

Impact of Capital Structure on Financial Performance of Real Estate Essay - 1

Impact of Capital Structure on Financial Performance of Real Estate Firms Listed In Chinese Stock Exchange - Essay Example The study analyses the listed firms based on the following objectives The study is a descriptive research design that explores the capital structure of companies listed in the Chinese stock exchange in seeking to describe their impact on the financial performance of the same companies. Information about 20 companies was collected from the official website of the Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE). The companies were selected in accordance to the composite index of the SSE, to ensure the findings can be generalised to other firms. Quantitative data analysis methods have been utilised in analysing the data gathered form the research with regression analysis being utilised to enhance the quality of the research findings. . Different financial ratios of companies have been calculated and an industry average determined. The ownership of the listed firms is mainly by the government and legal institutions who own 28% and 24% respectively. The total debt and long term debt of the listed companies is 50.49% and 10.15% respectively. The equity over fixed asset ratio for the companies is at 92.77%. There has been a significant drop in the return on assets value which is currently at 9.74%. Chinese firms have an average liability of about 45% while the average liability of the G-7 countries in 54%. Most of the Chinese companies listed on the SSE utilise a short term financing options and this has been the man characteristic of their capital structure. The capital structure adopted by these firms has the greatest impact on their performance. The companies listed in the SSE have been posting high profits and have financial debts which are lower than the average industry level. These firms are mainly financed through equity capital which is not a debt. Low debts have had a significant effect in resulting to the high profits since there is a reduced level of interests paid, ensuring the

Water Scarcity is a Real Threat Essay Example for Free

Water Scarcity is a Real Threat Essay The next war ripping across continents may well be triggered by water scarcity. Already a third of the world is suffering from water shortages. Ironically, rainfall has been adequate. The water is there. But what has gone awry is its management. Water scarcity in Asia and Australia alone affects a fourth of the world’s population and is triggered by over-usage whereas in Africa, it is lack of adequate infrastructure that wreaks havoc. Water scarcity around the world has come about primarily due to quintessentially wasteful practices that have seeped into present-day agriculture which sadly mops up 80% of fresh water. Over the past 100 years, water usage has gone up by six times globally, and is threatening to double again by the year 2050, driven mainly by demands of irrigation and increased agricultural activities. Current methods of irrigation will have to be urgently revisited and more efficient means reinvented. Problems of water scarcity can best be addressed by better efficiency in its utilisation, recycling, pricing of water (and the electricity used for lifting and conveying the water) where not already in vogue, transportation without losses, leaks and pilferage, and through education of the perils of the dangers to all humanity that is presently straining at the tethers due to the current reckless abandon with which it has been mismanaged. Interestingly rich nations like Australia are not immune to water scarcity. An urban Australian on the average trashes 300 litres of water daily and the European notches 200 litres, while the sub-Saharan African makes do with less than 20 litres a day. On the other side, one never ceases to marvel at Israel, which has truly mastered the art and science of water and its sustainable utilisation, conservation and augmentation. For a country that receives a best average rainfall of about 700 mm annually (in the Zefat region in the northern mountainous terrain), its agricultural productivity puts to shame any other agricultural economy. Here, efficiency of farm production is calibrated against water used for irrigation and a deterrent placed on its wastage. With agriculture being the main culprit for abysmal water scarcity, one should look up to advances in genetic engineering that has notched a few successes in ameliorating this acute paucity of water by suitably altering the plantâ€⠄¢s architecture, reduced need for water through modifications of internal anatomy and adjustments of crop physiology, besides enabling plants to survive and succeed in saline, salty and harsh environments. Improving the efficiency of agricultural production and water use are fundamental to any blueprint for a sustainable and equitable growth. The Murray-Darling that runs through Australian agricultural heartland has been steadily receding, triggered in part by an unprecedented string of droughts and exasperated by incessant siphoning for irrigation purposes. The Mekong, running through Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam is another startling example of how a once life-sustaining force could threaten the very communities that it once helped found and nurture. Nearer at home the muffled rumblings that one hears from time to time in some high-fluted national seminar where the wind bags wax eloquently of the virtues of linking rivers to ward off a cataclysmic disaster in the making is all hog wash. The idea of ‘linking rivers’ is a dated notion, tracing its origins to Sir Arthur Cotton in the 19th century. Akin to Captain Dastur’s ‘Garland Canal’, Dr K L R ao’s proposal of a Ganga-Cauvery Link was another idea that was just as handsomely popular as it was ridiculously impractical! Rao’s plan envisaged the link to take off near Patna, pass through the basins of the Sone, Narmada, Tapi, Godavari, Krishna and Pennar rivers before joining the Cauvery upstream of the Grand Anicut. Traversing 2,640 km, 60,000 cusecs of water were to be drawn from the flood flows of the Ganges for 150 days in the year. A substantial part of that water was to be lifted over 450 metres. The scheme was abandoned for its huge financial costs and large energy requirements, besides the colossal misery that it would have wreaked on hapless hamlets and populations of people in the millions along the trail of this grandiose link. Techno-economic viability apart, diversion of waters from the Ganges would have unfailingly embroiled India in an international dispute with neighbouring Bangladesh for such a flagrant violation. Based on environmental impact assessments, multi-criteria cost/benefit analyses, qualitative assessments of non-quantifiable considerations and rigorous investment appraisals, the National Commission on Integrated Water Resources Development Plan summarily rejected all but one of the river-linking proposals with the conclusion that the â€Å"the assessed needs of the basins could be met from full development and efficient utilisation of intra-basin resources except in the case of Cauvery and Vaigai basins†. A PIL filed in the Supreme Court in 2002 elicited a direction to accelerate the ‘linking of rivers’ by the learned judiciary. Debatable as the propriety of judicial directions on such a subject might be, the process brought to the fore a staggering revelation of cost of the order of Rs. 5,60,000 crore, according to one estimate! As a country, we simply don’t enjoy that kind of a luxury. Instead of frittering away our limited resources on such grandiose s chemes, we’d do well to channel our energies on micro-projects that collectively aim at conservation of water and promote its sustainable use through judicious management. The success of rain-water harvesting schemes in some of our states and the resultant improvement of ground water is a case in point. Likewise, the de-silting and strengthening of temple tanks and community water bodies ought to be practiced beyond symbolic gestures of photo-ops for the politically inclined. Polluting users of water sources need to be provided alternate, technology-driven solutions and continued intransigence must attract severe penalties under the law. Populist measures of providing free use of electricity and water for agriculture must be weaned down and agricultural productivity must reflect efficient use of energy and water inputs. Water shortage hinders total sanitation project Though 50% of village panchayats have achieved 100% total sanitation and got the Nirmal Puraskar tag, defecation in the open still continues and is more evident in the plains areas of the district. According to total sanitation project officer Taranath, 65 village panchayats out of 226 have received this award from the Union government and panchayats with a population of 5,000 and above got Rs 5 lakh and panchayats below 5,000 got Rs 2 lakh cash awards with citations. He said 35 panchayats are ready to get this award as they have fulfilled all the required parameters. When TOI visited some village panchayats in the plains, the toilets constructed were being used for some other purpose and families still prefer defecating in the open. In many houses, toilets have been converted into small godowns to store agricultural seeds, manure or other materials. When asked why they werent being used for the original purpose, they attributed this to water scarcity. Many said they arent getting enough drinking water for domestic use itself. In Malnad region, this programme has gathered momentum and some villages have been achieved 100% total sanitation. Sringeri and Narasimharajapura taluk in this area have been declared total sanitation taluks. Koppa taluk is just short of three panchayats to get this prestigious tag. The project was started in 2005 and so far 1,44,808 families have shown interest in constructing their own toilets in the backyard but 1,33,362 families are yet to get converted to this idea. For BPL families, the government gives Rs.3,500 as subsidy to construct toilets but even these families are not ready to have their own toilets. Water scarcity affects business of 60% Indian companies: An overwhelming majority of Indian companies consider water scarcity an increasing business risk, prompting them to conserve the commodity, a survey has revealed. As many as 83% respondents identified inadequate availability of water as a major risk to their business, in a survey of 27 major industrial sectors conducted by the US-based Columbia Water Center in association with industry lobby FICCI. While 60% respondents said inadequate availability of water was already impacting their business, 87% said the scarcity would impact their business 10 years down the line.

Pro-Child / Pro-Choice: An Exercise in Doublethink? by Judith A. Boss E

In her essay â€Å"Pro-Child / Pro-Choice: An Exercise in Doublethink?† Judith A. Boss deconstructs the argument supporting legalized abortion on the basis that it is beneficial to children in general. Boss presents the oft-used slogan of the pro-choice position, â€Å"Pro-Child / Pro-Choice†. She maintains that this slogan seems closely related to â€Å"newspeak†, which she characterizes as â€Å"†¦vocabulary pared down to a minimum so that whole ideologies are expressed in a single slogan†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (156-7). The term â€Å"newspeak† comes from George Orwell’s 1984. In the novel, these simplistic slogans serve to perpetuate â€Å"doublethink†, which entails, as Orwell writes, â€Å"holding two contradictory beliefs in one’s mind simultaneously and accepting both of them† (156). Boss also explains, â€Å"Doublethink is maintained by a refusal to examine the assumptions and facts supporting one’s beliefsâ₠¬  (156). In order to weaken the pro-child/pro-choice position, Boss begins by presenting the â€Å"assumptions and facts† supporting it. Boss states that the basic assumption behind the pro-child /pro-choice position is the belief that â€Å"†¦the exclusion of humans prior to birth from the protection of the moral and legal community, thereby leaving the choice of carrying a pregnancy to term entirely up to the woman, benefits children† (157). Boss creates two categories of children and presents the possible benefits that abortion-on-demand provides. The first category, the unborn child, benefits because his or her â€Å"†¦ abortion will spare him or her a life of misery† (157). On the other hand, the second category, the born child, benefits because he or she â€Å"can enjoy a higher quality of life and paternal love unhindered by the presence of burdensome siblings who were... ...recognizes that the true utility that legalized abortion serves may lie in the benefits that it presents to women and that those benefits may appear in the form of social empowerment. It does seem that since 1973, women have been able to empower themselves in the occupational realm. However, Boss leads us to ask ourselves if this professional empowerment of women has come at any cost. In order to understand the true utility of allowing abortion-on-demand, one must weigh all the consequences it creates. It seems though that we have not appropriately measured the consequences of ensuring abortion-on-demand. Questions: How is doublethink mutually exclusive with the correct use of utilitarian theory? What positive consequences, if any, come from ensuring abortion-on-demand? How does one ensure that every child is a healthy child? Is it even possible?

Adolescent Period Essay

At many points in life, one can wonder if it can get any harder, but at what stage is life truly at its hardest. There four main stages in life are childhood, adolescence, maturity and old age. At what point in life can one make something spectacular of his life, or lose it all. There are times where excess amounts of stress can cause problems, or lead people to their own problems such as alcohol. Where is the stage where one can face the most stress, the most challenges and still be undergoing many physical changes at the same time? Adolescence is considered by many to be the most fun years of our lives, yet it is also the time where we can face to most stress and our decisions during this time can affect us for the rest of our lives. One of the toughest things about adolescence is the pressure one may face during this crucial stage of life. The pressure to succeed may come in many different forms, or even many different people. One could pressure themselves to do get straight A’s in school, or their own family could be the culprits of the excess pressure. See more: Homelessness as a social problem Essay While a little bit of pressure may be good, too much of it can cause stress on teenagers that are already stressed out from all of the changes they have to face. There was a parent who tried to strangle his son’s hockey coach because his son wasn’t getting enough ice time. What is a thirteen year old kid supposed to do at their next practice? Even if a teenager is succeeding at a high level in sports, they may only be doing it to please their parents. Many teenagers do things that they do not appreciate just to please their parents because they feel pressured to do so. All this excess pressure can cause someone to be stressed out. This stress can cause one to not live up to their own expectations, never mind their parents own expectations of them. This is the stage where you have the potential to live up to your own expectations, or ruin your own goals. There are many challenges one can face as they go through high school. One can fail to achieve the marks necessary to move on to the post-secondary college they want for themselves. Your pathway may be derailed by factors such as drugs or alcohol. Almost all teenage kids get faced with peer pressure to fit in and have a drink or smoke a joint, but these are things that can affect your future. If one gets addicted to drugs, they will have a steep mountain to climb to get to where they want to be. Within the few short years of adolescence, one can exceed their own expectations or set themselves up for failure in the future. One of the most difficult parts of adolescence is when one wants to be treated like an adult, but they get no respect from their parents. Some parents act as if their teenage kids are inferior to them, and treat them as if they are children. The teenagers think of themselves as adults who are equal to their parents, so when those parents treat them like children, they act out. The teenagers want more control in their life, even if they are not ready to handle that load. One of the biggest arguments might be about curfews. Parents want their child to be safe, but the teenager wants to do what they want even if it is not the best thing ever. This can often cause rifts between the parents and their teenager, which is another reason for stress during â€Å"the best years of our lives† All of the excess stress that is placed upon one person during this crucial time during adolescence makes teenagers deal with much more than they are capable with. The decisions we make can affect us for years to come, even if we do not think they will. Teenagers are expected to achieve high marks, compete in sports and sometimes work a job on top of that. This causes boatloads of stress on one person, and they are not ready for it. Sometimes ones only goal in high school is to fit in, so one will do anything even if it is harmful to their future. If one does not fit in, they may face challenges such as suicide or drugs, but they will not ask for help from their family. The biggest reason adolescence is the hardest stage in life is because of the sheer amount of change one faces as they transition between childhood and maturity.

Digging Essay

Nidhi Ranjalkar English 10 Block E Ms. Wilkins 30/08/2012 DIGGING The poem ‘digging’ is the first in poet Seamus Heaney’s collection ‘Death of a Naturalist’ (1966). This poem has a free structure, which allows the poet to express his feelings of pride and the value of his as well as his ancestors’ work.The poet may not be following his father and grandfather’s footsteps in the area of work which is potato farming but that doesn’t mean he does not respect, value and take pride in the work that they did. This poem clearly reflects the complex feelings of a son who has chosen to break away from the family tradition and forge a new path for himself. The author talks about the family’s potato farm. Through this poem he shows respect and pride towards their work. He succeeds by painting a scene using different types of imagery.He uses visual, auditory, olfactory and tactile imageries to paint a picture. This technique makes reade rs feel present as if they had just stepped into the moist potato field. The title ‘Digging’ refers to the act of hard labour. The reader can immediately picture a scene of a man hard at work digging the ground. Seamus Heaney is not a farmer. He does not dig the ground for potatoes nor does he work in the hot fields every day. He is an author who uses his pen to dig deep into his surroundings, deep into the emotions and convey them through his writing.Heaney starts off the poem by comparing his pen to a gun. He uses this image to convey the idea of ‘the pen is mightier than the sword. ’ He uses this visual imagery to tell his readers that he uses his pen, as his ancestors’ used their spade, to make a living. Also by the line â€Å"The squat pen rests, as snug as a gun,† we get a feeling that Heaney likes his work and doesn’t mind earning his living by writing. Digging in the hot fields is no easy task. It is tiring, frustrating and toug h.Heaney understands this and to show it he uses words like ‘gravely ground’ and ‘straining rump ‘where he emphasizes on the adjectives like ‘gravely’ and ‘staining’. When he says â€Å"Till his straining rump among the flowerbeds, Bends low† we can visualize an old man with a heavy spade in his hand, sweating, bending low, straining his back, digging. He uses that line to explain how hard his father worked and this line also reflects a bit of his pride for his father who worked tirelessly in the farms every day.Heaney also uses olfactory imagery to give the readers a feeling of the scene. â€Å"The cold smell of potato mould, the squelch and slap of soggy peat†¦Ã¢â‚¬  emanates an odor of potato mould, soggy peat and it helps imagine the scene to understand the poem. By doing this Heaney manages to bring the scene alive and the reader feels as if he is standing near the potato field can smell these odors and the reader ’s face immediately scrunches up in disgust.Heaney also uses tactile imagery to give us a sense of touch which helps us to make a connection. â€Å"Loving their cool hardness in our hands† shows the readers that he and his ancestors’ are satisfied with their work and take pleasure in doing it. The poet talks about loving the cool hardness of the potatoes in his hands. It also shows us the sense of happiness and satisfaction experienced by the father and the grandfather after their work has been done and successfully completed. Digging’ by Seamus Heaney is a poem based on the different work line between the past and the present generations and the value of hard work and determination for all work whether it is ours or not. The poet uses all these imageries to paint a clear scene in our minds which makes us appreciate the poem better. It also gives us a better understanding of what the poet is trying to say. Through his use of imagery, Heaney communicates h is ancestors’ determination, the advantages of hard work and the importance of loyalty to one’s family.

The History of Port Royal, Jamaica

The History of Port Royal, Jamaica Port Royal is a town on the southern coast of Jamaica. It was initially colonized by the Spanish but was attacked and captured by the English in 1655. Because of its excellent natural harbor and critical position, Port Royal quickly became a significant haven for pirates and buccaneers, who were made welcome because of the need for defenders. Port Royal was never the same after a 1692 earthquake, but there is still a town there today. The 1655 Invasion of Jamaica In 1655, England sent a fleet to the Caribbean under the command of Admirals Penn and Venables to capture Hispaniola and the town of Santo Domingo. The Spanish defenses there proved too formidable, but the invaders did not want to return to England empty-handed, so they attacked and captured the lightly fortified and sparsely populated island of Jamaica instead. The English began construction of a fort on a natural harbor on the southern shores of Jamaica. A town sprang up near the fort: at first known as Point Cagway, it was renamed Port Royal in 1660. Pirates in Defense of Port Royal The administrators of the town were concerned that the Spanish could re-take Jamaica. Fort Charles on the harbor was operational and formidable, and there were four other smaller forts spread around the town, but there was little manpower to defend the city in the event of an attack truly. They began inviting pirates and buccaneers to come and set up shop there, thus assuring that there would be a constant supply of ships and veteran fighting men on hand. They even contacted the infamous Brethren of the Coast, an organization of pirates and Buccaneers. The arrangement was beneficial for both the ​pirates and the town, which no longer feared attacks from the Spanish or other naval powers. A Perfect Place for Pirates It soon became apparent that Port Royal was the perfect place for privates and privateers. It had a large deepwater natural harbor for protecting ships at anchor, and it was close to Spanish shipping lanes and ports. Once it started to gain fame as a pirate haven, the town quickly changed: it filled up brothels, taverns and drinking halls. Merchants who were willing to buy goods from pirates soon set up shop. Before long, Port Royal was the busiest port in the Americas, primarily run and operated by pirates and Buccaneers. Port Royal Thrives The booming business done by pirates and privateers in the Caribbean soon led to other industries. Port Royal soon became a trading center for slaves, sugar and raw materials such as wood. Smuggling boomed, as Spanish ports in the New World were officially closed to foreigners but represented a huge market for African slaves and goods manufactured in Europe. Because it was a rough-and-tumble outpost, Port Royal had a loose attitude towards religions, and soon was home to Anglicans, Jews, Quakers, Puritans, Presbyterians, and Catholics. By 1690, Port Royal was as large and important a town as Boston, and many of the local merchants were quite wealthy. The 1692 Earthquake and Other Disasters It all came crashing down on June 7, 1692. That day, a massive earthquake shook Port Royal, dumping most of it into the harbor. An estimated 5,000 died in the quake or shortly after that of injuries or disease. The city was ruined. Looting was rampant, and for a time all order broke down. Many thought that the city had been singled out for punishment by God for its wickedness. An effort was made to rebuild the city, but it was devastated once again in 1703 by a fire. It was repeatedly hit by hurricanes and even more earthquakes in following years, and by 1774 it was essentially a quiet village. Port Royal Today Today, Port Royal is a small Jamaican coastal fishing village. It retains very little of its former glory. Some old buildings are still intact, and it’s worth a trip for history buffs. It is a valuable archaeological site, however, and digs in the old harbor continue to turn up interesting items. With increased interest in the Age of Piracy, Port Royal is poised to undergo a renaissance of sorts, with theme parks, museums and other attractions being built and planned. Famous Pirates and Port Royal Port Royals glory days as the greatest of the pirate ports were brief but noteworthy. Many famous pirates and privateers of the day passed through Port Royal. Here are some of the more memorable moments of Port Royal as a pirate haven. In 1668, legendary privateer Captain Henry Morgan departed for his famous attack on the city of Portobello from Port Royal.In 1669, Morgan followed up with an attack on Lake Maracaibo, also launched from Port Royal.In 1671, Morgan made his greatest and final raid, the sacking of the city of Panama, launched from Port Royal.On August 25, 1688, Captain Morgan died in Port Royal and was given a send-off worthy of the greatest of the privateers: warships in port fired their guns, he lay in state at the Kings House, and his body was carried through town on a gun carriage to its final resting place.In December of 1718, pirate John Calico Jack Rackham captured the merchant ship Kingston within sight of Port Royal, infuriating local merchants, who sent bounty hunters after him.On November 18, 1720, Rackham and four other pirates who had been captured were hanged at Gallows Point at Port Royal. Two of his crewmates -   Anne Bonny and Mary Read  - were spared because they were both pregna nt.On March 29, 1721, infamous pirate Charles Vane was hanged at Gallows Point in Port Royal. Sources Defoe, Daniel. A General History of the Pyrates. Dover Maritime, Paperback, Dover Publications, January 26, 1999. Konstam, Angus. The World Atlas of Pirates. Guilford: the Lyons Press, 2009.

What Should Be Included in a Recommendation Letter

What Should Be Included in a Recommendation Letter Before we get into what should be included in a recommendation letter, lets explore different types of recommendation letters and take a look at who writes them, who reads them, and why theyre important.   Definition A recommendation letter is a type of letter that describes the qualifications, achievements, character, or capabilities of an individual. Recommendation letters are also known as: Letters of recommendationReference lettersJob referencesAcademic referencesCharacter referencesLetters of reference Who Writes Them People who write recommendation letters typically do so at the request of an individual who is applying for a job or a space in an academic program (like a college of business school degree program). Recommendation letters may also be written as character evidence for legal trials or other situations requiring investigation or assessment of a persons character. Who Reads Them People who read recommendation letters do so in hopes of learning more about the individual in question. For example, an employer may ask for a recommendation to learn more about a job applicants work ethic, social aptitude, past work responsibilities, and professional skills or achievements. Business school admissions committees, on the other hand, may read business school recommendations to assess a program applicants leadership potential, academic capability, work experience, or creative abilities. What Should Be Included There are three things that should be included in every recommendation letter: A paragraph or sentence explaining how you know the person you are writing about and the nature of your relationship with them.An honest evaluation of the persons characteristics, skills, capabilities, ethics, or accomplishments, preferably with specific examples.A statement or summary that explains why you would recommend the person you are writing about. 1. Nature of the Relationship The relationship of the letter writer and the person being recommended is important. Remember, the letter is meant to be an evaluation, so if the writer is not familiar with the person that they are writing about, they cant offer an honest or thorough evaluation. At the same time, the recommender shouldnt be  too  close or familiar with the person being recommended.  For example, mothers should not write job or academic recommendations for their children because mothers are essentially obligated to say nice things about their children. A simple sentence describing the relationship is a good way to start the letter. Lets look at a few examples: I have worked as Jans direct supervisor for the last five years.Eddie was in my AP English class last year.I was Jamals debate coach for three years.I met Amy three years ago at the community food bank where we both volunteer.   2. The Evaluation/Assessment The bulk of the recommendation letter should be an evaluation or assessment of the person you are recommending. The exact focus will depend on the purpose of the letter. For example, if you are writing about someones leadership experience, you should focus on their role as a leader, their leadership capability, and their achievements as a leader. If, on the other hand, you are writing about someones academic potential, you might want to offer examples of that persons academic achievements or examples that demonstrate their potential and passion for learning. The person who needs the recommendation can help direct content by explaining exactly what they need the recommendation for and what aspect of themselves or their experience should be evaluated. If you are the letter writer, make sure this purpose is clear to you before you begin writing the letter. If you are the person who needs a recommendation, consider writing up a short, bulleted list that explains why you need the recommendation and the subject of the assessment. 3. The Summary The end of a recommendation letter should summarize the reason why this particular individual is being recommended for a specific job or academic program. Keep the statement simple and direct. Rely on the earlier content in the letter and identify or summarize the reason why the individual is a good fit.

SAT and TOEFL What You Need to Know About Each Test

SAT and TOEFL What You Need to Know About Each Test SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Is English your second (or third or fourth) language? If it’s anything but your first, then you may have to take the TOEFL to get into universityin the United States. The TOEFL is an English language test that shows you have the language skills to succeed in college. As another admissions test, the TOEFLshares some similarities with the more ubiqutous SAT. This guide will compare the two tests, as well as give you some tips for preparing for both. If you’re a non-native English speaker planning to apply to a U.S. college, then read on to learn the ins and outs of your testing requirements. What Tests Do Colleges Require? Most four-year colleges require that all applicants, domestic and international alike, take the SAT or ACT. Forthis article, we’ll focus on the SAT as your admissions test of choice. You should note, though, that either test is fine, and colleges consider both equally. You should choose the one on which you can gain higher scores for your college applications. If English isn’t your first language, then you’ll likelyalso have to take the TOEFL to apply to college. Colleges want youto show that you have the English language skills to succeed at the college level. By the way, you also have some choice when it comes to the TOEFL. Most colleges will equally accept the IELTS or PTE too. The TOEFL is the most popular option, though, so we’ll focus on that for now. Good to know you always have options! So who should take the TOEFL? Pretty much any student for whom English isn’t his/herfirst language. For students who are fluent, this TOEFL requirement can get a little murky. Usually, if you’ve taken at least one ESL class in high school, then colleges want you to take the TOEFL. A few colleges, however, won’t require this test if you’ve been in English classes for the past two or three years. There’s one other circumstance when a college would waive its TOEFL requirement. If you score highly enough on the verbal section of the SAT or ACT, then you might not have to take the TOEFL. Since colleges vary in their policies, how can you find out more about your testing requirements? Get out your trenchcoat, magnifying glass, and deerstalkercap. It's time to do some detective work. How Can You Find Your Colleges' Testing Requirements? While many colleges share the same requirements, some have their own additional policies, especially when it comes to the SAT and TOEFL for international students. To ensure that you understand exactly what you need, I highly recommend researching the stances of eachcollege that you’re interested in. You should be able to find this information on each college’s admission website, specifically in a section for international applicants. Even if you’re a U.S.citizen, this section is usually the one that contains instructions for ESL speakers. For instance, Tufts has a page called The Admissions Process for International Students with the following information: â€Å"Students for whom English is not the primary language, or not the language of instruction in their secondary school, should take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) in addition to the options listed above. A minimum TOEFL score of 100 on the Internet-based test is recommended.† As you research your colleges’ requirements, remember that each college is unique, so each college’s admissions website is too. Some are easier to navigate than others, so if you can’t find the information you’re looking for, you shouldn’t hesitate to contact the admissions office. Since prepping for and taking the SAT and TOEFL takes several months, if not years, you’d be best served to start this research early. Once you find the international applicants section of your prospective college’s admissions site, what specifically should you look for? Bring it in, team. What score do we need to win this college admission game? What You Need to Know About TOEFL and SAT Requirements There are three main pieces of information that you should seek as you research your school’s testing requirements. 1. What Tests Are Required? Of course, the first piece of information you’ll look for is what tests you need in order to apply. Most websites will have step-by-step application instructions and/or a checklist of application requirements. They'll also tell you the school code to use in order to add it as a score recipient through your College Board (administers the SAT) or ETS (administers the TOEFL) account. Check to see whether your school requires applicants to send SAT scores, TOEFL scores, or both. 2. Does Your School Have a TOEFL Cutoff? If your school requires the TOEFL, check to see if it posts a cutoff score, like Tufts did above. Most schools don’t publicize a minimum SAT score, but they do have a minimum for TOEFL. Northeastern, for example, requires a score on the TOEFL iBT of 79-80, while more selective schools like NYU, American University, and Harvard require a minimum of 100. Once you know the cutoff, you can set your target score about tenpointshigher to be a competitive candidate. 3. Will High SAT Scores Get You Out Ofthe TOEFL? Finally, the third question you should ask during your research is whether your school waives the TOEFL if you achieve a certain score on the SAT verbal. In previous years, students wouldn’t have to take the TOEFL if they achieved a certain score on the Critical Reading section. Since the Critical Reading required such a strong understanding of vocabulary and reading comprehension, it could replace the TOEFL as a demonstration of English language skills. For example,Columbia and Brown didn'trequire the students to take the SAT if they achieved a 650 or higher on SAT Critical Reading. Johns Hopkins set the bar even higher, requiring a minimum of 670. There werea few schoolswith lower requirements, like the University of Massachusetts system with a 450 and American University with a 530. With the redesigned SAT, the Reading and Writing sections are now combined into one Evidence-based Reading and Writing score. While colleges haven’t updated their policies yet, you can estimate that the minimum EBRW score needed to waive the TOEFL will be similar to the one for Critical Reading in past years. Just as you should feel free to contact admissions offices for more information, you might ask them over the next few months whether they’ve reframedthis minimum score in terms of the new SAT scoring system. Some schools link your performance on SAT verbal with TOEFL because it shows your English language skills, but the two tests still have a lot of differences. Let’s take a closer look at these two exams, along with what skills they test and how. You’ll notice that they’re distinct enough to require their own unique prep methods and materials. First, let’s examine the TOEFL. How's your vocabulary? The TOEFL is all about your English language skills. The TOEFL: Structure, Content, and Prep The TOEFL is a test of your English language skills. In most countries, it’s given on the computer. There’s also a paper-based test, but it’s being phased out and is only offered in countries where testing online isn’t available. Unless you’re taking the TOEFL by paper, you’ll want to look for your college’s TOEFL iBT (Internet-based test) cutoff. Let’s take a closer look at how the TOEFLtests your English level, starting with its overall format. TOEFL Structure: What the Test Looks Like The TOEFL has four sections: Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing, in that order. The Reading and Listening sections can actually vary in length, depending on whether or not you get an exam that features extra questions. Not to worry - these extra questions will be unscored. Unfortunately, they will also be unidentified. In other words, if you get experimental questions, you won’t know which ones they are. This chart shows the length of and number of questions ineach TOEFL section, along with a brief description of tasks. Experimental questions, you’ll notice, can make the Reading and Listening sections significantly longer than normal. Order Section Time Limit Questions Tasks 1 Reading 60–80 minutes 36–56 questions Read 3 or 4 passages from academic texts and answer questions. 2 Listening 60–90 minutes 34–51 questions Listen to lectures, classroom discussions and conversations, then answer questions. Break 10 minutes - - 3 Speaking 20 minutes 6 tasks Express an opinion on a familiar topic; speak based on reading and listening tasks. 4 Writing 50 minutes 2 tasks Write essay responses based on reading and listening tasks; support an opinion in writing. Total: 3 hours, 20 min - 4 hours, 10 min (break included) Source: ETS Each of the four sections on the TOEFL is scored between 0 and 30 points. Your overall scores reflect the sum of your section scores and will fall at or between 0 and 120 points. Now that you have a sense of the test’s overall format, let’s take a closer look at exactly how it tests your Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing skills. Bookworms rejoice! The first section on the TOEFL's all about reading. TOEFL Content: Questions and Skills As you see in the chart above, the TOEFL tests your English language level across all important skill areas: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Read on for a closer look at what you’ll be expected to demonstrate in each section, starting with Reading. You can find the examples in their entirety on the TOEFL iBT practice questions provided by ETS. TOEFL Reading The Reading section contains 3 or 4 passages, usually selected from college-level textbooks. The passages may be expository, argument-based, or historical. Each is followed by multiple choice questions that ask you about elements like themain point, important details, relationships between ideas, and vocabulary. The following examples, which are based on a passage, ask about a supporting detail and a vocabulary word in context: According to paragraph 3, how did scientists determine that a large meteorite had impacted Earth? A. They discovered a large crater in the Yucatn region of Mexico.B. They found a unique layer of sediment worldwide.C. They were alerted by archaeologists who had been excavating in the Yucatn region.D. They located a meteorite with a mass of over a trillion tons. The word â€Å"excavating† on line 25 is closest in meaning to A. digging outB. extendingC. destroyingD. covering up In addition to these multiple choice, there are a few "sentence insertion" questions that ask you to add a sentence into the text where it would fit best. The following is an example of a sentence insertion question. Look at the four letters (A, B, C, and D) that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage in paragraph 6. This is the criterion emphasized by Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection. Where would the above sentence best fit? Impacts by meteorites represent one mechanism that could cause global catastrophes and seriously influence the evolution of life all over the planet.(A) According to some estimates, the majority of all extinctions of species may be due to such impacts. (B) Such a perspective fundamentally changes our view of biological evolution. (C) The standard criterion for the survival of a species is its success in competing with other species and adapting to slowly changing environments. (D) Yet an equally important criterion is the ability of a species to survive random global ecological catastrophes due to impacts. Choose the place where the sentence fits best. Option A Option B Option C Option D There are also a few â€Å"Reading to Learn† questions that contain several correct answers. To answer these, you must sort the information into a chart, often placing each piece of information into a category or chronological order. Since these questions are more involved than other types, they’re often worth several points andhave the potential for partial credit. The following is an example of a Reading to Learn question on the Reading section of the TOEFL. An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below. Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that express the most important ideas in the passage. Some sentences do not belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage. This question is worth 2 points. Write your answer choices in the spaces where they belong. You can write in the number of the answer choice or the whole sentence. Scientists have linked the mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous with a meteorite impact on Earth. Scientists had believed for centuries that meteorite activity influenced evolution on Earth. The site of the large meteorite impact at the end of the Cretaceous period was identified in 1990. There have also been large meteorite impacts on the surface of the Moon, leaving craters like Tycho. An iridium-enriched sediment layer and a large impact crater in the Yucatn provide evidence that a large meteorite struck Earth about 65 million years ago. Large meteorite impacts, such as one at the end of the Cretaceous period, can seriously affect climate, ecological niches, plants, and animals. Meteorite impacts can be advantageous for some species, which thrive, and disastrous for other species, which become extinct. As you’ll see below, the multiple choice questions that ask you to interpret the main point, details, and vocab words in a passage resemble the Reading questions on the SAT. The sentence insertion questions share some similarity with certain SAT Writing questions. Reading to Learn questions, though, are unique to the TOEFL. Now that you have a sense of how the TOEFL tests your reading skills, let’s take a closer look at how it tests your English listening comprehension. TOEFL Listening The Listening section asks you to listen to academic lectures and/or conversations between students or a professionaland a student. You can take notes as you listen to prepare for the questions that follow. Some of these questions will be straightforward multiple choice, on which you’ll choose one answer that best describes the main point or important details of the listening. For instance, this is a straightforward listening question about the main point of a conversation between a student and her basketball coach: What are the speakers mainly discussing? A. How the woman should prepare for the next gameB. The woman’s responsibilities as team captainC. Things that happened while the woman was awayD. The style of the new team uniforms Other multiple choice questions ask you to choose two correct answersout of four choices. Like in the Reading section, there are a few questions that ask you to list events in a process or place answers into certain categories. These various question types test your basic comprehension of the listening. They also want to make sure you understand the speaker’s purpose, sometimes even asking how certain he/she is about what he/she’s saying. Questions may ask about cause and effect or the organization of ideas in a lecture. All of these questions are meant to ensure that you’d be able to comprehend a lecture or class discussion in a university setting. After Listening, you’ll get a ten-minute break to stretch and regroup. Then it’s on to Speaking. For the third section, beprepared to speak. You'll actually be speaking into a computer, as your graders willprobably be somewhere in New Jersey. TOEFL Speaking The Speaking section is much shorter than the previous two at only 20 minutes. You’ll get two â€Å"independent speaking† tasks and four â€Å"integrated speaking† tasks. Questions 1 and 2 are independent speakingtasks. They'llask you to speak for 45 seconds on familiar topics. You can talk about your own ideas, opinions, observations, or experiences. You’ll have 15 seconds to prepare your answer. Here’s an example of an independent speaking question: Question: Some people enjoy taking risks and trying new things. Others are not adventurous; they are cautious and prefer to avoid danger. Which behavior do you think is better? Explain why. Questions 3 and 4 are integrated speaking tasks. They'll ask you both to read a short passage and listen to a related lecture or conversation. Then you’ll speak for 45 seconds using information from both sources. You’ll have 30 seconds to prepare. Questions 5 and 6 are similar, but they only involve a listening, no reading. You’ll prepare your response for 20 seconds and speak for 60 seconds. This example is based on a conversation between two students about their calculus class. Question: Briefly summarize the problem the speakers are discussing. Then state which solution you would recommend. Explain the reasons for your recommendation. As you can see, the Speaking section tests your ability to speak on your own opinions and experiences, as well as your ability to summarize information and main ideas from readings and listenings. These Speaking tasks are unique to the TOEFL; you won’t find them on the SAT. Finally, you’ll round out your demonstration of English language skills on the TOEFL Writing section. Unlike the handwritten SAT essay, you'll type your responses on the Writing section of the TOEFL iBT. TOEFL Writing You’ve read, listened, and spoken your way through this challenging exam. Now it’s time to write! You’ll get two prompts, one that’s calledan integrated writing task and the other labeled as an independent writing task. Like with the integrated speaking task, the integrated writing task asks you to read a short passage and listen to a lecture or conversation. Then you’ll get a question that asks you to summarize the main points of what you read and heard and perhaps compare or contrast the two. You’ll get 20 minutes, and your response should be 150 to 225 words. The integrated writing task often looks like this: Question: Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they oppose specific points made in the reading passage. The independent writing taskresembles the independent speaking task in that it asks you to express your personal opinion and support it with examples. Your essay should be at least 300 words, and you’ll have 30 minutes to write it. Here’s one example of an independent writing task: Question: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? A teacher’s ability to relate well with students is more important than excellent knowledge of the subject being taught. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer. Since you’re typing on the computer, there will be a counter below the text box for both tasks that tells you your total word count. Both essays are initiallygraded between 0 and 5, and you can consult the rubric to see what you need to accomplish to score at each level. A strong grasp of grammar, word choice, and organization is important for doing well on the Writing section. Once you’ve finished the Writing section, you’re all done with the TOEFL. You’ll get your scores online about ten days after you take the test. Before moving onto the SAT so you can compare the two tests, let’s briefly discuss the importance of test prep for succeeding on this challenging exam. You'll need to practice saying your responses, not just writing them. Sadly, there are no bonus points for singing them. Prepping for the TOEFL Even if you have an advanced level of English, you’ll need to prep to do well on the TOEFL. It’s a unique test with strict time limits, and anyone who’s taken it will tell you that you should show up equipped with knowledge of the question types and strategies for time management. The Speakingsection is especially atypical with its oral essays. While 45 to 60 seconds may not sound like a lot, it’s actually a big challenge for most students. Learning to structure your oral responses with an introduction, supporting details, and a conclusion just like you would a written essay is an unusual task that requires serious preparation. It’s a good idea to give yourself several months to prep for the TOEFL. You might start with a timed practice test to diagnose your starting level. Then you can analyze your results, find your weaknesses, and figure out what you most need to study from there. The test-makers recommend that you’ve studied English for at least two years before taking the test. Since the readings are taken from university textbooks, most students need to be at a high intermediate or advanced level to do well on this test. You can find several TOEFL preparation books online, but make sure to incorporate official questions from the testmakers into your prep, as these will be the best representation of the actual test. You can find sample questions on the TOEFL website, as well as official ETS TOEFL books and an online prep program. Just like with the SAT, you should start several months before your test date. If possible, you might also leave two or more available test dates after your first one in case you want to retake the TOEFL to improve your scores. Now that you have some insight into the TOEFL, let’s take a closer look at the SAT. Beyond this overview, you can learn more about the SAT by exploring our articles on test content, strategies, and preparation, including a full overview of its 2016 redesign. As you read about each section, pay attention to the ways in which it’s similar to the TOEFL and the ways in which it's different. While the TOEFL's all about your English language level, the SAT is more concerned with your reasoning and problem-solving skills. SAT: Structure, Skills, and Prep While the TOEFL tests your English language skills, the SAT is concerned with testing your reasoning and problem-solving skills. It’s scored based on two main areas: Evidence-based Reading and Writing and Math. You also have the option of taking an essay section, which is scored separately. Students should take the essay section if their prospective colleges want to see it. Read on to learn more about the overall structure of the SAT. SAT Structure: What the Test Looks Like The SAT, which is scored on a scale from 400 to 1600, has four sections, Reading, Writing and Language, Math No Calculator, and Math with Calculator, in that order. If you choose to take the SAT with Essay, then the essay will be your fifth section. This chart gives an overview of the test’s structure: Order Section Time in Minutes # of Questions 1 Reading 65 52 2 Writing and Language 35 44 3 Math No Calculator 25 20 4 Math Calculator 55 38 5 Essay (optional) 50 1 Total: 3 hours, 50 minutes (3 hours without essay) 154 (+ 1 essay prompt) You’ll get a five-minute break after about every hour of testing. That means you’ll have a short break after Reading, after Math No Calculator, and, if you choose to take it, before the Essay. We have several comprehensive guides that dig deeply into the content and question types of each section. For the purposes of this article, let’s briefly review the content and skills of each section. The SAT doesn't just ask about reading and writing. It tests you on a lot of math, too. SAT Content: Questions and Skills The SAT is half verbal and half math. The verbal sections include a Reading and a Writing and Language section, and the math is split into a calculator prohibited and a calculator permitted section. Below, you can read more about what skills each section tests and the question types it uses to do so. You can also find the sample questions in College Board's official SAT practice tests. SAT Reading SAT Reading shares some similarities with TOEFL Reading. You’ll also have to read passages and answer multiple choice questions about their main idea, supporting details, and vocabulary. On the SAT, you’ll get five passages, one from literature, two based on history/social studies, and two from science. While you won’t get any prose selections on the TOEFL, you will get one on the SAT Reading. The questions will test your comprehension, and because it’s strictly timed, you’ll mostly need to skim the passages for important details. Some of the questions will be evidence-based, meaning they’ll ask you to locate evidence in the text that serves as the reason for your answer to a previous question. For instance, here’s a detail-oriented comprehension question followed by an evidence-based question: 1. The passage indicates that, after a long day of work, the narrator sometimes found his living quarters to be A) treacherous. B) dreary. C) predictable. D) intolerable. 2. Which choice provides the best evidence for the answer to the previous question? A) Lines 17-21 (â€Å"I should... scenes†) B) Lines 21-23 (â€Å"I should... lodgings†) C) Lines 64-67 (â€Å"Thoughts... phrases†) D) Lines 68-74 (â€Å"I walked... gleam†) All of the questions will be multiple choice with four answer choices. A few of the questions will ask you to interpret a graphic, like a chart or table, often asking how it relates to the text in the passage. Your Reading performance will be combined with your Writing and Language performance to give you one Evidence-based Reading and Writing score between 200 and 800. Read on to learn how the Writing and Language section, which will be your second section on the SAT, differs from Reading. SAT Writing and Language The SAT Writing and Language, often referred to as just SAT Writing, tests your knowledge of English grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure. It also asks about theorganization of ideas and paragraph structure. The entire section is multiple choice, and every question is passage-based. Writing questions ask you to be an editor. They’ll ask whether or not a word, detail, or organization scheme is correct, and, if not, it asks you to choose a better option. You’ll basically work to improve the grammar, punctuation, style, and structure of a paragraph. These next few questions, for example,ask about grammar (subject-verb agreement) and inserting a sentence to clarify meaning: There are a few questions in the TOEFL Reading section that ask you to insert a sentence in a passage to improve its meaning. As you see in the example above, SAT Writing asks similar questions. It also goes one step further by asking you why you would insert a sentence into a passage. For students whose native language is not English, the Writing section, along with the Reading section, can be especially challenging. Once you finish up this section, you’ll move immediately onto a math section. For this 25-minute section, you’re not allowed to use a calculator. For one of the two SAT math sections, you'll have to keep your calculator packed away in your bag. SAT Math No Calculator The math sections are where the SAT completely diverges from the TOEFL. These sections are meant to ensure that students have the conceptual and problem solving skills to do well in college. Most of the questions are based on algebra, but there are a few that incorporate geometry, trigonometry, and complex numbers. International students often have an easier time on the math sections since they don’t have as much emphasis on advanced English language skills. The redesigned SAT, however, incorporates several word problems. Some reading comprehension, therefore, is still important on the math section, as you can see in this sample SAT word problem: A musician has a new song available for downloading or streaming. The musician earns $0.09 each time the song is downloaded and $0.002 each time the song is streamed. Which of the following expressions represents the amount, in dollars, that the musician earns if the song is downloaded d times and streamed s times. 0.002d + 0.09s 0.002d - 0.09s 0.09d + 0.002s 0.09d - 0.002s On this shorter math section, you can’t use a calculator. Most questions won’t require complex calculations. Rather, they’ll test your conceptual understanding. You’ll find more questions that call for calculations on the next math section. SAT Math with Calculator You’re allowed to use a calculator on the longer of the two SAT math sections. Not all problems, however, will necessarily require one. It’s your job to figure out when a calculator’s useful and when it would just slow you down. Like the other math section, the Math with Calculator asks a lot of algebra questions, along with a few geometry and trigonometry. It also has a strong emphasis on Problem Solving and Data Analysis questions, which ask you to work with rates, ratios, percentages, and data from graphs and tables. Here’s one example of a Problem Solving and Data Analysis question on the SAT Math with Calculator: Number of hours Tony plans to read the novel per day 3 Number of parts in the novel 8 Number of chapters in the novel 239 Number of words Tony reads per minute 250 Number of pages in the novel 1,078 Number of words in the novel 349,168 Tony is planning to read a novel. The table above shows information about the novel, Tony’s reading speed, and the amount of time he plans to spend reading the novel each day. If Tony reads at the rates given in the table, which of the following is closest to the number of days it would take Tony to read the entire novel? 6 8 23 324 Unlike the TOEFL, math is an important part of prepping for and taking the SAT. In fact, your performance on math will make up half of your total SAT score. As mentioned above, the Essay section is optional, and as such, it won't count toward your total score. Let's briefly review the SAT Essay section. Make sure to notice how much it differs from TOEFL Writing. The (optional) SAT essay asks you to unfold an author's argument and analyzeexactly how she puts it together. SAT Essay The SAT essay is 50 minutes and asks you to analyze an argument presented in a passage. While some of the TOEFL promptsallow you to draw on personal experience, the SAT essay does not. It wants you to present a thesis-driven analysis of the techniques and devices an author uses to present his/her argument. The following is an example of an SAT prompt. If you want to check out the passage to which it refers, you can find it at College Board. Write an essay in which you explain how Dana Gioia builds an argument to persuade his audience that the decline of reading in America will have a negative effect on society. In your essay, analyze how Gioia uses one or more of the features in the directions that precede the passage (or features of your own choice) to strengthen the logic and persuasiveness of his argument. Be sure that your analysis focuses on the most relevant features of the passage. Your essay should not explain whether you agree with Gioia’s claims, but rather explain how Gioia builds an argument to persuade his audience. The SAT essay prompt resembles the analytical essays that many students write in English class. It differs from the TOEFL essays, which tend to ask more for a summary or opinion. Your writing skills, especially grammar, word choice, and structure, are important for doing well on both tests. As with the TOEFL, the SAT requiressignificant preparation to achieve your target scores. Luckily, there are lots of practice materials that can help you succeed. Prepping for the SAT The SAT is a challenging test for all students, including native English speakers. Developing strong English language skills is an important part of doing well, as is familiarizing yourself with the test content, question types, and strategies for answering questions and managing your time. An important first step is getting to know the structure and format of the test. You should explore the types of question that will pop up in the Reading, Writing, Math, and, if applicable, Essay sections. Using high-quality practice materials is also key. Make sure yours review exactly what will appear on the test and pair content review with realistic practice questions. Just like the TOEFL, you might start your prep with a diagnostic practice test. Root out your weak spots, and target them with your studying. Non-native English speakers might especially focus on strategies for reading the passages in Reading and Writing and studying rules of grammar, usage, punctuation, and structure. ESL students should also practice word problems in math. A third important area to study is the data interpretation questions that will show up on all four sections of the SAT. How long you prep for the SAT depends on your starting level, and you should define your target scores by researching your prospective colleges’ expectations. It’s best to start several months before your first test and to leave yourself additional testing dates in case you want to retake it and improve. Many colleges will take your highest section scores and recombine them into the best possible total score, so taking the SAT more than once, if possible, is usually in your best interest. Now that you have a sense of both tests, let’sreview their similarities and differences. Comparing the SAT and TOEFL reveals some similarities, but in other ways, it's like comparing apples and oranges. SAT vsTOEFL: Similarities and Differences The TOEFL and SAT are largely different tests, but there are a few areas in which they overlap. For one thing, they’re both required for international or (some) ESL students applying to college in the US. As admissions tests, they demand a good deal of preparation and planning. Before even preparing to take the tests, you need to understand their scoring scales and what scores you need to get into college. Since both tests require an advanced level of English, any preparation you do for one will help you to some extent on the other. The Reading sections especially have some overlap, requiring you to read college-level passages and comprehend their main idea and details. Both tests also ask you to edit the structure, flow, and meaning of a passage. As you read above, this commonality means that some colleges will waive the TOEFL requirement if students can demonstrate their English language skills by scoring highly on SAT verbal. The TOEFL is especially unique due to its Listening and Speaking sections. These two sections are specifically geared to measure the English language level of test-takers. While the TOEFL is all about the English language, the SAT is half math. It wants to make sure you meet certain benchmarks as a math student and can demonstrate your problem-solving skills. Both the SAT and TOEFL are fast-paced, timed admissions tests that are essential to realizing your college goals. For the most part, you should treat them as separate exams that call for their own study plan and test-taking strategies. In closing, let’s review the main points that non-native English speakers should remember about these two important exams. The SAT and TOEFL take a lot of prep and planning, but in the end, they're your passport to the college of your choice! What to Remember Aboutthe SAT and TOEFL Most non-native English speakers applying to college in the U.S.will be required to take the TOEFL and the SAT (or ACT, if you prefer). The TOEFL shows that you have the English language skills to succeed at the college level. The SAT is meant to test all students on an equal playing field and evaluate their reasoning and problem-solving skills. Since the SAT requires advanced English language skills, it may be cause to waive the TOEFL requirement. You should check with your prospective colleges early in the college planning process to learn about their policies. Unless you’re scoring very highly on SAT practice tests, I wouldn’t suggest ignoring the TOEFL on the assumption that you won’t have to take it. You wouldn’t want to put it off and then run out of time to prep or test dates to improve your scores. Even though you probably won’t apply to college until senior year, you should start preparing for and taking the SAT and TOEFL much earlier. By readying these components of your application early and achieving your target scores, you’ll have a huge number of options when it comes time to apply to college. What’s Next? Are you an international student applying to college in the US? Checkout our complete guide on how to apply to college as an international student, step by step (coming soon). Are you wondering where to apply? This article will help you research colleges and find the ones that are the best fit for you. Another key factor in planning your tests and other parts of your application are college deadlines. This article discusses the important college deadlines you can’t miss. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points?We've written a guide about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Crime Reduction and Prevention Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Crime Reduction and Prevention Proposal - Essay Example Most affected by crimes in the City are the poor neighborhoods where fear and mistrust are at their peaks and the social bond among residents severely vulnerable. The main reasons for the high crime prevalence in such neighborhoods are the flourishing opportunities for crimes such as illegal drug and arms trade and possession, violence, and gun markets. If left unchecked and unchallenged, the souring crime levels may result in neighborhood or community neglect and disintegration. In addition, there would be little if any incentives for the citizens to invest both socially and economically in the neighborhoods marred with incidents of crimes and other disorder problems. To challenge this negative cycle caused by crimes and disorder problems in the City, there is need for all the stakeholders to formulate, implement, evaluate, and reform various crime prevention strategies that would ensure a safe and secure environment in the City for both its citizens and visitors (United Nations, 20 02). This paper explores some of the effective policies that may be established by the security stakeholders in the City of New York to assist crime victims, prevent crimes, and achieve effective justice for all. In addition, the paper addresses the effects that criminological theory and research have had on contemporary and historical crime control policies in New York City. Criminology Theories and their Influence Various theories proposed by scholars and other stakeholders in the subject of criminology have been rather important in the fight against crimes in New York City. Among the theories of criminology that have contributed to the fight against crime in New York City is the ‘Broken Window’ theory. According to this theory, the smallest or least noticeable evidences of crimes should never be ignored. In New York City, minor indications of neglect and disintegration of life in the City’s neighborhoods such as abandoned cars and buildings, littered streets, and prostitution have been accorded the right attention by the law enforcement agencies as they are the precursors of more serious crimes such as gang activity, drug dealing, and violent crimes among others. To this effect, a ‘zero tolerance’ approach based on the ‘broken window’ theory has been implemented by different law enforcement agencies and personnel in New York City. The theory further postulates that the fear of crime inherent in the City’s neighborhoods and other related crime factors, which play numerous roles in creating crimes in the City should not be ignored by the authorities. Besides endeavoring to avail equal economic opportunities for all in the City, the City of New York authorities do not spare any efforts in seeking to strengthen the social bonds that hold the diverse residents of the City. In other terms, any efforts to make the neighborhood of the City safer and more secure have incorporated other development activities, whic h create and attract jobs and avail affordable services to the populace. Importantly, all the crime prevention projects in the City have been based on sound scientific evidences. Evidence based Crime Prevention One of the benefits of the various criminology theories to the fight against crime in the City of New York has been in the formulation and implementation of evidence-based approaches to crime prevention. Important in such approaches is the emphasis laid on the need for crime prevention policies in the City. These crime prevention

Homework Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 28

Homework - Essay Example 238). Remarkably, the data is warehoused in manifold files and locations, which makes it easily retrieved over the internet. The multiple locations of data boost security of the data stored in a database by preventing it from permanent loss. Traditional file environment does not allow for proper organization of data. On the other hand, database environment allows users to access the files from the system. The people accessing information from a database system know immediately that the information they are looking for is in existence. Properly order of data within a database system of filing prevents redundancy and loss of data files. A database environment allows easy data editing as information is digitally stored while traditional file environment do not allow users to edit data files or warrant them to send information to other users. Traditional file system stores data in paper form, which cannot be edited directly unless new copies are made or the old files get updated (Shelly and Rosenblatt, 2012, p. 239). Data is represents raw and organized facts which await processing while information is data that has been processed fully, organized, structured and presented in define context to make it useful. Data is usually unorganized and random and only sounds meaningful when processed to information. For example; students raw test score in exam is a piece of data while student class-average score represents information (Bee & Bee, 1999, p. 2). Since data is raw it is no able to convey the right information to managers or specialists who want to use. Information is derived from data by various analysis methods such as bar graphs, correlations, and measures of central tendency and conclusions and inferences drawn appropriately. For example, the number of employees within an organization represents data but when managers divide them into sex, the amount of salary they earn, working positions and the number of

MICROSOFT IN CHINA Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

MICROSOFT IN CHINA - Research Paper Example When looking at Microsoft, it can be seen that different objectives have expanded with the ideology of moving into the global market. This includes changes in both the internal and external environment. The expansion is one which differs according to region and based on the growth and objectives within the company. The movement of Microsoft to China is one which incorporated specific positioning and growth strategies. This has created new global markets while altering the strategies and approaches to the growth. This has allowed the corporation to continue to expand while having the capability of adding into the main objectives for growth. Objectives of Expansion The basis of Microsoft as an American company is one which was based on expanding the economic potential and spread of products throughout the globe. The original focus was to integrate the products of Microsoft into the local market while collaborating with other businesses in terms of software products and developing techn ologies in the region. To begin, Microsoft developed offices in central cities and areas that could offer more expansion. Currently, there are over 10 cities which hold general locations for those who are looking into technology. The expansion includes a research and development center, technology centers and a support center. The main approach was to add in both products and services to the region, specifically with a competitive edge that would fit with the region while integrating into the market. To move into the market, Microsoft incorporated Windows server and tools, business solutions, mobile devices, MSN and home and entertainment products. The expansion began in 2002 with a collaborative effort with the National Development Reform Commission, specifically with the agreement of building and expanding the software industry in the region. The prospects have expanded into new strategies for services with a $62 million strategic investment to various companies for state owned en terprises that incorporate Microsoft strategies, training areas and IT parks for expansion of the products and services of Microsoft. This is combined with the decision to collaborate with local efforts and the government of China, both which are offering continuous expansion into the region while having specific Microsoft offices that are able to carry the Chinese culture while offering competitive products for the market (Microsoft 2011). The objectives is then able to include well – rounded approaches that enhance both services and products in the greater China region while matching with the cultural and political aspects of the region. The objectives with Microsoft are furthered with strategies that are able to create stronger responses with both the internal and external environment. For the internal environment, Microsoft is able to provide more investments with returns in the region. There is also the ability to have access to more human assets that add in innovation a nd opportunity for the business. By using this as a main objective, Microsoft is abl

FCC v. CBS Case Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

FCC v. CBS Case Analysis - Essay Example Courts figure out if the discourse at the inquiry is viewed as profane or indecent. In the event that the discourse is viewed as profane, the court will figure out if the discourse is thought to be an infrequent, fleeting expletive, in which case the FCC does not so much keep up the privilege to direct a periodic expletive. The legislature must show a convincing enthusiasm to manage sexually unequivocal material where minors are liable to view where through the slightest prohibitively implies accessibly. For this situation, there was a sexually unequivocal presentation amid the most recent few seconds of a live TV musical performance amid the CBS show of the Super Bowl. Despite the fact that the presentation itself is not an issue, the court here must figure out if such performance is viewed as a fleeting expletive such that a fine ought not to be maintained. During the year, 1978 case number 438 U.S.A 726 that was FCC v. Pacifica, the verdict by the court was that incidental, fleeting expletive ought not to be directed. The Court in Pacifica found out that FCC holds the power to preclude foul show when kids were prone to be tuning in. This is because comedy repetitive utilization of unequivocal dialect showed over the radio was obscene yet not profane. It confirmed that the occasion must be evaluated and examined on the realities of what happened and that an infrequent fleeting expletive does not climb to the level of regulation. In this situation, the event, pertaining Jackson and Timberlake happened toward the end of a performance amid the super bowl halftime show, enduring just a couple of seconds in respect to the ten moments long performance itself. This occasion was brisk and hard to see, as it was a live performance including numerous lights, cam edges, and entertainers.  

Comparative advantage, being a dynamic concept, can provide an Essay

Comparative advantage, being a dynamic concept, can provide an economic argument in favour of short term protectionism. Discuss - Essay Example Below-mentioned graph shows world exports in terms of percentage of world gross domestic product for the year between 1970 and 2008. This indicates how flourishing has been the world trade in the last 40 years. To begin with, it would be prudent to know about the basic reasons for trades to take place between the nations. Suranovic (2010) mentions five basic reasons for any international trades to take place. Trades occur between the countries when they differ in their technological abilities to produce services and goods. The resources used are capital, labor, and land to deliver the output in terms of products and services. Each country will have varying ability to use the inputs in producing the given output. Again, each country will differ in their resource availability such as mines, minerals, water, and electricity. Heckscher-Ohlin model explains about the trades taking place due to difference in resource capabilities. Trades between the countries also occur due to difference in demands. Difference in demands may be rooted in their cultures, beliefs, customs or habits. There are the communities and countries who habitually consume more fish preparations compared to some who are pure vegetarians. Some make their houses using woods and some use more steel and cement while making their dwellings. These innate consuming habits tend to make the demand differences among the countries, which they would fulfill through exchange of goods and services. Economies of scale bring down the cost of production. Those who cannot operate at the level of economy of scale of production will be at disadvantageous situation. Global demand will rush to the country where the cost is lowest. The point is that the reason could be any one or many for the trade to take place; however, the theory of comparative advantage is in its root. There are long term benefits of free trade in goods and services to the consumers at large but still there are disputes and

FCC v. CBS Case Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

FCC v. CBS Case Analysis - Essay Example Courts figure out if the discourse at the inquiry is viewed as profane or indecent. In the event that the discourse is viewed as profane, the court will figure out if the discourse is thought to be an infrequent, fleeting expletive, in which case the FCC does not so much keep up the privilege to direct a periodic expletive. The legislature must show a convincing enthusiasm to manage sexually unequivocal material where minors are liable to view where through the slightest prohibitively implies accessibly. For this situation, there was a sexually unequivocal presentation amid the most recent few seconds of a live TV musical performance amid the CBS show of the Super Bowl. Despite the fact that the presentation itself is not an issue, the court here must figure out if such performance is viewed as a fleeting expletive such that a fine ought not to be maintained. During the year, 1978 case number 438 U.S.A 726 that was FCC v. Pacifica, the verdict by the court was that incidental, fleeting expletive ought not to be directed. The Court in Pacifica found out that FCC holds the power to preclude foul show when kids were prone to be tuning in. This is because comedy repetitive utilization of unequivocal dialect showed over the radio was obscene yet not profane. It confirmed that the occasion must be evaluated and examined on the realities of what happened and that an infrequent fleeting expletive does not climb to the level of regulation. In this situation, the event, pertaining Jackson and Timberlake happened toward the end of a performance amid the super bowl halftime show, enduring just a couple of seconds in respect to the ten moments long performance itself. This occasion was brisk and hard to see, as it was a live performance including numerous lights, cam edges, and entertainers.  

Organizational change Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Organizational change - Article Example Consequently, companies need to anticipate change, notify the concerned people, enforce the change gradually and proceed to reconfigure the firm. This ensures that the change process is successful, which determines the productivity of the company. Organisational change refers to the transformation of a company’s structure, position and quality, which is achieved by bringing in the most recent dealings and ideas aimed at improving global adjustment and performance of the firm. There are two kinds of organisational changes that can be introduced in a company. The first one is first order change, which is also referred to as evolutionary or incremental change. The second one is second order change, which is also referred to as revolutionary or strategic change. Evolutionary change is usually implemented at a small scale, therefore, aiming at changing few sections of the company such as, reshuffling departments. On the other hand, revolutionary change is usually radical and involves changing the entire framework of the company, for example, the organisational structure. Organisational change can either be planned or emergent. An organisation can plan organisational change by highlighting the required changes and projecting the time required to implement them. This is done when an organisation wants to change its status from a disreputable organisation to a reputable one. Then again, an organisational change can be developed circumstantially when it wants to adjust to unexpected changes such as new competition in its business environment. Organisational change can be attributed to various reasons such as, emergence of new technologies, market competition, different kinds of economic crisis and organisational growth among others. Resistance to change is normally seen in an organisation, as employees try to maintain the status quo. Resistance to change is a time consuming and expensive process that hinders productivity in an organisation. It may have

College Development Essay Example for Free

College Development Essay Residential life is part of almost every college or university. When most people think about residential life, they think of dorms and roommates; however, residential life is much more. The organizations are mostly divided into three units that make it all work: residence life programs, housing operations, and room assignments. (College and university,) Residence life is one of the major parts of a student’s environment. They only spend about twenty percent of their time in classrooms, as they spend most of their free time in housing. Residential life helps students to develop as young adults and future leaders. â€Å"The purpose of residence life programs is to provide educational programming, nonclinical counseling, and support for student learning†. (College and university,) People who are employed in residential programs mostly focus on improving student life and its safety, which helps to develop communication skills among people and also increase personal growth among student peers. The second unit of resident life is housing operations; they deal with daily tasks such as cleanliness, construction, and management. In a residential setting, is important to keep the environment clean and the buildings running properly in order for the community to work. The last unit of residential life is room assignments, in which finding the best-fit roommate is the most important. This area of residential life is designated to make room changes and monitor the occupancy of other housings. If there is a situation where problem occurs among roommates, the roommate assignment staff tries to find the best solution to find a resolution. Although it is often not realized, Residential Life is a big part of student life as it is a major factor in shaping a student’s experience in the institution. To ensure that residential life is at its best, the institution hires educated and professional staff. Almost every floor in each dorm has a residential assistant, who is responsible for maintaining a positive environment and be there for students if they are having a hard time adjusting. Residential assistants also welcome the students back to their dorms and inform students about upcoming activities and clubs. At the beginning of the school year, the RA creates a Facebook page for the people that they are responsible for and have group meetings to discuss issues and regulations. This helps new students feel welcome in their dorm and creates an environment where students can interact with other people in their dorms. Most dorms also have residence directors or graduate assistance. â€Å"Their responsibilities usually include staff development of their RAs, student counseling, educational programming, enforcement of institutional policies in the residence halls, and may also include other functions such as academic advising, intramural sports adviser, and facilities management†. (â€Å"College and university,) If the RA cannot deal with a problem, they report to residence director or graduate assistance, depending on who is available to their building. The staff goes through training to make sure that every need of a student is met. â€Å"There is a strong need for well-qualified, educated, and trained entry-lever live-in professional staff in campus residence halls to support and achieve the academic and educational goals of the institution† (Belch, Wilson Dunkel). It is important for students to be engaged and connected to school spirit, as it is more likely that they will remain in that institution. (Brooks). Each institution wants to give the best experience and education possible to their students. The person that oversees the Residential Assistants, Residential Directors, and Graduate Assistances is the Assistant Director of Residential Life. Keyne Cahoon is the Assistant Director of residential Life at Northeastern University and has many tasks during the day that keep her busy: â€Å"My primary responsibility is to directly supervise 5, 2 GAs, and indirectly supervise approximately 50 RAs. Additionally, I am responsible for the overall administration of the residential student conduct process (so I work with OSCCR to review and assign cases where residential student are involved), I am in charge of the professional staff recruitment and selection process (so I recruit and coordinate the process to hire all RDs and Assistant Directors of Residential Life), and I serve as a core team member of We Care†. (Cahoon, 2013) Being an Assistant Director of Residential Life is more than just dealing with housing situations. It involves a lot of communication among co-workers, documentations, and solving sometimes-unrealistic problems. Keyne Cahoon enjoys this challenge: â€Å"I enjoy students’ energy and excitement. I enjoy helping them figure out a problem and helping them solve it themselves†. (Cahoon, 2013) She is really involved in the community and enjoys every second of it. She finds her job very interesting and her passion makes her job a hobby. The only person who oversees her work is Brie McCormick, the Associate Director of Residential Life. She supervises the Assistant Director of Residential Life and deals with a lot of day-to-day issues for the department as a whole. The Associate Dean of Cultural, Residential Spiritual Life of Northeastern University is Robert Jose. He represents the Residential life as a whole unit. The theories that Residential Life uses are theories of organizations and campus environments, typology theories and models, and student success theories. All of these theories have the main focus to improve on student life outside of the classroom. Residential Life aims to provide complex learning by giving students the opportunities to make friends, be part of a groups or a clubs, play a sports, and much more. Living in dorms teaches them how to deal with every day situations in classrooms or outside. Students will be able to be â€Å"able to apply acquired knowledge to everyday situations, able to communicate clearly and effectively, acts responsibly to others, is civic minded, understands and appreciates those of other nationalities and cultures, is self-aware, and has a sense of connectedness to the university†. (Brooks) Living in the dorms helps students prepare for life after college or university and enables them to apply the things they have learned to a variety of situations. References Belch, H. A. , Wilson, M. E. , Dunkel, N. (n. d. ). Cultures of success:recruiting and retaining new live-in residence life professionals. The College Student Affairs Journal, 27(2), 176-193. Brooks, S. E. (n. d. ). The connection between residence life and first-year student retention at the university of Pittsburgh. The Journal of College and University Student Housing, 37(1), 12-23. College and university residence halls purpose of residence halls, organization and administration, residence hall staffing, residence hall student government read more: College and university residence halls purpose of residence halls, organization and administration, residence hall staffing, residence hall student government. (n. d. ). Retrieved from.

Reflection Paper on Effective Listening Skills

Reflection Paper on Effective Listening Skills Listening is defined, the act of hearing attentively (Princeton, 2010). Restated, it takes more than simply hearing communication; listening is an active thought process. It is hearing and concentrating on the verbal as well as the non-verbal. I took the listening quiz (Burley-Allen, 1982). My score was 75. What does this mean? According to Burley-Allen (1982), a score of 75 is average. I think effective listening skills are analogous to the Gestalt style of psychoanalysis. According to Corey (2004), Gestalt therapy is based on the assumption that we are best understood in the context of our environment. The basic goal of Gestalt therapy is to provide a context that will enable individuals to increase their awareness of what they are experiencing and doing. Moment-to-moment awareness of ones experiencing, together with the almost immediate awareness of ones blocks to such experiencing, is seen as the goal of this therapy. As a physician, Gestalt therapy does not use the language of p athology, or normal and abnormal. Instead, individuals are viewed as having the capacity to self-regulate and to develop their dealings with the various environments they encounter throughout life (Corey, 2004). Listening is defined, the act of hearing attentively (Princeton, 2010). Restated, it takes more than simply hearing communication; listening is an active thought process. It is hearing and concentrating on the verbal as well as the non-verbal. In addition, most of our communication is non-verbal, which includes listening. What did your score say about your listening skills? Were you surprised by the outcome? I took the listening quiz (Burley-Allen, 1982). My score was 75. What does this mean? According to Burley-Allen (1982), a score of 75 is average. What does this mean? I do not know because, unfortunately, Burley-Allen omitted the explanation of his four score categories. He did not describe the strengths and weaknesses of each score category. Therefore, this paper will answer the remaining questions from my point of view, instead of Burley-Allens. In addition, I will focus the paper as pertaining to my profession of medicine. I believe this will help me become a more effective listener because I will be able to learn from my strengths and weaknesses and apply them accordingly. I think effective listening skills are analogous to the Gestalt style of psychoanalysis. According to Corey (2004), Gestalt therapy is based on the assumption that we are best understood in the context of our environment. The basic goal of Gestalt therapy is to provide a context that will enable individuals to increase their awareness of what they are experiencing and doing. Moment-to-moment awareness of ones experiencing, together with the almost immediate awareness of ones blocks to such experiencing, is seen as the goal of this therapy. As a physician, Gestalt therapy does not use the language of pathology, or normal and abnormal. Instead, individuals are viewed as having the capacity to self-regulate and to  develop their dealings with the various environments they encounter throughout life (Corey, 2004). I believe this is an invaluable tool as a physician. Listening to patients explain their symptoms, being aware of their moment-to-moment experience, will facilitate the therap eutic process and even lead to more accurate diagnosis. What are your strengths and weaknesses when listening to others? How can you improve your listening skills to strengthen your weaknesses? In addition, how can your strengths be utilized and applied to your profession? The listening quiz does not qualify if a listening habit is considered a strength or weakness. Some individuals will define certain listening strengths as weaknesses and vice versa. For example, habit eight states, Form a rebuttal in your head while the speaker is talking? (Burley-Allen, 1982). The score for this habit is one point for most of the time, two points for frequently, three points for occasionally, and four points for almost never. In order to score the maximum four points then the answer would be almost never. However, I disagree with Burley-Allens assumption. I think effective listening is to be engaged in the thought process while the speaker is communicating. This includes forming a rebuttal in your head while the speaker is talking. The listener can then adjust the rebuttal accordingly to the speakers suggestions. Forming a rebuttal includes concentrating on the communication (habit 5), learning from the speaker (habit 6), recognizing semantics (habit 7), accomplishi ng communication (habit 17), think about reactions (habit 19), and etcetera. According to Burley-Allen, some of these habits are considered strengths and some are considered weaknesses. Therefore, the listening quiz shows low internal validity. The primary act that a physician does with a patient is listen. During the first encounter between a physician and patient, the physician will start the communication process by asking, What brings you in today? This question is followed by active listening. During this process, the physician tries to understand the patient and assemble a diagnosis. If pieces of an analysis are missing, then the physician will paraphrase the data and ask additional questions in order to narrow the choices. I believe that active listening is the most important act that a physician can do. In relation to the topics covered thus far, identify at least three techniques that could help you improve your skills. The three techniques that can help improve my skills are: (1) resist distractions, (2) summarize in my own words, and (3) keep an open mind. The first technique is resisting distractions. The Penguin Dictionary of Psychology (2001) defines stereotype as, A set of relatively fixed, simplistic overgeneralizations about a group or class of people. Here, negative, unfavorable characteristics are emphasized, although some authorities regard positive but biased and inaccurate beliefs as components of a stereotype. It is easy for my mind to become distracted while listening to a speaker. I tend to do this frequently. For example, if a patient comes in who looks underprivileged, then I tend to stereotype the patients background and struggles. This causes me to ignore important communication from the patient. (Note: It is difficult to resist distractions when a patient has a foul odor and the physician is trying not to vomit.) The second technique I have identified is summarizing. This is a useful tool when applied correctly. However, I tend to assume to know what the patient means and not summarize  in my own words. If I can learn to summarize a patients story in my own words, then there will be fewer miscommunications. This will lead to a more productive doctor-patient relationship. The third technique is to keep an open mind. The Penguin Dictionary of Psychology (2001) defines ethnocentrism as, The tendency to view ones own ethnic group and its social standards the basis for evaluative judgment concerning the practices of others, with the implication that one views ones own standards as superior. Hence, ethnocentrism connotes a habitual disposition to look with disfavor on the practices of alien groups. I am very judgmental. I consider this habit a strength; Burley-Allen scores it opposite as I do (habit 28). Being judgmental allows the listener to form personal thoughts from the speakers message a gestalt of the communication. Habit 28 did not specify if judging was considered positive or negative, so I give it a positive connotation. Our textbook states, Try to understand the emotions or interests that may lurk hidden beneath a given complaint or statement. Often the person youre talking with wont be fully aware of them themselves (Hattersley McJannet, 2008 ). In the context of ethnocentrism and judging negatively, this can be detrimental to effective listening. For me, this is similar to technique one: resist distractions. I can be a more effective listener if I keep an open mind and not judge negatively about a patient. (Note: It is difficult to keep an open mind if a patient does not have insurance, which is unethical by the physician.) Why is it important to possess strong listening skills in business and management? The Website for the California Society for Oriental Medicine reports, The February 19 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association published a report by the Agency for  Health Care Policy that studied the communication level between primary providers and patients. They found that physicians who listen to their patients and use a friendlier manner during visits might reduce the risk that they will be sued for malpractice. In the randomized controlled study they found that physicians that told their patients what procedure or technique they were doing, or going to do, who elicited opinions and questions from the patient, and were more likely to use humor and laugh, were more often in the group without any malpractice claims. Physicians who spent more time with their patients were also more likely to be in the no claims group (CSOM, 2003). This is invaluable including non-monetarily as a physician. The patient will feel more comfortable and allow the physician to perform examination procedures if the physician first explains the procedure and actively listens to a patients opinion and questions. In addition, I think it is essential to allow multicultural or multiethnic patients to construct their own understandings of the therapeutic process and to engage in interpretation and other forms of higher-level functioning. This will further facilitate an active process of listening by the patients. I believe sacred and confidential communication between physician and patient contain specific phases that can maximize listening efficacy. First, during the initial interview, the physician can begin to establish a collaborative relationship with the patient. It is essential that the interview focus on the patients own wishes and goals. Second, the physician should honor the patients concerns. It can be easy to respond to the emotional side of patients feelings the pain or need that motivates them to seek help and enter the hospital. The reactive emotions and resistance of patients disclosure may be helped through effective listening. Third, physicians need to respond to patients questions and suggestions that can only be accomplished through the  active listening process. Responding to the patients feelings, in an open-ended way, will usually produce the most information and intensify the doctor-patient communication. Finally, termination is an important and distinct phase of me dicine that needs to be negotiated thoughtfully. Ending the relationship will almost always be of great significance to patients. It is necessary to listen to a patients closing remarks because this usually suggests the overall quality of care. I believe that all of these phases will contribute to a more effective listening and communicating relationship between doctor and patient. The Penguin Dictionary of Psychology (2001) defines countertransference as the analysts displacement of affect onto the client [and] the analysts emotional involvement in the therapeutic interaction. This means that all feelings, thoughts, or actions of the physician that involve or influence the doctor-patient communication process are countertransference. This definition suggests that countertransference is a destructive element in medicine; however, not all countertransference issues are unconstructive. I believe that through maturity and growth, as a professional, combined with a thorough understanding of his/her ethnicity, values, and biases, can enable a physician to effectively identify and manage countertransference to make it productive. Countertransference is a constant element in interpersonal processes, and I believe it is inevitable in the doctor-patient relationship. In conclusion, when a physician engages in effective listening, the physician, without sharing it with the patient, has an opportunity to learn something about him or herself and utilize it for his or her personal maturity and professional growth. The physician needs to be aware of his/her own personal assumptions, values, and biases, and understand the worldview of culturally diverse patients to develop appropriate interventions, strategies, and techniques.