10 Genius Tips for Balancing Test Prep With School

10 Genius Tips for Balancing Test Prep With School SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Getting your SAT/ACT dream score will likely take a considerable time investment. The vast majority of high school students have to spend many hours of studying before they're able to get their desired score. However, your time is limited. You have school, homework, studying, and extracurricular activities. How will you be able to put in the necessary test prep time on top of your other responsibilities? In this article, I'll let you know how you can balance SAT/ACT test prep with school. If you follow my advice, you'll be able to effectively incorporate test prep into your schedule. General Guidance Before you embark on a path to successfully reaching your SAT/ACT goals, you need to have the right mindset. First, you need to believe that you're capable of succeeding. Confidence is crucial to complete any difficult task, including getting a wonderful SAT/ACT score. Most likely, you're not where you want to be right now, but it's essential that you have faith that you can get there. As an SAT teacher, I worked with hundreds of students of all different skill levels, and almost every student who was committed to improving saw significant results. You may not be naturally gifted at math, but with enough practice and focused studying, you can probably get a good Math score. You may struggle with grammar, but if you master the grammar rules that are tested on the SAT/ACT, you should be able to correctly answer the grammar questions. Don't just accept that a weakness will stop you from getting your desired score. You need to believe that you can improve your weaknesses (because you can). Also, you need to be motivated. If you're confident but aren't willing to put in the necessary study time, you won't see much improvement. I understand that many students find it difficult to care about studying for the SAT/ACT. They find the material dull and have so many other priorities and concerns. However, regardless of your college goals, you should realize the importance of the SAT/ACT. Getting a better score will increase your college options and the likelihood that you'll qualify for merit scholarships. Furthermore, a good SAT/ACT score can positively impact your professional future. Some employers ask job applicants to report their standardized test scores. If you find your motivation waning, think of how getting a wonderful SAT/ACT score can benefit you. Finally, if you're going to successfully balance your SAT/ACT studying with school, you need to have a plan. To reach any challenging goal, I think it's important to specifically figure out how you're going to achieve your desired goal. Having a plan will enable you to stay on task and use your time efficiently. Making a Plan Hopefully, you recognize that you can balance school with your test prep, and you realize that you're going to need an effective plan to make that happen. How do you go about making a plan, though? I'll provide you with the steps and detailed instructions to help you come up with a quality SAT/ACT study plan. Determine Your Target Score Before you go through any steps to balance school with your test prep, you should have a goal score for your SAT/ACT. Having a goal will motivate you to stick to your study plan, make you more likely to prioritize your test prep, and help you figure out how much time you need to study. You can determine your target score by averaging the 75th percentile scores for the schools you’re interested in applying to. If you reach the 75th percentile score for a given school, your score will make you an extremely competitive applicant. Find the 75th percentile scores by googling â€Å"(name of school) prepscholar average sat† or â€Å"(name of school) prepscholar average act.† For old SAT scores out of 2400, multiply the 75th percentile score by â…” to determine what the 75th percentile score would be on the current test with a maximum score of 1600. Figure Out How Much Time You Need to Study Once you have a target score, you can determine how much time you need to study before you take the SAT/ACT. Taking this step will allow you to come up with a plan that will help you balance your test prep with school. In order to figure out how much you need to study, you need to know exactly how much you need to improve. Calculate the difference between your target score and your last SAT/ACT. If you've never taken the SAT/ACT, I recommend taking an official practice SAT/ACT simulating real testing conditions to determine where you’re at and how much you need to improve. Once you know how much you need to improve, here’s an estimated breakdown of point improvement per number of study hours for the SAT: 0-50 SAT Total Point Improvement: 10 hours 50-100 Point Improvement: 20 hours 100-200 Point Improvement: 40 hours 200-300 Point Improvement: 80 hours 300-500 Point Improvement: 150 hours+ And here’s the same thing for the ACT: 0-1 ACT Composite Point Improvement: 10 hours 1-2 ACT Point Improvement: 20 hours 2-4 ACT Point Improvement: 40 hours 4-6 ACT Point Improvement: 80 hours 6-9 ACT Point Improvement: 150 hours+ How many hours do you need to study? Write Out Your Weekly Schedule At this point, you should know when you’re planning on taking the test and how many total hours you need to study. Then you can divide the total number of hours you need to study by the number of weeks you have until your test to determine how many hours per week you should be studying. For example, let's say you're planning on taking the ACT in 8 weeks and you want to raise your ACT score by 3 points. Because a 3 point improvement will take roughly 40 hours of studying and you have 8 weeks until the test, you'll have to average about 5 hours of studying per week to reach your target score. Before you determine exactly when you’ll be studying, write out your weekly schedule with all of your responsibilities. Include all of your weekly tasks: school, homework, extracurriculars, job, etc. Write out your schedule for each day of the week. Perhaps your Tuesday may look something like this: 7:00 AM- wake up 8:00 AM-3:00 PM- school 4:00-6:00- cross country practice 7:30-9:30- homework and studying Create a Plan Now that you know how many hours per week you need to study, you can decide when you’re going to study based on the time that you currently have available. Write your intended study hours into your typed out weekly schedule. Print out your plan. You can even print out multiple copies and place them where you'll regularly see them. Looking at your intended schedule will remind you of when you need to study, help you commit your schedule to memory, and motivate you to stay on task. Let's add some study time into the hypothetical Tuesday schedule I made: 7:00 AM- wake up 8:00 AM-3:00 PM- school 4:00 PM-6:00 PM- cross country practice 7:30-9:30 PM- homework 10:00-:30 PM- SAT studying This is a pretty challenging schedule. You'll be busy with only limited breaks from 7:00 AM-:30 PM. However, if you're disciplined and motivated, it's feasible to stick to this itinerary. If you're more of a morning person, you can wake up at 5:30 AM to do your SAT studying. Also, if you have to do 5 hours of studying per week, you may only have to schedule SAT/ACT studying for a couple of days. Furthermore, if you have more free time on the weekends, you can save the majority or all your studying for Saturdays and Sundays. Time for test prep! Hooray! Make Your Plan Doable When you create your study plan, be realistic and honest with yourself about what you're capable of doing. If your schedule includes studying for 12 hours on both Saturday and Sunday, you probably should make some adjustments. Even though you may have enough free time to study for 12 hours on Saturday and Sunday, you’re probably not going to have the energy or concentration to study for 24 hours every weekend. Similarly, if you have trouble waking up in the morning, you shouldn't schedule your SAT/ACT prep for 4:00 AM. You really want to create a schedule that you’re likely to stick to and will allow you to put in enough prep time to reach your target score. Unfortunately, it's possible that if you don't have much free time, you'll have to create a schedule that's less than ideal. However, you still want to create the most realistic possible schedule. Share Your Plan For accountability, I recommend sharing your plan with those who are willing to help you stick to it. If your parents, siblings, or close friends know your intended schedule, they can encourage and push you when they know it’s time for you to do your SAT/ACT prep. If you try to deviate from your schedule, you’ll have other people to remind you of your goals and what you should be doing. Keep in mind, though, that you'll be most likely to achieve your goals if you're primarily self-motivated. Evaluate and Adjust Your Plan Regularly During the first week or two of your study plan, keep track of how well you’re doing and how well your plan is working for you. If the plan you created seems too difficult for you to maintain, then you may need to adjust it so that it’s easier for you. If you have to make adjustments, do your best not to sacrifice study time you need to reach your target score. Ideally, you'll be able to move your studying to times that work better for you. If your extracurricular activity or work schedule changes after you start your study plan, you may have to alter your prep time accordingly. Also, make sure that your SAT/ACT prep isn't getting in the way of your schoolwork. If your current prep plan is preventing you from finishing your homework or studying for school, then you'll have to make changes. You don't want to sacrifice your grades to reach your target score. In fact, generally, your grades are more important to colleges than your test scores. If your plan isn't working, change it. How to Stay Motivated Perhaps the biggest challenge to successfully balancing school with your test prep is maintaining your motivation up until test day. Many students are able to stick to their plan for a week or two, but they start to slip and neglect their test prep over time. Your study plan will only be effective if you stick to it up until test day. Trust me that I understand the challenges of maintaining your plan. I wasn't a perfect student, and I realize that you'll be tempted to stray from your plan when you'd rather be doing anything other than test prep. I've already mentioned a few tips like printing out your plan and sharing it to help stay on track. Here are some more strategies for you to make the best use of your study time and stay engaged throughout the study process. Set Smaller Goals for Motivation Remember that the number of hours you’re studying is only one part of the equation to reaching your target score. You need to make sure that you’re focused when you’re studying and studying efficiently. Set goals for yourself for each study session and on a weekly basis. For example, if during one of your study sessions, you’re trying to improve on transition questions on SAT Writing, you can set a goal of reviewing my article on transitions and then getting at least 9/10 transition questions right from SAT practice tests. Similarly, you could also set a goal for the week of raising your ACT Science score by two points from your last practice test. Then, you can focus your studying for the week on improving your content weaknesses and doing practice problems. At the end of the week, you can do a complete ACT Science section under test conditions, and hopefully, you’ll be able to achieve your goal. Leave Time for Fun In trying to balance school with your test prep, realize that outside of school, test prep, and your extracurricular activities, you should be having some fun and leisure time. All work and no play is sad, and you’re going to have a difficult time maintaining motivation if you’re not emotionally healthy. Furthermore, you should be enjoying your youth, spending time with your friends and family, and creating memories that you’ll probably look back on more fondly than your SAT/ACT prep. When you create your prep schedule, try not to have every minute of your day devoted to your studies or other obligations. It’s not terrible to spend a few hours per week engaged in fun activities that may not directly help you get into the college of your dreams. It might be time for a bouncy castle break. (Catrin Austin/Flickr) Reward Yourself Following all of the tips in this article (other than having fun) isn’t easy. Just reading this article is indicative of your determination and willingness to make sacrifices to achieve your goals. I’m a big believer in positive reinforcement. If you meet one of your daily or weekly goals, feel free to reward yourself for your hard work. You deserve it, and you can use your rewards as further motivation to reach your goals. If you reach your goal of improving your SAT Math section score by 50 points from the previous week, maybe you can reward yourself by going to see a movie you’ve been wanting to check out or spending an hour posting stories on Snapchat (isn’t that what the kids do these days?). Final Points Balancing school with your test prep isn’t easy, but it’s possible if you’re diligent, organized, and plan effectively. If you need help with motivation, organization, or holding yourself accountable, you may greatly benefit from a test prep program like PrepScholar. PrepScholar will help you identify your content weaknesses, inform you (and your parents) how much time you spend studying on a weekly basis, and it will organize your practice so that you’re able to reach your target score efficiently. What's Next? Are you getting ready for the SAT? Figure out the best way to study. Are you planning to take the ACT? Learn how to study. Are you plagued by test anxiety? Find out how to overcome test anxiety to get your target score. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

The Points Based System makes migration work for Britain Essay

The Points Based System makes migration work for Britain - Essay Example Second, regulation of migration has become necessary in the face of the threat of terrorism and abuse (Sutherland, 2009). Third, to protect the interests of the citizens of Britain and the society. Combining all these factors together, it becomes clear why there is a ongoing effort from various sectors of the government in coming up with plans and programmes that will limit the influx of migrant applicants without discouraging those talented people who are needed in UK and contribute to UK’s economy. In order to achieve this end, one of several measures that have been undertaken is the implementation of the Point Based System. The Point Based System is primarily intended to replace the ‘80 work permits and entry scheme’. The ‘80 work permits and entry scheme’ are the 80 different ways and routes that can be used if one seeks to work, study to train in UK. This migration policy has been developed piecemeal depending on whatever need arises (Casciani, 2 008). In this regard, the migration network of UK is considered complex. However, with the implementation of the Point Based System, the 80 scheme is superseded, and it has made UK migration system a lot simpler and more effective in identifying people and talents that are needed in UK. As such, the Point based System will make it easier and faster for employers and education to identify the people that they will need. In the Point Based System, the more skills the person has, and the more the skills, that the person has is in demand, the higher the points that one gets, thus increasing the likelihood that the person may enter UK. In this regard, the Point Based System intends to identify and attract workers that can contribute most to UK, to achieve a more efficient and transparent system of application, increased support from employers and educational organization, thereby increasing g compliance and reducing abuse and finally, it seeks to curb low skilled workers from outside EU (www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk). This set up is patterned after Australian Point System, which is considered as one of the simplest and most effective migration in the world. The system will not affect the mobility of European Union workers (Casciani, 2008). The Point Based System is made up of five tiers. Tier One: Highly Skilled. In this tier, the most skilled can have the opportunity to enter UK even without any job offers or employee certification. This means that if the application is successful, then the applicant can have the right to immigrate to UK and have full and free access to the employment market. This includes scientists, doctors, entrepreneurs and business people. As such, a successful applicant under Tier 1 will be permitted to live and work in the UK, seek and undertake employment, establish business, make a substantial investment, or be self-employed (www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk). There are four classifications under Tier 1; general visa, post study work visa, entrep reneur visa and the investor visa. A minimum of 80 points is required to qualify in Tier 1 general visa. The categories in which points are awarded include age, qualifications and earnings. This tier offers the opportunity for the successful applicant in becoming naturalise British citizen. Tier Two: Skilled Work Permits. This is similar with the previous work permit scheme. This tier intends to cater to people who have

European business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

European business - Essay Example The term is used for defining the concept of a single federation of states. Fiscal federalism means a more centralized economic order within the new European Economic Community. The European Community progress towards an economic and monetary union based on a common currency will create new demands for the design of fiscal policy. With a common currency and thus, a common monetary policy, member states will no longer be able to influence their local economies through exchange rate or monetary policies when state specific economic shocks occur. (Inman & Rubinfeld 1992, p.1-2) The economic situation in one province does not imply a sectarian policy to take any action or decision regarding exchange rate, interest rates and tax basis. The classical concept of federalism refers not only to an indestructible union of indestructible states but is also the method of dividing powers so that the general and regional governments are each, within a sphere, coordinate and independent. A major rea son for the existence of relatively centralized fiscal systems in developing and transitional countries is the adoption of planned development strategy. (Ahmad & Brosio 2008, p.225) A respected journalist argues that the expanding European Union is becoming a second, and potentially superior, superpower to the United States, and outlines what the new Union will mean to world trade, politics, and power (Reid, 2005). Fiscal federalism involves the handling of fiscal and monetary policy tools by a centralized body. It prevents regional financial inequalities by providing a balanced level of support to all the sectors. It is also criticized in terms of sharing prosperity and crisis. If one of the sectors is making huge revenues and they are effortlessly shared by others because of being members of a union is unjustified. Therefore detailed policy orientations are to be prepared for managing such systems is highly essential. Members of the European Community signed a treaty in 1992 and i t is called Treaty of Maastricht. It is more commonly known as treaty of Europe. This same treaty was the origin of a common currency in Europe called euro. Once the treaty was signed many amendments were made as the need for more detailed orientations rises. The 1992, French Referendum on the Maastricht Treaty, The Treaty on European Union was signed at the Dutch town of Maastricht by the foreign ministers of the twelve European Community members on February 7, 1992 (LeDuch 2003, p.83). The Maastricht Treaty established three so-called pillars of EU: the first being the pillar of Community; the second pillar relating to foreign and security policy; and the third pillar on justice and home affairs (Obokata 2006, p.87). Exploring the politics of European integration, Michael Baun argues that the end of the Cold War and German unification have created a new set of geopolitical realities in Europe (Baun 1996, p.2). European Union is an example of free trade unions like Mercosur, NAFTA, SAFTA and others. It is different to the extent that it has reduced national boundaries to a large extent as compared to other free trade zones. Member countries have wide range of agreements in terms of business, transportation, import and export, tourism, agriculture and so on. The strongest part is the common currency i.e. euro being operational in all member countries. The Treaty of Lisbon or

Commercial Dog-Breeding Facilities Essay Example for Free

Commercial Dog-Breeding Facilities Essay Pet shops give many people the impression of happy, eager, and healthy puppies that are in desperate need of a home and family. Sometimes people feel bad for the animals stuck in the small cages and decide they’re going to save or rescue them. People who buy these animals don’t realize that they’re supporting the commercial dog-breeding industry. Commercial dog-breeding facilities treat animals as a product; they are concerned with quantity and the profit they’ll receive instead of quality and the animals’ health. These facilities need to be banned for three reasons: to prevent further health deterioration of the animals; to preserve the lowering of breeds’ genetic traits which result from unregulated breeding; and they give reputable breeders a bad name. Before we examine specific issues surrounding professional dog breeders, first we should define some terms and give a general background of the problem. Many people have heard about the animal cruelty behind puppy mills; however, they have no idea about commercial dog-breeding facilities. The term â€Å"puppy mill† is used to describe large-scale dog breeding operations that place income over the animals’ welfare. Puppy mills don’t breed responsibly and the conditions they keep the animals in are generally illegal. Commercial dog-breeding facilities are also large scale breeding facilities that place the well being of animals below making a profit, yet these facilities are subject to United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulating and enforcing of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) laws and regulations. The USDA regulates the breeding facilities with the minimum standards for the animals’ health; these are the same laws that are used for chickens, cows, pigs and other animals, which are slaughtered. The law requires that each animal is provided with â€Å"adequate housing, handling, sanitation, nutrition, water, veterinary care, and protection from extreme weather and temperatures† (USDA Animal Welfare Act). The USDA does not have the funds or proper training to enforce these laws, so most commercial dog-breeding facilities continue to thrive while their animals are suffering. The USDA also does not have any regulations for the facilities if they sell directly to the public, which includes online sales. These loopholes in the system cause for an unbalanced, irresponsible, and unhealthy system of dog breeding. Having seen that commercial breeding in general is a problem, let’s examine the first specific issue, that of the deterioration of dogs’ health at these facilities. Commercial dog-breeding facilities don’t keep the dogs’ health in mind, even in severe and life threatening cases. When it comes to animals’ health in these facilities, there are government rules and regulations with punishments for violators and repeat offenders. Inspectors must visit commercial dog-breeding facilities at least twice a month; if there’s a violation, they file reports and give out punishments to those who have violated the laws. A May 2010 audit report filed by the United States Department of Agriculture uncovers the truth of inspectors’ visits to commercial dog-breeding facilities: â€Å"Expecting that the dealers would improve their standards of care, the agency chose to take little or no enforcement actions against most violators† (USDA Animal and Plant Health 10). Inspectors wouldn’t choose to give any stipulation to violators, even when they were repeat offenders. Inspectors never followed up visits to ensure that the proper changes were made, nor did they make the proper amount of check ups required per year. The conditions of commercial dog-breeding facilities are disgusting and irresponsible, and the dogs are not properly brought up and cared for. The May 2010 audit report filed against USDA inspectors mentions an Oklahoma breeding facility that had numerous dogs infested with ticks; pages 11 and 12 feature shocking photos of the dogs taken by the inspector. The breeder had no records of any medical treatment ever given to any dogs, and if a re-inspection were to be given then there would be no way of knowing if the animals were really treated or euthanized. The inspector cited the breeder for an indirect violation, despite excessive ticks being a direct violation in the Dealer Inspections Guide. He told the breeder to take only eight of the infested dogs to the veterinarian. The inspector didn’t require any documentation of the treatment nor did he indentify which dogs needed treatment, so there is no way to know what happened to the dogs in the pictures mentioned above (USDA Animal and Plant Health 11-12) The dogs kept for use as breeding stock live their entire lives in the small cages, being bred too early, too frequently, and for too long. These dogs generally have the most severe health and behavioral problems. Franklin McMillan, DVM, is well known for his studies on animals affected by trauma; one of his studies compared dogs that were used as breeding stock in commercial dog-breeding facilities to dogs owned by the general public. The dogs were put through the Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ), which rate many psychological behaviors and their intensity. The C-BARQ is given an average of two years after the breeding stock dogs have been in their adoptive homes, with 76 different breeds and both sexes included. The breeding stock dogs were compared to a sampling of the dogs owned by the general public by matching their breed, sex, age, and neuter status. This test was conducted to see if the breeding stock dogs do actually consistently â€Å"display persistent behavioural and psychological abnormalities† (McMillan, Duffy, and Serpell). The results confirmed that the former breeding stock dogs did indeed have considerably higher behavior problems. It’s often argued that dogs used in commercial dog-breeding establishments have psychological issues and this has now been confirmed by this study. The dogs that are used as breeding stock are forced to spend their lives solely for production of profit, and when they no longer can produce they are usually euthanized. Commercial dog-breeding facilities do not provide the dogs they keep with adequate care; they leave the facilities unkempt and dirty, and don’t allow the animals exercise. The dogs not only have physical side effects but also psychological ones after being in crowded cages isolated from human contact. The inspections that are supposed to make sure the facilities are keeping up with the USDA regulations provide no help for the situation. It’s a rare case to have inspectors following the Dealer Inspections Guide with follow-ups, citing when necessary, and issuing violations. The inspectors have many weaknesses; there was no enforcement against violators, the inspectors didn’t follow procedure, they rarely provided any documentation or evidence, and they delayed telling breeders to send suffering animals for treatment (USDA Animal and Plant Health). Commercial dog-breeding facilities don’t keep the breeding stock dogs or puppies in sanitary conditions or keep them healthy; this is a direct violation of USDA regulations. Now let’s examine the second major issue surrounding dog breeders, which is that they lower the standards of the breeds. The American Kennel Club (AKC) is the largest purebred dog registry in the United States; people may pay up to thousands of dollars for purebred dogs that are AKC registered. The issue is that these AKC papers’ value is not what it seems; they do not guarantee that the dog is purebred, healthy, or within proper breed standards. Leslie LeFave, writer and dog enthusiast, states how breeders obtain AKC papers for their litters: Breeders send to AKC for a litter application. They then fill out this form with who the mother and father of the puppies are, with their AKC registration numbers, date of birth, and certificate number[†¦]The breeder then sends this paper work (litter registration) to AKC to add these puppies to their database and the breeder gets AKC papers and numbers for each puppy. No questions asked. (LeFave) The AKC papers only guarantee that an application was filled out and payment was received; the AKC does not check the breeders’ claims, including the breed, health, and number of puppies born. The AKC continues to hand out registration papers as the checks come in and more puppies are sold with AKC registered papers that don’t necessarily belong with them. Many people choose purebred dogs because of a specific look, and certain traits they desire in their companion. Commercial dog-breeding facilities’ only goal is to make money, so they will breed any dogs that match the certain looks typical of the breed without taking care to prevent diseases and inbreeding. This way of breeding only multiplies the chances of serious genetic disorders in each puppy and leaves the personality traits not even considered. LeFave explains how a responsible breeder chooses which dogs to breed: â€Å"Having quality dogs requires a breeder to invest money and time in their dogs. A good breeder does genetic health testing if available for their breed, and spends hours going over pedigrees and learning all they can about their breed.† No commercial dog-breeding facility cares about the long-term health of the animal; they will not check for serious diseases in the dogs used for breeding stock or in the puppies they’re selling. Commercial dog-breeding facilities are not responsible breeders; they produce unhealthy animals and deteriorate the breeds’ genetics and standards. Purebred dogs are more susceptible to genetic disorders because the large breeding facilities don’t take care to make sure the breeding gene pool is large, diverse, and free of the disorders common to which breed they’re breeding; therefore, many disorders carried, even those that are recessive, are amplified. Carrie Allan, a writer for All Animals magazine, has found in many studies that 30 to 70 percent of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (a small toy breed) will end up with Syringomyelia, a serious life threatening disorder. Syringomyelia is a disease in the spinal cord in which cavities fill with fluid near the brain; sometimes even the dog’s brain will swell past the skull. This is not uncommon for a purebred dog; they have many serious genetic diseases that the buyer is unaware of until their dog starts suffering. Commercial dog-breeding facilities do not screen for the common diseases or breed to prevent them. They are irresponsible, reckless, and create long-term problems with breed standards and traits. The third major issue with commercial dog breeding facilities is that their practices often bring disrepute onto reputable breeders. Responsible dog-breeders do exist, and they produce healthy and happy puppies that are true to their breeds’ standards. These breeders also know of the horrible situations commercial dog-breeding facilities keep their animals in, and they are also in the fight against them; they cause responsible breeders to lose more money, give them a bad name, and deteriorate the breeds of dogs they love. The law requires breeders to have kennel or vendor’s licenses, but many states and counties cut commercial breeding facilities breaks, not requiring them to have these licenses. The small responsible breeders, who only produce about twelve puppies a year, do not get any break, they must have licenses, and they must pay their taxes on the dogs. For example, in Ohio a report was given by Michael W. McKinney, the Public Information Officer for the Ohio Department of Taxation, on these vendors: â€Å"None of the 410 known dog breeding kennels in Holmes County with 11,033 dogs, including 41 with more than 50 breeding dogs each, have a vendor’s licenses.† (Allen). The state is not helping any small backyard breeder, but the large commercial ones, who should be required to have a license so that their dogs can be tracked and give an idea of their profits. When responsible breeders breed two dogs, they put a lot of effort into which animals they choose; they look at thei r family trees, they raise them in a suitable environment, and they make sure the animals are going to a home that’s a good fit. Purebred dogs have a significantly higher chance of carrying diseases, which is why good breeders make sure that the common diseases in the dog breed that they’re producing doesn’t end up in their litter. They have tests done to be sure the diseases aren’t present in the dogs they’ll breed; they make sure that the animals are healthy, then breed them, and also check each puppy before they sell them to ensure they’re healthy. For example, golden retrievers have a significantly high chance of developing hip dysplasia, a disease which causes improper developing of the hip joints, and a good breeder will prevent this as best as they can. Not only do puppies from reputable breeders have lower chances of carrying diseases, but also they are mentally healthier as well. When a dog is brought up in a family environment with daily exercise and its mother to raise it, it has a solid foundation to grow on. A dog that hasn’t been properly socialized can create many problems for an owner, which can include being aggressive to people and other animals. If the puppy were properly socialized then other people and animals would only be something the puppy has seen before and can coexist with. These breeders take a lot of time to make sure the puppies are brought up properly and don’t want to be associated with commercial dog-breeding facilities, which don’t provide the proper amount of care to their puppies. The reckless commercial dog-breeders give the wrong impression about the industry as a whole, and they cause high taxes for reputable breeders who aren’t doing it for profit but who want to see the breed they love thrive. Responsible breeders want their dog breed to be healthy as a whole; they don’t like having to see many beautiful, perfect dogs go to waste because of careless breeding, which produces a higher chance of disease in the breed. Large facilities make dog breeding seem like a product, while small, responsible breeders take great care to raise these animals for families. Commercial dog-breeding causes great stress and problems for responsible dog breeders, which are in it for the dogs, not a profit. We have seen that puppy mills and many large â€Å"government inspected† dog-breeding businesses produce ill dogs with degenerated breed traits and cast a negative light on the entire industry. Nevertheless, many people purchase puppies from these facilities because the canines are cheaper and the buyer feels he or she is â€Å"rescuing† the puppy, as if it were in a dog pound. Some people feel that commercial dog-breeding facilities may have negative sides to it but a responsibly bred purebred puppy is too expensive. Yes, many quality puppies can be up to thousands of dollars, and there is a reason for that. Responsible breeders don’t have a large-scale operation that shoots dogs out quick enough for a huge profit; they run their business out of their homes; they raise puppies with their family and put as much time and effort into breeding the right dogs as they do into raising them in the first weeks. The dogs from responsible breeders will not only have papers, but they’ll have papers that actually match up to them. These dogs will be healthy and of good genetic background, and that is what you’re paying for. If the problem is entirely money, then a shelter dog is the right choice; they are priced not for profit but for affordability and sustaining the shelters ability to stay afloat. From personal experience, I know that the local pound, Danville Boyle County Humane Society, a non-profit organization, provides animals at a very reasonable cost with many benefits for the owner. Not only is the buyer saving a life, but also all animals come spayed or neutered, de-wormed, with rabies vaccinations, and for dogs, they have the Bordatella vaccination (for kennel cough), and Distemper vaccination (for parvovirus). These vaccinations are for the most common diseases that leave animals at a very high risk of death. All of this is provided with your puppy for only $100, and for dogs and cats $75. Compared to the price of dogs from pet stores, online sellers and commercial breeders, that’s an unbeatable price, especially when they provide the animals already with proper health records. And many shelter animals are also purebred, not just mixes. A shelter is the perfect spot to go if you want an inexpensive and healthy animal. There is no reason for money to be the issue in acquiring an animal from a commercial dog breeding facility. If you don’t have enough, then a shelter or rescue organization is the perfect place, healthy and inexpensive. If you care about the background of the animal and want to show it, then dogs from a responsible breeder are much better suited for show; they will be able to provide you with a much better representation of the dog’s breed than a large scale breeding organization. You can see how those who believe that commercial dog-breeding facilities do not supply animals with the best living conditions, but provide them cheaper than reputable breeders are in the wrong. In the long run, dogs from large-scale facilities could end up with very expensive healthcare, having to buy a new dog, or even facing the heartbreak of being forced to euthanize it. Money is a big deal in our world right now, and buying a dog isn’t something that should add to that. Shelter dogs are cheaper, and dogs from good breeders are healthier, with much lower vet bills. In summary, commercial dog-breeding facilities are operations to produce maximum profit and leave the animals to fend for themselves; commercial breeders are leaving the important and necessary aspects of a good business behind. They are not making sure the animals involved are healthy and happy, they don’t mind when their â€Å"product’s† name is diminished, and they don’t care about other businesses, people, or animals harmed from their actions. Many of their dogs are euthanized, or have painful and serious diseases from their reckless breeding. Responsible breeders are getting a bad name from these facilities and shouldn’t be associated with them because they’re quite the opposite. And while buying a dog from a reputable breeder is more expensive than getting one from a puppy mill or online, the healthy dog will cause you much less in vet bills, and will be able to stick around till it’s old. Other options are shelter dogs, which are generally mixes and are much healthier dogs than purebreds, and rescue organizations, which can give you a cheap purebred with a much clearer background of where it came from. Commercial dog-breeding facilities don’t offer benefits to anybody involved in the industry; they provide unnecessary harm to many animals and people who don’t realize where their cute puppy actually came from. Not only are these facilities harming animals, but also our country as a whole, because they get tax breaks and are an unstable, unreliable industry that does shady work. These large-scale operations should be stopped and prohibited from business before more puppies are harmed, people are ripped off, and the country’s laws a re ignored. Works Cited: Allan, Carrie. â€Å"The Purebred Paradox.† Humanesociety.org. The Humane Society of the United States, May/June 2010. Web. 20 Mar. 2012. Allen, Laura. â€Å"Ohio Giving Commercial Dog Breeders a Pass on Taxes.† Animallawcoalition.com. Animal Law Coalition, 4 Oct. 2010. Web. 18 Apr. 2012. LeFave, Leslie. â€Å"About AKC Registration Papers and Pedigrees.† Itsmagicmaltese.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2012. McMillan, Franklin D., Deborah L. Duffy, and James A. Serpell. â€Å"Mental Health of Dogs Formerly Used As ‘Breeding Stock’ In Commercial Breeding Establishments.† Applied Animal Behaviour Science 135.1/2 (2011): 86-94. Academic Search Premier. Web. 13 Feb. 2012. United States Department of Agriculture. The Animal Welfare Act: An Overview. USDA. May 2006: n.p. Web. 13 May 2012. United States Department of Agriculture. Office of Inspector General. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service: Animal Care Program: Inspections of Problematic Dealers. Washington: USDA, May 2010. Web. 16 Feb. 2012.

Training :: GCSE Business Marketing Coursework

Training Informal and Formal Training and Development Informal Training and Development Informal training and development is rather casual and incidental. Typically, there are no specified training goals as such, nor are their ways to evaluate if the training actually accomplished these goals or not. This type of training and development occurs so naturally that many people probably aren't aware that they're in a training experience at all. Probably the most prominent form of informal training is learning from experience on the job. Examples are informal discussions among employees about a certain topic, book discussion groups, and reading newspaper and journal articles about a topic. A more recent approach is sending employees to hear prominent speakers, sometimes affectionately called "the parade of stars". Informal training is less effective than formal training if one should intentionally be learning a specific area of knowledge or skill in a timely fashion. Hardly any thought is put into what learning is to occur and whether that learning occurred or not. (However, this form of training often provides the deepest and richest learning because this form is what occurs naturally in life.) Formal Training and Development Formal training is based on some standard "form". Formal training might include: a) declaring certain learning objectives (or an extent of knowledge, skills or abilities that will be reached by learners at the end of the training), b) using a variety of learning methods to reach the objectives and then b) applying some kind(s) of evaluation activities at the end of the training. The methods and means of evaluation might closely associate with the learning objectives, or might not. For example, courses, seminars and workshops often have a form -- but it's arguable whether or not their training methods and evaluation methods actually assess whether the objectives have been met or not. Formal, Systematic Training and Development Systematic, formal training involves carefully proceeding through the following phases: a) Assessing what knowledge, skills and /or abilities are needed by learners; b) Designing the training, including identifying learning goals and associated objectives, training methods to reach the objectives, and means to carefully evaluate whether the objectives have been reached or not; c) Developing the training methods and materials; d) Implementing the training; and e) Evaluating whether objectives have been reached or not, in addition to the quality of the training methods and materials themselves A systematic approach is goal-oriented (hopefully, to produce results for the organization and/or learners), with the results of each phase being used by the next phase.

“Iron triangle” Essay

â€Å"Iron triangle† is a term used by political scientists to describe the policy-making relationship between the legislature, the bureaucracy, and interest groups. The term iron triangle has been widely used by political scientists outside the United States and is today an accepted term in the field. In the United States, bureaucratic power is exercised in the Congress, and particularly in congressional committees and subcommittees. By aligning itself with selected constituencies, an agency may be able to affect policy outcomes directly in these committees and subcommittees. This is where an iron triangle may manifest itself. These are the powerful interests groups that influence Congressional votes in their favour and can guarantee the re-election of a member of Congress in return for supporting their programs. At another corner sit members of Congress who also seek to align themselves with a constituency for political and electoral support. These congressional members support legislation that advances the interest group’s agenda. Occupying the third corner of the triangle are bureaucrats, who are often pressured by the same powerful interest groups their agency is designated to regulate. The result is a three-way, stable alliance that is sometimes called a subgovernment because of its durability, impregnability, and power to determine policy. Consumers are often left out in the cold by this arrangement. An iron triangle can result in the passing of very narrow, pork-barrel policies that benefit a small segment of the population. The interests of the agency’s constituency (the interest groups) are met, while the needs of consumers (which may be the general public) are passed over. That public administration may result in benefiting a small segment of the public in this way may be viewed as problematic for the popular concept of democracy if the general welfare of all citizens is sacrificed for very specific interests. This is especially so if the legislation passed neglects or reverses the original purpose for which the agency was established. On the other hand, lobbyists also helped the consumer and the general public as well. Since the consumer and the general public are usually less educated, unorganized and lacks financial resources, the lobbyist and interest groups represent them in some ways. A public good is something from which everybody benefits. People cannot be excluded from enjoying the good just because they didn’t pay for it. If an interest group is successful in lobbying for laws that will improve the air quality, for example, everyone who breathes that air will benefit, whehter they paid for the lobbying effort or not. Despite the bad reputation earned by interest groups through the years there are several advantages to their existence. Interest groups help bridge the gap between the citizens and the government and enable citizens to explain their views on policies to public officials. They also help raise public awareness and inspire action on various issues. They often provide public officials with specialized and detailed information that might be difficult to obtain otherwise. This information may be useful in making policy choices. Interest groups serve as a check on public officials to make sure that they are carrying out their duties and responsibilities. Bibliography: Edward I Sidlow, Beth Henschen. America at Odds, Thomson Wadsworth, 2005. ISBN 0534647596 Gordon Adams. The Iron Triangle: The Politics of Defense Contracting, Council on Economic Priorities, New York, 1981. ISBN: 0-87-871012-4 Jack H. Knott, Gary J. Miller; Reforming Bureaucracy; Prentice-Hall; ISBN 0-13-770090-3 (1st edition, 1987) Francis E. Rourke; Bureaucracy, Politics, and Public Policy; Harpercollins; ISBN 0-673-39475-1 (3rd edition, 1984) Iron Triangle Retrieved March 06, 2007, from â€Å"http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Iron_triangle†.

The Interpretation Of Dreams By Sigmund Freud - 1790 Words

Sigmund Freud is thought to be the founder of psychoanalysis and he embarked on conducting a study to analyse and interpret dreams as a means of determining their relation to the human psyche. Starting off his career as a neurologist he was already very familiar with the brain and it’s inner workings. However his study was specifically conducted to explore the more celestial attributes of the mind and apply scientific theory and neurological practice. Freud said that, The interpretation of dreams is the royal road to a knowledge of the unconscious activities of the mind. He meant that because dreams are such an unconscious activity they give an almost direct insight into the workings of the unconscious mind. In The Interpretation of Dreams he was the first person to look at the mind and to develop a theory about its basis and creation. By identifying which parts of the mind are unconscious and conscious he was able to fix scientific labels on celestial areas of the brain. In e ffect, Freud is responsible for giving the study of the mind it’s serious and scientific attributes. Something that had only previously associated with the physical study of the brain. In order to prove his theory he analyzed his dreams, his childhood memories, screen memories, slips of the tongue, and episodes of forgetfulness. His theory was that by analyzing dreams and memories they will aid in trying to understand how events from the past, including childhood, continue to actively influenceShow MoreRelatedThe Interpretation Of Dreams By Sigmund Freud1344 Words   |  6 PagesSome dream big, some dream small, and sadly some dream not at all The Interpretation of Dreams was published by Sigmund Freud in the year 1900 as a thought provoking compilation of ideas surrounding the cognitive processes of dreaming. Although this book has been translated and edited since its original publishing date, it reads as if to hold true to Freudian fashion; addressing levels of consciousness and their effects on how specific dreams are formed. Freud makes a clear and reverent effortRead MoreSigmund Freud s The Interpretation Of Dreams Essay1383 Words   |  6 Pagespsychoanalysis’, Sigmund Freud, is perhaps known for his theories involving the human brain. During the late 1800s, his therapeutic techniques dealing with psychopathology made him quite influential within and throughout the sphere of psychology and his work has had a tremendous impact on modern culture and common opinion. Freud’s The Interpretation of Dreams, first published in 1899, takes into account dream interpretation and theories involving the human bra in, why humans dream and what they couldRead MoreThe Interpretation Of Dreams : Sigmund Schlomo Freud988 Words   |  4 PagesSigmund Schlomo Freud was a thinker who helped us understand why our lives and relationships are full of so much confusion and pain. He told us why life is hard and how to cope. His own life incurred a lot of anxieties. Freud was born to a middle class Jewish family in 1856. His professional life was not an immediate success. As a medical student he dissected hundreds of eels in an un-successful attempt to locate their reproductive organs. He promoted cocaine as a medical drug, but it turned outRead MoreDream Interpretation of Sigmund Freud Essay848 Words   |  4 Pagesleast one dream in their lifetime. Most people don’t think much about the dreams they have, unless they are recurring. Most people today wake up from a dream or nightmare saying, â€Å"thank heaven that was a dream,† or â€Å"too bad that was just a dream.† Many times t hese dreams or nightmares have more meaning than we think. After a friend told me about some weird dreams he had been having I decided to research the meaning of dreams. I will focus on Sigmund Freud’s idea that understanding our dreams can helpRead MoreFreudian Interpretations Of Dreams By Sigmund Freud1663 Words   |  7 Pagesstyle of Freudian interpretations of Kafka’s â€Å"A Dream† tale. Which the famous philosopher, Freud, would interpret symbols for different reasonings behind a dream. In the book, Interpretation of Dreams by Sigmund Freud, he provides an in depth explanation on his beliefs behind the meaning of each occurring dream that we experience. Freud has tons of concepts that he claims for the reasonings behind each dream that have. Whether if we experience a nightmare or just a normal dream. The concepts in InterpretationRead MoreSigmund Freud s The Interpretation Of Dream2543 Words   |  11 Pagesexcerpt from Sigmund Freud’s 1913 book, The Interpretation of Dream, Third Edition, is one of hi s most famous generalizations of his work. Freud often emphasized that the study of the human mind is a complicated, arduous, and ever-changing field of attempts at empirically examining an intangible concept that often result in very small gains. His work has placed him into a distinct place in history that has been given countless courses of retrospection by academics alike. Sigmund Freud, born May 6thRead MoreEssay on What is useful in Freuds theory of dreams?1686 Words   |  7 Pages « The interpretation of dreams is the royal road to a knowledge of the unconscious activities of the mind  ».1 While Freud already used hypnosis and free association with his patients, he soon felt the need to include the interpretation of dreams in psychoanalysis as well. Freud decided he would developped his theory of dreams to go further in his analysis. According to Freud, dreams allow unconscious desires, fears or emotions to express themselves in a disguised way. Dreams are an expression ofRead MoreSigmund Freuds Method and Theory of Dream Analysis Essay1069 Words   |  5 Pagesthis paper to get a better understanding of Sigmund Freud’s method and theory of dream analysis. The purpose of the paper will be to show the principals of Freud’s dream related theory that focuses on the physiology, interpretation, and psychology of dreams and to expla in concepts such as latent and manifest content of dreams, the part of unconscious process, and the nature of dreams role in the determination of dream content. I would like to explore Sigmund Freud’s explanations of psycho-analytic andRead MoreDreams, By Sigmund Freud1165 Words   |  5 Pagesperson’s dreams appear to have a universal language. In ancient societies, people looked at dreaming as some kind of supernatural communication and dreams are fascinating mysteries. To begin the discussion of dreams, it is important to note that dreams are often considered an extension of consciousness. In other words, dreams can be a way the brain organizes and analyzes the day to day events during sleep. Everyone dreams, however, not everyone remembers their dreams. The psychoanalyst, Sigmund FreudRead MoreInterpretation Of Dreams In Kalpa Sutra833 Words   |  4 PagesInterpretation of Dreams in Kalpa Sutra: Comparative Analysis with Freud’s Psychology of Dreams ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Abstract The study attempts to analyze the psychology of dreams as given in ancient Jain text – Kalpa Sutra. Further this psychology and interpretation of dreams has been discussed in view of a renowned psychologist – Sigmund Freud how he understands of the psychology of dreams. The comparative