East Asian Civilization :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Civil Service Examination System of Imperial China served as a qualification system for scholars who wanted to become officials in the Chinese government. Many young men spent their entire lives studying the Four Books, the Five Classics, and memorizing Chinese characters in order to attempt to pass these examinations. The book, China’s Examination Hell, written by Ichisada Miyazaki and translated by Conrad Schirokauer, describes the lengthy, and often rigorous process of taking Civil Service Examinations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The book begins by giving an account of how a young boy prepares for the examinations, learning his first Chinese characters at the age of three. Girls could not take the Civil Service Examinations, and from birth were treated in a way such that they would learn to be submissive. Boys began their formal education at age seven. From that point on, they spent every moment memorizing the Four Books, which included the Analects, Mencius, the Great Learning, and the Doctrine of the Mean, and the Five Classics, which included the Book of Changes, the Book of Documents, the Book of Poetry, the Book of Rites, and the Tso Chuan. Young men had the opportunity to take their first Civil Service Examination around the age of fourteen or fifteen, and particularly bright males would most likely continue taking different levels of examinations for the rest of their lives.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Also described in the book are the hardships endured by both the candidates for examination and the examiners themselves. The test-taking compounds were not very conductive to rational thinking, as each man was assigned a small, door-less cubicle in which he had to spend three days and two nights at a time. The examiners, by the end of an examination session, had thousands of papers needing to be graded. As a result, even the smallest mistake, such as a stain on the paper or a misprinted character would lead to failure of the examination. The book describes in detail how the Chinese believed in, and in some cases relied on, supernatural intervention in passing the examinations. There are many accounts throughout the book telling about candidates and examiners alike being visited by ghosts, and dreaming about the King of the Dead and the King of Heaven. It was believed that if a candidate was virtuous and performed good deeds, he would be rewarded by passing the Ci vil Service Examinations. Conversely, if a candidate did not have a good moral character, he would fail the examinations, regardless of the quality of his work. East Asian Civilization :: essays research papers   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Civil Service Examination System of Imperial China served as a qualification system for scholars who wanted to become officials in the Chinese government. Many young men spent their entire lives studying the Four Books, the Five Classics, and memorizing Chinese characters in order to attempt to pass these examinations. The book, China’s Examination Hell, written by Ichisada Miyazaki and translated by Conrad Schirokauer, describes the lengthy, and often rigorous process of taking Civil Service Examinations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The book begins by giving an account of how a young boy prepares for the examinations, learning his first Chinese characters at the age of three. Girls could not take the Civil Service Examinations, and from birth were treated in a way such that they would learn to be submissive. Boys began their formal education at age seven. From that point on, they spent every moment memorizing the Four Books, which included the Analects, Mencius, the Great Learning, and the Doctrine of the Mean, and the Five Classics, which included the Book of Changes, the Book of Documents, the Book of Poetry, the Book of Rites, and the Tso Chuan. Young men had the opportunity to take their first Civil Service Examination around the age of fourteen or fifteen, and particularly bright males would most likely continue taking different levels of examinations for the rest of their lives.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Also described in the book are the hardships endured by both the candidates for examination and the examiners themselves. The test-taking compounds were not very conductive to rational thinking, as each man was assigned a small, door-less cubicle in which he had to spend three days and two nights at a time. The examiners, by the end of an examination session, had thousands of papers needing to be graded. As a result, even the smallest mistake, such as a stain on the paper or a misprinted character would lead to failure of the examination. The book describes in detail how the Chinese believed in, and in some cases relied on, supernatural intervention in passing the examinations. There are many accounts throughout the book telling about candidates and examiners alike being visited by ghosts, and dreaming about the King of the Dead and the King of Heaven. It was believed that if a candidate was virtuous and performed good deeds, he would be rewarded by passing the Ci vil Service Examinations. Conversely, if a candidate did not have a good moral character, he would fail the examinations, regardless of the quality of his work.

Organization Behavior and Leadership Essay

The Expectancy Theory of Motivation One of the most widely accepted theories of motivation is Victor Vroom’s Expectancy Theory. â€Å"Expectancy theory argues that the strength of a tendency to act in a certain way depends on the strength of an expectation that the act will be followed by a given outcome and on the attractiveness of that outcome to the individual.† (Robbins & Judge, 2007, p.208) [i] In other words, employees will have the motivation to put forth a strong effort, if: They believe the effort will give them positive recognition. (This is called the â€Å"effort-performance† relationship.) That positive recognition must then lead to some kind of desirable reward, such as more money or an increase in status or power. (This is called the â€Å"performance-reward† relationship.) That reward must also be something that fulfills a personal goal for the employee. (This is called the â€Å"rewards-personal goals† relationship.) All three components need to be present for an individual to exert the kind of effort needed to be considered an intense motivation for action and performance of a duty or task. Let’s consider the following example: A company that produces a high quality audio products has recently introduced a new production process in an effort to help the employees meet a goal of high production standards. Supervisor A’s team of employees are not doing well with the production process. Some do not strive to master the process, those that have mastered it are not putting forth effort to reach the goals, and even top-producers don’t seem interested in achieving the goals. After speaking to some of Supervisor A’s team, Supervisor B has discovered that the following concerns are expressed by the team: Some do not feel they can be successful because they believe lack the dexterity needed to implement the process. Some feel that it is not worth the putting forth the extra effort to reach the goals because there is no difference in salary increase for those that meet the goals and those that do not. They believe that performance has to be very slow before it affects the rate of pay. They also say that when a bonus is given, after the withholdings are taken out, the bonus is so small that overtime actually is seen as better way to earn more money than trying to earn a bonus. This scenario lends itself to the perfect situation to implement the expectancy theory of motivation. The employees feel: That there is no recognition for achieving the goal. That there is no reward for achieving the goal. Since there is no recognition or reward, there is no opportunity for employees to evaluated their personal goals to see if reaching the performance goal will help to fulfill a personal goal. The company could implement the expectancy theory by enacting the following steps: Create a specific recognition for those that master process. For those that master the process bonuses can be implemented that exceed those monetary rewards that overtime would bring. Personally interview each employee to discover what their employment goals are and create a personalized plan to reach those goals, make mastering the process one of those steps needed to reach the personal goal. This plan would address all three components of the expectancy theory. However the plan should not be created as one-time policy implementation. Rather it should be tested and evaluated to discover what rewards and recognitions created the most effective levels of motivation. ——————————— [ i ]. Robbins, S. P., & Judge, T. A. (2007). Organization behavior. (12 ed., p. 208). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.

Comparison of the Theories of Sigmund Freud and Emile Durkheim on Religion The WritePass Journal

Comparison of the Theories of Sigmund Freud and Emile Durkheim on Religion Abstract Comparison of the Theories of Sigmund Freud and Emile Durkheim on Religion AbstractIntroductionDifferent Routes to the Core of a DelusionConclusionReferencesRelated Abstract This paper examines the works of Sigmund Freud and Emile Durkheim on religion, looking at how both theorists essentially viewed religion as serving an integral role in human culture. In particular, this essay considers how both theorist consider religious believers to be mistaken in their ontological beliefs, and the rational causes for this. Introduction While both Sigmund Freud and Emile Durkheim are concerned with the study of human behaviour as it relates to culture, each does so from within distinct traditions. In terms of religion, Freud’s approach belongs to the psychological tradition, while Durkheim puts forward a sociological approach. In the Freudian view, human behaviour is largely driven by inborn and intangible â€Å"drives†, working in the unconscious. Such phenomena are not directly observable, that is, they are non-empirical; they must consequently be inferred, and as such are conjectural. Durkheim’s sociological method, on the other hand, utilises direct empirical observations of social phenomena (rites, rituals, customs, et cetera), looking to account for the impetus behind and purpose of group behaviour. Hence Freud is concerned with obscure, intangible internal phenomena, whereas Durkheim is concerned with overt and tangible external phenomena. Evidently, the theoretical positions in question to a degree divide between internal and external motivations. Different Routes to the Core of a Delusion Durkheim posits a direct connection between environmental variables, the way groups interact with such variables, and how this interaction is perceived by individual members of said group. There is a mode of cyclical reflexivity in this dynamic: this means people â€Å"living together in society generate rules which are felt by any individual member as acting on him from outside, as having a force which he feels as both uplifting and constraining† (Scharf 1970, 151). This force, Durkheim argues, is an externalisation of conventions peculiar to the group; that are perceived as exogenous but which are in fact endogenous. This tendency to externalise, Durkheim suggests, derives from the natural human desire to ascribe meaning to experience, to seek a pattern in the natural order. Thus, as Kunin states, religion likewise â€Å"is an externalisation of society and its order† and speaks to the â€Å"dialectic relationship between the individual and society† (2003, 82). Religion, then, provides for an externalised object onto which collective emotion can be projected; this is ultimately reflexive because the externalisation at root represents the people themselves. As a result, to honour religious custom is indirectly to honour the group. This is why for Durkheim religious experience serves to strengthen group cohesion and bonding. Freud’s understanding of religion is somewhat pejorative. Connolly observes that Freud noticed â€Å"the connection between abnormal psychological conditions and religion† (1991, 146): which observation he expanded upon in his study â€Å"Obsessive acts and Religious Practices† (1907). As the paper’s title suggests, Freud drew a connection between psychological abnormality and religious practice, noting a resemblance between â€Å"what are called obsessive acts in neurotics and those religious observances by means of which the faithful give expression to their piety† (17). In turn, Freud perceived religion, like neurosis, as symptomatic of deep-seated psychological issues. In the words of Gallucci, â€Å"Freud saw religion as a collective neurotic symptom, an obsessional neurosis† (2001, 76). This â€Å"neurosis†, according to psychoanalytic theory, comes about as a defence mechanism against feelings of helplessness which obtain in a d ispassionate cosmos. Hence the need for a cosmic father figure, who, as a parent comforts the child, palliates the religious subject with conciliatory notions (about purpose, meaning, boundaries, rewards, and so on). This entire dynamic apparently stems from Oedipal anxieties, where â€Å"each person grows up with a sense of foreboding toward a father figure who is both feared and loved†; this, it follows, â€Å"becomes the basis for the cosmic father figure, who offers protection and salvation but in the meantime needs to be appeased by devotion and sacrifice† (Clarke 2002, 43). In Freud’s mind, religion therefore constitutes a surrogate parent. On the surface, Freud and Durkheim proffer two seemingly quite different explanations for religion. Importantly, while these theories are not overtly complementary, nor are they mutually exclusive. Indeed, significant parallels may be drawn between each approach. For example, both both theorists argued that religion is an important factor in community cohesion (Scharf 1970, 155); both agree that â€Å"religion is central to any cultural analysis† (Ginsburg and Pardes 2006, 220); and, thus, both hold that â€Å"that the cognitive roots of religious belief are to be found in social experience† (Spiro 1987, 202). These similarities are significant and, moreover, point to one common determinant: that the underlying basis of religious convictions are contrary to what believers suppose. For Durkheim, the real driving force behind religion is social cohesion; for Freud, the impetus is psychological assuagement. In either case, social unity and mental wellbeing obtain, only for slightly different conceptual reasons. From the above, one might argue that Freud and Durkheim share significant overarching perspectives on religion while holding markedly different structural viewpoints on how and why religion functions. Freud is concerned with psychological structures; Durkheim with sociological structures. Freud believes religion works to console believers from the ultimate anxiety of a meaningless cosmos. Durkheim believes religion provides for a canvas on which social phenomena can be externalised and then re-accommodated as an exogenous entity. Again, both modes of behaviour essentially work to the same purpose: instilling a sense of meaning in human life. At this stage, one might consider the ways in which Freudian theory could compensate for shortfalls in the work of Durkheim and vice versa. For instance, Durkheim offers little in the way of early psychological developmental insights, into the religious process; yet there is no reason that early anxiety (of an Oedipal nature) could not cohere with Durkheimian ideas. Indeed, such anxiety and the consequent potential for neurosis could suggest an even greater need for group cohesion: as a way of reifying the delusion through consensus, thus alleviating the anxiety. Again, this would chime with Durkheim’s understanding that religion is â€Å"a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things [. . .] which unite in one single moral community called a Church† (cited in Gain 2010, 39). By the same token, Freud’s limitations could perhaps be overcome with reference to some of Durkheim’s insights. Scharf notes a â€Å"weakness of Freudian theory† in that it â€Å"does little to explain [the] variety† in articulations of paternity and fraternity within religious discourse , advising that, here, â€Å"Durkheim’s structural approach has more value† (1970, 154). Accordingly we see that a synthesis of theoretical approaches may not only be possible but highly advantageous. Conclusion Freud and Durkheim take very different roads to arrive at more or less the same destination. For this reason, significant and consistent core elements may be identified between their works. These include the fundamental belief that religion serves an explicable, material, social purpose which is essentially external to theological concerns; that religious believers are at base mistaken in their beliefs (insomuch as these beliefs are connected to cosmic phenomena beyond the rationally explicable); that, it follows, religion is the irrational articulation of an ultimately rational cause (anxiety or clan behaviour); that religion can function as a surrogate or projection of humanity – reformed with divine auspices; and that, finally, religion is an integral element of human culture. What is fundamentally different in these two authors is their methodological priorities. Each man comes from a very distinct tradition. Put simply, Freud and Durkheim were engaged in different discipl ines; as a result, their pursuits were orientated differently The reason Freud and Durkheim’s works are compared at all is that the realms of the sociological and of the psychological possess mutual territory: the grounds of culture. Both theorists have their limitations. Durkheim can be accused of being over reductive and simplistic. Social structure may not be enough to account for every aspect of religion. Psychological, cognitive and other inborn factors may also have a large part to play. Freud, on the other hand, may place too much onus on the unconscious drives in dictating religious experience. After all, religion is so varied and complex, it might be argued, to defy any wholesale theory to explain it away. What, for example, do we make of religions in which there is no â€Å"father figure† proper; or religions which proclaim no deity at all? Clearly there are unanswered questions on both sides of the aisle. Perhaps a hybrid methodology that adopted a syncretic approach to the study of religion might help answer these ques tions. After all, it seems to be the case that both Freud and Durkheim arrived at crucial insights into the social and psychological determinants that drive religion. References Clarke, P. J. (2002) Explaining Philosophy and Ethics. Cheltenham: Nelson Thomas. Connolly, P. (1991) â€Å"Psychological Approaches†. In: Connolly, P. ed. Approaches to the Study of Religion. New York: Continuum, pp. 135-193. Durkheim, E. (1912). The Elementary Forms of Religious Life. (J. Swain, Trans.) New York: The Free Press. Freud, S. (1907) â€Å"Obsessive Acts and Religious Practices†. In: J Strachey (ed. and trans.) Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud. London: Hogarth Press. Gain, M., 2010. On Durkheim’s Rules of Sociological Method (Routledge Revivals). New York: Routledge. Gallucci, G. M., 2001. Plato and Freud: Statesmen of the Soul. Philadelphia: Xlibris. Ginsburg, R. Pardes, L., 2006. New Perspectives on Freuds Moses and Monotheism. Tà ¼bingen: Niemeyer. Kunin, S. D., 2003. Religion: The Modern Theories. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. Scharf, B. R., 1970. â€Å"Durkheimian and Freudian Theories of Religion: The Case of Judaism†, The British Journal of Sociology, Vol. 21. 2 (June), pp. 151-163. Spiro, M. E., 1987. Culture and Human Nature. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction.

Voter Turnout, How Can We Turn it Around Professor Ramos Blog

Voter Turnout, How Can We Turn it Around Voting is a right of passage in America, however many people don’t turn out to vote. In any given election turnout rates can vary from 50-60% (McDonald) which gives the US one of the lowest voter turnout rates. This is a big issue for the country because it shows that many of those that are able to vote are not for some reason or another, which means that so many peoples voices are not being heard. Everyone who is able to vote should participate so that many diverse views can be accounted for in the decisions that affect our entire population. To encourage more people to vote, voting should be made more convenient, through automatic registration, online voting, and by allowing people to choose where they vote. Ever since the country was created there have been limits on who was qualified to vote. For a long time, rich, landowning men were the extent of voters, and not until the 15th amendment giving African Americans the right to vote, and the 19th amendment which gave women the right to vote did voting open up to the majority of the population. However, there are still states and laws that are preventing eligible voter the right to vote. According to Rapoport and Hines â€Å"23 states have enacted one or more restrictive laws since 2011† (22), these states are using anything from Gerrymandering, voter identification laws, and restricted registration and access to limit certain voters who disagree with the majority party of a state. Fortunately, the supreme court is fighting back against these states and forcing some states to relax their voting criteria. And in turn this will allow for a larger voter turn out as those who the states have oppressed will be aloud to vote once again. Convienience is an important aspect that can increase voter turnout. Accourding to Stein and Vonnahme â€Å"Convenience is more influential to the infrequent voter’s decision to vote† (489), this means that by focusing on helping people who don’t typically choose to vote and making it easier for them, voter turnout can increase by the maximum amount. Those who vote irregularly or infrequently are most influenced by proximity and ease of voting and tend to vote on polling day, while on the other hand people who vote regularly typically take advantage of voting by mail, and plan ahead who and what they wish to cast their ballots for. However, making voting more convenient will benefit both groups and make all voices easier to be heard. Automatic registration allows voters to vote without having to preregister. In many states there are currently laws that limit the amount of time in which citizens have to register to vote before the election day. These laws target younger voters who turn 18 near voting time, as well as voters who register later on. By allowing automatic registration no one can be denied voting rights because they were late to register. Currently more and more states have decided to implement automatic registration, â€Å"In just a few short years, 13 states and D.C. have adopted AVR. In Oregon, more than 200,000 voters were added in 2016.† (Rapoport and Hines 23). Even though registration may be automatic in some states, additional steps should still be taken to promote voting. While it is very important to make voting more convenient to maximize the amount of people who vote, some states are doing the opposite and making voting less convenient for certain groups. States such as North Carolina are targeting African Americans in order to suppress their votes and keep the Republican party a majority in the states. An example of the techniques used to make voting more difficult for some voters includes, â€Å"targeting African American voters, including by eliminating Sunday early voting, when African American churches traditionally sponsor souls to the polls.† (Rapoport and Hines 22). These limits are strategically being used to suppress diversity, and in turn are bringing down the voter turn out rate. There are many ways in which voting can be made easier and more convenient, however the one solution that has not already been implemented is online voting. If the option to vote online became available citizens could use their social security number, or driver’s license to both register online, which is already available, and vote at the same time. Across America 77% of people say that they go online every day. With the internet reaching a majority of the us population, as well as being a place that 26% of people are on almost constantly (Perrin and Jingjing), online voting would be extremely efficient in reaching a majority of the population while also being and convenient. For those who have cell phones or computers they could easily look up all of the issues that the ballot covers while voting to ensure that they are well informed on the issues. Online voting would also allow the homeless to vote on important issues, because even though the homeless can currently register to vote in all 50 states, they often have difficulty putting a home address or proving residency for a state (Voting and Homelessness). Through online voting a home address shouldn’t be necessary, and could be easily tracked with a social security number, so anyone could vote on their phone, computer or at a local library in comfort. Some may argue that online voting may become an issue with security risks and hackers, however voting at polling places and by mail still have their own issues as well. According to various news sources reporting on the 2018 midterm elections many states had a range of issues due to their computerized voting machines that were out of date and constantly malfunctioning. In Michigan for example, â€Å"Rex Nagy, a voter in Redford Township, said that his polling place at Pierce Middle School was relying on just one voting machine †¦ Nagy saw about half the line leave to go to work, he said† (Friedersdorf). And in South Carolina it was reported that, â€Å"machines werechanging votes† (Friedersdorf), this issue was entirely due to these outdated machines not being able to keep up in modern times. While many such occurrences are marked as accidents, online voting could help to prevent these long lines and voting errors by giving people easy and reliable access to voting on their own electronic devices. While choosing not to vote does not have a large impact on the overall country, it is a right that should not be taken for granted. Being able to vote is a right that many generations had to fight for, and being able to live in a democracy with voting rights shows how much society has changed. Current voter turnout however indicates that many citizens in this country are not appreciating all of the hard work and dedication that their ancestors put in to vote. Many minorities should welcome the opportunities denied to them for so long. The Civil Rights Movement, and the Suffrage Movement changed this country and the many lives that fought for and were lost for these causes should not be forgotten by the many people who do not turn out to vote for who and what they believe in, which will help change and inform the future of the United States. Works Cited Friedersdorf, Conor. â€Å"An Embarrassment of Glitches.†Ã‚  The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 7 Nov. 2018, theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2018/11/voting-machines/575044/. This article provided a list of incidents with polling machines that occurred during the 2018 mid term elections. This article is being used to oppose an argument against online voting. While the article is written by a media company it is well researched and is credible because the author has collected data from reliable sources. McDonald, Michael. â€Å"Voter Turnout Data.†United States Elections Project, electproject.org/2016g. This website contains official turnouts from various elections. I choose this website because it shows the differences between primary and midterm elections to show the range of turnout that can occur during election. This source is credible because the information comes from the government’s official voting tally. Perrin, Andrew, and Jingjing Jiang. â€Å"A Quarter of Americans Are Online Almost Constantly.†Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, 14 Mar. 2018, pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/03/14/about-a-quarter-of-americans-report-going-online-almost-constantly/. This article compiles research that has been done on the frequency of Americans in using technology. It is being used to show how online voting could be beneficial to a country that relies heavily on the internet. This is a credible article because the authors have done research on the topic from a credible center. Rapoport, Miles, and Cecily Hines. â€Å"The Good News from the Voting Wars: How Hard-Won Expansion of Voting Possibilities Could Raise Turnout, Boost the Waveand Help Our Democracy.† American Prospect, vol. 29, no. 4, Fall 2018, pp. 22–26. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=pohAN=132438062site=ehost-live. This article describes the many issues that face the modern-day voter. Its being used to demonstraight the many issues that need to be addressed to improve voter turnout. This is a scholarly article. Stein, Robert M., and Greg Vonnahme. â€Å"Engaging the Unengaged Voter: Vote Centers and Voter Turnout.† Journal of Politics, vol. 70, no. 2, Apr. 2008, pp. 487–497. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1017/S0022381608080456. This article discusses how to best reach those who do not regularly vote. The ideas from this article are used to show the best ways to engage the unengaged voter. This is a scholarly article. â€Å"Voting and Homelessness.†Nonprofit Vote, Nonprofit Vote, nonprofitvote.org/voting-in-your-state/special-circumstances/voting-and-homelessness/. This website presents the issues that the homeless face when they want to vote. It is used to show challenges that certain groups face that could be solved with the use of online voting. This article is a nonprofit that aims to help people vote, which makes it a credible source on voting issues.

ACT Score Range Whats Good

ACT Score Range What's Good SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you’re planning on taking the ACT, you’re probably wondering what you can expect in terms of scores. In this article, I’ll take you through the basics of how the test is scored, show you where your scores fall in relation to other students, and give you a few tips on how to plan your studying to meet your goals. ACT Score Range: The Basics On the ACT, your composite score can be anywhere from a 1 to a 36.Unlike the SAT, the composite score is not the sum of the scores of the other tests - it’s the average. The ACT has four sections: English, Math, Reading, and Science.Each one is also scored on a scale of 1 to 36, and the average of these four scores will make up your composite score. The ACT doesn’t have an incorrect answer penalty, so your raw score on each section is just the number of questions you get right. Any questions you answer incorrectly or omit will not count towards your score.English has 75 questions, Math has 60, Reading has 40, and Science also has 40. Check out this sample conversion chart to see how raw scores are converted to the final scores on a scale of 1-36: (note that different tests have different raw score to scaled score conversion charts, but this is generally the right idea). The ACT also has an optional essay, but the Writing section will not impact your composite score or any of your test subscores. You will get a score from 2 to 12 on your essay in four different assessment categories. Your total Writing score will be out of 36 just like the other sections.The ACT gives you an English Language Arts (ELA) score as well, which is the average of your English, Reading, and Writing subscores, but again, this doesn’t factor into your final composite score. Average ACT Scores The national average composite ACT score for the class of 2014 was a 20.Average scores for subsections were: English: 19-20Math: 19-20Reading: 20-21Science: 20-21 If you’re scoring in this range, you’re already scoring higher than 50% of students who take the ACT and will have a good shot at getting into many colleges.Keep in mind, however, that national averages might not be the most relevant to your individual situation. You should look up the average scores for schools you’re interested in to figure out what target scoreto shoot for.If you’re hoping to attend a very selective school, you might need to set your sights on a score in the 34-36 range.At MIT, for example, the 75th percentile composite ACT score for admitted students in 2014 was a 35.When you look at the averages for your school of choice, you should try and aim for the 75th percentile score (higher than 75% of admitted students)because it will give you the best chance of admission. Also keep in mind that someschools want you to submit the ACT Writing score, and some don’t care about it.This is an important factor to take into account both when studying and when deciding whether to sign up for the ACT with or without Writing. MIT: A lush sanctuary where geeks can run free Studying for Your Score Goals You might know where you fall in terms of your ACT score range if you’ve already taken the test.If not, try out a practice test (with appropriate time constraints!), and see how you do.If you find that you still need to improve your scores quite a bit, don’t worry! If you come up with a solid study plan, you should be able to get them up where you want them to be by the time the test rolls around. I’ll give some brief guidelines below about how long you should study for different point improvements.For more info check out our complete study plan for the ACT and a guide I wrote on how long you should study. I’m Looking to Improve by 1-2 Points This is a very doable goal, even if you start studying only a couple months in advance of the test.Improving 1-2 points should take around 20 total hours of studying.This means that if you study for about two hours every week for two months, you should be able to meet your score goals.If you want, you can even space out your studying for a few more months so you only have to devote an hour a week to ACT prep. I’m Looking to Improve by 4 Points This is a pretty significant improvement, so you’re going to have to put in a bit more time.A four point improvement usually means around 40-50 hours of studying.You could choose to start studying two months in advance and plan out five hours a week if you prefer longer, more intense study sessions.If you’d rather spread it out more, try studying for two hours a week for five or six months instead. I’m Looking to Improve by 6 or More Points This level of improvement is going to require a lot of hard work.For a score increase of six or more points, you’ll most likely need 150+ hours of study time.This means starting early and committing to study sessions every week.If you start studying six months before the test, schedule out five hours a week to devote to ACT prep. You should also remember that your studying needs to be high quality in order for you to see results!This means figuring out what types of questions cause you problems and then practicing similar questions over and over.You'll have to take the time to really understand your mistakes before you start to see positive changes in your scores. Summary Here are some of the main points you should remember about ACT scoring: The ACT gives you a composite score on a scale of 1 to 36 There are four subtests in English, Math, Reading, and Science, and each is also scored from 1 to 36 These four tests are averaged to make up your composite score The average ACT composite score is around a 20 nationally To figure out the score range you should be aiming for, look up the 75th percentile scores of admitted students for schools where you plan to apply. This will give you a better sense of how much time you should devote to studying.Even if the gap between your current scores and your goal is pretty large, with enough planning and focused studying, you should be able to beat the test! What's Next? ACT Score Choice and Superscoring are two policies that might impact which of your scores colleges see. Read more about what they are and what they mean for you here and here. Still not sure whether you should take the ACT or the SAT? Learn more about which one is best for you. For more information on ACT scores, read this article on how to get and interpret your results. Want to improve your ACT score by 4+ points? Download our free guide to the top 5 strategies you need in your prep to improve your ACT score dramatically.

Managerial Situation Which Raised Ethical Issues Essay

Managerial Situation Which Raised Ethical Issues - Essay Example I headed the recruitment drive in the bank. I had also shortlisted many promising candidates and was looking forward to training and mentor the new employee. Everything was going on fine until my superior told me about his relative. I believe in out of the box thinking, and for a while thought that it would be good enough to try out someone who had appeared unexpectedly on the scene. However, one meeting with this ‘relative’ changed my mind. He was a mediocre candidate who did not even hold the promise of developing himself. I told my boss right away that he was definitely not the right candidate. Moreover, there were at least five other shortlisted candidates to choose from. My superior is an otherwise efficient employee and I share a good professional equation with him. He has been a mentor to me in the bank for quite many years. He did not appear to have any compulsions on his side to employ the said candidate which made it difficult to understand his decision. My boss had even dangled a carrot of promotion at me for doing him this favor. The entire episode left a bitter aftertaste in me. I had held my boss in high esteem and now he was shattering his very image that I had in me all the while. It had never occurred to me that he expected a favor in return for guiding me. I however expected to remain in his good books by showing good performance and upping my performance. I was confused as to how he could take such a decision as he was compromising the work atmosphere and the image of the bank by recruiting an inept employee. The first thing that came to my mind was to inform his superior about the entire incident. Nevertheless, I did not know how to approach that person (i.e. my boss’s superior) as it had far-reaching consequences as far as the bank was concerned. To me, this was bypassing authority. This issue affected my work to the extent that I could not concentrate on my daily schedules and was making mistakes which would normally be not the case.

Movie analysis of Bonnie and Clyde (1967) Essay

Movie analysis of Bonnie and Clyde (1967) - Essay Example In the movie, several filming techniques became exemplified for the success of its production. This report seeks to give an analysis and a review of the film â€Å"Bonnie and Clyde† (1967). It will also give an insight of the filming techniques adopted in the movie. Review Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker’s story inspired a debate. This represented a wide spectrum to most people because their characters trended from stealing, to robbery, to killing and committing crime! The film intended to give a romantic and a comic feeling of the violent gangster films. This couple became historical counterpart to their own struggles, To begin with, Bonnie was a waitress, she was so bored with her job. Clyde stole Bonnie’s mother’s car to try and search for quick money. They lived in Texas and decided to run away with the stolen car outside the town. The duo's crime spree gear up once they hooked up with a gas station attendant, C.W. Moss, then with Clyde's brother and hi s wife, a preacher's daughter and decided to go into robbing. The car was parked parallel to the getaway, within a twinkle of an eye Clyde shot the bank manager directly on the face, robbed the bank and sped off unknowingly. The gang found themselves in a hot pursuit by the law enforcement, which included the Texas Ranger. They finally locate Bonnie, Clyde and C.W. of whom they thought they had escaped, not long before, they were found hiding at the house of Ivan Moss. According to Richard Barsam, an author of â€Å"Looking at Movies† he mentions that the film was formally set in the past rather than the present. For most of us, most of the time, movies are a break from daily obligations; it is a form of escape, entertainment, and pleasure. The use of Motion pictures depicts a lot, coherently it shapes the way we view the world. Apparently, there is much more to movies than to meet the casual eye or ear, for that matter, they seem odd and aberrant to the general society (Bars am 146). Analysis Bonnie and Clyde are not only a well-crafted film by a first-time director it also touches on a number of fundamental cinematic elements. The film shows significant social and environmental issues vital to all Americans at the beginning of a new era. Hope, fear, hatred, dread, humor, guilt, and loathing became eminent in this film by using the best filming techniques bearing in mind significant elements concerning cinema. Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker are lead actors in the film. They play a crucial role by blending in with all the elements. This enables the viewer get the actual essence and better understanding of the film. Camera Movement This film brings about much-needed reform in a nation, but true reform will always require more than Hollywood can offer. Nevertheless, to minimize the power of the mass media to generate sympathy, concerns, and demands for reform are to ignore reality. For that reason alone, it is pertinent to note how the producer of this fil m used camera movement to depict a sense of realism in the film. The film has numerous action scenes and camera movement such as panning which is essential in bringing better acknowledgement of the film. A pan is the horizontal camera movement. When a camera pans, it turns left and right. Panning is normally for a very wide panorama that does not fit with the camera frame. In the first robbery scene of the film, a pan reveals the point of view of lead actors Warren Beatty (Clyde) and Faye Dunaway (Bonnie)