Tuesday, May 26, 2020

What I Learned From My Childhood - 862 Words

My interest in cultures started in my childhood. I was intrigued by the people and customs that were different from my own. I treated this interest as a hobby until I started to attend college when I took an anthropology class. The anthropology class made me realize that I could mold my interests into a career, but I didn’t really know how. What I did know was that I was passionate about my studies and that culture was important, even outside of what my first Anthropology professor called the â€Å"For Your Information Field.†. If there was one thing that I learned from every culturally focused class, it was that the culture a person lives in is a part of them. Our brains are marinated in our culture from the moment that we are born. When I had this realization, it was a natural progression for me to consider the role of culture in pre-college education in the context of the U.S. as a multicultural country and an increasingly globalized world. It is with this in mind th at I pursued a Bachelor’s of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies combining primarily Anthropology and Cultural Studies and wish to pursue a Masters of Teaching to become the best educator I can be. I began working on my Interdisciplinary Studies Degree in Marylhurst University’s undergraduate program with the idea that, together Anthropology and Cultural Studies – themselves interdisciplinary in nature – would complement each other and give me the ability to focus on both the overview of culture as well as theShow MoreRelatedThe Article Gender Role Models896 Words   |  4 Pagesto reflect on my childhood gender roles as well as how I portray my gender roles today. After learning about the socialization theory I realize my parents were traditional towards gender roles and have incorporated multiple theories of human growth and development into my gender development. I have also learned how my gender roles have gradually transformed since I was a child. Therefore, this article has brought to my attention several feelings and thoughts about my past and how I was raised asRead MoreHow Do I Know Who I Am?1572 Words   |  7 Pages How Do I Know Who I Am? From the moment we are born we begin building our perspectives of the world. There are many people who influence those views. Some of those people in our lives that play a major role in how we see the world is our parents, teachers, and people in the media. Our parents or our primary caregivers. They are who we spend the majority of our times with and they generally have the most profound impact on our life. It is important directly from birth to begin identifyingRead MorePhilosophy of Early Childhood Essay854 Words   |  4 PagesA personal philosophy of Early childhood Education My philosophy of Early childhood education is based on research that indicates that a child’s growth is developmental. Every child is unique in terms of life experiences, developmental readiness, and cultural heritage. A high quality early childhood program that provides a safe and nurturing environment, which promotes physical, social, emotional, language and cognitive development will ensure a positive continuation of the child’s educationRead MoreThe Book The Wolves Of The Walls, The Sandm Dream Country, And The Ocean1742 Words   |  7 PagesThroughout the second semester of my first year attending Rogers State University, I learned valuable life lasting lessons, concepts, and morals that will forever change the way that I view the world and the people that make up the cultures and societies in it. Multiple works that I studied and discussed in class consist of works by Neil Gaiman such as The Graveyard Book, The Wolves in the Walls, The Sandman: Dream Country, and The Ocean at the End of the Lane. Another important work that influencedRead MoreEarly Childhood Education1635 Words   |  7 PagesEarly Childhood Education What kinds of activities have you used to provide the YOUNG children (preschool) with whom you have worked with the opportunity to solve problems of different kinds? I use puzzles often. Matching games are also effective. I also use interactive activities that include questions and answers with the students. If we are pretending to be animals, I might ask, what is an animal that begins with a K (I usually use letters that come from the students names). Then I mightRead MoreEthical Implications Of Recognizing That Clients Influence Social Workers968 Words   |  4 Pagesa. Discuss the ethical implications of recognizing that clients influence social workers. At what point does this impact cross ethical boundaries? In what ways can we maintain a professional relationship with clients, yet acknowledge how clients affect us? Clients influence social workers in many ways including both positive and negative ways. This influence can create change within ourselves, challenge us, help us grow, and inspire us in many ways. On the other hand, as social workers we willRead MoreGraduation Speech : My Favorite School1330 Words   |  6 Pages When I look back and think about my childhood; I feel like I had a pretty great one. I was lucky enough that had parents who could afford to send me to a private Christian school K-8th grade. This was a very small school with grades that were combined. This meant that the teacher was always coming up with ideas to make the work applicable to both grades. This was beneficial to me because I have always loved a challenge. If my grade level work was not challenging enough for me, often I would be allowedRead MoreChildren s Learning Within Early Childhood Education1559 Words   |  7 PagesPlay in early childhood education is of great importance in the holistic development of children. Play is hard to define, due to its various presenting means. It must be regarded as an indispensable component of an individual’s development (Saracho, Olivia, Spodek Bernard,1998). Through play, the child interacts with their peers as they explore and participate in different activities. The role of the early childhood teachers is crucial in encouraging and stimulating children’s interest in playRead MoreRandy Pauschs Last Lecture Essay1011 Words   |  5 PagesAchieving Your Childhood Dreams You would think a man dying of cancer would not be so happy and willing to spend the last few months of his life giving a lecture. But, Randy Pausch, who has 10 tumors in his liver, does not want people to pity him for having cancer. Rather, he wants to teach people how to follow their childhood dreams. Looking at the seven elements of communication we see how he is so effective in his last lecture. The lecture has affected me personally by letting me learn from some ofRead MoreThe Pivotal Influences On My Development797 Words   |  4 PagesDuring my middle childhood the pivotal influences on my development were participation in extracurricular activities and a love of reading. During middle childhood my parents enrolled me in ballet classes, various sports, and I competed in rodeos. These activities contributed to my social identity and social development. Through my extracurricular activities, I became aware of multiple aspects of my identity. For example, I knew to behave differently in my ballet classes than I might at a rodeo.

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Conflict Theory - 1217 Words

According to Conflict Theory, society is: †¢ A struggle for dominance among competing social groups (classes, genders, races, religions, etc.). When conflict theorists look at society, they see the social domination of subordinate groups through the power, authority, and coercion of dominant groups. In the conflict view, the most powerful members of dominant groups create the rules for success and opportunity in society, often denying subordinate groups such success and opportunities; this ensures that the powerful continue to monopolize power, privilege, and authority. You should note that most conflict theorists oppose this sort of coercion and favor a more equal social order. Some support a complete socioeconomic revolution†¦show more content†¦Highly-paid positions are not necessarily most important for society, they argue, but keep power in the hands of the privileged and powerful. Applications Education McLeod’s â€Å"Ain’t No Makin’ It† is a good example of conflict theory as applied to education. He argues that teachers treat lower-class kids like less competent students, placing them in lower â€Å"tracks† because they have generally had fewer opportunities to develop language, critical thinking, and social skills prior to entering school than middle and upper class kids. When placed in lower tracks, lower-class kids are trained for blue-collar jobs by an emphasis on obedience and following rules rather than autonomy, higher-order thinking, and self-expression. They point out that while private schools are expensive and generally reserved for the upper classes, public schools, especially those that serve the poor, are underfunded, understaffed, and growing worse. Schools are also powerful agents of socialization that can be used as tools for one group to exert power over others – for example, by demanding that all students learn English , schools are ensuring that English-speakers dominate students from non-English speaking backgrounds. Many conflict theorists argue, however, that schools can do little to reduce inequality without broader changes in society (e.g. creating a broader base of high-paying jobs or equalizing disparities in the tax base of communities).Show MoreRelatedConflict Theory And Social Learning Theory3171 Words   |  13 Pagesfor his family by getting a stable job and being a man that his mother and sister could rely upon. While the incident that occurred at Fruitvale Station could be analyzed from any variety of theories, this paper will examine these events from the lens of Conflict Theory and Social Learning Theory. These theories intertwine in many ways, but they also differ from each other in very important aspects. Fruitvale Station is a cinema depiction of a true story involving the death of Oscar Grant in a trainRead MoreThe Theory Of Culture : A Conflict View1946 Words   |  8 Pa gesbased ‘destructive doomsday’ cult who believed that evil space aliens called ‘Luciferians’ had kept people tied to the human level, and thus incapable of moving to the next level. The theory of culture: a conflict view states â€Å"some of the components of culture should be seen as a product of social tensions. Conflict theorists regard society and culture as being in a constant state of change, much of it caused by tension and competition among different groups. As a result, various groups will createRead MoreDo You Agree with Conflict Theory1126 Words   |  5 Pagesversus someone who is poor. This is what we call Conflict theory. How conflict theory is applied to our everyday lives can be seen through many different ideas brought about by these conflict theorists. Whether or not I agree or disagree with this theory, will be determined by the factors and situations that conflict theory has to show. Karl Marx, a philosopher, journalist, and revolutionary socialist, is considered the father of conflict theory. He pointed out the continuous competition for powerRead MoreConflict Theory Vs. Structural Functionalism978 Words   |  4 PagesConflict Theory vs. Structural Functionalism, this is like a fight between conservative and liberal. Structural Functionalism is a sociological theory that focuses on the structures of society and their functional significance (positive and negative consequences) for other structures (Ritzer, 2013). In another word, Structural Functionalism focuses on hierarchy, high position in the society. The theory is based on the belief that a person who held a high position like doctor or lawyer should getRead MoreConsensus and Conflict Theory Approaches to Combat Sexual Assault1491 Words   |  6 Pagescommunities, there are measures that can be taken to significantly reduce crime in general, but especially sex crimes. Conflict theorists see sex crimes as crimes of opportunity that are preventable if society takes the necessary steps (Sociology Guide.com, 2011). These violent acts depend on perpetrators catching victims alone or in vulnerable situations (Roberts, 1995). Conflict theorists focus on community involvement and education as the primary means to combat these crimes (Sociology Guide.comRead MoreThe Application of Social Conflict Theory to Football Essay example1843 Words   |  8 PagesThe Application of Social Conflict Theory to Football In the book entitled Out of Their League, David Meggyesy describes his life as a football player from high school through his days with the St. Louis Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). Born in 1941, Meggyesy was raised in a low-income household in Solon, Ohio. Like many athletes from impoverished backgrounds, he was able to use the game of football to better himself though both a full scholarship to Syracuse University and financialRead MoreConflict Resolution : Theory And Practice1854 Words   |  8 PagesThis paper explores how addressing vulnerability is one of the key factors in conflict resolution. I conducted my research by using three books: Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brenà © Brown, The Handbook of Conflict Resolution: Theory and Practice by Morton Deutsch, Peter T. Coleman and Eric C. Marcus and Difficult Conversations: How To Discuss What Matters Most by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton and Sheila Heen. Each book differsRead MoreFunctionalism, Conflict Theory, And Symbolic Interactionism1183 Words   |  5 Pagestoday. In this paper I will first explain functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism. Secondly, I will explain the different causes of global poverty. Thirdly, I will collect my own data to explain poverty in one country. Finally, I will identify the idea of ethnocentric and culturally relative. First and foremost, there are three types of theories that can be applied to global poverty which are functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism. To start off with functionalismRead MoreConflict Styles With Face Negotiation Theory1022 Words   |  5 PagesConflict Styles With Face Negotiation Theory Introduction: In many aspects of our life, it is pervasive to work in a team. No matter in company, school, or another type of team it is necessary to be a part of a team and to achieve a team goal by corporations. People join a team with different personalities, goals, values, beliefs and needs. On the one hand, these differences can be a valuable quality of teams. On the other hand, these same differences inevitably lead to different levels of conflictsRead MoreTeam Conflict Development : Team Dynamics Theories1788 Words   |  8 Pagesconduct a literature review of team conflict development, team dynamics theories in support of conflict competence, and provide abilities to effectively diagnose and address conflicts as they arise Introduction on the background of the conflict management One of the major contributors to the study of conflict management is The Thomas–Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKIâ„ ¢). The instrument was created to a developed assist to help organizations in manger conflict. Thomas–Kilmann worked on this project

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Marketing Management and Strategy for Gourmet Food of Chinese

Question: Discuss about theMarketing Management and Strategyfor Gourmet Food of Chinese. Answer: Literature Review Din Tai Fung is an international restaurant which has founded by Bing Yi Yang in Taiwan in 1972 which provides quality Gourmet Food of Chinese. The first Franchise branch of the company was established in Japan in the year 1996. Now it is a top customer service provider in Singapore and international market. Now the company is expanding into worldwide market segmentation such as Mainland China, Hong Kong, Australia, Japan, Indonesia, Macau, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, South Korea, the United States, Dubai and Thailand. It has best supply chain in the market segmentation by which the company is spreading across the country. The company maintains the strategy of marketing mix to reach business at growth point into worldwide market segmentation. It plays an important role as an organizational behavior within the country. The company also follows the strategy of Segmentation, Target and Positioning which is formerly known as STP strategy in the market. The company follows vario us marketing mix and strategies which are discussed in the report separately (Lee, 2015). People strategy and Metrics: People are the main ingredient for the company products because without some genuine customers, company cannot get success into worldwide market segmentation. The price of products are not so high for this, the company gets more people for its product across the country. The company produces all Chinese fast food which people like most within the whole country. Some people are also involved with the company as a retail basis. The company sells more goods to retailer at some lower price because in retail business, the companys products are sold in large quantity. It is necessary for the company to become more specific, well defined and concentrated in accordance with the retail business (Triplat 2014). Process strategy and Metrics: Now Din Tai Fung is trying to produce its new product Frozen Soup Dumpling (XiaoLongbao) across the country and also trying to expand business into worldwide market segmentation. The company maintains specific and well running process to spread its business within the whole market segmentation. The company is taking some fundamental steps to produce new specific products into halal market. The product of the company includes both vegetables and non-vegetables items. For this, the company is trying to maintain its strategy of process by which it can produce goods into halal market within the country (Schuh, 2014). Now the company is running via online too. It is doing business through internet because nowadays, use of the internet is very common and most of the people like online services. Internet process is the new strategy of the company. In addition, it is trying to produce new product via online into halal market segmentation (Chevreux Plaizier, 201 4). Physical evidence and Metrics: DTF has founded in 1972 and now it has 21 restaurants only in Singapore. Physically the company is growing well across the country. For this, it is trying to produce new products and wants to expand this into halal market. The companys product is running well into current market and well as target market segmentation. The concept of new product may profitable for the company because most of the people will like the product Frozen Soup Dumpling (Yu Tse, 2012). The company is trying to produce goods by some legal factors which people can buy easily from the market. In order to expend new products into halal market, the company has to produce goods by taking some fundamental steps such as non-vegetables goods are must be made by some legal manner. If DTF does that, it can easily produce its new products into current target market segmentation. The companys physical evidence may increase if the production process will increase within the country (Chen, 201 3). Service Marketing Literature review: DTF provides good and genuine services to customers across the country. Services are very fast of the company because it is a restaurant where transaction takes place as daily basis. The companys main branch is in Taiwan but it is providing services within the whole countries. The company maintains the strategy of services and sales management across the country which helps the company to launch a new product such as Frozen Soup Dumpling. In order to launch this type of new product, DTF needs to maintain its prices, sales target, sales channels and sales promotion (Peng Chen, 2015). Issues Related to Services Marketing In order to launch a new product in the market, the company is making some fundamental strategies and also trying to expand its business into halal market. However, it is facing some critical issues in the service marketing segmentation such as issue of sales management and target market segmentation. The company is facing issue of sales management in the country in order to launch a new food product across the country. The issue arises in setting and objectives of new product which is going be to launch in the market and tries to expand this product into halal market. There is a lack of recruitment training and selection in the company. In order to launch the new such product, the company has to maintain its development and training program across the country. Every market of Singapore is not same in nature. For this there is an issue of target market. As the company is launching the new product that is Frozen Soup Dumpling and tries to expand this product into halal market, it has been found that all markets of the country are not same according to their transaction method. Different market places have different demand of products. For this, target market is another issue of service marketing of DTF (Wirtz Lovelock, 2016). Marketing Relationship and related Issue: As the company is growing internationally within the whole countries, it is maintaining worldwide relationship with consumers and retailer across the country. The company is running consistently and now it is going to produce new product and also want to expand this into halal market segmentation. It has a best relationship with marketers and retailers across the country (Chan Chew, 2014). The Companys products are running well into worldwide market segmentation. However, the company is facing some issue of marketing relationship because of launching of new product. Though it is profitable to produce new food product across the country, yet the company cannot maintain proper relationship with its current marketers because of new products launch (Bastian, 2014). Internal Marketing: It is one of the basic methods to promote the companys product within Singapore and outside country. The company has 21 restaurants only in Singapore and all branches have different marketing growth because the customers are not same in all branches. The concept of internal marketing is very beneficial for the company because most of the people buy companys product online. For this, it is making more profit by producing such type of goods (Martin Billy, 2015). Social or Ethical Marketing: The company is producing new product Frozen Soup Dumpling and trying to expand it into halal market segmentation. People and society are inter-relates terms because products are sold by the societys people. DTF plays a vital role in the ethical marketing because people are buying the companys product as daily basis. The company has changed some technical skills of production by which ethically people are involved more and buying the companys product at a great quantity across the country. If the company runs consistently, it may easy to expand its new product into current market segmentation (Gounaris, 2014). Task- 3 Issue of Customers Engagement The Idea of launching the new food product is some major issue for the company because it does not know about the people choice in the country. Though the company is running well in Singapore as well as outside country, it is not compulsory that the companys new product will also run consistently. For this, the company is trying to expand its business into halal market where all types of people come to buy the companys product. More customers are involved with the companys services either directly or through online servicing. However, the issue arises when customers are not getting the product as per their choices (French, 2017). Interpretation of the New Product The company is producing the new product such as Frozen Soup Dumplings which is going to launch to make more profit across the country. The company is trying to expand its business into halal market segmentation. The company has to think about the existing products in order to make leverage of new product across the country. It must have to associate its brand to some online users and makes some diversification to produce new goods in the market. The company also offers an alternative channels to the consumer who are not longer available with the company due to insufficient capacity within the country (Wedel Kamakura, 2012). Marketing Strategy and Issue at New Product of DTF It is a good concept for the company to produce a new product for customers and it is now trying to spreads that product into halal marketing segmentation. This new product shows both positive and negative effect in the marketing strategy (Zhang Liu, 2014). The company may earn more profit by producing this type of product but some customers are not willing to buy this type of product. As the company has best supply chain in the market of Singapore and outside country, every people do not like such product because they prefer some different varieties. The concept of halal variety takes new customers which indicate the companys success into worldwide. It cannot maintain proper relationship with marketers (Xue, 2014). Customers Engagement Proposal in Relation to STP Strategies The company produces food product and most of the people are engaged with the companys product because it is a restaurant where transactions are done as daily basis. Nowadays, the company has found much growth. For this, it has made an idea to produce new product in the current market segmentation. The product of the company includes both vegetables and non-vegetables items. For this, the company is trying to maintain its strategy by promoting business into halal market by which it can produce goods into halal market within the country. The company also follows the strategy of Segmentation, Target and Positioning which is formerly known as STP strategy in the market (Schuh, 2014). Segmentation: The Company must produce goods as per peoples availability and according to their age and lifestyle. It must see the sensitivity of price and attitude of customers towards food. The company must see the production place to get more customers by the food consumption location across the country. The company must see the customers attitude towards food packages within Singapore market and across the countries (Tuominen, 2016). Target: The Company targets the age group of people by which it can make production according to peoples choice. The company also targets to produce goods for busy people who are working and appreciating the gourmet food. It thinks for online customers (Kuuru, 2016). Positioning: Product positioning is an important element to reach business at success point. The company makes comparison of products with the help of product positioning. It indicates the working performance of the company in Singapore market. Now the company has idea to produce new product. This idea may succeed if it maintains proper positioning across the country. The company has to do product positioning into halal market to get more customers for its products (Farris, Bendle Pfeifer, 2015). Figure 1: Positioning of Product Source: (www.dintaifung.com.sg) Marketing Metrics There are some methods to measure the performance of marketing metrics of DTF. The company must follow the marketing guidelines to produce the new product and expand business into halal market segmentation (Farris, 2015). According to Keller, the company promotes for brand equity in the marketing metrics to get more customers. The growth of business depends on the production because if production is not good, it is not better for the company to launch the new product in the market of Singapore. In order to make business profitable, the company needs to maintain marketing metrics across the country. It has been evaluated that the company is expanding its business into halal market of Singapore to fulfill this successful idea of new product (Reibstein, 2015). Recommendation and Conclusion From the above discussion it has been recommended that DTF is having idea of launching new product Frozen Soup Dumpling in the market of Singapore. For this it is trying to expand its business into halal market of Singapore. In order to expend new products into halal market, the company has to produce goods by taking some fundamental steps such as non-vegetables goods are must be made by some legal manner. If DTF does that, it can easily produce its new products into current strategy of market segmentation. References Chevreux, L., Plaizier, W., Schuh, C., Brown, W., Triplat, A. (2014). Case Study 3: Din Tai Fung. InCorporate Plasticity(pp. 145-148). Apress. Lee, J. H. (2015). Chinese Restauarants in the united States.Chinese Americans: The History and Culture of a People: The History and Culture of a People, 183. Chen, K. W. K. (2013).Korean restaurant business plan in Taiwan(Doctoral dissertation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology). Yu, F. L. T., Tse, P. W. P. (2012). Right Time, Right Place, and Right People and Chinese Entrepreneurship: A Case Study of Taiwan's Din Tai Fung Dumpling House.Frontiers of Business Research in China,6(1), 96-119. Peng, N., Chen, A. H. (2015). Diners loyalty toward luxury restaurants: the moderating role of product knowledge.Marketing Intelligence Planning,33(2), 179-196. Wirtz, J., Lovelock, C. (2016). Services marketing: people, technology, strategy. Whitton, C., Ma, Y., Bastian, A. C., Chan, M. F., Chew, L. (2014). Fast-food consumers in Singapore: demographic profile, diet quality and weight status.Public health nutrition,17(08), 1805-1813. To, W. M., Martin, E. F., Billy, T. W. (2015). Effect of management commitment to internal marketing on employee work attitude.International Journal of Hospitality Management,45, 14-21. Boukis, A., Gounaris, S. (2014, July). Knowledge Management Strategies And Internal Dynamics As Key Determinants Of Resource Optimization And Decision-Making Quality During NSD. In2014 Global Marketing Conference at Singapore(pp. 41-53). Wedel, M., Kamakura, W. A. (2012).Market segmentation: Conceptual and methodological foundations(Vol. 8). Springer Science Business Media. Yang, W. S., Liang, G. S., Ding, J. F. (2013). Identifying solutions for adding service value to international port logistics centers in Taiwan.Maritime Economics Logistics,15(4), 395-415. French, J. (2017). The Importance of Segmentation in Social Marketing Strategy. InSegmentation in Social Marketing(pp. 25-40). Springer Singapore. Zhang, Q., Liu, S., Liu, R., Xue, H., Wang, Y. (2014). Food policy approaches to obesity prevention: An international perspective.Current obesity reports,3(2), 171-182. Kuuru, T. K., Tuominen, P. (2016). Creating a conceptual framework for corporate brand positioning. InBusiness Challenges in the Changing Economic Landscape-Vol. 2(pp. 177-195). Springer International Publishing. Farris, P., Bendle, N., Pfeifer, P. E., Reibstein, D. J. (2015).Marketing Metrics: The Manager's Guide to Measuring Marketing Performance. FT Press. Kwon, J., Wirtz, J., Keng, K. A., Jiuan, T. S. (2015). The Seven Faces of Singapore-Initial Findings from a Large-scale Representative Life Style Study. InProceedings of the 1997 World Marketing Congress(pp. 438-440). Springer International Publishing.

Wednesday, March 11, 2020

The 11 Best SAT Books Recommended for SAT Prep

The 11 Best SAT Books Recommended for SAT Prep SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips With so many SAT prep books to choose from, how can you tell the good ones from the bad ones? Well, not to worry because we've evaluated SAT books for you! This fully updated guide gives you our recommendations for the top 11 SAT preparation books to help you achieve the scores you want. To best outline the differences, I've divided the books into four main sections: Best Overall SAT Prep Book Best Traditional SAT Prep Books for Instruction, Strategy, and Practice Questions Best Books for SAT Math Best Books for SAT Reading and Writing Before jumping into our SAT book recommendations, though, allow me to give you a word about myperspective. Disclaimer: Why Am I Recommending SAT Books? You're probably wondering why PrepScholar, known for its online SAT prep program, is going old school and recommending an SAT book list. As SAT experts who have made it our mission to understand the test and help students succeed, we are dedicated to providing you with the best resources to achieve both your academic and personal goals. If you're self-motivated and prefer using SAT books in your prep, then they can be a great way to learn content, practice strategies, and try out sample questions. That being said, all the SAT prep books recommended below have strengths and weaknesses. Several of them seem as if they were rushed to publication, while others unfortunately don't offer the same level of quality that they did in previous versions. I believe PrepScholar has managed to integrate the best parts of these books into its online prep program while adding the helpful element of accountability. We help you plan out and stick to your study schedule, keep track of your progress, and hone the specific skills and practice problem types you need most in order to improve your scores. With prep books, you can try to customize your study plan to your specific needs too- but with PrepScholar, we do all that heavy lifting for you. Plus, considering the huge gains you can get from it, it's much more cost effective than buying all these books! Since we're not necessarily benefiting from these SAT book recommendations, you can trust that our advice is neutral, objective, and based onboth our andstudents' real experiences with these SAT preparation books. Now that we've got all that out of the way, let's move on to our list of SAT books. Because the best representation of SAT questions always come from the test makers themselves, I'll be starting this list with the College Board's Official SAT Study Guide. The College Board's Official SAT Study Guide, 2018 Edition Price: $15-$20 on Amazon In past years, I told students that the College Board’s SAT guide was the number one, critical book they had to have in their study arsenal. Now, I’m saying pretty much the opposite- don’t bother! Why? Because you can find all of its material for free online. In a helpful move, the College Board has asserted its commitment to transparency by providing free online SAT practice materials (they’re also strongly promoting their partnership with Khan Academy, which offers useful video explanations to go along with official SAT questions). Some students and educators were disappointed to buy The Official Study Guide book only to find that its practice tests were the same exact ones offered online. So does this book offer anything beyond SAT practice tests? It does dedicate a bunch ofpages to explaining the test structure, basic strategies, and answer explanations. Since you can find the majority of this info online, though, I don't recommend buying the official guide unless you really want all the material printed out for you. If you have access to a printer and a working internet connection, I’d say to take advantage of the free online material and learn about the SAT that way. The total number of tests is stilllimited, so you might space out these SAT practice tests throughout your prep as a way to gauge your progress and determine what concepts you need to study most. In-between these tests, you can supplement with questions from other books on this list. Read on for the pros and cons of the best overall SAT prep book, along with the best books by SAT section. Best Overall SAT Prep Book: Kallis' SAT Pattern Strategy Price: About $30 on Amazon Students and educators alike have reported having great experiences withKallis’ Redesigned SAT Pattern Strategybook. This book providessix full-length practice tests,addingup to around 24 hours of practice testing. Pros The SAT questions are generally realistic and closely mimic official test questions. Kallis goes beyond the official guide's simple explanations to give step-by-step answer explanations for each question. These in-depth descriptions help you understand any mistakes and fix them for next time- a key strategy forimproving your scores. The book discusses 101 topics you’ll find on the SAT and offers a clear, focused presentation of fundamental concepts in grammar, literature, and math.Beyond content review, this book gives some analysis ofthe various question types, allowing you to take a more strategic approach to your prep. Kallis goes over the structure, format, and topics covered on the SAT in detail, so you’ll have a strong grasp of logistics before test day. This review will save you time in having to read any instructions and pace yourself since you’ll know exactly what to expect on the SAT. Cons While this book does a good job providing realistic practice questions and content review, it’s less helpful for learning keySAT strategies, such as time management and the process of elimination. Because this book emphasizes a "learning by doing" approach, it doesn't spend a lot of time going over mindset and critical test-taking strategies. This book is relatively expensive at around $30 on Amazon. It requires a lot of independence and self-discipline. You’ll need to take responsibility for dividing up the material in the most effective way and designing and sticking to a productive study plan. While the practice questions are there, it’s up to you to put in the work and make the most out of them. Best Traditional SAT Prep Books for Instruction, Strategy, and Practice Questions The following SAT prep books are of decent quality but have some serious weaknesses as well. The following four books are the best currently availablefor content review and practice problems. Let's go over the pros and cons of each. SAT Prep Black Book, 2nd Edition Price:$20-$25 on Amazon I highly recommendSAT Prep Black Bookfor itsinsightful strategies and test advice.The SAT Black Book, as it's called, was written by Mike Barrett, who's taken the time to understand the test inside and out. In it, he goes over the different types of questions and introduces critical tips, such as how to recognize tricky wording and"distractor" answer choices. Pros This book is excellent for students who want to learn about the structure, format, and tricks of the SAT, and for those who want togain practical strategies when it comes to answering questions and saving time. It can be useful for students of all levels,since Barrettcustomizes his advice depending on your target score. It providesthorough answer explanations for questions on the first four official SAT practice tests. Where the College Board fails to walk you through the steps of a practice problem or explain why other answer choices are incorrect, this book guides you through each question on each practice test in detail. It can help change your mindset when actually taking the SAT. You can incorporate the book's explanations and strategies into your own approach so that you're more confident when answering each question type.While the Black Book is great for strategy, though, it's less helpful for studying concepts. Cons It doesn't have any of its own SAT practice questions. Instead, the book must be used in conjunction with the official SAT practice tests. It refers directly to official SAT questions and gives thorough explanations, especially for the hardest questions. The Black Book focuses on strategy and understanding the SAT, so it's not the strongest resource for reviewing concepts and content. If you're looking to completely relearn sentence parallelism or linear functions,for instance, you'd need an additional resource. Although I find this book to be written in a pretty engaging style, this is entirely a matter of opinion;in other words,Barrett's explanation style and test strategies might not work for everyone. McGraw-Hill Education SAT 2019 Price:$10-$15 on Amazon If you’re looking for an informative overview of the structure and content of the SAT, then McGraw-Hill Education SAT 2019is a decent choice. At more than 750 pages long, this massive bookgoes over the SAT in great detail, from the number of questions to the time limits on each section, so you can know exactly what to expect on test day. Pros It containsfive full-length SAT practice tests,including one diagnostic test. These are all fairly realistic and include thorough answer explanations for each question. The book's practice questions are realistic and resemble official questions. Specifically, the Math questions feature real-world scenarios you'd likely see on the SAT, with problems revolving around topics such as temperature and selling tickets for a performance. The book isextremely strong in its presentation of SAT Math concepts. It breaks down all the major topics in detail, from expressions and linear systems to less commonly tested ideas such as geometry, basic trig, and complex numbers. It gives you helpful guidance when it comes to mapping out your SAT study plan.Similar to our own SAT prep program, this book suggests beginning your prep with a diagnostic SAT practice test and using it to shape your study plan. It also offers some crucial strategies, such as improving your calculator fluency so you know when it'll be useful and when it'll just slow you down Cons It's weak inreviewing Reading and Writing. While the book goes over the Math section in detail, its presentation of the two verbal sections is more limited and even a little unusual. Its review of the sections ismore conceptual and experimental than it is specific to the SAT. For instance, the book features chapters with titles like "Language of Truth, Truthfulness, and Beauty" and the "Language of Dissent, Criticism, and Rebellion." While these sections might sound interesting to book lovers, they aren’t really relevant to the SAT- a feature I consider critical when prepping for this unique, idiosyncratic test. Barron's SAT, 29th Edition Price:$20-$25 on Amazon Barron's SAT, 29th Editionis another thorough prep book that offers ample content review, sample questions, and SAT practice tests. Pros The book containsfour full-length practice tests, in addition to access totwo more full-length online practice tests.This gives you tons of opportunities to practice. It offers a diagnostic test, a helpful tool to familiarize you with the SAT, get you into a testing mindset, and help you note any weaknesses you'll need to address moving forward. Barron’s is very comprehensive and covers most of the topics you need to know for the SAT. Because of its dense format, it’s typically more effective for high scorers who can engage quickly with the content and maintainfocus throughout. If you can divide up and scaffold the material in a manageable way, there's no doubt you'll gain some valuable practice with this SAT prep book. Cons Barron’s has been criticized for recycling practice questions from its old booksrather than creating new SAT content, and this problem remains in this edition as well. Simply reusing old questions won’t give you a realistic sense of the question types and concepts on the SAT. This book appears especially guilty of this in its math sections, where it alsolacks sufficient focus on algebra- a major component of the test. Some of the questions are overly confusing and have complicated wording.By contrast, real SAT test questions call for in-depth reasoning skills while using relatively straightforward wording. Therefore, the questions you’ll get in Barron's, while helpful, might ultimately be too hard and not as useful as they could be for your test prep. The Princeton Review's Cracking the SAT, 2019 Edition Price:About $15 on Amazon (and $20-$25 for premium edition) Similar to Barron's, The Princeton Review's Cracking the SAT, 2019 Edition prep book provides a comprehensive review of the SAT,covering concepts you need to know, such as grammar rules and algebraic functions, along with strategies for approaching the test questions and managing your time. Pros It containsfour full-length practice tests and one additional practice testyou can access online (or, if you get the premium version, you'll have access to three more online, giving you a total of eight practice tests!). The book offersthorough answer explanationsfor practice questions, which help you think about how you can approach similar questions in the future and on test day. There's an online component that helps you score your practice tests. Cons The Princeton Review shares one of Barron’s biggest drawbacks:some of its questions have overly elaboratewording and therefore don’t match the straightforward style of official SAT questions that well. While the practice tests are helpful, they're not the best representation of SAT questions. Some of the book's content review and questions are too conceptually easy.While Barron's might be better for especially motivated students aiming for top scores, this book is probably more appropriate for students scoring around or below 600 on a test section. Don't expect to have this book help you score much beyond this range. It doesn’t break each content area down into as many subtopics as it could, so there's a lack of detail when it comes to certain subject areas. Its style might not be for everyone. This book is a big, traditional test SAT prep book with a straightforward approach. While some students might appreciate or prefer this, others might find it boring and dull. All the SAT prep books mentioned above have both strengths and weaknesses. Combined, though, they provide relatively comprehensive prep in all major areas: practice questions, content review, and strategies. If you're looking to focus even more on a particular SAT section, you'll likely benefit from a subject-specific SAT prep book. The following books are my top recommendations for SAT Math, Reading, and Writing. Unlike his couches, this frogprefers his SAT prep one section at a time. Best Books for SAT Math Books that focus on a single SAT subject oftenprovide especially in-depth prep. Plus, they can be easier to approach than the huge comprehensive test prep books. If you need more prep in one section than the others or are taking advantage of your colleges' superscoring policiesby building up your SAT scores one section at a time, then these books could be great resources. We'll start with myrecommendations for Math prep books, starting with Dr. Steve Warner's500 New SAT Math Problems. Dr. Steve Warner's 500 New SAT Math Problems Price:About $35 on Amazon Dr. Steve Warner's500 New SAT Math Problemsis his most recent in SAT Math preparation.He discusses each area on the test: Heart of Algebra, Passport to Advanced Math, Problem Solving and Data Analysis, and Geometry and Complex Numbers (the College Board calls this last topic Additional Topics). Pros Just like with his last series, Dr. Warner offers comprehensive and clear content review and instruction. This book helpfully arranges SAT math concepts by difficulty, with the easiest being Level 1 and the most advanced being Level 5. This organization ensures that math problems from all the different content areas are integrated; it also allows you to focus on certain chapters depending on your own level. Students already scoring in the 700s, for instance, will benefit the most from studying Level 4 and 5 concepts and problems. Each lesson in this book is carefully crafted, and practice problems are realistic, helping to reinforce your understanding. Answer explanations are clear and go oversome different approaches you can take when solving a problem. As mentioned above, these kinds of multifaceted explanations appeal to different kinds of learners and allow you to carefully understand your mistakes and fix them for next time. Cons While it’s perhaps unfair to compare this book with its predecessors (which focused on the old version of the SAT), I can’t help but find ita little limited.The book could be a better resource if itbroke down each content area into smaller, more specific subtopics. Dr. Jang's SAT 800 Math Workbook for the New SAT, 2018 Edition Price:About $25 on Amazon At more than 400 pages long, Dr. Jang's SAT 800 Math Workbook for the New SAT, 2018 Editionis a great (and hefty) math prep book to add to your SAT book collection. Pros By far, this book's most impressive strength is its sheer number of math practice problems- more than 1,500 of them!It definitely allows for a "learning by doing" approach, as you can time yourself and answer practice questions for days on end. Question types are arranged by difficulty level, so you can break them up and customize your math practice depending on your needs. You might start with Dr. Jang’s diagnostic test and then space out the book’s 10 sample tests as you prep. Dr. Jang’s SAT math problems are generallyrealistic examples of what you’ll see on the SAT. The book emphasizes algebra, includes basic trigonometry, and divides questions into non-calculator and calculator sections (just like the actual SAT does). It also offers a strong representation of the concepts, format, and rules you’ll encounter on the SAT Math section. Cons This bookis like the flipped version of Dr. Warner’s book above- lots of practice problems but not a ton of content review. For more instruction, as well as strategies and detailed explanations, you'll need to supplement this workbook with another resource. It has some occasional typos, which can detract from your prep. It doesn't include manytest-taking strategies, such astime management. This book has lots of practice problems that appeal to students of all levels, but it’s probably not sufficient on its own to prep you for all aspects of SAT Math. PWN The SAT: Math Guide, 4th Edition Price:$25-$30 on Amazon PWN the SATtargets high-achieving, motivated studentswho areaiming for a top score in SAT Math.The book contains five main sections:Techniques, Heart of Algebra, Passport to Advanced Math, Problem Solving and Data Analysis, and Additional Topics in Math. Each category is broken down into its component concepts to teach you the fundamentals tested on SAT Math. Pros The book is written in an engaging, irreverent style,which can help students stay engaged with the material. It has realistic practice math problems, both Calculator and No Calculator,to help you get ready for both question types. Each chapter also provides a list of official questions of a certain type to help you drill specific skills. You can register on the PWN SAT website to get bonus material andwatch video answer explanations that walk you step by step through the practice problems. Cons Its target audience is limited.While this book will help top scorers with strong math skills, it won't be as accessible to students who struggle with math. If you want to focus on gaining foundational knowledge, PWN the SAT isn't the book for you. Although there are works by several differentauthorsto choose from to maximize your SAT Math score, I just have one author recommendation to boost your SATReading and Writing score: Erica Meltzer. Quick coffee break, and then it's on to SAT Reading and Writing. Best Books for SATReading and Writing If you're looking to brush up your reading comprehension skills or knowledge of grammar rules, I recommend Erica Meltzer's books on the Reading and Writing sections of the SAT. The Critical Reader: The Complete Guide to SAT Reading, 3rdEdition Price:$30-$35 on Amazon While studying for the SAT Reading section might seem hard to break down into specific parts, Erica Meltzer'sComplete Guide to SAT Readingdoes a good joboutlining the skills you'll need. Pros It offershelpful strategies for answering questions. While your English class might leave more room for subjective interpretation, the SAT Reading section does not. This book helps you locate the one unambiguously correct answer on reading comprehension questions. In addition to time management and reading comprehension techniques, this book teaches you how to locate and identify key information both quickly and efficiently. It provides useful strategies for approaching paired supporting evidence and data interpretation questions, many of which require you to read tables or graphs. It has a list of common, multiple-meaning words with their various definitions alongside strategies for how to use context clues to uncover the meanings of words and phrases. This book discusses question type so you can gain a better sense of what kinds of questions appear on Reading, such as main point, interpretation of detail, and vocabulary in context. It's full of high-quality questions and passages that resemble what you'll see on the SAT,including passages from US/world literature, history/social studies, and science. It also incorporates questions from the College Board and Khan Academy so you can match up concepts with relevant official sample questions. Cons Not all students are fans of the overall layout and formatting of the book,which has small, crowded font and isn't very creative or engaging. The writing style is all to the point. Some people appreciate this for its directness; other students find it dry. You can learn more about it at Meltzer's blog, The Critical Reader, and see how it suits you. It's a relatively expensive bookconsidering it only covers one section ofthe SAT. The Critical Reader: The Ultimate Guide to SAT Grammar, 4th Edition Price:About $30 on Amazon Erica Meltzer's Ultimate Guide to SAT Grammarclearly articulates the important grammar rules you'll need to know for the SAT Writing section and does a fantastic job getting you used to how the section will look and what kinds of questions you'll be asked on test day. Pros The questions are realistic and resemble those on the SAT Writing section. Like questions on the SAT, they are all connected to the context of a longer passage. Itbreaks down critical skills and grammar rules so you can study them individually. By learning the rules of grammar and usage, you'll be able to apply them to practice problems. Rather than just choosing an answer that sounds right, Meltzer's book will teach you all the rules you absolutely must know to get a good SAT Writing score. Cons While this book is helpful in the way it breaks the section down by skill and grammar rule, the questions on the real SATwill be in random order. This resource is useful for learning and drilling the rules, but you also want to take practice tests to make sure you can easily identify the grammar rule, even when it's not clearly laid out and labeled for you. There isn't a frequency guide, so it's hard to know which rules to prioritize over others. It's written in a similar style to her SAT Reading book, which some students might find dry. Like Meltzer's SAT Reading book, it's somewhat costly at around $30. This concludes our list of the best SAT prep books. Now, since this guide is meant to help you streamline your studying,let's discuss how you can best use these books to prep for the SAT and achieve your target scores. Key Tips for Studying With SAT Prep Books There are a lot of options when it comes to studying for the SAT from books. Rather than reading them cover to cover, you would be better served coming up with a plan and breaking each book down into smaller, manageable goals. I recommend using an official College Board practice testto give yourself a pre-testandgain a sense of your starting level, or baseline score. Use its answer key to score it and then analyze your results to determine what areas of the test you need to focus on in your prep. You could also save one of the tests to take right before you take the official SAT so you can gain a sense of how much you've improved. As mentioned, the other tests could be used as benchmarks along the way to gauge your progress and re-adjust your study plan if needed. A comprehensive book such as Kallis' or Barron's could be used alongside a subject-specific book, such as Steve Warner's Math book and Erica Meltzer's Reading and Writing guides. Depending on your goals and needs, you candecide how much time to devote to each subject to get the most out of your studying. There's a lot of room here to customize your study plan to your own strengths, weaknesses, and goals. This requires a good deal of planning and self-discipline to actually stick to your plan. You'll also benefit from reflecting on what works best for you in terms of maintaining interest, retaining information, and staying organized. If this sounds like a lot of "study prep" before you even get to your test prep, you might benefit from exploring SAT prep options beyond using an SAT book list. Time to explore! Final Tip: Explore Your SAT Prep Options The SAT is a unique test. Doing well in math and English class doesn't necessarily guarantee you a high score on SAT Math or Reading. Prep is a critical component of getting a high score for most students,which the College Board is finally acknowledgingwith its efforts to provide free online practice materials. Since youprobably don't have time to waste, you want to make the most of your prep time. If you're taking time out of your schedule to study, you should see results. PrepScholar's online SAT program was developed with these goals in mind. It retains the quality of content review, practical strategies, and SAT practice questions while adding those elements of accountability and customization. It also ensures you're getting the most out of your prep and aren't wasting time on material you already know or that won't help you on the SAT. With that same goal in mind, we've made available a number of in-depth strategy guides for the SAT, which we're adding to all the time. Here are some of our most popular guides: How to Get a Perfect 1600 SAT Score, by a 2400 Expert Full Scorer How to Get 800 on SAT Reading: 11 Strategies by a Perfect Scorer How to Get 800 on SAT Writing: 9 Strategies From a Perfect Scorer How to Get 800 on SAT Math, by a Perfect Scorer How Long Should I Study for the SAT? 6-Step Guide Should You Guess on the SAT? 6 Guessing Strategies The 21 Critical SAT Math Formulas You MUST Know The Complete Guide to SAT Grammar Rules SAT EssayPrompts: The Complete List The Best Way to Review Your Mistakes for the SAT The recommended SAT prep books can be very useful in getting you ready, but they can also feel overwhelming and repetitive,not to mention expensive. Take the time to explore your optionswhile also learning about the SAT from high-quality online resourcesand our detailed guides. If you're putting in the time to prep for the SAT, make sure that you'reseeing results and enjoying the process along the way! What's Next? Before delving into content and strategies, you should familiarize yourself with exactly what's on the SAT. Learn all about theReading, Writing, and Math sections in our individual guides. Also, read ourcomplete guide to the SATto learn more about the test overall. An important part of your study schedule is knowing exactly when you plan to take the SAT. Read all about how to choose your test dates. Did you know a lot of colleges superscore the SAT, meaning they take your highest section scores across all dates? Learn how you can use this policy to your advantage and build up your scores across different test dates. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points?We have the industry's leading SAT prep program. Built by Harvard grads and SAT full scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so you get the most effective prep possible. Check out our 5-day free trial today:

Monday, February 24, 2020

The rise of Al Qaeda, religious militancy and terrorism Essay

The rise of Al Qaeda, religious militancy and terrorism - Essay Example According to Marshall McLuhan, one of the pillars of mass media theory, â€Å"without communication, terrorism would not exist.† Certainly, terrorism existed well before mass media; but the latter definitely gave the former a great advantage. Before, terrorism is limited to the area that goons, thugs or soldiers can reach. Today, one can just create a newsworthy event and the scope of exposure is limitless. This was what bin Laden and al-Qaeda exploited. He saw that mass media can be used â€Å"to get attention, to gain recognition, and even to obtain a certain degree of respect and legitimacy†. It can be said that al-Qaeda’s rise to power were determined by how bin Laden used the media to get his message across to the world. He knew that his organization needed an international audience to gain legitimacy; because without it, he would not be able to get funding and recruitment would be more difficult to accomplish. With malicious precision in manipulating the me dia, bin Laden was able to propel al-Qaeda as an organization that the world needs to take seriously. Hoffman states that terrorists, as exemplified by bin Laden, aims to dominate and control by sending a message of fear—and there is no better way to instill fear to the masses than through the media. Bin Laden recognized that when the masses are afraid for their lives, it propagates uncertainty and chaos, not only to a large population, but more importantly, to the nations’ democratic leaders.... 5). Hoffman (as cited in Fiore, 2011, p. 27) states that terrorists, as exemplified by bin Laden, aims to dominate and control by sending a message of fear—and there is no better way to instill fear to the masses than through the media. But why instill fear? Bin Laden recognized that when the masses are afraid for their lives, it propagates uncertainty and chaos, not only to a large population, but more importantly, to the nations’ democratic leaders (p. 27; Soriano, 2008, p. 2). â€Å"This instability can prompt people, and even governments, to think and react differently than they would have otherwise,† making them lean towards making decisions that would favor al-Qaeda (p. 27). Aside from exploiting this strategy, al-Qaeda also became infamous for making good on their threats and doing it in a visual manner that would gain the most attention and implant the most fear and hatred. The organization’s attacks were powerful in that it was grand yet personal, vast yet meaningful. This can perfectly be seen in the 9/11 attacks, in which the entire world was treated to a visual overload of exploding buildings—the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, no less—planes crashing, and hundreds of people dying or jumping to their deaths. Every channel for the next few days—and even years—broadcasted the attacks. The attacks were large-scale, in a country considered to be a world power, against a building that is a symbol of international collaboration, and they came at a time the world least expected them. The attention al-Qaeda got was monumental. If people were not aware of the existence of al-Qaeda, they sure were made aware on the morning of September 11, 2001. And the message was clear and powerful.