history of basketball

history of basketball Free Online Research Papers The beginning of basketball is believed to have started during Aztec times. Modern basketball as we know it began in 1891 by the creator Dr. James Naismith at a YMCA in Springfield, Massachusetts. He developed the game for the football and lacrosse players to play during the winter with rules that had little physical contact. At first there were nine players on each team with a goalkeeper, two guards, three centers, two wings, and a home man. Initially soccer balls were used for the games. Dr. James Naismith also created the basketball, which at first had laces like a football. In the year 1892 Lew Allen made a cylinder with heavily woven wire to replace the old basketball rims which were peach baskets. Three years after the new rim was made they installed backboards to prevent fans from interfering with play. The first professional league, The National Basketball League, was formed with six teams in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. From the years 1908 to 1923 three new rules were put into place. The dribbler is allowed to shoot the ball. Players are allowed to leave and re-enter the game. The person fouled has to take the foul shot eliminating the designated foul shooter. The second professional league came in to play the American Basketball League(ABL), but it disbanded six years after it started but reformed two years later. Over those six years both leagues made double dribble illegal. That is dribbling, picking the ball up with two hands and dribbling again. A year after the ABL disbanded they added a half court line and a 10 second rule to prevent stalling during the game. In 1939 the backboard got moved. Originally. it hung two feet into the court and was moved to four feet into the court. This was done to add more movement under and behind the backboard. In 1945 there were many rules and regulations added, such as, defensive goaltending was banned. Players are now allowed five fouls before fouling out, it previously was four. The Basketball Association of America (BAA) was formed in1946 and than in 1949 it merged with the National Basketball League to form what is now the National Basketball Association or the NBA. It consisted of 17 teams in 3 divisions. One year later the first African American player was drafted into the NBA, Chuck Cooper from Duquesne University. Also the NBA adopted the one and one free throw rule. In 1951 the first NBA All-Star game was played where the East beat the West 111 to 94. Four years later the NBA put in the 24-second shot clock to prevent even more stalling. In 1962, Wilt Chamberlain put on the greatest performance ever seen when he put up 100 points in one game. This is even more remarkable because there were no three pointer shots, he did it scoring only one and two point baskets. Moses Malone in 1974 became the first player to be drafted straight out of high school to go pro. Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, New York Nets and San Antonio Spurs were added to the NBA in 1976. The NBA adopts the 3-point basket in 1980. A third official is added in a game in 1989. In 1991 two free throws are awarded to a team after 10 fouls. The NBA expands into Canada in 1995 with the Vancouver grizzlies and the Toronto raptors. The most recent rule change was in 2000. Instant replay review of last second shots was added to see if they were correct about their call. This paper has covered many topics, such as the rules and how they have changed, and some of the regulations. Players who have broken records, and changed history. You have learned from Wilt Chamberlain to different leagues before the NBA. Research Papers on history of basketballThe Hockey GameAppeasement Policy Towards the Outbreak of World War 2The Effects of Illegal ImmigrationHip-Hop is ArtQuebec and CanadaMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeCapital PunishmentPersonal Experience with Teen Pregnancy19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided Era

Pronouncing the Difficult Consonants of Spanish

Pronouncing the Difficult Consonants of Spanish While many of the Spanish consonants have sounds that are similar to those in English, many are distinctly different and have become the bane of many a Spanish student. Persons learning Spanish who see a familiar letter are tempted to give it the pronunciation they already know- but more often than not that wont get it exactly right. Even though Spanish is highly phonetic, some letters have more than one pronunciation, and still others are simply different than what might be expected. Consonants With More Than One Sound C, at least in most of Latin America, is pronounced like the c in cereal when it comes before an e or an i, and like the c in car when it is other positions. Examples: complacer, hacer, cido, carro, acabar, crimen. Note: Although you will be understood if you use the Latin American pronunciation, in parts of Spain the c sounds like the th in thin when it comes before an e or i. Learn more details in the lesson on pronouncing the C. D generally is pronounced somewhat like the d in diet, although often the tongue touches the bottom of the teeth instead of the top. But when d comes between vowels, it has a much softer sound, kind of like the th in that. Examples: derecho, helado, diablo. See our lesson on pronouncing the  D for more details. G is pronounced much like the English g in go, although softer, except when it precedes an i or e. In those cases, it is pronounced like the Spanish j. Examples: gordo, gritar, gigante, mgico. See the lesson on pronouncing the  G. N usually has the sound of the n in nice. If it is followed by a b, v, f or p, it has the sound of m in empathy. Examples: no, en, en vez de, andar. Learn more in our lesson on the  N. X varies in sound, depending on the origin of the word. It is often pronounced like the x in example or exit, but it also may be pronounced like the s or the Spanish j. In words of Mayan origin it can even have the English sh sound. Examples: à ©xito, experiencia, Mà ©xico, Xela. See also our explanation of the Spanish  X. Consonants That Markedly Differ from English B and V are pronounced exactly the same. In fact, one of the few spelling problems that many Spanish speakers have is with these two letters, because they dont distinguish them at all from their sound. Generally, the b and v are pronounced like the b in beach. When either of the letters is between two vowels, the sound is formed kind of like the English v, except that the sound is made by touching the lips together instead of the upper teeth and lower lip. See our lesson on pronouncing the B and V for more details and a brief audio lesson. H is always silent. Examples: hermano, hacer, deshacer. See also the lesson on the silent H. J (and the g when before an e or i) can be difficult, as its sound, that of the German ch, is absent in English except for a few foreign words where it is sometimes retained, as in the final sound of loch or the initial sound of Channukah. The sound is sometimes described as a heavily aspirated h, made by expelling air between the back of the tongue and the soft palate. If you cant pronounce it well, youll be understood by using the h sound of house, but its worthwhile to work on the correct pronunciation. Examples: garaje, juego, jardà ­n. See the lesson on pronouncing the J. L is always pronounced like the first l in little, never like the second one. Examples: los, helado, pastel. See the lesson on pronouncing the L. LL (once considered a separate letter) is usually pronounced like the y in yellow. There are some regional variations, however. In parts of Spain it has the sound of the ll in million, and in parts of Argentina it has the zh sound of azure. Examples: llama, calle, Hermosillo. See the lesson on pronouncing the LL. Ñ is pronounced like the ny in canyon. Examples: à ±oà ±o, caà ±Ãƒ ³n, campaà ±a. See the lesson on pronouncing the Ñ. R and RR are formed by a flap of the tongue against the roof of the mouth, or a trill. See the R and RR how to guides for these letters. Z generally sounds like the s in simple. In Spain it is often pronounced like the th in thin. Examples: zeta, zorro, vez. See our lesson on pronouncing the C and Z.

Intrapreneurship Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Intrapreneurship - Coursework Example By doing this, there would be the ability to provide help with those in need of assistance with the illnesses. To completely allow this project to move into completion, there was a focus on strategy, motivation and management that was based on meeting end results and assisting with those in need. By focusing on this, there was the ability to work effectively with those in the community. Profile of the Community The Willows Foundation is one which is focused on assisting those that are ill and between the ages of 16-40. The objective of the organization is to ensure that basic care as well as health care is provided to those in need while assuring that there is less stress among those that are moving through the difficulties with health. The objective is not only based on providing basic assistance but also moves into offering Special Days, which allows those who are facing chronic illness to have times to get out of the condition and away from the continuous pressures and mental dist ress which comes from having a life threatening disease. By organizing specific activities, there is the ability for the Willows Foundation to bring peace of mind to those who are facing a life – threatening disease, while assisting with types of recovery for those who are in need (Willow Foundation, 2011). The concept of raising funds for the Willow Foundation was followed by the location which was associated with the project. The group which was focused on this comes from various regions of the world, including India, Pakistan and Nigeria. This provides a different outlook and sets of diversity on the main organization. With this approach in mind, was also the component of finding a way to raise the most funds for the project. This was done by creating a target market with a focus on a smaller market segment. The segment was based in Triton Square and had only the competition of Starbucks and Costa. The community is one which knew of the objectives of our organization and t he Willow Foundation and it was believed that the promotion would be easily supported with the needs of the organization. How the Activity Evolved The beginning of the planning process was associated with finding an aim and objective as well as an end goal of what we could do with the managerial process. Throughout the project the aim and objectives remained the same and allowed the group to remain unified with what was occurring. After we had decided that the planning needed to incorporate the focus on a humanitarian project with a fundraiser, then there was the ability to move forward in defining the specific goals and working toward achieving the end results with each individual taking the necessary steps. The decision to work with the Willow Foundation was based on research which was conducted as a group. The main ideal was to fulfill the aim of giving back to the community and to work toward highlighting an organization which was interested in assisting others. With the researc h conducted by the group, it was found that the Willow Foundation was one of the only foundations which offered the Special Days and opportunities for those with life – threatening illnesses, all which provided and implemented a different approach to disease and the components which were a part of this. As a group, it was determined that this would work effectively with reaching the main objective of

Legislative Issues Paper-reimbursement for Nurse Practitioners Research Paper

Legislative Issues -reimbursement for Nurse Practitioners - Research Paper Example According to Frakes and Evans (2006), in 2003, the federal government spent 13% of its budget on Medicare services. This means that the federal government spent as much as $271 billion on providing health care services to the needy citizens (Frakes and Evans, 2006). As a result of the increasing allocation on health care programs and policies, the federal government has put significant interest in managing and controlling its costs on implementing these health care programs. In doing so, the federal government has used the legislation to control health care costs by creating a regulatory structure that will regulate resultant costs and prevent fraud within the health industry (Frakes and Evans, 2006). Because of these regulatory policies and programs, health care providers in both patient care and practice are affected (Frakes and Evans, 2006). Of the health care providers that are very much affected of the regulatory efforts set by the federal government, the advanced practice nurse s (APN) are among them. Nurse practitioners (NPs) and clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) make up APNs (Frakes and Evans, 2006). According to (Hamric, Spross, and Hanson, 2009), the roles of APNs include nurse practitioners (NPs), certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs), clinical nurse specialists (CNSs), and ), certified nurse-midwives (CNMs). ... uently, health providers such as physicians and registered nurses are reimbursed under the Current Procedural Terminology system which is created by the American Medical Association (Frakes and Evans, 2006). In this system, which was developed in 1966, reimbursements for a service are determined through the individual provider’s relative value scale (Frakes and Evans, 2006). Subsequently, the value scale, according to Richmond, Thompson, & Sullivan-Marx (2000), is thereby established based on the professional liability insurance cost, practice expense, and work done of the provider, and then multiplied by a geographic expense adjustment modifier. Incidentally, under the reimbursement system, APNs can receive reimbursements from the government’s Medicare and Medicaid programs, commercial insurers, self-insured institutions, and managed care organizations for the services they provide (Frakes and Evans, 2006). With the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Acts of 1989 and 1990, APNs are able to receive reimbursements; however, Richmond, Thompson, & Sullivan-Marx (2000) maintain that the limitation of this Act is that reimbursements are confined to those who practice inside skilled nursing facilities and rural areas. Another restriction to the reimbursement rights of APNs is that APNS can reimburse only for services billed as â€Å"incident to† a physician’s care but requires that the APN be employed or contracted with the physician (Frakes and Evans, 2006). Through this set-up, physicians enjoy reimbursements at 100% of their rates. Clearly, the disparity between APNs and physicians is manifested through these reimbursement policies. In a study of Ruchlin, Levey, and Muller (1975), they define the function of reimbursement programs. In their study, they utilize the

Safe Travel Essay Example for Free

Safe Travel Essay These days, we Geeks don’t travel anywhere without our laptops. It’s a given that we need to have them on us! How would we survive?! Thankfully, Seth sent in the following tips to help us keep them safe while we are on the road. Pad The Laptop: Make sure the laptop bag or carrying case you transport your laptop in provides adequate padding. As you move about the airport or shove the laptop under the seat in front of you or into the overhead storage compartment, the laptop can be jarred and jostled quite a bit. Keep It On You: It is not uncommon for someone to set their luggage down while standing in line for a muffin, or to sit down while waiting for a flight. With all luggage, it is important to keep an eye on it and ensure nobody tampers with it or steals it. Because of their size and value though, laptops make prime targets and a thief can snatch the laptop bag and keep walking while you are unaware with your back turned. You should keep the laptop bag on your shoulder or keep it in sight at all times. Back Up Data: Perform a backup of all critical or sensitive data before departing. Just in case your laptop does become damaged or lost, you don’t want to also lose your important files and information. You can buy a new laptop, but it is much harder to replace lost data. Encrypt Your Data: Just in case your laptop should fall into unauthorized hands, you should make sure your hard drive is encrypted. Laptops with Windows Vista Enterprise or Ultimate come equipped with BitLocker drive encryption. If you aren’t using one of these versions of Windows Vista, and your company has not implemented any other sort of enterprise-wide encryption solution, you can use an open source solution such as TrueCrypt to protect your data. Document Identifying Information: In case your laptop does end up lost or stolen, you should be able to provide detailed information about the make, model, serial number and any other identifying information. You may need the information to file a claim with the airline or your insurance company, or to provide law enforcement. Use Strong Passwords: Follow the advice in Passwords and How to Make Them to make sure that your passwords can not be easily guessed or cracked if your laptop falls into the wrong hands. An excellent program for helping to secure and manage your passwords is Password Vault, which works for both Windows and Mac OS X. Use a BIOS Password: Protecting your laptop with an operating system login and password is a good idea, but there are ways to circumvent that protection and gain access to the data still. For better protection, you should enable password protection at the BIOS level so that the laptop can not even be turned on without the correct password. Implement Remote Data Protection: Another step you can take to make sure your data does not fall into the wrong hands is to look into products that will allow you to remotely destroy or erase the data on your laptop if it is lost or stolen. These products generally require that the unauthorized user connect to the Internet first in order for them to do their work though, so they are not a guarantee. Use Portable Storage: To make sure you have the business critical PowerPoint presentation or Excel spreadsheet that you need to show your business partners in order to seal the multi-million dollar deal (or whatever other important files and documents might be on your laptp) you should carry a copy on a USB thumb drive or some other type of portable storage that you can carry separate from the laptop in case it becomes lost or stolen. Just Leave The Laptop At Home: When it comes to all of the hassles and all of the issues that can arise from traveling with your laptop, you should also consider whether you really need to take it. You can carry your data or files on portable storage such as a CD, DVD or USB drive, or you can just email or FTP the data ahead of you. Then, you can borrow a desktop or laptop system once you are safely on the ground and at the office site you are visiting.

The Eastern Chipmunk Essay -- essays research papers

The Eastern Chipmunk The Eastern chipmunk is a small rodent of the Sciuridae family. This chipmunk is closely related to the red and grey fox, the flying squirrel, and the woodchuck. Its Taxonomic name is Tamias Striatus. The word Tamias, Means collector or keeper and Striatus refers to its bold stripes and coloring. The body of the average Eastern Chipmunk is about 8 to 10 inches long, the weigh about 2 ÂÂ ½ to 4 ounces. The ears are rounded with ears that stick straight up. It has short legs, the hind legs each have five claws, the front legs have four, and a long thumb like extension. They also have a furry flat tail. Chipmunks have short, dense body fur. It is the same color for males and females. This is a reddish-brown with black and white hairs. The cheeks and sides of the body are grayish-tan to tawny brown. Chipmunks are omnivorous. They generally eat nuts, seeds of herbaceous plants, mushrooms, berries, corn, the flesh and seeds of some fruits and garden vegetables, Birds' eggs, insects, snails, earthworms, millipedes, salamanders, small snakes, frogs and young...

Recruitment and Selection Strategies Essay

Summary: The recruitment and selection strategies that a company chooses are vital to the success of a business. Recruitment and selection strategies just thrown together are likely to fail. This is why a new business, such as Landslide Limousine must define the necessary criteria for recruitment and selection processes that will support its employee selections. This criterion will include hiring an adequate and qualified staff, a commitment to fair employment practices, and pre-employment standards to include background and reference checks. To determine the criteria for these requirements, the company’s organizational goals, the forecasted demographic changes, analyze workforce needs, workforce diversity objectives, organizational branding, and the methods needed for recruiting, screening, and selecting the proper candidates will be looked at. By assessing these areas we will be able to provide Landslide Limousine effective strategies for the recruitment and selection of personnel to provide a high quality and reliable service to its customers. We will also need to take into account that Landslide Limousine is a new company moving into Austin, Texas, and will need to follow local, state, and federal laws for the area in the employment processes. Organizational Goals Mr. Stonefield has set a goal for his company Landslide Limousine to be the  best limo service in Austin, Texas. He plans on hiring up to 25 employees within the first year with only a 10% turnover rate. He does expect to have a net annual revenue of -$50,000 for the first year, but an annual expected revenue growth of -5% for future years. To meet these goals there needs to be the right employees in place that will â€Å"buy in† to the company. These employees will understand the vision that Mr. Stonefield wishes for his company and want to help him reach it. Forecasted Demographic Changes Landslide Limousine is expecting to have a high turnover rate the first year. To keep the business going successfully it is necessary for the individuals hired to help out in other areas when needed. For this to be accomplished, the applicants need to be qualified in a variety of areas. The company will also need to think ahead and hire individuals who might be bilingual because of the proximity of Austin, Texas, to the Mexico border. An applicant who is not bilingual should not be dissuaded from applying, it would just be an added benefit for the company. Analysis of Workforce Needs Landslide Limousine will employ up to 25 people within the first year these employees will include customer service representatives, dispatchers, drivers, HR assistants, and managers. Customer service representatives will handle the calls from customers and potential customers. They will be the frontline to the business and must have high customer service qualities. Dispatchers will convey information that the customer service representative gathers to the drivers about where and when to pick up and drop off clients. Drivers will drive the customers to their locations in an efficient professional manner. HR assistants will help the manager in making sure that the company is following the applicable local, state, and federal employment laws and help handle any HR related issues with the employees. A manager will oversee the rest of the employees and ensure that the company is maintaining its perspective on the company’s goals and objectives. Workforce Diversity Objectives Landslide Limousine’s success will depend on its ability to hire qualified  candidates from a diverse pool of applicants. For this reason the hiring individual must be familiar with equal employment opportunity laws, fair employment practices related to the recruiting and hiring processes, and employment eligibility that allow an individual to work in the United States. The last is especially important with Austin, Texas, close to the Mexico border the immigration laws must be strictly adhered to (â€Å"Do your applicants,† n.d.). This will ensure that the employees have the proper credentials necessary for employment in the United States. Organizational Branding Mr. Stonefield wants his company to be the best there is in Austin, Texas. To do this he must ensure that his goals and visions for the company meet the needs of his consumers. He will also need to ensure that the employees hired are a good fit for the company and the image that he wishes to portray. In this type of industry, the contact made with the customer is a big influence on how he or she perceives the company. If there is a choice between attitude and skills, the individual with the correct attitude toward customer service should win out every time. Work skills are something that can be taught with training, customer service skills have to do with the attitude that an individual has and how he or she can handle situations with customers effectively. Methods for Recruiting Candidates This will be a key component in an effective recruitment and selection process. The methods for recruiting candidates will be from several sources. We cannot use internal sources at this time because the company is just starting up in the Austin, Texas, area. This is something that will be considered for future job openings in the company. For the initial job openings the sources will be external, and the areas to consider are newspaper advertisements, state employment services, job fairs, and using word of mouth. These methods will bring in applicants who may have the experience needed for the line of work the company is looking to fill. Another area to consider would be online job-related sites such as carreerbuilder.com and monster.com. Networking through professional organizations and keeping an eye out for changes among the competition as  also very useful. The company must know exactly what type of applicant they are looking for before advertising the positions and accepting resumes (Richason IV, n.d.). One last area to consider would be a temp service agency that specializes in providing other companies employees who will work for them on a temporary basis. These employees are hired by the temp service agency to meet the requirements requested by the company. By hiring through a temp agency, the screening and selecting of candidates is completed by them. Employees hired by this type of agency do have the opportunity to be hired as a permanent employee of the company. Methods for Screening Candidates The company needs to ensure the individual doing the hiring is knowledgeable in equal employment opportunity laws and affirmative action provisions pertaining to the position. This is the first opportunity in the recruitment and selection processes that an employer can express his or her commitment to equal opportunity. This is a critical part of any effective recruitment and selection process. When screening applicants for a position the reviewer must look for suitable qualifications. These are the experience of the applicant, his or her credentials, educational requirements for the position, and the presentation of his or her qualifications. A quick review of applications and resumes can help a company identify qualified applicants by looking for key words. Interview Methods Once the applicants have been narrowed down, the individual doing the hiring can conduct preliminary phone interviews. These phone interviews or screening interviews will describe to the applicant in more detail the job position and requirements, assess the applicants communication skills, review his or her work history, and to determine if he or she is interested in a face-to-face interview. The face-to-face interview is the most common interview method, which involves the applicant and the interviewer meeting face-to-face in an office. These interviews can be behavioral, situational, structured, and  unstructured or a combination thereof. A behavioral interview will typically ask an applicant to explain his or her work experience, skills, and activities as examples of his or her past behavior. A situational interview will ask questions about hypothetical events. The applicant is asked how he or she would react in a particular situation. A structured interview has a standard set of questions that are asked of every applicant. An unstructured interview adapts the questions based on the applicant’s intelligence, understanding and answers. It is recommended that these different types of face-to-face interviews be melded into one for Landslide Limousine. The interviewer should have some structured questions to ask of all applicants, unstructured questions based on the interviewees understanding and answers. Behavioral and situational questions will ask the interviewee questions based on his or her past behavior and questions based on hypothetical events. Testing Procedures There are several types of tests that can be administered. Cognitive tests will test reasoning, memory, math skills, reading comprehension, and knowledge of a job or function. Personality and integrity tests will determine if an individual has certain traits or dispositions and will predict if the individual will engage in certain types of conduct. Medical examinations are required by the Department of Transportation to carry a commercial drivers license (CDL) and in Austin, Texas, a CDL is required to drive a limousine. Drug testing required for every employee before and during employment. Also criminal background checks are recommended because of the nature of business the company does. These tests should be administered without regard to color, race, sex, national origin, age, religion, or disability (â€Å"Employment tests and,† 2010). Before giving a test for pre-employment there are a few things that need to established to ensure that the test is legally defensible. These things are to make sure that the right tests are given and that the company has certified the tests validity and reliability. A valid test must measure the criteria needed for predicting job performances. It also must be reliable, which means that the test must measure an item consistently or that an individual’s score should be close to the same every time it is  taken. Because employment testing can be challenged in court, the company needs to make sure that the tests do not violate any local, state, or federal Equal Employment Opportunity Laws, including Title VII (Quast, 2011). There are several laws that need to be considered when administering these tests. They are the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA), the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), and the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII). The use of these tests and applicant selection procedures are prohibited if they are discriminatory. Avoid questions of a personal nature or ones that may be considered offensive. Also the company should not just rely on these test results to choose the right candidate for the position (â€Å"Employment tests and,† 2010). Interview Process Considerations Interviews are scheduled when the hiring individual has free uninterrupted time. This allows them the opportunity to review the resume and conduct an informational interview with the applicant. Refrain from focusing on his or her credentials or experience. The interviewer needs to present hypothetical scenarios to the applicant and ask how he or she would evaluate and solve the problem. Listen to his or her responses without interrupting and make notes on the key points of the conversation (Richason IV, n.d.). Methods for Selecting Candidates The methods used for selecting the right candidates for the positions will be varied, depending on the position applied for. The interviews and tests will be a consideration for positions needing filled. The notes taken during the interview process will be compared to the applicants resume to see if anything was missed. The selections will be based on how competently he or she answered the questions and the questions that were asked by him or her during the interview. The limousine driver position needs a valid commercial driver’s license for the state of Texas, and is a requirement for working in the Austin, Texas, area. Applicants who do not ask questions are either uninterested in working for the company or shy and therefore might not be a good fit for the company (Richason IV, n.d.). Conclusion The recommendations that have been made will ensure the continued success of the company. The company’s organizational goals, forecasted demographic changes, workforce needs and diversity objectives, organizational branding, and the methods needed for recruiting, screening, and selecting candidates have been considered in the development of this plan. The recruitment and selection process must adhere to local, state, and federal laws to ensure compliance and avoid legal issues. By following these recommendations Landslide Limousine will hire an adequate and qualified staff while ensuring a commitment to fair employment practices and pre-employment standards. References Do your applicants have the right to work in the u.s.?. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.firstchoiceresearch.com/docs/I-9 Employment Eligibility.pdf Quast, L. (2011, September 13). [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/lisaquast/2011/09/13/pre-employment-testing-a-helpful-way-for-companies-to-screen-applicants/2/ Richason IV, O. E. (n.d.). Methods of recruitmant and selection. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/methods-recruitment-selection-2532.html The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, (2010). Employment tests and selection procedures. Retrieved from website: http://www.eeoc.gov/policy/docs/factemployment_procedures.html

Sample Autobiography

When I sit back and consider the significant events in my past, the important aspects of my current life, and my future goals, the underlying theme is one of appreciating diversity, especially across ethnic and socioeconomic class lines. I was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, the product of a Catholic father with roots in Italy and a Jewish mother of Russian and Austrian ancestry. In my early years of education, the frustration with teachers mispronouncing my last name seemed as though it might never end. I remember how my father would approach the administrators of my elementary school before Honor Roll ceremonies to be sure they would pronounce it correctly as I walked across the stage for my moment of glory. The terror did not end until the seventh grade when I had my first course in Spanish, at which point my teacher had some experience with â€Å"exotic† names and got â€Å"you-zee-nee† correct on the first try. I believe that I grew more, emotionally, socially, and intellectually, during my four years of high school than during any other period of time thus far. Midwood High School at Brooklyn College attracted students from every part of New York City. Indeed, it provided a rigorous academic environment, and with one college advisor for each graduating class of nearly 700 students, I managed to learn some important lessons about dealing with â€Å"the system. Midwood continues to prepare its students well; it has consistently placed among the top 50 in national rankings of high schools. It was at Midwood that I found my academic strengths and was given the tools to pursue them to the fullest extent possible. Because I was placed in a situation with few of the resources many students had in other better-funded schools, I learned how to make the best of the situation. I began to search for a way to address my own concerns about the racial tensions. Within a few years I would find myself at Texas A&M University, bringing another drastic change in my lifestyle and the culture I would have to adapt to. The past few years have been a very enjoyable experience, satisfying all of my intellectual and social needs. I have focused the next few years on developing a solid research program dealing with I have also put forth as much effort as possible in attempting to diversify the future of our profession. social psychological approaches to social issues, especially racial and ethnic relations.

Practice Experience, Decision-Making and Professional Authority The WritePass Journal

Practice Experience, Decision-Making and Professional Authority Abstract Practice Experience, Decision-Making and Professional Authority .   I focus upon an incident where I worked alone with a service user suffering domestic violence.   There is no legal definition of domestic violence (DV). However, the government describes DV as â€Å"any incident of threatening behaviour, violence or abuse (psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional) between adults who are or have been in a relationship together or between family members, regardless of gender and sexuality† (Home Office 2012 [online]). Most reported DV cases are directed by men towards women. DV also occurs in same sex relationships and in a relatively small number of cases, by women against men. The case study is described, and my experiences of decision-making and how I exercised professional authority brought out.  Ã‚   I explore the theories surrounding the areas I look at in the case study, particularly the ways theory links with practice. I also look at the legal policy framework which is relevant to the case study. I also bring out personal skills including communication and look at the role they played. 2. Case Study I started my placement with a domestic violence agency in an inner city London borough in March, 2012.   The agency works exclusively with service users fleeing domestic violence.   Ã‚  The incident I have chosen for this case study involved lone working with a service user who had approached the organisation that I am on placement with for support regarding domestic violence abuse she was suffering at home. The service user will be referred to as SS in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1989.  Ã‚   SS is a French national who had relocated to the United Kingdom with her mother at the age of 14. Her relationship with her mother had broken down because she remained in a relationship with the perpetrator (Perp) at her mother’s disapproval. She had been married to the Perp for three years. They have two children, age 14 months and 2 months, her first child is a girl and the new born baby a boy. The perp started to be controlling after she had their first child. After t heir second child was born the abuse started happening more frequently. On a particular occasion, the perp grabbed SS, threw her against the wall and hit her several times across the face. She approached my placement agency for support after she was advised by another agency. SS attended as a duty. Therefore, the onus was on me as the duty staff to assess her circumstances and offer appropriate advice and support to safeguard SS and her children. As such, I had a role of responsibility, with the future wellbeing of SS partly   in my hands.     I prepared for the DV2 assessment in line with the agency’s lone working policy. I signed SS in and informed my peers of the room where the assessment was taking place; I also booked her in the duty book. I made sure the assessment room I choose was available, clean, spacious and comfortable as there was a professional from another agency and her children with her also. I also made sure that SS had a private space to discuss her issues and express her feelings without interruptions from her children. I had provided toys to distract her eldest child whilst the assessment was going on.   SS informed me during the assessment that some of the documents that she might need to present at the Homeless option s Centre (HOC) were at home, she offered to quickly rush home to pick them up whilst the perpetrator (Perp) was still at work. I advised her that the risk associated with such action might be too great for the children and herself, as the perp might walk in on them. I gave her options to either get a police escort or ask a friend who lives near the house to get such documents for her. By so doing I was able to manage the risk to SS and her children. I used the DV2 assessment form to understand her needs, whilst also working together with SS to respond to her crisis situation. I was able to address behaviours that posed a risk to her and the children, I recognised and acknowledged the risk to SS if she returns to the house alone. She agreed that going back to the family house will put the children and her at risk. The risk was assessed and plans were put in place to manage such risk and minimise the risk of further abuse to her and the children in accordance to the GSCC code of practice and Every Child Matters agenda, 2004. Through the DV2 assessment, I also able to identify the need for safe and comfortable accommodation to manage such identified risk to SS and her children. However, my concern was that she might go back to the abusive relationship if appropriate support was not available.   SS would still need to pass the habitual residency test (HBT) as an in EEA national to ascertain her rights to public funds in the United Kingdom because of SS’s nationality (French). If she fails this test (HRT), she might not be eligible for benefits, and the stress of managing with two children without an income might be too much for her to cope with alone. Hence, without adequate support available, she might return to the abusive environment from where she is trying to flee.   I wrote a housing letter to the HOC to support her claim for domestic violence and also offered to attend the HOC centre with her to advocate on her behalf. By so doing I was able to mitigate the risk to which SS and the children were exposed. I gave her a voice and also considered the children’s situation and the statutory support that might be available for them. I searc hed for local refuges to address her housing need, made a referral to children’s social services, provided food vouchers and made arrangements for them to be accommodated away from the perp’s area of influence. 3. Theoretical Context / Legal Policy and Framework, Application to Case Study This case can be seen in the context of a number of theories relevant to the situation, and also in the context of current legal policy and legal framework. This section will look at these connections, first at the theoretical context and next at the legal situation. 3.1 Theoretical Context and Case Study Application The psychologist Maslow suggested that all human beings have a number of needs which need to be satisfied in order for a person to live at his or her full potential. These needs, he also suggested, form a hierarchy, that is, they are ordered. ‘Lower’ needs are required to be satisfied first, before other needs come into play   (Maslow 1943).   Physiological needs are the most basic, including things we need to do to survive (eating, sleeping etc.).   Next come security needs, that is the need for shelter and access to health services. Once these are satisfied, social needs become relevant. These are the needs for feeling part of a group, affection and similar. These are frequently satisfied by work, friends and family.  Ã‚   Higher level needs are the need for esteem, that is, for feeling good about oneself and social recognition, and the need for ‘self-actualisation’,   the need for personal growth and fulfilling one’s ability to the full ( Zastrow et al 2009). In terms of this model, SS was clearly struggling with needs at the lowest level, physiological and security needs. She was finding it difficult to access funds for her children to eat, and given that the perp. lived in the family home, her housing needs were threatened. SS’s health would also be under threat should she return to the family home. As such, the model predicts that SS would be feeling exceptionally insecure and vulnerable: partially met or unmet human needs are associated with increasing vulnerability (De Chesnay and Anderson 2008, p. 489). Another theoretical model is provided by crisis intervention theory’. This is a particularly useful model as it is directed towards practical action (Coady and Lehman 2007).  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is based around the idea that a crisis presents both a challenge (in an extreme form) and an opportunity (Roberts 1995). In other words, a crisis can lead to positive change. One leading developer of the idea was Erkison (1950) CITE) who looked at the role   played by crisis in the maturation of typical human beings. Eric Lindemann (1944) developed a systematic model to deal with crisis. A model suggested by Golan (1978) is useful for this case study. He suggested four stages: first, the person suffering the crisis develops a subjective response to the situation. Next, this leads to upset or lack of balance, previous ways of dealing with problems dont apply. At this stage, though it is chaotic, there is some hope for new approaches.   Thirdly, this particular crisis can link to unres olved conflicts in the person. Finally, the first three stages lead to new opportunities to develop new ways of dealing with potentially damaging situations. It is the role of the professional to help the service user see these new ways of responding   (Roberts 1995). In terms of the case study, SS seems to be at a crisis point, and one which led to the development of new ways of dealing with her abusive partner.  Ã‚   One incident led to SS presenting to the agency, but this crisis incident was the catalyst for realising that her previous attempts to deal with the situation of violence, through staying with her abusive partner, were not working. Though greatly distressed, particularly by the upheaval she and her children were experiencing, SS learnt new ways of dealing with the situation, primarily removing herself from the family home and asking authorities for support in finding a new home. I personally found psychodynamic theory, which aims to uncover the reasons for domestic abuse in early childhood situations, less useful to this particular case study. The ideas about how rage from childhood is visited upon an adult’s current partner (Sanderson 2008) are, I felt, useful as a background, however psychodynamic theory seems to advocate long-term therapeutic treatments which just aren’t possible or appropriate given the immediate emergency of the situation. However, I did find that ideas like this helped me step back and understand that sometimes people’s actions stem from very deeply rooted issues which are hard to tackle. This has helped me overcome an early frustration with some client’s inability, seemingly, to see what is going on clearly. I felt the more practically focussed therapeutic techniques were more useful. These included person-centred and task-centred approaches.  Ã‚   Person-, or client-, centred therapy was developed by Rodgers in the 1940’s. It suggests that the client is at the centre of any counselling process, and that it is the task of the counsellor (or, in this case, the social services professional) to understand how the client sees the world. Without this understanding, it is not possible to help the client move forward.   The person-centred approach advocates avoiding lecturing, manipulating, bribing, directing or otherwise trying to change the client’s behaviours from outside. Rather, the need is to empower the client to grow (Vincent 2005).   There are a number of techniques which can be used, including empathy, congruence (letting the client see you as you are), and positive regard (Jarvis et al 2002).  Ã‚   I found this theory particularly useful, as it made me realise t he need to abandon judgement of SS, and get to know how she saw the situation. The idea of congruence helped me see that I need not present an entirely blank, professional face, but could inject something of my own personality into our meetings. The task-centred approach is time-limited, that is (unlike many psychodynamic therapies) it is carried out over a time period fixed in advance. It is therefore useful in situations like this one where only a limited period of time is available. The idea was developed in the USA, but has become widespread elsewhere. It involves client and professional agreeing together some goals to be reached over a clearly defined period of time. It emerged from a background where social work was hampered by a psycho-analytic perspective on client behaviour, and thus offered a much-needed way to focus upon specifics and deliverables. The approach involves mutual agreement about goals, problems which the service user can see for themselves and which they can work on by themselves between sessions. The focus is upon what the user wants to change (Wilson et al 2008). I found this approach a useful one to combine with a person-centred perspective. I was able to agree with SS things she wanted to change (living with her abusive partner) and we agreed tasks to complete to achieve this overall goal, including contacting other agencies for housing advice. Ideas about risk management and risk assessment were also very useful in this particular case, as there was a risk of harm from the perp. for the client, and perhaps also for social service professionals who became involved. Because perceptions of risk are highly subjective, there is a need to objectify the existing risk(s) as far as possible to try and eliminate as much bias as one can. Normative models of risk address how to make the best decision when there are a number of possible options or ways forward are useful: they allow the assessment of how likely certain outcome are   (Messer and Jones 1999, p. 90). As this situation involves young children, structured risk assessment models are useful, as they allow the situation to be assessed in terms of childrens needs as well as the mothers (Harne 2011). Many now advocate shifting away from risk assessment looking at single factors to looking at the interaction of factors across individual, social and cultural domains (Chalk and K ing 1998, p. 277) 3.2 Legal and Policy Framework, and Case Study Application There are a number of legal and policy documents which are also relevant to the case study.   The Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 was designed to extend the protection available to vulnerable adults and children, and included a new offence of ‘causing or allowing the death of a child or vulnerable adult’, designed to address cases where two partners failed to admit responsibility for child injury. It also made common assault an arrestable offence, added new powers to fine offenders, and changed non-molestation orders to allow non-compliance to attract prison sentences of up to 5 years.   The circumstances under which a case can be heard without a jury are also extended (Guardian 2009). This Act offers a range of additional protections for the victims of domestic violence, in terms of criminal proceedings which might be brought against the perpetrator. For the case study above, SS has not reached the point of deciding to press charges against her partner . My first concern is to make sure she has secure accommodation and is safe from further abuse. However, in time, she will consider the possibility of legal action against her partner, and I feel the Act allows extra protection for her which might make her more likely to consider it. As the situation is a complex one, a number of other legal frameworks and policies are relevant.   Because SS is unable to return to the family home because of risk of further abuse, the Housing Act 1996 is also relevant. Under the act SS is likely to be eligible to be housed by her local authority, as it places a duty on authorities to advise and possibly house people if they are under threat of becoming homeless, have a priority need, are not intentionally homeless and have a local connection to the area (amongst other criteria) (Housing Act 1996). These things apply in SS’s case. Additionally, the code of guidance for local authorities in regards to homelessness was published in 2008. This spells out the duty of local authorities more clearly, and also suggests a need for social services and housing bodies to work together more closely (Department for Education and Skills 2008). However, because SS is originally from France, there is a question regarding her access to public funds. In order to benefit from the help she needs, she needs to pass the Habitual Residence Test. The Habitual Residence test was developed as a way to ensure that only those people with a connection to the UK can claim benefit here.   The concept is not legally defined, and in practice a number of markers are involved in decision making, including length of stay, continuity of stay, the persons intentions and the nature of their residence (Currie 2008). It is claimed that the concept of habitual residence is more stringent than the concept of ordinary residence found elsewhere in law. It is likely that the presence of the children, SS’s history and her desire to remain in the country will all count in her favour, however it represents another obstacle to the security of her future (Harris 2000).  Ã‚   Additionally, the 2002 Nationality, Asylum and Immigration Act restricts e ntry and leave to stay in the UK. Finally, I was also influenced by the Data Protection Act 1989, which protects the confidentiality of client data, for example dictating that I refer to clients only by initials or pseudonyms, and by the GSCC Code of Practice. The latter is particularly important, as it provides the framework within which social workers should operate in the UK.   Part of the guidelines are concerned with the need to protect and promote the interests of the client, establish their trust and confidence, and promote their independence. These aspects are particularly interesting in the light of the theory discussed above, as they are broadly in line with the aims of client-centred and task-centred approaches. 5. Conclusion This essay has addressed a case study taken from my experience working with victims of domestic violence.   I have tried to show how theory is relevant to the situation I describe, and how legal issues are also relevant.   It was necessary for me to make a number of decisions throughout the experience I describe, however perhaps the most important skill I brought to play was that of communication. I had to communicate not only with other agency staff about this case, but also with multiple outside agencies (housing, benefits and similar) and, perhaps most importantly, with the client. The section on theory above has pointed out some of the therapeutic perspectives which were useful, and the client-centred approach, with its emphasis upon empathy and understanding, have been particularly helpful to me in the communication process. I have also used feedback from other staff members and reflective feedback processes to understand the impact of how I communicate to clients, and use t his feedback and reflection to make improvements to my skill set.   SS’s case history, like all cases of domestic violence I have come across, is complex and requires an equally complex set of skills on the part of the social worker to produce the best possible outcomes. 6. References Chalk, R A and King, P (1998) Violence in Families: Assessing Prevention and Treatment Programs, National Academies Press, USA Coady, N and Lehman, P (2007) Theoretical Perspectives for Direct Social Work Practice: A Generalist-Eclectic Approach (2nd edn), Springer Publishing Company, USA Currie, S (2008) Migration, Work and Citizenship in the Enlarged European Union, Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., UK De Chesnay, M and Anderson, B A (2008) Caring For The Vulnerable: Perspectives in Nursing Theory (2nd edn), Jones Bartlett Learning, Sudbury, MA Department for Education and Skills (2008) ‘Homelessness Code of Guidance’, HMSO, London Erikson, E (1950) Childhood and Society, WW Norton, NY. Golan, N (1978) Treatment in Crisis Situations, Free Press, New York The Guardian (2009a) ‘Domestic Violence Act’, [online] (cited 27th May 2012) available from guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/libertycentral/2009/jan/13/domestic-violence-act The Guardian (2009b) ‘Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006’, [online] (cited 26th May 2012) available from guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/libertycentral/2009/jan/15/immigration-asylum-nationality-act Harne, L (2011) Violent Fathering and the Risks to Children: The Need for Change, The Policy Press, Bristol Harris, N S (2000) Social Security Law in Context, Oxford University Press, Oxon. The Home Office (2012) ‘Domestic Violence’ [online] (cited 28th May 2012) available from homeoffice.gov.uk/crime/violence-against-women-girls/domestic-violence/ Jarvis, M, Putwain, D and Dwyer, J (2002) Angles on Atypical Psychology, Nelson Thornes, Cheltenham, Glos Lindemann, E (1944) ‘Symptomatology and management of acute grief’,   American Journal of Psychiatry, 101, 141 -148. Maslow, A (1943) ‘A theory of human motivation’, Psychological Review, 50, 370-96. Messer, D J and Jones, F (1999) Psychology and Social Care, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, UK Sanderson, C (2008)   Counselling Survivors of Domestic AbuseAuthorChristiane Sanderson, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, UK Vincent, S (2005) Being Empathic: A Companion For Counsellors And Therapists, Radcliffe Publishing, UK Wilson, K, Ruch, G and Lymbery, M (2008) Social Work: An Introduction to Contemporary Practice, Pearson Education, Harlow, Essex Zastrow, C and Kirst-Ashman, K K (2009)   Understanding Human Behavior and the Social Environment (8th edn), Cengage Learning, Belmont, CA

How to Build an ACT Study Plan 4 Sample Schedules

How to Build an ACT Study Plan 4 Sample Schedules SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The best way to attack the ACT is to use an ACT study plan. With a study plan, you can manage your prep time more easily, figure out your weaknesses, and hone the skills you need to get the score you want on test day. We give you four top-notch ACT plans to choose from, based on your ACT score goals. Before we take a look at those, though, let’s go over the benefits of having an ACT schedule and the steps needed to find the right ACT study plan for you. What Are the Benefits of a Study Plan for ACT Prep? Everyone studying for the ACT should start with a thorough study plan. But what are the benefits of having one? For one, having an ACT study plan allows you to balance your prep time so that you’re spending enough time on the topics you need to study- but aren’t overworking yourself. For example, if I had four months to prep for the ACT, my plan would tell me how many hours to study per week as well as how I could arrange these hours to fit my schedule. ACT plans are also highlyadaptable. This means you can change your ACT schedule to better suit your study needs and work around any obligations you have. So if you’re struggling with math but have already completed your "ACT Math Review" day, you could spend some of your â€Å"ACT Reading Review† day reviewing more math concepts you need to know. Finally, an ACT prep schedule can tell you whether you’re en route to hitting your goal score. A good study plan will tell you when to take ACT practice tests (starting withofficial ones) so that you can gauge your overall progress and pinpoint your weaknesses. Clearly, there are many benefits of having an ACT study plan. But how can you find the right schedule for you? Choosing a Study Plan for ACT Prep: 5 Preliminary Steps Before you decide on an ACT schedule, you need to figure out where you’re currently scoring, what your goal score is, and how much prep time you’ll need. Below, we cover the five preliminary steps you must take to find the best ACT study plan for you. Step 1: Set a Goal Score The first step is to set an ACT goal score. This is the score most likely to get you admitted to all of the schools you’re applying to.You'll want to aim for this score on test day, but to do this you must prep accordingly (which we help you do in our study plans below!). To set a goal score, look for the 25th and 75th percentile ACT scores for each of your schools. These scores represent the middle 50 percent, or average range, of scores of admitted applicants. Ideally, you’ll get an ACT score in at least the 75th percentile for your schools. This will mean you've scored higher than 75 percent of admitted applicants! The easiest way to keep track of ACT score info for your schools is to make a chart (you can also download our pre-made chart). To find your schools’ ACT score info, go online and search for â€Å"[School Name] PrepScholar.† This will bring up links to our database. Click on the â€Å"Admission Requirements† page for your school. On this page, scroll down to find your school’s ACT score info.You'll see a big banner containing your school's average ACT score. Beneath that are your school's 25th and 75th percentile ACT scores. Here’s an example of how this looks onNotre Dame's PrepScholar page: Once you’ve gathered the 75th percentile scores for all of your schools and recorded them in your chart, look for the highest score. This will be your goal score, as it’s the one most likely to get you accepted to all of the schools you're applying to. Let's say I applied to Notre Dame, the University of Michigan, Indiana University Bloomington, and Indiana State. In this case, my ACT goal score would be 34 (the highest 75th percentile score, for Notre Dame). Step 2: Find Your Baseline Score Next, it's time to get your baseline score. A baseline score is essentially your starting point in ACT prep- it’s the score you’d get right now on the ACT, without any prep. To find your baseline, take an official ACT practice test. Official tests are the best resources to use for getting your baseline score since they’re by far the most realistic tests out there. As you take your practice test, make sure to simulate real testing conditions as closely as possible: take the test in a quiet room, use an ACT-approved calculator, and abide by theofficial time limitson all sections. When finished, use your test’s scoring guide to calculate your scaled scores. Your composite score (that is, the average of your four section scores) will be your baseline score. For example, if I got 32 on English, 25 on Math, 28 on Reading, and 30 on Science, my final ACT score would be 29 (since 28.75 rounds up!). Step 3: Calculate How Many Hours You’ll Need to Study Now, it's time to use your baseline and goal scores to figure out roughly how many hours you’ll need to prep for the ACT. First, subtract your baseline score from your goal score. Then, match the difference to a point range below to see how many total hours you’ll need to study: 0-1 point improvement: 10 hours 1-2 point improvement: 20 hours 2-4 point improvement: 40 hours 4-6 point improvement: 80 hours 6-9 point improvement: 150 hours+ The more points you need to improve by, the more hours you’ll need to study. In my examples above, my goal score was 34 and my baseline score was 29. This comes out to a 5-point improvement, equaling about 80 total hours of prep. Step 4: Pick a Test Date When picking an ACT test date, you'll need to consider the following three factors: How much time you want to prepare for the ACT How busy your schedule is around a test date Your college application deadlines The most important point to remember is this:the more hours you need to study, the more time you should give yourself before test day.If you're planning to make large gains of 4 or more points, choose a test date that’s further out so that you have ample time to prep for the exam (and relax as needed!). I suggest prepping forthree to six months,though you might need more or less time depending on how big of a point improvement you want to make. Additionally, choose a test date that works well with your schedule. If you have tons of activities or commitments with little to no time to study, go with a test date at a different, more relaxed time to make your schedule less stressful for you. Finally, if you’re a senior, make sure to take the ACT well before your college application deadlines. If your scores arrive after deadlines, your application could get disqualified, so always choose an early test date. Generally, seniors should be able to do the September and October test dates and possibly the December test date- but not anything later! Step 5: Gather ACT Study Materials Before you begin your ACT prep schedule, spend time gathering high-quality study materials. Far and away, the best resources you can use are official ones (i.e., anything created by ACT, Inc.). Here are some of the top official ACT resources: Official ACT practice tests: These free, full-length practice tests are the best out there and offer highly realistic ACT test-taking practice. Use these to check your progress and monitor your score improvement. Official sample test questions:ACT, Inc., offers online batches of sample questions for each ACT section. This free resource comes with detailed answer explanations and is ideal for both general practice and drilling weaknesses. The Official ACT Prep Guide: At about $25, this official ACT prep book offers three full-length practice tests, 400 practice questions, and test-day guidance. Just be aware that if you already have the 2016-17 version, the 2018 one is essentially the same. Additionally, all three practice tests sharesignificant overlap with the free tests above, so you might want to get the third edition of the book instead (which comes with five unique tests). You can also use high-quality, unofficial ACT resources to supplement your prep. Our guide to the best ACT prep books gives you our top recommendations for official and unofficial ACT prep books. Pro tip: always be pickier when buying unofficial ACT resources since many are low quality and don’t contain realistic practice questions. Get your popcorn ready as we preview four Oscar-worthy ACT study plans! 4 ACT Study Plans for You to Choose From You are now ready to pick an study plan for ACT prep! Below, we offer four study plans to choose from. Each one differs in intensity (how many hours you need to study per week) and length (how many months the program is). Each plan also comes withsuggested time frames to help you balance your prep. That said, you are free to tweak our plans so that you’re spending more or less time on certain topics and skills. Remember,a good ACT study plan canadaptto fit your needs. If you’re struggling with Math and Science, for example, but are strong at Reading and English, you could (and should) focus more on honing your Math and Science skills. Just be sure you’re generally following your ACT schedule so that you’re not missing any critical practice, review, or progress checks. The four ACT study plans we offer are as follows: A three-month, medium-intensive plan A three-month, low-intensive plan A six-month, medium-intensive plan A one-month, high-intensive plan ACT Study Plan #1: 3-Month Program, Medium Intensity This moderate study plan lasts three months and requires a total of 80 study hours, or about six and a half hours a week.With this plan, you’ll be able to raise your total ACT score by up to 6 points. This is a great plan to use any time of the year but works best if you’re studying over the summer (to take the September or October ACT) and have more free time to dedicate to ACT prep. First tip for your ACT Reading studies: don't remove your glasses! Month 1: English Reading Basics For the first month, you’ll get to know the ACT, specifically the English and Reading sections. Week 1: Learn the ACT Format 1. Take an official practice test. To get your baseline score, take a full-length ACT test. Be sure to recreate real testing conditions as closely as possible- this means taking the test in a quiet room without interruptions. Suggested Time: 3.5 hrs 2. Score your practice test and analyze your results. Your composite score will be your baseline score (the score you start with before beginning any test prep). You should also take some time to go over your results and see what questions you got right and wrong. Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs 3. Learn the overall format of the ACT. Familiarize yourself with the basics of the ACT: what kind of content it tests, what kinds of questions it has, and how much time you’ll have on each section. Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs Week 2: Focus on English 1. Learn the English test format. Understand what it tests and what types of passages you’ll need to edit. Suggested Time: 2 hrs 2. Study all ACT grammar topics and punctuation rules. You’ll need to know all of the major English rules that can appear on the ACT, from pronouns to apostrophes. Suggested Time: 2.5 hrs 3. Learn and practice the graf-by-graf reading strategy. This passage-reading strategy is by far the best one for ACT English. With this strategy, you'll read a passage one paragraph at a time and answer questions for each paragraph. Once you understand how this strategy works, practice it using realistic ACT English passages. Suggested Time: 2 hrs Week 3: Turn to Reading 1. Learn the Reading test format. Understand how this section differs from the English section, what kinds of passages there are, and what sorts of questions you'll be answering. Suggested Time: 2.5 hrs 2. Find the passage-reading strategy that works best for you. You’ll want to use a strategy that’s both quick and effective. To figure out which one you like most, test out a few different strategies using Reading practice tests. The strategy that gives you the highest score is the one you'll use in your prep and on test day. Suggested Time: 2.5 hrs 3. Practice your chosen passage-reading strategy. Once you've decided on a strategy, continue practicing it using quality Reading practice tests. Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs Week 4: Learn Reading English Strategies 1. Memorize common ACT vocabulary words. Our ACT vocabulary list contains 150 common words you should know for the exam. Suggested Time: 2 hrs 2. Learn English and Reading strategies. Most importantly, practice the #1 critical rule for Reading so that you can know how to eliminate incorrect answer choices. Suggested Time: 2.5 hrs 3. Practice strategies. Use official practice questions or high-quality, unofficial questions to test out the various English and Reading strategies you’ve learned. Suggested Time: 2 hrs On the ACT, you get to play the part of a scientist- but, sadly, do not get to work with red goo. Month 2: Math Science Basics Now, you’ll move on to math and science topics. This month teaches you the format of the Math and Science sections and how to strategize for them. Week 5: Move Toward Math 1. Learn the Math test format. Get to know the basic structure of the section and what kinds of topics it tests. Suggested Time: 2 hrs 2. Go over basic math concepts. Readour basic guide to integersfollowed byour advanced guide to integers. Then, learn about fractions and proportions. Suggested Time: 2 hrs 3. Review algebra. Key topics include the following: Single-variable equations Systems of equations Operations Functions Word problems Suggested Time: 2.5 hrs Week 6: Learn More Math 1. Study key geometry concepts. These include the following: Lines and slopes Reflections, translations, and rotations Lines and angles Polygons Circles Triangles Solid geometry Suggested Time: 3 hrs 2. Go over all other math topics- in particular,trigonometry. Suggested Time: 2 hrs 3. Memorize all critical formulas. You won’t get any on test day, so definitely get these down pat! Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs Week 7: Switch to Science 1. Learn the Science test format. Understand what kinds of passages you’ll have and what the questions will look like. Suggested Time: 2 hrs 2. Find the passage-reading strategy that works best for you. This strategy might be different from the ones you use for Reading and English. To find the right one for you, test out a few different strategies using Science practice tests. Whichever gives you the highest score is the one you'll use in your prep. Suggested Time: 2.5 hrs 3. Practice your chosen reading strategy. Use high-quality Science practice tests to help you get used to reading scientific passages and answering questions. Suggested Time: 2 hrs Week 8: Learn Math Science Strategies 1. Learn Math and Science strategies. For Math, the most important ones include plugging in numbers and plugging in answers. In addition, make sure you know what kind of science is on the ACTand how to read tables and graphs. Suggested Time: 2.5 hrs 2. Practice strategies. Use high-quality practice questions to test out the Math and Science strategies you’ve learned. Suggested Time: 2 hrs 3. Learn the Writing test format.If you're planning to take the ACT essay, you'll need to know what kind of essay you'll be writing, how much time you'll have for it on test day, and what kinds of prompts there are. Suggested Time: 2 hrs Month 3: Progress Check Review Now, it’s time to review everything you’ve learned and check your progress to make sure you’re on track to getting your goal score. Week 9: Check Your Progress 1. Take an official practice test. This will tell you how much your score has improved since your baseline test. Suggested Time: 3.5 hrs 2. Score your test and determine your weaknesses. Look at the questions you got wrong and try to see whether there are any patterns in your mistakes. These will be the areas you’ll need to drill more in your prep. Suggested Time: 3 hrs Week 10: Practice Writing Strengthen Your Weaknesses 1. Practice writing ACT essays using high-quality prompts.This way you'll get used to writing quickly and effectively. I suggest getting someone to score your responses so that you can figure out what skills you need to work on in order to produce more cogent essays. Suggested Time: 2.5 hrs 2. Use high-quality practice questions to drill general weaknesses. For example, if you’re having problems solving algebra problems, spend more time reviewing algebraic concepts and practicing them as they appear on the ACT. Suggested Time: 4 hrs Week : Check Your Progress (Again) 1. Take your third and final practice test. As always, take it in a quiet place and in one sitting to get an accurate reflection of your scoring ability. Suggested Time: 3.5 hrs 2. Score your test and closely analyze your results. Are there any question types or topics you’re still getting wrong? What’s eating up your time and taking more energy than it needs to? Get a feel for what’s holding you back and then figure out how to fix your approach. Suggested Time: 3 hrs Week 12: Review as Needed 1. Continue reviewing concepts and strategies you want to work on. Use high-quality practice questions and resources to help you hone your skills. Just don’t overdo your prep at this point- it's OK to take some time to relax and mentally prepare yourself for the test! Suggested Time: 6.5 hrs (with 0 hrs on test day and the day before) ACT Study Plan #2: 3-Month Program, Low Intensity This is another three-month program but of a much lower intensity. With this plan, you’ll study for a total of 40 hours, or just three and a half hours per week. At this rate, you'll gainup to 4 total points on the ACT. This ACT schedule should work well for those prepping during the school year since it’s lighter and less demanding than the plan above. However, because you're only studying a handful of hours a week, you're limited in the number of points you can gain. Therefore, only choose this plan if you need to make small gains on test day. Grammar is a key part of ACT English. And, uh, graminivorous is not. Month 1: English Reading Basics During this first month, you’ll familiarize yourself with the ACT format and learn the basics of the English and Reading sections. Week 1: Find Your Baseline Score 1. Take an official ACT practice test and score it. This week will slightly exceed your weekly time limit. You’ll spend about 3.5 hours on the test and a half hour scoring it. Remember to recreate real testing conditions to give yourself a more accurate indicator of where you’re currently scoring. Suggested Time: 4 hrs Week 2: Learn the ACT Format 1. Analyze your results from your baseline test. A score doesn’t tell you everything you need to know about your ACT abilities, so take some time to analyze your practice test's results and see where your strengths and weaknesses lie. Suggested time: 2 hrs 2. Learn the format of the ACT. You must understand how the ACT tests concepts and sets up questions in order to do well on it. Specifically, you should know what's on the ACT, what its time limits are, and how it's scored. Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs Week 3: Focus on English 1. Learn the English test format. Understand what kinds of passages you’ll see, how grammar questions are presented, and how many questions there are in total. Suggested Time: 1 hr 2. Study all ACT grammar topics and punctuation rules. Get down the most important grammar and rhetorical topics likely to appear on the ACT. Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs 3. Learn and practice the graf-by-graf reading strategy. This strategy is the best one out there for the English section. You’ll read passages in paragraphs and answer questions for each paragraph. Suggested Time: 1 hr Week 4: Turn to Reading 1. Learn the Reading test format.Get to know the types of passages you'll read, what Reading questions look like, and how much time you'll have. Suggested Time: 1 hr 2. Practice the best passage-reading strategy for Reading: read the questions first and then skim the passage. This strategy is ideal for the ACT, as it teaches you to identify correct information fast. Always practice with high-quality Reading practice questions. Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs 3. Memorize common ACT vocabulary words. Our list contains 150 ACT vocabulary words and their meanings for you to study. Suggested Time: 1 hr The ACT assumes you know the basics of math and don't need to count on your fingers for everything. Month 2: Math Science Basics This month focuses primarily on the fundamentals of the Math and Science sections. Week 5: Move Toward Math 1. Learn the Math test format. You should know what kind of math you’ll face on the ACT, how questions are worded, and approximately how much time you’ll have per question. Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs 2. Go over basic math concepts. Read our basic guide to integers and our advanced guide. After, get started on reviewing the basics of fractions and proportions. Suggested Time: 1 hr 3. Memorize all critical ACT Math formulas. Oftentimes, an ACT Math problem can only be solved with a formula, so getting these down will help you get a great Math score. Suggested Time: 1 hr Week 6: Learn More Math 1. Review algebra. Algebra plays a key part on ACT Math, so make sure you understand the following concepts: Single-variable equations Systems of equations Operations Functions Word problems Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs 2. Study key geometry concepts. Like algebra, geometry plays a big role on the ACT. The most important topics you should know include the following: Lines and slopes Reflections, translations, and rotations Lines and angles Polygons Circles Triangles Solid geometry Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs 3. Go over all other math topics. Trigonometry, for example, is a less commonly tested but still important topic you'll need to know for the ACT. Suggested Time: 30 mins Week 7: Switch to Science 1. Learn the Science test format. Know what kinds of passages and questions you'll encounter on test day. Suggested Time: 1 hr 2. Practice the best passage-reading strategy for Science: read the questions first and then skim the passage. This is similar to the approach you’ll use for the Reading section. Be sure to use high-quality Science practice tests when practicing this method. Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs 3. Review the science topics you’ll need to know for the ACT.Generally, you won't need any specialized knowledge to do well on ACT Science, but you should still be familiar with certain biology, chemistry, physics, and math concepts. Suggested Time: 1 hr Week 8: Check Your Progress 1. Take an official practice test and score it. As always, find a quiet place to take the test and take it all in one sitting. This will let you see how much you’ve improved since your baseline test. Suggested Time: 4 hrs Acing the ACT is all about strategizing. Month 3: Strategies Review To wrap up this ACT study plan, you’ll spend your last month learning key test-taking strategies, checking your progress, and reviewing topics you’re still struggling with. Week 9: Learn Strategies for Each Section 1. Practice English and Reading strategies.Above all, be sure to practice the #1 critical rule for Reading, which teaches you how to eliminate incorrect answer choices. Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs 2. Practice keyMath and Science strategies, such asplugging in numbers and plugging in answers. For Science, practice reading tables and graphs. Suggested Time: 2 hrs Week 10: Check Your Progress (Again) 1. Take your third and final practice test and score it. This will give you a last look at what kinds of weaknesses you still have and what topics or skills you should review more before test day. Suggested Time: 4 hrs Week : Strengthen Your Weaknesses 1. Drill any weak spots you have.Use your third practice test's results to get a clearer picture of what areas you're still having trouble with. Then, practice these mistakesand test out strategies to help you overcome them. Suggested Time: 3.5 hrs Week 12: Review as Needed 1. Continue drilling any difficult concepts, skills, or strategies. Just be careful not to overdo it. This week isn't only for practicing but also for calming your nerves. So don’t study the day before the test or on test day- your brain will appreciate the break! Suggested Time: 3.5 hrs (with 0 hrs on test day and the day before) By the time you finish this next plan, it'll be spring! ACT Study Plan #3: 6-Month Program, Medium Intensity Need more study time? This six-month ACT schedule offers you a more relaxed and balanced approach to test prep. With this plan, you’ll study a total of 150 hours, or six to six and a half hours a week, to improve your composite score byup to 9 points! This plan is ideal for high-achieving sophomores wanting a head start on ACT prep. Ideally, you’ll take your first ACT in the fall of your junior year (in September or October), meaning you'd likely study the end of your sophomore year and over the summer. Juniors, too, can use this plan for a spring or summer ACT. Since this schedule lets you spread out your prep across several months, you'll feel less overwhelmed by homework and ACT prep. Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Month 1 Find Your Baseline Score Take an official practice test (3.5 hrs) Score your test to see your weaknesses (1.5 hrs) Learn the ACT format (1.5 hrs) Understand Structure Learn the English test format (3 hrs) Learn the Reading test format (3 hrs) Understand Structure Learn the Math test format (3 hrs) Learn the Science test format (3 hrs) Choose a Passage-Reading Strategy Practice the graf-by-graf strategy for English (1.5 hrs) Choose and practice a passage-reading strategy for Reading (2.5 hrs) Choose and practice a passage-reading strategy for Science (2.5 hrs) Month 2 Learn Math Content Review basic math concepts and formulas (3 hrs) Build algebra foundation (3 hrs) Learn English Reading Content Go over major English grammar and punctuation topics (2 hrs) Study vocabulary (2 hrs) Practice reading comprehension (2 hrs) Learn More Math Some Science Build geometry foundation (3 hrs) Learn additional math topics such as trig (2 hrs) Learn basic science topics (1.5 hrs) Check Your Progress Take a practice test (3.5 hrs) Score it, analyze your answers, and re-solve missed questions (3 hrs) Month 3 Learn English Reading Strategies Practice eliminating wrong answer choices (3 hrs) Practice other English and Reading strategies (3 hrs) Learn Math Science Strategies Practice plugging in answers and numbers for Math (2 hrs) Practice reading graphs and tables for Science (2 hrs) Practice other Math and Science strategies (2 hrs) Review Practice Practice questions for each section, reviewing concepts as needed (6.5 hrs) Check Your Progress Take a practice test (3.5 hrs) Score it and analyze your answers (3 hrs) Month 4 Study the Essay Format Learn the Writing section (essay) format (2 hrs) Practice writing timed essays (4 hrs) Review Practice Practice questions for each section, reviewing concepts as needed (6.5 hrs) Review Practice Practice questions for each section, reviewing concepts as needed (6 hrs) Check Your Progress Take a practice test (3.5 hrs) Score it and analyze your answers (3 hrs) Month 5 Review Needed Math Topics Practice any Math topics or strategies you’re still struggling with (6.5 hrs) Review Needed English Topics Practice any English topics or strategies you’re still struggling with (6 hrs) Review Needed Science Topics Practice any Science topics or strategies you’re still struggling with (6 hrs) Review Needed Reading Topics Practice any Reading topics or strategies you’re still struggling with (6.5 hrs) Month 6 Check Your Progress Take a practice test (3.5 hrs) Score it and analyze your answers (3 hrs) Review Needed Concepts Practice any English, Math, Reading, or Science topics you’re still struggling with (6 hrs) Review Needed Concepts Practice any English, Math, Reading, or Science topics you’re still struggling with (6.5 hrs) Prep Lightly Review Zero in on any final topics you want to practice, and rest up before test day (6 hrs) ACT Study Plan #4: 1-Month Program, High Intensity This high-intensity plan requires a lot of commitment to make it work. For this brief one-month program, you’ll study a total of 40 hours, or 10 hours a week, to get amaximum 4-point increaseon the ACT. In truth, onemonth isn’t a particularly long time to prep for the ACT, but you can be successful if you're willing to put in the effort and stick to a regular schedule. This ACT study plan works best if you don’t have a lot of activities or commitments going on and can therefore focus primarily on test prep. If you’re using this plan while in school, you’ll need to carve out study time during the week, as prepping for 10 hours every weekend is fairly difficult. For more advice on how to study for the ACT in a month, check out our step-by-step guide. Week 1: Study Structure 1. Take an official practice test to get your baseline score.Find a quiet room with no distractions and time yourself using official time limits. Suggested Time: 3.5 hrs 2. Score your test and analyze your results.Use your baseline test results to determine your weaknesses and look for any patterns in your mistakes. Suggested Time: 1 hr 3. Learn the overall ACT test format. Know how long the test is, what’s on it, and how it’s scored. Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs 4. Learn the English test format. Get to know the kinds of questions and passages you'll encounter on test day. Suggested Time: 1 hr 5. Learn the Reading test format. Acquaint yourself with the different types of Reading passages and how questions are worded. Suggested Time: 1 hr 6. Learn the Math test format.Briefly review how the math section is set up, what kind of math you’ll need to know, and how much time you’ll have for this section and per question. Suggested Time: 1 hr 7. Learn the Science test format. Go over how long the section is, what kind of science it tests, and what role passages and data play. Suggested Time: 1 hr Week 2: Get Down Key Content 1. Review themost important English grammar topics and punctuation rules. Knowing which grammar rules are most likely to be tested is key to doing well on English. Suggested Time: 2 hrs 2. Learn and practice core ACT Math topics. Understand the basics of integers as well as ratios and proportions. Above all, know the ins and outs of algebra and geometry. Specific topics in these fields include the following: Algebra Single-variable equations Systems of equations Operations Functions Word problems Geometry Lines and slopes Reflections, translations, and rotations Lines and angles Polygons Circles Triangles Solid geometry Suggested Time: 5 hrs 3. Memorize the most important ACT Math formulas. Many questions can only be solved with a formula, so knowing these guarantees you’ll have a better shot at getting a high Math score. Suggested Time: 1 hr 4. Practice reading graphs and tables for Science.Understand how data is presented in this section and what kinds of questions will be asked about it. Suggested Time: 2 hrs Week 3: Strategize Check Your Progress 1. Practice your passage-reading strategies for English, Reading, and Science. The best one to use for English is the graf-by-graf method. For both Reading and Science, I recommend reading the questions first and then skimming the passage. Suggested Time: 3 hrs 2. Learn and practice key strategies for all sections of the exam. The most important ones include plugging in numbers and plugging in answers for Math and the #1 critical rule for Reading. Suggested Time: 3 hrs 3. Take and score a practice test to check your progress. Use the test to see how much you’ve improved since your baseline test, and look for any weaknesses you'll need to target in your final week of prep. Suggested Time: 4 hrs Week 4: Review Practice 1. Review and practice difficult ACT topics and strategies. This is the time to zero in on your weaknesses so that you’ll feel more confident and make fewer mistakes on test day. Additionally, if you're taking the ACT with Writing, you can use some of this time to go over the format of the essay and practice answering prompts. Just don't study the day before or the day of the test- you need to give your brain a rest! Suggested Time: 10 hrs (with 0 hrs on test day and the day before) Which plan will lead you to victory? Recap: What's the Best ACT Study Plan for You? A good study plan for the ACT not only helpsyou reach your goal score but also fits easily into your schedule, changes to fit your study needs, and gives you ample confidence on test day. Before choosing a plan, make sure to complete these five preliminary steps: Set a goal score Find your baseline score Figure out how many hours you’ll need to study Choose a test date that works well for you Gather high-quality ACT study materials Finally, here are some key points to remember as you consider what type of ACT schedule might work best for you: Remember your commitments. Don’t choose a study plan or test date that’ll interfere with any major obligations or activities in your life. You should have plenty of time to dedicate to ACT prep, so choose a test date that’s got less going on around it. Find a routine. You’ll get the most out of your ACT study plan by following a routine. This means you should try to prep on the same days and at the same times each week. In turn, you’ll be less likely to procrastinate and won't forget to study. Customize your schedule. An ACT study plan should always adapt to fit your needs, so feel free to change up our plans to give yourself more or less time with certain topics. Just avoid completely skipping any major concepts or strategies! Be confident. Last but not least, stay calm and go into the test optimistically. As long as you’ve followed your ACT study plan and targeted your weaknesses, you’re sure to get a great ACT score! Good luck with your ACT studies! What’s Next? Need more help preparing for the ACT?Read our guides to learn how long you should study for the ACT andhow many times you should take it. Aiming for a perfect ACT score?Our expert guide can show you what steps to take and what strategies to use to get that coveted 36 on test day. Taking the SAT, too?Then get started today with one of our four SAT study plans! Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes your prep program to your strengths and weaknesses. We also have expert instructors who can grade every one of your practice ACT essays, giving feedback on how to improve your score. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Popular culture 4 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Popular culture 4 - Assignment Example Through the private devices, teenagers could listen to songs done by artists such as the Beatles and Motown Sound. In the 1960, music faced dynamics in content because of the frequent unrest in US due to the civil rights movements, rise of rock music, and changes in hair style and clothes. Pop and rock and roll music development was massive because of the popular " Beat Generation". Such people included the likes of the Beatles, Jack Kerouac, and Bob Dylan. The first group to advertise themselves were the 13th Floor Elevators from Texas, at the end of 1965; producing an album entitled The Psychedelic Sound of the 13th Floor Elevators. It practically took off in California emerging music scene. In 1965, two major blues-rock bands debuted Cream and The Jimi Hendrix Experience, whose extended guitar-heavy jams became a key feature of psychedelia. In the late 70s another genre of music containing elements of funk,  soul,  pop,  salsa and psychedelic that was most popular. When DJ David Mancuso, in New York ,opened a private dance club in his home, it became the beginning of the new era of disco-style club home. At this time, most of the non-disco artists had begun recording disco songs. Some films such as "Thank God It’s Friday" and the "Saturday Night Fever" played a significant part in popularising disco music. Different cities began producing similar sounds to suit their feelings. The New York Citys soul music became part of the disco sound towards the mid-1970s. Disco music dominated the airwaves from the year 1974 all through 1977. Most the charts in those days were full of disco songs, and many of them topped the charts. In like manner, many non-disco artists decided to record disco songs to remain relevant in the industry. This musical popular culture in this generation proves that it was the exploration era of new genres in the music industry. It gave birth to new sounds that are

Food Memoir Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Food Memoir - Essay Example My grandmother made sure that all of us were present for dinner together. Today we cherish those moments and value the tradition as we realize that food holds the family together. I have always seen my mother do the shopping and as I grew up I used to accompany her to the malls. I used to be amazed at the way she knew exactly what was required for the kitchen and in what quantities! She took care of the personal food habits of all of us in the family and till date I admire this quality in her. If only a few things were required, she would buy them from the street vendor occasionally. As children, we were expected to go to bed early but we were given the privilege of sitting down together for dinner. Ours was a closely knit family and my parents and grandmother used to have an early meal with us. After we went to bed, they lazed around over coffee and clearing the table. Meals were always sat at the dinner table and never in front of the television. Today when I see the distractions that the television causes, I realize and value the teachings and the discipline during food. We learned to value food, we learned to taste food and we learned to enjoy food. Food eaten while watching a television show is merely â€Å"eaten† and not enjoyed. We enjoyed food and the food time. We were taught the table etiquettes which included saying the prayers before starting the meal. We also waited for our grandmother to start first and then we followed. We were not allowed to talk while munching on food and once I remember, when I was just about three years old, I made a gurgling noise as the soup was too hot! My mom immediately corrected me and said this was indecent. What I liked about my family was that we were never scolded but given reasons for doing or not doing something. That made it easier to remember it the next time and we seldom repeated it. At the end of the meal we again said a thanksgiving prayer. Oh, and we had to