King Affonso I of Congo - His life, Accomplishments, and Importance of his Anti-slavery work

King Affonso I of Congo - His life, Accomplishments, and Importance of his Anti-slavery work King Affonso I, the venerated king of Congo, is one of the most influential and groundbreaking characters in the history of Africa. Once he converted to Christianity and became king, Affonso realized the abhorrence of slavery withing his state, for it was completely destroying his country through depopulation. Consequently, he sent a letter to King John of Portugal in 1526, outlining his hopes to eradicate Portugese influence upon his country. Ultimately, King Affonso I of Congo proves to be one of the most innovative modern-day thinkers of his time, for during his captivating life, he was the forerunner in the abolition of slavery, all of which was outlined in his letter to King John of Portugal.King Affonso I of Congo, known as the "people's king," was a man who saw his country not as a group of separate cultures, but rather, as a unified nation (Billings 22). When he was crowned king, he changed his name from Nzinga Mbemba to King Affonso I, hoping to indicate his newfound faith a nd power.Congo CockatooWhen the New World was discovered, a new labor force was needed to grow the cash crops, especially sugar cane in the Carribean. The Portuguese began to negotiate with King Affonso of Congo, convincing him that the slave trade would make him very profitable. King Affonso agreed and the slave trade began. The trade began as thousands of slaves were shipped to the Carribean in the first year, escalating to millions shortly thereafter. However, Affonso soon realized that the immense exportation of slaves had gotten out of hand, for the Portugese began trading with the chiefs instead of him directly, thus undermining his authority. Additionally, when he was converted to Christianity in 1525 A.D, he realized the violation of human rights which his people experienced. Furthermore, in 1526...

Carbohydrates Essays - Nutrition, Carbohydrate Chemistry

Carbohydrates Essays - Nutrition, Carbohydrate Chemistry Carbohydrates INTRODUCTION A theme that we have seen and studied in this class is that a particular form or structure of a molecule plays a significant role in the function of that molecule. Since we are interested in the function of molecules. it helps to study their structure. One of the major classes of organic compounds found in cells are carbohydrates. These carbohydrate are made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in a ratio of 1:2:1 respectively with a general formula of X(CH2O)n. When the carbohydrates consists of one unit of sugar, X=1, it is called monosaccharide. If it consists of 2 units, X=2, the carbohydrate is called disaccharide. Carbohydrates made up of more than two units, X>2, are called polysaccharides. Carbohydrates can also be branched or unbranched depending on the type of linkage. Those with alpha 1:4 linkages are linear or unbranched, while those with alpha 1:6 linkages are branched. Carbohydrates are necessary biomolecules because they play a role in energy metabolism as a source of potential chemical energy, also they are important building blocks for other biomolecules. The word carbohydrate is very general, so in order to understand these molecules more precisely, we need to be able to identify more specific classifications. Our experiments try to accomplish this using three common bioassay tests. The first, the Benedict test, will test various compound for reducing sugars. All six-carbon hexose sugars are reducing carbohydrates, as are most disaccharide. Sucrose is the exception. Most polsaccharides are not reducing. Secondly, we have the Barfoed test which is designed to test for monosaccharides. The third and final Iodine test is used to test for polysaccharides that are either branched or unbranched. By combining these tests we were able to make accurate predictions about the carbohydrate contents of a given sample. Now, let's take a closer look at how these bioassays do work. The Benedict and the Barfoed tests are based on the reaction of cupric ions with aldehyde or ketone groups. In the presence of a reactive group, the blue cupric ions are reduced to red cuprous ions. The Benedict test is a basic solution and upon heating turns green, yellow, orange or brick red which indicates a positive reaction. The final color is dependent on the number of reactive sites available; green indicates few sites, yellow more, and red denotes many sites. The Barfoed solution is acidic and only free aldehyde or ketone groups of monosaccharides can reduce the blue ions to red ions. The color change to red will occur immediately. The lack of a change indicates only that the solution is not a monosaccharide. The iodine test is used for polysaccharides. Iodine combines with any existing alpha helices. The more coiled the sample the darker the iodine will turn. The color change can range from deep black-blue with a sample of many coils to a rust red violet with fewer coils and more branchings. When there are no coils, there is no color change. Mono and disaccharides give negative results. In summary, this lab attempts to investigate several different samples by means of series of tests, and based on the combined results of all three tests we can attempt to understand the carbohydrate composition of unknown samples. We hope to be able to predict the results of three bioassays for an unknown solution if given its saccharide type and reducing property. We should also be able to predict the saccharide type and reducing capability of an unknown solution if given the results of the three bioassays. MATERIALS AND METHODS* Like any other experiment, this experiment needs some specific materials including, beaker, graduated cylinder, hot plate, 11 test tubes, test tube holder, wax pencil, liquid soap, and test tube brush. Also, we used the Barfoed reagent, Benedict reagent, and iodine reagent. Our eleven samples were distilled water (control), glucose, fructose, maltose, lactose, sucrose, glycogen, starch, potato soup, and dilute honey. First, we marked our test tubes with the wax pencil to keep track on the subtances, then we place the eleven samples in the corresponding tubes. The first test that we performed was Benedict, followed by Barfoed, ending with iodine test. When needed the samples were heated and our results were immediately recorded in the following tables. In all

Safety management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 7

Safety management - Assignment Example Different players have various responsibilities to act in the creation of awareness of radiation hazards, preparedness of response and prevention of occurrence of incidents from mishandling of radiation materials. The roles of various agencies should be set out clearly in terms of efforts, capacities and response if timely, coordinated and effective assistance will be given in case of a radiation crisis. Health and environmental risk assessment are crucial aspects of a strategic action plan. Risk assessment indicates an approximation of the impending impact of the incident to the general public so as to anticipate and prevent future occurrences. The preliminary estimate of doses of reaction exposed are used as a base for assessment. Radiation poses a great threat to the public health since the initial symptoms are hardly recognizable for immediate action to be taken. As such, the general public is highly vulnerable to radioactive injuries. Local Emergency Response Plan is vital in the strategic action plan as it crucial in the assessment of both regional and local response capabilities, resources, occupancies and conditions. This helps in preventing under resources areas from suffering adversely from radioactive materials as a result of incapacitation. Awareness in terms of causes, health and environmental effects and storage of radioactive materials is crucial in the strategic action plan as it boost the preparedness of the public and the health practitioners should there be a radioactive threat. This enables the general public to acquire the initial skills through training. Continued planning, exercise of the preventive and combative measures are effective in enhancing preparedness. Furthermore, during emergencies, the public can refer to a publication by IAEA and WHO â€Å"How to Recognize and Initially Respond to an Accidental Radiation

Planning and Organizing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Planning and Organizing - Assignment Example They also operate a mailing service, in which they offer product design, mailing list compilation, and actual mailing of materials. The firm recently began to market a line of apparel customized for industrial firms with printed company and personal identification. Planning Planning is considered as the central function of the management and pervades every action which a manger performs. The planning function tends to involve defining and setting goals and how to achieve them and integrate and coordinate them to reach the set goal (Sims, 9). Based on the information of the printing firm, the objective and goal of the firm would be to expand its business through its diversification strategy and aims to increase its turnover and enhance the organizational structure. Therefore to analyze the firm’s present and future situation, SWOT analyze a strategic planning method used to analyze the strength, weakness, opportunity and threats of the firm (Ferrel and Hartline, 122). Strength: The printing firm has a relevant experience of about 50years adding it to the list of strengths. The firm has adopted the diversification strategy both related field ad unrelated field seeking to achieve a competitive advantage. Adopted the low cost strategy which has resulted in profits for the firm The staff constitute of family members reducing the chance of fraud Sales is high and has a gross operating margin of 40% Weakness High competition with the direct sellers resulting in limited markup and volume the firm has been experiencing loss for the past 2 years, volume reduced to $3million from $5million The firm do not provide training programs to its staff Basic structural pattern is one of non cooperation and mistrust among employees and management Opportunity Mailing service has growth opportunity in the market and can be prime source of revenue and profit expansion in different market and products provide a better organization structure leading to motivation and efficient wo rking provide training programs Threats Competition in various field like printing, apparels, mailing from big firms Conflict in the organization Depressed economic climate Therefore based on the SWOT analyses it can be said that the firm aims to be among the top most printing firms in Baltimore and with its diversification strategy can capture the market share in respective market with its new and improved products. The firm to encourage effective and efficient work should provide training programs so that they are able to handle the work more sincerely and with more dedication. It has a growth opportunity in mailing serve and if utilize properly it has the potential to increase its revenue and create a brand name in the sector. The firm should use its strength to overcome its weakness and use the opportunity so to overcome the threats. Organizing The printing press constitute of 35 employees which includes family members also. The president do not provides the authority to take an y decisions to the vice president as he is not sure about their ability as well knowledge although they tend to have 5years of experience. The President can be said to have adopted the autocratic leadership style as he centralizes power and decision making and take the full responsibility and authority (Mehrotra, 7). Therefore based on the leadership style it can be said th

Juice Bar and Boost Juice Essay Example for Free

Juice Bar and Boost Juice Essay

Allston Corners Hidden Drama Essay -- Journalism Essays

Allston Corner's Hidden Drama Site of '60s homeowners rebellion may become the next Harvard Square Except for the occasional group of teenagers furtively smoking in front of the 7-Eleven, no one spends much time in Allston’s Barry’s Corner. Bordered by gas stations, loading docks, and an uninviting concrete apartment complex, the intersection of North Harvard Street and Western Avenue is a place to speed through before the light changes. Chris Fazio, an Allston resident and employee at the nearby Harvard Business School, always tries to walk through Barry’s Corner as quickly as possible. He describes it as a â€Å"soul-crushing urban wasteland† that â€Å"always looks dirtier than it is. You get the impression that it was just thrown together and abandoned,† he said. â€Å"It’s depressing.† But it wasn’t always this way. It used to be a place that people fought to save. In 1961, the owners of the 52 houses that once made up Barry’s Corner were shocked to learn on the news that their neighborhood would be sacrificed to urban renewal, according to Thomas O’Connor’s book â€Å"Building a New Boston.† Calling the area â€Å"blighted,† the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) planned to demolish it to make way for a luxury apartment complex, O’Connor wrote. Residents rebelled against the plans – at one point even arming themselves with brooms and shovels to chase away a BRA appraisal team – but they only delayed the inevitable for a few years. The city agreed to switch the new development to moderate income housing, but the character of Barry’s Corner was irrevocably changed. Now, after nearly 40 years, Barry’s Corner is once again being eyed for a makeover. Located between Harvard Business School and the university’s recently purchas... ...e police department is better prepared to serve the residents of the neighborhoods,† he said in an e-mail. Across the highway in North Allston, the nightlife is much quieter. Few undergraduates live in the neighborhood and the Harvard Business School graduate students have little time for raucous keg parties. Will it be different fifty years from now? As BU students flock to the bars and restaurants on Harvard and Brighton Avenues in South Allston, the sidewalks are empty in Barry’s Corner. Soon the number 66 bus pulls up, dislodging a handful of commuters. They step gingerly over the puddles flanking the wide streets. The kids are back in front of the 7-Eleven, but they don’t linger long. It’s hard to picture this corner changing. Will future Allstonians ever care enough again about Barry’s Corner to fight for its survival? Only time will tell.

The Impact of Midlife Crisis on the Family

The Impact of Mid Life Crisis on the Family By most definitions a â€Å"Midlife Crisis† is defined as an emotional state of doubt, self-reflection and anxiety that is normally associated with age and affects both men and women between the ages of 35 and 55. In his 1965 article â€Å"Death and the Midlife Crisis† for the International Journal of Psychoanalysis, psychologist Elliot Jaques coined the term â€Å"midlife crisis,† referring to a time when adults realize their own mortality and how much time they may have left in their lives.Researchers such as Levinson, Erikson, and many others shortly followed suit finding that there were significant changes for people to go through in midlife. Some of these changes, in addition to time perspective, include reevaluating life values and goals, thinking about one’s own death, and planning the second half of life.Not all researchers believe that people in midlife experience a crisis they believe that midlife is a normal period of transition in a person’s life cycle Mid life is considered to be a major life transition that provides individuals a time to reevaluate expectations and make age-appropriate adjustments to roles and resources. For many, this transition is very productive and leads to needed decisions and changes, and to a focus on the value of interpersonal and intimate relationships. It can also be an opportunity to move beyond previously accepted boundaries and societal constraints.Middle age is also a time in which adults take on new job responsibilities and therefore often feel a need to reassess where they are and make changes while they feel they still have time. This period of life can have positive and negative effects both on the individual and the family unit. If a person understands the process of midlife and can accept the biological and emotional changes; most will be able to navigate successfully through the transition with added confidence and a feeling of comf ort with their self concept and life choices.Whether positive or negative, a life transition causes a person to leave behind the familiar and forces them to adjust to new ways of living, at least temporarily. They can leave people feeling completely unprepared and they may be thrown into a personal crisis, feeling shocked, angry, sad, and withdrawn. It is when events during mid life present a crisis state that the family unit may be adversely affected. Change is inevitable in life. Both positive life transitions and negative ones can create stress for an individual or family.For many people change can feel overwhelming and can lead to symptoms or depression, anxiety, an identity crisis and heartache. Some of the negative feelings that may be felt involve dissatisfaction and may include searching for a new dream or goal, desiring new sexual relationships, needing to feel and stay young, feeling remorse for goals not achieved, placing special focus on physical appearance and resenting obligations to family or aging parents, and â€Å"empty nest syndrome. † The term empty nest syndrome refers to a time of adjustment for parents when their children leave home, especially when the last child leaves home.Understanding the emotional and intellectual stages that people pass through from childhood to retirement years as a member of a family is called the family life cycle. In each stage a person faces challenges in their family life that cause the development and gaining of new skills. The development of these skills helps an individual cope with the changes that every family goes through. The â€Å"launching stage† is the phase of the family life cycle that involves midlife. This is the newest and longest phase in the family life cycle, and for these reasons it is in many ways the most problematic of all phases.In the past, most families were occupied with raising their children for most of their active adult lives. Now, because of the low birth rate and the long life expectancy of adults, most parents launch their children almost 20 years before retirement and must then find other life activities. The difficulties of this transition can lead families to hold onto their children or can lead to parental feelings of emptiness and depression, although, especially for women, this has become increasingly a transition they welcome for the opportunity to explore new pursuits (Walsh, 391).It is also coincides, many times, with the adolescent phase adding extra stress not only on parents but teens as well. Parenting teenagers can be a rough time for the family and test relationship skills. It’s also a time for positive growth and creative exploration for the entire family. The launching phase is a particularly stressful time. It is marked by several aspects; the most significant is the entries and exits of family members. It is also a time when grandparents become ill and die and parents are left with the chore of finding meaningful, new activities.It is also a time when parents see their role change from that of parent to grandparent and also caregiver to their own parents who may have become dependent. The rapid rate of growth of older people (65 years and older, and especially of the oldest old, 85 or older) has created many challenges for family members. Many adult children face the dilemma of providing care for their older relatives, while at the same time, caring for their children. Family members are affected socially, emotionally and financially as they struggle with difficult decisions.While people generally think about changing relationships as losses, centered on separation, divorce or death, relationships can also be viewed as gains, such as new commitment and/or marriage, becoming a grandparent or even a great grandparent. Changing relationships can be high impact transitions, resulting in a change of routines, roles, responsibilities and assumptions Role change within the family can create new or increased interpersonal conflict.When one family member changes roles, other people are forced to make shifts in their own role expectations or behaviors. On the positive side it may be a period of financial freedom giving individuals and couples the opportunity to explore new areas of interest. The launching phase when seen as a normative transition may seem to bring one stage of life to an end and welcome a new stage with new opportunities and roles. On the other hand it may lead to disruption, a sense of emptiness, loss, depression, and general disintegration.Another reason why the launching phase of the family life cycle is especially stressful for parents may be that launching may be postponed for financial reasons or adult children may return home after a divorce. During this time the marital relationship may also need to be restructured when parenting responsibilities are no longer required (Walsh, 391). Men and women approach this time of life differently but the impact on t he family is the same. Strains in midlife marriages are common as children become adolescents and struggle to assert their separate identities.Concerns about offspring can easily crowd out time to attend to the needs of a spouse. Neglecting this relationship affects not only the parents, but children as well. Sometimes this neglect coupled with a divergence of interests and a shift in roles leads to divorce. Divorce breaks down the family structure, and has far reaching effects not only on the divorcing couple and their children but on the extended family, friends, and society as a whole. There is a grieving process that takes place when we are experiencing divorce. It is not unlike the grief we experience when someone dies.The grief includes but is not limited to the loss of a set of expectations; the definition of family; the state of marriage; extended family ties; the ex-spouse; rituals and traditions; the status of being married; financial security; a two parent household; are among the many losses we might endure. There is the feeling of being uprooted and displaced during the divorce process. During this period many of us confront our legal system which can and often does become quite adversarial. The tension of bickering over money, property, kids, custody etc. can escalate and lead to anger, more instability, and a sense of not being understood.Whether a midlife crisis or a midlife transition, men and women entering into this phase of the family life cycle face many obstacles and challenges that may be viewed positively or negatively and the impact on the family may be felt that way as well. If individual identities in earlier stages of life have been developed the more secure the individual will be about the changes that are not only going on with them but with other members of the family as well. Works Cited Walsh, Froma (2003). Normal Family Processes. New York, NY: The Guilford Press. BibliographyCarter B, McGoldrick M (2005). The Expanded Life Cy cle, 3rd ed. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon. Curro McCarthy N (1994). Health Promotion and the family. In CL Edelman, CL Mandle, eds. , Health Promotion Throughout the Lifespan, 3rd ed. , pp. 179-201. Philadelphia, PA: Mosby. Goldenberg H, Goldenberg I (2008). Family Therapy: An Overview. Belmont, CA: Thomson Brooks/Cole. Newman BM, Newman PR (1998). Development Through Life, 7th ed. New York, NY: Brooks/Cole and Wadsworth. Walsh, Froma (2003). Normal Family Processes. New York, NY: The Guilford Press.

Ethical Perspectives Essay

Abstract This essay will research a a global organization and cultural issue that affects the organization’s interactions outside the United States. It will also define the cultural issue within the global organization as well as provide an analysis of the ethical and social responsibility issues that the organization must deal with as a result of being a global organization. The analysis will identify ethical perspectives in the global organization and it will compare these ethical perspectives across cultures involved in the global organization. Ethical Perspectives Paper Due to many strict regulations placed on corporations by the United States, a lot of them have moved their factories overseas as a way of escaping the strict regulations. South Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan, and China are examples of various Third World countries that have a readily available and abundant cheap labor source. These companies take it vantage of this cheap labor as a means of fulfilling the consumer’s needs while at the same time cutting costs production. Many of these organizations have been noted by the media as abusing these forms of cheap labor and are highly criticized because of their organizational culture. The use of child labor or work conditions in the labor force are some of the malpractices these organizations are noted as using on both the local and international level. Although these organizations have been reported for doing this very little has been done to correct the problem unless someone has either gotten hurt were the people go on strike to rally for the workers’ rights. Nike Corporation is among those corporations that have been highlighted and criticized for its organizational culture. This Corporation, founded by Bill Bowerman and Philip Knight, has had companies based abroad from the very beginning in an attempt to increase its profits around the world. By doing this the company has managed to save money on production and labor costs and has been labeled a blue ribbon sports organization. There many different countries that this organization has expanded into. One of these countries is Pakistan. Pakistan, Nike company faced serious cultural issues including the use of children for labor and poor work conditions. The allegations range from situations where children’s job was to stitch soccer balls to stitching of and support garments. Boje & Khan (2009) indicate that Sialkot, Pakistan has been the place where soccer balls of Nike company and then produced for several years and it is estimated it thousands of children have been used as workers in the production process of the company’s goods. Khan (2010) indicates that childhood is perceived in different ways and that it is not across countries but also in a specific culture had across various ethnic groups (Khan, 2010). Child labor is the main cultural issue that affects the Nike Corporation. The company has been highlighted by the media through illustrating the conditions under which the Nikes factories were operating overseas and the minimal standards that had to be attained by the employees. This company’s goal was to achieve financial gain while exploiting its workers. Due to these malpractices the Nike Corporation received ceaseless attacks. Strict recommendations were set in order to improve these back conditions. With the media being involved Nike had to do something to improve how it was operating in other countries. Due to Nikes global expansion, the company was faced with various aspects of concern, costs being among those issues. In order for them to stay competitive, as it pertains to price without the need to reduce its workforce, they decided to outsource some of its manufacturing overseas. By doing so, it gave the company an advantage over its competitors as well as opening other doors of marketing for the company. Even though the shifting of jobs from the US to other countries may be viewed as an unethical  practice by others, it can be said that Nike’s decision was in the best interest of the company, as well as the employees working at the company. A company that is unable to maintain its competitive advantage within its current markets and at the same time thinking of expanding its business, will end up experiencing a stagnating growth and loss of jobs among many employees. No one will then be the winner when the company has lost his competitiveness in the industry (Etienne an d Lewis, 2005). Another thing that has to be taken into consideration are the customers. This falls within the ethical responsibility field of the company which had been overlooked for a long time. It is apparent that the Nike Corporation failed to comprehend the consequences of not following the required base market ideologies in a place where they were not required to follow stringent labor regulations. Taking jobs out of the United States is hard enough to justify, never mind the fact they were taking those jobs and moving them to a place where children were given those jobs. With child labor being a major problem is clear that Nike did not consider its ethical obligations and wound up paying the price for its malpractices. Nike was accused of lowering the human standards rights single-handedly with the goal of maximizing profits. Furthermore, Nike products have been linked to forced overtime, slave wages, and habitual abuse. The main difficulties in diversifying an organization is based on the principle of cultural adaptability while ensuring that ethical and social standards and maintain. Groundwork of the organization or company can be well described when there is a clear analysis of what takes place in organization. Nike’s decision to take the company’s business abroad was with good intent and motive for cutting costs, increasing the company’s competitiveness and profits, but should not have come at the expense of abusing child labor. The accusations placed on Nike Corporation by the media were based on poor working conditions, use of child labor, and the exploitation of wages to its employees abroad. The company was not only criticized these accusations, but were also criticized for taking jobs away from the American people. Through corporate social responsibility laws, the Nike Corporation was forced to adhere to the recommendation in order to  improve the poor working conditi ons in its factories abroad. References Boje, D, & Khan, F (2009) Story-Branding by Empire Entrepreneurs, Journal of Small Business and Entrepreneurship, p 9-24. DeTienne, K & Lewis, L (2005) the Pragmatic and Ethical Barriers to Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosure, Journal of Business Ethics, p 359-376. Khan, a (2010) Discourses on Childhood, History & Anthropology, p 101-119.

Super Massive Black Holes essays

Super Massive Black Holes essays Black Holes are one of the most enigmatic objects in the universe. Shrouded in mystery, Black Holes (a.k.a. BH) have been the focus of science fiction writers and astronomer alike. But now there is a new kid on the block that has put your everyday BH to shame. This new kid is called a Supermassive Black Hole (a.k.a. SMBH). SMBHs are a new area of wonder and fascination in the astronomy field and have caused us to rethink many of our previous thoughts on the universe and how it evolved into what it is today. Supermassive Black Holes are some of the biggest and smallest objects in the known universe. Big because SMBH and normal BH have such a incredible gravitational pull that it causes matter anywhere in its vicinity to be attracted to it and be pulled into its orbit. This orbit is called a Accretion disk. This disk is the only way to visually see where a BH or SMBH is located in the universe (though there are other ways, using radio telescopes or measuring the ripple effect in the surrounding space). The Accretion disk can be sometimes as small as a planet or as big as a thousand solar systems. They are some of the smallest objects in the universe because in actuality even though the Accretion disk and Event Horizon are considered part of the BH, they are only by-products of the real BH and that is the singularity. Supermassive Black Holes have a tremendous effect on the surrounding universe. But before we go into all of that lets get the basics down first, like what is a SMBH? A SMBH is exactly what it sounds like: a very big BH. A BH itself is measured from three AMUs (astronomical mass units. These are equal to the mass of our sun. i.e. Our sun = 1 AMU) to a few hundred thousand AMU s, while a SMBH is measured from about one million AMUs to several billion. A BH is the resulting effect after a star, at least three AMUs, goes super novae. In the case of a SMBH, the star in question would...

PSAT Scoring How Does It Work

PSAT Scoring How Does It Work SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you're preparing to take the PSAT, it'simportant you understand everything there is to know aboutPSAT scoring. How is the PSAT scored? And how will this information help you get the score you want on test day? On the SAT? In this article, we go overthePSAT scoring scale and show you how to calculate your PSAT scores using official scoring tables. We also coverSelection Index scores and offer our top four tips on how to utilize PSAT scoringto inform both PSAT and SAT prep! How Is the PSAT Scored Overall? By Section? The PSAT scoring scale is 320-1520 in 10-point increments. On this scale, 320 is the minimum score you can get and 1520 is the maximum. This scale differs just slightly from the SAT scoring scale, which is 400-1600. Like the SAT, your total PSAT score is a combination of your Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW) and Math scores. (The EBRW score comprises the Reading and Writing and Language sections.) Both EBRW and Math use a score range of160-760, with each section accounting for halfyour total PSAT score. So a 500 on EBRW and a 600 on Math would equala total PSAT score of 1100. But obviously there aren't1,520 questions on the PSAT! So why is the PSAT scoring scale out of 1520? The reason for this is thatall of these scores are actuallyscaled scores, which areconverted fromraw scores (equivalent to the number of questions you answered correctly) through a specialequating process. The College Board uses this process toaccount for variances in difficulty among PSATs - essentially, to ensure that a scaled PSAT score will always indicate the same level of ability, no matter when you take thetest. Here’s how theCollege Board describes the PSATequating process: â€Å"This conversion process adjusts for slight differences in difficulty among versions of the test and provides a score that is equated, or consistent, across forms. This process ensures that no student receives an advantage or disadvantage from taking a particular form of the test on a particular day;* a score of 400 on one test form is equivalent to a score of 400 on another test form.† *Emphasis mine. Upon completing the PSAT, you’ll earn three raw scoresfor Math, Reading, and Writing and Language (hereafter referred to as â€Å"Writing†). So if you were to answer 40 Math questions correctly, your raw Math score would be 40. Likewise, if you were to answer 26 Writing questions correctly, your raw Writing score would be 26. You do not lose any points for incorrect or blank answers.These raw scores are thenequated into your final (scaled) Math and EBRW scores. Here's the catch, though: theequating formula differs for each PSAT. Andbecause only the College Board knows what these formulas are, we'll never be able to predict exactlyhow a raw score will convert into a scaled score on an upcoming PSAT. Nevertheless, we can use scoring charts from official PSAT practice tests to estimate how raw scores may translate into scaled scores. Thesetables differ foreach practice test but are extremely helpful because they show ushow PSAT scores typically convert into scaled scores. Scoring charts are the handy, dandy notebook for high school students. Below aretwo examples of PSAT scoring charts, both taken from official PSAT practice tests: Practice Test #1PSAT Scoring Chart Raw Score Reading Test Score Writing Test Score Math Section Score Raw Score Reading Test Score Writing Test Score Math Section Score 0 8 8 160 25 26 25 560 1 9 9 190 26 26 26 570 2 10 10 210 27 27 27 580 3 11 11 240 28 27 27 580 4 12 12 270 29 28 28 590 5 14 13 290 30 28 28 600 6 15 14 320 31 29 29 610 7 16 14 340 32 29 29 620 8 16 15 360 33 30 30 630 9 17 15 370 34 30 30 640 10 18 16 390 35 31 31 650 11 18 16 400 36 31 32 670 12 19 17 420 37 32 32 680 13 19 18 430 38 32 33 690 14 20 18 440 39 33 34 710 15 20 19 460 40 34 35 720 16 21 20 470 41 34 36 730 17 21 20 480 42 35 37 730 18 22 21 490 43 36 37 740 19 22 21 500 44 37 38 740 20 23 22 510 45 37 750 21 23 23 520 46 38 750 22 24 24 530 47 38 760 23 24 24 540 48 760 24 25 25 550 Source: Scoring Your PSAT/NMSQT Practice Test #1 Practice Test #2PSAT Scoring Chart Raw Score Reading Test Score Writing Test Score Math Section Score Raw Score Reading Test Score Writing Test Score Math Section Score 0 8 8 160 25 25 26 530 1 9 9 190 26 26 26 540 2 10 10 210 27 26 27 540 3 11 11 240 28 27 27 550 4 12 12 260 29 28 28 560 5 13 13 290 30 28 28 570 6 14 13 310 31 29 29 570 7 15 14 320 32 29 29 580 8 16 14 340 33 30 30 590 9 16 15 350 34 31 31 600 10 17 16 370 35 31 31 610 11 17 16 380 36 32 32 620 12 18 17 400 37 32 33 630 13 18 18 410 38 33 33 640 14 19 18 420 39 34 34 650 15 19 19 430 40 34 35 670 16 20 20 440 41 35 36 680 17 21 20 450 42 35 37 700 18 21 21 460 43 36 38 710 19 22 22 470 44 36 38 730 20 22 23 480 45 37 740 21 23 23 490 46 38 740 22 24 24 500 47 38 750 23 24 24 510 48 760 24 25 25 520 Source: Scoring Your PSAT/NMSQT Practice Test #2 Bycomparing the tables above, we can see that there are small differences in how raw scores convert into scaled scores. For example, a raw Math score of 37 converts into 680 on Test #1but only 630 on Test #2! As I explained previously, these conversions differ because the two tests vary slightly in difficulty. Now that we’ve covered the equating process and how the overall PSAT is scored, let’s take a closer look at PSAT scoringfor Math and EBRW. Prepare to enter the math vortex! Vroooooom! Your PSAT Math Score Math consists of two subsections: a No Calculator section consisting of 17 questions and for which you may not use a calculator, and a Calculator section consisting of 31 questions and for which you may (but don’t need to) use a calculator. Your Math score begins as a total raw score out of 48 (the total number of questions on Math).Here are the steps for calculating your Math section score using your raw score: 1. Calculate your raw Math scores for each subsection. Start by adding up all of your correct answers on the No Calculator and Calculator subsections using the answer key for your test. On official practice tests, your Math answer key will look something like this: 2. Add your rawscores together togeta total raw Mathscore out of 48.So if I got 10 questions right on the No Calculator subsection and 22 questions right on the Calculator subsection, my total raw Math score would be 32. 3. Find your Math section score using your test’s scoring chart. Your test should offer a conversion table for calculating your Math section score. In my example, I’d find 32 on my test’s conversion table and look for itscorresponding scaled score (which, in this case, is 620): If you’re not using an official practice test and/or don't have a PSAT scoring chart for your test, you can use the two conversion tables at the beginning of this articleto estimate how your raw Math score will convert into a scaled score. For example, let's say you have a raw Math score of 40. According to our tables for Practice Tests #1 and #2, 40 on Math converts into either 670 or 720. This means that your Math section score is likely somewhere around the high 600s or low 700s. Time tomove on to Reading and Writing! (Am I dating myself with a pic of actual encyclopedias?) Your PSAT EBRWScore YourEBRW score is a combination of your Reading and Writing scores, which are at first given to you as two separate scores. Your Reading score startsas a raw score out of 47, whereas your Writing score is out of 44. These are then converted into test scores and then finally a combined EBRW section score. In contrast with the relatively simple process for finding your Math score, finding your EBRW score requires a couple of extra steps. Here’s how to calculate it: 1. Calculate your raw Reading and Writing scores.Use your practice test's answer key to add up all of the correct answers you got on Reading and Writing. Be sure you add these scores up separately - you won’t be combining them until later. Here’s an example of an answer key for the Reading and Writing sections: 2. Find your Reading and Writing test scores. Unlike the Math raw score, which immediately converts into a scaled section score out of 760, the Reading and Writing scores will first convert into individual test scores on a scale of 8-38. So if my raw score were 35 for Reading and 38 for Writing, my Reading and Writing test scores would, according to the chart below, convert into 31 and 33, respectively: 3. Combine your Reading and Writing test scores to get a total EBRW test score.In the example I used above, my Reading test score was 31 and my Writing test score was 33; thus, my total EBRW test score would be 64. 4. Multiply your EBRW test score by 10 to get your section score. This final step converts your EBRW test score into a scaled EBRW section score out of 760. This means that my test score of 64 would equal a final EBRW score of 640. Not bad! Disappointed with your PSAT performance? Want to improve your PSAT score by 150 points? We have the industry's leading PSAT prep program. Built by Harvard grads and SAT full scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so you get the most effective prep possible. Check out our 5-day free trial today: Once you’re finished calculating your scaled scores for both Math and EBRW, add the two scores together to get your composite PSAT score out of 1520. If you want, you can compare your score to the current PSAT percentiles to get a feel for where you stand in comparison with other test takers. These next scores are like the cherry on top: some people love them, and some people couldn't care less about them. PSAT Subscores and Cross-Test Scores In addition to Math and EBRW section scores, you’ll also be given separate subscores and cross-test scores (the same ones you’ll get on the SAT). These additional scores break down the three sections into smaller categories in order to highlight your strengths and weaknesses in specific skill areas. Below, I explain how to calculate these subscores andgo over what they mean for you. Your PSAT Subscores On the PSAT, you'll receiveseven subscores: For EBRW Command of Evidence Words in Context Expression of Ideas Standard English Conventions For Math Heart of Algebra Problem Solving and Data Analysis Passport to Advanced Math Each subscore is scored on a scaleof 1-15. These subscores indicate how well you've performed on designated skill areas, such as vocabulary and data analysis. To calculate your subscores, use your practice test’s subscore answer key, taking care to note which questions fall under which subscore categories. Scoring guides for official PSAT practice tests offer detailed descriptionsfor each subscore, explaining what the subscore measures and which questionsit comprises. Here's an example: Once you’ve tallied your correct answers for each subscore, you will then convert this raw score into a scaled subscore using your test’s scoring chart for subscores: Although these subscores are useful for deciphering your own strengths and weaknesses, in the end they’re not especially significant. As it stands, subscores don’t factor into your PSAT section scores or even your overall PSAT score. They also aren’t used to select candidates for the National Merit Scholarship Program (which we’ll get into more in a moment). Your PSAT Cross-Test Scores Cross-test scores indicate how well you've answeredquestions in thedomains of history/social studies and science. Unlike the subscores above, cross-test scores are not section specific; rather, they apply to all sections and use a scoring scale of 8-38. The two types of cross-test scores are: Analysis in History/Social Studies Analysis in Science To calculate your cross-test scores, use your test’s scoring guide to see which Math and EBRW questions comprise these two categories as well as how many questions you answered correctly (i.e., your raw score). Here’s an example of a cross-test score answer key for Analysis in Science: Once you’ve figured out your raw scores, use the cross-test scoring chartthat came with your test to calculate your scaled cross-test scores: Now here's a score that's actually worth something! Your National Merit Selection Index Score The final score you’ll receive on the PSAT is a National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) Selection Index score. The Selection Index score uses a score range of 48-228 and is equivalent to the sum of your Reading, Writing, and Math test scores (that is, the ones on scales of 8-38) multiplied by 2. So if my three test scores were 34, 30, and 27, my Selection Index score would be: 34+30+27=91 91*2=182 The NMSC uses Selection Index scores to determine your eligibility for the National Merit Scholarship Program. This program offers an extremely prestigious distinction and scholarship to students with exceptionally high PSAT scores. Each year, the top 1 percent of PSAT scorers in the 11th grade - equal to about 16,000 students - become Semifinalists. Of those students, 15,000 will become Finalists. And of those students, 8,000 will each win a $2,500 scholarship! The Selection Index score you need in order to be aSemifinalistvaries by state but usually ranges anywhere from 209 to 222.See our guidefor an updated list of Selection Index score cutoffs by state. 4 Tips for Usingthe PSAT Scoring System to Your Advantage So far, we've addressed nearly everything you need to know about the PSAT scoring scale. But what can you actually gain from it? Here are four simple ways you can use PSAT scoring to your advantage. #1: Set a PSAT Goal Score Using Selection Index Cutoffs Ifyou want to try to qualify as a Semifinalist for the National Merit Scholarship Program, you can use the Selection Index score cutoffs to set a PSAT goal score. Remember that the cutoffs vary by state, so it’s important you aim for your state’s cutoff and not a different state’s! According to our estimates, the lowest cutoff is 209 (equivalent to a total PSAT score of about1400) and the highest is 222 (equivalent to about 1480). For a detailed list of Selection Index score cutoffs and their (estimated) corresponding PSAT scores, refer to my article on thePSAT score range (coming soon). Let's look at an example. Jackie lives in Florida, whose Selection Index cutoff score is 217. This gives her a PSAT goal score of about 1450. To get her individual goal scores for Math and EBRW, Jackie divides her total PSAT goal score by 2. This gives her goal scores of 730 (rounded up from 725) for each section. If you’re stronger at Math or Reading/Writing, consider aiming for a higher score on your stronger section and a slightly lower score on your weaker section. So if Jackie were better at Math, she could instead aim for something like 750 on Math and 700-710 on EBRW. #2: Use Tables to Estimate the Number of Correct Answers You'llNeed If you've got a PSAT goal score in mind, you can usescoring chartsfrom official practice tests to estimate how many questions you’ll need to answer correctly in order to hit your goal score on test day. This process is somewhat complicated but extremely helpful to know how to do. Let's say your PSAT goal score is 1400, and you want to aim for 700 on both Math and EBRW. Using the tables above for Practice Tests #1 and #2, we see that 700 on Math comes out to 39-42 correct answers. (Remember, your raw score = the number of questions you answered correctly.) There are more steps for EBRW, however.First, divide your goal score (in this case, 700) by 10 to get your total Reading and Writing test score. This gives us 70. Then, divide this number in half to estimateyour individual Reading and Writing test scores. In our case, 70/2=35. Finally, convert your test scores into raw scores using the conversion tables above. In our example,a 35 Reading test score equals 41-42 correct answers, and a 35 Writing test score equals 40 correct answers. This process of working backward, albeittime-consuming, is useful because it offers a rough idea ofhow many questions you can afford to get wrong on the PSAT. It also lets you estimate what yourfinal PSAT scores will be before they’re released, thereby letting youpredict whether you’ll qualify for National Merit. I prefer estimating how many peeps I can fit in my mouth. Aiming for a National Merit Scholarship but worried your score won't qualify? If you're not sure you can self-study your way to a qualifying PSAT score, you'll love our PSAT prep program, PrepScholar. We designed our program to learn your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics and customize your prep to be as effective as possible for you. When you start with PrepScholar, you’ll take a diagnostic that will determine your weaknesses in over forty PSAT skills. PrepScholar then creates a study program specifically customized for you. To improve each skill, you’ll take focused lessons dedicated to each skill, with over 20 practice questions per skill. This will train you for your specific area weaknesses, so your time is always spent most effectively to raise your score. We also force you to focus on understanding your mistakes and learning from them. If you make the same mistake over and over again, we'll call you out on it. There’s no other prep system out there that does it this way, which is why we get better score results than any other program on the market. Check it out today with a 5-day free trial: #3: Consider Your PSAT Score a Starting Point to SAT Prep Your PSAT scores are important butnot nearly as important as your SAT scores, especially if you’re hoping to get into a top-tier university. Luckily, the PSATwas specifically designed to prepare studentsfor the SAT! We already know that the twotests use different scoring scales, with the PSAT being out of 1520 and the SAT out of 1600. But here's the kicker: each scaled score on the PSAT corresponds directly to the same scaled score on the SAT. This means thatany score you get on any PSAT or SAT will signifythe samelevel of ability. So 1400 on the PSAT equals 1400 on the SAT, 1250 equals 1250, 1000 equals 1000, etc. But if this is the case, why does the PSAT scoring scale only go up to 1520 and not 1600? The reason for this is that the PSATis not as challenging as the SAT. Toaccount for its lower difficulty level, then, the PSATemploys aslightly lower maximum of 1520 (which is not a perfect SAT score but close). Despite these connections, don’t consider your PSAT score a direct indicator of what your SAT score will be. Your PSAT score tells you where you’re currently scoring but not where you’re capable of scoring. In other words, think of your PSAT score as your baseline SAT score (i.e., the score you start off with before you begin anySAT prep). Then, once you have your SAT goal score, too, you can use both of these scores to calculate how many points you’ll need in order to hit your goal score on test day. #4: Use PSAT Scores and Subscores to Target Potential SAT Weaknesses What’s great about the PSAT is that it’s similar to the SAT - so much so that its section scores and subscores are the same ones you’ll get on the SAT. Therefore, you can use your PSAT scores to see what your SAT weaknesses are likely to be. For example, ifyou received a low Heart of Algebra subscore on the PSAT, it's a good idea to dedicate a lot of your SAT prep to mastering the basics of algebra. Or if you didn’t get a high Words in Context subscore, you'll probably want to spend more time improving your reading comprehension skills and fine-tuning your vocabulary knowledge. Knowing what to focus on for your SAT prep will not only help you hone your weaknesses but also help you attain an SAT score farhigher than your PSAT score! Recap:How Is the PSAT Scored? The total PSAT scoring scale is 320-1520, and the Math and EBRW scoring scale is160-760. The Math and EBRW section scores are scaled scores converted from raw scores through a special equating process, which changes slightlywith each test. Raw scores equalthe number of questions you answered correctly.A raw Math score converts directly into a scaled section score, whereas raw Reading and Writing scores are converted into test scores on a scale of 8-38,combined, and then multiplied by 10 to give you a single scaled EBRW score. ThePSAT also offers subscores and cross-test scores to indicate test takers' strengths and weaknesses in various skillareas. Subscores use a scale of1-15, while cross-test scores use a scale of8-38. The final score you'll get is a National Merit Selection Index score, which uses a scale of 48-228. This score determines who is eligible for National Merit consideration. Every year, the top 1 percent of 11th-grade test takers, or approximately 16,000 students, qualify as Semifinalists. Knowing the ins and outs ofPSAT scoring can help you qualify for National Merit as well as predicthow many questions you can afford to miss on test day. It can also offeryou a starting point for yourSAT prep and allow you to see which skills and areasyou'll need to honebefore taking the SAT. All in all, PSAT scoring is a pretty useful tool to have, so use it to your advantage whenever you can! PSAT scoring is a handytool - though not nearly as handy as Colonel Mustard's wrench. What’s Next? Want to learn more about PSAT scoring?Check out my in-depth guide to thePSAT score rangeto learn more about the score ranges for each section as well as the scores you'll need to qualify for National Merit. Got questions about the basics of the PSAT?Learn what exactly the PSAT is and what's considered a good score.If you're asophomore,read our guide to see how "good" scores differ for 10th graders. Ready to move on to SAT prep?Start with our guide to how the SAT is scored and learn about the basic differences between the PSAT and SAT, so you'll have no surpriseson test day. Disappointed with your scores? Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points?We've written a guide about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Environmental Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Environmental Analysis - Assignment Example It seems all of these are basic and generic strategies used by Toyota which is found from the theory of competitive advantage by Porter (1980). This only proves that Porter’s theory of competitive advantage still applies until today. Due to this competitive move that Toyota is trying to achieve, the company was able to cut cost while ensuring customers about its cutting-edge technology. With this move, Toyota will be able to cut cost for the price of its offerings but it is still to ensure customers with its standard quality products. Toyota has become the leading car manufacturer and producer in the world because of its quality line of offerings and cutting-edge technology. This remarkably was able to gain social acceptance. This is due to the fact that the society is eager to accept something new and in line with the age of technological revolution. However, the real threat behind this smooth social acceptance for the products manufactured by Toyota is actually on the fact t hat they are assets of the company. Toyota’s products are certainly its assets. However, recent world-wide recalls of products produced by Toyota have triggered social concerns. This particularly includes quality and safety issues. It was noted that in the year 2009, Toyota paid $10 million to four families in the UK who were killed from a runaway Lexus car due to faulty design (BBC News, 2010). Within 12 months up to November 2010, there were reported 229 products recalled in the UK due to health and safety issue, production and design flaw and other related quality issues which part of them were car products (BBC News, 2011). This only shows that the market in the UK is very determined to stand on the quality of offerings which might be difficult for Toyota to get through after it had suffered from issues on quality related matters. Considering that Toyota’s products are its assets in obtaining its target revenue, the incidence of quality problem has substantially tr iggered social concerns among buyers. This is due to the fact that in the UK alone, quality is tantamount to safety and value for the money invested on certain products. This can be clearly observed how the government had responded aggressively to product recalls as initiated by Toyota Motors. The problems affecting Toyota are not only focused on social issues but they also include highly political concerns. With the increasing concern on cutting-edge technology, government has brought forward the necessity to conduct thorough investigations on product quality and implementation of efficient technology. It is therefore clear in here that there is a strong link between political and technological concerns. On the part of Toyota Motors, there is a strong downside of technological exploration. However, on the part of the law, Toyota Corporation still has to face any noted violations as believed by the law to be beyond reasonably doubted. For the law, this is just to ensure social safet y and corporate responsibility. Thus, Toyota was fined particularly in the US for about $16.4 million, the highest so far in history due to legacy issue on car recalls in line with quality issues (BBC News, 2010). Another important aspect that needs to be understood is in line with environmental concerns. The emission of green house gases leads to global concern about the environment. In other countries for instance,

What is the role of celebrity endorsement in media communication Research Paper

What is the role of celebrity endorsement in media communication - Research Paper Example Different researchers have different definitions for celebrity and celebrity endorsement. For instance, a celebrity is a name that requires no additional identification. Stars are recognized wherever they go and they are acknowledged with some awe and excitement. In most cases, whatever the celebrities do have a public value. Celebrities are often perceived as material for entertainment and media communication. Celebrities can also be described as persons who enjoy public acknowledgment and uses this acknowledgment in courtesy of a brand appearing in the advertisements. One of the recent definitions describes a celebrity as a person whose name has a profit generating value, attention –getting and interest riveting that originates from the high level of public interest and attention (Gupta 12). Celebrity is usually associated with individuals who are of the public eye and who have a high profile in the society; this can be in the entertainment industry, sports among others. These people can be used to promote products, ideas, services or organizations (Canning and West 3). Celebrities are named whose reputation connects producers and consumers through a product with which they are linked. Sometimes celebrities become familiar and famous once they appear in an advertisement. The ideal characteristics of a celebrity include trustworthiness, expertise, attractiveness, likeability and particular associations that bring out product relevancy. Celebrity endorsement is a trend that has developed over some decades. Celebrity endorsement is a situation whereby celebrities use their names in advertising a product or a service for which they may be or may not be the expertise. It is a method that has been widely used a media communication tool, in promoting a consumer products and services. Celebrity endorsement is one of the communication method applied by marketers in building a harmonious image between the consumer and