The Media and Our Children Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Media and Our Children - Research Paper Example Television and the media that it displays can bring about physical, mental, emotional, and intellectual implications. The negative ramifications and influences of television on children can result in permanence if the problem is not solved while they are still young. The more time that a child spends in front of the television, the less time they spend participating in anything else. Of all the things shunted aside and neglected for the sake of the television, exercise is often at the top of the list. The most favored activity while watching television, however, is eating sugary and starchy snacks. As such, obesity has become an increasing concern in young children due to the amount of time spent watching television in comparison to the time spent exercising or playing. Children that watch over four hours of television on a daily basis are more likely to weigh more than children who spend less time in front the television (Bryant & Thompson 128). When children combine constant immobi lization with continuous eating, they risk gaining an excessive, unhealthy weight. Unhealthy weight gain for a child carries with it the potential of other health consequences, such as diabetes, heart strain, which can lead to heart failure, and health complications as the child reaches adulthood (Liebert & Sprafkin 94). While some of these health issues can be prevented and even reversed if the weight is lost in a safe and timely fashion, if it is not taken care of, children can experience them for the rest of their lives. Media exists as entertainment, providing children with many shows and movies to exercise their imagination and to simply entertain. Unfortunately, there are just as many shows and movies that are not made for children but are just as easily accessible given the ease of using the television and navigating through the various stations and programs. Quite a lot of this media consists of graphic violence, sexual activity, and great quantities of drugs and alcohol. Th e younger that children are, the more impressionable and influenced they are by the things that they are subjected to by media. The graphic images and ideas that are presented to children can leave a lasting impression or negatively influence the way they view the world and respond to issues in their lives. A startling correlation has been found between media violence and aggressive behaviors and children displaying violent acts and behaviors (Kelemwork 29). As children witness these negative and often dangerous behaviors in the media, they feel that they are being condoned. Children become more willing to participate in these actions because they saw them on television, and then they apply them to situations in their own lives where they see fit. Instead of talking out their problems or seeking help from an adult, they allow the anger that they have learned to become solutions. Similarly, children engage in the risky behavior that is so openly displayed in media, such as promiscuit y, drug and alcohol abuse, and rebellion against authoritative figures. If children see these activities in the media, yet nobody is there to explain the difference between right and wrong, fact and fiction, the children are apt to experience the actions for themselves.

Green revolution Essay Example for Free

Green revolution Essay This chapter of the reading deals with the introduction on what the â€Å"green revolution† is all about. Understandably, the major explanation of the matter is that the entrance of the 21st century in the human history brought about several advancements within the social system that involved environmental destruction. Understandably though, this destruction is something that cannot be easily seen by the human eye. Usually, it is even misunderstood as part of progress. So far, it could be noted that the most prosperous cities in the world today are noted for their huge buildings that bring commercial gains to the local government an not for the parks that could be seen around their territories. Although there maybe some parks with tress in it within their areas, it could be noted that such a structure of natural beauty could not cater to all the people that the city actually holds. This is the reason why there is a great need to return to the â€Å"green†. This means restructuring the ways by which humans recognize the importance of an environment that is characterized by the beauty of nature, which could be fulfilled through applying a new approach in creating architectural designs. This is called the â€Å"green building revolution†. This particular innovative approach in creating new functions for the newly established buildings today is aimed to make the said structures more open to becoming the new source of a new â€Å"breathable† ecosystem for the entire city. Summary: From this chapter, the questions, what, why and where were answered to be able to clarify what the â€Å"green revolution† is all about. From the discussion above, it could be noted that the primary source of this revolution is architecture and the new innovations that they are ready to share to be able to create a 21st century ‘breathable† environment in the middle of every progressive city in the world. CHAPTER 2: What is a green building? Is the color green? No, but its surroundings and even its rooftops are†¦ This is the main idea that the architects are aiming to apply in producing the green building designs. Canada has been among the first cities in the world who first embraced this particular thought. Considerably, as noted from the first chapter, the focus of the movement is to bring in some â€Å"green† environment amidst the tall buildings that embraces its territories. The proposal then entices every owner of building in the city to becoming more concerned of the environment and joining the revolution of making his or her establishment more environment friendly. More than just adding to the aesthetics of the building, the green revolution aims to make the establishments more conducive to work and life itself both in and out. This means that green buildings are also expected to handle interiors that are designed to attract occupants through the â€Å"green† environment that it offers. Undoubtedly, the â€Å"one with nature† theme of such buildings are designed to make life in the cities much better through the incorporation of nature. It is more of like a movement towards coming back to nature. Studies have noted that most health issues related to pollution and stress are reported from the residents of several large cities around the world. Apparently, the lost of trees and other â€Å"green† creations around their area becomes a toll to their health. Through research and continuous observation of the current situation in the metropolitan scene, architects were able to note that bringing back the trees and plants in the cities could reclaim the health of their residents. Summary: This chapter explains why there is the need to bring the large cities around the word back to the suburban lifestyle that welcomes nature as the largest part of the society. The green revolution is described in this chapter as the primary medium that shall bring back the color and breathe of life to the polluted cities of the world. CHAPTER 3: The business case for green buildings Yes it is innovative and environment friendly, but is it profitable? Would not the establishment of the said buildings hurt the finances of the business? These are the primary questions asked by owners of businesses and other owners of buildings [residents and other nonprofit organizations] who were primarily offered with the proposal of the green designs. Of course, being innovative as it is, the owners of buildings that are to be established want to know how much they are supposed to shed off their finances and supposedly â€Å"how much† could they expect in return. According to outstanding repots, a regular American resident spends at least 36% of his earnings and savings on healthcare needs alone. Some buy vitamins to keep their resistance to viruses strong and still they get sick because of the situation of the environments that they are living in. The pollution gets into their body everyday as they get out of their houses, and at times even when they are inside the premises of their homes. On the other hand, employers around the American region spend at least 54% percent of their profit in giving healthcare assistances to their employees every year. Why is this so? Most employees reported to be sick from work are affected by the kind environment that they are trying to live with everyday as they attend to work. This is the reason why a change of structural design has been called into the attention of the owners of the establishments. Summary: Considerably, everyone is expected to have some questions with regards the innovative approach to the new building design proposed. Understandably, this section of the reading tries to answer some of the said queries through the statistical reports gathered by the author himself from several studies that prove the need for having a revolutionary approach in changing the building designs into becoming more environment as well as people friendly. CHAPTER 4: The costs of green building Is it all worth it? To explain the matter further, Jerry Yudelson intended to present a list of benefits that the owners of the buildings and the occupants of the said areas could get from agreeing with the proposal. The said lists are as follows: 1. Better Health: this is primarily because of the wide-open spaces that the design suggests especially on work area designs as well as the home architecture approaches. As the spaces become much easier to move with, more air could come in and out of the area as supported by the greeneries both in an out of the stations making the said buildings more healthy to work with. 2. Better Performance at work: As they are healthier, occupants of the area tend to perform better at work. 3. Better moods and lesser tension: lesser clutter, lesser pollution, lesser stress and lesser tension, that is the math of lessening the sources of negative moods in buildings of work and residences to create a more easy to live with areas. 4. Enhanced aesthetics: of course, the green revolution beautifies everything. The areas are expected to become more livable and much enjoyable to see as well, making it a more relaxing area for those using it everyday. Obviously, as it could be noted from the list, the green revolution decreases the chances on people spending too much money for the unnecessary healthcare costs brought about by a less livable environment. Whatever the amount of money that was given out to be able to integrate the innovation within the design of the buildings could easily be gained back from the benefits that it gives to the occupants of the said establishments. Summary: This chapter shows that although there might be a considerable amount needed to integrate the green building system within an establishment, there are numerous benefits from the said structure that could equal or even outdo the expenses shed out by the owners of the buildings. CHAPTER 5: The future of green building IT is rather foreseen and hoped by the architecture society that the application of the green building design would be more accepted in the industry in the future. AS the need for more greens increase, the application of the system becomes more acceptable. Aside from that the researches conducted about the matter continues to flourish in an aim of developing lesser cost on the application of the suggested design and even increasing its capability of giving off higher benefits to the owners of the buildings. This chapter further notes the need for developing the system not only to become more attractive to the target market but also to become more functional within the system that it aims to penetrate. Summary: Like any other innovations applied today, the green revolution is expected to take several steps to improve more for the sake of implying development in the system that would make it much easier to comply with for the building owners in the cities. CHAPTER 6: The international green building revolution With the impelling warning of increasing global warming effects in the world today, it is highly essential that the systems of building go back to being â€Å"green† or environmental friendly. This would not only reduce the pollution present in cities and building congested areas, it will also increase the aesthetic value of several buildings that would create a homey atmosphere even within the cities. As noted earlier, green roof designs would actually give way to a cleaner air and better surroundings for people living within the city. It would also allow the people living within a building or those utilizing it for business purposes to appreciate nature again and be aware that they are all supposed to be concerned in caring for the environment. Health issues among the people could later on be reduced as well through the creation of the green roof designs. Obviously, the green roof is only a part of the green revolution’s picture. Understandably, many among the major cities around the world have already opened their minds towards the said suggestion. Among the said cities are Canada and Chicago, the entire proposal is now being presented to every target owner in an aim of enticing them into supporting the said project. Summary: The project of making more environmental buildings around the world is indeed a social aim that has been created to cater to the health needs of the people. Hence, an international approach to the said proposal had been proven worthy of consideration from owners of establishments. CHAPTERS 9-14 The revolution in commercial development The revolution in government and nonprofit buildings The revolution in education The revolution in housing The revolution in neighborhood design and mixed-use The revolution in healthcare This group of chapters discusses the suggested design for each kind of building based from the functions that they serve in the society. Likely, the consideration on the function of each establishment could give the designers an overview of what is needed from the area and how could the integration of the green building design could be integrated within the system. Assessing the process by which people are supposed to work around specific areas would give the designers an idea of where to place air ventilation, the green plants and the windows and screens that would intend to open the structure up to let the natural light of sun come in the establishment and create a more natural-themed work area. As noted, the primary aim of this particular proposal is that of protecting the health of the occupants of the areas. Most importantly, through the said approach, the design of the building aims to secure the financial sources of the occupants and the owners as well in an avoidance of spending too much money on health issues. Summary: as noted from this section of the reading, the author intended to outline the different ways by which the establishments are to be designed according to their functions. For offices, space area is a huge concern as well as the ventilation system and other area considerations within the said establishments. Furthermore, for residential areas, it is much better to consider air passage within the different rooms of the house and the arrangement of indoor plants that could get more oxygen in the said area. Green roofs could be applied in any kind of establishment as long as the owners approve of it. CHAPTERS 15-17: The revolution in workplace design The revolution in property management The revolution in building design and construction These chapters introduce to the readers the major designs to be used. As noted from the previous set of chapters, the revolution of the green design actually depends on the function that the area is supposed to handle everyday, In this section a picture of the actual designs is introduced. From the draft of the designs of both the outdoors (including the roof top) and interiors of the area towards the construction process had been carefully outlined within this section of the book. It also shows the different ways by which the design intends to protect the property for a long time in an A+ condition that could cater to its occupants needs and health concerns. Through the outlines posted by the author, an understanding of the focus of proposal could be made clear. It primarily aims to protect the health and finances of the occupants of the establishments as well as the owners at the same time.

Fate :: Fate Destiny Essays

Fate Webster defines fate as a â€Å" a power thought to control all events and impossible to resist† â€Å"a persons destiny.† This would imply that fate has an over whelming power over the mind. This thing called fate is able to control a person and that person has no ability to change it. Its been proven time and time again that the human mind can over come any obstacle. An asset to the mind is a persons will. With the combination of a person’s mind and their will to decide their own destiny this thing called fate can be over come.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Some people say that a person’s fate is pre destined. That nothing they do in life is by accident and everything that you do has been decided by a higher power. If that were so than why would this being of higher intelligence waste his time on some that he planned out. He already knows how it going to turnout so why even blow centuries of time watching this boring play. I don’t know about you but I someone tells me the ending to the movie then why waste time waiting for what you already know is going to happen. Another popular opinion is that a persons will is stronger than that of any barrier put in his way. That this thing called fate is only an obstacle that can be over passed just by the implement of a person’s mind. This breed of people believes that nothing can control all events and that the mind can resist all temptations if properly trained. I myself have different theory. That yes there is a higher power that puts fate into play. He sits there and watches how his cine will play out. Unlike others I ask myself a question wouldn’t a being of higher power want a little drama a little break from the norm. I believe that he gave us a thing called free will. The ability to put into play our own set of events. If I was a director and I didn’t have to worry about time or money, I would like to see how my movie turned out if I wrote the beginning and let the actors decide the ending.

Hurricane Katrina: A Man-made Disaster Essay -- Emergency Management E

At 7:10 EDT on August 29, 2005 Hurricane Katrina made landfall, etching lasting memories of those living in and around the New Orleans, Louisiana. It was this day that Hurricane Katrina came ashore and caused what was to be thought as one of the â€Å"most destructive storm in terms of economic losses† ("Hurricane Katrina —," 2007) of all times. Who was to be blamed for the failure in emergence management response and preparation, no one seemed to know or understand. Those left in the wake of this disaster could only stand by and wonder who was at fault, what preparation were to be in place and why wasn’t there a quicker response to help the hundreds of thousands that needed immediate aid and disaster assistance. Failures of the Katrina Disaster According to Howard Dean "Before Katrina, everyone, including America's friends and enemies, believed if something awful happened in the world, you could call in the Americans and they'd fix it" (Dean, 2008). These were the thoughts of Howard Dean and many others as they looked back on President Bush’s legacy of eight years in office. But, was he the only one to blame or should we also look at the chain of command up and down that was responsible for the proper actions that should have been taken? In the corporate world it is believed that if things fail then the blame should be placed on the president or the chief executive office (CEO) of the company because of their responsibility within the corporation, but is that fair? The failure of Katrina was long before written in the failure through the inefficiency of the local, state and federal government when it came to emergence management preparation. Arnold Howitt and Herman Leonard stated in their article, Katrina and the Core Ch... ...s, Louisiana. Works Cited Haddow, G. D., Bullock, J. A., & Coppola, D. P. (2010).Introduction to emergency management. (4th ed., pp. 1-26). Burlington, MA: Butterworth-Heinemann. Howitt, A. M., & Leonard, H. B. (2006). Katrina and the core challenges of disaster response. The Fletcher Forum of World Affairs, 30:1 winter 2006. (2005). Frontline "the storm". (2009). [Web Video]. Retrieved from http://video.pbs.org/video/1555897742/ Dean, H. (2008). Hurricane Katrina left a mark on George W. Bush’s presidency. U.S. News & World Report, Retrieved from http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2008/12/11/hurricane-katrina-left-a-mark-on-george-w-bushs-presidency. (2007). Hurricane Katrina — most destructive hurricane ever to strike the u.s. national Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Department of Commerce, Retrieved from http://www.katrina.noaa.gov/

Poor Communication in Workplace Essay

This project evaluates the problem of communication in organizations. It is based on my experience in Youth Health Partnership Organization. This organization works to improve health infrastructure in order to enhance health outcomes in communities. Communication is key to success of any organization. It determines whether an organization wills succeed in its mission or not. In spite of a lot of effort put to improve communication, some factors still affect and hinder effective communication. In Youth Health Partnership Organization, there existed differences between the effectiveness of employer’s message and what employees interpreted it. The management normally assume that that the way they communicate is received and interpreted well by employees. However, this is not always the case. RopeASW conducted a survey in 2009; where they found out that 55% of managers who responded to the survey assume they communicate well with workers. 65% of employees said that their seniors do not communicate well (Zaremba, 2010). In my study I found out that lack of credibility increases the communication gap between employers and employees. Many employees do not believe what they are told by management. This study shows that employees with longer tenure are less likely to belief their superiors than new employees. This proposal will focus on all causes of communication problem. It will also give recommendation in order to give good solutions to eliminate this problem. It contains a conclusion at the end. Statement of Problem             Communication is the most important and basic activity of a company. In organizations, communication is becoming more complex because of work activities and multi-cultural environment which is becoming complex at high rate. Availability of high transmission media also contribute to communication breakdown (Zaremba, 2010). Companies are required to focus more on communication so that they can effectively increase job satisfaction in work place. Lack of good communication leads to actions not completed. Management ends up being out of touch with the staff that it needs to motivate so that the company can operate at full potential. Poor communicate affects even the customer department making the company lose sales. It also makes organizations making poor decisions which affect the progress of the company. The company ends up losing workers and money. Many researchers have researched widely on communication issues. However, there has been few studies in this area. The need for this project is to explore the effects of poor communication, causes and solutions to the problem. The proposal is important to companies as it will help them put in place communication networks. These networks give different perspectives of employees. It will also assist companies boost the morale of employees as well as increasing job satisfaction. These benefits will be derived from this study. Management Plan             This section contains my qualification for carrying out project research. It also contains cost incurred. I already books and articles on communication, hence I used most of my time sifting through information, looking for key results. The only cost I incurred was in printing and copying articles. I obtained all sources of literature review from university library. My experience in Youth Health Partnership Organization helped me to assimilate proposed literature review. Literature Review             I started the project with the understanding that communication is the foundation of any organization. I discovered it is important to evaluate the solutions to communication problems. I reviewed relevant literature to support my study. I used literature related to communication; others expressed the effect of communication on job satisfaction of employees. I other literature showed the perception of both male and female in the organization. Finally, I included literature that dealt with ways of improving communication. Zaremba(2010) argues that there exist differences in the way male and female employees perceive communication behaviors of their seniors. According to Zaremba (2010) managers’ leadership style, conflict management skills contribute to effectiveness of communication. Research Methodology             In this research, different methods were used to collect information and data. Primary sources used were interviews and conversations. Journals were used as secondary sources. Variables             I used formal communication, informal communication and communication climate as my variables. The three variables were affected by various issues. Communication climate             This is the atmosphere that is created by people who use listening skills, verbal and non-verbal communication skills. It involves how communication takes place in an organization. The environment in which communication is taking place determines if communication will take place or not. Communication climate is affected by various factors and one of them is credibility (Klyuknanov, 2013). Credibility involves the qualification of the sources of information. It also involves the consistency with which knowledge is applied and the overall reliability. Credibility starts from the top level management and it trickles down to the middle level managers up to operational level. If workers believe that that their seniors lack credibility this contribute to poor and closed communication climate. The second factor that influences communication climate is trust. Trust is a firm reliance on the ability, integrity and character of a person. Whenever employees lack trust in their manager, communication is hindered. This is because lack of trust brings suspicion (Zaremba, 2010). Openness also affects communication climate. Openness is said to be a free expression of ones opinion and true feelings. It also refers to the ability to receive new ideas, relationships and new experiences. If people are not ready to express their ideas and opinions, then effective communication does not take place. Information cannot be shared where people fear retaliation or being betrayed (Rayundu, 2010).. Another factor the impacts on communication climate is existence of rumors. Poor communication is caused by exaggerated rumors and vindictive ones. At the same time, when rumors are innocuous, good communication climate is enhanced. Rule of assertiveness is the last factor. Enforcement of rules may or may not affect communication. Strict rules frustrate high performers. They also contribute to inflexibility. Formal communication             These are means of communication that are controlled by management. It involves sharing of ideas that support clear agendas where interaction of employees is structured. Formal communication can be in written or unwritten form. Written forms include newsletter, letter of congratulation, memos, and legal advisories. Non written forms include telephone calls, meetings, interviews and conferences. Problems arises when one caries communication outside the established channels. My research has revealed that if one tries to solve a problem in another person’s area, it leaves people in that areas feeling alienated and taken for granted. Informal communication             This is spontaneous and casual communication. It involves rumors, casual conversations and grapevines. Information is shared in socializing workers through conversation, text messages, telephone calls and electronic mails. Informal communication does not follow lines of authority. This can be misused to create an atmosphere of fear and suspicion (Rayundu, 2010). Recommendations Open communication climate             The management should establish supportive environment where workers can pass information to their seniors without fearing and being certain that the management will accept is the way it is without whether bad or good, favorable or unfavorable. They should also establish participative environment. This is an environment where employees feel that whatever they have to say counts. Best ideas and suggestions that improve productivity comes from workers in assembly line. Employees in customer care department are acquainted with a lot of information that can spell doom to marketing effort. Employees share information with management when they feel that they are treated as participants who are legitimate in the company. The management should focus in reducing complex reporting procedure, harsh regulatory policies, bureaucracy, and encumbering paper work because they discourage employees from participating actively. Actions should to be taken to encourage subordinates to participate actively. Managers, team leaders and supervisors must learn to listen to grievances, suggestions, complains and respond accordingly. Supervisors must be ready to open up to criticism that is brought by participation of employees and be ready to correct their behaviors and explain them. Management should ensure that supervisors and employees collaborate in order to have an open communication climate. Trusting Environment             Parties involved in sharing information must always tell the truth. This improves credibility of information communicated. Management should make sure they do not give contradicting information. For an organization to have good communication climate, it must ensure that information is true and the source can be trusted. This is because the belief in a person to be able to convey correct information is essential. Managers, team leaders and supervisors should lower their defenses in order to encourage sharing of information in an honest way such that truth is promoted. Appropriate action should be taken to follow communication intentions. Listening actively             During communication process, participants should offer full attention. One should turn and lean forward towards the other party. Eye contact should also be maintained during conversation. To enhance one’s ability, non verbal signals should be incorporated. One should let his colleague know he or she is listening by nodding his head, smiling and by making facial expressions. Arms should be kept folded and fists unclenched. During formal or informal communication, feedback should be given by paraphrasing the other person’s ideas. Having knowledge             Communication is always hindered whenever people of different cultures are involved in cross culture communication. It requires that one understands the potential problem and work on overcoming them. Whenever one is not successful, he should make necessary adjustments in order to succeed in the next period. When different languages are involved, misunderstanding increases due to translation. People need to bee aware that both verbal and non verbal communication has different meaning to different people. Cross cultural communication is hindered by verbal and non verbal communications because having different meaning. One should be forgiving and patient with others when a problem arises. A hostile, forceful and aggressive employer leads to poor communication. One ought to progress slowly rather than quickly whenever different cultures are involved without assume that you already know. When one is in a heated conflict, he or she should stop and think before he or she acts. Withdrawing gives a chance for one to reflect and think on the best course of action before acting. Having knowledge of cross cultural communication will help one to listen reflectively. One should also develop good behavior at the right place because what is considered as a good behavior may be a bad behavior in another culture. One can decide whether to stand when talking, look someone in the yes or not. Cultures have different ways of expressing emotions during communication. Sme people yell while others cry while angry. Others do not show any emotion. Overcoming these issues is only by being aware of the problem One should also give a summary of what the other person is saying. I also recommend asking appropriate and effective questions. This may involve simple things such as asking question in order to clarify ideas or points that are not clear. One should also remain open minded. Focusing on ones goals, questions and problems hinders one from listening, absorbing and understanding the other person. Interruptions should be kept at minimum and the speaker should be given enough time to finish whatever he is saying. Win-win approach             The management should use win-win approach in communication. When should concentrates on the needs and interest of speaker. One should not aim to gain victory or gain position over other people. In order to create good will among employees, win-win approach should be used because each person understands the needs of each other in this approach. In order to achieve this, employees should be encouraged to have self disclosure. They need to be encouraged to open up to their colleagues. They should be taught to appreciate and accept themselves first in order to be in a position to share information with other employees. This provides feedback to his or her colleagues on how their behaviors affect him or her. At the same time, supervisors should have empathy. They should try to understand and feel what others goes through. They should learn to respond to what is said, retain distance and objectivity, understand feelings of others in the message and also understand the content of the message. This will ultimately lead to win-n situation that boost communication. Conclusion             The focus of this proposal is to identify a problem in the work place and develop a solution to that issue. For this purpose, I identified poor communication as a major problem in workplace. I focused on three dimensions to communication. Communication climate can have a positive or negative effect on communication. It should be a supportive and participative climate. The second dimension is formal communication and the last one is informal communication. The recommendations I discussed in this proposal is for companies to maintain open communication climate, have a win-win approach to communication, create trusting environment. Participants should learn the skills of listening actively. This will not only improve communication but also increase job satisfaction. References Klyukanov, I. (2013). Digital humanities, scholarly communication and communication science. Modern communication studies, 2(1), 43-53. Rayudu, C. S. (2010). Communication (Rev. ed.). Mumbai [India: Himalaya Pub. House. Zaremba, A. J. (2010). Organizational communication (3rd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. CarriÃÆ' ¨re, J., & Bourque, C. (2009). The effects of organizational communication on job satisfaction and organizational commitment in a land ambulance service and the mediating role of communication satisfaction. Career Development International, 14(1), 29-49. Ryabova, I. (2013). Communication components of management and organizational culture of the company. Modern communication studies, 2(2), 13-40. Book, I. (2009). Communication. Chicago: World Book, Inc.. Source document

I am here, even though you dont see me

I am here, even though you dont see me This essay is about people putting a label on another individual and the effects it has on the person. The essay particulary focusus on a character from the movie, The Breakfast Club. It focuses on the nerd in the movie, Brian. It also tries to make the reader think about his/her role in the "labeling" game. i.e.-are you the mocker, or the mockee?I am Here, Even Though You Don't See MeHave you ever been ridiculed for your beliefs, ways or convictions? Have you been given an undue label unfairly because of being who you are? Or rather, are you the person who unreasonably hands out the labels, or the one that cheers on and aides the ones that actually do the disreputable work? Correct me if I'm wrong, but do we not bleed the same blood and breathe the same air? Evidently, the answer is yes. Then why I ask, why to we feel the need to place labels and declare someone is better than someone else because they are unique individuals and not like what the labeler wants them to be? Nothing in life is fair, but nothing hurts the way it does to be mocked, labeled, and pressured your whole life.The Breakfast ClubI say this cause I know. If only all people could see it that way too. Just because you're different and unique in your own way, doesn't make you any less of person then the next guy. Being different and unique is what makes the world go round; we shouldn't be persecuted for our individualities. In the well-known movie The Breakfast Club, you can see first-hand what the effects are of being labeled and mocked your whole life. Specifically, I am going to focus on the one who was callously labeled The Nerd...

7 Top Tips for Saving Money on SAT and ACT Prep

7 Top Tips for Saving Money on SAT and ACT Prep SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Getting into college is a great feeling - but having to spend money on SAT/ACT test prep? Not so great. Let’s be honest: most people would rather put their ACT or SAT money toward something a little more exciting. But the good news is, you don’t need to spend all of your cash on test prep, as long as you know which resources to use and how to spend your money wisely.In this guide, we give you 12 tips and resources that are guaranteed to help you save money on test prep. How to Save Money on SAT/ACT Test Prep: 7 Key Tips First off, let's go over theseven key principles you should know in order to maximize the amount of money you save on SAT/ACT test prep. Tip 1: Get Serious About the Exam By studying diligently and maintaining a serious attitude toward test prep, you’ll save yourself money in the long run. Why? Becausethe fewer times you take the exam, the less money you’ll spend on registration fees (and, by extension, test-prep materials). Now, this doesn't mean you shouldn'ttake the SAT or ACT more than once(in fact, we recommend taking your chosen test at least twice!). But by approaching your test prep seriously and having a willingness to put in the necessary time and effort, you won't end up taking the ACT or SAT more times than you really need to. So make sure you set a goal score and are actively working toward it with a foolproof study plan. Do this, and you shouldn't need to take your test more than two or three times, max. Tip 2: Customize Your Test Prep Customizing your test prep allows you to focus on the most difficultcontent areas for you andspend money only on the resources you actually need.By tailoring your study sessions, you'll have less trouble tackling challenging concepts on test day and won't waste precious time reviewing topics you're already strong at. To pinpoint your weaknesses, take an official ACT or SAT practice test andtime yourself using the same restrictions on the actual exam. Once finished, calculate your section scores, as well as yoursubscores,to see which areas you'll need to review before test day. These are the content areas you'll want to consider spending your ACT or SAT money on. For example, if you’re a pro at reading comprehension but struggle with math, don't bother forking out hundreds of dollars for a general ACT class. Instead, narrow your prepso that you're opting primarily for math-heavy resources, such as an ACT math book or a tutor who specializes in ACT math. Tip 3: Decide on a Budget Ahead of Time A penny saved is a penny earned, which is why you should make a budget ahead of time and stick with it.This way you won't be tempted to spend more than you can afford on test prep. So for instance, if you're looking to spend upwards of $25 on SAT study materials, you could buy a comprehensive prep book, a couple of SAT apps, or even a short stint with an SAT tutor. What you purchase ultimately depends on the specific skills you want to strengthen (see Tip 2). Just remember that your budget is a maximum,not a minimum, so don't feel pressured to blow all of your SAT money on resources you're not certain you'll actually need. In fact, you may end up needing to spend only a tiny fraction of your budget to get the guidance you're looking for! Tip 4: Take Advantage of Free and Official Resources Both the College Board and ACT, Inc., offer loads offree and official resourcesyou can integrate into your studies. Because these materials come from the actual makers of the SAT and ACT, they are far and away your best bets for getting the content review and test-taking practice you need at the price you want. You can look for resources online at the official College Board and ACT websites. Most free SAT/ACT study materials are available as PDFs in the form of practice questions and full-length tests. We'll explain more about the types of official resources you can use in the following section. These books aren't just old - they're ancient! Tip 5: Opt for Used Over New High-quality prep books are usually worth the money. But to avoid overpaying, I strongly suggest opting for used over new.Used books are almost always cheaper and can still give you the same content and overall benefits of a new book. The only major downside is that used books are often filled with previous owners' notes and markings, making them difficult to read and use properly. On a related note, you can also look for previous editions of used books.In general, these are even cheaper than used, recently released books. Again, though, there's a caveat:older books are far more likely to contain outdated information, particularly if you're planning to take the SAT. With SAT prep books from 2015 and earlier, it's imperative you understand how the SAT’s format has changed before cracking open your book to study. Used prep books are typically available on websites such as Amazon and eBay; you can also search for them at local bookstores and libraries (as we'll discuss more in the following section). Additionally, it might be helpful to ask friends and family members who’ve taken the SAT or ACT whether they have any old prep books you can borrow. In this case, you may be able to snag a book for free! Tip 6: Participate in School-Day Testing (If Available) Some states and districts offer students the chance to take the ACT or SATduring the school day at their schools. (In some states, testing is actually mandatory for all students.) This is called school-day testing, and what's great about it is that this test is usually free for students! But that's not the only benefit. With school-day testing, you'llalso save money by not having to arrange your schedule to make room for a Saturday test day.So if you normally work a part-time job on Saturdays, for example, you won’t need to miss work in order to take the ACT or SAT. Likewise, you won’t need to spend money on public transportation or gas to get you to a testing center. There are a couple of non-monetary advantages as well. First, you don’t need to spend an entire Saturday taking the test. Second, you get to work in a familiar environment and with people you know, which can ultimately increase your confidence on test day. Tip 7: Listen to Your Gut When it comes down to it, you're the only person who truly knows what you'll need to help you prepare efficiently for test day. So always go with your instincts. If you believe a certain resource will be worth the investment, listen to your gut and buy it. Likewise,if you're not sure about a certain prep book's credibility or its likelihood of getting you the score you want, it's probably best to just walk away. What's better than free hugs? Free test prep! Just kidding, it's actually Legos. Definitely Legos. (clement127/Flickr, resized from original) Free ACT SAT Resources That'll Save You Money The easiest way to spend less of your ACT and SAT money is to take advantage offree, high-quality resources.Here are five excellent options for test prep that won't burn a hole in your pocket. Online Guides, Questions, Practice Tests The internet is home to a plethora of free prep materials that can help you hone your test-taking skills as well as strengthen your strategic approaches and content weaknesses on the ACT and SAT.As I mentioned above, the best online resources are, undoubtedly,official SAT/ACT guides, practice tests, and questions. You can accessall official SAT practice testsin our guide.On the College Board website, you can view the entirety ofThe Official SAT Study Guideas a collection of downloadable PDFs; you can alsopractice withan array of sample questions, which include: 24 Reading questions 22 Writing and Language questions 18 Math No Calculator questions 30 Math Calculator questions 2 Essay prompts As for the ACT, we've gatheredall official ACT practice tests here. Like the College Board, ACT, Inc., maintains a ton offree practice questionsonline, including: 75 English questions 60 Math questions 48 Reading questions 40 Science questions 1 Writing prompt Unofficial tests and questions, too, can be helpful.Unfortunately, most free test-prep websites for the ACT and SAT are relatively low quality and lack realistic questions and content, so it's best to stick with official resources whenever possible.That said, if you're craving a bigger collection of questions, our guides tofree online ACT and SATpractice testscan tell you which tests are worth using- and which ones you're better off avoiding. Khan Academy Through a partnership with the College Board, Khan Academy offers thousands of free, official SAT practice questions, complete with in-depth explanations and robust content review. With this website, you can learn about new topics through video lessons, take quizzes, and even import your PSAT/NMSQT scores to tailor your SAT study plan to your weaknesses. You must make an account to save your progress, but it's free and definitely worth it for the gigantic stockpile of SAT-style questions alone. Although Khan Academy doesn’t offer an ACT program or ACT-style questions, you can still use its SAT program and subject-based courses toget a rundown of basic math, reading, and English conceptsfound on the ACT. Get ready 'cause we're about to toot our own horn! #hatersgonnahate PrepScholar Blog If you haven't explored our website already,our PrepScholar SAT/ACT blog offers hundreds of free articles and guides(just like the one you’re reading right now!) you can use to prepare yourself for the SAT or ACT. Our best and most comprehensive resources include the following: SAT The Ultimate Study Guide for SAT Reading: Strategies, Tips, and Practice The Complete Prep Guide for SAT Writing: Grammar, Strategies, and Practice The Ultimate SAT Math Prep Guide: Tips, Formulas, and Practice The Ultimate SAT Essay Study Guide: Tips and Review The 21 SAT Tips and Tricks You Must Use How to Get a Perfect 1600 SAT Score, by a 2400 Expert Full Scorer ACT The Ultimate Study Guide for ACT English: Tips, Rules, Practice, and Strategies The Ultimate ACT Math Prep Guide: Strategies, Topics, and Tips The Ultimate Prep Guide to ACT Reading: Strategies, Tips, and Practice The Ultimate Study Guide for ACT Science: Tips, Practice, and Strategies The Ultimate ACT Writing Study Guide: Tips, Strategies, and Practice 15 ACT Tips and Tricks to Improve Your Score How to Get a Perfect ACT Score, by a 36 Full Scorer We also encourage you to browse our blogby searching for any ACT or SAT keywords or concepts you want to learn more about. Chances are, we’ve got an article about it! SAT and ACT Apps Test-prep apps are excellent resources forsupplementary SAT/ACT practice.And since many highly rated ACT and SAT apps are free (or available as free trial versions), there's no need to worry about paying a hefty sum for a resource you're not sure you'll actually use. Some of the best SAT apps you can download for free include Daily Practice for the New SAT- the College Board's official SAT prep app - and Ready4 SAT, which comes packed with more than 1,000 practice questions. There are also manygreat ACT appsthat won't cost you a cent. These include Ready4 ACT, which contains 1,000+ high-quality practice questions, and Varsity Tutors’ ACT Prep, which offers a combination of practice tests and skill-specific diagnostic tests. Most test-prep apps are available for both iPhone and Android, and you can find more by searching for "SAT" or "ACT" in the iTunes and Google Play stores. As a reminder, apps should never be your primary test-prep resources. Nonetheless, they can be extremely helpful if used appropriately. I strongly recommend using apps for on-the-go practice and as warm-ups before study sessions. Local Library In this digital age, we often forget libraries still exist - but they do, and they likely have a ton of ACT and SAT prep books you can use at no cost to you! If you're planning to take the ACT, I suggest first browsing your library for The Official ACT Prep Guide, as this official guide will be the best resource you can use for official practice questions, quizzes, and content review. (Remember, The Official SAT Study Guide is available for free online, so there's no point in looking for it at your library!) You should also spend time searching forhighly reviewed, unofficialACT and SATprep books. If possible, try to stick with recently published books. For the SAT especially, you'll want to look for newer (2016 and later) prep books, asthe SAT underwent significant changesin early 2016. By contrast, most ACT prep books should still be relevant to today's version of the exam (though the Writing section changed format in 2015). In the end,you can still use older prep books, but it's important to know that not all of their content will apply directly to your upcoming test. If you can't find any quality prep books at your library, ask a librarian whether you can request a specific ACT or SAT prep book to be sent to your library. The final rule of saving money: no matter how delicious it looks, don't eat it. Recap: Spending Less on SAT/ACT Test Prep Many students believe that to do well on the ACT or SAT, you must have access to the best possible test-prep resources available - many of which cost a pretty penny. But in reality, you don’t need to throw all of your money at exhaustive study materials, courses, and tutoring sessions to help you get the score you want on test day. Rather, you just need to knowwhat resources will help you the most and are therefore worth spending your ACT or SAT money on. Here are the main ideas to taking away from this article: Tailor your prep.Knowing your weaknesses is a key step toward saving money. By investing in only the study materials you actually need to do well on the exam, you'll not only save yourself cash but also raise your chance of attaining your goal score. Official is best - and often free. In terms of authenticity, the absolute best resources you can get are those created by the College Board and ACT, Inc. Luckily, both companies offer a variety of free online materials, from individual practice questions to full-length quizzes and tests. Start with free.The two best resources for free official and unofficial test prep are the internet and libraries. So if you’re trying to save money, make sure you exhaust both of these optionsbefore making any purchases. If you do decide to buy something, ... Be smart with your money. Don’t purchase any resources you don't need or that are way over your budget. And if you've found something you like, see whether you can get it used since an older copy will be cheaper than a newer one. As with any major purchases, always go with your gut and only buy what you ultimately feel is worth buying! What’s Next? Looking for more ways to save money?Learn how to get excellent prices on SAT/ACT tutoringand get a rundown of the costs associated with the SAT and ACT. Not sure you can afford to take a college-admission test?See whether you qualify for an SAT or ACT fee waivertoday. Worried about your finances once you start college?Our guide will teach you everything you need to know about saving money as a college student. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: