16 More Ways to Build Your Web Credibility

16 MORE WAYS TO BUILD YOUR WEB CREDIBILITY This week, I have to send a big thank-you to one of our awesome clients, Dan K. After reading our earlier blog post about building web credibility, Dan did a little research on his own and sent us some really cool information about The Stanford Web Credibility Project. This project is studying the components of website credibility, and the site is a great resource for anyone with a website. One of my favorite parts of the site is the Stanford Guidelines for Web Credibility, which offers scientific proof that little things – like having a physical address or correcting typos on your site – can make a big difference. So, with Stanford as a starting point, I combed the web and put together this list of 16 things you can do to boost your web credibility: 1. Make it easy to contact you – your contact information should include an email address, phone number, and a physical address. 2. Use a professional, industry-appropriate design. 3. Make your site easy to use, and make it easy for visitors to find what they need. 4. Update your site’s content. A blog is a great, quick way to add fresh content. If you don’t have one already, start one. 5. Make sure your site is free of typos, misspelled words, and factual errors. Proofread your content carefully. Even better, have a coworker or detail-oriented friend proof your site for you. 6. Include an â€Å"About† page. 7. Post your privacy policy, and make it easy to find. 8. Include a link to your contact information and physical address on every page. People don’t like to spend time searching for your email address or phone number. 9. Use photographs – and try to avoid clip art when possible. Use photos of your actual employees, facilities, etc. 10. Use trust seals. 11. Use customer testimonials and case studies. And, don’t be shy about asking. In most cases, clients who liked your work won’t mind putting in a good word for you. 12. Link to other sites, like trusted organizations, industry experts, anything relevant that you’d like to share with your visitors. 13. Include an FAQ page that answers some basic questions like how your service/product works, payments accepted, return policies (if applicable), anything that might be a point of confusion. 14. Include emblems and/or links if you’re a member of an industry-specific organization. 15. Rein in your creativity: Avoid unusual color combinations (like white text on a black background), and don’t use funky, hard-to-read fonts in your body copy. 16. Don’t write things like â€Å"according to research† or â€Å"based on recent studies† – unless you can link to a credible study that supports your statement. Adding a few links or posting customer testimonials may not sound like much, but to the people who visit your site, these small details can be the difference between a new customer and a one-time visitor. So, check out the Stanford research for yourself it’s interesting reading. And, thanks again to Dan K. for the information! If you want to read more for yourself, here are a few resources about web credibility: †¢ Read about â€Å"Web Credibility Destroyers†

NYSE and NASDAQ

NYSE and NASDAQ Executive Summary The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (NASDAQ) are the two largest exchanges in North America. These two attract not only the most prominent exchange traders in the United States of American but also have the most number of equities in the country.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on NYSE and NASDAQ specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is a known fact that hundreds of companies in the US prefer to trade their stocks with well established exchanges (Cootner, 1964). The long experience of both the NYSE and the NASDAQ in this sector makes them reliable. They have efficient systems and personnel to make sure that stock trading takes place without the slightest flaw. Similarities between the NYSE and the NASDAQ The New York Stock Exchange and the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations have a variety of features in c ommon. One notable similarity between the two is that both of them are controlled by the Stock Exchange Commission. This is a commission that safeguards the buyers and sellers of stock from fraud. It also ensures that the two exchanges adhere to the laid down laws and procedures in the sector. The commission not only protects the buyers and sellers but also the two exchanges. It does this by removing or hindering instances of unfair competition caused by either of the exchanges to the other (Blakey 2006). Secondly, both the NYSE and the NASDAQ can be easily accessed by members of the public. This can be done through dealers of the two companies which are always available for customer service. Just like any other company, the two companies are also open for public investment. As a matter of fact, both of them trade their own stocks at the stock exchange markets. Their stock quotes can be found on most stock exchange markets across the United States of America. Differences between the NYSE and the NASDAQ The differences between the NYSE and NASDAQ are more compared to the similarities. First and foremost, the transactions of the NYSE take place in a real physical place in New York City. This is the place where buyers and sellers assemble to buy and sell their stocks. On the other hand, the transactions of the NASDAQ do not take place in a real physical place. All the transactions are carried out through an electronic system. All the buy and sell orders are received and communicated over a telecommunications network. The process involves direct contact between the market makers and the investors.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The second noticeable difference between the NYSE and NASDAQ is the fact that, while the NYSE operates on an auction market, the NASDAQ operates on a dealer market. In NASDAQ trading, there is no contact between the sell er and the buyer. The market makers act as intermediaries between them. They are responsible for matching buying and selling orders. On the contrary, NYSE trading involves typical selling and buying where both the buyers and sellers are present and actively involved in the process. There is actual bidding on the price of the stocks and the highest bidder is matched with the seller who asks for the lowest price. The final difference between the NYSE and the NASDAQ is about the role of those who are in charge of controlling buyer-seller traffic in each exchange. The controller in the NYSE is called the specialist while that in the NASDAQ is called the market maker. While the specialist is charged with the responsibility of matching buyers and sellers, the market maker’s duty is to facilitate the flow of trade by transacting with the sellers and buyers. In other words, the specialist merely controls the buyers and the sellers, but the market maker actually identifies the buyer f or a particular stock and facilitates the transaction. The Public Company Accounting and Investor Protection Act of 2002 This is a federal law of the United States that was passed on July 30, 2002. Its enactment followed cases of fraud and doctored financial records in a number of firms across the nation. The law was enacted at a time when investors and the general public had lost confidence in public firms. This is due to the fact that investors had lost billions of dollars in cases of fraud that affected companies such as WorldCom and Enron. Therefore, the main purpose of the act was to restore the trust that almost everybody had lost in public companies. The act led to the formation of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Committee (PCAOC). This committee assumes the role of auditors and oversees and regulates accounting firms. The committee is also responsible for registering auditors and inspecting their work in order to vet their quality. Moreover, the committee formulates policies and guidelines that regulate the operations of audit firms. The act also establishes a set of standards that advocate for the external independence of auditors. This autonomous operation of audit firms is necessary to avoid jeopardizing the genuine results of the audits. It is required that the audit firm should not have any other relations with the same client that it carries out audit services for. This ensures that the two parties only relate professionally hence leading to the submission of genuine financial records.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on NYSE and NASDAQ specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Conclusion In conclusion, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the National Association of Security Dealers Automated Quotations (NASDAQ) share a couple of similarities as well as differences. However, the number of differences exceeds the similarities. From the second part of the report, it is evident that The Public Company Accounting and Investor Protection Act of 2002 has regulated accounting activities and financial records in public companies. Reference List Blakey, P. (2006). The efficient market approximation. IEEE Microwave Magazine,7(1), 28–31. Cootner, P. H. (1964). The random character of stock market prices. Cambridge: The MIT Press.

Coffee Production on the International Markets Term Paper

Coffee Production on the International Markets - Term Paper Example Unfortunately, FLO has faced a number of challenges in rolling out its â€Å"sustainability criteria.† This has especially been attributed to overreliance on supply chain relations in the administration and management of this endeavour (Jaffee 12). While Fairtrade has sought to offer solutions for economic sustainability at the producer level, it fails to provide a solution to macroeconomic variations which dictate price and credit behaviour. This has triggered massive campaigns within the consumer markets in favour of fair-trade labelled coffees. The global supply of coffee is approximated to have been 8 percent above the demand as per 2003 world’s depressed prices. This, in turn, led to world’s coffee prices hitting its all-time lowest in 30 years, has declined by about 50 percent in a span of three years. Governments eager to boost their export earnings contributed heavily to this scenario as they encouraged their farmers to grow more coffee. All this was done oblivious of the catastrophic impact on the world market. East African countries such as Uganda, Ethiopia, and Kenya are among the coffee producers that were heavily hit by this price slump. The low coffee prices in the global market had rippling effect as small farmers who contribute significantly to the total production started feeling exploited. Fairtrade was thus adopted to restore some sanity in within the coffee industry. The specific objective was to protect small farmers in the developing world from exploitation by the developed world. Fairtrade thus guarantees $1.26/pound (a living wage) in addition to access to credit facilities from cooperatives (Ruben, Ruerd, and Simone 23). The creation and consequent demand for Fair-trade labelled coffee has forced the likes of Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts to rise up to the occasion and address social responsibilities as demanded by the developing countries.  

Social Media Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Social Media - Research Paper Example The content of the posts on the social media account also adds to the success of the channel of advertising. They should be enjoyable, clear, and informative to the audience not only on the product and sales but also on other aspects. Quotes and jokes are included in the posts to ensure that they are interesting; hence, they attract maximum followers. Being relevant and current is also an important component of social media advertising. Content is frequently updated to ensure that it makes sense mainly depending on the audience. Additionally, it reduces the risk of monotony that not only leads to reduced followers but also loss of the potential buyers to consume the product (Evans, & Mckee, 2010).. Conciliation- When using this method to solve a dispute, the third party gives offers on the solution that vary depending on the variables of the conflict. Law provisions are considered in conciliation (Wankel, Marovich, & Stanaityte, 2010). The best method of resolving customer disputes occurring from purchases from social media provided business links should be negotiation. This is because it offers the best for both parties after negotiating the most favorable terms. The method also ensures that the solution will enhance a stronger bond between social media and business. The federal government can best control the transactions on social media by regulating the number of viewers of the social media posts. Federal government regulates and monitors the number of viewers the sales will also be regulated. The government also introduces policies, rules and procedures to be followed by the firms that use the social media for advertising and selling of either goods or services. The three main branches of government are the executive, judiciary, and the legislature. Making laws is the main function of the legislature (Lathrop, & Ruma, 2010).

Crossdressing and Tranvestism Essay Example for Free

Crossdressing and Tranvestism Essay This critique is based on the video â€Å"Hide and Seek† by Group 29. It is about cross dressing. Cross-dressing represents the act of wearing clothing commonly associated with the opposite sex, including various forms: (1) underwear only, (2) clothes but no makeup or wig, (3) clothes, makeup and wigs, and (4) trying to â€Å"pass† as a woman. There are different terms to address the people who cross-dress, such as cross dresser (CD), transvestite (TV), Drag Queens (normally gay and exaggerated) and female impersonators (actors who play women). However, it is important to note that cross dressing is not identical or relevant to transgender, gender identity and willingness to become the opposite sex. The transvestites only want to dress like the other gender for some time. Statistics have revealed that about 3% to 5% of the populations are transvestites, while the majority of them are heterosexual. According to medical research, the underlying factors of becoming a transvestite are due to family background, the surrounding environment and social learning. Most of the cross-dressers face difficulties such as fears to be discovered by family, friends and partners. However, this is because the society is generally against cross dressers and often described them as insane or having mental problems. For example, in Hong Kong, the society is unfriendly towards cross dressing and the general public does discriminate against the transvestites. Analysis The content of this video is analyzed in four aspects as follows:- Title Titled as â€Å"Hide and Seek†, the video portrays the fear of a male cross dresser to be discovered by his girlfriend. The authors would like â€Å"to show the cross dressers are hiding themselves away but at the same time seeking the identification. † From the video, the message that the cross dressers hope to hide their habit is clearly shown. When the Katherine returns home and opens the door, Joe is very frightened that his cross dressing behaviour is revealed by Katherine. However, the second statement â€Å"at the same time seeking the identification† cannot be directly or passively interpreted from the video, since Joe only exclaims his love towards Katherine when his cross dressing is about to reveal from the sub-title â€Å"There is another girl. But he still loves you. † This statement does not prove that he is seeking for identification, approval or tolerance from Katherine. There is also a lack of any scene to show that Joe, being a transvestite, is searching for identification and recognition from other people. Moreover, if the tile â€Å"Hide and Seek† was not stated and explained by the authors, the audience would not identify the specified meaning of the title. It otherwise gives the impression to audience that the title relates to the hide and seeks between Joe and Katherine when Joe is cross dressing and Katherine is returning home. Plot In the video, the first part shows the actions of a man, Joe and his girlfriend, Katherine at the same time. Joe is dressing on as a woman in the washroom. First, he puts on make-up: Applying mascara and putting on red lip gross. Second, he wears on a shocking pink flower dress, black leggings and bra. Then he caresses his breast in front of the mirror. At the same time, Katherine is going back home, entering the entrance, getting into the lift and opening the doors with keys. When Joe realizes Katherine is coming back with the sounds of keys, he quickly washes his face to remove the make-up, takes off his bra and leggings, and finally uses a cotton pad with make-up remover to remove his eye shadow, eye line and mascara. At the same instant, Katherine is searching for him. Then, Joe walks to Katherine. Katherine is suspicious that â€Å"Why there is smell of fragrance? † and â€Å"Was there another girl? † Joe’s eyes are enlarged to show his fear and speechlessness. â€Å"There is another girl. † â€Å"But he still loves you. † Here, it would like to bring out that Joe does not have any extramarital relations. The â€Å"another girl† means Joe himself. Even though he has the cross dressing behaviour, he still loves Katherine. Character There are two characters in this video: Joe and Katherine. First of all, Joe is a transvestite. I think that his acting is realistic to justify the role of his character. He has acquired mastery of wearing on all the female attire and make-up. After dressing up as a female, his smile and stroke of hands on the breast in front of the mirror can effectively bring the message that he really feels satisfied with it and enjoys transvestism. Moreover, when Katherine is puzzled with the fragrance form Joe, the facial expressions from Joe is vivid to show his fear to reveal he is actually having transvestism at home. Regrettably, there is one shot which looks rather strange. After wearing on the black stockings, he twists his legs and moves his toes. Though the authors describe that scene as â€Å"cross dresser looked at his leg† and they describe it as using the cross dresser’s point of view, and â€Å"it can make the audience understand the mindset of the cross dresser: happy and pleased with his feminine look†, that shot gives an impression to me that Joe was having leg fatigue at that moment so that he moves his legs and toes to relieve the pain. Also, the shot is not basically taken in the cross dresser’s point of view. It is a shot from vertical direction. So, that show does not make me understand the mindset of Joe. To better improve the above scene, the video camera should be put at the angle from Joe’s eyes. And his facial expressions when he is happy and pleased with the feminine look should be filmed. Furthermore, the facial expression of Katherine is not quite realistic and cannot make the audience to understand what she feels. In the shot Katherine has got back home, she searches for Joe elsewhere. Finally when she finds out Joe, she should be feeling suspicious and puzzled why there is a scent of fragrance, according to the wordings â€Å"Why there is smell of fragrance? † However, the facial expression of Katherine gives an impression to me that she is drowsy or just wakes up. Her countenance makes the audience confused about what is going on in the video. With the following wordings â€Å"Was there another girl? † the audience can eventually get the message that Katherine is suspicious with Joe to have another partner. Props In the video clip, plenty of female props are employed to show the symbols of cross dressing. For example, mascara, red lip gross, face powder, cosmetic brushes, black stockings, bra are used. These are the representative symbols of a female. Generally male would not use these things. And the myriads of cosmetic kits in the washroom are adequate to show that Joe wants to dress up to be an attractive and pretty woman. In fact, I feel that the props used in the video are strongly relevant to the theme. They are constructive to bring out the message that Joe is cross dressing and the elements of cross dressing are clearly identified. After watching this video, one can understand what transvestism is and how the transvestite dress in the opposite. In my opinion, to further elaborate the image of a transvestite, except the clothing and make-up, Joe can also wear wigs and high heels to make him more feminine. Music Concerning the music part, there is merits and demerits in the video clip. To begin with, when Joe is putting on mascara and lip gross, the music is quite relaxing and cheerful. However, the music becomes wary and suspicious when he is putting on other cosmetics in the washroom. It is a bit inconsistent that the background music for similar instance of make up is so contrasting. In my opinion, the wary music should start when the camera shot moves to the lobby of the building, which implies that Katherine is coming back. In this way, it can let the audience knows that some dangerous instance is about to begin. On the other hand, the speed of the music in the later part is effective to show that sequence of the video. The music becomes increasingly faster when the climax is reached. The speed is useful to show that Joe is so fear to be discovered by his partner of cross dressing because to many people, cross dressing is something abnormal and should be corrected. Interpretation According to the description from the authors, the aims of video are to let â€Å"people who are too busy and have no time to figure out what cross-dressing is could immediately understand the feeling of cross-dresser and understand they are not monster or insane. Their acts are only pleasure-seeking. † And they believe that the video is â€Å"the most effective way to bring a sense of reality to the readers: how the cross -dresser feel when he is cross-dressing; his deep fear of being discovered and the confrontation faced by the couple. † I think that the video clip is effective to bring out the aforementioned aim of the presentation. In particular, the background music and the facial expression from Joe are realistic and let the audience understand the feelings of the cross dressers. However, normal audience without knowledge to transvestism could not understand the nature of it and disregard the transvestites as insane, since there is only one statement â€Å"But he still loves you. † to show that transvestites would not change their love towards lovers. Meanwhile, there lacks any information or implication to prove that the transvestites are indeed normal as ordinary people. So, this video is not useful to educate to eradicate biases towards the transvestites once communicated to the public. It only broadens the knowledge of acts by cross dressers and their inner feelings to audience. In my view, the video should include information to educate the public to accept the transvestites and feel comfortable and easy to live with them. For instance, we can portray a scene that a cross dressers is having cross dressing and his wife lives with him happily and does not mind it. I think that there should be other scenes to portray the daily life of transvestites, and thus the audience can get an implication that the cross dressers are normal as well. Transvestism is only their habit and it would not harm other parties. This is because I feel that the society is full of discrimination towards the transvestites. They are usually related to abnormal or insane behaviour, mental problems or crimes like rape, indecorum. There should be strong and forceful publications to assure the general public that the transvestites are not insane as they may prescribe. In a nutshell, the message from the video can be partially communicated, and it can only be communicated to audience who already has basic knowledge of transvestism. Otherwise, the audience may still think the cross dressers are insane after getting known to their act. The choice of taking videos to show the implied message of the authors is quite suitable. The way and steps of cross dressing can be clearly identified and shown to audience. It makes the audience understand what the meaning of cross dressing is. Also, audience can understand the feelings of cross dresser after reading this video that they usually perform it secretly and do not want their family, partner and friends to know it. With the help of the additional wordings, the audience can further consolidate the idea of this video. So I think that the aims of authors to use video: â€Å"A good video could be eye-catching and effectively delivered a thought-provoking idea in the readers’ mind. † is justified. A man cross dressing to act as a female is quite an innovative idea and the wordings shown at the end of the video can help the audience to understand the transvestites still love their partners even though they have this habit. Conclusion The video produced by Group 29 â€Å"Hide and Seek† can effectively communicate to the audience how the transvestites do in cross dressing and their fear to be revealed by partners. However, this video is not sufficient to educate the readers to accept transvestism such that transvestites are ordinary people like everyone. Reference Chow, L. S. Hide and Seek by Lai Shan Chow. Retrieved December 13th, 2008, from CITE Mahara: http://mahara-broadening. cite. hku. hk/view/view. php? id=76

Evidence For And Against Climate Change Environmental Sciences Essay

Evidence For And Against Climate Change Environmental Sciences Essay Climate Change is a very controversial global issue which has committed supporters and detractors. Critically evaluate the evidence for and against climate change and provide your own assessment of the current and future risks that the planet faces by 2050. It is expected that you will give a broad view of your subject giving weight to policy, regulatory, economic and risk management impacts as well as health and environmental impacts. Use a case study to illustrate a key component of the climate change agenda. The worlds climate is changing and the consequences are serious, wide ranging and long-term. Despite the overwhelming scientific consensus that this is happening, the issue of climate change has its detractors, whose opposition to the phenomenon range from disagreeing about the extent of the problem, the extent of mans influence, to the accuracy of the modeling techniques. During the essay the evidence from both sides will be evaluated and the current and longer term economic, social, and environmental effects assessed. The definitions of climate change vary greatly, but the two most useful are the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) definition where broadly speaking climate change relates to a change in climate which is attributed, directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and that is in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which refers to any change in climate over time, whether due to natural variability or as a result of human activity, which is perhaps a more useful definition. Firstly before looking at the evidence for climate change it is useful to understand the global energy flow (radiative budget), which was first suggested by Kiehl and Trenbirth (1997), illustrated in picture 1 below: Picture 1 The incoming solar radiation, often labelled in percentage terms, must match the outgoing short and longwave radiation to achieve radiative equilibrium. Radiative forcing is the measure of the influence that a specific factor has in altering the balance of this incoming and outgoing energy, and is therefore a useful indication of the importance of that factor to change the climate. Positive forcing will generally mean that the surface of the earth is warmed, whilst negative forcing tends to cool the surface. The Kyoto protocol, adopted in December 1997 and entering into force in February 2005, committed all Annex1 countries (39 industrialised countries the EU) to a reduction in four greenhouse gases (Carbon dioxide, Methane, Nitrous oxide and Sulfur hexafluoride) and two groups of gases called hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) (often found in refridgerants) and perfluorocarbons (PFCs) (also in refridgerants but having a wide variety of medical and non-medical uses and according to Askam, Khalil et al. (2003) having a lifetime up to 50,000 years). Carbon dioxide is perhaps the most studied and well known of the anthropogenic GHGs. Since some infra-red radiation leaving the planet is absorbed by CO2, the greater the CO2 the greater the absorbtion and reflection of heat and the warmer the climate. Perhaps the most significant indicator of the increase in the level of CO2 in the last 50 years is shown in graph 1 below. This is the measurement of CO2 concentrations as measured in Hawaii, far from industrial areas so no localised bias is present, though these measurements have been replicated around the world (e.g. Pieter P. Tans and Thomas J. Conway 1968-2002) Monthly Atmospheric CO2 Mixing Ratios from the NOAA Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory Carbon Cycle Cooperative Global Air Sampling Network, 1968-2002. NOAA Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory, Boulder, Colorado 80305, U.S.A.) Graph 1 Image created by Robert A. Rohde / www.globalwarmingart.com Similar measurements have been found in ice core samples, which enable us to get a much better picture over time. Graph 2 below shows the CO2 variations over time from the past 420,000 years. Graph 2 Image created by Robert A. Rohde / www.globalwarmingart.com This shows the CO2 levels fluctuating in line with the ice-ages, however, the most important section is the insert the marked increase since the industrial revolution from around 1750/1800. A clear indication of humans influence. More evidence is given in the IPCC 4th Annual Report Working Group summary that the concentration of atmospheric CO2 has increased from 280ppm (pre-industrial level) to 379ppm in 2005. In addition the annual CO2 concentration growth was larger during the last 10 years (1995-2005 : 1.9ppm per year) than it has been since the beginning of continuous direct atmospheric measurements (1960-2005 : 1.4 ppm per year). In a similar fashion the levels of Methane (from a pre-industrial level of 715ppb to 1732ppb in the early 1990s and 1774ppb in 2005) and Nitrous oxide (from pre-industrial levels of roughly 270ppb to 319ppb in 2005) have increased markedly over recent years. Looking at the radiative forcing discussed earlier the There are many different indications of how the climate has altered, and over several different timescales ranging from the most recent 150 years since 1860, since roughly the time of industrial revolution since 1750 and for the past 10-100 thousand years. Each of these will be looked at in turn. The Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change in its most recent report in 2007 stated: Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, as is now evident from observations of increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice, and rising global average sea level. Most of the observed increase in globally averaged temperatures since the mid-20th century is very likely due to the observed increase in anthropogenic greenhouse gas concentrations. This is an advance since the TARs conclusion that most of the observed warming over the last 50 years is likely to have been due to the increase in greenhouse gas concentrations. Discernible human influences now extend to other aspects of climate, including ocean warming, continental-average temperatures, temperature extremes and wind patterns The time series shows the combined global land and marine surface temperature record from 1850 to 2009. The year 2009 was the sixth warmest on record, exceeded by 1998, 2005, 2003, 2002, and 2004. This time series is being compiled jointly by the Climatic Research Unit and the UK Met. Office Hadley Centre. The record is being continually up-dated and improved (see Brohan et al., 2006). This paper includes a new and more thorough assessment of errors, recognizing that these differ on annual and decadal timescales. Increased concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere due to human activities are most likely the underlying cause of warming in the 20th century. Brohan, P., J.J. Kennedy, I. Harris, S.F.B. Tett and P.D. Jones, 2006: Uncertainty estimates in regional and global observed temperature changes: a new dataset from 1850. J. Geophysical Research 111, D12106, doi:10.1029/2005JD006548 http://www.cru.uea.ac.uk/cru/info/ Detractors In a debate that has become highly polarised the label climate sceptic is readily slapped on anybody who stands on the soapbox and contradicts Al Gore. In reality, the sceptic landscape is more varied, ranging from those scurrilously pursuing scientific truth to others with more obvious economic or political gains to play for. Richard Lindzen, an American atmospheric physicist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has been one of the most vocal in expressing concerns over the validity of computer models used to predict future climate change. He argues that they may be over-predicting future warming due to a failure to properly account for the climate systems water vapour feedback. However he has also been an active contributor to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change assessment reports. Gavin Schmidt, a climatologist at the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies commented that Lindzen agrees with about 90 per cent of what other climate scientists are saying, yet the last 10 per cent is sufficiently different to label him a contrarian. Stephen McIntyre, editor of sceptic blog ClimateAudit and former director of several state-owned Canadian mineral exploration companies, is known in the climate science community for his continual demands for raw data. McIntryre was behind an orchestrated campaign that led to 60 Freedom of Information requests being made to CRU scientists at the University of East Anglia in a single weekend in July. However, while potentially vexatious, McIntyre has made genuine scientific contributions, notably spotting a mistake in NASA data that led to the average US temperatures to be reduced about 0.15C for the period 2000-2006. Philip Stott, an emeritus professor of biogeography at the University of London (although not a published climate scientist), has publicly argued that the climate is too complex and chaotic a system to make long-term predictions on. None of these scientists are climate change deniers, but they question the certainty of the scientific consensus. Several Tory MPs have recently contradicted the Green Conservative line of the Cameron era. Peter Lilley, one of only three MPs to vote against the governments Climate Change Bill in October, has accused climatologists of an unconscious conspiracy in which a dogmatic determination to conform to a consensus driven by the incentive of public funding has made them happier to let the data fit the theory rather than the opposite. David Davis has also spoken out on what he describes as a ferocious determination to impose hair-shirt policies on the public. Taxes on holiday flights and noisy wind turbines are too high a price to pay, he suggests. Both MPs claim to be open to the possibility that man has significantly contributing to climate change, but both remain unconvinced by the evidence. Former Tory Chancellor Nigel Lawson, has also publicly stepped up his opposition to environmental policy, founding the think tank, the Global Warming Policy Foundation, complete with a board of fairly distinguished academics to provide scepticism with a respectable face. However, the think tank was this week accused by scientists of appearing to misrepresent scientific data on its website. At the far end of the spectrum, figures such as Sarah Palin appear to be happy to disregard scientific evidence wholesale in favour of economic gain. Despite substantial differences in outlook, bundled together under the sceptic brand, the views of these individuals appear to be increasingly gaining favour with the public in the lead up to Copenhagen. PLAN For climate change Against climate change Case study Assessment of current risks Assessment of future risks to 2050

Deforestation: Ecosystem and Private Sector Views

Trees are one of the most important aspects of the planet we live in . They are very important to the environment , economy and of course for us humans. They are also important for the climate of the earth , as they act as filters for carbon dioxide . However , the trees on our planet are being depleted at a very fast rate and governments must take an action to make a change. To discuss deforestation we need to look at a role of government and its economic policies .Also we need to look at how the private sector views the ownership of property and its resource at the expense of the environment. Deforestation is the felling and clearance of the land , mostly in the (Less Economic Developed countries. ) . Deforestation occurs in many ways. Most of the clearing its done for agricultural purposes, and planting crops. Some farmers use a( slash and burn) process which is environmentally .Deforestation and forest degradation are ultimately the result of decisions by agents made such as priv ate , corporations and communities. Generally, the main agents in the process of degradation belongs to the private sector. For example landowners are motivated by making commercial profits by forests. So if the private agents have to pay for some of the cost of depleting forests, they are more likely to have more of an incentive to take care of the environment. For example to convert forest land for other uses.Pearce and Warford (1993) argue that :†High discount rates are one cause of environmental degradation because they encourage individuals to opt for short term measures that satisfy immediate needs or wants and ignore more environmentally appropriate practice such as planting trees, there is no market to take account of this divergence between private and social preferences Deforestation has many effects on climate. It plays a major role in recycling rain back into the clouds as it receives rainfall.As a result , when the land is cleared , flooding and drought becomes a serious problem, because rainwater travels quickly through the ground without the forest to regulate it . The burning and felling of the forests is also exacerbating the Greenhouse effect. .Deforestation robs the world of countless species , destroying crucial biodiversity and loosing species with potential uses in medicine , agriculture and industry. the Biodiversity is very important to the Ecosystem and without it we would be in a dangerous positions..In 2000 environmentalist groups won a major victory against ranchers . They were able to block a low that would have allowed private agents to clear a rainforest and land with no restrictions. Another victory come in 2004 when Brazilian government created two large rainforest reserves, for sustainable activities only . Deforestation has a major impact on the environment, such as rising sea levels , soil erosion and compounds in the forests. There are some ways to avoid deforestation.In this essay I tried to show this matter of both sided can benefit if they take in to consideration each other needs . As good way to prevent people from cutting or burning down trees is to by encouraging and re-educating environmentally friendly practices in business as well as in a personal lives. They can take an ownership and contribute to a sustainable future for the environment , by being more socially responsible . Governments and nations can develop policies which will protect and limit the damage to the environment.

Philosophy of life: wisdom and meaning of life Essay

Good afternoon Dear Audience, today I am here to speak about something we are all going through. But first of all, let me start with some questions. I am sure that we all tried to find the answers to them at least once in a lifetime. Do you know what is Time? Or What is Space? Maybe you know what is Conscience? Or what is a Dream? Is there Heaven? or Hell? How can we live without knowing whether we are the ones to choose our own paths? And are we sure that we really Live? So many questions remain unanswered. And all these issues and many many others are in a constant connection with our Lives. Life is something we are all here going through and this is exactly the thing I would like to talk about today. There are a lot of technical definitions for the word Life, but can we really fit the whole meaning of this word in a sentence from the dictionaries, most of which claim that Life is the aspect of existence that processes, acts, reacts, evaluates, and evolves through reproduction and metabolism. But what is life really about, if anything? Basically, scientists, today are contemplating about 2 possible theories. That life is either a meaningless accident arising from the laws of physics operating in a meaningless universe, or it is a ‘step’ in a so-called planned ‘experiment’. I say ‘step’, for this, cannot be the end. The current state of life is yet too unstable and undeveloped for it to be the end. And I say ‘experiment’ since the evolutionary nature of life suggests that its future is unknown. If therefore the universe itself has a purpose, it seems most likely to be to explore what the outcome of the evolutionary experiment would be. And here comes the question of what kind of the outcome will we eventually acquire. In our contemporary world, we all get to listen to scientific debates on how, when and where life will come to an end. However, questions remain which may never be resolved. In this vacuum, philosophers and religious thinkers have attempted to give meaning to life by suggesting goals: Plato suggested the acquisition of knowledge, Aristotle to practice virtue, and the Stoics, mental fortitude and self-control. Today’s philosophers echo the existentialist view that life is full of absurdity, although they also tell us that we must put meaning into life by making our own values in an indifferent world. But if life is just a journey from womb to tomb, will such ‘meaning’ be sufficient to allow the traveler at journey’s end to feel that it was worthwhile? The worthwhile journey, the Beginning, and the End, Birth and Death, talking about Life I can not skip on talking about Time. All animals except humans live in a continual present, with no sense of the temporal distinctions of past, present, and future. Our consciousness of time is, therefore, one of the most important distinguishing features of humankind. It comes as no surprise, then, that from time immemorial, philosophers, teachers, and theologians have speculated on the true nature of time. Does time have a substance and, if so, what is it made of? How do we know that time really exists? Does time have a beginning and an end? There is a general agreement among philosophers that time is continuous and that it has an intrinsic direction or order. There is also a more or less general agreement that it is objective, rather than subjective or dependent on its being consciously experienced, and also that so many different physical processes bear consistent time relations to each other . However, even given that, many differing opinions and approaches to what time actually is have been put forward over the centuries. Presently, most websites and books on the subject begin with a candid admission that time is a curious and slippery concept which continues to defy definitive explanation despite hundreds, even thousands, of years of trying. We are told that time is â€Å"enigmatic† and â€Å"ineffable†, but that does not help us much in our search for the true nature of time. Nearly two and a half thousand years ago, Aristotle contended that â€Å"time is the most unknown of all unknown things†, and arguably not much has changed since then. Despite the fact that we don’t know exactly what time is, we still try to develop and move forward. Throughout my entire speech, I’ve been constantly repeating one word. â€Å"WE†. Just 2 letters. Do you know what they mean, since I don’t? We call ourselves Human beings. And, actually, being a human today does not necessarily mean being humane, being able to read or write, being able to work and provide yourself with everything that is needed. Generally speaking, the main features that distinguish us from animals are our abilities to think unconventionally, speak multiple languages, develop all-around spheres, from literature to sciences, from arts to business, and ,of course, we are different, since we believe in more than what we see and we hope for more than what we possess. Lately, I’ve been thinking about our Lives a lot, and I couldn’t resist the desire to share my thoughts with you, which, of course, are backed up by the scientific facts and evidence. While thinking about it, I’ve listened to myself carefully and eventually noticed that inexplicable voice speaking from within. Most of the time we don’t pay enough heed towards this part of our being., however, it should not be taken for granted. Some call it inner voice, others prefer to call it conscience. This is the reason, employed in questions of right and wrong. It is that within a man which approves or condemns his actions. The inner voice is a principle without which a man falls easily into temp ­tation, and every temptation succumbed to means degradation of his best instincts. He feels that he is no longer the same, but something weaker, something polluted, and the secret uneasiness and self-reproach which pursue him are the biting of conscience. Even though this voice should evoke all the notions of what is right and what is wrong there are some whose ideas of justice and injustice are so perverted that even the most wicked actions bring no remorse and at times even win their approval. Principles are not born in a man but are the result of training and association. It should be the endeavor of all of us, so that when temptation comes we will not fall, but resist it, and with every victory strengthen our character until we grow into noble, firm and self-reliant people. So, wherever you go and whatever you do your inner voice is always there, whispering the right answer. From time everlasting, we’ve always been trying to find the answers to as many questions as possible. We come up with the possible explanations, however, there is no-one out there to say that we are moving in a right direction. Who knows, maybe we are just fooling ourselves, and while, relying on our own science, we try to explain the inexplicable, we are increasingly driving ourselves into the jungles, from which, one day, we will not be able to find a way out. Just look at all the global conspiracy theories, most of which seem not only inconceivable but totally delirious. Let me name couple of them in order for you to have a comprehensive picture of what I am actually talking about. The water fluoridation theory, for instance, claims that the water we drink actually contains fluorite, which allegedly brainwashes the entire population of the Earth and makes us susceptible to inculcation. Or the other theory which states that the Moon does not exist, since it’s a hologram put there by someone unknown. And finally, the theory which assures us that lizard people, also known as ‘reptilians’ run the world. What the believers actually propose is that the top echelon of our government is actually controlled by shape-shifting reptilian aliens, who have been lording power over humans to turn them into mindless slaves for their own purposes. I can not deny the fact that hundreds of conspiracy theories look like the ravings of a madman, however, how can we be so sure that all of these bizarre guesses come from nowhere? How can we be so sure about something yet unknown? We have to set priorities for ourselves. This is all about our Lives, not anyone else’s. In today’s ruthless world you either live in lies and ignorance, or you leave your carefree life behind and go search for the Truth. Life is just a wink of an eye if one thinks of eternity. It’s fast and it’s short but it’s worth every single second since it can not be bought, it can not be changed nor can it be returned, ever. And in order to make your Life a worthwhile journey, be sure to rejoice in every single day as if it is the last one you have. Thank You for Your attention!

SAT Essay Rubric Full Analysis and Writing Strategies

SAT Essay Rubric Full Analysis and Writing Strategies SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips We're about to dive deep into the details of that least beloved* of SAT sections, the SAT essay. Prepare for a discussion of the SAT essay rubric and how the SAT essay is graded based on that. I'll break down what each item on the rubric means and what you need to do to meet those requirements. On the SAT, the last section you'll encounter is the (optional) essay. You have 50 minutes to read a passage, analyze the author's argument, and write an essay. If you don’t write on the assignment, plagiarize, or don't use your own original work, you'll get a 0 on your essay. Otherwise, your essay scoring is done by two graders - each one grades you on a scale of 1-4 in Reading, Analysis, and Writing, for a total essay score out of 8 in each of those three areas. But how do these graders assign your writing a numerical grade? By using an essay scoring guide, or rubric. *may not actually be the least belovà ¨d. Feature image credit: Day 148: the end of time by Bruce Guenter, used under CC BY 2.0/Cropped from original. The Complete SAT Essay Grading Rubric: Item-by-Item Breakdown Based on the CollegeBoard’s stated Reading, Analysis, and Writing criteria, I've created the below charts (for easier comparison across score points).For the purpose of going deeper into just what the SAT is looking for in your essay, I've then broken down each category further (with examples). The information in all three charts is taken from the College Board site. Reading The biggest change to the SAT essay (and the thing that really distinguishes it from the ACT essay) is that you are required to read and analyze a text, then write about your analysis of the author's argument in your essay. Your "Reading" grade on the SAT essay reflects how well you were able to demonstrate your understanding of the text and the author's argument in your essay. Score Reading 1 (Inadequate) The response demonstrates little or no comprehension of the source text. The response fails to show an understanding of the text’s central idea(s), and may include only details without reference to central idea(s). The response may contain numerous errors of fact and/or interpretation with regard to the text. The response makes little or no use of textual evidence (quotations, paraphrases, or both), demonstrating little or no understanding of the source text. 2 (Partial) The response demonstrates some comprehension of the source text. The response shows an understanding of the text’s central idea(s) but not of important details. The response may contain errors of fact and/or interpretation with regard to the text. The response makes limited and/or haphazard use of textual evidence (quotations, paraphrases, or both), demonstrating some understanding of the source text. 3 (Proficient) The response demonstrates effective comprehension of the source text. The response shows an understanding of the text’s central idea(s) and important details. The response is free of substantive errors of fact and interpretation with regard to the text. The response makes appropriate use of textual evidence (quotations, paraphrases, or both), demonstrating an understanding of the source text. 4 (Advanced) The response demonstrates thorough comprehension of the source text. The response shows an understanding of the text’s central idea(s) and of most important details and how they interrelate, demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of the text. The response is free of errors of fact or interpretation with regard to the text. The response makes skillful use of textual evidence (quotations, paraphrases, or both), demonstrating a complete understanding of the source text. You'll need to show your understanding of the text on two different levels: the surface level of getting your facts right and the deeper level of getting the relationship of the details and the central ideas right. Surface Level: Factual Accuracy One of the most important ways you can show you've actually read the passage is making sure you stick to what is said in the text. If you’re writing about things the author didn’t say, or things that contradict other things the author said, your argument will be fundamentally flawed. For instance, take this quotation from a (made-up) passage about why a hot dog is not a sandwich: â€Å"The fact that you can’t, or wouldn’t, cut a hot dog in half and eat it that way, proves that a hot dog is once and for all NOT a sandwich† Here's an example of a factually inaccurate paraphrasing of this quotation: The author builds his argument by discussing how, since hot-dogs are often served cut in half, this makes them different from sandwiches. The paraphrase contradicts the passage, and so would negatively affect your reading score. Now let's look at an accurate paraphrasing of the quotation: The author builds his argument by discussing how, since hot-dogs are never served cut in half, they are therefore different from sandwiches. It's also important to be faithful to the text when you're using direct quotations from the passage. Misquoting or badly paraphrasing the author’s words weakens your essay, because the evidence you’re using to support your points is faulty. Higher Level: Understanding of Central Ideas The next step beyond being factually accurate about the passage is showing that you understand the central ideas of the text and how details of the passage relate back to this central idea. Why does this matter? In order to be able to explain why the author is persuasive, you need to be able to explain the structure of the argument. And you can’t deconstruct the author's argument if you don’t understand the central idea of the passage and how the details relate to it. Here's an example of a statement about our fictional "hot dogs are sandwiches" passage that shows understanding of the central idea of the passage: Hodgman’s third primary defense of why hot dogs are not sandwiches is that a hot dog is not a subset of any other type of food. He uses the analogy of asking the question â€Å"is cereal milk a broth, sauce, or gravy?† to show that making such a comparison between hot dogs and sandwiches is patently illogical. The above statement takes one step beyond merely being factually accurate to explain the relation between different parts of the passage (in this case, the relation between the "what is cereal milk?" analogy and the hot dog/sandwich debate). Of course, if you want to score well in all three essay areas, you’ll need to do more in your essay than merely summarizing the author’s argument. This leads directly into the next grading area of the SAT Essay. Analysis The items covered under this criterion are the most important when it comes to writing a strong essay. You can use well-spelled vocabulary in sentences with varied structure all you want, but if you don't analyze the author's argument, demonstrate critical thinking, and support your position, you will not get a high Analysis score. Score Analysis 1 (Inadequate) The response offers little or no analysis or ineffective analysis of the source text and demonstrates little or no understanding of the analytic task. The response identifies without explanation some aspects of the author’s use of evidence, reasoning, and/or stylistic and persuasive elements, and/or feature(s) of the student’s choosing, Or numerous aspects of the response’s analysis are unwarranted based on the text. The response contains little or no support for claim(s) or point(s) made, or support is largely irrelevant. The response may not focus on features of the text that are relevant to addressing the task, Or the response offers no discernible analysis (e.g., is largely or exclusively summary). 2 (Partial) The response offers limited analysis of the source text and demonstrates only partial understanding of the analytical task. The response identifies and attempts to describe the author’s use of evidence, reasoning, and/or stylistic and persuasive elements, and/or feature(s) of the student’s own choosing, but merely asserts rather than explains their importance, or one or more aspects of the response’s analysis are unwarranted based on the text. The response contains little or no support for claim(s) or point(s) made. The response may lack a clear focus on those features of the text that are most relevant to addressing the task. 3 (Proficient) The response offers an effective analysis of the source text and demonstrates an understanding of the analytical task. The response competently evaluates the author’s use of evidence, reasoning, and/or stylistic and persuasive elements, and/or feature(s) of the student’s own choosing. The response contains relevant and sufficient support for claim(s) or point(s) made. The response focuses primarily on those features of the text that are most relevant to addressing the task. 4 (Advanced) The response offers an insightful analysis of the source text and demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of the analytical task. The response offers a thorough, well-considered evaluation of the author’s use of evidence, reasoning, and/or stylistic and persuasive elements, and/or feature(s) of the student’s own choosing. The response contains relevant, sufficient, and strategically chosen support for claim(s) or point(s) made. The response focuses consistently on those features of the text that are most relevant to addressing the task. Because this category is so important, I've broken it down even further into its two different (but equally important) component parts to make sure everything is as clearly explained as possible. Part I: Critical Thinking (Logic) Critical thinking, also known as critical reasoning, also known as logic, is the skill that SAT essay graders are really looking to see displayed in the essay. You need to be able to evaluate and analyze the claim put forward in the prompt. This is where a lot of students may get tripped up, because they think â€Å"oh, well, if I can just write a lot, then I’ll do well.† While there is some truth to the assertion that longer essays tend to score higher, if you don’t display critical thinking you won’t be able to get a top score on your essay. What do I mean by critical thinking? Let's take the previous prompt example: Write an essay in which you explain how Hodgman builds an argument to persuade his audience that the hot dog cannot, and never should be, considered a sandwich. An answer to this prompt that does not display critical thinking (and would fall into a 1 or 2 on the rubric) would be something like: The author argues that hot dogs aren’t sandwiches, which is persuasive to the reader. While this does evaluate the prompt (by providing a statement that the author's claim "is persuasive to the reader"), there is no corresponding analysis. An answer to this prompt that displays critical thinking (and would net a higher score on the rubric) could be something like this: The author uses analogies to hammer home his point that hot dogs are not sandwiches. Because the readers will readily believe the first part of the analogy is true, they will be more likely to accept that the second part (that hot dogs aren't sandwiches) is true as well. See the difference? Critical thinking involves reasoning your way through a situation (analysis) as well as making a judgement (evaluation). On the SAT essay, however, you can’t just stop at abstract critical reasoning - analysis involves one more crucial step... Part II: Examples, Reasons, and Other Evidence (Support) The other piece of the puzzle (apparently this is a tiny puzzle) is making sure you are able to back up your point of view and critical thinking with concrete evidence. The SAT essay rubric says that the best (that is, 4-scoring) essay uses â€Å"relevant, sufficient, and strategically chosen support for claim(s) or point(s) made.† This means you can’t just stick to abstract reasoning like this: The author uses analogies to hammer home his point that hot dogs are not sandwiches. Because the readers will readily believe the first part of the analogy is true, they will be more likely to accept that the second part (that hot dogs aren't sandwiches) is true as well. That explanation is a good starting point, but if you don't back up your point of view with quoted or paraphrased information from the text to support your discussion of the way the author builds his/her argument, you will not be able to get above a 3 on the Analysis portion of the essay (and possibly the Reading portion as well, if you don't show you've read the passage). Let's take a look of an example of how you might support an interpretation of the author's effect on the reader using facts from the passage: The author’s reference to the Biblical story about King Solomon elevates the debate about hot dogs from a petty squabble between friends to a life-or-death disagreement. The reader cannot help but see the parallels between the two situations and thus find themselves agreeing with the author on this point. Does the author's reference to King Solomon actually "elevate the debate," causing the reader to agree with the author? From the sentences above, it certainly seems plausible that it might. While your facts do need to be correct, you get a little more leeway with your interpretations of how the author’s persuasive techniques might affect the audience. As long as you can make a convincing argument for the effect a technique the author uses might have on the reader, you’ll be good. Say whaaat?! #tbt by tradlands, used under CC BY 2.0/Cropped and color-adjusted from original. Did I just blow your mind? Read more about the secrets the SAT doesn’t want you to know in this article. Writing Your Writing score on the SAT essay is not just a reflection of your grasp of the conventions of written English (although it is that as well). You'll also need to be focused, organized, and precise. Score Writing 1 (Inadequate) The response demonstrates little or no cohesion and inadequate skill in the use and control of language. The response may lack a clear central claim or controlling idea. The response lacks a recognizable introduction and conclusion. The response does not have a discernible progression of ideas. The response lacks variety in sentence structures; sentence structures may be repetitive. The response demonstrates general and vague word choice; word choice may be poor or inaccurate. The response may lack a formal style and objective tone. The response shows a weak control of the conventions of standard written English and may contain numerous errors that undermine the quality of writing. 2 (Partial) The response demonstrates little or no cohesion and limited skill in the use and control of language. The response may lack a clear central claim or controlling idea or may deviate from the claim or idea over the course of the response. The response may include an ineffective introduction and/or conclusion. The response may demonstrate some progression of ideas within paragraphs but not throughout the response. The response has limited variety in sentence structures; sentence structures may be repetitive. The response demonstrates general or vague word choice; word choice may be repetitive. The response may deviate noticeably from a formal style and objective tone. The response shows a limited control of the conventions of standard written English and contains errors that detract from the quality of writing and may impede understanding. 3 (Proficient) The response is mostly cohesive and demonstrates effective use and control of language. The response includes a central claim or implicit controlling idea. The response includes an effective introduction and conclusion. The response demonstrates a clear progression of ideas both within paragraphs and throughout the essay. The response has variety in sentence structures. The response demonstrates some precise word choice. The response maintains a formal style and objective tone. The response shows a good control of the conventions of standard written English and is free of significant errors that detract from the quality of writing. 4 (Advanced) The response is cohesive and demonstrates a highly effective use and command of language. The response includes a precise central claim. The response includes a skillful introduction and conclusion. The response demonstrates a deliberate and highly effective progression of ideas both within paragraphs and throughout the essay. The response has a wide variety in sentence structures. The response demonstrates a consistent use of precise word choice. The response maintains a formal style and objective tone. The response shows a strong command of the conventions of standard written English and is free or virtually free of errors. Because there's a lot of different factors that go into calculating your Writing score, I've divided the discussion of this rubric area into five separate items: Precise Central Claim Organization Vocab and Word Choice Sentence Structure Grammar, Etc. Precise Central Claim One of the most basic rules of the SAT essay is that you need to express a clear opinion on the "assignment" (the prompt). While in school (and everywhere else in life, pretty much) you’re encouraged to take into account all sides of a topic, it behooves you to NOT do this on the SAT essay. Why? Because you only have 50 minutes to read the passage, analyze the author's argument, and write the essay, there's no way you can discuss every single way in which the author builds his/her argument, every single detail of the passage, or a nuanced argument about what works and what doesn't work. Instead, I recommend focusing your discussion on a few key ways the author is successful in persuading his/her audience of his/her claim. Let’s go back to the assignment we've been using as an example throughout this article: "Write an essay in which you explain how Hodgman builds an argument to persuade his audience that the hot dog cannot, and never should be, considered a sandwich." Your instinct (trained from many years of schooling) might be to answer: "There are a variety of ways in which the author builds his argument." This is a nice, vague statement that leaves you a lot of wiggle room. If you disagree with the author, it's also a way of avoiding having to say that the author is persuasive. Don't fall into this trap! You do not necessarily have to agree with the author's claim in order to analyze how the author persuades his/her readers that the claim is true. Here's an example of a precise central claim about the example assignment: The author effectively builds his argument that hot dogs are not sandwiches by using logic, allusions to history and mythology, and factual evidence. In contrast to the vague claim that "There are a variety of ways in which the author builds his argument," this thesis both specifies what the author's argument is and the ways in which he builds the argument (that you'll be discussing in the essay). Organization While it's extremely important to make sure your essay has a clear point of view, strong critical reasoning, and support for your position, that's not enough to get you a top score. You need to make sure that your essay "demonstrates a deliberate and highly effective progression of ideas both within paragraphs and throughout the essay." What does this mean? Part of the way you can make sure your essay is "well organized" has to do with following standard essay construction points. Don't write your essay in one huge paragraph; instead, include an introduction (with your thesis stating your point of view), body paragraphs (one for each example, usually), and a conclusion. This structure might seem boring, but it really works to keep your essay organized, and the more clearly organized your essay is, the easier it will be for the essay grader to understand your critical reasoning. The second part of this criteria has to do with keeping your essay focused, making sure it contains "a deliberate and highly effective progression of ideas." You can't just say "well, I have an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion, so I guess my essay is organized" and expect to get a 4/4 on your essay. You need to make sure that each paragraph is also organized. Recall the sample prompt: â€Å"Write an essay in which you explain how Hodgman builds an argument to persuade his audience that the hot dog cannot, and never should be, considered a sandwich.† And our hypothetical thesis: The author effectively builds his argument that hot dogs are not sandwiches by using logic, allusions to history and mythology, and factual evidence. Let's say that you're writing the paragraph about the author's use of logic to persuade his reader that hot dogs aren't sandwiches. You should NOT just list ways that the author is logical in support of his claim, then explain why logic in general is an effective persuasive device. While your points might all be valid, your essay would be better served by connecting each instance of logic in the passage with an explanation of how that example of logic persuades the reader to agree with the author. Above all, it is imperative that you make your thesis (your central claim) clear in the opening paragraph of your essay - this helps the grader keep track of your argument. There's no reason you’d want to make following your reasoning more difficult for the person grading your essay (unless you’re cranky and don’t want to do well on the essay. Listen, I don’t want to tell you how to live your life). Vocab and Word Choice In your essay, you should use a wide array of vocabulary (and use it correctly). An essay that scores a 4 in Writing on the grading rubric â€Å"demonstrates a consistent use of precise word choice.† You’re allowed a few errors, even on a 4-scoring essay, so you can sometimes get away with misusing a word or two. In general, though, it’s best to stick to using words you are certain you not only know the meaning of, but also know how to use. If you’ve been studying up on vocab, make sure you practice using the words you’ve learned in sentences, and have those sentences checked by someone who is good at writing (in English), before you use those words in an SAT essay. Sentence Structure Creating elegant, non-awkward sentences is the thing I struggle most with under time pressure. For instance, here’s my first try at the previous sentence: â€Å"Making sure a sentence structure makes sense is the thing that I have the most problems with when I’m writing in a short amount of time† (hahaha NOPE - way too convoluted and wordy, self). As another example, take a look at these two excerpts from the hypothetical essay discussing how the author persuaded his readers that a hot dog is not a sandwich: Score of 2: "The author makes his point by critiquing the argument against him. The author pointed out the logical fallacy of saying a hot dog was a sandwich because it was meat "sandwiched" between two breads. The author thus persuades the reader his point makes sense to be agreed with and convinces them." The above sentences lack variety in structure (they all begin with the words "the author"), and the last sentence has serious flaws in its structure (it makes no sense). Score of 4: "The author's rigorous examination of his opponent's position invites the reader, too, to consider this issue seriously. By laying out his reasoning, step by step, Hodgman makes it easy for the reader to follow along with his train of thought and arrive at the same destination that he has. This destination is Hodgman's claim that a hot dog is not a sandwich." The above sentences demonstrate variety in sentence structure (they don't all begin with the same word and don't have the same underlying structure) that presumably forward the point of the essay. In general, if you're doing well in all the other Writing areas, your sentence structures will also naturally vary. If you're really worried that your sentences are not varied enough, however, my advice for working on "demonstrating meaningful variety in sentence structure" (without ending up with terribly worded sentences) is twofold: Read over what you’ve written before you hand it in and change any wordings that seem awkward, clunky, or just plain incorrect. As you’re doing practice essays, have a friend, family member, or teacher who is good at (English) writing look over your essays and point out any issues that arise. Grammar, Etc. This part of the Writing grade is all about the nitty gritty details of writing: grammar, punctuation, and spelling. It's rare that an essay with serious flaws in this area can score a 4/4 in Reading, Analysis, or Writing, because such persistent errors often "interfere with meaning" (that is, persistent errors make it difficult for the grader to understand what you're trying to get across). On the other hand, if they occur in small quantities, grammar/punctuation/spelling errors are also the things that are most likely to be overlooked. If two essays are otherwise of equal quality, but one writer misspells "definitely" as "definately" and the other writer fails to explain how one of her examples supports her thesis, the first writer will receive a higher essay score. It's only when poor grammar, use of punctuation, and spelling start to make it difficult to understand your essay that the graders start penalizing you. My advice for working on this rubric area is the same advice as for sentence structure: look over what you’ve written to double check for mistakes, and ask someone who’s good at writing to look over your practice essays and point out your errors. If you're really struggling with spelling, simply typing up your (handwritten) essay into a program like Microsoft Word and running spellcheck can alert you to problems. We've also got a great set of articles up on our blog about SAT Writing questions that may help you better understand any grammatical errors you are making. How Do I Use The SAT Essay Grading Rubric? Now that you understand the SAT essay rubric, how can you use it in your SAT prep? There are a couple of different ways. Use The SAT Essay Rubric To...Shape Your Essays Since you know what the SAT is looking for in an essay, you can now use that knowledge to guide what you write about in your essays! A tale from my youth: when I was preparing to take the SAT for the first time, I did not really know what the essay was looking for, and assumed that since I was a good writer, I’d be fine. Not true! The most important part of the SAT essay is using specific examples from the passage and explaining how they convince the reader of the author's point. By reading this article and realizing there's more to the essay than "being a strong writer," you’re already doing better than high school me. girl sleeping on a couch holding a mirror by RickBrenda Beerhorst, used under CC BY 2.0/Resized from original. Change the object in that girl’s left hand from a mirror to a textbook and you have a pretty good sketch of what my junior year of high school looked like. Use The SAT Essay Rubric To...Grade Your Practice Essays The SAT can’t exactly give you an answer key to the essay. Even when an example of an essay that scored a particular score is provided, that essay will probably use different examples than you did, make different arguments, maybe even argue different interpretations of the text...making it difficult to compare the two. The SAT essay rubric is the next best thing to an answer key for the essay - use it as a lens through which to view and assess your essay. Of course, you don’t have the time to become an expert SAT essay grader - that’s not your job. You just have to apply the rubric as best as you can to your essays and work on fixing your weak areas. For the sentence structure, grammar, usage, and mechanics stuff I highly recommend asking a friend, teacher, or family member who is really good at (English) writing to take a look over your practice essays and point out the mistakes. If you really want custom feedback on your practice essays from experienced essay graders, may I also suggest the PrepScholar test prep platform? I manage the essay grading and so happen to know quite a bit about the essay part of this platform, which gives you both an essay grade and custom feedback for each essay you complete. Learn more about how it all works here. What’s Next? Are you so excited by this article that you want to read even more articles on the SAT essay? Of course you are. Don't worry, I’ve got you covered. Learn how to write an SAT essay step-by-step and read about the 6 types of SAT essay prompts. Want to go even more in depth with the SAT essay? We have a complete list of past SAT essay prompts as well as tips and strategies for how to get a 12 on the SAT essay. Still not satisfied? Maybe a five-day free trial of our very own PrepScholar test prep platform (which includes essay practice and feedback) is just what you need. Trying to figure out whether the old or new SAT essay is better for you? Take a look at our article on the new SAT essay assignment to find out! Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep classes. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160 points or more. Our classes are entirely online, and they're taught by SAT experts. If you liked this article, you'll love our classes. Along with expert-led classes, you'll get personalized homework with thousands of practice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step, custom program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Try it risk-free today:

SAT Historical Percentiles for 2005, 2004, 2003

SAT Historical Percentiles for 2005, 2004, 2003 SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you took the SAT in 2003, 2004, or 2005, you may be wondering what your percentile score is on the SAT. Is a 1400 on the SAT in 2005 the same percentile score as a 1400 in 2003? Do percentile scores change over time? 2005 was a big year in SAT history; the maximum score for the SAT changed from a 1600 to a 2400 in March of 2005. In March of 2016, the SAT will be going back to the 1600 maximum score. For this post, I will be focusing on percentile scores from before the SAT changed its format in 2005. In this article, I will explain SAT percentile scores, how they change, and I'll provide the percentile scores for SAT composite and section scores for 2005 and 2004. What Are Percentile Scores? Percentile scores reveal how well you did on the test in relation to other people.If you scored in the 90th percentile, you did better than 90% of test-takers. If you got a 40th percentile score, you did better than 40% of the people who took the test. The College Board determines SAT percentile scores annually from the scores of college-bound high school seniors who took the SAT. The higher your percentile score, the better you did relative to other college-bound high school seniors from that year. Do Percentile Scores Change? Typically, percentile scores for equivalent SAT scores stay roughly the same from year to year.For example, a 1400 was the 96th percentile in both 2005 and 2004.However, percentile scores can change very slightly.In 2005, a 1260 was the 85th percentile, but in 2004, it was the 86th percentile. (That's equivalent to about an 1860 on the current SAT.) The SAT does try to use its scoring system so that equivalent SAT scores are indicative of the same skill level and percentile scores regardless of when the test was taken.A 1300 in 2004 should be equivalent to an 1300 in 1984. How Should You Use This Data? Why Is It Important? Your percentile score is the most straightforward way to determine if you got a good or bad score.If you did better than the majority of test-takers, then you did well.However, when you apply to a college, you’re being compared with the other applicants to that school.Most schools publicize their 25th and 75th percentile SAT scores. If you want to be competitive for admission, your target score should be the school’s 75th percentile score. Keep in mind that if you took the SAT in 2003-2005, you probably won’t need your SAT score for college since scores are usually only valid for 5 years. However, a futureemployer may want to know your SAT score. Percentile scores help put your scores in context. A small composite score increase can have a huge impact on your percentile score if you received a middle score. A 1010 is roughly the 46th percentile, but a 1230 is the 82nd. 2003 Percentile Scores I was unable to obtain percentile scores from 2003, but as you’ll see, there is very little variation from year to year. I was able to determine that theaverage Verbal score for 2003 was 507 and the average Math score was 519. Composite Score Percentiles Score 2005 Percentile 2004 Percentile 1600 99+ 99+ 1590 99+ 99+ 1580 99+ 99+ 1570 99+ 99+ 1560 99+ 99+ 1550 99+ 99+ 1540 99 99+ 1530 99 99 1520 99 99 1510 99 99 1500 99 99 1490 99 99 1480 98 99 1470 98 98 1460 98 98 1450 98 98 1440 97 97 1430 97 97 1420 97 97 1410 96 96 1400 96 96 1390 95 95 1380 95 95 1370 94 94 1360 93 94 1350 93 93 1340 92 93 1330 91 92 1320 91 91 1310 90 90 1300 89 89 1290 88 88 1280 87 88 1270 86 87 1260 85 86 1250 84 84 1240 83 83 1230 82 82 1220 80 81 1210 79 80 1200 78 78 1190 76 77 1180 75 75 1170 74 74 1160 72 73 1150 71 71 1140 69 69 1130 67 68 1120 66 66 1110 64 64 1100 62 63 1090 61 61 1080 59 59 1070 57 58 1060 55 56 1050 54 54 1040 52 52 1030 50 50 1020 48 48 1010 46 46 1000 44 45 990 42 43 980 41 41 970 39 39 960 37 37 950 35 36 940 34 34 930 32 32 920 30 30 910 29 29 900 27 27 890 26 26 880 24 24 870 23 23 860 21 21 850 20 20 840 19 19 830 17 17 820 16 16 810 15 15 800 14 14 790 13 13 780 12 12 770 11 11 760 10 10 750 9 9 740 8 8 730 8 8 720 7 7 710 6 6 700 6 6 690 5 5 680 5 5 670 4 4 660 4 4 650 3 3 640 3 3 630 3 3 620 2 2 610 2 2 600 2 2 590 2 2 580 1 1 570 1 1 560 1 1 550 1 1 540 1 1 530 1 1 520 1 1 510 1- 1- 500 1- 1- 490 1- 1- 480 1- 1- 470 1- 1- 460 1- 1- 450 1- 1- 440 1- 1- 430 1- 1- 420 1- 1- 410 1- 1- 400 Section Score Percentiles Before the SAT changed its format in March 2005, the Critical Reading section was known as the Verbal section. The Verbal section included analogies. There were no iPads. Times were different. Critical Reading (Verbal) Score 2005 Percentile 2004 Percentile 800 99+ 99+ 790 99 99 780 99 99 770 99 99 760 98 99 750 98 98 740 98 98 730 97 97 720 96 97 710 96 96 700 95 95 690 94 94 680 93 93 670 91 92 660 90 90 650 88 89 640 87 87 630 84 85 620 82 83 610 80 81 600 78 78 590 75 76 580 72 73 570 69 69 560 66 67 550 63 64 540 60 60 530 56 56 520 52 53 510 49 49 500 46 46 490 42 43 480 39 39 470 35 35 460 32 32 450 29 29 440 26 26 430 23 23 420 20 21 410 18 18 400 15 15 390 13 13 380 12 11 370 10 10 360 8 8 350 7 7 340 6 6 330 5 5 320 4 4 310 3 3 300 3 3 290 2 2 280 2 2 270 2 2 260 1 1 250 1 1 240 1 1 230 1 1 220 1 1 210 1- 1- 200 Math Score 2005 Percentile 2004 Percentile 800 99 99 790 99 99 780 99 99 770 98 99 760 98 98 750 98 98 740 97 97 730 97 97 720 96 96 710 94 95 700 93 93 690 92 92 680 91 91 670 89 90 660 87 87 650 85 85 640 83 84 630 81 82 620 79 79 610 76 77 600 73 74 590 71 72 580 69 69 570 65 66 560 62 62 550 59 60 540 56 56 530 53 53 520 49 50 510 46 46 500 42 43 490 39 40 480 36 36 470 33 33 460 29 30 450 27 27 440 24 24 430 21 21 420 19 19 410 16 16 400 14 14 390 12 12 380 11 11 370 9 9 360 7 8 350 6 6 340 5 5 330 4 4 320 3 3 310 3 3 300 3 2 290 2 2 280 2 1 270 1 1 260 1 1 250 1 1 240 1 1 230 1 1 220 1 1- 210 1 1- 200 What's Next? If you're interested in looking at more recent percentile scores, check out SAT historical percentiles from 2014, 2013, 2012, and 2011. Also, find out if the SAT predicts success and who uses SAT scores. 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:

Initial topic proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Initial topic proposal - Essay Example It is so bad that the ethnic difference itself becomes a cause of conflict because unidimensional and simplistic presentation of conflict between ethnic groups. This topic is important because the negative representation of the minority groups is the major source of conflict between ethnic groups. Moreover, media as the societal mirror play an important role in shaping social functions of the society, as well as the perception of the public towards several issues. In addition, portrayal of diversity in media programs make the public develop a positive attitude towards the minority groups while misrepresentation and underrepresentation lead to a negative attitude towards the minority groups. Racial profiling is an enduring culture since the days of our ancestors that has dominated the social society to date. This means that several elements of the society including media are widely influenced by racial profiling. In a The Criminalisation of Ethnic Groups: An Issue for Media Analysis, Marcello Maneri  &  Jessika ter Wal (2005) reveal the composition of newsrooms reflect on an unequal distribution of power between the White majority and the Black minority. This prejudice and discrimination within the newsrooms produce the stereotyped portrayals of racial groups in the media. In another article titled A Long Way to Go: Minorities and the Media, the author expands on the view that media is the number one teacher of stereotype in the community whether intentional or unintentional (Cort, 2011). The media has a powerful image on the public, and thus, the image they portray of the minority groups is what other people in indirect contact with this group take to be true. Furt hermore, he notes that depicting the minority groups negatively by the media has driven them to create their own shows, magazines, radio, newspapers, and television shows where they can

The quality of risk management in the Civil Engineering Assignment - 1

The quality of risk management in the Civil Engineering - Assignment Example Since the international contractors operate outside their normal business jurisdiction, there are numerous uncertainties. Civil engineers working outside their resident jurisdiction face such difficulties as different management approaches, foreign technology, legal requirements, and uncommon construction practices and systems. The understanding and appreciation of the risks associated with these international projects can be instrumental to the success of these projects. International projects failing to meet the schedule, scope and budget allocated more often have to encounter a horde of impacts some of which bear serious political, social and economic ramifications. U.S. engineering firms have a history of significant involvement in most global markets. These firms continue to aggressively pursue international projects and opportunities. In as much as international projects appear like they are lucrative investments, such projects attract a heightened level of risk. Most participa nts and stake holders such as investors agree that the successful delivery of such projects has in many occasions proven to be quite difficult. In this light, organizations that possess a broad understanding of the political, operations, commercial and construction risk factors have higher chances of successful planning, execution and delivery of international projects. Currency exchange rates, social and political instability are other critical factors that compound the complexities of international engagements. It is however rather complex to identify and make an assessment of the risks linked to capital facilities and there exists limited management techniques or tools that can identify, analyze and deal with the risk. 2. Broadly identify the main aim/s, associated objectives and scientific hypotheses (if applicable); The principal purpose of this research will be to better appreciate and to develop risk identification and assessment methods for projects that are of an internatio nal capital facility project nature. The study’s objective will include but may be necessarily limited to 1. Formulate an inclusive international capital project process or an approach. 2. Device tools that will aid in the identification and assessment of the different risk levels. 3. Structure an internationally accepted project performance appraisal metric. 4. Generate the documents that will help the project teams when tackling such issues and this should also include methods of mitigating the risk. The plan is to conduct sixteen structured interviews with project leaders and civil engineering executives with multinational experience. There are two key purposes that will drive the structured interviews. Firstly, the researcher hopes to gather industry perspective on the attitude toward risk assessment, the hindrances and general trends when involved in international engineering project assignments. This will necessitate the researcher to develop a well structured questionn aire that will not only be used to obtain the attitudes towards risk assessment and resultant concerns but will be extended to contain the rationale and value of international project risk assessment performance, background information characteristic of international projects, procedures and practices of risk management. Secondly, the