Use of Disguise in Homer’s Odyssey Essay example -- Homer Odyssey disg

Use of Disguise in Homer’s Odyssey   Ã‚  Ã‚   The difference between a wise and a foolish decision is often found in discerning when to conceal and when to reveal. This discretion in concealing and revealing is a major theme within The Odyssey. There is a proper time to deceive and a proper time to tell the truth; thus, it is crucial that one act accordingly. This importance is exemplified in Odysseus' life. When he is discreet in his timing, he achieves his goal. One example of this is the Trojan War. While the other men in the horse want to expose themselves when they hear their wives' voices being mimicked by Helen, Odysseus forces them to stay hidden within the horse (Book IV, lines 306-311). Because of this discernment and self-control, the Trojan War is won. However, when he is careless in his timing, troubles follow. In the situation with Polyphemus, Odysseus makes an improper decision. He gives his name to Polyphemus as he is leaving the island of the Cyclopes. Although his crew urges him to stop taunting Po lyphemus, he does not listen because of his pride in his skill of deception (Book IX, lines 519-552). As a result of this foolishness and pride, his return home is full of hardships and his companions die. Timing of concealment and revelation has such significant consequences because disguise is a powerful tool that needs to be handled carefully. From Books XIII to XXII, Odysseus uses it against the people of Ithaca to plan his revenge. In Book XIX, Homer employs the story of the scar and uses various literary techniques to highlight again on the power of disguise and importance of Odysseus' maintaining his disguise until the opportune time.    By beginning the story of the scar in the middle of a sentence, Homer... ...e. By Homer's art of story telling, the audience, like Odysseus, learns to discern from past experience when to conceal and reveal personal information.    Works Cited and Consulted Bloom, Harold ,   Homer's Odyssey: Edited and with an Introduction, NY, Chelsea House 1988 Crane, Gregory , Calypso: Backgrounds and Conventions of the Odyssey,   Frankfurt, Athenaeum 1988 Heubeck, Alfred, J.B. Hainsworth, et al. A commentary on Homer's Odyssey. 3 Vols. Oxford PA4167 .H4813 1988 Homer. The Odyssey. Trans. Robert Fitzgerald. New York: Vintage Books, 1989. Murnaghan, Sheila, Disguise and Recognition in the Odyssey, Princeton UP 1987 Rengakos, Antonios. Homertext und die Hellenistichen Dichter. Hermes. Einzelschriften, Heft 64. Stuttgart, F. Steiner, 1993. Van der Valk, Marchinus. Textual Criticism of the Odyssey. Leiden: A.W. Sijthoff, 1949. Use of Disguise in Homer’s Odyssey Essay example -- Homer Odyssey disg Use of Disguise in Homer’s Odyssey   Ã‚  Ã‚   The difference between a wise and a foolish decision is often found in discerning when to conceal and when to reveal. This discretion in concealing and revealing is a major theme within The Odyssey. There is a proper time to deceive and a proper time to tell the truth; thus, it is crucial that one act accordingly. This importance is exemplified in Odysseus' life. When he is discreet in his timing, he achieves his goal. One example of this is the Trojan War. While the other men in the horse want to expose themselves when they hear their wives' voices being mimicked by Helen, Odysseus forces them to stay hidden within the horse (Book IV, lines 306-311). Because of this discernment and self-control, the Trojan War is won. However, when he is careless in his timing, troubles follow. In the situation with Polyphemus, Odysseus makes an improper decision. He gives his name to Polyphemus as he is leaving the island of the Cyclopes. Although his crew urges him to stop taunting Po lyphemus, he does not listen because of his pride in his skill of deception (Book IX, lines 519-552). As a result of this foolishness and pride, his return home is full of hardships and his companions die. Timing of concealment and revelation has such significant consequences because disguise is a powerful tool that needs to be handled carefully. From Books XIII to XXII, Odysseus uses it against the people of Ithaca to plan his revenge. In Book XIX, Homer employs the story of the scar and uses various literary techniques to highlight again on the power of disguise and importance of Odysseus' maintaining his disguise until the opportune time.    By beginning the story of the scar in the middle of a sentence, Homer... ...e. By Homer's art of story telling, the audience, like Odysseus, learns to discern from past experience when to conceal and reveal personal information.    Works Cited and Consulted Bloom, Harold ,   Homer's Odyssey: Edited and with an Introduction, NY, Chelsea House 1988 Crane, Gregory , Calypso: Backgrounds and Conventions of the Odyssey,   Frankfurt, Athenaeum 1988 Heubeck, Alfred, J.B. Hainsworth, et al. A commentary on Homer's Odyssey. 3 Vols. Oxford PA4167 .H4813 1988 Homer. The Odyssey. Trans. Robert Fitzgerald. New York: Vintage Books, 1989. Murnaghan, Sheila, Disguise and Recognition in the Odyssey, Princeton UP 1987 Rengakos, Antonios. Homertext und die Hellenistichen Dichter. Hermes. Einzelschriften, Heft 64. Stuttgart, F. Steiner, 1993. Van der Valk, Marchinus. Textual Criticism of the Odyssey. Leiden: A.W. Sijthoff, 1949.

African Philosophy Essay

INTRODUCTION The problem is that we have a learner who has come from a different province to attend our school and has a problem socialising with the other children. She does not have any friends and is always alone. As a teacher, I believe it is my duty to try and help her. Nobody should have to be left feeling alone and out of place. She needs to fit in with the other learners. I would have to show them that they need to treat one another with kindness. African philosophy teaches us to build communities so I decided to use it in trying to solve this problem. It also teaches us to treat others with respect and dignity. I will focus on the central ethical idea in traditional thought which is Ubuntu. It encourages us to be humble human beings. CONTENT African philosophy stems from tradition and emphasises on the community and puts that at the centre of life. It is a way of thinking. It promotes  African identity and provides cultural unity. It is the response of the troubles of Africa, where intellects rejected the westerner’s domination by proving them wrong with regards to their belief that Africans were unable to develop a rational and scientific thought. African philosophy instils decent values in people and teaches us to love our neighbours and that we have a duty towards them. It consists of four different methods. Firstly, Ehtnic philosophy –also defined as â€Å"the philosophy of Africa â€Å", consists of religious and moral beliefs and contains people’s view of life and the experience of human beings. Secondly, Sage (wisdom) philosophy- focuses on individuals who are wise and far sighted and can think critically. Thirdly, Political philosophy -is very unique and different from the others. It is expected to be an African political philosophy, unlike capitalist, socialist or communist politics. Lastly, Pure philosophy -is philosophy done in areas such as empiricism, critical rationalism and existentialism. African philosophy also includes the principles of Ubuntu. Ubuntu, meaning â€Å"humanity† is related to well being and happiness. It is about caring and sharing, and forgiveness and reconciliation. It promotes peace and unity, and discourages discrimination. A fuller meaning of ubuntu is â€Å"I am because you are†. This means that we exist and develop only in relationships with others. It teaches us to live in harmony irrespective of our differences. Everybody should be made to feel important. Ubuntuism is meant to instil good values in a person, where you put the needs of other people before your own. African philosophy and ubuntuism emphasises on the importance of being kind and considerate to others. By making the learners aware of the ubuntu principles, I most certainly believe that it would make a huge difference in the way they behave and react towards the new learner. A community is expected to make any person feel welcome and in the same way, so should the learners. They need to make her a part of the group. She should be able to fit in comfortably and feel a sense of belonging. CONCLUSION The advantages of African philosophy are that it encourages the building of communities. It gives us a deeper understanding of ourselves. It teaches us the importance of culture and tradition and the need for it in our life. It shows us that we should love and appreciate all human beings. We should treat everyone equally. It promotes African identity and makes us feel proud to be Africans. However, there are also disadvantages to the African philosophy. It does not encourage critical thinking. It does not challenge power structures. It is unable to accept women and men as equals. It also tends to ignore the needs of the individual. It tolerates superstitious practices and is not widely accepted. It relies too much on tradition. Children should be taught from an early age to show love and respect to all people irrespective of colour and creed. I would make the children aware of how important it is to follow the ubuntu principles so that everyone can be happy and feel more relaxed. African philosophy would be the best method indeed to solve this problem as it promotes peace and harmony and should be practiced by every human being. BIBLIOGRAPHY Higgs, P. & Smith, J. 2012. Rethinking our World. Cape Town: Juta. Theoretical Frameworks in Education. Study Guide. Pretoria Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia

Consider how and why Shakespeare Essay

â€Å"Consider how and why Shakespeare uses natural images in Sonnet XVIII, â€Å"Shall I compare thee†¦ † and act two, scene two, of â€Å"Romeo and Juliet†. In my coursework I am going to analyse two works of Shakespeare, these will be Sonnet XVIII and Romeo and Juliet. Both of these poems show share similarities, the main one being the theme – love. In Sonnet XVIII, a man is talking about a woman, and is trying to find a comparison to her, that will do her beauty justice, whilst Romeo and Juliet follows a love story, between these two characters, it is a romantic play, which ends in tragedy. Another shared feature of both plays is Shakespeare’s use of ‘Natural Imagery’. This is a technique that is often used by writers, and is a favoured method of writing used by Shakespeare. Natural imagery is used in writing for description and/or comparison. In these two instances, it compares characters and feelings to that of nature. In Shakespeare’s era, nature was enjoyed by most people, as it was all around them – it was something that everybody understood, Shakespeare used natural imagery as something that people could relate to – they knew that the Sun was warm, that the night was mystical, and that fire was passionate, therefore if something or someone was compared to one of these, they knew exactly what was meant. Act two, scene two in Romeo and Juliet is set in Capulet’s orchard. This setting is full of natural beauty – plants, flowers, insects – this reflects Romeo and Juliet’s natural love for each other. When he enters into the orchard, he talks about Juliet; he says that ‘Juliet is the Sun’. This is the first of many natural images within this scene. His comparison of her to the Sun shows very strong feelings – the Sun is essential to life, it gives light and warmth to the world – Romeo is saying that without Juliet, he could not live and that she is the light of his life. Stars are an amazing part of nature; they light up the night skies, they are bright and beautiful. Romeo compares Juliet’s eyes to â€Å"Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven. † This describes the beauty of her eyes, how they are bright and vivid. The way that stars give light also describes his illuminate feelings for her. Stars also were thought to speak to people (Astrology). Romeo feels that Juliet’s eyes are so beautiful and complex that they tell him a story of love and passion. â€Å"O speak again, bright angel†. Romeo refers to Juliet. This statement is very ironic. Romeo states this as a positive comparison – angels are beautiful, they are angelic. They show immortality, just like his love for her. However, the â€Å"bright angel† that he speaks of, is God’s bright angel, named Lucipher, this bright angel fell from heaven to hell, just as Juliet will fall from life, or love, to death. Whilst on the balcony, Juliet is talking about her love for Romeo, but how he is a Montague. She says how a name is only a name, and not a person. â€Å"That which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet. † A rose is a beautiful flower; it both looks beautiful and smells sweet. This natural image shows Juliet’s feelings for Romeo – he is beautiful, calm and kind. With this comparison the audience can relate more towards how Juliet feels, and her way of thinking, that Romeo is the same, loving person, whatever his name may be. However this comparison is also an example of dramatic irony. A rose is born; it flourishes with beauty, but then withers and dies; just like their love, at this point there love is just being born, but by the end of the play they die. The audience are aware of a tragedy in the end of this play, as the prologue suggests this, however at this point the characters are completely oblivious to this. At the opening of this scene, the ‘envious moon’ is portrayed as a negative thing (the Sun is much more beautiful than the Moon, and only the Sun can conquer the Moon, by spreading light onto the night). At this point in the scene, the moon is again described negatively. Romeo tries to swear by the moon of his love for her. However Juliet then speaks, â€Å"O swear not by the moon, th’ inconstant moon†. The moon is forever changing; Juliet wants their love for each other to stay the same; they are already feeling true love for each other, why would they want that to change? Juliet now speaks of how quick their meeting has been, â€Å"too like the lightening,† she describes it as. Lightening is quick but beautiful, just like their meeting. It is also bright and powerful, like their love for each other. However lightning also symbolises danger, it is destructive, just like their relationship. The meeting that they have just had is the beginning of all of this: they declare their love for each other and so the destruction of their lives begins, their love is quick but beautiful. Juliet’s comparison to the meeting is more accurate than she thinks, again showing dramatic irony. On their parting, Juliet compares Romeo and their love like a â€Å"wanton’s bird†, this is a caged bird, reflecting how their love should be freed, and how it is forbidden. She goes on to say that were Romeo a bird she would â€Å"kill thee with much cherishing. † This statement is incredibly ironic and foreshadows events, as their love for each other does end up in killing them both. Romeo then says to Juliet, ‘Sleep dwell upon thine eyes,†. This again foreshadows events that are to come. Romeo is wishing Juliet to go to sleep. This is ironic as Juliet’s sleep later on in the play ends in the suicide of Romeo. In Sonnet XVIII, the narrator of the poem is trying to compare a beautiful woman to something that will do her justice. He begins to compare her to a summer’s day, but then realises that she is much better than that. The initial comparison to a summer’s day is the first and most obvious example of natural imagery – summer is beautiful and warm, much like the woman he speaks of. He goes on to say how â€Å"Rough windes do shake the darling buds of Maie. † This shows how summer is vulnerable, the woman is not. The word â€Å"buds† also represents new life, or new love. Shakespeare then goes on to describe the negative aspects of summer, â€Å"lease hath all to short a date†. This states how summer is short – it begins and ends. The woman’s beauty is ongoing, it does not begin, nor end, it is eternal. The sun is now personified, to make it easier for the audience to compare it to the woman; it is described as the â€Å"eye of heaven†, with â€Å"often is his gold complexion dim’d. † This presents another difference of the woman to the sun – the sun brightens and dims but, once again, the woman’s beauty is constant, it is forever the same. The word â€Å"gold† in this phrase also symbolises wealth and beauty, much like the woman. â€Å"Nor shall death brag though wandr’st in his shade,† The writer has previously stated how her beauty is immortal, it will defeat death. In this line the write personifies death – â€Å"wandr’st in his shade. † This makes the task of defeating death seem much easier if death is actually mortal. The final two lines, which are also a rhyming couplet, are like a conclusion to the poem and the writer’s thoughts. He explains how her beauty is immortalised through the poem. â€Å"So long lives this, and gives life to thee. † The word â€Å"this† within the line is once again, personification, this time of the poem itself. It is stating that the woman’s beauty has been trapped and kept alive within the poem. The personification of the poem makes it much easier for the audience to understand how her beauty is immortalised through it – if the poem lives, so does the woman’s beauty. To conclude, I have found a lot of natural imagery in both of the works that I have read. In Romeo and Juliet, the natural imagery is used mainly to compare the feelings they have for each other to nature. However, the way it is used is very ironic – almost every use of natural imagery has a double meaning, e. g. â€Å"Rose†, Juliet means this to be beautiful, however it also shows how, just like a rose, their love will begin, flourish, and eventually die. At the time of the meeting that Romeo and Juliet have, they are not aware of the tragedy that is about to occur. In Sonnet XVIII, the natural imagery is used to compare beauty. It is used to show how beautiful the woman is, as she is portrayed better than nature, or â€Å"a summer’s day†. This poem seems to be negative throughout, but is, in fact, just reflecting upon how beautiful the woman in the poem actually is. I can see from both of these texts that natural imagery is an effective way to describe thoughts, feelings, and things. The audience of the time would have easily been able to relate to each of the natural images that Shakespeare presented to them.

75 Names of Unusual or Obsolete Occupations

75 Names of Unusual or Obsolete Occupations 75 Names of Unusual or Obsolete Occupations 75 Names of Unusual or Obsolete Occupations By Mark Nichol The English language abounds with word describing occupations and professions that are rare or obsolete or are otherwise unusual and hence obscure. Here is an incomplete but extensive list of such terms, along with brief definitions. 1. ackerman: a plowman or oxherder 2. alewife: a proprietor of a tavern 3. alnager: a wool inspector 4. arkwright: a carpenter specializing in wooden chests 5. bowyer: a bowmaker 6. brazier: a brass worker 7. catchpole: an official who pursues those with delinquent debts 8. caulker: someone who packs seams in ships or around windows 9. chandler: a candlemaker, or a retail supplier of specific equipment 10. chiffonier: a wigmaker 11. cobbler: a shoemaker 12. collier: a coal miner or a maker of charcoal (also, a ship that transports coal) 13. cooper: a maker or repairer of barrels, casks, and tubs 14. cordwainer: a shoemaker 15. costermonger: a fruit seller 16. crocker: a potter 17. currier: a leather tanner, or a horse groom 18. draper: a cloth dealer 19. drayman: a driver of a heavy freight cart 20. drummer: a traveling salesman 21. duffer: a peddler 22. eggler: an egg seller 23. factor: an agent or steward 24. farrier: someone who trims horse hooves and puts on horseshoes 25. fishmonger: a fish seller 26. fletcher: a maker of arrows 27. fuller: someone who shrinks and thickens wool cloth 28. glazier: a glassmaker or window maker 29. haberdasher: an owner of or worker in a store for men’s clothing or small items used for making clothes 30. hawker: a peddler 31. hayward: an official responsible for fences and hedges 32. higgler: a peddler of dairy products and small game (also, a haggler, or someone who negotiates for lower prices) 33. hobbler: a person who tows boats on a canal or river 34. hooper: a maker of hoops for barrels, casks, and tubs 35. hostler or ostler: one who cares for horses or mules, or moves or services locomotives (originally, an innkeeper, who also maintained stables) 36. huckster: a peddler (now refers to a con artist) 37. ice cutter: someone who saws blocks of ice for refrigeration 38. ironmonger: a seller of items made of iron 39. joiner: a carpenter who specializes in furniture and fittings 40. keeler: a crew member on a barge or a keelboat 41. knacker: one who buys animals or animal carcasses to use as animal food or as fertilizer (originally, a harness maker or saddle maker) 42. knocker-up: a professional waker, who literally knocks on doors or windows to rouse people from sleep 43. lamplighter: someone who lights, extinguishes, and refuels gas street lamps 44. lapidary: a jeweler 45. lector: someone who reads to factory workers for entertainment 46. log driver: someone who floats and guides logs downriver for transportation 47. milliner: a designer, maker, or seller of women’s hats 48. muleskinner: a wagon driver 49. peruker: a wigmaker 50. pinsetter: someone who sets bowling pins back up after each bowl 51. plowright: a maker of plows and other farm implements 52. plumber: originally, one who installed lead roofing or set lead frames for windows 53. porter: a doorkeeper or gatekeeper 54. puddler: a worker in wrought iron 55. quarryman: a stonecutter 56. raker: a street cleaner 57. resurrectionist: someone who digs up recently buried corpses for use as cadavers 58. ripper: a fish seller 59. roper: a maker of nets and ropes 60. sawyer: a carpenter 61. slater: a roofer 62. slopseller: a seller of ready-made clothing, as opposed to a tailor 63. stevedore: a dockworker 64. tanner: someone who cures animal hides to make leather 65. teamster: a wagon driver 66. thatcher: someone who makes thatched roofs 67. tinker: a repairer or seller of small metal goods such as pots and pans 68. turner: someone who uses a lathe to turn wood for balustrades and spindles 69. victualer: an innkeeper, or a merchant who provides food for ships or for the military 70. wainwright: a wagon maker 71. webster: a weaver 72. weirkeeper: a fish trapper 73. wharfinger: an owner or operator of a wharf 74. wheelwright: a maker of wheels for carriages and wagons 75. whitesmith: a worker of tin Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Apply to, Apply for, and Apply withHow to Play HQ Words: Cheats, Tips and Tricks15 English Words of Indian Origin

A Guide to Efficient Research - Proofreds Writing Tips Blog

A Guide to Efficient Research - Proofreds Writing Tips Blog A Guide to Efficient Research As students well know, keeping to a schedule is important when writing an academic paper. Before the hard work of writing can begin, there is a significant amount of research to undertake. Luckily, there are some practical things you can do while researching your paper to save time both immediately and when you come to read your notes. Here are some tips to ensure efficient reading, note taking and organisation. Focused Reading Before you begin your research, make sure you have a strong idea of what you will be writing about. This will allow you to focus on the most relevant texts. For instance, before you begin reading, it might help to write down some key questions you hope to answer. Reminding yourself of this should stop you from straying and reading irrelevant material. You can also use the contents page and index in a book to find the chapters that are most pertinent to your research. Reading every source cover to cover is not usually necessary. Skim reading can be helpful if you have a lot to read in a short time, but only if this is a skill you have developed. Without a lot of practice, skim reading can lead to missing important information. It makes far more sense to plan your research in advance so that you have enough time to read everything you need to read. How to Take Notes Rather than writing full sentences and lengthy paragraphs in your notes, try to abbreviate frequently used terms. If you know shorthand, this will obviously help, but it is usually simpler just to pick a few key terms to shorten. Historians, for example, often write ‘C19th’ to mean ‘nineteenth-century’ in their notes. Other symbols which might save you time when note taking are: ∠´ means ‘therefore’ w/ means ‘with’ w/o means ‘without’ The crucial thing is that you need to be able to understand the notes you have taken when you come to write your paper. In terms of readability, it also helps to keep your notes tidy and organized, remembering to record the title of the book, the author and the publication details for all sources. This will make it easier to find the book again if you need to check anything, as well as helping you write your reference list. If you are taking notes from a lecture, the same rules apply as for a book, but you should make a note of the date, the module and the lecturers name. Stay Organized There is little point in taking notes if you can’t find them when you need them later. If you have chosen to write your notes by hand, be sure to keep them in clearly labelled folders. These can be categorized in whichever way suits you best, either chronologically, alphabetically by author’s initials, or by topic. If you would like to have your own academic writing proofread, Proofed can check a sample of your work for free. Simply submit up to 500 words today!

When Should You Take the SAT or ACT Best Test Dates

When Should You Take the SAT or ACT Best Test Dates SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The college admissions process is a long one, encompassing most of a student's high school career. One of the most important parts, the SAT or ACT standardized test, is also one of the most challenging. Butyou can really benefit from early planning and deciding ahead of time when you should take it. It's always a good idea to begin early, but to decide on specific test dates, you'll need to factor in circumstances like your personal schedule, your admissions deadlines, and the classes you're currently taking. All of these make a big difference inwhen it’s best for you to take the SAT or ACT. In this guide, we'll debunk a common myth about the best time to take the test, discuss the most important factors for determining when you should take the SAT or ACT, and go over the besttesting planfor most high school students. Myth: Some SAT/ACT Test Dates Are Always Easier Than Others A common myth about the SAT and ACTis that specific test dates tend to be easier or harder than others. The (incorrect) logic here is that each test date is curved based on the students who take that specific test.Therefore, if you take the test with many ambitious, hard-working students, the curve will be harder and your test score will be lower. On the other hand, if you take the test with a lot of younger, unprepared students, the curve will be easier and your score will be higher. This myth is factually untrue for several reasons. First, both the College Board and ACT, Inc,.do not curve their tests based on student performance. In other words, whom you take the SAT or ACT with haszero impact on your final score. Instead, both the SAT and ACT use an equating process to account for slight differences in test difficulty across test dates. For example, if the ACT you took in April was harder than the ACT given in June, your raw scores would translate into slightly higher scaled scores to account for this difference in difficulty. Both test makers want to give students test scores that can be compared with scores from any other test date, on an equal basis.As a result, a score on one test will always indicate the same level of ability as that same score on a different test date. For example, a 1200 on one SAT will mean the same thing in 2016 as it does in 2020. This is the whole point of a standardized test! Here’s another reason this myth doesn’t make sense: if test curves varied from test to test, then colleges would need to take into account the test date on your application. For instance, they'd need to treat a 30 on an April ACT differently from a 30 on a June ACT. To date, no college admissions office has given any evidence that they take specific test dates into account. It is true that tests do vary in difficulty on a personal level. For example, when I was preparing for the SAT, some reading passages were just easier for me than other passages, especially if the passage topics were in my area of interest. However, you can't predict this ahead of time. As I mentioned above, many other factors go into choosing the test date that’s best for you. 4 Important Factors for Your SAT/ACT Date Like most things in life, early planning pays off- in this case, in higher test scores. Don't wait until college applications are duein your senior year to take your first SAT or ACT- you'll perform nowhere near your best and might not get into the schools you apply to. Beyond the general tip of planning early, you'll need to decide onthe specific test date you’ll be taking the SAT or ACT. Each test now has seven test dates throughout the year, and your score can vary on each test date based on a few key factors. In order of priority, here are the four most important factors to think about when determining when you should take the SAT or ACT: #1: Deadlines for College Admissions and Scholarships The most important factor for determining when you should take the SAT or ACT is your college admissions deadlines. As we'll explain later, you should begin preparing for the SAT/ACT a year before your first important deadline;you should also take your chosen test at least twice. For most students, regular decision deadlines fall in December or January of their senior year, which means you'll need to take your last SAT or ACT by, latest, December. If you're applying early action or early decision and have a due date in November, your last possible test date will be the October SAT or ACT. As a result, you'll need to begin preparing for the SAT/ACT during your junior year. There might be also other deadlines at play for you. For example, if you're recruited for athletics, you'll want to reach your SAT/ACT target goal by the end of your junior year. As we discuss in this article about how college recruiting works, college coaches won't want to spend time recruiting you if they don't think you have a good chance of getting into that school, which means your academics need to be on par with those of non-student athletes at the schools you're applying to. You don't necessarily need to shoot for a top SAT/ACT score and GPA, but you should aim to hit 25th percentile SAT/ACT scores and around 80% of the average GPA. The specifics of what you can get away with will depend on the school, sport, and specific person. For instance, a volleyball player at Harvard will have to meet higher academic standards than a football player at FSU. Deadline considerations also apply for academic merit scholarships. Several SAT/ACT score-based scholarships have deadlines well in advance of the January regular decision admissions deadlines. As a result, you might need to adjust when you take the test(s) to make sure your scores will be ready when you apply. The bottom line? Know your deadlines as you plan out your SAT/ACT testing schedule. #2: Content Readiness and Classes in School Much of the SAT and ACT tests general concepts you'll learn in high school, and your scores will be higher once you’ve taken the classes that cover material on the tests. The best time to take the SAT or ACT is after you've taken Geometry and Algebra II classes. Both tests feature algebra and geometry (though the SAT places less emphasis on geometry these days). If you've never encountered these subjects, your knowledge foundation will cause you to do poorly on the Math section. As for the Reading and Writing/English sections, most students will have had enough exposure to English and grammar to form a baseline understanding of the concepts tested on the SAT and ACT.To excel on these sections, though, you'll need to prep specifically for the SAT and ACT. Now, this doesn’t mean that just because you took Algebra II and English classes, you'll do well on the SAT/ACT. The test questions are very different from what you've seen in school, and much of SAT/ACT prep involves learning special types of questions and becoming familiar with the test format. That said, having the underlying content foundation will make you improve much faster. Plus, if you're in a state that requires juniors to take the SAT or ACT, you might also get some extra prep targeted at the SAT/ACT during class time. #3: Personal Schedule and Stress If possible, it’s best to take the SAT or ACT when you're not stressed about five other things in life. Many high school students struggle with balancing schoolwork, extracurriculars, a social life, and test prep. Therefore,avoid taking the SAT or ACT when you have a lot of other activities going on. For example, May is especially busy for many students because of AP exams, finals, and end-of-year events. But for you, March might be a bad time because you're gearing up for state championships for your sport. In my experience with thousands of students, students who plan to take the SAT or ACT during busy times like these get very stressed, don’t have enough time to prep, and unfortunately end up getting lower-than-expected scores on test day. Try to choose a test date on either side of a busy period so you have more time in your schedule to prep and less stress and anxiety. Ultimately, this can make a big difference in your test scores! #4: Prep Time For most students, we recommend studying at least 40 hours for the SAT or ACTfor a big score improvement. If you can study more than this- e.g., 80 hours or 120 hours- you'll likely be rewarded with higher test scores. If you've already taken the test several times but don’t have time to prep for your next test, you’re unlikely to see a big score improvement. It's an unfortunate truth, but without learning more content and attacking your weaknesses, you're simply not going to improve your score. In the end, try to schedule the SAT/ACT for a time when you can dedicate focused study time to test prep. For example, many students like scheduling the test right after winter break or summer vacation so they can take advantage of their free time by putting in serious study hours. By thinking deeply about these four major factors, you'll be able to figure out which test dates are best for you. Next up, we show you the testing plan that works best for 95% of students. A Reliable SAT/ACT Testing Schedule for Most Students For most students, this SAT/ACT testing schedule will give you the best chance of getting the score you want. It makes sure you test early, gives you room to improve, and offers enough buffer time so that you can get the score you want before your college applications are due. Here are the four steps you'll need to take: Step 1: Take the PSAT as a Junior If you’re aiming for aNational Meritscholarship, you'll want to prepare for the PSAT (which is essentially a practice SAT) and take it your junior year.For most students, though, there's no need to prepare for it; rather, you shouldlook at the PSAT as an opportunity to get early exposure to the SAT. If you plan to take the ACT instead of the SAT, you could opt for the PreACT or the ACT Aspire Program. Step 2: Take the February ACT or March SAT as a Junior These are the first SAT/ACT test dates after winter break, so use your break to prepare for the test. Make sure you have a study planand take at least one or twofull-length SAT/ACT practice testssometime before the test so you can get used to the format. As this will be your first official test, look at your score as a starting score to improve on later. Step 3: Take the April/June ACT or the May/June SAT as a Junior You’ll need to prep a little harder for this test. Make sure you have a long-term study schedule during the school year and are factoring in enough time to study.When deciding between April/May and June test dates, consider your personal schedule and aim to give yourself as little stress as possible. In truth, you're likely to improve your score just by taking the test a second time!Thus, at this point, it’s very possible that yourSAT or ACT score will be good enough for the colleges you want to apply to. If you still want to improve, however, move on to step 4. Step 4: Take the August SAT or September ACT as a Senior From steps 2 and 3, you'll know how much room you need to grow to hit your SAT goal scoreor ACT goal score. During the summer, it's important to work really hard at improving your scores- even at the expense of your social life and personal fun. (It's well worth it, though, as a higher score will get you access to better colleges and scholarships!) Step 5: Still Dissatisfied With Your Score? Take the SAT/ACT in the Late Fall Late fall your senior year is typically yourlast chance to take the SAT/ACT and still get your scores to your schools in time. That said, if you've already taken the test multiple times, you're unlikely to see more than incremental change without a lot of dedicated prep. To really raise your score, you'll need to set aside plenty of time to study. This might mean spending less time with friends or even easing off some of your extracurriculars to give you more time to fully concentrate on the test. Why is this five-step plan so effective?For one, it gives you early warning signs for your starting score so you know how much you have to improve by. It also offers enough flexibility for you to schedule your prep time as needed. Finally, it gives you several chances to take the test in case you have a bad day and don't score as highly as you want to. As a final tip, remember to register well in advance of the deadline so you canpay as few fees as possible. SAT/ACT Testing Schedule for Intensive Studiers If you're a student who's hoping to aim for the highest scores on the test, you'll want to structure your test taking a little differently. The schedule below ensures that you start early and spend more time studying for each test. Step 1: Take the PSAT as a Sophomore While you can't qualify for National Merit as a sophomore, taking the PSAT in 10th grade will give you valuable insight into how you're doing and where your weaknesses lie. Since you're mainly taking the PSAT to get more information about your skill level (rather than to qualify for a scholarship competition), there's no need for any extra preparation. Step 2: Take the PSAT/NMSQT as a Junior This advice is the same as for our regular testing schedule above: if your goal is to qualify for National Merit, you'll need to spend some time prepping for the PSAT (at the very least, by taking an official PSAT practice test). Step 3: Take the September/October ACT or October/November SAT as a Junior Take advantage of your summer vacation and the beginning of fall semester to prepare for this test. Plan to spend at least a few hours prepping each week. As always, follow a study plan and take a fewfull-length SAT/ACT practice testsso you can get more accustomed to the format of the exam. Remember, this is your first official test, and your score on it will be the starting score you'll try to improve on. Take it seriously! Unfortunately, you'll also have the PSAT around this time, so try to balance your study time wisely. Since the PSAT is so similar to the SAT, you can really just study for the SAT and apply what you've learned to the PSAT as well. If you're taking the ACT, on the other hand, the only difference is that you'll probably want tobrush up on your science knowledge. Step 4: Take the March SAT or April ACT as a Junior A spring test is a solid time for a second attempt as you'll have winter vacation (and possibly spring break, too) to study for it.As you did the first time around, make studying part of your routine. This time, however, you should have a better understanding of what specific weaknesses to focus on. Since you'll have gotten back your PSAT scores and your SAT/ACT scores from your fall test, make sure to incorporate any insights you can glean from your performances on these and apply them to your prep. For instance, if your Writing/English score was a lot lower than you expected it to be, you should dedicate more time to reviewing criticalSAT/ACT grammar rules. Step 5: Take the August SAT or September ACT as a Senior If you still haven't hit your goal score, this is a good time to take a third SAT/ACT. You'll absolutely need to prep for this test.The scores you got in step 4 will tell you how much you need to improve by. By giving yourself four to five months to study, you'll have a far better chance of making big score gains (than if you were to opt for the earlier June SAT/ACT). Make full use of the summer to work really hard, even if it comes at the expense of your social life. Remind yourself that a higher score will ultimately give you access to better colleges and even scholarships. Step 6: Unhappy With Your Score? Take the December SAT/ACT as a Senior This is your absolute last chance to take the SAT/ACT and still have your scores meet your college application deadlines. As we recommend for our regular schedule above, if your score is lagging behind the target you've set, it's best to drop as many other activities as you can to improve it. In particular, reduce your extracurriculars and your social life so you can concentrate more on the test. However, you also need to be realistic. Compare your desired score increase withour recommended study time for the SAT and ACT. Can you realistically put in that much study time? More importantly, are you willing to do this? If not, consider adjusting your target score and the schools you want to apply to. What's Next? How high does your SAT/ACT score need to be? Learn more about what a goodSAT scoreand a goodACT scoreis, based on the colleges you're applying to. Want more guidance on how long to study for the SAT/ACT? Check out our expert step-by-step guides for the SAT andACT. Not sure when to take the test? Check out the full schedule of upcoming test dates for the ACT and SATso you can pick the most convenient time for you. 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:

IT Corporate Governance Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

IT Corporate Governance - Research Paper Example The rational for the research paper is to investigate and analyze new trends in information systems application and their impact on information, effects on corporate design, structure and productivity. It is assumed that advances in technology, especially computer, information, and information technology, have presented organizations and managers with dramatic new challenges and opportunities, and researchers have been pressing to develop the theoretical and research grounding needed to understand and manage these developments. It is supposed that information technology allows a corporation greater decentralization of functions thus ensuring effective management and control. Computers, the Internet, electronic mail, and other forms of information and information technology make possible more elaborate and interactive networking of people and organizational units, both within and between organizations (Dine, 2000). Some organizations have moved away from traditional hierarchical and departmental reporting relationships to forms of virtual organization and dynamic network organization, in which a central hub coordinates other units that formally belong to the same organization, as well as organizations formally outside the hub organization (such as contractors or agencies with overlapping responsibility for public agencies), via e-mail and the Internet. Advances in IT reportedly lead to smaller organizations, decentralized organizations, better coordination internally and with external entities (Buck and Sha hrim 2006). Organizations acquire and distribute internally information to carry out the critical functions of decision-making. These activities require the processing of information. There are two perspectives on organizational information-processing: the vertical and horizontal perspectives. Vertical information-processing involves the acquisition of information from the environment and the distribution of information from boundary spanning units toorganizational members at various hierarchical levels. Horizontal information- processing involves the co-ordination of internal tasks by distributing information between organizational members within and between departments. Within the information-processing framework, information technology is one strategy in the organization's ability to process information (Danziger and Andersen 2002). An organizational design dimension, which relates the hierarchical level to the information-processing tasks at hand is the degree of centralization versus decent ralization of decision-making. Since decision-making requires the availability of unambiguous information, new information technology has the potential to shift the level of decision-making by providing access to information. This is one of the design dimensions to be investigated. Another vertical design dimension to be discussed is the hierarchy of authority. New information technology, by formalizing information-processing within organizations, is the resource that enables managers to report information. By enlarging the information options, new technology has the