BHS 420 Mod 1 CBT (Quantitative Reasoning) Essay

BHS 420 Mod 1 CBT (Quantitative Reasoning) - Essay Example 52). I agree with this statement and feel that it is important to learn critical thinking. Secondly, I would like to learn to understand the research process whereby accurate data can be obtained to support or disprove any particular hypothesis. Finally, I think that the ability to combine both qualitative and quantitative processes to achieve the answer to a research question is a superior approach. While both methods have their independent strengths, I believe that they are best used in combination to balance the data and increase understanding of the results. From a personal standpoint, i.e., outside of my professional career, I think that the knowledge gained from this course will allow me to perceive aspects in my daily life with a more accurate view because I will be constantly thinking about why events have happened. I will be considering possible explanations and will be equipped to analyze the information I encounter in a logical and reasonable manner; and I think this is applicable to all aspects of life. In writing about sports statistics, Guthrie (1994) stated that people â€Å"who are otherwise averse to quantitative reasoning will often become expert analysts when the subject being analyzed is of interest to them. A statistical argument presented in a context of ones experience is far more likely to be retained than one presented in the context of a hypothetical situation† (p. 1064). I think this validates my perception that critical thinking is not solely for professionals; it has application across all spectrums of hu man experience. History has revealed many people who have been considered geniuses in their field such as Beethoven in music or Earnest Hemingway in literature. Many of these individuals, however, were also known to suffer from manic-depression or what today is called Bipolar disorder. The health-related research

The story 0f Mice and Men by John Steinbeck Essay Example for Free

The story 0f Mice and Men by John Steinbeck Essay The story 0f Mice and Men was written by John Steinbeck and set in America in the late 1920s early 1930s, in California near Soledad. The story is based around migrant workers in California usually male with no roots a very solitary existence. Migrant workers life was hard. It was gruelling, challenging, and often unrewarding. Just as George and Lennie dream of a better life on their own farm, the other migrant farm workers dreamed of finding a better life in California. The states mild climate promised a longer growing season and, with soil favourable to a wider range of crops. Very few found it to be the land of opportunity and land of plenty which they dreamed about. Steinbeck s themes within this story are loneliness and relationships, the migrant workers usually travel alone moving from job to job as season and circumstances dictated an almost thankless existence having no place to call their own or families to go home too. Most of the characters admit, at one time or another, to having a deep sense of loneliness and isolation. . George sets the tone for these confessions on page 15 Guys like us, that work on the ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They dont belong no place. When he reminds Lennie that the life of a ranch hand is the loneliest of lives. Men like George and Lennie who migrate from farm to farm rarely have anyone to look to for companionship and protection. Each wishes for the comfort of a friend or a partner or lover, but many will have settled for a stranger rather than no one.. Curleys wife admits to Lennie that she is unhappily married on page 87 , and Crooks tells Lennie that life is no good without a companion to turn to in times of confusion and need on page 72 he say A guy goes nuts if he aint got nobody. Dont make no difference who the guy is, longs hes with you. They are all helpless in their isolation, and yet, even at their weakest, they seek to destroy those who are even weaker than they. Crooks shows this cruel and nasty tendency when he criticizes Lennies dependence on George and their dream of the homestead, their farm where they can work or not work just as they please, be their own boss. Having just admitted his own vulnerabilities-he is a black man with a crooked back who longs for companionship-Crooks homes in on Lennies own weaknesses, I think this mainly was to make him feel better and less of a failure somehow. Being alone and lonely and pushed out has made him bitter and mean in some ways. Everybody needs some kind of relationship, someone to call their own in some way whether it is a platonic, sexual or for instance a relationship between man and pet. This makes the difference between merely surviving and thriving and flourishing everyone needs some form of love and care in their lives. Candy had a relationship with his dog, George with Lennie, Curley with his wife but still Curly and his wifes relationship is pretty dysfunctional, there is no comradeship between them no love or trust no affection. Candy is keeping his dog alive for purely selfish reasons so that he isnt left alone even though the dog is old infirmed, in pain, unable to eat, and Lennie and Georges relationship is not an equal relationship either. Since Lennie cannot offer an equal adult relationship he needs a father figure, a caretaker where as George needs a friend a mate as such. The main characters in the book are George Milton and Lennie Small. George has a much stronger character hes portrayed as more of a smaller wiry type of man strong fit body and a quick thinker, lives by his wits almost, which comes across on pages 23-24 when he is talking to the boss he lies about distanced walked saying We hadda walk 10 miles to cover them not arriving until late when they only walked 4 miles and they had arrived at the pool the night before. He is short-tempered but a devoted friend, whose frequent protests against life with Lennie never weakens his commitment to protecting his friend. George at some point early on in their relationship used to abuse and make Lennie a laughing stock and seems to be atoning for his sins ever since. He mentions his earlier bad treatment of Lennie on pages (40-41) telling Slim Funny said George. I used to have a hell of a lot of fun with im. Used to play jokes on im cause he was too dumb to take care of imself He did this because it Made me seem so god damn smart alongside of himP41. So George definitely is no angel and can be petty and nasty as much as the next person, but he genuinely cares for Lennie. Georges first words, a stern warning to Lennie not to drink so much lest he get sick on page 5, set the tone of their relationship. George may be snappy and impatient at times, but he never strays from protecting Lennie. Lennie is a large, lumbering, childlike migrant worker. A huge bear of a man in looks, A huge man, shapeless of face, with large, pale eyes, with wide, sloping shoulders; (p2). Steinbeck thinks Lennie is quite animalistic in his looks and ways comparing him to a bear when he was swishing his hand in the water as if it was a paw on page 4 then a horse on page 4 also when he is drinking water and later he is likened to a terrier on page 10 who doesnt want to bring a ball back to his Master. Due to his learning disabilities, Lennie completely depends upon George, his friend and travelling companion, for guidance and protection. Lennie nevertheless does not understand his own strength. His love of petting soft things, such as small animals, dresses, and peoples hair, leads to disaster. Lennie is very childlike; he has a naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve childlike innocence usually found in the very young which is shown in his utter helplessness in the face of the events that unfold. Lennie is totally defenceless. He cannot avoid the dangers presented by Curley, Curleys wife, or the world at large. The two men share a vision of a farm that they will own together, a vision that Lennie believes in wholeheartedly. Despite his hardened, sometimes harsh exterior George also wants to believes in the story of their future farm that he tells and retells to Lennie, but I think deep down he knows it all just a dream. He longs for the day when he can enjoy the freedom to leave work and see a ball game. More important than a ball game, however, is the thought of living in safety and comfort with Lennie, free from the people like Curley and Curleys wife, who seem to exist only to cause trouble for them. Lennie is largely responsible for Georges belief in this safe haven, George needs to feel needed too and that he has somebody close to him. Lennie gives George a purpose to carry on. In their relationship they are both intensely loyal to one another, dangerously so in Lennies part as he could harm someone because of his obsession with George and his need for him to be around, George is more like the protector, the father figure, he pretends hes put out by it but he knows exactly how lonely his life would be without Lennie, Lennie also knows this, the way he tried to manipulate George when he got angry over the mouse shows this. Lennie being there stops George living the life the way other ranch hands do, he points this out in anger at Lennie when he was whinging about ketchup on page 12 saying If I was alone I could live so easy, I could go get a job an work, an no trouble But later feels guilty because he knows Lennie would never manage to live alone without him to watch his back and care for him. They both need each other for their own various reasons Lennie needs George as a protector, father figure, carer and George needs Lennie because he needs someone to care for, someone to be there in a sense to step in for the absence of family, making Lennie his family, he is Georges reason for not going out getting drunk and going to whore houses he keeps him a step above the rest. This relationship fulfils their immediate needs for companionship, they both need someone else there on the long lonely road they travel for work, and through life but the relationship can never be equal or enough since Lennies intelligence cannot match Georges he would hardly get intelligent stimulating conversation from Lennie, Lennie couldnt look after George if the need arose and where as George would survive without Lennie albeit a lot lonelier, Lennie could never survive without George. George would then just be a plain old ranch hand like the rest without Lennie and the need to keep him safe and out of harms way. George would eventually need someone else in his life to provide what Lennie cant but I dont think Lennie would have the same problem since he would always need a father figure to protect him and care for him and his needs. If they went their separate ways George would drink, go to the whore houses with the rest of them and spend his $50 at the end of the month; he would end up with no hopes and dreams with no one else beside him to help keep them alive, just another lost and lonely soul existing from day to day. Lennie on the other hand would end up in an institute at best or hounded and lynched eventually at the worst, he couldnt survive without George, he doesnt even have the basic survival skills to keep him alive. He would pet someone or something he shouldnt and be lynched for it, people didnt understand simple learning disabilities in those days, feeling it was better to lock them away out of harms way or sight than actually dealing with the problem at hand. There just wasnt the care and attention given to people with learning disabilities in the 1920 1930s people didnt want to know, was much easier if they pretended they didnt exist or where got rid of in the institutes. The other person in the novel to have an alleged caring relationship is Candy The old swamper, aging and left with only one hand as the result of an accident, worries that the boss will soon decide he is useless and demand that he leave the ranch. Candy has a dog, once an impressive sheep herder but now toothless, foul smelling, and rheumatic through age. He was very proud of his dog, it was The best damn sheepdog I ever seen page 45. The dog just shuffles through the day barely existing too ill to eat even, yet, Candy still keeps him alive when it would be a kindness to have had him put down years ago and spared the dog the pain and suffering he now felt. It is a needful relationship in as much as the dog needs caring for and feeding etc and Candy needs something or someone in his life and in this case the dog is it, the dog can hear whatever Candy says but cannot have a conversation with him, he can nuzzle Candy and follow him around offering what form of love and attention a dog c an, but he cannot substitute for another human being. By the time we meet Candys dog in the story it is purely selfishness on Candys part that has kept the dog alive and I think fright, Candy is scared to be utterly alone and in that the dog is better than nobody. Candy needed people this showed in his eagerness to become part of George and Lennies dream they way he tried to buy himself in, in a way not daring to rely on a blossoming friendship between them, he was hedging his bets knowing money might swing things his way. Making it quicker for them to realise their dream as well. Candy seems to be ignoring the fact that you cannot buy friendship, they are generally built up over time and experiences together, but he is a weak lonely old man frightened of his future or lack of one and he thinks investing his lifesavings to secure him a future and friends into the bargain. On page 59 he says I aint much good with ony one hand. I lost my hand right here on this ranch. Thats why they give me a job swampin. An they give me two hundred an fifty dollars cause I los my hand. Then he proceeds to ask if he could come in with them by trying to bribe them with his lifesavings. Candy is too weak to put his dog down and out of his misery, to offer his faithful companion even this last final kindness, so Carlson has to do it, Carlson comes across almost heartless and devoid of feeling when he does this, Candy seems to shrink in on himself feeling very sad lying in his bunk turning his face away from prying eyes. On the other hand Carlson may seem cruel and heartless but I think in his own strange way he was doing a kindness based on selfishness in a way, he couldnt stand the sight or smell of the old dog, but a kindness non the less, since no one else was willing to put the old dog out of his misery. It was the right action but for all the wrong reasons. The bosss son, Curley wears high-heeled boots to distinguish himself from the field hands. Rumoured to be a champion prize-fighter (p54), he is a confrontational, nasty minded and aggressive man who compensates for his smallness of body and mind by picking fights with larger men. Recently married, Curley is plagued with jealousy perhaps because he himself is incapable of faithfulness and doesnt really love or know his wife, she is more of a trophy to him, and he is extremely possessive of his flirtatious young wife. Curleys wife is never given a name and is only referred to in reference to her husband. The men on the farm refer to her as a tramp, a tart, and a looloo.(P51) Dressed in fancy, feathered red shoes, she represents the temptation of female sexuality in a male-dominated world. Curleys wife is not a bad person, but rather a victim. Like the ranch-hands, she is desperately lonely and has broken dreams of a better life. It seems to me that Steinbeck comes across with the opini on woman are just there to serve men and are devious temptresses. Neither trusts each other and Curly has no respect for her, telling the other ranch hands about their sex life. Curlys wife confronts Lennie, Candy, and Crooks in the stable, she admits to feeling a kind frustration with her life. Her vulnerability at this moment and later when she admits to Lennie her dream of becoming a movie star makes her much more human not just a hussy in red shoes. Shes just a young girl married too early to a man she doesnt even like let alone love she tells this to Lennie on p87 when she tells him of her dreams of the movies, and Hollywood and her dislike of Curly and his nasty ways. Perhaps she felt she didnt have any other way out, but marriage to this stranger, she felt trapped at home by her mother and totally unhappy with her life and simply jumped out of the fat straight into the fire since her relationship with Curly just wasnt in anyway what she dreamed marriage would be like. In the 1930s there was not a lot of work offered to woman and single woman didnt have the same social standing as married women, many may have felt it was better to be married and married to anyone than being on their own and struggling to survive, women didnt have the resources they now have, and where never encouraged to feel on equal terms to men as they are now.. I think Steinbeck also tries to depict woman as low, flighty people corrupting men with their sexuality, they where either merely caretakers of men there just too look after them or sexual objects, not human beings in their own rights. Steinbeck had nothing nice to say about this girl, when really she is just a poor misguided young girl, who thought marriage would be the answers to her prayers, and that she would have a handsome attentive young husband, when in reality she got the aggressive nasty bully whom no one really liked, and whom she found she didnt like either. I think she was flirtatious because she needed company and since there was just men on the ranch she flirted, probably not knowing how to have any other kind of relationship with a man, and too young to work out that if she had just been friendly without flirting she might have made a few friends, that is if Curlys jealousy allowed it. Although the men think it is wrong of her to flaunt herself sexually and flirt, the men all visit a whorehouse for sexual gratification and momentary companionship. Another lonely character was Crooks the stable buck. Crooks is an even lonelier character than Candy, because not only is he a cripple, like Candy, but he is also black. Most of the men have a lot of prejudice against Crooks, referring to him with derogatory terms such as nigger. And because he is a different colour, he has to stay in a room on his own. Crooks is yet another victim of the times. We are told by Candy that the Boss takes his anger out on Crooks, though Crooks does nothing wrong. And Candy also relates an incident in the past when one of the ranch hands picked a fight with Crooks. It is to Crooks credit that he won the fight, although the other man did have his feet tied. He is very lonely and bitter, Lennie seemingly unaware of the politics of daily living for black people tries to go in Crooks room(p67) and make friends and chat with him , he doesnt realise that white people in the 1930s didnt integrate with black people in their leisure time as they looked down on them. On page 68 Crook says They play cards in there, but I cant play because I am black. They say I stink. Well, I tell you, you all of you stink to me. This goes right over Lennies head he just doesnt get the point. Lennie just wants to chat and make friends. Crooks tries to rile him saying Well spose, jus spose he dont come back page 71-72, he was trying to frighten Lennie and it nearly backfired, it shows Lennie becoming dangerously quiet and centred when he thinks George might be in any sort of danger when George is all Lennie has in the world and he doesnt want to lose him, his loyalty to George could prove fatal to someone else. Crooks was so desperate for a relationship anybody would do on page 78 he says A guy goes nuts if he aint got nobody. Dont make no difference who the guy is, longs hes with you. Crooks realises being friendless and having nobody leaves people lonely and embittered, he says on page 72 I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an he gets sick. I think Crooks wants more than anything else a sense of belonging, to enjoy simple pleasures such as the right to enter the bunkhouse or to play cards with the other men. This desire would explain why, even though he has reason to doubt George and Lennies talk about the farm that they want to own, Crooks cannot help but ask if there might be room for him to come along and hoe in the garden. On page 76 he offers to work for nothing even just to be allowed in. Anything it seems would be better than the loneliness of his present life, until Curlys wife comes in and in promptly makes him feel his place in the world yet again, bursting his bubble his notion of just being a man amongst men instead of a black man. Carlson a ranch hand, who complains bitterly about Candys old, smelly dog. He convinces Candy to put the dog out of its misery. Carlson says he wont be causing the animal any suffering. Carlson comes across quite heartless. If something or someone isnt useful get rid of it, everything has to have a function. He has a lack of concern for other peoples feelings and doesnt take time to understand them. He is an insensitive person who cares nothing for others. Carlson is the type of man George hopes to avoid becoming. The death of Candys dog testifies to the shameless and pitiful way by which the strong attack and eliminate the weak. Candys dog, although no longer useful at corralling sheep, is of great importance to the old swamper. Candys emotional attachment to the dog is clear. Despite this, allowing the animal to live out its days is not an option in this cruel environment. Carlson insists that the animals frailty makes it unworthy of such devotion. The most comfort he can offer is to assure Candy that he will kill the dog mercifully and quickly. Carlson has no attachments to anyone or anything and possibly feels happy enough without them, I think he sees emotional attachment as a weakness he can do without. Even at the end after George shoots Lennie Carlson cannot understand what all the fuss is about, why George should be upset in anyway, George had put down Lennie like he Carlson had put down the dog both animal and man as useless as each other in Carlsons eyes. None of the relationships in the book seem complete and fully functional. Nearly all of the characters in Of Mice and Men are disempowered in some way. Whether because of a physical or mental handicap, age, class, race, or gender, almost everyone finds themselves outside the structures of social power, and each suffers because of it. All seem lacking in some way. Lennie cannot offer George all he will need from a relationship although George probably offers Lennie all and more. Candy is too old and disillusioned with life, and his loneliness and fright of the future, to be much use in a relationship, and Curly is to into himself and proving himself a big man to ever have a proper fulfilling relation, his own insecurities would forever mess up a relationship. Curleys wife is too young and has the selfishness of youth, and is unable to cope with the likes of Curly she needed an uncomplicated young man really who would love and idolise her how she needs to loved. After Lennie killed Curleys wife, George was faced with a terrible choice, let Curley find Lennie and kill him, or kill Lennie himself. Unlike Candy, he will not let someone else shoot his best friend. He would not subject his best friend to unnecessary fear anxiety and pain. George does what he has to do, in his own way, the act of killing Lennie himself, is doing Lennie a kindness, putting him down, the lesser of the two evils, since if Curley got hold of him it would be horrendous. When George suggests they find Lennie and lock him up instead of shooting him, Slim has to remind George how terrible it would be if Lennie were locked in a cage, or strapped to a bed. Like the painful life of Candys arthritic sheepdog, life in prison or an asylum would be no better for Lennie. Just as Candy had to realize that his sheepdog would be better off dead than alive, so did George with Lennie. George by killing Lennie surrendered his dream for survival Slims sympathetic response is best showing his understanding. Slim is the only one who does not seem to need a fantasy to shield him from the harsh realities of the world. His skill at his work and mastery of the ranch bring him peace and contentment, these emotions and feelings are unknown to his fellow ranch hands. . Slim is both respected and admired. Everyone looks for his approval, even Curley, who seems to have contempt for everyone else on the ranch. The others give into Slim because his word is the law. He is the voice of reason and understanding, and he consoles George after he has killed Lennie. Slim is the kind of man that George hopes to become one day. I think Slim has more chance of a normal relationship if he ever has one since hes the only one at peace with himself and his life. Of Mice and Men is about the struggle of the weak in society and loneliness in or out of a relationship. Loneliness is an inevitable fact of life that not even the strongest can avoid, Crooks, Candy and Curleys wife all suffer through loneliness and isolation and lack of a viable relationship. George and Lennie are unique in that they have each other. Their companionship contrasts the loneliness that surrounds them, the loneliness of the outcast black man, the loneliness of the scarlet woman, the loneliness of the old, helpless crippled swamper. People need relationships even though it is difficult keeping a good relationship going since no two people are the same or have the exact same thoughts and beliefs. To keep a relationship flourishing you must have things in common, you must be able to disagree or agree without fear of the relationship ending, you must be caring of one another and respect each other, and some people do not have the social skills to keep a relationship fruitful. Quite often a person suffering through isolation will forever be trying to fulfil a friendship like Candy trying to become part of the dream with Lennie and George; he was trying to buy into a relationship. I do not think Steinbeck had a high regard for woman either, I think that was a sign of the times though and the era they lived in, woman had a place and that was to serve man. Curleys wife was in a relationship yet was the loneliest of all, she was married yet still was alone, still felt unloved and unwanted, and thats why she flirted to ease her hurting. I think Steinbeck had a very bleak view of relationships and woman in general, all the relationships seemed dysfunctional. People were made to live in society and it a natural instinct to seek friendship and companionship. When they find it, they are content within themselves. Friendship and interaction are two very necessary things; we all need them to combat loneliness.

The American Dream: Life, Liberty and Freedom Essays -- Essays on the A

The basic idea of the American Dream generally has stayed the same throughout time, although the majority of Americans seem to take the Dream for granted. The first settlers arrived to the New World in search of a treasure: life, liberty, and freedom. This treasure was and still is the American Dream. Now people from all over the world come to America in search of the same Dream; some even die trying. People were not as materialistic as people are now; they just wanted happiness. As time passed, people became more materialistic and began to take for granted what they were born with. For example, when my papa was a teenager he purchased his first car with cash. Everyone paid for almost everything they got with cash, not credit like they do today. Almost everything today revolves around having credit. Most of the richest people in our state could not go to the bank and withdraw a couple hundred thousand dollars; they would have to borrow the money based on their credit. Although, there are many people that are very misfortunate and have hardly anything, their idea of the American Dream would be much simpler than that of someone who is middle or upper class. Almost a week ago my boyfriend and I were leaving Crabtree Valley mall. It was a pretty cold and rainy day, the kind of day that we would rather be at home cuddled up on the couch watching television, but we were shopping. As we were leaving the mall we came to a stoplight. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a tiny old woman kneeling by the corner of the curve. She was holding a ragged cardboard sign that read â€Å"homeless, need food†. A doleful feeling took over my body, and I thought to myself, what would her idea of the American Dream be? Would it be to own her own home or have a fancy car, I think not. By this time, her dream would be a bit simpler. The American Dream changes from generation to generation along with technology and obstacles.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  With each generation that passes a whole new era arrives; one with higher demands and stresses of everyday life. The American Dream becomes more distorted and complex through time. The more we get, the more we want. What ever happened to being content and happy with what one has as long as they are healthy and safe? With each passing year people are becoming more materialistic and less grateful. My dad never had a hamburger when he wa... ...t encounter at one point or another in our life times in order to achieve our endeavors. Further, the economy is another major obstacle that we each must face. As individuals we can not control the fluctuations of the economy nor can we control the effect it has on our lives and our dreams. But we can rationalize our ideas of what the true American Dream is and be thankful for what we have.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On September 11, 2001, those who do not know what it is to live a life full of life, liberty, and freedom; threatened the American Dream. By realizing this tragedy we appreciate what a fortunate nation we live in. Until the eleventh of September, no one really thought much about what it is to be American until news stories were flashing were shown in array about the freedom other countries such as the one that threatened our American Dream did not have. We really need to put the American Dream into perspective. The question comes to mind â€Å"What would the American Dream be if we did not have life, liberty and freedom?† There would be no such idea as â€Å"the American Dream†. We would be identical to almost any third world country world that does not have these rights. The American Dream: Life, Liberty and Freedom Essays -- Essays on the A The basic idea of the American Dream generally has stayed the same throughout time, although the majority of Americans seem to take the Dream for granted. The first settlers arrived to the New World in search of a treasure: life, liberty, and freedom. This treasure was and still is the American Dream. Now people from all over the world come to America in search of the same Dream; some even die trying. People were not as materialistic as people are now; they just wanted happiness. As time passed, people became more materialistic and began to take for granted what they were born with. For example, when my papa was a teenager he purchased his first car with cash. Everyone paid for almost everything they got with cash, not credit like they do today. Almost everything today revolves around having credit. Most of the richest people in our state could not go to the bank and withdraw a couple hundred thousand dollars; they would have to borrow the money based on their credit. Although, there are many people that are very misfortunate and have hardly anything, their idea of the American Dream would be much simpler than that of someone who is middle or upper class. Almost a week ago my boyfriend and I were leaving Crabtree Valley mall. It was a pretty cold and rainy day, the kind of day that we would rather be at home cuddled up on the couch watching television, but we were shopping. As we were leaving the mall we came to a stoplight. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a tiny old woman kneeling by the corner of the curve. She was holding a ragged cardboard sign that read â€Å"homeless, need food†. A doleful feeling took over my body, and I thought to myself, what would her idea of the American Dream be? Would it be to own her own home or have a fancy car, I think not. By this time, her dream would be a bit simpler. The American Dream changes from generation to generation along with technology and obstacles.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  With each generation that passes a whole new era arrives; one with higher demands and stresses of everyday life. The American Dream becomes more distorted and complex through time. The more we get, the more we want. What ever happened to being content and happy with what one has as long as they are healthy and safe? With each passing year people are becoming more materialistic and less grateful. My dad never had a hamburger when he wa... ...t encounter at one point or another in our life times in order to achieve our endeavors. Further, the economy is another major obstacle that we each must face. As individuals we can not control the fluctuations of the economy nor can we control the effect it has on our lives and our dreams. But we can rationalize our ideas of what the true American Dream is and be thankful for what we have.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On September 11, 2001, those who do not know what it is to live a life full of life, liberty, and freedom; threatened the American Dream. By realizing this tragedy we appreciate what a fortunate nation we live in. Until the eleventh of September, no one really thought much about what it is to be American until news stories were flashing were shown in array about the freedom other countries such as the one that threatened our American Dream did not have. We really need to put the American Dream into perspective. The question comes to mind â€Å"What would the American Dream be if we did not have life, liberty and freedom?† There would be no such idea as â€Å"the American Dream†. We would be identical to almost any third world country world that does not have these rights.

Malaria Essay -- Exploratory Essays Research Papers

Malaria There are a great number of diseases that are endemic in many of the poorer, developing nations due to the lack of sanitation and disease prevention programs in these areas. The steady increase of malaria epidemics in many of the African countries is a point of great concern, because this continent is home to 90% of the world’s total cases of this particular disease. Malaria gets its name from â€Å"mal aria,† meaning bad air, because patients used to blame the sudden illness on the poor air quality of the nearby swamps. Scientists now know that malaria is a parasitic infection caused by a single-celled protozoan, Plasmodium. Of the four types of this parasite, Plasmodium falciparum is recognized as the most dangerous and lethal string that infects human beings. The female Anopheles mosquito transmits the disease through its saliva, and the protozoan enters the bloodstream and is carried to the liver. The indications of the illness can appear within a week of the exposure or it can take up to a year for the effects to become noticeable. Malaria has many flu-like symptoms, such as headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, sweating, tiredness, and general muscle pain. These characteristics are attributed to many forms of illness, which can prove difficult in the diagnosis of this serious disease early enough for effective treatmen t. The treatment of malaria is commonly administered in the form of a DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) antibiotic. This drug works to eliminate the parasite from the patients blood stream and, therefore, limit the chance of communicating the disease and infecting other people. The drug also significantly reduces the frequency of severity of the patient’s symptoms... ...d Pestilence: From Ancient Times to the Present, Rev. Ed. New York: Facts on File, Inc., 2001. This article was an updated history of African malaria outbreaks and the specific causes of and reactions to these epidemics. â€Å"Malaria.† CDC Division of Parasitic Diseases Information. 3 Mar. 2002. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. 5 Oct. 2002 . This site gave important information about precautions that travelers should take before going to high-risk areas of the world. â€Å"Malaria Facts.† NIAID Quickfacts Page. 17 Sept. 2002. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH. 6 Oct. 2002 . This NIH site provides an in-depth look at the infection/spread of malaria with multiple links for additional information.

Development Through the Life Stages Essay

In older age (64+) many things happen on the inside and the outside the body. As you hit older age, you will start to notice that many things will happen on the outside of your body. Your hair may start to go grey or you may start to go bald. The hair goes grey because as you get older your hair loses pigment which is the colouring in your hair. Also your skin may lose elasticity; this means your skin may appear to get wrinkles. Your posture may also start to get worse in older age because your shoulders begin to drop and you may start to hunch forward. This will affect your posture. These things that happen on the outside could also affect you in other aspects of your life. You may start to feel depressed because you feel unattractive about your appearance. This could have an affect on other aspects of your life if you do get depressed because you may become isolated and not want to leave the house. Your social life will suffer if you do not want to go outside because you will not b e going out. This will affect your social development because you will not be going out meeting new people and expanding your horizon. You may also become isolated because you feel that people may judge you on how you look on the outside, this may also cause isolation. If you do not go outside you may have a deteration in your health because you will be in the same environment everyday and will not be getting any fresh air. However, in older age you get maturity with age because you have been there done that. This means that you can offer advice to your family. If you are retired you will have more time to socialise with friends that you have made though your life. In older age it is very important that you have good relationships so you know that they are people to look after you later on in your life. It will also raise your self-esteem if you have a good relationship with people that you are close too. As you get older your bones are less dense, you have more of a risk of falling and artrithus. Mobility in older age is very important because it is how you get around. If you have a problem with your mobility, it could have an affect on your social life because you will not be able to get to see your friends and family. It could have an affect on your self confidence if you do not see anyone because you may feel like they do not want to see you. Also you don’t want to feel like a burden on your family by asking them to take you places, this may mean that you become isolated. If you need someone to come out with you so that you can avoid falling and injuring yourself, you may feel childlike and vulnerable. You may also not feel that confidence if you do not have good balance because you may feel like you may fall. However, the more active you stay you are going to be active for longer. For example swimming is a good way to keep fit and some gyms has special classes for the older generation. This is there to keep them mobilised for longer is older age. If they lost their mobility then they would most likely lose their social life because they may not be able to get around as well as they used too. This could lead to them being disempowered because they won’t have their own choice to go anywhere and do anything by themselves. They also don’t want to feel like a burden on their family members because this could make them feel childlike and vulnerable. If you have gone throughout your life doing everything for yourself, you may feel embarrassed about asking people to help you. In some cases you may also feel ashamed. Your confidence will also be affect, this could be because of your mobility. If you do not have the best balance, you may not want to go in case you fall over or injury yourself in anyway. In older age there are also changes to your cardiovascular and respiration systems. As you get older your heart has to work harder to pump the blood around the body. This would mean that your circulation will begin to get slower and you will be more prone to blood clots at different points within your body. Your respiration system changes as well, you find you are shorter if breath quicker. This will lower your exercise tolerance because you will get out of breath quicker. Having shortness of breath is a frightening situation and it will also take you less time to get out of breath. You may also suffer from heart disease, lung cancer, asthma etc. You could also get any other problems that are associated with breathing and your heart. This could lead to many different things, such as lack of sexual relationships and lack in social life. If you are not feeling confident about yourself then you are not likely to want to go out or have sexual interactions with anyone. It could also affect you and your grandchildren’s relationship because you may not be able to play with your grandchildren. This could affect the relationship you have with them throughout their life. If you do have respiratory problems the you may have to depend on oxygen all the time. You could be left feeling embarrassed and not wanting to leave the house to socialise. As a consequence will limit the opportunities that are available to you. You may even stop your family members coming around your house because you are that embarrassed about the oxygen you have to have all of the time. Digestion In older age you digestion will also suffer. This could be because of false teeth making it harder to eat. This could be because of them being too big for your mouth or just not fitting properly. As you get older you have slower metabolism and weakened muscles in the stomach. This could affect you in many ways, for example it could cause you to gain weight if you are still eating as much as you did when you were 30 years old. Eating is often regarded as a social event and often people in older age do not eat unless they are will other people. Your food may also become less appealing because you lose sensation in your taste buds. This will make your favourite food less appealing and you may stop eating. A lot of things can stop you from accessing food; this could be because of your mobility. If you cannot get of the house, you can’t get to the shops to buy food. You may not want to ask people to go to the shop for you because you do not want to feel like a burden and childlike. However, if you are not eating it could increase your chances of having a nutrient deficiently and affect your immunity from viruses. Having a nutrient deficient could affect your health in a major way and can make you very ill if you are not getting the right nutrients. If you can’t stand by the cooker for a long period of time or undo bottles. This will stop you actually accessing the food to eat, if no-one else is around to open it for you. Another reason your digestion may be affected is if you have lost a loved one. You may feel like they is no point in just cooking for you. This may lead to you eating convenience food which is high in fat or not eating at all. You may also gain weight in older age. This could be because you are eating the same amount as you did when you were working. This will make you gain weight because you will not be burning off the energy like you used to do. You may also lose weight if you don’t eat healthy or not eat regularly. However some good things happen to your digestion when you get older. Since you are retired and wouldn’t be working. You will have more time to cook healthier food, so in retirement you may eat better. Continence Continence means the ability to control body liquids. You are more likely in older age to have incontinence. Some people in older age even have accidental incontinence. Having incontinence could mean that you have no control at all over releasing body liquids and in some cases you may not even know that you are doing it. However, it could be your pelvic floor muscles, if these are not strong you may release urine when you laugh or sneeze. This can be fixed by practicing your pelvic floor muscles. However, they are things you can do to stop it happening as often. Don’t drink caffeine, this is because it is a bladder stimulant and causes you to go to the toilet more frequently. Also diet coke has been linked with bladder cancer and this will affect your ability to hold body liquids for a long period of time. If you do have bladder or bowel problems, you may feel too embarrassed to tell anyone. This could be because they you think that they may judge you and loom at you like you’re a child. You may even think that you are childlike and vulnerable. If this is a bad problem and you do not want to tell anyone about it. It could lead to being isolated and not socialising because you are worried that it might happen whilst you are out. You may even stop people coming to visit you because you might worry that it smells of urine and you do not want people to know that you have a problem. If you did go out, you may want to take a change of clothes with you. This may be just for peace of mind just in case anything happens whilst you are out. Brain and Memory As you get older it is common for you to have memory loss. Don’t worry this happens to many people when they are in older age. You may feel embarrassed that you are unable to remember anything, even your close relative’s names. You may forget how to look after yourself. You lose your memory because as you get older you start to lose your nerve cells. Wisdom Many people think as you get to older age nothing good happens. However as you get older you gain wisdom. This can be shared with family and friends. The younger generation often think that you have been there done that so that you have got life experience that can be passed down the younger generation. You may also have strong relationships with your family members this causing you to have a good self-concept and feel good about yourself. Psychological effects on ageing As you get older your brain will start to change. This could be because you have recently retired or something major has happened in your life and it has affected your emotions. Retirement Retirement could affect your psychological development because you are used to going to work every day and suddenly it will stop. You may start to feel useless, this would be because you have had something to do and you would be getting money for your family. Everybody adjusts to retirement differently. You could take up many different hobbies to keep yourself active or you could stop doing everything all together this could lead to you feeling useless, this would be because you are used to bringing in the family money and now you don’t. Self-esteem and image Your self-esteem change in older age because you experience many different emotions. Your self-esteem could be positive or negative. It could be positive because you may go out all of the time and have a good social life. This would lead to a good self-esteem because they would feel good about themselves. However, you have negative self-esteem in older age. This could be because you may stay in all of the time and never go out. Your self-image could suffer as well because of the physical changes of older age could affect the psychological effects of aging. You may start to feel bad about yourself, this may mean that you do not want to leave the house. You may also think that people are staring at you and it could mean that you may not want to leave the house. This could lead to a negative self-image. You may also have a good self-image in older age, this may be because you go out all of the time with friends and have a good social life.

Rising Sun essays

Rising Sun essays I read the novel Rising Sun by Michael Crichton. The story is about the grand opening of the Nakamoto Tower in Los Angeles, the new American headquarters of a Japanese corporation. On the night of the opening a young girl was killed on the forty-sixth floor, one story above the floor of the party. The Japanese liaison, Lieutenant Peter James Smith, was called to help the investigation begin, as the Japanese businessmen tried to stall the police. Though the story is about a homicide investigation, the underlying theme is one of business deals, both corrupt and proper. Throughout the book the reader is taken though the way of Japanese business, and quickly learns the differences between American companies and the Japanese even today. Rising Sun shows examples of the Japanese persuasion in almost all aspects of typical American life. The Japanese motto Business is war comes into affect throughout the story, and is shown in their maneuvers to outwit the police. The businessmen of Nakamoto Tower know that the murder was recorded on their surveillance cameras, so they switch the tapes before the police have an opportunity to look at them themselves. Then, with technology years ahead of the Americans, they alter the video to transform the identity of the murderer. They care not for the truth to be found, and they only work to hide the murder from the public. The fear of a scandal that would topple the Nakamoto Corporation is enough to make the Japanese do whatever it takes to prevent the public from knowing of the murder. The book also discusses the loss of basic industries to Japan. The decline of American business became apparent even to Congress, who would move to stop the sale of business to the Japanese. The American approach to business is entirely different than the Japanese approach. American companies are compelled to show profits every few months, while the Japanese dont care for the short-term busi...

The New SAT vs. the ACT Full Breakdown

The New SAT vs. the ACT Full Breakdown SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips For the past decade or so, the SAT has come under increasingscrutiny for its confusing structure, trick questions, and obscure vocabulary. Meanwhile, the ACT is often seen asthe fairer test, more closely based in what students learn in school. As you might have heard, the College Board undertook a radical overhaul of the SAT that went into effect in March 2016 and, in many ways, made it much more similar to the ACT. Adding to the confusion is the fact that ACT, Inc., also made some minor changes to the ACT. What are the main differences between the current versions of the two tests?The short answer is that the SAT and ACT are now quite similar.The changes have eliminated many of the two tests' major differences in both style and content. Nonetheless, there remain important variations- some long-standing and some newly introduced. I'm going to start by talking about what the SAT and ACT look like in general, and then I'll break down the new similarities and unique characteristics of each test, section by section: Test Structure (Timing/Sections and Scoring) Reading Writing/English Math Science Essay Brief Timeline of Changes to the SAT and ACT Before we get into the key differences between the two tests, I've included a basic timeline of when the changes to each exam went into effect below: Early 2015 and earlier Slight changes to ACT question distribution Paired passages on ACT Reading Fall 2015 New ACT Writing test RedesignedPSAT March 2016 Redesigned SAT As you can see, the ACT, the SAT, and even the PSAT have all undergone noticeable changes in the past few years. Yet while the content and format of the ACT has stayed mostly the same, both the SAT and PSAT have been completely revamped (or, rather, redesigned). Now that you understand when these big changes happened, let's begin our analysis by comparing the overall structures of the current SAT and ACT. SAT vs ACT: Overall Test Structure One of the goals of the SAT overhaul was to make the testmore straightforward, so many of its structural oddities, such as the wrong-answer penalty, were eliminated.The College Board also streamlined the SAT structure by including only one section of each type (except for Math, which has two subsections now) rather than three. The ACT structure, on the other hand, hasstayed mostly the same.The biggest changes to the test mainly targeted the Writing (essay) section, and that's it. Let's go over the specific layouts of the two tests so you can better understand the similarities and differences between them. Timing and Sections The current SAThas one Reading section and one Writing section. The Math section is divided into a No Calculator Test and a Calculator Test (meaning you may not use your calculator on the former but may on the latter). In addition, there is one Essay section, which is optional. The four sections are always in the same order. The entire SAT is three hours without the Essay, and three hours and 50 minutes with the Essay. The exact breakdown looks like this: SAT Section Total Time # of Questions 1. Reading 65 minutes 52 2. Writing and Language 35 minutes 44 3. Math No Calculator 25 minutes 20 4. Math Calculator 55 minutes 38 5. Essay (Optional) 50 minutes 1 prompt By contrast, the basic ACT structure and timing have not changed, with the exception of the new essay section, which is longer.Here is the breakdown of the ACT's timing and questions: ACT Section Total Time # of Questions 1. English 45 minutes 75 2. Math 60 minutes 60 3. Reading 35 minutes 40 4. Science 35 minutes 40 5. Writing (Optional) 40 minutes 1 prompt As you can see, the format of the current SAT is more similar to that ofthe ACT than to that of its previous incarnation. While there's no Science section on the SAT, it contains sections on Reading, Writing/English, and Math, just like the ACT does. It also has an optional Essay section like the ACT (before, the SAT Essay was mandatory!). Scoring The 2016 SAT redesign also involved major changes to the scoring system; we'll go through these one at a time: Scoring returned to the 400-1600 scale:In 2005, when the College Board last implemented major changes to the SAT, it added the Writing section; this meant there were three scores (each on a scale of 200-800) to combine, making the top possible score 2400. Nowadays, the Writing and Reading sections count toward the same Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW) score, which are combined with your Math score to get a final score between 400 and 1600. There's no wrong-answer penalty:You're no longer penalized by 1/4 point for every wrong answer! The original idea behind this policy was to discourage guessing on the SAT, but the College Board's research found that eliminating it doesn't affect scores that much and cuts down on students' reliance on test-taking strategies (a major goal for this overhaul). The Essay is given three scoresand no longer affects your total SAT score:Since it's now optional, the SAT Essay works a lot more like the ACT essay- you get a separate Essayscore that does not factor into your final score (on the 400-1600 scale). Essay scoring also changed: rather than getting onescore between 2 and 12, you'll get three scores, for Reading, Analysis, and Writing, between 2 and 8. You get lots of subscores:As part of its attempt to provide more helpful information to colleges, the College Board now provides several subscores and cross-test scoresfor the SAT: Analysis in History/Social Studies, Analysis in Science, Command of Evidence, Words in Context,Expression of Ideas, Standard English Conventions,Heart of Algebra, Problem Solving and Data Analysis, and Passport to Advanced Math. That said, it's unclear how (or if) colleges use these scores, so don't worry about them for now. On the other hand,ACTscoringstayed mostly the same. You get four section scores, each on a scale of 1-36. These are then averaged to create a composite ACT score, also on a scale of 1-36. The exceptionis ACT Writing. This section is separate from your composite ACT score and scored on a scale of 2-12. Like the SAT Essay, it'sscored across multiple domains, which are as follows: Ideas and Analysis Development and Support Organization Language Use Each of these subscores is between 2 and 12, and the average of these four subscores is your ACT Writing score. Now that we've covered the big-picture changes, let's move on to the nitty-gritty of each section of the SAT and ACT. Jason Parrish/Flickr SAT/ACT Reading Section SAT Reading is the section that's most similar to its previous incarnation. However, there are still some big changes to note. One is that the SAT Reading section only includes longer passages.Without Sentence Completions or short passages, this section now looks a lot more like the ACT Reading section, which contains a series of 500-750 word passages followed by several questions. Also,thanks to a recent change to the ACT,both tests feature paired passages. These are just the basic similarities of the two tests' Reading sections, but how specificallydo these two sections differ? The chart below shows the specifications for each test: SAT Reading ACT Reading Total Time 65 minutes 35 minutes # of Questions 5 passages, 52 questions 4 passages, 40 questions Passage Types 1 US/World Literature, 2 History/Social Studies, 2 Science 1 Prose Fiction/Literary Narrative, 1 Social Sciences, 1 Humanities, 1 Natural Sciences Question Types Main Idea, Vocab-in-Context, Inference, Evidence Support, Data Reasoning, Technique, Detail-Oriented Main Idea, Vocab-in-Context, Inference, Detail-Oriented SAT Reading Although the Sentence Completions and short passages have been eliminated, the remaining long reading passages look more or less the same as they always have, with a few exceptions: Inclusion of classic texts:As part of the plan to make the Reading passages more complex and therefore more similar to what you might read in school, the SAT Reading section now includes excerpts from texts from the Western canon, including stories and essays by famous authors, US founding documents, and other historically important works. Because these are often quite old, they tend to include more challenginglanguage. Evidence questions:One of the big changes to SAT Reading that you might've heard about is the addition of evidence questions, which ask you to indicate what part of a passage supports your answer to a previous question. As these questions are quite tricky, you'll definitely want to learn effective ways to approach them. Questions go in chronological order (for a passage):This is one aspect of the SAT Reading section that didn't change and that really sets it apart from the ACT Reading section, in which questions do not follow the order of the passage. Charts and figures in science passages:Two of the five SAT Reading section passages cover scientific topics and include charts and figures. Here's an example of the types of charts and data you'll see, taken from an official SAT practice test: ACTReading The big difference between ACT Reading and SAT Reading remains how you need to budget time. Also, while the SAT is more focused on analyzing specific points in a passage and understanding how the author constructs an argument, the ACT deals more withreading comprehension. Here are some of the key features of ACT Reading, in comparison with SAT Reading: Randomly ordered questions:SAT Reading tells you where to look for the answers to most questions, but one of the biggest challenges on ACT Reading is finding the information you need. The questions are ordered randomly and often do not give line numbers, which can makefinding specific details very tricky. Less time per question:The strict time constraint is the other challenge many students face on ACT Reading: you have roughly eight and half minutes per 10-questionpassage on the ACT,compared with 13 minutes per 10- to 11-minute passage on SAT Reading. SAT Writing/ACT English Section Of the three SAT sections, Writing underwent the biggest changes (though if you've taken the ACT, its new format is going to look familiar). The current SAT Writing and Language section uses the same passage-based format as the ACT English section. Here's an official example of an SAT Writing passage and the questions that follow: SAT Writing also includes more ofthe same grammatical concepts as ACT English,most notably of which is punctuation. SAT Writing ACT English Total Time 35 minutes 45 minutes # of Questions 4 passages, 44 questions 5 passages, 75 questions Content Tested Standard English Conventions: 20 questions (45%), covering sentence structure, conventions of usage, and conventions of punctuation Expression of Ideas: 24 questions (55%), covering development, organization and effective language use Usage and Mechanics: sentence structure (20-25%), grammar and usage (15-20%), and punctuation (10-15%) Rhetorical Skills: style (15-20%), strategy (15-20%), and organization (10-15%) Despite the massivesimilarities between the SAT Writing and ACT English sections, there are still some noticeable differences. Let's go through them one at a time. SATWriting and Language As I noted above, the SAT overhaul involved a complete redesign of the Writing section so that all of the questions are now presented in the context of reading passages.Here are other major changes to note: The Writing section is included in your Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW) score: With the current SAT, the Writing section is part of the same final section score as the Reading section is; this change returned the SAT to its original 400-1600 scale (as opposed to the previous 600-2400 scale). Slightly more focused on writing style:These days, SAT Writing has slightly more questions dealing with Expression of Ideas (writing style and argument) than it does targeting Standard English Conventions (grammar and sentence structure). Includes charts and graphs:Like the SAT Reading section, SAT Writing includes charts and graphs with its passages. However, there are only a few questions of this type per test. Some word choice questions involve challenging vocab:While word choice questions on the ACT are more focused on nuanced differences between common words, this type of question on the SAT sometimes tests knowledge of more traditional vocabulary words like those that wereincluded in old Sentence Completion questions. ACTEnglish Again, the similarities between these sections are much greater than their differences, but the ACT does emphasize slightly different skills than the SAT does. Here are the main features of the ACT English section and how they differ from the SAT Writing section: A lot more questions:ACT English has almost twice as many questions as SAT Writing. This doesn't necessarily make it more difficult, but it does necessitate a slightly different approach. Read our guide for more suggestions on how to approach ACT English passages. Slightly more focused on grammar and conventions:While the SAT has more questions about writing style, the ACT has theemphasis reversed: it's primarily focused on Usage and Mechanics questions, which coversentence structure, grammar, and punctuation. Big-picture questions:Though the two tests cover almost all the same material, ACT English hasone type of question that SAT Writing does not have: main idea questions. Both tests ask questions such as "What is the purpose of this passage?" on their Reading sections, but only the ACT includes these on the English section as well: SAT/ACT Math Section SAT Math is the section that remains the most similar structurally, but there were some pretty big changes in terms of its content. Like the ACT Math section, SAT Math now includes somemore advanced math topics, such astrigonometry and complex numbers, though there are only a few questions on these concepts. SAT Math questions are also closer to ACT Math questions in style: they're more straightforward and test the kinds of math you learn in school rather than more obscure topics. Here's an overview of the two Math sections: SAT Math ACT Math Total Time Calculator: 55 minutes No Calculator: 25 minutes 60 minutes # of Questions Calculator: 38 questions No Calculator: 20 questions 60 questions Topics Tested Heart of Algebra - 33% Problem Solving and Data Analysis - 28% Passport to Advanced Math - 29% Additional Topics in Math - 10% Pre-algebra - 20-25% Elementary algebra - 15-20% Intermediate algebra - 15-20% Coordinate geometry - 15-20% Plane geometry - 20-25% Trigonometry - 5-10% SAT Math The changes to SAT Math were designed to make it more similar to the tests you take in math class, meaning you're asked harder questions in a more straightforward way. Here are some of the key changes to note: Divided into a Calculator section and a No Calculator section:SAT Math is now split into two sections, one for which you're allowed to use a calculator and one for which you aren't. Don't worry about the No Calculatorsection too much, though, as it only requires basic calculations you can easilydo by hand or in your head. Heavily focused on algebra:As I mentioned above, one of the goals of the SAT was to make it more similar to what you learn in school and what you'll need for college. One part of this change was shifting the focus of the test toward algebra. Now, 61% of Math questions deal with algebra topics, including manipulating equations and expressions, writing equations to solve word problems, solving quadratics, and working with formulas. More data analysis: The proportionof data analysis questions has also increased. Almost one-third of SAT Math questions focus on manipulating ratios and percents, in addition to understanding graphs and charts. Very little geometry:With so much of the SAT Math section devoted to algebra and data analysis, there's very little room for geometry. In fact, only six questions ask about geometry and trigonometry, though the test still provides most of the common formulas you'll need. Still has grid-ins:Like the old version of SAT Math, the current Mathsectionhas 13 student-produced response questions, commonly known as grid-ins. These questions require you to write in your own answer instead of choosing one from the options given to you. ACT Math ACT Math stayed more or less the same, despite some tweaks to topic distribution. However, the changes to the SAT have created some new differences between the tests: Farmore geometry and trigonometry:If you like geometry, the ACT's the test for you. One-quarter to one-third of ACT Math questions deal with geometry or trig. However, unlike the SAT, the ACTdoesn't provide you with any formulas, so you'll absolutely have to know the common ones. A wider range of material:In fact, ACT Math tests more topics in general than the SAT does. You might see questions about logarithms, graphs of trig functions, and matrices- none of which appear on the SAT. SAT/ACT Science Section While there still isn't a Science section on the SAT, the College Board has attempted to incorporate these skills into the other three sections. According to the College Board website, "[the redesigned SAT]call[s] on the same sorts of knowledge and skills that students will use in college, in their jobs, and throughout their lives to make sense of recent discoveries, political developments, global events, and health and environmental issues." The current version of the SAT includes questions that ask you to analyze a chartorgraphin all three sections, as well as two reading passages on scientific topics. The ACT continues to have a lot more science questionssince it has a dedicated Science section. It also asks more complex questions than the SAT does, particularly with regard to experimental design. SAT Essay/ACT Writing Section The Essay is the one section for whichboth tests underwent a major overhaul.Moreover, both the SAT Essay and ACT Writing sections became more complex and are nowoptional. Ideally, the changes to the essay create results that better reflect your ability to understand and build arguments, though it remains to be seen how many schools will require the essay section onceit's optional for both tests. SAT Essay ACT Writing Total Time 50 minutes 40 minutes Optional? Yes Yes # of Prompts 1 prompt 1 prompt Scoring Domains Reading, Analysis, Writing Ideas and Analysis, Development and Support, Organization, Language Use SAT Essay The College Board shifted the SAT essay task from one that asks you to make an argument to one that asks you to dissect an argument. Take a look at the official sample prompt below to get a sense of the type of question you'll be asked on test day: Here are some of the main features of the redesigned SAT Essay section and how it differs from the old SAT Essay: You're given a text and asked to analyzethe author's argument:Unlike the prompt for the old SAT Essay,the current essay assignment asks you to read and and analyze an argumentative essay. You're thengraded on three skills: reading, analysis, and writing. They don't want your opinion: According to each SAT Essay prompt, it doesn't matter what your opinion on the issue is- rather, you need toexplain how the author makes his point. More similar to essays in English class and on AP tests:In keeping with the College Board's goal to make the SAT more accurately reflect the skills you learn in school, the SAT Essay task is now much closer to the types of essays you write in school. ACT Writing The Writing (essay) section is the only part of the ACT that underwent major changes. Nonetheless, it's remaining more similar to itsold format than the current SAT Essay did to its. Take a look at the official sample prompt below to see what you'll be asked to write about: Here are some key ways in which the ACT Writing section differs from the SAT Essay section: Asked to analyze three perspectives on an issue:Rather than simply laying out a question, the prompt gives you three perspectiveson an issue and asks you to evaluate them. Must argue your opinion:Like the previous ACT and SAT essay prompts, the current ACT Writing task requires you to argue your own position on the issue at hand. Need to generate specific examples:Since the prompt itself only provides perspectives on the issue, not facts, you'll need to come up with specific examples to bolster your argument. Caleb Roenigk/Flickr What Do These SAT and ACT Differences Mean for You? I've written an in-depth breakdown of how to decide whether you should take the SAT or ACT here if you want to read through it. But for now, here are the important takeaway points as you create a long-term study plan. Content Differences Between the SAT and ACT The redesigned SAT is much more content-based than the old SAT, so if you're planning to take it, make sure you understand exactly what will be on it. Also, keep in mind that the ACT still tests more grammar and math concepts than the SAT does. Check Whether You Need to Take the Essay Both the ACT Writing test and SAT Essay are optional, so before registeringfor either test, check whether you need to take the essay. Requirementsvary depending on the schools you're applying to. Even if you aren't sure where you want to apply, I recommend signing up for the essay anyway. What's Next? If you've decided to takethe SAT,check out our in-depth study guideas well as our expert guide to a perfect 1600 SAT score, written by a full scorer. On the other hand, if you think the ACT might be the test for you, try an official ACT practice test, calculate your goal score, and learn how to get a perfect 36 ACT score. Want to improve your SAT score by 160points 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: