The impacts in Canada of the collapse of the financial markets Essay

The impacts in Canada of the collapse of the financial markets - Essay Example Bank analysts forecasted that the federal government may encounter a budget deficit of $40 billion for 2009 (Annis, 2009). Among the first institutions to fall is Nortel Networks, a century-old telecommunications company. However, Nortel’s problems are not caused by the crisis alone; since 2001 the firm had become prone to market weakness when it bought two companies for $ 15 billion just before the Internet crash in the US market. The company’s recovery after that was cut short, this time by an accounting scandal for which then CEO Frank Dunn was fired and seven corporate officers charged with massive accounting fraud (Duffy & Greene, 2009; Brieger, 2007). As a result of the collapse of Nortel, it filed for bankruptcy protection from creditors in January 2009; unfortunately, it also stopped paying severance, transition allowances, deferred wages and pensions to its former employees and retirees. This has brought untold suffering to many of these who have no other source of income. Despite its problems, I believe the Canadian government did not bail out Nortel because of the financial recklessness of the company officials in embarking on a massive acquisition program in the high-tech boom for which it incurred a high amount of debt. But more than this, it is likely due to the accounting fraud that company officials committed in 2004, to the disadvantage of corporate operations. A timeline diagram shows the facts about Nortel: Many causes have contributed to the US financial crisis, all traceable to the failure of regulatory procedures applied to banks and financial institutions. Firstly, the Basel II Accord provisions ensuring the financial safety of banks were circumvented by cosmetic financial reporting (Jones, 2000), although regulators would have been able to detect these violations had they been more vigilant.

Digital Futures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Digital Futures - Essay Example This creature is then destined to serve in various fields that a normal human being cannot serve. Likewise, cloning has also drawn the attention of many, where people want to replicate superior organisms. The Australian Defense Forces has shown great interest on the emerging cyborg technology, asserting that it will serve a great deal in boosting its security. This paper will discuss digital futures in light of cyborg technology in the Australian Defence Forces. Cyborg technology Human beings have been ambitious in the creation of living things from non-living parts. While this may seem like just a dream, tremendous progress has been made in this field. This artificial creation of life can be categorized into two broad classes. First is carbon-based live, where living organisms are developed from classical building blocks of nature. The other one is where scientists create living organisms using the same principles of creation, but implementing them differently. This may be through m achines such as computers or laboratory bags. Cyborg technology falls under the first mode of creation where organisms are developed from components found in the world. This process uses materials that have no relation with the human body such as metals and plastics (Adami, 1998). Cyborg technology is no longer a myth, as it is possible to develop robots that can function as well as human being. With technology, scientists are now able to develop structures that enhances the functionality of human being. They argue that humans have limited capability and to survive in a complex world, the society needs a structure with superior abilities. As a result they have developed a human-robot with superior intelligent than the normal robots, and named it cyborg. A cyborg, as the name suggests is a cybernetic organism, composed of the human part and the machine part. These two parts are integrated in a special way in order to perform the required tasks (Warwick, n.d). However, there are numer ous challenges that are associated with the functionality of a cyborg, bearing in mind that human beings are the one that control it. The big question still lies as to whether cyborgs have been able to accomplish the purpose they were designed for, or more research needs to be conducted for their improvement (Seed, 2005). What constitutes a cyborg is still vague as it is possible to narrow the definition to any living organism, whose body system has mechanical or biotechnologies. With this regard, about 10% for instance of the United States citizens are cyborgs. This group of people in technical terms includes those who have artificial joints, drug implant systems, artificial skins or with electronic pacemakers. In short, those with an artificial element that prevents their bodies to act naturally. On the other hand, a large number of people engage in careers that make them metaphoric cyborgs. It is with certainty that these people accidentally found themselves in this category (See d, 2005). The creation of the cyborg started when the military saw the need for improving its performance. With rise in human power and military equipment, the military sought to develop a structure that would function more than human beings would. As a result, it opted to combine the human element and the mechanical element to come up with a superior product. Initially, scientists through accidents had replaced most of the vital organs in

Sir Isaac Newton Essay Example for Free

Sir Isaac Newton Essay Sir Isaac Newton-one of the greatest minds in history. He was an all-around genius. He was a mathematician, a natural philosopher, an inventor, and an English physicist. Some of the phenomenal things he did include studying how light reacts to reflection, formulating laws of universal gravitation and motion, and built the first ever reflecting telescope. In 1642 Isaac Newton was born into a very poor farming family in Woolsthorpe, England. When he was very young, his grandma took over and raised him. During this time, he and his grandma lived with a man who took Newton under his wing. Newton then discovered his love for chemical operations. Even though Newton was terrible at grammar and school in general, (at his school in a nearby town) he excelled when it came to using his hands. He made sundials, model windmills, a water clock, a mechanical carriage, and flew kites with lanterns attached to their tails. At only 14, Newton’s mother had taken him out of school to continue the family farming. Since his father died before he was even born, Newton didn’t have much of a father figure to help teach him how to farm properly. Even though he was great with his hands, he was horrible at farming. The family was then persuaded to let him go to the University of Cambridge to study to become a preacher. He was accepted into Cambridge in the year of 1161. His studies included arithmetic, geometry, trigonometry, astronomy, and optics. One of Newton’s professors was Isaac Barrow. The two of them clicked. Barrow could see Newton’s desire for learning. He challenged him with great passion. When Newton was 23 he had already received his bachelor’s degree. Just that year, 1665, the very deadly Bubonic Plague (Black Death) had hit. Newton was forced to leave Cambridge. He had returned back to his home town of Woolsthorpe. He stayed there for two years to do independent studies. This is what started Newton to study the things he is known for by today. In some way, the Black Death could be considered a good thing. In the sense that if it had never happened, we wouldn’t have laws of gravity. While at home he made great progress in what we call â€Å"method of fluxions† (calculus) and this was also the time when Newton observed the apple falling from the tree. Newton continued to stay in contact with Isaac Barrow. He sent some of this  work to Barrow, Barrow then made sure Newton’s work was known to several of the leading mathematicians of Britain and Europe. Once he hit age 30, year 1675, Newton suffered a mental breakdown which continued well until 1684. During this time, he was trying to prove to a man named Hooke that particles would spiral into the center of the Earth, rather than form an ellipse. Halley, a man who was also interested in orbits; finally convinced Newton to publish his work. Newton devoted 2 years to work on the project. The result became one of the most important and influential works on physics of all times, ‘Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica’ (Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy) often shortened to Principia Mathematica .The Principia didn’t show up until late summer 1687. When writing the book Newton tried especially hard to make it very difficult to read, so people wouldn’t attack his ideas. In the early 1690’s, possibly in response to the intellectual exertion of writing the Principia, Newton suffered a period of depression. He started his work on the moon’s motions. A few years later Newton published another great book called Optics which explained the theory of light and color as well as some of his mathematic ways. In 1725, Newton moved from London to Kensington for health reasons. Two years later Newton died from health issues. Newton really changed the ways of math. If it weren’t for him, we wouldn’t have such a high math level as we do today.

Epidemiology of Pancreatic Cancer

Epidemiology of Pancreatic Cancer Introduction Pancreatic cancer is the most lethal and hard to diagnose type of cancer and thus often called the â€Å"silent killer†. Currently, no early detection method and no effective treatment are available for pancreatic cancer. Moreover, out of all patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, 75% will die within the first year where most within 3-6 months (Klein, 2013). While it is practically impossible to tell what person will develop this type of cancer the essential pathophysiology of cancers can help with understanding the origins and reasons for pancreatic cancer development. Like most cancers, pancreatic cancer is caused by damage to DNA leading to its mutation. These mutations can be originated from different sources which can be categorized according to the nature of the occurrence. Three main categories of mutations have been universally recognized: inherited mutation, age-related, carcinogen caused or due to human behavior (Klein, 2013). The outcome of the exposure to one or multiple DNA mutation causes may be the formation of the neoplasms in the pancreatic tissue which may progress to actual pancreatic cancer where initial growth of the tumor is silent; therefore, symptoms are usually a sign of advanced disease. The objective of the present research paper is to highlight the epidemiological facts related to pancreatic cancer (i.e frequency, distribution and determinants of health) and identify the public health authorities’ approaches towards management and control of this devastating health condition. Frequency, Distribution And Determinants of Health According to Canadian Cancer Registry age-standardized incidence rated (ASIR) of pancreatic cancer has been declined for men by 0.46% on the course from 1991 to 2007 with 11.2 case per 100,000 population in 1991 and 10.5 cases in 2007 respectively. However, during the same period of time the ASIR of pancreatic cancer for women per 100,000 population remained steady with a slight fluctuation hovering around 8.5 case. The prevalence rate in United States and Europe has been calculated to be about 99,901 cases before 2012 with an incidence of 37,685 new cases in 2012. Despite the fact that some significant progress in cancer survival rate has been attained the projected 5-year rate of survival remained persistent slightly rising to 5.4% since 1975. Such poor outcomes are mostly due to the fact of the nature of the cancer where more than 80% of the patients presenting with already advanced stage and metastatic aetiology (Klein, 2013). However, despite the poor prognosis of 5 years that has been shared by researches conducted both in US, Europe and Canada the age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) in Canadian men has declined substantially by 0.61 percent since 1992 lingering around 8.9 cases per 100,000 in 2009 (95% confidence interval). With regards to women ASMR the data from Statistics Canada claims the decrease of 0.2% for the same period of time which attests to the stability of rates in women (Zaheer Gallinger, 2013). Determinant of Health The most commonly recognized carcinogen related to pancreatic cancer is cigarettes. Smoking remains the most associated risk to cancer development having odds ratio (OR) of 1.74, 95% confidence interval (CI). Thus, the cessation is the main recommendation being disease specific (Zaheer Gallinger, 2013). Less putative risks associated with this type of cancer include: body mass index (BMI) over 35 (OR of 1.55 and 95% CI) and alcohol consumption of over 6 beverages a day is seen to be associated (OR 1.46, 95% CI) (Borgida et al., 2011). Original Epidemiological Studies Management of pancreatic adenocarcinoma in Ontario, Canada: a population-based study using novel case ascertainment This uses prospective case-control and cross-sectional survey observational study design. The study population is pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PA) patients in Canada with data sources from diagnosed patients of PA between 2003 and 2006 who were identified using electronic pathology reporting (E-path) of the Pathology Information Management System (PIMS). For more information questionnaires were mailed to patients. The main results showed a low participation rate of 26% (351 out of 1325). Nonresponders were mostly over 70 years old and more likely to have had treatment in non-academic centres. While, 54% of responders had a potentially curative operation with 77% being 70 years or younger (p=0.03). Academic centres had higher resection rates and less frequently aborted resections with curative intent. Low rates showed 43% of responders received chemotherapy and 7% participated in clinical trials (Borgida et al., 2011). Diagnosis and management of pancreatic cancer This uses case-control and prospective observational study design. The study population is Canada with data sources from Cochrane for systematic reviews, reference lists from prior studies, Medline, PubMed and Google Scholar using MeSH terms. The main results shows the diagnosis and treatment relevant to the general clinician includes screening via Triphasic abdominal contrast computed tomography is most preferred for diagnosis, smoking cessation as the sole preventative measure, curative potential remains with surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, and survival benefit from FOLFIRINOX, gemcitabine alone and plus for advanced cases (Zaheer Gallinger, 2013). Identifying people at a high risk of developing pancreatic cancer This uses cohort, case-control and prospective observational study design. The study population is North America with data sources from familial pancreatic cancer registry and other registries (Klein, 2012). The main results was that through relatives of pancreatic cancer patients there has been demonstrated in relation to pancreatic cancer a familial aggregation of 1.5–1.3-fold increased risk, quantified risk of this cancer and other cancers, identification of susceptibility genes in these high risk families and initiation of screening trials (Klein, 2012). Public Health Approaches Electronic Pathology Reporting System Electronic Pathology Reporting System (E-path) is an approach used to identify pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PA) patients across Ontario. It is implemented to provide the fastest source of cancer information. Ontario Cancer Registry uses Pathology Information Management System (PIMS), which relies on E-path. The E-path system is a database used for collecting electronic pathology information from laboratories in Ontario that process tumour specimens. E-path provides reports in a timelier manner than paper-based reports and has shown an increase in report’s completeness. This has great advantage when studying patients that have fast and progressive disease such as PA. In this system, electronic pathology reports come from each laboratory and are queued in a database by health record technicians for on-screen review. This process occur daily in most laboratories and weekly in some low-volume laboratories. If the health record technician see the report findings useful, the report wi ll be coded and consolidated with the OCR database. Reports of particular cancers like PA are filtered and printed by study personnel for review (Borgida et al., 2011). Educational Events and Symposia Organizations such as Pancreatic Cancer Canada host some series educational events for Pancreatic Cancer (PC) patients, their families, relatives, and friends in places across Canada. These events give opportunity for patients learn more about the topics related to pancreatic cancer. Also, there are meetings or conferences held by leaders in the PC field to talk about different topics and bring mutual trust and friendship to survivors and those touched by the disease (Pancreatic Cancer Canada, 2011). Research Established partnerships with leading research hospitals to raise the profile of the disease. Funding is being provided by organization like PCC to continue the fight for cancer (Pancreatic Cancer Canada, 2011). References Borgida, A. E., Ashamalla, S., Wigdan, A-S., Rothenmund, H., Urbach, D., Moore, M., Gallinger, S. (February 2011). Management of pancreatic adenocarcinoma in Ontario, Canada: A population-based study using novel case ascertainment. U.S. National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, 54(1), 54-60. doi: 10.1503/cjs.026409 Klein, A. P. (December 6, 2012). Identifying people at a high risk of developing pancreatic cancer. U.S. National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, 13(1), 66-74. doi: 10.1038/nrc3420 Pancreatic Cancer Canada. (2011) Educational Events and Symposia. Retrieved from: http://www.pancreaticcancercanada.ca/site/PageNavigator/facingpancreaticcancer_educational_events.html Pancreatic Cancer Canada. (2011) Research. Retrieved from: http://www.pancreaticcancercanada.ca/ site/PageServer?pagename=research_main Zaheer K. S., Gallinger, S. (2013). Diagnosis and management of pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic Cancer Canada. Retrieved from: http://www.pancreaticcancercanada.ca/site/DocServer/Steven_Gallinger_report_April_23_2012.pdf?docID=1361

The Need for a Middle Eastern Empire Essay -- essays research papers

The Imperial History History suggests that great leaders view the world as a divided empire that if united would end problems that a single nation dream of solving. Many leaders of today fight for division, independence, and personal interests. Such leaders want control over small territories just to exercise power and control over a small population resulting in problems such as famine, poverty, and civil wars. Real leaders seek glory by achieving world domination to help their society move forward towards a better future and inviting other societies to join. Hence, spread civilized laws and ideas, end barbarism, and unite mankind. The Macedonians started their campaign of conquering the Persians as a method to unite the Greeks. Their success drove them to dominate the known world to support the idea of uniting the world under one king, to spread peace which is thought to be only possible if rivals did not exist. The Romans based their empire on Military Might, Trade, and the acceptance of foreign ideas to civilize the world in order to enable engage in trade, end barbarism in the Northern territories, and share the glory of the empire. World Domination by an empire has pros and cons, such pros are unity of the people of certain culture or religion, economic growth of the nation, technological advancements, and national security. Background I, like most people, misunderstood World Domination which â€Å"[is] the exercise of [†¦] control or power [over others]† (www.dictionary.com). Many understand it as the use of power to wage war in order to control others. This is just a method used by many Empires to achieve their goals. World Domination can be achieved by the call of people to join an empire (unity of a certain culture ... ... Empire is to rise once more in the Middle East to dominate the world in order to benefit the Muslim society after a long time of ciaos, dictatorship, and poverty. It is in Islam that all Muslims are to be united by a caliph in one Empire as a Superpower. References Brzezinski, Z. (2004). The Choice: Global Domination or Global Leadership. New York: Basic Books. Foster, J. (2006) The New Geopolitics of Empire, Monthly Review, Vol. 57(8),1-18. Retrieved 6 March 2006 from Research Library database. Kennedy, H. (2004) The Decline and Fall of the First Muslim Empire, Der Islam, Vol. 81(1), 3-31. Retrieved 6 March 2006 from Research Library database. Online Dictionary. Retrieved March 28 2006 from www.dictionary.com. Turchin, Peter (2006), War and Peace and War: The Life Cycles of Imperial Nations (New York: Pi Press).

William Wordsworth Walking: Art, Work, Leisure, and a Curious Form of Consumption :: William Wordswroth Walking Essays

William Wordsworth Walking: Art, Work, Leisure, and a Curious Form of Consumption William Wordsworth spent a good portion of his life on foot, walking. Consider a sequence of Dorothy's journal entries: Monday the 14th, "Wm & Mary walked to Ambleside in the morning to buy mousetraps" (about 5 miles round trip); Tuesday the 15th, "Wm & I walked to Rydale for letters" (about 3 miles round trip); Wednesday the 16th, "After dinner Wm & I walked twice up to the Swan & back again" (3 miles), met Miss Simpson and walked with her to the Oliffs and then back to her house (another 3 miles); Thursday the 17th, "we had a delightful walk" (a couple of miles); Friday the 18th, "Mary & Wm walked round the two lakes" (about 6 miles); Saturday the 19th, "We walked by Brathay to Ambleside" (6 miles). Now such distances are not remarkable in fine weather, but these were walks from the 14th to the 19th of December 1801, and Dorothy's notes include "A very keen frost, extremely slippery," and "Snow in the night & still snowing," and "the evening cloudy and promising snow" (GJ 48-49). Undeterred by bad weather, Wordsworth (and Dorothy) gave walking a central position in their daily lives, even to the extent that not walking becomes a remarkable event. Dorothy records that on September 13, 1800, "William writing his preface did not walk" (GJ 22). And of course in better weather there were shorter and longer walking tours such as Dorothy's record of September 3, 1800, in which Wordsworth, Coleridge, and Jonathan Wordsworth left "after breakfast" to walk "upon Helvellyn" and returned home at 10 at night, having covered probably 15 to 20 miles (GJ 20-21)--a long, but not unusually long for them, walk. In short, Wordsworth habitually spent at least several hours a day walking, and it was not at all uncommon for him to spend entire days on foot. The central role of walking in Wordsworth's life suggests a number of interesting questions, but I will focus here only on those related to the theme of this conference, work and leisure. Obviously, much of Wordsworth's walking could be classed as leisure-time activity. There was probably no compelling reason for Wordsworth and Dorothy to walk twice to the Black Swan or for Wordsworth and Mary to circumambulate the lakes.

Ngocdung

1) Globalization has been enabled by: A) innovation. B) technological progress. C) increased population. D) all of the above. E) A and B are correct. 2) Which of the following events interrupted Globalization 2. 0? A) The Great Depression B) World War I C) World War II D) All of the above. 3) During Globalization 1. 0, ________ were the primary entities globalizing. A) individuals and small groups B) families C) countries D) companies 4) During Globalization 3. 0, ________ were the primary entities globalizing. A) individuals and small groups B) families C) countries D) companies 5) The fall of the Berlin Wall:A) marked the end of the Cold War. B) opened up new markets for products. C) gave companies access to a talented labor pool. D) All of the above. 6) The first mainstream web browser was called: A) Netscape B) Opera. C) Firefox. D) Internet Explorer. 7) De facto standards contributing to Globalization 3. 0 include all of the following EXCEPT:   A) Microsoft Word. B) Adobe Acro bat. C) PayPal. D) eBay. 8) Web sites allowing users to add, remove, or edit content are called:   A) wikis. B) blogs. C) browsers. D) online diaries. 9) Wal-Mart has recently introduced ________ tags into their supply chain.A) price B) anti-theft C) RFID D) CSID 10) Companies setting up entire factories in China is an example of: A) offshoring. B) outsourcing. C) in-sourcing. D) on-shoring. 11) ________ refers to the delegation of a company's core operations to a subcontractor that specializes in that operation. A) Offshoring B) Outsourcing C) In-sourcing D) On-shoring 12) Assembly plants located on the Mexican side of the U. S. -Mexican border are called:   A) Mexinanitas. B) Maquiladoras. C) Manufactorias. D) Fabricados. 13) Which of the following is not a service that is being outsourced? A) Preparation of tax returnsB) Telephone support C) Reading of X-rays D) All of the activities above can be outsourced. 14) Which of the Asian outsourcing destination countries has the hig hest relative geopolitical risk? A) China B) Malaysia C) Philippines D) Thailand 15) Which of the following American outsourcing destination countries has the highest English proficiency? A) Argentina B) Brazil C) Costa Rica D) Mexico 16) Which of the following is a reason for companies to outsource business activities? A) To reduce time to market B) To increase process efficiencies C) To outsource noncore activities D) All of the above. 7) ________, the reversal of outsourcing to overseas locations, encompasses the use of locations closer to the home country in terms of geographical, political, linguistic, economic, or cultural distance. A) Inshoring. B) Nearshoring. C) Offshoring. D) Backshoring. 18) Which of the following is NOT considered a geoeconomic challenge of operating in a digital world? A) Demographic B) Expertise C) Time zone differences D) Internet access 19) The EU data protection directive is an example of which type of challenge? A) Political system B) Regulatory C) Data sharing D) Individual freedom 0) Differences in network infrastructures throughout the world are an example of which type of challenge? A) Internet access and individual freedom B) Infrastructure related reliability C) Regulatory D) Political system 21) ________ are government-imposed fees to regulate the flow of goods and services in and out of a country   A) Export regulations B) Embargoes C) Tariffs D) Quotas 22) A(n) ________ is a type of export regulation concerning the flow of goods and services, typically limiting (or prohibiting) trade with one particular country. A) export regulation B) embargo C) tariff D) quota 23) The U. S. overnment attempts to isolate the Cuban government economically using: A) export regulations. B) embargoes. C) tariffs. D) quotas. 24) ________ are directed at limiting the export of certain goods to other countries. A) Export regulations B) Embargoes C) Tariffs D) Quotas 25) Products such as missile or encryption technology underlie: A) expor t regulations. B) embargoes. C) tariffs. D) quotas. 26) ________ are regulations permitting foreign businesses to export only a certain number of products to a specific country. A) Export regulations B) Embargoes C) Tariffs D) Quotas 27) Foreign companies such as Toyota are producing goods in the U.S. to minimize the effect of:   A) export regulations. B) embargoes. C) tariffs. D) quotas. 28) The EU data protection directive limits: A) Internet freedom. B) personal rights to access data. C) transborder data flows. D) electronic commerce. 29) Which of the flowing countries is NOT considered â€Å"enemy of the Internet† by the â€Å"Reporters without Borders†? A) Belarus B) Thailand C) Vietnam D) North Korea 30) Which of the following outsourcing destinations has the lowest average annual salary for experienced programmers? A) India B) Philippines C) Malaysia D) China 31) Dimensions on which cultures differ include:A) uncertainty avoidance. B) concept of time. C) life focus. D) all of the above. 32) ________ is a cultural characteristic emphasizing the importance of the collective/group over the individual in society. A) Collectivism B) Power distance C) Uncertainty avoidance D) Group think 33) ________ is a cultural characteristic that reflects the extent to which a culture has a longer- or shorter-term orientation. A) Life focus B) Concept of time C) Time focus D) Punctuality 34) ________ is a cultural characteristic emphasizing the importance of the individual over the collective/group in society. A) Life focus B) IndividualismC) Selfishness D) Egocentrism 35) ________ is a cultural characteristic related to how different societies view authority and hierarchical structures. A) Power distance B) Obedience C) Obesity D) Authoritarianism 36) ________ reflects degree to which a society is characterized by masculine qualities, such as assertiveness, or by feminine characteristics, such as nurturance. A) Masculinity/femininity B) Assertiveness C) N urturance D) Life focus 37) ________ is a cultural characteristic related to the risk-taking nature of a culture. A) Risk aversion B) Uncertainty avoidance C) Fear of future consequences D) Risk seeking 8) ________ reflects the extent to which a culture focuses on the quantity versus the quality of life. A) Life focus B) Life center C) Quantity of life orientation D) Quality of life orientation 39) Which of the following countries ranks highest in individualism? A) Australia B) Austria C) Mexico D) Peru 40) Which of the following is most likely to be considered a domestic company? A) Insurance company B) Car manufacturer C) Consumer goods company D) Barber shop 41) A ________ business strategy is best suited for operation in markets differing widely. A) multidomestic B) global C) transnational D) All strategies are equally well suited. 2) Which of the following is a weakness of the multidomestic business strategy? A) Differing product offerings limit economies of scale B) Inability to react to local market conditions C) Difficult to manage D) Personnel overhead 43) Which of the following is a weakness of the global business strategy? A) Differing product offerings limit economies of scale B) Inability to react to local market conditions C) Difficult to manage D) Personnel overhead 44) Which of the following is a weakness of the transnational business strategy? A) Differing product offerings limit economies of scale B) Inability to react to local market conditionsC) Difficult to manage D) Personnel overhead 45) A multidomestic information systems strategy is characterized by ________ systems   A) centralized B) decentralized C) distributed D) homogeneous 46) A global information systems strategy is characterized by ________ systems   A) centralized B) decentralized C) distributed D) homogeneous 47) A transnational information systems strategy is characterized by ________ systems   A) centralized B) decentralized C) distributed D) homogeneous 48) A _______ _ information systems strategy is characterized by multiple networks between the home office and the subsidiaries.A) global B) transnational C) multinational D) hybrid 49) A ________ information systems strategy is characterized by local databases. A) global B) transnational C) multidomestic D) hybrid 50) A ________ information systems strategy is characterized by data sharing between the home office and the subsidiaries. A) global B) transnational C) multinational D) hybrid Chap 2: 1E 2D 3C 4A 5D 6A 7D 8A 9C 10A 11C 12B 13D 14C 15C 16D 17B 18D 19C 20B 21C 22B 23B 24A 25A 26D 27D 28C 29B 30A 31D 32A 33B 34B 35A 36A 37B 38A 39A 40D 41A 42A 43B 44C 45B 46A 47C 48A 49C 50A

Integrated design: Electric lawn mower Essay

INTRODUCTION Quality must be part of the design of a product not something that has to be based from an inspection done after the design. Quality means satisfying the requirements and needs of the customer. The focus of quality is to identify the customer requirements and to translate this into design constraints. QFD also takes into account what are the limits of hardware design based on existing or available resource or technology. All these requirements must be satisfied in order to produce a quality design. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM The purpose of this document is to apply the Quality Function Deployment (QFD) into the planning stage of a lawn mower design. This document seeks to answer the extension lead requirements of a lawn mower. The end result is the design concept of how to implement the lawn mower extension lead based on customer requirements and hardware constraints. DESIGN Identification of Requirements Using the data provided, the following customer and hardware requirements are generated. The design will then focus on satisfying these requirements. The customer requirements are the following: †¢ Electric Lawn Mower – Powered electrical energy instead of combustible fuel such as gasoline. †¢ Variable Length Flexible Lead – Since the size of the household that will use the electric lawn mower is variable, there is no definite fixed length of the flexible lead. The hardware constraints: †¢ The use of extension lead would render the to overcome the lack of length fixed mower lead the suppressor and earth breaker will not work efficiently, causing the disruption of power to the mower. Design Analysis The initial main requirement of the design is to make an electric lawn mower. One of the main obstacles of the design is the variable length flexible lead. The hardware requirement of inefficiency in the suppressor and earth breaker when using extension lead makes the extension lead not an option anymore. This leads into two possible solutions. 1. Use of the longest possible customer length requirement, to satisfy all needs. 2. Use of re-chargeable battery to remove the constraints of the need for variable length flexible lead to power the electric lawn mower. The length can be fixed just enough for charging the batteries. Analyzing the first requirement, to satisfy all the length requirements of flexible lead using the longest possible lead requirement seems to be the most cost effective solution. The problem is, this would also mean that the lawn mower will have to carry the weight added by the lengthy flexible lead. And to satisfy all requirements, this means that the flexible lead had to be considerable long. Considering the current requirements of a lawn mower, the flexible lead had to be relatively larger than average home extension wires. Just imagine how much weight this would produce. Therefore as a designer, this is not a good option. Analyzing the second requirement, which is now the remaining solution, we should be able to contrast the negative effects with the negative effects of the first solution. This therefore boils down to the weight issue. The lawn mower requires a considerable amount of power to run, therefore the battery has to be able to sustain sufficient operating time. The most viable battery would still be the lead-acid, otherwise it would be very effective, one standard automotive battery would surely not be enough. Looking at the power requirements, this should be calculated in detail based on the power requirements of the lawn mower. Since the power requirement of the lawn mower is not yet available at this level of conceptual design, we can make some estimate. Assuming the lawn mower consumes 3000 Watts of power, more than double for the average vacuum cleaner. Two hours of lawn mower operation is probably sufficient for as long as it can be recharge. At 12 V Lead-Acid battery, and 2 two-hours of operation would required the following ampere-hour requirements. Japanese standard car batteries could deliver up to 150*Ah, thus we can calculate the number of batteries So we need roughly four batteries. The weight of four batteries is still acceptable therefore this is a better solution compared to having the longest possible flexible lead. CONCLUSION The final solution presented based on QFD analysis of customer requirements yielded with a battery packed electric lawn mower. The battery is able to solve the flex lead requirement by just fixing the length to a relatively short distance enough for re-charging.

Global Business Essay

Today 6e by Charles W. L. Hill Chapter 1 Globalization Introduction In the world economy today, we see †¢ fewer self-contained national economies with high barriers to cross-border trade and investment †¢ a more integrated global economic system with lower barriers to trade and investment †¢ about $4 trillion in foreign exchange transactions taking place everyday †¢ (in 2012) over $18. 2 trillion of goods and some $3. 5 trillion of services being sold across national borders †¢ the establishment of international institutions ttp://www. ge. com/ http://www. ikea. com/ Chapter 1: Globalization Effects of globalization can be seen everywhere: †¢ the cars people drive †¢ the food people eat †¢ the jobs where people work †¢ the clothes people wear †¢ Chapter 1: Globalization WHAT IS GLOBALIZATION? †¢ Globalization refers to the shift towards a more integrated and interdependent world economy. Two key facets: †¢ the globalization of markets †¢ the globalization of production Chapter 1: Globalization The Globalization of Markets /14/2013 1 7 8 9 Globalization of markets: the fact that in many industries historically distinct and separate national markets are merging into one huge global marketplace in which the tastes and preferences of consumers in different nations are beginning to converge upon some global norm. Examples: – Smart Phones (iPhone, Android, etc. ) + Apps – Coca-Cola/ Starbucks- McDonald’s hamburgers – Apple iPad/ Samsung Tablet- IKEA furniture Chapter 1: Globalization The Globalization of Production Globalization of production: the tendency among many firms to source goods and services from different locations around the globe to take advantage of national differences in the cost and quality of factors of production (such as land, labor, capital, and energy), thereby allowing them to compete more effectively against their rivals. Examples:http://www. vizio. com/ BoeingLenovoVizio (B787: 65% outsourced) (design: US; case, keyboard, HD: Thailand; http://www. oeing. com/newairplane/display, memory: S. Korea; Wi-Fi: Malaysia; ass’y: Mex. ) http://www. lenovo. com/planetwide/select/selector. html Chapter 1: Globalization THE EMERGENCE OF GLOBAL INSTITUTIONS Global institutions: †¢ help manage, regulate, and police the global market place †¢ promote the establishment of multinational treaties to govern the global business system General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) after WWII Chapter 1: Globalization 2/14/2013 2

DNA

Long stands of double helical DNA can fit into the nucleus of a single cell because DNA is specially packaged through a series of compaction events to fit easily within cell nuclei. Even though the length of DNA per cell is about 100,000 times as long as the cell itself, it only takes up only about 10 percent of the cell’s volume. The DNA molecule, in order to condense, wraps itself around groups of histone proteins, and then the chromatin folds back on it, nucelosomes pack together to create a compact, protein-coated fiber, and the fiber coils to shorten further into an extended chromosome. Finally, the coiled fiber organizes into loops coming from a central axis, creating a condensed, X-shaped chromosome. 2.Why is a sport drink used to collect the cheek cells instead of water? Sports drink which is saline solution contains sodium chloride which makes the solution compatible with osmotic environment of the cells. The sports drink prevents the cells from breaking open and releasing their DNA before they are collected. If water was used, it would be hypotonic to the cells causing them osmosis and eventually burst. 3.What does the cell lysis solution do to the cells’ membranes? It dissolves the phospholipids bilayer of cell membrane by forming water soluble complexes with them 4.How does the DNA in the cell lysate become visible?  It becomes visible when ethanol is added. Since DNA is insoluble in ethanol, it cannot be incorporated into the liquids. Ethanol hits the cell lysate which cause the DNA to precipitate out of the solution, forming a cloud of stringy fibers at where ethanol and cell lysate meet. 5.Why can you see the extracted DNA with the naked eye?  I can see the extracted DNA with the naked

The Best SAT Flashcards How to Make and Use Them

The Best SAT Flashcards How to Make and Use Them SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Studying for the new 2016 SAT and struggling to remember specific concepts? Flashcards might be a great study resource for you! Flashcards can help you memorize the information you need to know. In this guide, I’ll explain how to make SAT flashcards for vocabulary and math formulas and how to study with the flashcards you make. An important disclaimer before we start: I don’t suggest using flashcardsas your only method ofpreparation for the SAT; they should only really be used for memorizing SAT vocabulary and math formulas. Keep in mind that on the new SAT,vocabulary only accounts for 20% of the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section questions,and it's all tested in the context of the passages. While flashcards are useful for preparing for those questions as well as memorizing Math formulas, theywon’t help you learn the SAT strategies. To really improve your score, you'll need to focus on learning test strategies and taking practice tests. Feature image credit: Deb Stgo/Flickr Why You Should Make Your Own SAT Flashcards I suggest creating your SAT flashcards by hand instead of buying pre-made SAT flashcards or creating online flashcards (using a website like Quizlet). By making your own flashcards by hand, you'll start to learn the information before you even start using the flashcards.I recommend writing them out by hand because rather than creating online flashcards because when you create the flashcards online, you’ll likely end up just copying and pasting information onto the flashcards without taking the time to read the information.Making physical flashcards will require that you read and transcribe all of the material, which means you'll start to learn the material as you go. If you don’t have a lot of time to prepare, you can download our 200 free printable SAT flashcards.But, again, if you have the time, I strongly recommend making your own physical flashcards. Creating SAT Vocabulary Flashcards When creating your vocabulary flashcards for the new 2016 SAT,since the SAT is becoming more like the ACT (testing vocabulary in context instead of using sentence completion questions), I suggest using ACT vocabulary words to study instead of using old SAT vocabulary lists.Use our PrepScholar ACT list, which teaches 150 medium-difficulty words, many with multiple meanings. If you’re still struggling with vocabulary after making those flashcards and want supplementary material, check out this 100-word list from Scholastic, which pulled SAT/ACT words from one of their student magazines. Again, it focuses on less-obscure words that often have multiple meanings. When creating the flashcards, write the word itself on one side of the card and the definition on the back.In addition to the definition, you must write an example of how to use the word in context, and if there are multiple definitions for the word, write an example of how to use the word in context for each definition. I’ll use the first word from our PrepScholar ACT list, "adhere," as an example. On the front of your flashcard, write: adhere On the back of your flashcard write: Definition: 1. stick completely to a surface or substance 2. believe in and follow the practices of Example: 1. I used the glue to adhere the picture to the poster. 2. The monkadhered to all of the principles of Buddhism. Why do you need to write an example using the word in context? As I said before, on the new 2016 SAT, you’ll no longer be tested on vocabulary through fill-in-the-blank type questions.Instead, the new SAT asks you to identify the meaning of vocabulary in context. Knowing the definition of the word is vital to understanding and answering the question asked, but typically the exact meaning of the word isn’t asked about directly. In other words, it's less about the vocabulary itself and more about how the vocabulary fits with the words around them.For example, on the new SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section, you could be asked the following: In line 84, â€Å"adhere† most nearly means to stick to a surface to dive into to follow the practices of to acknowledge as correct Both A and C are definitions of adhere, so simply memorizing the definition will not help you answer the question.Line 38 read, â€Å"the priest adhered to Catholicism.†Knowing the definitions of adhere AND picking up on the context clues, you’d realize the correct answer is C. The answer can’t be A because the priest did not physically stick himself to a surface. The answer is C because the priest follows the practices of Catholicism. This question shows why it’s criticalto not only include definitions on your flashcards but also to include an example sentence using the word in context.If you’re struggling to come up with examples yourself (or are afraid of using the word improperly in context), I suggest conducting a Google Search for â€Å"[Word] definition.†Usually, that’ll bring up the definitions along with examples of the word used in context. For example, I searched for â€Å"adhere definition† and found this result with examples for both definitions of the word used in a sentence. Once you finish creating your SAT vocabulary flashcards, make flashcards for the SAT Math formulas. Creating SAT Math Flashcards On the SAT Math section, you're given nine mathformulas and two geometry laws. However, there are many more math formulas you need to knowbecause there are many questions you won’t be able to answer without knowing these additional formulas. When creating your SAT Math flashcards, I recommend using our list of 21 Critical SAT Math Formulas You Must Know. This list also tells you the formulas you DON’T need to memorize(since some are given to you on the SAT test). When making your flashcards, write the name of the formula on the front and the actual formula on the back.Also on the back, write what each variable in the formula stands for and the definition of the formula/concept.I’ll use the first formula (not provided on the SAT) from our list of 21 Critical SAT Math Formulas you must know as an example. On the frontside of my card, I'd write: midpoint formula On the back, I’d write: Given two points A $(x_1, y_1)$ and B $(x_2, y_2)$, use the midpoint formula to find the exact middle point of a line that connects point A and B (the point will be equidistant from points A and B and will be in between the two). Formula: midpoint = $((x_1 + x_2)/2) , ((y_1 + y_2)/2)$ Also, include what the variables stand for in order to remember the significance of the formula and how to use it.If you only memorize $x_1$, $y_1$, $x_2$, and $y_2$, on the day of the test, you may totally forget what $y$ and $x$ mean in the formula. Don’t memorize formulas as a bunch of random variables. Memorize the formula, formula definition, and what each part of the formula stands for, so you’ll be prepared to use the formula to answer questions. How to Study With Your SAT Flashcards Now that you have your SAT flashcards, how should you use them? At PrepScholar, we recommend the waterfall method to study flashcards.This technique requires you to focus on the words/formulas you don't know, while not wasting your time on the concepts you do know.The waterfall method was developed from a proven memorization method called Spaced Repetition.I’ll give a brief overview of the method, but check out our other article for a more in-depth explanation of the waterfall method. Start with 20-50 flashcards.I recommend studying the math formulas and Vocabulary separately, so you don’t get confused jumping between different subjects. Create a math formula pile with 21 cards. Then, create three piles of 50 vocabulary cards each (using the 150-wordPrepScholar ACT list). If you decide to use an additional vocabulary list, create additional Vocabulary piles. Go through onepile, looking at the word or formula name. If you know the definition or formula immediatelyput it in a â€Å"Know It† pile. If you couldn’t remember it immediately(or at all), put it in a â€Å"Struggled† pile.After going through all of the flashcards in the original, you'll have twopiles: a "Know It" pile a "Struggled" pile Pick up the â€Å"Struggled† pile and test yourself again. This time, create a new â€Å"Know It† pile and â€Å"Struggled† pile for these flashcards. You should now have three piles: the original â€Å"Know It† pile the new â€Å"Know It† pile the new â€Å"Struggled" pile Keep repeating this exercise (using the â€Å"Struggled† pile and separating into new â€Å"Know It† and â€Å"Struggled† piles) until you have five or fewerwords or formulas left in the â€Å"Struggled† pile. Now, combine the remaining â€Å"Struggled† pile with the most recent â€Å"Know It† pile. Test yourself on all of the words/formulas until you don’t get a single one wrong. If you get one wrong, restart the pile until you get zero wrong. Once you’ve mastered all of those concepts, add in the next highest â€Å"Know It† pile, and test yourself on all of those concepts until you don't get a single one wrong. Keep repeating until you have all of your original 20-50 cards in one stack, and once you go through that stack without making a single mistake, you’ll officially know every concept in that stack!Move on to the next stack, repeating the same method. How Much Time Should You Spend Studying Flashcards? While flashcards are helpful for the SAT, you shouldn’t spend all of your time studying these flashcards. I'd recommend spending at most 5% of your total SAT study time (two hours if you're following ourrecommendation of studying about40 hours for the SAT). Knowing vocabulary definitions and math formulas isn't enough to help you reach a high score on the SAT. As I said before, the new 2016 SAT only tests vocabwords in the context of sentences, and although knowing formulas is important for the math, you can answer the majority of the questions with only the ones provided to you. Flashcards should be just one small part of your SAT study plan.You need to be learning other new SAT strategies, learning the content of each section on the new SAT, and taking SAT practice tests to practice applying these strategies. What’s Next? Concerned about the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section on the new SAT? Learn more about the section changes and strategies. Looking for more general new SAT prep help? Check out these guides on how to study for the new 2016 SAT and on how to figure out what’s a good new 2016 SAT score for your target school. Want to improve your SAT score by 240 points?We have the industry's leading SAT prep program. Built by Harvard grads and SAT full scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so you get the most effective prep possible. Check out our 5-day free trial today:

Data analysis on Apple Inc

Data analysis on Apple Inc Abstract Apple Inc. is a company that deals with mobile electronic devices. It was founded by Steve Jobs. The company uses the Apple brand to market its products and compete in the highly competitive global business environment. Some of the areas that this company deals with include: the manufacture of personal computers, notably the Macintosh line of computers and other consumer electronics such as the iPod and iPhone.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Data analysis on Apple Inc specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The company has a heavy presence in the consumer electronics products industry and has done its best to remain the top brand in this industry. Over the years, one of the branding strategies that this company has used has been the creation of innovative products. This has kept the company ahead of its competitors and has helped it cut a niche for itself in the competitive global business environment. Wh en a company wants to do a brand promotion, a multi-product strategy is usually adopted. This means that the name of the company is used as the common name under which all the products of that particular company are being marketed. Apple Inc. is one of the companies that have chosen to direct its energies towards branding its corporate name instead of focusing on individual products that it manufactures. Introduction Apple Inc. is a renowned electronics company based in the US. The company is involved in the designing and selling of electronics, computers and computer software. Finding a niche in the competitive business environment globally is not a cheap and easy venture (Alan, 2000). Companies globally are increasingly becoming aware of the importance of corporate branding to any business enterprise. Branding basically involves distinguishing a company’s goods and services from the rest in the market through the creation of exceptional identity and position of these produc ts in the competitive business environment. Apple Inc. is one of the corporations that have identified the value of branding of its products and uses it to create a distinction between its products and those of its competitors in the market. This paper shall look into the branding strategies of Apple Inc. as well as the advantages and disadvantages of these strategies. An analysis of this company using secondary data shall then be provided and recommendations given. Methodology The information in this paper has been gathered from secondary sources. These include books and articles by other writers based on prior research. Only information about branding strategies of Apple Inc. and the advantages and disadvantages of these strategies has been used. A SWOT analysis of this company has been done using these secondary sources.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Branding strategies of Apple Inc A Store Just for Apple As a strategy for branding, Apple Inc. opened stores that only deal with its products only (Apple’s Competitive Strategy, 2011). This has helped this company to set its unique products apart from the rest that are in the same business environment. The stores are customer friendly and customers have the opportunity to explore some of the technology that Apple Inc. offers. This move has helped the company create loyal customers. Offering complete solutions Apple Inc. products come in packages that complement one another. Moreover, the products complete one another (Kahney, 2002). This means that most of the programs that Apple Inc. products need are also produced by the same company. The customer does not have to struggle looking for these programs elsewhere. Solutions for most of their needs when dealing with Apple Inc. products are also provided by the same company. Advertising strategies While promoting its products, Ap ple Inc. tries as much as possible to identify with everything that is young, smart and trendy (Dairymple, 2008). For example, the company ran a campaign dabbed ‘I’m a mac’, which depicted ‘a mac guy’ as one who is young and bold. This attracts many people because everyone would like to identify with whatever is young, smart and trendy. Manufacture of varied products Due to the high cost of buying some Apple Inc. products, such as Apple computers, the company has diversified its products to come up with products that are not as costly as the computers. Customers who are not able to buy high cost products such as the computers are able to buy products such as iPod, which they can afford (Seeking Alpha, 2011). This provides the customers with an opportunity to sample some of the Apple Inc. products. This also makes it easier for the customers to consider buying the high cost products such as the computers when they are in need because they have confide nce in the Apple brands. Selling of products used in the education sector Apple Inc. sells most of its products to education institutions. Young people in schools and universities are introduced to Apple Inc. products at a tender age. When these students desire to buy their own electronics in future, chances of buying apple products are very high. This is because the students feel more comfortable using the products that they have used all along while in school than buying new brands that they are not familiar with (Inside CRM Editors, 2008.). Apple Inc. is therefore able to capture customers, who are very young. The company retains most of its customers after their first purchase.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Data analysis on Apple Inc specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Manufacture of products that always deliver Before Apple Inc. manufactures any of its products, an extensive research is done to identify the needs of the customers (Rosenthal, 2011). This helps in ensuring that the company manufactures products that meet the needs of the customers, resulting to high customer satisfaction. This also makes the customers happy and willing to buy products from this company in future, because they are assured that their needs are going to be met. Consistency in manufacture of the products Apple Inc. is very consistent in the way it manufactures its products. This means that all the new products that are developed follow the same basic architectural structure. person who is conversant with any of the Apple Inc. products has some basic knowledge of what to expect whenever they are buying a product from this company. A person who has prior knowledge of Apple products adapts to new hardware from this company more easily than one who has never interacted with the company’s products. Consequently, such people are likely to make repeat purchase. New innovations Apple Inc. products are in novative and diverse (Jeffrey William, 2005). This gives the customers an opportunity enjoy the services of Apple Inc. products in various locations and at their convenience. It is possible for consumers to have variety of products, ranging from those that can be used in the office, at home of even while one is away from these places. Manufacture of attractive products Apple Inc. manufactures products that are colorful and generally attractive to the users. The use of smiling icons, as well as bright colors, makes the products look attractive and appealing to the customers. Advantages of branding of Apple There are immense benefits experienced by Apple Inc. as a result of their branding strategy. One of the advantages that Apple Inc. has as a result of branding is having a platform where new products can be launched in future. Due to superior branding that this company has created, consumers are likely to buy products because they are viewed by many as an epitome of technological s uperiority and modernity (OGrady, 2009). Through branding, Apple Inc. has been able to differentiate its products from the rest in the market, in terms of the quality and value of the products. These products are usually identified with positive factors, such as being of high quality, trendy and reliable, among other qualities.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This positive brand image has helped the company to sell the existing products to the customers easily and introduce and sell new products without struggle. Apple Inc. relies mostly on the corporate name that it has created and the unique products brands it offers to market its products. Disadvantages High costs One of the major disadvantages of branding is the high costs involved in advertising. In order for a company to set up a local or an international brand, a lot of time and resources are needed. There are high costs incurred in issues related to public relations, advertising and in offering exceptional customer care service. This is because; it takes a lot of time to create a brand name both locally and internationally. During this time, a lot of advertisement is required, since a brand name cannot be created within a short period or by running a few advertisements (Miller, Vandome McBrewster, 2009). The adverts should continue being aired, even during economic turndowns, in order to avoid giving competitors a loophole that they can use to outdo Apple Inc. Brand image The brand image can also be a disadvantage to a company. If a brand becomes associated with a particular person, their departure, either due to natural causes such as death, or if they willingly walk out of the company, can affect the brand image. For example, when there were rumors that Steve Jobs, the founder and chairman of Apple Inc, was on the verge of death due to cancer, most of the people sought to withdraw their shares from the company. This was a big blow to the brand image of Apple Inc. Poor customer service The issue of poor customer service by retailers is also a disadvantage to branding of Apple Inc. This arises when the retailers fail to treat customers well. Even though the company has done its best to create a good brand image both locally and internationally, such ill treatment can cause customer dissatisfaction, which may be detrimental to the brand image (Morgan, 2011) . Recall of products Issues with the manufactured products that may lead to the recall of the products may also be dangerous to the brand image. This may cause customers to lose their trust in Apple products, regardless of the long time that the company has taken to create a positive brand image. Moreover, recall of the already manufactured products would mean that the company has to incur more costs, which may lead to the company registering losses for that period. SWOT analysis of Apple Inc Strengths This is a very successful company that has high sales of electronics such as iPod, iPhone and the Macintosh computers. It is also one of the established brands in the manufacture of electronics (A2Z Everything, 2010). Most of its customers are loyal. Apple Inc. is also able to attract new customers and retain them. This means that the company is able to sell the existing products to these customers easily, as well as introduced new products to them without much struggle. Weaknesses So me of the products were reported to be faulty (Linzmayer, 1999). For example, the Apple iPod Nano was reported to have faulty screen, something which couldcause customer dissatisfaction. In addition, some of the iPod produced previously had faulty batteries and the company had to give its customers other batteries. Opportunities There is an opportunity for Apple Inc. to develop the iTunes that they currently offer into another more convenient format such as the mobile phone. This would increase its sales, as well as meeting the needs of many users of the Apple products. Threats The greatest threat to leading IT producers such as Apple Inc is the stiff competition that exists in this industry. Being a leader in this industry, Apple Inc has attracted a lot of competitors. This means that the company has to remain vigilant always and be innovative in order to stay ahead of its competitors. The high product substitution that is on the rise with new inventions is also a threat to this co mpany. In the recent past, the CDs and Vinyl were some of the leaders in the music industry. However, the MP3 and iPods are the ones reigning currently. With these changing trends, one is never sure what to expect in the IT industry. Recommendations Apple Inc. should consider co-branding, as a way of reducing on the costs incurred in branding. Co-branding involves a joint venture of branding that is done by several companies. In addition to reducing the costs for branding, co-branding allows easier market penetration. However, if Apple Inc. is to adopt this method, it should be ready to share the credit with the rest of the companies because co-branding usually has a dilutive effect. Moreover, a negative brand image of one of the companies involved in co-branding is likely to affect the brand image of the other companies involved in the joint venture. Apple Inc. should try as much as possible not to have a single person who is associated with the brand. This would help minimize any negative brand image that may arise if any person leaves that company. This is also important in protecting the brand image, in case one of the people in the company is surrounded by negative events, which may ruin the reputation of the brand when the brand is associated with such a person (King, 2011). Extensive monitoring should also be done to ensure that the brand image is not tarnished by outsiders, who may try to use the brand name for their own selfish gains. Conclusion Apple Inc. is one of the leading producers of IT products. It has managed to create a niche for itself in the global business environment through branding. However, this has come with advantages and disadvantages that the company has to cope with. A SWOT analysis of the company reveals some of the major strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that the company faces. Reference List Alan, D., 2000. The Second Coming of Steve Jobs. Chicago: Broadway. Apple’s Competitive Strategy., 2011. Apple†™s Competitive Strategy. [Online] Available at: mannmuseum.com/apple-s-competitive-strategy/ A2Z Everything. 2010. SWOT Analysis- Apple. [Online] Available at: http://mgmt280.blogspot.com/2010/01/swot-analysis-apple.html Dairymple, J., 2008. Analysts: Apple brand benefits from Idol deal. [Online] Available at: macworld.com/article/132225/2008/02/idol_analysis.html Inside CRM Editors. 2008. 11 Effective Strategies Apple Uses to Create Loyal  Customers. [Online] Available at: insidecrm.com/features/strategies-apple-loyal-customers/ Jeffrey, S. Y., William, L. S., 2005. iCon Steve Jobs: The Greatest Second Act in the  History of Business. New Jersey: John Wiley Sons. Kahney, L., 2002. Apple: Its All About the Brand. [Online] Available at: wired.com/gadgets/mac/commentary/cultofmac/2002/12/56677 King, R., 2011. Jobs departure wont diminish Apples brand. [Online] Available at: zdnet.com/blog/btl/jobs-departure-wont-diminish-apples-brand/56082 Linzmayer, O., 1999. Apple confid ential: the real story of Apple Computer, Inc. California: No Starch Press. Miller, F., Vandome, A., McBrewster, J., 2009. Apple Inc.: Apple Inc.. History of  Apple, Apple Inc. Saarbrà ¼cken: Alphascript Publishing. Morgan, R., 2011. Disadvantages in Branding  [Online] Available at: ehow.com/info_8278424_disadvantages-branding.html OGrady, J., 2009. How Apple Inc. Changed the World. India: Jaico Publishing House. Rosenthal, M., 2011. Advantages Disadvantages of Apple Computers. [Online] Available at: ehow.com/about_5439348_advantages-disadvantages-apple-computers.html Seeking Alpha., 2011. Apples Branding Strategy Delivers Superior Results. [Online] Available at: http://seekingalpha.com/article/74064-apple-s-branding-strategy-delivers-superior-results

21st Century Education Essays

21st Century Education Essays 21st Century Education Essay 21st Century Education Essay We want stronger relationships with their instructors. with each other and with their communities locally. provincially. nationally and globally We want instructors to cognize how we learn. to take into history what we understand and what we misunderstand and use this cognition as a get downing topographic point to steer our continued acquisition. We want to be able to work with others in the schoolroom. online and in our community. We want to be able to pick up our information anyplace. anytime We want indepth acquisition. We need feedback in clip to assist us larn and in clip do something about it. This literary chef-doeuvre has the best description of the students/learners of the twenty-first century. They have so many conditions and aspirations with respects to their learning procedure. This will besides assist the instructors of the twenty-first century to be ready and bear with these conditions of the leaners. TREATING MY Student I treat each of my pupils every bit. giving them a opportunity to take duty for their ain acquisition. express themselves. and larn at their ain gait. I besides encourage them to make collaboratively that can advance non merely teamwork. but besides healthy competition. I believe my biggest invention is giving pupils a opportunity to demo their abilities and to work in coaction in a technology-integrated and cultural acquisition environment. I will besides see their single acquisition manners. The followers are some tips that should be see in handling our pupils in a nice and good manner. Let pupils take their wagess. Make a list of acceptable wagess for first-class public presentation. either for single pupils or the category as a whole. and allow your pupils communally make up ones mind how they want to be rewarded. This will assist do certain that the wages is an existent inducement. instead than merely something you’ve pushed on them that doesn’t actuate them to work harder. Don’t see failure. see chance. When a pupil has made a error. don’t portray it that manner. Don’t see it as a failure and don’t allow them see it as a failure. Show them that it is a learning experience. a manner for them to see how wrong consequences are achieved. Let them seek once more and gently demo them how to make it right. Remember. don’t say wrong . Say close or good try . Remember that a accomplishment learned through test and mistake will be much stronger than one which a pupil may merely acquire right on accident or through agencies they don’t to the full understand. Make them experience alone and needed. Acknowledge and appreciate each pupil separately. for the qualities which make them alone and fantastic human existences. Promote those qualities. You should besides do each pupil feel like they have something to offer and lend. This will raise their assurance and assist them to happen their proper way in life. Acknowledge their attempts. Even if pupils make lone occasional. little attempts. those attempts need to be acknowledged and appreciated. State them when they’ve done a good occupation. separately. and intend it. Don’t be sponsoring. be appreciative. If they’ve worked peculiarly difficult. honor them. Give regard. It is highly of import to esteem your pupils. It doesn’t affair if they’re alumnus pupils working on a doctorial thesis or preschoolers: handle them like intelligent. capable human existences. Respect that they have thoughts. emotions. and lives that extend beyond your schoolroom. Treat them with self-respect and they will widen the same to you. Teaching MY Student One can’t believe impossible things. I daresay you haven’t had much pattern. said the Queen. When I was your age I ever did it for half-an-hour a twenty-four hours. Why. sometimes I’ve believed every bit many as six impossible things before breakfast. Lewis Carroll. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland Your Assignment. Should You Choose to Accept It. . . Like Alice. many pedagogues. policy shapers and even the general public respond resoundingly with That’s impossible! when challenged to follow a new paradigm of instruction for the twenty-first century. Most people today adhere to a paradigm of instruction that is purely nineteenth century. But. like the Queen. a turning figure of pedagogues are believing in and carry throughing the impossible . Scott McLeod. in his web log. Dangerously Irrelevant. late reminded us of a line from Mission Impossible. and we must use that challenge to all of society. Your assignment. should you take to accept it is to take instruction genuinely into the twenty-first century. It is non adequate to state that we are already populating at that place. Technically it is the twenty-first century. but our schools are non at that place. and our challenge now is to reinvent schools for the twenty-first century – for the interest of our kids. our pupils and the public assistance of our universe. Making such a paradigm displacement is non easy. After all. when any of us thinks of instruction. we normally think of what we knew as school – the manner it has ever been. That is how parents. policy shapers. politicians and many pupils think of school. But we have to do the paradigm displacement to twenty-first century instruction. So what is twenty-first century instruction? It is bold. It breaks the cast. It is flexible. originative. disputing. and complex. It addresses a quickly changing universe filled with antic new jobs every bit good as exciting new possibilities. Fortunately. there is a turning organic structure of research back uping an increasing figure of twenty-first century schools. We have populating cogent evidence. animating illustrations to follow. in schools across the United States. These schools vary. but are united in the basicss of twenty-first century instruction – see Critical Attributes of twenty-first Century Education and Multiple Literacies for the twenty-first Century. Scott McLeod has issued the challenge of making a program to acquire us from here to there . I feel that its about clip that person address’s the issues that face many pupils in the twenty-first century. The twenty-first century is a great topographic point ; a dynamic topographic point that is germinating to the point where no 1 can foretell what the universe will be like in the old ages to come. Technology drives our planet and everyday we are acquiring closer and closer to happening the solutions to many of life’s jobs. Society itself is altering in the sense that there is no longer one route to success. The chances that are out at that place do it possible for the mundane single to do a difference in his community with nil more than the laptop in his book back and the diligence to do his dreams possible. The success of these persons is mostly due to the connectivity and will of the mundane adult male. The Internet is an unfastened web where people portion information that they feel would do life easier. information that would interrupt down the walls that s tand in our manner. The issue being with all this information and pupils in the twenty-first century is that we are still populating in the good old yearss. Our schools train us to go through but non to stand out. Thingss like funding prevent schools from researching Fieldss that are revolutionising our universe. Our pupils are the 1s who pay the monetary value for life in a universe that believes we can populate in a universe that ignores the alterations being made. That in good clip our pupils will larn to accommodate to the alterations and manage it all on their ain. But that isn’t the instance. We are contending two conflicts that are invariably rushing to the top: 1 that promotes the simple life and the other that promotes alteration. Both sides have their pros and both sides have their cons. But something demands to be done. We have to happen a manner to learn our pupils the basicss while fixing them for a universe that is driven by engineering. Purpose and coaction is all it will take to s upply our pupils with the way needed to be successful in the twenty-first century. It’s difficult to believe but experiences is cardinal to learning pupils in the 21st century. As adults we can understand what these pupils are traveling through. We know what it feels like to be a pupil at that age and the hardships they face. Therefore wouldn’t it do more sense to learn these pupils non to do the same error we made as pupils. To learn them how to face the challenges we one time faced and what to make otherwise when that clip comes. But in a universe where money restricts what we are able to carry through. it seems about impossible to make this. Support prevents the mundane school from advancing categories in Fieldss that are revolutionising our universe. Funding stops our schools from holding up to day of the month stuffs. And support is what will stultify the universe we live in. An efficient solution must be found that eliminate the dollar mark that stands in the manner of these schools. in the manner of these pupils. Technology is one solution to t his job. The chief intent of engineering is to contrive something that provides a new or better manner of making something ; something that is cost efficient and provides room for enlargement. These are the tools we should be fiting our pupils with. It would supply them with the same instruction they are acquiring from the text editions they are so used to. The books will go on to be but will no longer be the lone resource our pupils are exposed to. The logic behind learning pupils with engineering in the twenty-first century is that engineering entreaties more to pupils in a universe driven by engineering. The mean pupil knows what a computing machine is. is portion of a societal web of some kind. and has used engineering to assist them make something in their mundane lives. It would therefore do perfect sense to utilize what they use so much as a instruction tool. Technology isn’t merely entertaining ; it’s besides educational. Hundreds of tutorials are out at that place and mundane new and better plans are being created. The people themselves who make these plans made them with the exclusive intent of provide an easier. better manner of making something. They are discoverers. applied scientists. and they’re besides instructors. They’re people who saw a job and found a solution. These are the type of people we should be actuating our pupils to be like. We should be learning our pupil non to accept t hings the manner they are but the manner they should be. Purpose is another important component when it comes to learning pupils in the twenty-first century. The tools being used will hold no consequence if there is no purpose behind their usage. Teaching in the twenty-first century is therefore a dynamic procedure. There isn’t a simple reply in footings of how to learn in the twenty-first century. It requires creativeness and resourcefulness non found in the simple life style we are learning our pupils to populate in. The intent behind learning in the twenty-first century would be to happen easier. more dynamic ways of learning pupils with higher ends and outlooks. Motivating pupils to be the best they can be and demoing them how to work towards that end. That things such as money. fright. and uncertainties shouldn’t be the ground to make the lower limit but should alternatively remind us that as a pupil in the twenty-first century you should be good rounded and resourceful ; ready to take whatever life throws at you. As a pupil in the twenty-first century you have to retrieve that you do non stand entirely ; that coaction is a cardinal and really powerful component in this thought of learning pupils in the twenty-first century with engineering. As a drive force the possibilities are endless. The community facet and project-based acquisition that comes with learning in the twenty-first century is what will supply the immense turnout in pupils who excel non merely in the schoolroom. but besides in life. Collaboration is what makes this window of chance possible. It teaches pupils how to work together and provides them with existent universe experience. Collaboration helps a pupil see that the life isn’t all about endurance of the fittest but set uping connexions and utilizing the connectivity available to bring forth consequences and motivate alteration. This is what makes learning in the twenty-first century with engineering different from through the simple life and the belief that go thro ughing is more of import than stand outing. Neither thought is perfect. At the terminal of the twenty-four hours it all comes down to the pupils. The information we provide and the influence we are able to do is what will finally make up ones mind what our pupils are able to carry through. The usage of engineering and the deduction of twenty-first century accomplishments in a universe driven by engineering is what unfastened Windowss of chances to pupils all across the Earth. Students in the twenty-first century are good cognizant of the hardships they face ; so cognizant that they would fear taking a opportunity and pursing Fieldss where they might non mensurate up. Our schools push this thought frontward alternatively of carrying pupils to prosecute these celebrated callings. What pupils in the twenty-first century demand is way and alteration. We need existent universe experience that proves to that there is a manner and that accepting things the manner they are is accepting licking. If you want to see the hereafter of instruction. don’t watch kids in the mean schoolroom. Watch kids play a picture game. You’ll see them engaged. excited. interacting. and learning- even if it’s merely about how to acquire to the following degree of the game. Because of their submergence in this computerized universe. kids absorb information otherwise from their parents. Alternatively of following information passively from get downing to end- as people tend to make with telecasting shows. newspapers. and books- children interact with the new engineerings. Schools now have an chance to use the information engineerings that are so effectual outside the schoolroom for educational intents. Taking advantage of these new engineerings will necessitate profound alterations in the functions of instructors. pupils. and schools. Alternatively of being the depository of cognition. instructors will be ushers who help pupils to voyage through electronically accessible information. They will utilize the new engineerings to construct webs with each other. with parents and pupils. with academic and industrial experts. and with other professionals. Turning chance into world requires four of import alterations: Industry must develop educational devices from relatively low-price game hardware and package. thereby dramatically take downing the costs of educational engineering. Communities and authorities should include technological alteration when puting the docket for systemic alteration in instruction. Software-makers must bind the content of their merchandises to quality information and to the national instruction criterions as they are implemented. Teachers must have extended preparation in how to utilize emerging information engineerings. Computers will non work out all the jobs of instruction ; many hard issues will stay. But the new information engineerings provide an unprecedented chance to review how we educate our kids.

Sample Application Essay for College Admissions

Sample Application Essay for College Admissions The sample application essay below was written by Felicity for personal essay option #4 of the pre-2013 Common Application: Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure, or a creative work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that has had an influence on you, and explain that influence. With the current Common Application, the essay could work well for essay option #1  that asks students to share a story about something that is central to their identity. Note that Felicitys essay is from before the Common Application implemented the current 650-word length limit. Felicitys College Application Essay PorkopolisIn the South, where I grew up, pork is a vegetable. Actually, it’s used as a â€Å"seasoning,† but so commonly that it’s almost impossible to find salad without bacon, greens without fatback, white beans free of pinkish shreds of ham. It was difficult for me, then, when I decided to become a vegetarian. The decision itself, made for the usual reasons of health, ethics and ecological conservation, was easy; putting it into practice, however, was another matter. At every restaurant, every school lunch, every church potluck, every family gathering, there was meat- in the entrà ©e, the sides, the condiments. I suspected even innocent-seeming pie crusts of secretly harboring lard.Eventually I worked out a system: I brought my own lunches to school, asked servers about the broth used in the soup of the day, avoided the usual suspects of beans and greens. This system worked well enough in public, but at home, I faced the challenge of respecting my parents and harmoniously sharing meals with them. They were excellent cooks, both of them, and I had always enjoyed the country-fried steaks, burgers and ribs they’d served to me for so many years- how could I now say â€Å"no† to those delicacies without angering or inconveniencing them, or, worse, hurting their feelings?I couldn’t. And so, I backslid. I’d manage to live a pure, meatless life for a few weeks, subsisting on pasta and salads. Then, Dad would grill an especially juicy teriyaki-marinated flank steak, look at me hopefully, and offer a slice- and I would accept. I’d mend my ways, steam rice and stir-fry snow peas with mushrooms . . . and crumble at the first whiff of the Thanksgiving turkey roasting in the oven and the proud smile on my mother’s face. My noble goals, it seemed, were doomed.But then, I found a role model, one who demonstrated to me that I could live without meat and still be a functioning member of society, eschew my parents ’ pork chops and fried chicken without giving offense. I wish I could say that I was inspired by one of history’s great artists like Leonardo da Vinci, or a leader and inventor like Benjamin Franklin, but no. My inspiration was Lisa Simpson.Let me pause here to acknowledge how absurd it is to be inspired by an animated sitcom character, albeit one as smart and together as Lisa. Yet it was the very absurdity of feeling, somehow, moved by Lisa’s resolve and strength of character, her refusal to compromise her beliefs, that convinced me I could follow her example. In the pivotal episode, Lisa is tortured by visions of the lamb whose chops provide her family’s dinner. â€Å"Please, Lisa, don’t eat me!† the imaginary lamb implores her. She is moved by ethics, yet almost breaks her resolution when Homer prepares a pig roast and is hurt by his daughter’s refusal to partake. Like me, Lisa is torn between her convictions and her fear of disapp ointing her father (not to mention the undeniable deliciousness of pork). But she manages to explain her beliefs to Homer and show him that her rejection of meat is not a rejection of him- that she can share his table and his love while still living according to her principles.Again, I admit- as inspirations go, this one is a little ridiculous. No imaginary lamb-conscience spoke to me, and unlike Lisa, I was not able to celebrate my vegetarian lifestyle by triumphantly singing with Quickie-Mart manager Apu and guest stars Paul and Linda McCartney. But seeing the very obstacles that stymied me being overcome by a yellow-skinned, spiky-haired caricature was so silly that my difficulties, too, seemed silly. â€Å"Well heck,† I thought, â€Å"if Lisa Simpson- a cartoon character, for heaven’s sake- can stick to her guns, then so can I.†So I did. I told my parents that I had decided to really commit myself to vegetarianism, that this was not a passing phase, that I was not judging or seeking to convert them, but that this was simply something I had decided for myself. They agreed, perhaps a bit patronizingly, but as the months went on and I continued to forego the chicken in my fajitas and the sausage gravy on my biscuits, they became more supportive. We worked together on compromise. I took on a larger role in preparing the meals, and reminded them to please use vegetable stock in the potato soup and to reserve a separate pot of plain spaghetti sauce before adding the ground beef. When we attended a potluck, we made sure that one of the dishes we brought was a meatless entrà ©e, so that I would be guaranteed at least one edible dish at the pork-laden table.I did not tell my parents, or anyone else, that Lisa Simpson had helped me say no, forever, to eating meat. Doing so would cast the decision, one that many teenagers passionately make for a few months and then abandon, in the light of well-intentioned immaturity. But Lisa did help me live a more healthy, ethical, and ecologically sound life- to say no to pork, in all its guises. Critique of Felicitys College Admissions Essay Overall, Felicity has written an excellent essay for her Common Application. She does, however, take a few risks that could backfire. The comments below examine the essays many strengths as well as a few of the potential problems. The Essay Topic Felicity has certainly avoided some of the worst essay topics, but when students are asked to write about a fictional or historical figure for an application essay, admissions officers expect to find an essay on one of the likely suspects like Martin Luther King, Abraham Lincoln, or Albert Einstein. For fiction and art, applicants tend to think big- a Jane Austen heroine, a Monet painting, a Rodin sculpture, a Beethoven symphony. So what are we to make of an essay that focuses on a seemingly trivial cartoon character like Lisa Simpson? Put yourself in the shoes of an admissions officer. Its tedious reading through thousands of college applications, so anything that jumps out as unusual can be a good thing. At the same time, the essay cant be so quirky or superficial that it fails to reveal the writers skills and character. Felicity takes a risk in her essay by focusing on a rather silly fictional role model. However, she handles her topic well. She acknowledges the strangeness of her focus, and at the same time she produces an essay that really isnt about Lisa Simpson. The essay is about Felicity, and it succeeds in showing her depth of character, her inner conflicts and her personal convictions. The Essay Title Titles can be difficult which is why many applicants skip them. Dont. A  good title  can grab your readers attention and make him or her eager to read your essay.   Porkopolis doesnt make clear what the essay is about,   but the strange title still manages to make us curious and pull us into the essay. In fact, the titles strength is also its weakness. What exactly does porkopolis mean?. Will this essay be about pigs, or is it about a metropolis with too much pork-barrel spending? Also, the title doesnt tell us what character or work of art Felicity will be discussing. We want to read the essay to understand the title, but some readers might appreciate a little more information in the title. The Tone of Felicitys Essay Among the essential writing tips  for a winning essay is the inclusion of  a little humor to keep the essay fun and engaging. Felicity manages humor with wonderful effect. At no point is her essay shallow or flip, but her catalog of southern pork dishes and introduction of Lisa Simpson are likely to receive a chuckle from her reader. The essays humor, however, is balanced with a serious discussion of a challenge Felicity faced in her life. Despite the choice of Lisa Simpson as a role model, Felicity comes across as a thoughtful and caring person who struggles to mesh the needs of others with her own convictions. An Assessment of the Writing Felicitys essay is from before the current 650-word limit on Common Application essays. At about 850 words, the essay would need to lose 200 words to comply with the new guidelines. When it was written, however, Felicitys essay was a good length, particularly because theres no obvious fluff or digression. Also, Felicity is clearly a strong writer. The prose is graceful and fluid. The mastery of style and language marks Felicity as a writer who would be capable of performing well at the countrys  top colleges  and  universities. Felicity grabs our attention with her humorous first sentence, and the essay holds our interest throughout because of the shifts between the serious and the whimsical, the personal and the universal, the real and the fictional. The sentences mirror these shifts as Felicity moves between short and long phrases, and simple and complex sentence structures. There are most likely strict grammarians who would object to Felicitys liberal use of the dash and her lack of the word and to introduce the final items in some of her lists. Also, someone might take issue with her use of conjunctions (and, yet, but) as transitional words at the beginnings of sentences. Most readers, however, will view Felicity as a dexterous, creative, and talented writer. Any breaking of the rules in her writing works to create a positive rhetorical effect. Final Thoughts on Felicitys Application Essay Like most good essays, Felicitys is not without risk. She could run up against an admissions officer who thinks the choice of Lisa Simpson trivializes the purpose of the personal essay. However, a careful reader will quickly recognize that Felicitys essay is  not trivial. Sure, Felicity may be grounded in popular culture, but she emerges from the essay as a writer who loves her family but is not afraid to stand up for her own convictions. She is caring and thoughtful, playful and serious, inward and outward looking. In short, she sounds like a great person to invite to join ones campus community.

Predicted National Merit Scholarship Cutoffs for 2018 and 2019 (Updated)

Predicted National Merit Scholarship Cutoffs for 2018 and 2019 (Updated) SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips What score do you need on the PSAT to qualify for National Merit distinction? The answer to this question depends on where you live. To achieve National Merit recognition, you need to match or exceed the cutoff score in your home state. We’ve compiledtheNational Merit Semifinalist state cutoffs based on the most recent data from the fall of 2017.Before checking out the qualifying scores, let’s discuss how the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) determines who is named Commended Student orSemifinalist. Howto Qualify for National Merit National Merit is open to U.S. citizens who test in the U.S. in the fall of 11th grade. Only your junior year PSAT counts toward National Merit distinction and scholarships, though taking the PSAT as a sophomore or freshman can be good practice, especially if you’re aiming for top scores. Students who achieve top scores may receive recognition from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. NMSC compares your PSAT scores with those of other students in your state using its own Selection Index, which falls on a scale between 48 and 228. The top 3-4% of scorers arenamed Commended Scholar. The top 1%, usually about 16,000 students, are named National Merit Semifinalists. Semifinalists may go on to apply for Finalist status and potentially win scholarship money. As I mentioned above, NMSC uses its own Selection Index along with state percentiles. Let’s take a look at how your scores convert to this index. Just how many differentscoring scales are actually onthe PSAT? Want to get better grades and test scores? We can help. PrepScholar Tutors is the world's best tutoring service. We combine world-class expert tutors with our proprietary teaching techniques. Our students have gotten A's on thousands of classes, perfect 5's on AP tests, and ludicrously high SAT Subject Test scores. Whether you need help with science, math, English, social science, or more, we've got you covered. Get better grades today with PrepScholar Tutors. Understanding Your Scores on the PSAT To understand your National Merit eligibility, you mainly need to pay attention to your PSAT section scores for Math, Reading, and Writing and Language. Each section isscored between 8 and 38. NMSCadds each section score together and then multiplies by 2. Let’s say you got a 30 on Math, a 31 on Reading, and a 32 on Writing and Language. Added together, the sum of these scores comes out to 93. Multiply by 2, and you get your National Merit Selection Index Score: 186. Asan equation, this would look like: (30 + 31 + 32) x2 = 186. Based on our estimates for the qualifying PSAT scores, a score of 186 wouldn’t make it into the top 1%. Check out the cutoff scoresbelow. Does your PSAT score report look like a jumble of numbers? For National Merit, you just need to understand one: your Selection Index. Predicted National Merit ScholarshipCutoffs The cutoffs in the chart below apply to students who took the PSAT in October 2017.While the National Merit Scholarship Corporation hasn't released the exact state-by-state cutoffs it used, we have been able to crowdsource this information from individuals around the country. If you see any state cutoffs that look off, let us know in the comments! Here's the full list of Selection Index scores that qualified for National Merit Semifinalist. State Selection Index Alabama 216 Alaska 215 Arizona 220 Arkansas 214 California 223 Colorado 221 Connecticut 222 Delaware 222 DC 223 Florida 219 Georgia 220 Hawaii 220 Idaho 214 Illinois 221 Indiana 219 Iowa 216 Kansas 218 Kentucky 218 Louisiana 217 Maine 217 Maryland 223 Massachusetts 223 Michigan 219 Minnesota 220 Mississippi 215 Missouri 217 Montana 214 Nebraska 216 Nevada 218 New Hampshire 219 New Jersey 223 New Mexico 215 New York 221 North Carolina 220 North Dakota 212 Ohio 219 Oklahoma 215 Oregon 221 Pennsylvania 220 Rhode Island 220 South Carolina 216 South Dakota 215 Tennessee 219 Texas 221 Utah 215 Vermont 216 Virginia 222 Washington 222 West Virginia 212 Wisconsin 216 Wyoming 212 Average Score 218 If you tested in California, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, or Washington, DC, then the bar was especially high. You had to score at or above a 223. North Dakota, West Virginia, and Wyoming had the lowest cutoffs at 212. The average cutoff for all states was 218. If you haven't taken the PSAT yet and are aiming for National Merit, you should aim to get a Selection Index score 2-5 points higher than the cutoff score for your state. The reason you should aim a little higher is that qualifying scores can fluctuate a little from year to year. Aiming for a National Merit Scholarship but worried your score won't qualify? If you're not sure you can self-study your way to a qualifying PSAT score, you'll love our PSAT prep program, PrepScholar. We designed our program to learn your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics and customize your prep to be as effective as possible for you. When you start with PrepScholar, you’ll take a diagnostic that will determine your weaknesses in over forty PSAT skills. PrepScholar then creates a study program specifically customized for you. To improve each skill, you’ll take focused lessons dedicated to each skill, with over 20 practice questions per skill. This will train you for your specific area weaknesses, so your time is always spent most effectively to raise your score. We also force you to focus on understanding your mistakes and learning from them. If you make the same mistake over and over again, we'll call you out on it. There’s no other prep system out there that does it this way, which is why we get better score results than any other program on the market. Check it out today with a 5-day free trial: Based on these cutoffs, how can you figure out what section scores you need on the PSATto qualify for National Merit? Let's talk goals. What Should You Score on Each PSAT Section? As discussed above, NMSC's Selection Index adds your three section scores together and doubles them. In order to figure out what you need for each section, simply work backward. Divide your state's qualifying score by 2, and then split that up by 3 (or however you want based on your target scores for each section). Let's consider the average qualifying score of 218. If you have a selection score of 218, then your section scores add up to 109. To get this sum, you couldscore around 36-37 on each section (Math, Reading, and Writing and Language). If you're much stronger in maththan in writing, then you could aim for a perfect 38 on Math and a little lower on Writing and Language. Overall, you need to get a sectionscore in the 30s for each section on the PSAT to compete for National Merit. Again, aim for a few points higher than the minimum, as cutoffs can vary somewhat from year to year. If your goal is to be named National Merit Semifinalist, then you'll want to put in some effort towardprepping for the PSAT.Below you'll find links to useful resources, such as official PSAT practice tests and sample questions. You'll need to crackthe books to geta purrfect score. How to Prep for the PSAT The best way to prepare for the PSAT is to familiarize yourself with official practice questions and self-timed PSAT practice tests. Score your attempts, figure out your strengths and weaknesses, and design a study plan that targets your weak areas. Depending on where you’re starting out, you might want to put in 40 hours of prep or more. You should familiarize yourself with the test content to review key concepts and get used to the tricky wording of the PSAT/NMSQT. At the same time, you can try out different strategies for answering questions efficiently, like recognizing answer types and using the process of elimination. One essentialpart of studying is reviewing and analyzing your mistakes. Rather than taking a practice test and moving right on to the next, you should take the time to deconstruct your errors piece by piece. Did you misunderstand the question, lack content knowledge, or make a careless mistake? By understanding the root of your mistake, you can figure out what you need to fix for next time. All of your prep might not only pay off with National Merit distinction and scholarships, but it should also help you achieve excellent scores on the SAT! What’s Next? If you achieve amazing PSAT scores and are named Semifinalist, how do you go on to win the scholarship? This guide talks about the application process for moving from National Merit Semifinalist to National Merit Finalist and scholarship winner. If you're scoring highly on the PSAT, then you might be in a good position to get a perfect score on the SAT. FYI, you don't have to be a genius to get a 1600 - full scores are all about how much and how well you prep! Check out this guide to getting a perfect score on the SAT, written by a perfectscorer. Disappointed with your scores? Want to improve your SAT score by 160points?We've written a guide about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: