The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald - 1646 Words

Confrontations are nearly impossible to avoid. As one goes through the journey of life, ideas often conflict. When ideas conflict they need to be resolved, and this is what often leads to confrontation. As defined in the Merriam-Webster dictionary, confrontation is the clashing of forces or ideas. To confront someone is to accuse them of having a different idea, or doing something directly opposed to you. In the Plaza Hotel scene within his novel, The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald uses the power of confrontation as the climax of his scene with the quote, â€Å"What kind of a row are you trying to cause in my house anyhow?†(129). This is the key question. At this point in the novel Tom Buchannan has just become aware that his wife, Daisy, is in love with Jay Gatsby. Every previous event in the chapter has been leading up to this confrontation; this question. By pinning the â€Å"row† on Gatsby, Fitzgerald creates an accusatory tone in Tom. The phrase â€Å"in my ho use†, implies Gatsby is a home-wrecker. When looked at alone, this innocent question seems as though Tom has been completely wronged by Gatsby, and has every right to directly accuse Jay of is seemingly repugnant actions. But, it is due to Fitzgerald’s context and story line that this accusation of Gatsby is easily viewed as an attack. In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald is continuously using literary devices to imply that the climax of this scene is this confrontation in the context surrounding it and in doing so isShow MoreRelatedThe Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald1393 Words   |  6 PagesF. Scott Fitzgerald was the model of the American image in the nineteen twenties. He had wealth, fame, a beautiful wife, and an adorable daughter; all seemed perfect. Beneath the gilded faà §ade, however, was an author who struggled with domestic and physical difficulties that plagued his personal life and career throughout its short span. This author helped to launch the theme that is so prevalent in his work; the human instinct to yearn for more, into the forefront of American literature, where itRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1343 Words   |  6 PagesHonors English 10 Shugart 18 Decemeber 2014 The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald s 1925 novel The Great Gatsby is a tragic love story, a mystery, and a social commentary on American life. The Great Gatsby is about the lives of four wealthy characters observed by the narrator, Nick Carroway. Throughout the novel a mysterious man named Jay Gatsby throws immaculate parties every Saturday night in hope to impress his lost lover, Daisy Buchanan. Gatsby lives in a mansion on West Egg across from DaisyRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1155 Words   |  5 PagesThe Great Gatsby The Jazz Age was an era where everything and anything seemed possible. It started with the beginning of a new age with America coming out of World War I as the most powerful nation in the world (Novel reflections on, 2007). As a result, the nation soon faced a culture-shock of material prosperity during the 1920’s. Also known as the â€Å"roaring twenties†, it was a time where life consisted of prodigality and extravagant parties. Writing based on his personal experiences, author F. ScottRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1166 Words   |  5 Pagesin the Haze F. Scott Fitzgerald lived in a time that was characterized by an unbelievable lack of substance. After the tragedy and horrors of WWI, people were focused on anything that they could that would distract from the emptiness that had swallowed them. Tangible greed tied with extreme materialism left many, by the end of this time period, disenchanted. The usage of the literary theories of both Biographical and Historical lenses provide a unique interpretation of the Great Gatsby centered aroundRead MoreThe Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald845 Words   |  3 PagesIn F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, colors represent a variety of symbols that relate back to the American Dream. The dream of being pure, innocent and perfect is frequently associated with the reality of corruption, violence, and affairs. Gatsby’s desire for achieving the American Dream is sought for through corruption (Schneider). The American Dream in the 1920s was perceived as a desire of w ealth and social standings. Social class is represented through the East Egg, the WestRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald Essay970 Words   |  4 Pagesrespecting and valuing Fitzgerald work in the twenty-first century? Fitzgerald had a hard time to profiting from his writing, but he was not successful after his first novel. There are three major point of this essay are: the background history of Fitzgerald life, the comparisons between Fitzgerald and the Gatsby from his number one book in America The Great Gatsby, and the Fitzgerald got influences of behind the writing and being a writer. From childhood to adulthood, Fitzgerald faced many good andRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald2099 Words   |  9 Pagesauthor to mirror his life in his book. In his previous novels F. Scott Fitzgerald drew from his life experiences. He said that his next novel, The Great Gatsby, would be different. He said, â€Å"In my new novel I’m thrown directly on purely creative work† (F. Scott Fitzgerald). He did not realize or did not want it to appear that he was taking his own story and intertwining it within his new novel. In The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, he imitates his lifestyle through the Buchanan family to demonstrateRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1607 Words   |  7 Pages The Great Gatsby is an American novel written in 1925 by F. Scott Fitzgerald. One of the themes of the book is the American Dream. The American Dream is an idea in which Americans believe through hard work they can achieve success and prosperity in the free world. In F. Scott Fitzgerald s novel, The Great Gatsby, the American Dream leads to popularity, extreme jealousy and false happiness. Jay Gatsby’s recent fortune and wealthiness helped him earn a high social position and become one of the mostRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1592 Words   |  7 PagesMcGowan English 11A, Period 4 9 January 2014 The Great Gatsby Individuals who approach life with an optimistic mindset generally have their goals established as their main priority. Driven by ambition, they are determined to fulfill their desires; without reluctance. These strong-minded individuals refuse to be influenced by negative reinforcements, and rely on hope in order to achieve their dreams. As a man of persistence, the wealthy Jay Gatsby continuously strives to reclaim the love of hisRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1646 Words   |  7 PagesThe 1920s witnessed the death of the American Dream, a message immortalized in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. Initially, the American Dream represented the outcome of American ideals, that everyone has the freedom and opportunity to achieve their dreams provided they perform honest hard work. During the 1920s, the United States experienced massive economic prosperity making the American Dream seem alive and strong. However, in Fitzgerald’s eyes, the new Am erican culture build around that The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald - 1646 Words The 1920s witnessed the death of the American Dream, a message immortalized in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. Initially, the American Dream represented the outcome of American ideals, that everyone has the freedom and opportunity to achieve their dreams provided they perform honest hard work. During the 1920s, the United States experienced massive economic prosperity making the American Dream seem alive and strong. However, in Fitzgerald’s eyes, the new American culture build around that massive prosperity corrupted and destroyed the American Dream in a time of great indulgence due to great prosperity. To that extent, The Great Gatsby employs setting and character development to define the American Dream, condemn its bastardization, and depict its demise during the Jazz Age. Through Gatsby, Fitzgerald both defines the American Dream and depicts its corruption. Gatsby started out as James Gatz, a â€Å"penniless young man without a past† (Fitzgerald, 149). He grew up extremely poor, having to work various jobs, some degrading and humiliating, in order to survive. However, in the true spirit of the American Dream, he used the opportunities presented to him to make himself a rich man. Through bootlegging, Gatsby earned a fortune that allowed him a â€Å"mansion† (5), a â€Å"yellow† â€Å"Rolls-Royce,† and extravagant parties (39). However, despite depicting Gatsby as a truer form of the American Dream, Fitzgerald still depicts the corruption behind his version. Gatsby’s fortuneShow MoreRelatedThe Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald1393 Words   |  6 PagesF. Scott Fitzgerald was the model of the American image in the nineteen twenties. He had wealth, fame, a beautiful wife, and an adorable daughter; all seemed perfect. Beneath the gilded faà §ade, however, was an author who struggled with domestic and physical difficulties that plagued his personal life and career throughout its short span. This author helped to launch the theme that is so prevalent in his work; the human instinct to yearn for more, into the forefront of American literature, where itRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1343 Words   |  6 PagesHonors English 10 Shugart 18 Decemeber 2014 The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald s 1925 novel The Great Gatsby is a tragic love story, a mystery, and a social commentary on American life. The Great Gatsby is about the lives of four wealthy characters observed by the narrator, Nick Carroway. Throughout the novel a mysterious man named Jay Gatsby throws immaculate parties every Saturday night in hope to impress his lost lover, Daisy Buchanan. Gatsby lives in a mansion on West Egg across from DaisyRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1155 Words   |  5 PagesThe Great Gatsby The Jazz Age was an era where everything and anything seemed possible. It started with the beginning of a new age with America coming out of World War I as the most powerful nation in the world (Novel reflections on, 2007). As a result, the nation soon faced a culture-shock of material prosperity during the 1920’s. Also known as the â€Å"roaring twenties†, it was a time where life consisted of prodigality and extravagant parties. Writing based on his personal experiences, author F. ScottRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1166 Words   |  5 Pagesin the Haze F. Scott Fitzgerald lived in a time that was characterized by an unbelievable lack of substance. After the tragedy and horrors of WWI, people were focused on anything that they could that would distract from the emptiness that had swallowed them. Tangible greed tied with extreme materialism left many, by the end of this time period, disenchanted. The usage of the literary theories of both Biographical and Historical lenses provide a unique interpretation of the Great Gatsby centered aroundRead MoreThe Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald845 Words   |  3 PagesIn F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, colors represent a variety of symbols that relate back to the American Dream. The dream of being pure, innocent and perfect is frequently associated with the reality of corruption, violence, and affairs. Gatsby’s desire for achieving the American Dream is sought for through corruption (Schneider). The American Dream in the 1920s was perceived as a desire of w ealth and social standings. Social class is represented through the East Egg, the WestRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald Essay970 Words   |  4 Pagesrespecting and valuing Fitzgerald work in the twenty-first century? Fitzgerald had a hard time to profiting from his writing, but he was not successful after his first novel. There are three major point of this essay are: the background history of Fitzgerald life, the comparisons between Fitzgerald and the Gatsby from his number one book in America The Great Gatsby, and the Fitzgerald got influences of behind the writing and being a writer. From childhood to adulthood, Fitzgerald faced many good andRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald2099 Words   |  9 Pagesauthor to mirror his life in his book. In his previous novels F. Scott Fitzgerald drew from his life experiences. He said that his next novel, The Great Gatsby, would be different. He said, â€Å"In my new novel I’m thrown directly on purely creative work† (F. Scott Fitzgerald). He did not realize or did not want it to appear that he was taking his own story and intertwining it within his new novel. In The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, he imitates his lifestyle through the Buchanan family to demonstrateRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1607 Words   |  7 Pages The Great Gatsby is an American novel written in 1925 by F. Scott Fitzgerald. One of the themes of the book is the American Dream. The American Dream is an idea in which Americans believe through hard work they can achieve success and prosperity in the free world. In F. Scott Fitzgerald s novel, The Great Gatsby, the American Dream leads to popularity, extreme jealousy and false happiness. Jay Gatsby’s recent fortune and wealthiness helped him earn a high social position and become one of the mostRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1592 Words   |  7 PagesMcGowan English 11A, Period 4 9 January 2014 The Great Gatsby Individuals who approach life with an optimistic mindset generally have their goals established as their main priority. Driven by ambition, they are determined to fulfill their desires; without reluctance. These strong-minded individuals refuse to be influenced by negative reinforcements, and rely on hope in order to achieve their dreams. As a man of persistence, the wealthy Jay Gatsby continuously strives to reclaim the love of hisRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald992 Words   |  4 PagesThe Jazz Age was a period of great economic, social, and political change happening in the 1920’s. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, however, sees in this a time of boundaryless death, and urban decimation. The Great Gatsby is modeled towards the death of the American dream during the 1920’s. Based on the happening of the 1920’s, this model is certainly reasonable. F. Scott Fitzgerald and The Great Gatsby use the motifs of materialism, carelessness, an d decay seen in the 1920’s in order to

Why College Is Becoming A Goal - 2383 Words

When it comes to college, it is becoming increasingly clear that a college degree alone does not guarantee a job. As a college student, I see many students doing the bare minimum amount of work to pass a course due to the belief that a degree will get them a job upon graduation. The problem with this philosophy is that college is becoming a goal for more and more high school students and going to college after high school is becoming the norm. This increase in students means greater competition upon graduation and so achieving the bare minimum for graduation no longer suffices. The students involved in extracurricular activities and the ones that pull off the best grade point averages (GPA) are the ones most likely to succeed, but even†¦show more content†¦The point of a class is to teach skills that can be used in future classes or translated into everyday life. As a professor of mine once told me, he has the most respect for students who take notes in class and then review them for about ten minutes later that day to make sure they understand them and do not have any questions because those are the students who only have to review for a short while before a test since they have already learned the material. In this lies my first piece of advice. Take the time to do the readings assigned and really work through them to ensure the material is understood. Underline and write ideas in the margins of textbooks, take clear and concise notes, and do practice problems because these activities result in enormous benefits. Personally, I have read through material only to have to reread it because I realized I could not remember or understand what I had read. This is only a waste of time and it does not help get one through a course. Additionally, I was able to give the piece of advice from my professor because I have taken the time to get to know my professors. The beauty of a small school is that a student can talk to a professor individually. Even if it is j ust a regular conversation, taking the time to get to know professors shows that a student is interested in learning and it makes it easier to receive attention outside ofShow MoreRelatedShould Attending An Online University Be A Medical And Health Service Manager?1487 Words   |  6 Pagesa sister, a friend, a student, a wife, and a mother. I am still all those things, but now I add that I am a college student again. I know that many of us decided to attend Kaplan University because we have many roles. Some of us have jobs and kids; this is why attending an online university may satisfy our needs for flexibility to obtain a college degree. The reason why I am in college again, is because I want to become a Medical and Health Service Manager. In this paper I want to go over, whatRead MoreMy Goal Of Becoming An Accountant876 Words   |  4 Pagessucceeding. The steps to achieve my goal of becoming an accountant are to first apply to the Coles College of Business, then getting an internship or co-op, and finally receiving my accounting degree from Coles College of Business. Applying for Coles College of Business is the first step in achieving my goals. I need to first finish my two year of general education, and I need to have an adjusted GPA of 3.0 or higher to be accepted. Once accepted into Coles College of Business, I would like to majorRead MoreLife Goals Essay616 Words   |  3 Pageswill see farther.† I strongly believe that if one plans on achieving his aspirations, setting goals is a very important step. Having goals not only gives you a clear focus on things,but it also helps you to organize your plans by allowing you to give yourself time limits and boundaries. That is why I try to set goals for myself routinely, whether it is just for one day, or for the rest of my life. One goal that I work hard at daily is to do well in high school. I try to involve myself in any activityRead MorePersonal Goals Assignment713 Words   |  3 Pages Educational, Career, and Personal Goals Assignment Goal setting has always been an important factor in my life, because of that I have accomplished things that I am very proud of. Without goals it would make it very hard to succeed in life because there is nothing to work hard for. Goal setting is a constant reminder of the things that are important to you. It gives me the motivation to work hard every day so that I can achieve my goals. Goals are what keeps each of us different. ThroughoutRead MoreWhy College Education Is Important to Me698 Words   |  3 Pagesâ€Å"Why college education is important to me†. By Janelle D. Crichlow EN110 Achieving Academic Excellence Ashworth College A college degree is important for a variety of reasons for both the young and the old, namely to develop or improve one’s trade skills, to experience different cultures and to increase one’s educational background in order to attain a higher paying job. For me, a college degree is important because it will help me to attain the educational background I need to make myselfRead MoreIntro to Sociology1018 Words   |  5 Pages1a. Define routinization: †¢ Routinization is the way people go about doing something. It’s a method to organize chaos and when practiced it accomplishes the goal quickly and effectively. There are different methods used, but ultimately routinization produces the desired result. 1b. Strategies in the ER: †¢ In the essay by Chambliss’ essay, â€Å"Just Another Routine Emergency†, we learn of the best strategies that are used in the ER’s across the USA to routinize chaos. One of the main strategiesRead MorePaper766 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Why are you in College?† Ever since I started to seriously think about my future, I had aspirations of getting a degree and becoming a professional. Specific careers have changed constantly, ranging from becoming a teacher to an engineer. As I got older, I began to assess my strengths and weaknesses as well as my likes and dislikes. I know a college education is essential in today’s economy and society. Doors are opened to those with college degrees and a better lifestyle is guaranteed. A collegeRead MoreAnalytical Summary : How Helicopter Parents Are Ruining College Students873 Words   |  4 PagesAnalytical Summary: â€Å"How helicopter parents are ruining college students† In Amy Joyce’s On Parenting article, â€Å"How helicopter parents are ruining college students† posted on September 2, 2014, Joyce addresses the issue with parents who controls their college student’s life to the public. Amy’s exigence is from an article recently published in the journal Education + Training found that there is an important line to draw between parental involvement and over-parenting. Joyce got information fromRead MoreSample Resume : Dental Hygienist Essay1212 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction: After INRW I plan to finish college and become a Dental Hygienist. I’ve wanted to become a Dental Hygienist since I was in the 7th grade. When people think of a Dental Hygienist they think about cleaning teeth but, that’s not all they do. I can remember in school my friends saying â€Å"I hate going to the Dentist.† I always loved going to the dentist and getting my teeth cleaned, therefore I chose this career. As a Dental Hygienist, I will be able to teach people the importance of cleanRead MoreMy Goals For A Teacher And Coach943 Words   |  4 Pagessince I was young, I have always worked hard to get what I want. The hard work that I have put in, has helped me in the classroom and in life. I have set high goals for my education throughout high school and want to carry these goals into college. With my work ethic and determination, I know I will be able to attain my goals. During college, I plan to study secondary education with a focus on mathematics and minor in coaching. Up until last spring, I did not know what I wanted to do after high school

Socrates as “Eros” Free Essays

Esther Rodulfa PHL-1010H-LD01 09/18/12 Socrates as eros? Truly, love takes on many different forms. Love, for many centuries, has been given many different names. It also serves different functions. We will write a custom essay sample on Socrates as â€Å"Eros† or any similar topic only for you Order Now To distinguish a specific type of love, one of them is called eros. How love as eros can be defined is based upon the utilization of a specific writer’s perspective. Numerous published written works may account for the definition of eros. In this Essay, Plato’s perception of love as eros will be described. Furthermore, how and why Socrates, of â€Å"The Apology† by Plato, embodies Plato’s definition of eros will be shown. This embodiment will be based off Plato’s eros as poor being, eros as an intermediary between God and men, and eros as resemblance of the â€Å"god of Plenty†, eros’ father (Needleman 15 – 17). According to Plato’s â€Å"Symposium†, eros has always been in need or poor (Needleman 16). Socrates embodiment of this description of eros can be seen in Plato’s â€Å"The Apology†, where Socrates â€Å"remain in infinite poverty† (Plato 509) as a result of his commitment to his god through convicting Athenians of the condition of their souls and lives. Most of his time, Socrates converses with people and asks them questions pertaining their lifestyle. Due to this he does not have enough time to make earnings for himself. In return, some of his listeners put in time to hear him out and take on his advices (Plato 509). This even more takes time off from Socrates. Although others perceive this as Socrates teaching the Athenians with a charge, not one witness testified of Socrates’ activity of charging fees from anyone (Plato 519), which proves his disinterest in obtaining monetary wealth that contributes to his impoverishment. It can be suggested that Socrates does not spend great deal of time in obtaining monetary wealth or pleasure (Plato 519) due to this commitment. He places more priority on his care for Athenians than tending for his own health. His full dedication and sacrifice for others’ good sake contribute to his condition of being poor. Other than this, after Socrates was charged guilty, he had to offer an alternative penalty for himself. However, he said â€Å"I have no money to pay† (Plato 526) if ever his alternative penalty was to pay a fine. It can be implied from this Socrates’ deep poverty condition due to his inability to pay his freedom from the unjust guilty charges pressed against him. Since the death punishment upon him is too great, Socrates would need so much money to annul this punishment; but as he said, he does not have any means of doing so due to his poverty. Another definition of eros, as Plato defines it, is an intermediary between God and men. By intermediary, it means that eros â€Å"interprets†¦between gods and men† (Needleman 15). He also delivers â€Å"to men the commands of the gods† (Needleman 15). Thus he brings connection between god and men. Socrates in â€Å"The Apology† embodies these characteristics in few ways. During Socrates trial, he admits that he has been â€Å"commanded by god† (Plato 521) to rebuke the Athenians of their foolish ways and reach an epiphany of their lives wasted on money and fulfilling selfish evil desires. He also says that he occasionally receives â€Å"signal from God† (Plato 529) whenever a wrong impulse is about move him. Since all he desires is fulfilling the right and just actions, he fully depends on the divine voice he claims to hear so the message of god will definitely reach the Athenians. In doing so, he will accomplish the god’s commanded upon him. However, it seems that the Athenians do not desire moral living as commanded by the god Socrates’ follows. Nevertheless, Socrates stays on his task and does not give into discouragement as he serves his intermediary role. Moreover, Socrates emphasizes to the Athenians that â€Å"I am really the one given to you by God† (Plato 519). How he affirmed this is through his denial of self; denial of own pleasures, denial of health, and denial of own interest throughout his life for the sake of the Athenians virtue. Doubtlessly, denying or depriving self of fulfilling own selfish desires is difficult as human live for own selfish ends. Also, these selfish desires seems built-in to humans. Humans have natural tendencies to act according to what he or she desires, in spite of it being selfish and sometimes evil. In the Athenian society, which Socrates describes as a â€Å"big thoroughbred horse† (Plato 518) due to its riches, wealth, and greatness, it can be inferred that some of its citizens posses this riches and wealth, and for those who do not may have great desires for earning such wealth and power to, again, meet own selfish ends. However, Socrates differs from this in this that he never craved for wealth and richness, which makes him extraordinary and approve his claim as sent by the god to the Athenians. And, this confirms he embodies eros as the intermediary between god and men. Moreover, Plato also defines eros through eros’ inheritance of his father’s, god of plenty, characteristics (Needleman 16). These characteristics include eros being bold, being â€Å"terrible as an enchanter†, who interlace interest or curiosity, â€Å"keen in pursuit of wisdom†, and a â€Å"philosopher at all times† (Needleman 16). Socrates in â€Å"The Apology† displays these characteristics in many ways. Socrates’ boldness emanated from his audacious and specific address towards the Athenian citizens and officials. He sought out other well known citizens of great power and are known to have â€Å"highest reputation† (Plato 508) and cross-examined them to measure their wisdom. In particular, he approached poets and concluded that â€Å"no wisdom enabled them to compose† (Plato 508) and they resemble diviners and oracles by not â€Å"understanding anything of what they say† (Plato 508). As a poet whose passion is literature and is known for eloquence, creativity, and gift of poetic thoughts, for Socrates to make a claim of a poet’s void composition renders great offense on the poet’s part, and all the more proves Socrates’ boldness. Moreover, Socrates claims he cannot be damaged by either Meletos or Anytos’ proposed death punishment to Socrates for he thought â€Å"the eternal law forbids a better man to be hurt by worse† (Plato 518). By this, he referred the better man as himself and the worse as either Meletos or Anytos. Apparently, these men have some power as they represent those people who may have been offended by Socrates. Yet Socrates boldly acknowledges them as worse than himself. Other than this, Socrates honestly claims that he exposes and hinders â€Å"the many unjust and illegal doings† (Plato 519) of the Athenian state. Certainly, the Athenians would totally dislike Socrates for admitting these deeds of his yet he carelessly and publicly declares this during the trial. Beside this, Socrates fully declares that the Athens’ lives are wrong (Plato 528) and ending his life would not stop any reproach to come upon them. His confidence on this matter can also stir up more irritation among the crowd but he still bravely announced this. From each examples Socrates gave during his trial, he was aware of the risks yet due to his audacity, he was able to get across his message to the Athenians. Other than his boldness, Socrates also embodies eros as someone who is â€Å"terrible as an enchanter† and who interlace the curiosity and interest of his audience (Needleman 16). He achieves this through his talent of clever wordings and phrases to connect to and capture attention of the Athenians. Socrates often used phrases such as â€Å"I beg and pray you most earnestly† (Plato 503), â€Å"I appeal to most of you to bear me out† (Plato 505), â€Å"don’t make an uproar, gentlemen, remain quiet as I begged you, hear me without uproar at what I have to say† (Plato 507) and many others. Through these, he can captivate their attention and hinder a possible uproar among them so he can clearly deliver his message to them. For a crowd of 501 people, it will be difficult to counteract uproar if it arises. But it turns out that Socrates had the situation under control while he delivered his speech on his trial day. This reflects his strong enchanting abilities, just like eros. Socrates also has a talent of stirring up interest of those that he speaks to. Although some citizens of Athens have been offended by Socrates’ conviction, some of them were actually â€Å"delighted to hear people being cross-examined† (Plato 509) and that some of them chose to imitate Socrates’ ways of making people, who thinks they have wisdom, realize that they have no wisdom at all. Furthermore, Socrates embodies eros through their resemblance in â€Å"keen pursuit of wisdom† and being a â€Å"philosopher at all times† (Needleman 16). As he was going about cross-examining people, he â€Å"approached the craftsmen† (Plato 508). He has no knowledge of being crafty. But since he loves gaining knowledge, whatever it may be, he continued his talk with them since he knew he would learn something that has â€Å"much of real value† (Plato 508). Going further his trial, Socrates assures the citizens that he will â€Å"never cease being a philosopher† (Plato 517) and that he will continue giving advice and cross-examining and testing those who think they possess wisdom. Even if this costs him his life on the line, Socrates will insist in doing these to anyone he comes across with. After the jury finally approves his death punishment, Socrates found the decision favorable because he will have the hance to cross-examine and investigate those who have deceased, including Troy, Odysseus, and Sisyphos, of whether they are wise or not (Plato 530). Socrates perceives this as his â€Å"infinity of happiness† (Plato 530) if he does meet these great men and other numerous men and women because in the second life, he believes he will gain imm ortality, and he can infinitely live as a philosopher there. Surely, Socrates has strong desires for gaining knowledge and for living all his life as a philosopher. In conclusion, although there are many ways in which love can be defined, Plato’s definition of eros has been utilized. The definition for this eros love refers to eros being a poor being, eros being the mediator between god and men, and eros being a resemblance of the god of Plenty’s characteristics. In analyzing Socrates of â€Å"The Apology†, we can see how he embodies Plato’s definition of eros and the reasons for this embodiment in many ways. Definitely, Socrates’ personify eros of Plato. Works Cited Page Needleman, Jacob. The Heart of Philosophy. 1st ed. New York: Tarcher/Penguin, 2003. 15-17. Print. Plato, . â€Å"The Apology. † Trans. W. H. D. Rouse  Great Dialogues Of Plato. New York: Signet Classics, 2008. 502-531. Print. How to cite Socrates as â€Å"Eros†, Papers

Competition And Business On Organizations -Myassignmenrthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Competition And Business On Organizations? Answer: Introduction Nestle is a Swiss transnational company with its headquarters in Vevey, Vaud, Switzerland. Nestle deals in food and drinks industry and is one of the biggest in the world. Owning more than 2000 brands in 191 countries the company is employing more than 33,000+ employees. Nestle came in 1905 when Anglo-Swiss Milk Company and Farine Lactee Henri Nestle merged. During the First and Second World War, the company grew significantly expanding in other areas apart from initial offerings in condensed milk and infant products. Today, the company sells products as baby food, medical food, breakfast cereal, pet food, coffee tea, bottled water, frozen food, ice cream, confectionary. Today Twenty-Nine major brands of Nestle have annual sales of over $1.1 billion. We can date the origins back to the 1860s when in 1866 Charles (US counsel in Switzerland) and George Page, two brothers from the USA established the Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company in Cham, Switzerland. Around the same time in 1867, Henri Nestle in Vevey developed baby food based on milk. He later helped Daniel Peter in solving the problem of water from the milk chocolate he was trying to create and in 1879 they merged. Following that in 1877 Anglo-Swiss came with their milk-based baby foods and the following year saw Nestle company adding condensed milk to their product line. Thus, marketing them direct competitor (Nestle, 2013). Finally, in 1905 the two companies merged and carried the name Nestle and Anglo-Swiss until 1947 when they took on the name Nestle Alimentana SA after acquiring Fabrique de Produits Maggi SA (Founded 1884) and the holding company Alimentana SA. However, the current name Nestle was adopted in 1977. Nestl's main development model is that they acquire companies to expand their reach, but that model has its own risks involved. Nestle constantly works on improving its current product line, at the same time working on the development of new and improved products keeping in mind the global customer demands. Nestle Australia faces major competition from homegrown brands of Woolworths and Coles (Sa Vinhas and Heide, 2014). Marketing Environment Analysis The internal or microenvironment of Nestle shows us the internal strength, weakness, opportunities, and threat to the organization and SWOT analysis throw some light on those factors. STRENGTH WEAKNESS Worlds leading food and beverage company Diverse product range Research Development Corporate social responsibility Well established brands Inconsistent quality Negative publicity High cost of advertising OPPORTUNITIES THREATS Demand for healthier food Looking for new channels Increase in spending power Looking at new joint ventures Investing more in research and development Home grown brands Food contamination Cost wars Increasing price of raw materials Strength World's Leading Food and Beverage Company: Being a global leader and a company with worldwide hold Nestle has one of the widest product portfolios of food and beverages which is harder for a lot of other competitors to compete with. Diverse Product range: Having a global reach and hold allows Nestle to cater to the buyer's requirement varying from region to region or demographically. This helps in further enhancing the company's image and creates a steady and growing customer base (Moura et al., 2015). Research Development: With the resources and reach Nestle management strong focus on researching and developing new products as per the market requirement, year after year. In 2015 they spent nearly $2 billion on research and development (Ltkenhaus and de Freitas, 2016). Corporate Social Responsibilities: Not only does nestle focus on its products and profits but it also actively works towards the betterment of the society it operates in. They also look for ways to improve how the products are made to ensure less wastage (Hunt, 2014). Well Established Brands: Nestle owns some of the world's most renowned, trusted and widely accepted brands which ensure that the company has edge over most of the competitors (OLeary and Spangler, 2016). Weakness Inconsistent quality: Time and again nestle has failed to provide a uniform quality of its products in and out of Australia. There have been a lot of recalls throughout the product line (Patrizia and Gianluca, 2013). Negative publicity: Due to the recalls and the past negativity regarding the baby milk scandal nestle has its own share of negative relations with a large customer base, even till date. High advertisement cost: Nestle goes to great length in terms of advertising to ensure public awareness about its products and what it is doing. This does help the company and at the same time advertising being necessary, it does incur high costs on the company. Opportunities Demand for healthier foods: Nestle already working in the health food sector can expand further as now a day's every second individual is changing the food habits and making sure they eat healthy. Looking for new channels: E-commerce being global phenomena can open new ways for nestle to reach faster and at the same time keeping the cost less than the traditional means. Increase in spending power: With growing purchasing power of the individuals and even youngsters company has the opportunity to cater to a wide array of customers than it could a few years back. Looking at new joint ventures: Nestle can further strengthen its reach by forming new joint ventures with other chain stores than it already has to ensure that no stone is left unturned. Invest more in research and development: Nestle spends only 1.5-2% of its total sales on research and development. In order to gain an edge over the competition and new emerging players, it can increase the investment to ensure ahead in the industry. Threats Homegrown brand: Chains such as Woolworths, Aldi and Coles are increasing and pushing their own brands into the market creating a challenge for nestle in the market. Food contamination: Despite being global brands with quality checks, every now and then nestle does come up with issues relating to food contamination. This ends up hurting the trust of the customers and the brand image of the company (Prince, 2015). Cost wars: The new and emerging local suppliers are fighting cost wars with major players like Nestle and today when prices greatly affect the purchasing decision of the customer. This forces the company to cut down the prices or face the risk of being out of the game in a longer run (Saluja and Mahajan, 2017). Increasing price of the raw materials: The prices of the raw materials used to produce the products have been rising steadily and thus companies pay a large amount to source these products from the producers. External Analysis The external marketing environment for nestle Australia can broadly be classified into four parts. Political Environment Economic Environment Social Environment Technological Environment POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT: The various factors under this would be various employment laws, government regulations for foreign companies, tax on raw materials imported, etc. Bringing in a new product would not be so tough in Australia due to the political stability. However, in recent times we have seen many changes in regulations regarding the food standards (Krafft et al., 2015). ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT: With the increase in the buying power of the consumers it is becoming favorable for companies to sell their product. But the consumers have also become cost conscious and we have seen a change in the consumer budgets. Keeping in mind all these things nestle spends a considerable amount in redesigning and innovating new products for the Australian market (Peck et al., 2013). SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT: We have seen an increase in consumer's inclination towards eating healthy and thus increasing the requirement and demand for healthier food products. This provides nestle with new opportunity to diversify its line up but at the same time, the challenge arises of improving or managing the currently available products. Also, change in lifestyle, consumer behavior and the culture also needs to be taken into account (Crane et al., 2014). TECHNOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT: The fast-growing and ever-changing technology do pose a lot of challenges from the competitors may it be in terms of customer approach, reaching out to the mass, advertising or even distribution. Also, nestle has suffered challenges with its quality control every now and then and the seal of guarantee initiative is an amazing way to which the company has tackled the situation (Dunning, 2014). Recommendation After thorough analysis and in-depth study of the Nestle products currently available in Australia and how the market is evolving, we would recommend a new beverage, an energy drink. The Australia energy drink market is worth $1.2 billion and increasing with V drink being the market leader and Redbull right behind it. Also, Coca-Cola Amatil has secured a 20-year contract for Monster energy drink. Studies show that the Australian energy drink market has been growing between 6 to 7 percent ever since 2010. Nestle however, is nowhere close to the major players as of now. The profit margins are higher in energy drinks as compared to carbonated soft drinks (Lusch and Vargo, 2014). Target Market The new energy drink will be focusing on youth and adults, both male and female consumers as they are the largest consumer of energy drinks globally and even in Australia. The estimated population of Australia is about 24,500,000+ with almost 89.01% of the population living in urban areas making it convenient for the companies to market and distribute their products to a large mass (Zeng, 2017). The youth and working-age population (15-64) is about 66.9% and our main target will be (15-54) 55.1% of that population. That does not mean that the remaining 11.8 % (55-64) would not be consuming the product but the major focus will be on the other 55.1%. New Product Description As discussed earlier that our new product will be an energy drink targeted at the youth and working class. Today energy drinks have been associated with various sports, adventures, day to day activities etc. This gives us a wide array of a consumer base to cover. The product will be named as FROOST. It will be a fruit-based natural energy drink and hence fruit and boost combine to form froost. Knowing that the trend today is shifting towards healthy eating and drinking habits we have decided to go with more natural and healthy form of energy drink rather than the conventional artificial ones. Initially, we will launch the drink with 4 flavors Grapefruit, kiwi, strawberry, blackberry and pomegranate. There will be one artificial energy drink and one sugar-free version. There will be various flavors and options available to choose from. The number one energy drink seller V drinks have just 1 natural energy drink and the rest are artificial and coffee based. This will give us an opportunity to attract those who are looking for healthier ways to keep themselves energized throughout the day. It is seen that there will be conventional energy drinks with and without sugar. Froost is a fruit-based energy drink with 4 natural flavors, grapefruit, kiwi strawberry, blackberry and pomegranate and two artificial ones. We will be launching one standard size for all the products i.e. 250 ml There are two pricing methods we can opt for, the cost-based pricing and going rate pricing. For the fruit energy drinks, we will be using that cost-based pricing. We will calculate the price by adding markup to the overall cost of the product. The other two energy drinks, however, will be on going rate price. After studying the current prices being offered by the competition we will try and keep it a bit lower than their prices in the initial stage so the more customers can be attracted (Qiao, 2017). Initially, we will be targeting the customers in the large urban areas. Nestle already has a well-established distribution channel that will play a crucial role in the placement of the products. We will ensure availability not only in hypermarkets like Woolworths, Coles, and Aldi but also in various supermarket chains like Seven Eleven. Various cafe chains and local outlets will also be our target as a lot of young people spend a significant amount of time there (Orel and Kara, 2014). Being an energy drink we will be ensuring to tie up and make available our energy drink at adventure sports events and other sports facilities in order to engage customer involvement at the very beginning (Porter et al., 2011). Having our target audience ranging from 15-54 we will be promoting the product in more than one manner ensuring engagement of all demographics of the population. In order to cater to the youth and young people (15-30), we will be coming up with sports events of our own or sponsored where we will be handing out free trial samples at the same time 5-10% discount on purchases made there (Payaud, 2014). For the working class population we will ensure that the newspapers, radio, and social networking sites are also covered emphasizing on the advantages of the drink and how it can help them in their day to day working and hectic lifestyle. There will be bundle packaging available for the entire week so that they can just shop once a week and have availability throughout. Conclusion Nestle being a global leader has the tools and resources it needs. In Australia, Nestle has been capturing more and more grounds as each year passes by. Sure there is some competition coming in from chain stores or local start-ups. However, Nestle has long been into acquisitions and mergers, so it should not be that big problem for them to acquire some new start-up they find to be beneficial for their business growth. They should, however, focus more on ensuring a steady quality delivery of their food and beverage products as in today's socially connected world a small mishap can lead to a great damage to the brand as a whole. They also need to keep in mind the changing trends regarding the consumer habits and start moving more towards healthier options of the current products that they have, before other companies make the big move. Past allegations have hurt Nestl's name a lot and so nestle Australia should ensure to actively take part and ensure that it fulfills its corporate social responsibility to strengthen the trust in the public. It should research and develop new manufacturing ways which do little or no harm to the natural resources and to the environment as a whole. The diversification into energy drinks as suggested in the report will help the company to cater the still untapped customer's segment which right now looks for other options. To have only milk-based energy drink will not take nestle far in line of products. With more natural and healthier energy drinks nestle is sure to gain an edge over the competition. So, Nestle has made the right decisions so far to reach where it is and will be at a whole new level in a longer run. References Crane, A., Palazzo, G., Spence, L.J. and Matten, D., 2014. Contesting the value of creating shared value.California management review,56(2), pp.130-153. Dunning, J.H., 2014.The Globalization of Business (Routledge Revivals): The Challenge of the 1990s. Routledge. Hunt, S.D., 2014.Marketing theory: foundations, controversy, strategy, and resource-advantage theory. Routledge. Krafft, M., Goetz, O., Mantrala, M., Sotgiu, F. and Tillmanns, S., 2015. The evolution of marketing channel research domains and methodologies: an integrative review and future directions.Journal of Retailing,91(4), pp.569-585. Lusch, R.F. and Vargo, S.L., 2014.The service-dominant logic of marketing: Dialog, debate, and directions. Routledge. Ltkenhaus, D. and de Freitas, M.N., 2016. Strategic management applied to the Six-Sigma suitability appraisal for RD in FMCG companies.Revista iPecege,2(1), pp.80-99. Moura, A., Branco, M. and Camoesas, M., 2015, June. NESTL, a global firm and its customer relationships. InIMC 2015 International Management Conference 26th June 2015(p. 96). Moura, A., Branco, M. and Camoesas, M., 2015, June. NESTL, A GLOBAL FIRM AND ITS CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS. InIMC 2015 International Management Conference 26th June 2015(p. 96). Nestle, M., 2013.Food politics: How the food industry influences nutrition and health(Vol. 3). Univ of California Press. OLeary, D. and Spangler, S., 2016. Monitoring and Mining Digital Media for Brand and Reputation Information. Orel, F.D. and Kara, A., 2014. Supermarket self-checkout service quality, customer satisfaction, and loyalty: Empirical evidence from an emerging market.Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services,21(2), pp.118-129 Patrizia, G. and Gianluca, C., 2013. Stakeholder management between managerial action and communication.Annals of the University of Oradea, Economic Science Series,22(2), pp.97-105. Payaud, M.A., 2014. Marketing strategies at the bottom of the pyramid: Examples from Nestle, Danone, and Procter Gamble.Global Business and Organizational Excellence,33(2), pp.51-63. Peck, H., Christopher, M., Clark, M. and Payne, A., 2013.Relationship marketing. Taylor Francis. Porter, M.E., Hills, G., Pfitzer, M., Patscheke, S. and Hawkins, E., 2011. Measuring shared value: How to unlock value by linking social and business results. Prince, N.R., 2015.The influence of competition and business strategy on organizations' use of high-performance work systems. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Qiao, D., Zhang, J., Wei, Q. and Chen, G., 2017. Finding competitive keywords from query logs to enhance search engine advertising.Information Management,54(4), pp.531-543. Sa Vinhas, A. and Heide, J.B., 2014. Forms of competition and outcomes in dual distribution channels: The distributors perspective.Marketing Science,34(1), pp.160-175. Saluja, N. and Mahajan, V., 2017. Profitability, Efficiency and Risk Analysis of Nestle India Limited.Choice,6(1). Zeng, X., 2017, May. Research on the development strategy of product under the strategy of brand merger and acquisition. InApplied System Innovation (ICASI), 2017 International Conference on(pp. 963-965). IEEE.

The Concept of Adult Education and Its Various Aspects

Diseases essays

Diseases essays There are many different kinds communicable diseases. Small pox happens to be one of them. The cause of it is contact with the person who has it. It is also caused by a virus. This means just being around the person who has it. No direct contact is needed. The symptoms of it are a fever and a pimple like rash that grows. The bumps are full of pus which look very gross. Treatments for it are to get a vaccination before you get it or before you start to get a rash. Influenza also known as the flu is also a communicable disease. The cause of it is direct contact with people such as touching other peoples hands. Airborne droplets from infected people is also another way of getting the flu. Symptoms of the flu are, a fever, aches, coughing, tiredness, and weakness of breath. Treatments for it are getting a lot of bed rest, having good nutrition, and drinking plenty of fluids. You can also get a vaccination before you are infected with the virus which protects you from it. Chronic bronchitis is not a communicable disease. It is caused by bacteria, various viruses of the common cold, and smoking. Symptoms if it are a persistent cough, wheezing, respiration, and heaviness in the chest. Treatments for it are trying to reduce the cough which means taking certain kind of cough suppressants. Cerebral palsy is also a non-communicable disease. The cause of it is toxic substances in the mothers body at the time of giving birth and during the pregnancy. A symptom which can lead to the disease is lack of oxygen at birth. Treatments for it are steroids and methotrexate and folic acids. ...

Ethics Class- Euthanasia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Ethics Class- Euthanasia - Essay Example The article also takes a stand in favor of passive euthanasia, under certain guidelines and conditions only. Definition of euthanasia and key terms attached to it: Euthanasia is derived from a Greek word that means ‘good death’ (eu- good and thanatos- death). It is actually a practice adopted to terminate the life of terminally ill patients so as to end their suffering, which is intractable and unbearable. As Cundiff frames it, â€Å"the decision to allow a terminally ill person to die usually comes after multiple treatments have failed to cure or control a patient’s disease and the prognosis is poor. Patients themselves, and family members, begin to appreciate that further heroic treatment would only prolong suffering and dying and not give a realistic chance at remission or recovery (Cundiff, p.3)1. The American Medical Associations Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs defines the term as follows "Euthanasia is commonly defined as the act of bringing about the death of a hopelessly ill and suffering person in a relatively quick and painless way for reasons of merc y. In this report, the term euthanasia will signify the medical administration of a lethal agent to a patient for the purpose of relieving the patients intolerable and incurable suffering† (cited in Le Baron, Definitions)2. There are two main forms of euthanasia in practice, voluntary and involuntary euthanasia. Voluntary euthanasia is performed with the consent of the sufferer. It may be in the form of a written directive or it may also be given as advance directions, to be performed later. Involuntary euthanasia is performed without the consent of the patient and is done with the permission of the closest relative of the sufferer. The other forms of euthanasia are active euthanasia and passive euthanasia and assisted suicide. Active euthanasia involves mercy

Walmart's Purchasing Strategy Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Walmart's Purchasing Strategy - Coursework Example The purpose is to keep the manufacturing company’s running. In addition, Walmart, supplies stores from their own warehouse and replenishes in two days on average. The pricing strategy is a method adopted by an organization to position a product. It usually depends on the average costs, customers’ perceived value of the competing product (Marburger, 2012). Walmart offers goods at low prices and it is widely known for this. The slogan â€Å"everyday low prices† has helped the company make major decisions, including the use of technology, distribution, and marketing. The company’s mission is to offer the lowest price and to keep cutting costs to offer the lowest price than its competitors. The company’s aim has always been to price the products at lowest so that they can maintain their customers as well as to have more customers purchase from them. Walmart creates a perception strategy that the prices of its products are lower, thus making customers continue shopping at Walmart. They place a very low priced fast moving item at a strategic spot in each store section. This makes the customers have the perception that since the staring item is at a lower price, and then all other items have low prices. Additionally, Walmart has focused on small towns that face neglection by competitors by introducing the everyday low price concept to grab their potential. The concept promised the customers of a wide variety of goods, branded and unbranded, at low prices. Walmart provides goods that are 15% cheaper compared to its competitors and as a result, it gained loyalty to the rural customers. This helps Walmart generate more profit due to its large volumes. This has been a key contributor to the company’s growth in many years. Moreover, the company checks the receipts of customers who have shopped elsewhere. If they find that an ind ividual paid too much for the goods in

Impact of Internet on Society Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Impact of Internet on Society - Research Paper Example To what extent have the governments embraced the Internet as a tool for development? This research seeks to find out what governments need to address so as to make the Internet a tool for development. While many researchers have tackled this topic, there is a gap with regard to the failure of developing countries to entirely invest in the Internet. Besides, many of these researchers have not fully addressed the significance of the Internet in key sectors that touch on the youth. The youths from the majority population in most of these countries. There is silence on the relationship between the Internet and pluralism, and this report seeks to deal with that. In conclusion, the Internet revolution needs the government to be in control of it as opposed to being laid back as it seems at the moment. This is a challenge to developing countries to rethink the significance of the Internet. Introduction Problem statement â€Å"Impacts of internet in developing countries have not been fully a cknowledged.† Explanation Almost everybody in the world knows something about the phenomenon called the Internet. It has sparked a lot of excitement. Most governments in the third world countries perceive internet to be a youth’s issue. They tend to underestimate the influence of the Internet on the growth of the economy. More importantly, they tend to imagine that Internet is a short time happening. This has caused the government not to invest in the necessary infrastructure to facilitate growth through internet. In most developing countries, the Internet is appreciated by the private sector. The governments remain rigid. This has caused the citizens to lose quality services and opportunities that come through internet. The few sectors that have experienced growth through internet tend to be downplayed. This is the reason we must do this research. We have to demonstrate to third world countries that internet and economic growth cannot be separated in modern times. In d oing this, we have to point out some of the visible impacts of the Internet. The Internet is a combination of two words which are â€Å"international† and â€Å"network.† It is a phenomenon that has helped link the world so that it operates like a unit. It has created a platform that cuts across international boundaries and continents. People of different races and cultures can now interact and share ideas and opinions at a click of a mouse (Atwood & Gallo, 2011). More and more computers are continuing to be manufactured. It is fascinating to observe that computers are considered less useful unless they are connected to the Internet. This is because the effectiveness of a computer is being made to depend on Internet connection. According to Botha and Bothma (2008), people have already felt a tremendous change. The Internet has become an immensely key aspect of growth and development. Children in schools are being taught how to use it. In high school, it is one of the m ajor subjects. More and more computer-related degrees and diplomas are being awarded.  Ã‚  

Human Rights In A Democratic South Africa

Human Rights In A Democratic South Africa In the South African Constitution, citizens are given many different rights. The right to education is specifically important because it builds and largely determines the future of the next generation. Since I am in a privileged position regarding education, attending a private school, I have decided to research the right to education of all South Africans. My aim is to find whether the right to education which are guaranteed in our constitution to both children and adults are realised in the daily lives of all South Africans. My research is focused on high school education (i.e. Grade 8 to Grade 12). This is the phase which forms the foundation for Matric results. Analysing the Grade 12 results across all sectors of our population along with other primary and secondary sources will give a good indication of whether the right to Education is realised in South Africa. I predict that the rights to education are not fulfilled across all races and income groups in South Africa. Review of Literature The research done on existing information regarding the right to Education in South Africa has been studied and is discussed below. The following secondary sources include a combination of angles ranging from the Bill of Rights, the Popular Media (focusing on the recent Limpopo textbook crisis) and Education Statistics of the last few years. There are many different viewpoints regarding Education in South Africa, some highlighting the corruption and inefficiency, some focusing on the transitional phase we seem to be in, and others looking only at the successes. Education is perceived in such different ways because different audiences look at different aspects of the whole, i.e. the teachers, the pass rates or governmental management. Looking holistically at the entire situation will produce a clearer and more objective result. Source 1: The Constitution of South Africa, 4 February 1997, Chapter 2 Bill of rights, Section 29 Education When a careful study is made of the rights to education as stipulated by the South African Constitution, one finds that every child and adult has the right to basic education as well as further education. The state is primarily responsible to provide the infra-structure in which its citizens could be educated. This implies that the state should provide sufficient school buildings, enough capable teaching staff to ensure a healthy teacher-learner ratio, textbooks and other educational materials. The education system should be free from discrimination on the basis of race, gender and language. Education should be made available in all the official languages where at all practically possible. The education system should also make room for independent institutions which are registered with the state and provide standards comparable to that of public educational institutions. Source 2: Articles by Greg Nicolson from the Daily Maverick 2.1 Limpopos education crisis: The price of incompetence and corruption It is vitally important to have an education system which can be trusted. This article deals with explaining the politics behind the Limpopo textbook crisis. During a tender process advertised by the Limpopo education department there were 23 possible tenders of which 22 were immediately disqualified on the basis of technicalities. From this there was later found that the one which was accepted, EduSolutions, had been pocketing money from the government throughout the process and has left the Limpopo schools without the necessary textbooks and learning materials. 2.2 SAs education crisis: Limpopo STILL without books A recent discrepancy in the Limpopo education department has exposed the education system as corrupt and incompetent. However while the issue is being investigated and addressed a large amount of Limpopo students were left without textbooks and were unable to continue any learning. The seriousness of this situation lies not only in the fraud but the inadequacy of the manner in which students were left without any means to education until the middle of the school year. While the whole event has become a political issue there is still no answer to the problems which the students face in their battle for proper education. Source 3: Is South Africa fulfilling right to free education for all right? April 10, 2011  · by Akanyang Merementsi  · in Media, Society This article discusses education in the world and in South Africa and compares the standard of education between South Africa and the world. Not only is focus put on the importance of education as a human right but it also makes the reader aware of the large high school dropout rates and the negative effects thereof. The article discusses A4 as a model of assessment which the education department needs to adopt in order to function effectively. A4 is Availability, Accessibility, Acceptability and Adaptability. These four traits are vital in the department of education in South Africa. Source 4: The South African Department of Education Action plan 14 June 2003 and Strategic Plan 9 March 2011 In 2003 the South African education department confessed to a failing education system and set up a plan of action in order to rectify and improve the education system. It set guidelines in order to help in areas which through community debate and school statistics had been found wanting. However, it is now almost 10 years later and this Action Plan is still needed. Similarly a Strategic Plan has recently been drawn up for education in 2011 to 2014 (published on 9 March 2011). The need for both of these plans highlights the shortcomings in the South African education system; fortunately there is a plan to fix them. For this plan to be effectively deployed, the basic education system needs more than paperwork. What ultimately happens to the children in South African schools is that they are left without means to further education while administrative issues are being addressed. The plans are there, but they are simply not being carried through. Source 5: Reinvent local education now by Jon Tullett, Editor: News analysis, 11 Jul 2012 This source uses several points ranging from the Limpopo textbook crisis to our educational world rankings to discuss the importance of a reinvented education system and the current lack of basic education in South Africa. Certain issues are addressed and possible solutions mentioned in order to move South Africa forward in education using its resources and technology. Recently South Africa was ranked out of 142 countries In the World Economic Forums Global Competitiveness 2011-2012 report. South Africa is in position133 regarding the quality of the education system and in position138 for the quality of maths and science education. These are not good statistics and clearly show a fault in the education system. As we are behind countries such as Zimbabwe this quote from the article relates to many South Africans: When you think of some of the poverty-stricken, war-ravaged, desolate countries in the world, it is sobering to think they are all better than us. Source 6: Education statistics 2010 Published by the Department of Basic Education February 2012 6.1 Ratios, indicators, page 6 Statistics can be used to deduce several facts; in this case ratios are presented to show the effectiveness in numbers of the education department in South Africa. Specifically the ratios are the learner-educator ratio (LER), learner-school ratio (LSR) and educator-school ratio (ESR). The LER in 2010 was 29.3:1 and unfortunately increased to 32.2:1 in 2011. In 2010 the LSR was 474:1 which then also increased to a ratio of 484.5:1 in 2011. In 2011 the ESR had decreased to 16:1 from 2010s 16.2:1. These ratios (The LER, LSR and ESR) are that of the Public and Independent schools throughout South Africa. 6.2 National Senior Certificate (NSC) pass rates When considering whether the right to education is fulfilled in South African high schools it is vitally important to look at the level of education provided from the beginning and throughout the course of Grade 8 to Grade 12. Nonetheless, the level of education can only really be clearly seen through studying the Grade 12 National Senior Certificate pass rates and related statistics. The overall national pass rate in 2010 in the NSC examination was 67.8%. Although throughout the country more females than males wrote the NSC examination, the pass rate for males was higher than that for females. There has been an increase from 62.5% (2008) to 70.2% (2011) in Grade 12 final results in the last 4 years which is a good statistic but considering the level of education it is debatable that pass rates are higher due to a lowering in education standards as will be discussed below. Source 7: Rippling effect of the lowering of standards of basic education 18 July 2012, Varsity SA The main purpose of the South African education department should not be merely educating students but to equip learners with that which is necessary to not only pass Grade 12 but also to be educated enough for further studies. This is important because it is these students who will be responsible for carrying the country and taking over the South African economy thus students need further education and they need to be well enough equipped for further education. This article from Varsity SA raises concerns about the lowered NSC standards which have led to an increase in pass rates. It is currently required that a student only receive 30% (thus knowing only 30% of the syllabus) in order to pass the NSC. Universities have become very unhappy with the large gap in standard between Grade 12 and first year of University studies. This has a large impact on the country as a whole. According to Statistics South Africa there are 4.24 million unemployed people in South Africa. If the standard of basic education continues decreasing it will result in unemployment increasing and not decreasing as expected by government. Unless the education standards are raised the target set by government will not be achieved. Methodology When referring to the topic of Basic Education as a human right in South Africa at high school level, it is clear that research should range across all provinces and schools. Results obtained from a few questionnaires would not clearly and honestly propose a result to the hypothesis of education as a Human Right. Therefore, other means of information, specifically secondary sources, needed to be collected and analysed. The secondary sources collected provide a wide range of ideas and opinions about the education system as well as facts and statistics from a variety of sources. The secondary research conducted was from newspaper articles and internet research. South African education has been the focus of many newspapers, magazines and of the community as a whole, especially with the Limpopo textbook crisis and statistics which were released this year. Gathering research thus became a daily job of listening to news reports, social debates and community discussions. Most of the research ideas come from discussing the topic with people, be it teachers, students, parents or any other South African citizen. Education touches every single South African in one way or another thus it is vitally important to hear what South Africa has to say about education and how it impacts their lives. Articles seen online and in newspapers were recorded and every time a new issue about education was raised the topic was recorded. Then internet research was done on the list of information and the articles found. More online research was done in order to gather other sources and specifically statistics from done surveys and from Statistics South Africa. Both quantitive and qualitive data is used; quantitive data such as statistics and ratios and the qualitive data include reports, articles, opinions, interviews and other literature. Considering the large gap between high school education and university education it was important to have first hand research of the level of students entering university. A senior accounting lecturer of the University of Witwatersrand, Mrs. Belinda Breytenbach, was contacted and an interview set up. Here further insight into the shortcomings of the education system was revealed. Interview questions: Do you believe that the right to education in South Africa for high school students is being fulfilled? Why or why not? Is it true that there is a growing concern regarding the cognitive abilities of first year students who have completed the NSC? Could you describe the academic level of the first year accounting students in general? What would you say is the single biggest need among students academically? How high are the university dropout rates and do you believe that they are increased due to the education students receive in high school? Is there cause for concern about the lowered standards which increase the pass rates of learners writing the NSC? With English being the medium of instruction how would you rate the proficiency of the average first year student? What do you believe are the main areas of concern in the basic education system of South Africa? Do you encounter difficulties in your field of work which is due to the lack of proper education for high school student? Do you believe that education in South Africa is viewed more negatively due to stereotypes? Are there enough opportunities for students who do not receive university acceptance? Do you think that the large amounts of students who after receiving the NSC do not receive university acceptance directly increase the unemployment rate and affect the South African economy? If so, why? What would you suggest the South African Department of Education do to further the education system? Processing of findings The majority of research material is secondary sources. Therefore conclusions and results need to be taken from the literature, graphs and ratios used. From this graph it is clear that by far the majority of learners in South Africa attend Public Schools. For this reason it is vitally important that the South African Education System is successfully fulfilling the basic right to Education as set out in the Bill of Rights. Below all the sources from the Literature Review are analyzed and interpreted in order to determine whether this right is fulfilled throughout the country. Studying the Limpopo textbook crisis, it is quite clear that corruption and a lack of integrity caused learners to suffer great loss in terms of learning materials and eventually in terms of time wasted. There is still no clear plan of action for the successful delivery of learning materials for 2014. Ultimately both articles prove the point that government officials are more concerned about playing politics than about the actual education of learners, who in turn become the victims of dishonesty. The Education Department should have a careful look at their priorities and put the learners first. When comparing South African Education to the rest of the World, South Africa has the fifth worst education system of all the countries reviewed. This puts us behind a country such as Zimbabwe, which in itself should raise grave concern. The current education system disappoints in terms of delivery of results as well as in terms of development. It is quite clear that the academic discussion of the problem has been done and the answers are on the table, however, the implementation of the Strategic Plan calls for responsible individuals to be monitored by the system. The SA Education Department has the tights ideas but has not succeeded in bringing them into action. This in itself might be a result of inferior teacher training procedures and highlights the need for proper education on a secondary and a tertiary level. Too much time is spent on the administration and discussion of the problem, and too little on the actual implementation and monitoring of the system. When analyzing the current education situation it is important to interpret ratios and statistics. Between 2009 and 2010 the Learner Educator ratio increased which means that teachers had bigger classes and more learners had less individual attention from the teacher. The Learner School ratio also increased, highlighting the need for more school buildings. The Educator School ratio decreased, showing that although learner numbers increased, the amount of teachers decreased. These ratios are an indication of the negative development of the entire system, adding unnecessary stress and workload to teachers. The Grade 12 results of 2009 and 2010 are displayed below. At first glance the increase in pass rate looks positive. However, the actual number of students who performed better did not increase, but the requirement to pass decreased to a lower standard and therefore the pass rate increased. In an interview with a senior accounting lecturer from the University of the Witwatersrand, Mrs. Belinda Breytenbach, the following information emerged: High School education is not adequate and many learners are taught by unqualified teachers. Lecturers sit with the problem of students not having the necessary language or mathematical skills to understand the work content. This makes teaching very difficult and emphasizes the need for better education on a higher standard. One of the biggest problems is a lack of English proficiency. When looking at the university dropout rate and the level of comprehension of these students, it is certainly cause for concern. Dropout rates are high and pass rates are low among first year students. When looking at Mrs Breytenbachs answers to the questionnaire, the deduction is made that Education on a tertiary level is severely hampered by inferior teaching on a secondary level. Interview Response: Do you believe that the right to education in South Africa for high school students is being fulfilled? No. Why or why not? Several factors contribute but among them is the inadequacy of education, the need for schools and qualified educators. The textbook crisis is another example. Is it true that there is a growing concern regarding the cognitive abilities of first year students who have completed the NSC? Yes, First year accounting pass rates are low. The mathematic and english skills of the students are below the required standard. Could you describe the academic level of the first year accounting students in general? It is definitely below the expected level at University. We find that most students are on about a Grade 10 and 11 standard and this makes teaching more difficult. What would you say is the single biggest need among students academically? English reading and writing skills. Students struggle with writing and have extreme difficulty with their comprehension skills. How high are the university dropout rates and do you believe that they are increased due to the education students receive in high school? Yes I do, the dropout rate is relatively high for university (+ 30 40%). Is there cause for concern about the lowered standards which increase the pass rates of learners writing the NSC? Yes, people are less equipped to pass at University. With English being the medium of instruction how would you rate the proficiency of the average first year student? English is poor. The majority of students are not first language English speakers. What do you believe are the main areas of concern in the basic education system of South Africa? The education and qualifications of the teachers themselves along with the fact that many learners are passing to the next grade/level without actually having the required knowledge. Do you encounter difficulties in your field of work which is due to the lack of proper education for high school student? Yes, they cannot grasp the accounting concepts due to a lack of English skills along with basic mathematical and accounting knowledge which although required is not actually present. Do you believe that education in South Africa is viewed more negatively due to stereotypes? Yes, but it is not only due to stereotypes. The lack of proper education is a problem I deal with on a daily basis at the University. Are there enough opportunities for students who do not receive university acceptance? Yes, the opportunities exist but students are not equipped well enough and simply do not always use the chances they are given. Do you think that the large amounts of students who after receiving the NSC do not receive university acceptance directly increase the unemployment rate and affect the South African economy? Yes If so why? Many students have passed grade 12 and have received the NSC but the level is too low and thus students cant get university acceptance and are not well enough prepared to be able to work as part of a growing economy. What would you suggest the South African Department of Education do to further the education system? Ensure that teachers are properly qualified. Try to focus on separating politics and education in all aspects. Provide more schools and opportunities. One way of doing this is by joining in on projects similar to one we run at the University of Witwatersrand, it is called the Wits Soweto schools project and it is where university lecturers go to help tutor school children in rural or underprivileged areas. Conclusion Having studied the education system in South Africa over a period of month and with the help of primary and secondary sources, a conclusion has been reached. As predicted in the hypothesis the human right to basic education in South Africa is not fulfilled on a satisfactory level nationally. There are not enough school buildings, there are not enough qualified teachers, learning materials do not always reach the learners and ultimately the level of education is too low to prepare learners for tertiary studies. There are many different reasons for the current problems within the Education System, and one of the biggest reasons is that unqualified teachers teach, which perpetuates the problem. This national problem needs to be addressed with a long term view, creating opportunities for staff development, improved teacher training and careful administration of resources and programs. The strategic plan should be actively enforced and the priority of the South African Education Department should be the learners. The system needs to be constantly reviewed and adjusted in the light of international standards. It is imperative that weak learners should be supported and helped to achieve, rather than to lower standards in an effort to increase pass rates. The biggest limitation of the above discussion is that there is no reference to children who are not even part of any schooling system and not accounted for in any statistics. Several of the secondary sources could be biased as it is written from an individuals perspective although facts and statistics were used. Doing this research project has opened my eyes to the complexity of the South African situation with particular reference to the education system. It does not have a simple solution; neither does it have a single contributing factor. There are numerous problems interlinking causing even bigger problems and one would need great wisdom, huge resources and a lot of determination to even begin addressing these problems. Great leadership is needed in this regard. Reference List Newspaper articles: Nicolson, Greg. 2012. Limpopos education crisis: The price of incompetence and corruption. The Daily Maverick. 18 July 2012 Nicolson, Greg. 2012. SAs education crisis: Limpopo STILL without books. The Daily Maverick. 17 July 2012 Websites: Merementsi, Akanyang. 10 April 2011. Is South Africa fulfilling right to free education for all right?. Media Society. http://akanyangafrica.wordpress.com/2011/04/10/is-south-africa-fulfilling-right-to-free-education-for-all-right/. 6 July 2012. Nicolson, Greg.17 July 2012.SAs education crisis: Limpopo STILL without books. The Daily Maverick.http://dailymaverick.co.za/article/2012-07-17-sas-education-crisis-limpopo-still-without-books. 1 September 2012. Nicolson, Greg. 18 July 2012. Limpopos education crisis: The price of incompetence and corruption. The Daily Maverick. http://dailymaverick.co.za/article/2012-07-18-limpopos-education-crisis-the-price-of-incompetence-and-corruption. 1 September 2012 Right to education project © 2008. The Constitution of South Africa. Right to education project.http://www.right-to-education.org/country-node/522/country-constitutional. 22 June 2012 The South African Department of Education. 14 June 2003. Action plan. The South African Department of Education. http://www.education.gov.za/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket =IBMz%2FjGelkc%3Dtabid=390mid=1124. 4 September 2012. The South African Department of Education. 9 March 2011. Strategic Plan. The South African Department of Education.http://www.education.gov.za/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket= %2F%2BBILaBJ7ak%3Dtabid=80mid=585. 4 September 2012. The South African Department of Education. Feb 2012. Education statistics 2010. The South African Department of Education. http://www.education.gov.za/EMISSTATISTICS /StatisticalPublications/tabid/462/Default.aspx. 22 June 2012. Tullett, Jon. 11 Jul 2012. Reinvent local education now. It web. http://www.itweb.co.za/index.php?option =com_contentview =articleid=56651. 13 August 2012. 18 July 2012.Rippling effect of the lowering of standards of basic education. Varsity SA. http://varsitysa.co.za/fun-stuff/articles/rippling-effect-of-the-lowering-of-standards-of-basic-education/.7 September 2012. Interview: Senior lecturer of Accounting from the University of the Witwatersrand Belinda Breytenbach. Tel:0832934350

College Admissions Essay: Deafness Will Not Hold Me Back :: College Admissions Essays

Deafness Will Not Hold Me Back A challenge is nothing more than an obstacle that lies in one's path. I have had my fair share of such obstacles The main one has been my deafness. Many people consider deafness a disabilitya handicap that leads to problems or failure. I am proof that this stereotype is false. I was raised with the awareness that a person in my position can either be a "deaf person" or a person who happens to have a problem hearing. I chose to be the latter. An example of the ways in which this decision shaped my life was the way I dealt with the junior and senior high school foreign language requirement; I have none: since I'm deaf, I am exempt from taking a foreign language. However, I never considered taking advantage of this exemption. I turned a "deaf' ear to my friends who said that I was crazy to take a course that I didn't need or my parents warning that it might be extremely difficult. Taking a foreign language was something that I wanted to do (not merely to prove to others that I could do it) because knowing another language seemed so interesting. Why should I have to go through life with only one language when everyone around me was learning new languages? So I began studying Spanish in seventh grade. Trying to articulate sounds that I could not hear was incredibly frustrating, as was the realization that my grades in Spanish were much lower than my grades in my other subjects, including my AP courses. Every semester, instead of my average being high enough for High Honor Roll, I was only able to make Honor Roll. Still, I was determined to succeed and I did. I can speak, read, and write Spanish. I am proud of my decision to persevere despite the knowledge that my perseverance would lower my academic average. Like so many experiences in my life, a challenge that I could have avoided became a test of my determination. Also, I enjoy challenges that have helped me develop as a human being. For example, chairing committees in Model Congress provided me with opportunities to work with students of different ages, ethnicities, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Similarly, my volunteer activitiesworking on Thanksgiving Food Drives for the homeless, the Interact Food Drives, and Hurricane Relief effortsenabled me to improve my ability to collaborate with a variety of people. College Admissions Essay: Deafness Will Not Hold Me Back :: College Admissions Essays Deafness Will Not Hold Me Back A challenge is nothing more than an obstacle that lies in one's path. I have had my fair share of such obstacles The main one has been my deafness. Many people consider deafness a disabilitya handicap that leads to problems or failure. I am proof that this stereotype is false. I was raised with the awareness that a person in my position can either be a "deaf person" or a person who happens to have a problem hearing. I chose to be the latter. An example of the ways in which this decision shaped my life was the way I dealt with the junior and senior high school foreign language requirement; I have none: since I'm deaf, I am exempt from taking a foreign language. However, I never considered taking advantage of this exemption. I turned a "deaf' ear to my friends who said that I was crazy to take a course that I didn't need or my parents warning that it might be extremely difficult. Taking a foreign language was something that I wanted to do (not merely to prove to others that I could do it) because knowing another language seemed so interesting. Why should I have to go through life with only one language when everyone around me was learning new languages? So I began studying Spanish in seventh grade. Trying to articulate sounds that I could not hear was incredibly frustrating, as was the realization that my grades in Spanish were much lower than my grades in my other subjects, including my AP courses. Every semester, instead of my average being high enough for High Honor Roll, I was only able to make Honor Roll. Still, I was determined to succeed and I did. I can speak, read, and write Spanish. I am proud of my decision to persevere despite the knowledge that my perseverance would lower my academic average. Like so many experiences in my life, a challenge that I could have avoided became a test of my determination. Also, I enjoy challenges that have helped me develop as a human being. For example, chairing committees in Model Congress provided me with opportunities to work with students of different ages, ethnicities, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Similarly, my volunteer activitiesworking on Thanksgiving Food Drives for the homeless, the Interact Food Drives, and Hurricane Relief effortsenabled me to improve my ability to collaborate with a variety of people.

My First day at sixth-form

I was sixteen and I had to make that same difficult question that everyone had to ask themselves at my age, ‘what am I going to do after I got my results from my GCSEs?' The day before I got my results I decided to go to Westwood ST Thomas sixth-form in stead of college. I have been at Westwood School for three years so I thought it would be easier to go somewhere that I knew and where they knew me. GCSE results day arrived; I took that short five minute walk for the last time of being a school girl. I got the magic envelope and opened it. I needed five C's or above to do the a-levels courses as planned. I took one look at the paper and my excitement turned into disappointment. I only got four C's. After talking to a careers adviser I decided what I should do. I had chosen to under-go a one year business course that would give me enough GCSEs that I needed. I went away that day feeling very low and disheartened that all my efforts didn't payoff. I felt like a year of my life was being taken away from me. 7AM, Monday morning, my alarm was beeping in my ear, Beep, Beep, beep. I rolled over and turned it off. I unwillingly thought ‘the first day of Sixth-form of what will be of a long year'. I was dragging my feet up the steep hill. A walk which was five minutes seemed like an hour. As I approached the school hill my heart was thumping in my chest. I told myself not to be so stupid. I had been at the school for three years but this time I was a student. As I walked through the gates nothing had changed! The old falling apart bike sheds which faced the gates were still there. I could see the three main blocks, where the specialist classes were held. Yep! The same old gloomy school. I got to where my tutor room was and sat down at an empty seat. I slowly one by one studied the people who are already settled in their seats. I didn't recognise anybody. They must be from different schools. I then studied the room, a big white board in the centre of the longest wall and around the other walls are notice boards with nothing on then. Surrounding the tables in the middle of the room are very old computers lined up against the wall. The decoration was an old off-white colour with paint starting to chip off the walls. The appearance and feeling was an old and depressing. I heard a familiar voice outside the room. It was my friend Amy. She walked in to the room and took her seat next to mine. I felt much relived that someone was in the group that I already knew. My new tutor and key teacher for the year, Mr Kendal, walked in to the room and sat down behind his big desk. He introduced himself then made each of us in turn introduce ourselves to the group. I am not the person for speaking in front of a group and felt my self go very red with embarrassment when it got to my turn. He gave us our student planner and the timetable; he went over some things that we were to do that year in the course. The time drove by so quickly. I looked at the clock and it was break time already. I had the chance to meet up with old friends and talk about what we did over the summer. When break time ended we all went back to our tutor rooms. This time I didn't know whether the sun was shinning through a different window, but I was starting to feel a bit more comfortable about the situation the room felt brighter, and a little more inviting. We had the tour of the school which lasted thirty minutes, and then we were allowed to go home. The walk home seemed like the old five minutes walk down the hill. I was feeling emotionally happy and pleased with the first day. (And it wasn't the fact it only lasted half a day). When I got home I told mum all about the day. I couldn't wait till bed time as I was exited about going back again the next day. (Even though it was an whole school assembly to meet the new Head Teacher). As I went to sleep that night I was still very happy, I thought, this year was not going to be as bad after all.

The Academic Decathlon †How to Prepare for the USAD Test

The Academic Decathlon – How to Prepare for the USAD Test The Academic Decathlon – How to Prepare for the USAD Test Academic competitions are common. There are spelling bees and robotic competitions on a national level, for example. There are school-wide, regional, and state competitions. One of the most interesting national academic competitions is the Academic Decathlon, a product of the U.S. Academic Decathlon Association (USAD). The competition was created in 1968 by the Superintendent of Schools for Orange Country, California just for California. It was later expanded to a national competition, and today most states and a few international schools now participate. What is Unique About the Academic Decathlon Most competitions involve the very best students that schools can put together as competitors. But this one is different, in the following ways: Each team is made up of 9 students. 3 are considered â€Å"honors† with GPA’s between 3.75-4.0; 3 are named â€Å"scholastic, with GPA’s between 3 – 3.74; 3 are named â€Å"varsity† with GPA’s of 0.00 – 2.99). There are ten events, and all students compete as individuals in their classified divisions. Team scores are determined by taking top scores from each division in each of the events and then added up for a total score for the team. Competitions begin at the local level, and the winning team from each state then moves on to the national competition. Tests of the Competition The ten events of USAD cover all academic disciplines that typical high school students study. These are as follows: 7 multiple-choice tests in language literature, math, science, social studies, economics, art and music. There is a Super Quiz that is either in science or social studies There is an essay to write, based upon optional prompts Each student must prepare a speech on a pre-selected topic Each student will be interviewed by judges. Obviously, the multiple-choice tests are objective measurements. The other three events are assessed subjectively by the judges, although the judging criteria is published on the organization’s website. Students don’t Go In â€Å"Blind† Every year the organization publishes its curriculum in every subject on its website. This provides students with an outline of the skills and content to be included in the 7 objective tests. This curriculum is developed by a 10-member panel. Anyone contributing to the curriculum must have a Bachelor’s degree in the subject. Once the curriculum is created, it is then checked by others for accuracy. There is also a USAD â€Å"theme† developed for each year, and the tests all relate to the theme. In the language and literature section, for example, a novel or set of plays is selected each year and provided to students. In music and art, students are provided with specific works that they must research and study. If, for example, the theme were to be â€Å"Africa,† as it was one year, social studies, language and literature, economics, art, and music tests will all relate to that continent, and contestants are provided specific topics to study. The Subjective Portions of the Competition As the term implies, there are no right or wrong answers to these parts of the event. Speech: This event is divided into two parts. The first is a prepared speech on a pre-provided topic, and it is to be 3  ½ - 4 minutes long. The second part is an impromptu speech. Contestants are given three optional prompts, choose one, and then deliver a 1  ½ - 2minute speech on that topic. The Interview: This is a formal event, during which the student is asked a series of questions and expected to respond. Questions have included such things as â€Å"Who is your role model and why?† The Essay: Contestants are given three prompts, choose one, and have 50 minutes to write their essays on the chosen topic. The prompts relate to the theme of that year and come from the language and literature or the Super Quiz areas. How to Prepare for the USAD Test There is a wealth of information published and updated each year on the organization’s website. This includes the theme and â€Å"curriculum† in each of the seven objective testing content areas. Information is released according to a calendar. For the 2017-2018 USAD competition, for example, the theme and general topic was posted March 1, 2018; the outlines for each curricular topic area on May 1; and more specific curriculum materials (e.g., study guides) will began to be shipped out to team coaches and state directors on May 15. The competition takes place in November, 2018, giving teams the summer months to spend time in strong preparation. Materials for Study – The Objective Multiple-Choice Tests The study materials that are provided by the USAD, including the topic areas and outlines are all free and can be downloaded from the website, and this is a good start for preparation. The more specific study materials – resource guides, study guides, etc. must be purchased by each team, and the cost is $1000. While there have been lots of complaints about charging for these materials, the organization claims that it has to in order to meet its over $1 million budget each year. This can put an additional burden on schools and school districts that are from poorer areas, and that has been a point of controversy. There are also USAD practice tests that are developed each year by third-party for-profit companies. These are sold to teams, and, when schools are able to provide this kind of financial support, the tests can be a big help. The USAD does not support or encourage the purchase of the practice tests; however, they are well-done and can give a team a pretty big advantage. Any time students have the opportunity to take practice test, research shows that they do better on the real thing. With all of this information and all of these study materials, most teams can be well-prepared for the objective testing events, provided they have a good coach and they spend a lot of time studying the material. The objective tests are very fact-based and do not require critical or creative thinking. It is really a matter of memorization. Because of this, a number of educational associations, such as the ASCD, have criticized the objective portion of the event. The criticism relates to the fact that students are basically engaged in straight memorization of facts rather than any higher-level thinking skills, such as application, analysis, or synthesis. The Association’s response is that, because the event is theme-based, students will become â€Å"experts† of sorts on those wider curricular areas and will have a knowledge base that they would not get in a regular school curricular environment. Materials for Study – The Subjective Portion of Testing No one can completely prepare for this portion of the event. However, given that the USAD theme for each year is published, and given that the essay and speech prompts will all relate to this theme, preparation can be in the following forms: For the essay portion of the exam, students can review and study essay samples in the general topical theme areas. And just as they would practice for an ACT or SAT essay, they should write several essays on their own that also relate to the theme and the language and literature and super quiz curricula. Speech Preparation: The ability to deliver a good speech is as much about self-confidence as it is about the content. Students should practice preparing and delivering speeches on the thematic topic areas of course. It is the impromptu speech event that will probably present the greatest challenge. But there are tactics and strategies that can be learned and practiced. During the time they have to prepare for USAF test, students should be given topics from their coaches that relate to the theme and take the one-minute of allowed preparation time to gather their thoughts. The most important parts of any speech are the opening and the ending. Practice using your minute of allowed preparation time to craft a great opening sentence and a solid ending. These will be the most memorable. Again, practice is the one thing that will get you over that anxiety and nervousness. The Interview: you will not be able to anticipate the questions you might be asked in a formal interview situation. The key to success, though, will be in your ability to stay calm, focused, and poised. Again, the key to a successful interview is practice. Your USAD coach should set up several interview sessions and ask difficult questions. Your goal is to take a minute, think about the question being asked, and form a response that relates directly to that question. Part of evaluating your performance will be your ability to stick to the topic of the question, to speak clearly and with confidence, and to keep your response relatively brief. The biggest mistake that people make during interviews is veering off topic and giving an answer that is disjointed and incoherent. Outside Research – It is Valuable You have the outlines and the study guide and resource materials. You know what the theme is. This year, for example, it is Africa. So, how much do you really know about Africa – it’s history, its development, it political, economic and social challenges? Most high schools do not offer a course in African studies, so you may not know much. You can take the study guides and gain a lot of factual information about Africa, but do you really have a solid, general understanding of the continent? Chances are you don’t. Take some time during the summer months before the competition to make Africa your focus of study. There is an amazing amount of online resources about this continent and the richness of its history, geography, and societies. Your goal should be to get a broad base of general knowledge, so that the factual information you may need to memorize actually makes sense to you. For example, you can access the National Geographic website and find a huge amount of information about Africa. In fact, there is a TV series on our African beginnings, narrated by Morgan Freeman, that is soon to start. Likewise, there are news stories about Africa published daily by online news organizations. The more general knowledge you can absorb about Africa, the more you will be able to appear as an â€Å"expert,† especially during the subjective portions of the event. You just never know when you may be able to throw in some information you have about Africa that will impress the judges. Above All – Take the Time You Need When you study for final exams, you have two choices. You can organize your material regularly throughout the semester and study a bit at a time. Or, you can â€Å"cram† at the last minute, perhaps 1-2 days before that exam and get help from essay services. Students who choose either option can be successful and get good exam grades. But preparing for the Academic Decathlon is different. It’s not like a final exam in history or social studies that covers a finite amount of material. It is an examination that covers all content areas. There is no way to â€Å"cram† at the last minute. Fortunately, your team will have a coach who will prepare a schedule of work and study over a longer period of time. You can study and learn in a relatively stress-free environment, and this means that you will retain much of what you learn long-term. So, if you study a piece of literature without the stress of an immediate exam, that more relaxed environment allows you to absorb information, to think critically about the piece, and to â€Å"cement† your understanding. Likewise, the longer preparation time will allow lots of practice for the subjective parts of the event – those speeches, the interview, and that essay. In these areas, it is practice, not study, that will make the difference. Above all, you need to understand that you are a part of a team with a coach. While you will be scored on your individual performance, it is important that you have the mindset of being a member of a team. Each member’s accomplishments should be encouraged and applauded – that’s what teamwork is all about.