introduction Essays (1242 words) - Tablet Computers, Gawker Media

Goaste Security Objectives Apple which has been an existing computer design company since 1976 released its newest creation ipad on June 4, 2010. Apple also partnered with ATJust a few days prior to the sale of the first ipad there was publicized news that the modern device had a default within its security that could link information to potential computer hackers. The discovery of this flaw was uncovered by Goaste Security firm. The firm hacked into AT&T?s website and was able to connect the id?s of new ipad owners to their email addresses. Goaste security officials were able to seize as many as 100,000 email addresses if not more. These email addresses consisted of politicians, government officials, well-known corporate officers and many other recognized and influential people. Goaste Security then released the information of their findings to Gawker Media LLC, and then told AT&T of the error that was uncovered due to their investigational hacking. There could have been a number of reasons to why Goaste Security decided to make this information public. One objection might have been for the sole purpose of exposure. Since Goaste is a fairly new security firm and there had been no recognition of the firm before the ipad incident the firm could have been pulling a publicity stunt for its own advertisement. This seems to be the case since the firm did not take the proper steps of contact, which would have been to first make AT Furthermore Goaste Security Firm could have been trying to establish a relationship with AT&T to sway them to come on board as one of their first clients. The firm could have been doing this by showing off their skills to recognize the potential hazards for security hackers to use against AT&T. Computer Hacking Computer hacking is not an unethical strategy for security firms to use however they should get consent before being able to practice their hacking skills. Especially since the case is that their specialty is computer hacking and they are using this special interest as a profession. Before computer hacking firms use these types of proficiencies both the firms and the companies in which the firm is catering to, must have established a written document preferably a contract agreement that discloses information as to what type of services the firm will provide and the steps that a necessary to fill the duties of the contract. Moreover under no circumstances should the security firm be able to release information to any third parties about discrepancies or any other acquired facts that the firm has unveiled due to its investigation. Under no circumstances should the security firm be able to release information to any third parties about discrepancies or any other acquired facts that the firm has discovered due to its investigation. Under no circumstances should the security firm be able to publicize information about the proposed company. It should be left up to the specified public relations department to make the decision to notify the public about any information that is related to the business of any company and its shareholders. For future notions, there should be more strict rules and regulations that come into play when monitoring hackers. More security software should be invented and tested to the highest quality to prevent future hackers. Security firms should be the leaders that implement these secure tools. These firms should also stay up to date with the many different databases so that they may develop software accordingly. Gawker Media Gawker Media is a web based company that is made up of a networking blogs site. Gawker was founded in 2002 and its corporate headquarters are based in New York, New York. Goaste Security firm was the company that appertained information from AT&T?s websites that was able to view private data that could have subjected AT&T customers to targets for unauthorized hackers. After Goaste Security firm gained this information they then revealed these findings to Gawker Media. The firm then took this report and made it public knowledge. Under no course of events should Gawker

buy custom Sex Education essay

buy custom Sex Education essay People often hear their parents and grandparents reminiscing about the golden past. They give examples of how things worked at the time whether it is regarding eating habits, manners or clothing. Most of all, one often hears people compare and contrast the teen culture of today with the past. Traditional thought holders frequently complain about teens receiving sex education openly in schools, stating that too much knowledge about the subject will cause them to become curious and therefore more likely to engage in casual sex. However, as Francis Bacons quote states, knowledge is power meaning that with the proper knowledge, the risk of harmful sex and early pregnancies is removed. The reason some people are against this education is because they believe the classes are targeting students in a negative way, providing them with a fantasy-like or unrealistic image about the taboo subject. On the contrary, health classes focus on teaching students about the sexual intercourse process, the risks and diseases involved and the pregnancy process along with birth control options. If this information was not presented, teens would rely solely on their own research, often from real life experiments, or from exaggerated rumors and stories. In the safe classroom environment, information such as unrotected sex, safe sex and abstinence is presented responsibly. Once students gain this knowledge, they are able to make intelligent individual choices. Moreover, peers do not pressure each other to make hasty decisions as they have been educated equally. As for the risks, they are a main focus of the curriculum. When talking among peers, students rarely mention the negative aspects of sex and therefore, ignore the issue. However, teachers focus on outcomes of unsafe encounters including sexually transmitted diseases, infections and unwanted pregnancies. Through this newfound awareness, teenagers points of view enhance and they are no longer pushed by blind ignorance into life threatening troubles. Furthermore, schools do not stop at simply giving out facts. The diligent leaders provide simple yet valuable resources to the student body. In fact some argue there should be more focus on sex education. However, because of time restrictions, not all concerns can be answered. Therefore, students have the option of accessing further information through guidance counselors, local Planned Parenthood clinics or even fellow peer counselors. These resources aid students who have dealt with real sexual problems such aas rape and physical and emotional abuse. Also, conservative religious parties make up main opposition to public sex education, believing that speaking freely about this topic will harm teenagers. However, these groups are gradually changing their minds as teenage pregnancy rates have declined due to the education provided. There are even social movements that refuse to back up this effort because they lack the understanding and proof of how greatly and positively sex education has affected people. They fail to realize that with the fast moving time, the culture, mindsets and living norms are changing drastically and call for unconventional methods to deal with the growing problems. Sex education does more than simply tell students about what sexual intercourse is. It helps develops attitudes and moral standards for the upcoming generations. Students are taught to engage in healthy relationships emotionally as well as physically. Other relationship aspects like bullying, abuse and stereotypes are explored to make individuals alert and realistic. This knowledge stays with them throughout their lives and impacts every relationship they have. Therefore, it is better to have the knowledge imbedded in their minds properly and maturely instead of receiving it from unreliable resources. Buy custom Sex Education essay

Assignment 8 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Assignment 8 - Essay Example After interpreting the data collected, the researcher can contemplate on the situation investigated clearly. The action plan will enable the researcher to understand the phenomenon investigated. Therefore, the researcher will easily present it to the people interested or improve and assess whether they have met or answered question they asked during initialization of action research project. The action plan will also enable the researcher to identify the presence of new problems. When starting an action research project, researchers list the problems available in the situation. After the research, the action plan will help them identify other problems they had not speculated. Action plan is also essential as it helps, especially in the plan or instructional method executed during the research program. Action planning will assist the researcher to assess if the plan executed during the research has resulted as hypothesized or not. Action planning also depicts the ineffective programs if the plans planned during the initialization of the research have not given results as anticipated. Lastly, action planning is important as it helps in modifying the steps used in the research. The researcher will revamp the previous methods in order to achieve better results in future action research projects. Professional reflection is essential during action planning. Professional reflection involves quantifying and contemplating on the procedures and results concluded from the action research project. It is, therefore, important for the researcher to reflect professionally after the research project results. Professional reflection enables the researcher to reexamine where the action research has taken them. The researcher will continue with the action plan if it has taken them to where they had predicted. Unfortunately, if the action plan is

Government Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Government - Essay Example There are two systems operating in Senegal; one, the system of French law and civil courts. As you are probably aware, it is necessary to the colonization process that the framework of familiar law with which the immigrants of the colonizing country are accustomed to is quickly established in order to maintain that sense of both justice and civilization. This is very important because in an otherwise uncivilized society, such chaos and lack of law can quickly begin to work against the administrative officials charged with civilizing the land. As you are probably aware, the history of Senegal is one of indigenous populations being indoctrinated into the Islamic faith, beginning in the 17th century. Thus, the law of civilized Christianity is foreign to those indigenous peoples who possess an awareness of law; and the rest of the population that are not Muslim, have a strong code of tribal chieftain law that has long served as the parameters within they conduct themselves. In order to provide the indigenous population the necessary time to assimilate into French custom and law, it is necessary to operate two legal systems; that of the indigenous Muslim and chieftain systems, and the French system. The French law and system extends throughout the land, of course, and is applicable in those situations where if an indigenous person is keenly aware of French domination, that they will be treated according to the French law. This has come to pass within the larger cities here, although we do find that Islamic law, severe in many ways, is useful when called upon and allows us to expeditiously deal with malcontents and upstarts who would undermine the French Crown in our endeavors here. Tribal law is recognized to the extent that we pay homage to the chieftains in order that much of the labor in building roads and railways throughout the country is provided by those groups. The more intellectual indigenous, the Muslims, make excellent liaisons between

Japanese contemporary art and Korean contemporary art Coursework

Japanese contemporary art and Korean contemporary art - Coursework Example The essay "Japanese contemporary art and Korean contemporary art" presents contemporary art practice in Japan and Korean, comparing and contrasting their different attributes. The paper also attempts to highlight the diverse effects that art have on the respective communities. The introduction of religion had a great significance to the Korean artistic images, and artistic styles were manifest in the temple developments, bronze statues, portraits and exemplified manuscripts. Also, Korea’s physical position at the crossroad of East Asia- between its two larger neighbors, Japan, and China – added an enormous influence on its history and culture and its artistic fundamentals. Korea functioned as an outlet between China and Japan for philosophies and theories and technologies that enriched Koreans artistic innovation and skills. Moreover, scholars have established non-passive role of Korea of spreading artistic ideas across to Japan or China, and recognized it not only diff used culture but also integrated it resulting to unique Korean art and culture of its own. Japanese art covers broad assortments of art styles and media that include ancient poetry, wood and bronze sculptures, silk and paper ink paintings, and other type artwork. Japanese painting has a rich history of synthesis and rivalry between natural Japanese aesthetics and utilization smuggled ideas. Further Japanese sculptures mainly originated from the idol reverence in Buddhism or animistic rites of Shinto deity. Particularly.

Sucker Rod Pumping System Engineering Essay

Sucker Rod Pumping System Engineering Essay Artificial lift allows wells to be produced that are non-flowing. Generally this is achieved by a mechanical device inside the well, such as pump; decreasing the weight of the liquid/gas mixture via high pressure gas; or improving the lift efficiency of the well. In the production string (tubing) that is usually set without a production packer, a pump placed below the dynamic fluid levelling the well lifts the crude up to the surface. This energy input allows the fluid to continue on its way and relieves the pay zone of all or part of the back pressure downstream from the pump. Sucker Rod Pumping is the most common method of artificial lift (85%), with gas lift second (10%), and then electrical submersible and hydraulic pumping about equal (2%) in usage. Sucker rod pump uses a vertical positive-displacement pump consisting of a cylinder and a hollow plunger with a valve i.e. it works by creating a reciprocating motion in a sucker rod string that connects to the downhole pump assembly. It is run into the tubing screwed onto the end of a rod string. The system is actuated from the surface by a motor that drive a walking beam or a hydraulic elevator. Introduction Sucker Rod Pumps, also called Donkey pumps or beam pumps, are the most common artificial-lift system used in land-based operations. Motor drives a reciprocating beam, connected to a polished rod passing into the tubing via a stuffing box. The sucker rod continues down to the oil level and is connected to a plunger with a valve. On each upward stroke, the plunger lifts a volume of oil up and through the wellhead discharge. On the downward stroke it sinks (it should sink, not be pushed) with oil flowing though the valve. The motor speed and torque is controlled for efficiency and minimal wear with a Pump off Controller (PoC). Use is limited to shallow reservoirs down to a few hundred meters, and flows up to about 40 litres (10 gal) per stroke . Technical Details: Artificial lift allows wells to be produced that are non-flowing. Generally this is achieved by a mechanical device inside the well, such as pump; decreasing the weight of the liquid/gas mixture via high pressure gas; or improving the lift efficiency of the well. Artificial lift consists of two main processes: Mechanical lifting by pumps. Lessening the fluid density by mixing with gas injected in the part of the production string ,or gas lift In the production string (tubing) that is usually set without a production packer, a pump placed below the dynamic fluid levelling the well lifts the crude up to the surface. This energy input allows the fluid to continue on its way and relieves the pay zone of all or part of the back pressure downstream from the pump. The two most common pumping methods in the world are: Sucker rod pumping Centrifugal pumping Sucker Rod Pumping: It is the most common method of artificial lift (85%); with gas lift second (10%), and then electrical submersible and hydraulic pumping about equal (2%) in usage. Sucker rod pump uses a vertical positive-displacement pump consisting of a cylinder and a hollow plunger with a valve i.e. it works by creating a reciprocating motion in a sucker rod string that connects to the downhole pump assembly. .It is run into the tubing screwed onto the end of a rod string. The system is actuated from the surface by a motor that drive a walking beam or a hydraulic elevator. Components Every part of the pump is important for its correct operation. The most commonly used parts are described below: Barrel: The barrel is a large cylinder which can be from 10 to 36 feet long and a diameter from 1.25 to 3.75  inches (95  mm). After using several materials for its construction, the API (American Petroleum Institute) standardized the use of 2 materials or compositions for this part which are carbon steel and brass, both with an inside coating of chrome. The advantage of brass against carbon steel, weather is a more soft material, is its 100% resistance to corrosion. Piston: This is a nickel-metal sprayed steel cylinder that goes inside the barrel. Its main purpose is to create a sucking effect that lift the fluids beneath it and then, with the help of the valves, take those fluids above it and, progressively, out of the well. It achieves this with a reciprocal up and own movement. Valves: The valve has two components the seat and the ball which create a complete seal when closed. After trying several materials, the most commonly used seats are made of carbon nitride and the ball is often made of silicon nitride. In the past, balls of iron, ceramic and titanium were used. This last type of balls, made of titanium, is still being used but only where crude oil is extremely dense and/or the quantity of fluids is too much. The most common configuration of a rod pump requires two valves, called the travelling valve and fixed or static valve. Piston Rod: Its a rod that connects the piston with the outside of the pump. Its main purpose is to transfer the engine produced by the Nodding Donkey above in an up/down reciprocal movement. Fitting: The rest of the parts of the pump is called fitting and is, basically, small pieces designed to keep everything hold together in the right place. Most of these parts are designed to let the fluids pass uninterrupted. Filter: The job of the filter, as guessed, is to stop big parts of rock, rubber or any other garbage that might be loose in the well from going into the pump. There are several types of filters, being a common iron cylinder with enough holes in it to permit the entrance of the amount of fluid the pump needs the most commonly used. Explanation Of How It Works/ Is Used: Figure A: Components of Sucker Rod Pump ` A motor and gearbox supply power to turn the power shaft. There is a counterweight at the end of the crank. A pitman arm is attached to the crank and it moves upward when the crank moves counterclockwise. The Samson arms support the walking beam. The walking beam pivots and lowers or raises the plunger. The   rod attaches the plunger to the horsehead. The horsehead (not rigidly attached) allows the joint (where rod is attached) to move in a vertical path instead of following an arc. Every time the plunger rises, oil is pumped out through a spout. The pump consits of a four bar linkage is comprised of the crank, the pitman arm, the walking beam, and the ground. Figure B: Operational Detail of Sucker Rod Pump Here the plunger is shown at its lowest position. The pitman arm and the crank are in-line. The maximum pumping angle, denoted as theta in the calculations, is shown. L is the stroke length. After one stroke, the plunger moves upward by one stroke length and the walking beam pivots. The crank also rotates counter clockwise. At the end of the upstroke the pitman arm, the crank, and the walking beam are in-line. For name and location of parts, see Figure A: A motor supplies power to a gear box. A gearbox reduces the angular velocity and increases the torque relative to this input. As shown in Figure B, (the crank turns counter clockwise) and lifts the counterweight. Since the crank is connected to the walking beam via the pitman arm, the beam pivots and submerges the plunger. Figure B also shows the horsehead at its lowest position. This marks the end of the down stroke. Note that the crank and the pitman arm are in-line at this position. The upstroke raises the horsehead and the plunger, along with the fluid being pumped. The upstroke begins at the point shown in Figure B. At the end of the upstroke, all joints are in-line. This geometric constraint determines the length of the pitman arm. Figures C (a) and C (b) show the plunger and ball valves in more detail. These valves are opened by fluid flow alone. During the plungers upstroke the plunger valve or riding valve is closed. The column of liquid corresponding to the stroke will be lifted up to the surface while, relieved of the weight of the fluid, the pressure of the pay zone can then open the bottom valve or standing valve, thereby allowing the pump barrel to fill up with effluent. During the down stroke the valve of the hollow plunger opens and the standing valve closes, thereby preventing the fluid from returning into the pay zone and allowing the plunger to return freely to its initial point at the base of pump barrel. The pump is single acting and its theoretical output is equal to the volume generated by the plungers stroke and cross-section multiplied by the pumping rate, i.e. in a homogenous system: Q=S*N*A Where, Q=Flow rate. S=Stroke. N=Number of strokes per time unit. A=Area of the plunger. In practice following parameters are also involved: An efficiency factor A coefficient depending on the units that are use Figure C(a) TABLE OF VARIABLES THAT AFFECT SUCKER ROD STRING AND PUMPING UNIT LOADING Polished rod load Pumping speed Pump setting or depth Physical characteristics of the rod string Dynamic characteristics of the rod string Plunger diameter of the pump Specific gravity Pump intake pressure Polished rod acceleration pattern Mechanical friction Fluid friction Pump submergence Compressibility or gas interference Pumping unit inertia Pumping unit geometry Counterbalance Torque characteristics of prime mover Flow line pressure Innovativeness and Usefulness: Any liquid-producing reservoir will have a reservoir pressure: some level of energy or potential that will force fluid (liquid and/or gas) to areas of lower energy or potential. You can think of this much like the water pressure in your municipal water system. As soon as the pressure inside a production well is decreased below the reservoir pressure, the reservoir will act to fill the well back up, just like opening a valve on your water system. Depending on the depth of the reservoir (deeper results in higher pressure requirement) and density of the fluid (heavier mixture results in higher requirement), the reservoir may or may not have enough potential to push the fluid to the surface. Most oil production reservoirs have sufficient potential to produce oil and gas which are light naturally in the early phases of production. Eventually, as water which is heavier than oil and much heavier than gas encroaches into production and reservoir pressure decreases as the reservoir depletes, all wells will stop flowing naturally. At some point, most well operators will implement an artificial lift plan to continue and/or to increase production. In relative to US data sucker rod pumping is the most common method (85%); with gas lift second (10%), and then the electrical submersible and the hydraulic pumping about equal (2%) in usage. Plunger lift and several variations of all these processes are in limited use. The prominence of sucker rod pumping is due, in part, to the large number of shallow, low productivity wells in the Midwestern and western United States. Mainly sucker rod pumps are used for onshore areas. Sucker rod pumps are used primarily to draw oil from underground reservoirs. The mechanisms it employs however are found in a wide variety of machines. The four bar linkage can be found on door dampers, on automobile engines, and on devices such as the lazy tong. The Sterling engines also use a linkage similar to the one used by the pump. Current Status of Development: Every project requires an in depth study of the topic. Being in the starting phase of our project, currently we are going through as many books, journals and online material as we can. Collecting as much data as we can, we plan to go through an extensive study of sucker-rod pumps and artificial gas drive techniques, principles etc. Having a comprehensive knowledge of sucker-rod pumps is our first objective, after which we will think of ways in which we can apply practically. Current sources being referred:

Investigate the factors affecting the rate of Osmosis :: GCSE Biology Osmosis Coursework

Investigate the factors affecting the rate of Osmosis Planning Osmosis is the diffusion of water from a lower concentration of solute to a higher concentration of solute, through a partially permeable membrane. In a high concentration of water the amount of solute (e.g. sucrose) is low. This could be called a weak or dilute solution. In a low concentration of water the amount of solute is high. This could be called a strong or concentrated solution. When a partially permeable membrane divides two such solutions, the water will move from the area of high concentration to the area of low concentration until both sides are equal. In plant cells water flows through the cell wall and cell surface membrane into the vacuole from the outside. As a result, the cell swells up. It doesn't burst as the cell wall stops the cell expanding too much; at this point we say a cell is fully turgid. Aim The purpose of my investigation is to investigate the factors affecting the rate of Osmosis. The key factors I have found affect this are: Length - of membrane Temperature - of water Concentration - of solution The factor I am going to investigate is the concentration of the solution in which the potatoes are placed. By doing this I will have to control all other factors to ensure a fair test, these are; doing all the tests at room temperature to control the temperature as a higher temperature would mean diffusion would occur quicker. The mass and surface area of the potatoes at the beginning of the experiment are other controls I will need to monitor to ensure a fair test. The mass of the potato is a dependent variable; this means that it will be measured throughout the experiment. I will measure the mass in grams correct to 2d.p. The potato chip will be measured before it is put in the solution, and after. This will allow us to see whether osmosis has taken place, and to what extent. The volume of the solution that the potato chips are kept in must be fair. The must be totally covered in the solution, and the amount of solution will be kept the same because all the potato chips are the same size. The amount of solution I cover each chip in will be 20cm. Prediction I predict in my experiment that the higher the concentration of sugar in the solution, the smaller the potato chip will become. I predict this as the greater the concentration of water in the external solution, the greater the amount of water that enters the cell by

Fabric Softener Research Paper Essay

Fabric softeners help keep clothes soft and colorful. While many people use fabric softeners while they do their laundry, most are unaware of the chemicals that softeners use. Many softener manufacturers do not go into detail about the compounds they use to help soften fabric. Unfortunately, many softeners are made from a wide mixture of chemicals that can have potentially hazardous effects on the human body over time. Read more: What Are the Dangers of Fabric Softeners? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/list_7588099_dangers-fabric-softeners.html#ixzz2JhHu6n72 1. rritation * Fabric softener companies do warn that their products can cause irritation, especially the liquid versions, and advise that you do not allow any fabric softener to touch your skin or your eyes. Some of the chemicals used to create these softeners are caustic and can cause itching or burning problems when the products accidentally contact skin. Respiratory Problems * Other chemicals in fabric softeners can cause lung problems and more significant irritation if they are inhaled. Benzyl alcohol, a common ingredient, acts as an upper respiratory tract irritant, while other compounds like A-Terpineol and pentane can also cause lung damage. These chemicals can cause asthma, especially in younger children. * Sponsored Links * Cars For Sale Philippines Brand New & Used Cars For Sale At Sulit Cars Buy And Sell Philippines Cars.Sulit.com.ph Carcinogens * Carcinogens are compounds that have been linked to causing cancer. It is difficult to pinpoint the substances that can actually cause cancer, and those linked to sufficient evidence are often banned (like asbestos). However, other chemicals may have been linked to cancer in some studies but have not yet been examined thoroughly enough to determine a direct link. Chemicals like chloroform and limonene are known as carcinogens and show up in fabric softeners. Nervous System Damage * Many of the compounds that cause skin irritation or may increase the possibility of cancer can also have a cumulative toxic effect if they are accidentally ingested. Ethanol, camphor and linalool can all cause nervous system damage. So can the previously mentioned chloroform and A-terpineol. Toxin exposure results in symptoms including dizziness, nausea, headaches, numbness and pain in the neck and spine. Fabric Problems * Some fabric softeners use tallow, a waxy material that can help protect clothing and keep it from being damaged as easily by stains. However, tallow can also render towels ineffective at absorbing water; since tallow repels liquids, towels can struggle to perform their jobs in bathrooms and kitchens. Tallow is also dangerous for the dryer lint filter, where it can cause clogging issues. Chronic Maladaptation * The human nervous system develops a condition when constantly exposed to the toxic chemicals that fabric softeners leave in clothing, becoming chronically maladapted to their presence. The effect the toxins have on the nervous system, though negative, can create an addictive-type response when they are constantly present. The nervous system begins to expect the toxins to be there and someone affected may not associate problems with fabric softener products, even on a physical level. This problem is exacerbated by fabric softeners that impregnate fabrics and continue to release their compounds over a long period of time. Sponsored Links * Detergents Stabilize Membrane Proteins Zitterionic, Non/Anionic Detergents www.avantilipids.com * Head & Shoulders Eliminate Dandruff Effectively! Leave your hair fresh and cleansed headandshoulders.ph/benefits * Product Suppliers Connect with over 120,000 suppliers from Hong Kong, China and Taiwan www.hktdc.com * Read more: What Are the Dangers of Fabric Softeners? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/list_7588099_dangers-fabric-softeners.html#ixzz2JhI4pf00 The Toxic Danger of Fabric Softener and Dryer Sheets by SixWise.com Many people will remember a famous TV ad where a woman races to her washing machine, fabric softener in hand, only to arrive just as the wash ends. This woman who â€Å"e;forgot to ad the fabric softener†e; was actually doing herself and her family a favor. Although they may make your clothes feel soft and smell fresh, fabric softener and dryer sheets are some of the most toxic products around. And chances are thatthe staggering 99.8 percent of Americans who use common commercial detergents, fabric softeners, bleaches, and stain removers would think twice if they knew they contained chemicals that could cause cancer and brain damage. Fabric softeners and dryer sheets with scents like April Fresh and Summer Orchard add toxic chemicals to your laundry and, consequently, your body.| Here is a list of just some of the chemicals found in fabric softeners and dryer sheets: * Benzyl acetate:Linked to pancreatic cancer * Benzyl Alcohol:Upper respiratory tract irritant * Ethanol:On the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Hazardous Waste list and can cause central nervous system disorders * Limonene:Known carcinogen * A-Terpineol:Can cause respiratory problems, including fatal edema, and central nervous system damage * Ethyl Acetate:A narcotic on the EPA’s Hazardous Waste list * Camphor:Causes central nervous system disorders * Chloroform:Neurotoxic, anesthetic and carcinogenic * Linalool:A narcotic that causes central nervous system disorders * Pentane:A chemical known to be harmful if inhaled So how could products with pretty names like Soft Ocean Mist, Summer Orchard and April Fresh be so dangerous? The chemicals in fabric softeners are pungent and strong smelling — so strong that they require the use of these heavy fragrances (think 50 times as much fragrance) just to cover up the smells. Furthermore, synthetic fabrics, which are the reason fabric softeners were created in the first place, do not smell good either when heated in a dryer or heated by our bodies †¦ hence the need for even more hefty fragrances. In other words, remove all the added fragrance that endears people to fabric softeners and — like the clichà © wolf in sheep’s clothing — the real smells of the chemical-laced fabric softener and the synthetic fabrics they were designed around may prompt people to shoot their laundry machines and be done with it. Are â€Å"e;Soft†e; Clothes Worth It? Fabric softeners are made to stay in your clothing for long periods of time. As such, chemicals are slowly released either into the air for you to inhale or onto your skin for you to absorb. Dryer sheets are particularly noxious because they are heated in the dryer and the chemicals are released through dryer vents and out into the environment. Health effects from being exposed to the chemicals in fabric softeners include: * Central nervous system disorders * Headaches * Nausea * Vomiting * Dizziness * Blood pressure reduction * Irritation to skin, mucus membranes and respiratory tract * Pancreatic cancer A 100% Non-Toxic, Economical Solution!The Static Eliminator’s woven sheets take static cling out, and soften fabric without any toxic chemicals whatsoever — plus they areincredibly economical, as one box can be used to maximum effectiveness 500 times! (Or go for the super-economical double-pack for 1000 loads!) * Completely Non-Toxic: The unique technology is based on the weave of the cloth so it is chemical-free! * Very Economical! Each box highly effective for 500 loads of laundry! (To do 500 loads with chemical based dryer sheets takes 13 boxes!) * 100% Hypoallergenic — Safe for infants, allergy sufferers, eczema sufferers, and the chemically sensitive * Softens Clothes & Eliminates Staticwithout any harsh toxins * Safe for Even the Most Delicate Fabrics * Works at Any Heat Setting , with any amount of clothing * Won’t Stain or Spot Clothing * Easier to Use & Reduces Waste: Unlike conventional dryer sheets that must be discarded, just leave the 100% safe polynylon Static Eliminator sheet right in the dr yer for load after load * Won’t Clog Up Your Dryer Vents because it contains NO chemicals!Learn More About Static Eliminator Now!| Soften Your Clothes Safely With These Tips Even if you don’t feel the effects of these chemicals today, they can affect you gradually over time, and children, whose systems are still developing, are particularly at risk.There’s really no reason to expose yourself to these risky chemicals when natural alternatives exist. Not only are they safer for you, your family and the environment, but they’re much more economical too: * Learn about Static Eliminator, a 100% safe, non-toxic dryer sheet system that is more effective at softening clothes and eliminating static cling but poses no risk to you and your family! This is one of the most highly recommended of all products we have reviewed, and you will find it is also extremely economical, too! * Add a quarter cup of baking soda to wash cycle to soften fabric * Add a quarter cup of white vinegar to rinse to soften fabric and eliminate cling * Check out your local health food store for a natural fabric softener that uses a natural base like soy instead of chemicals It’s likely that fabric softeners and dryer sheets aren’t the only toxic products in your home. Many household products that consumers regard as safe are also full of toxic chemicals. Our past articles onPEG Compounds in CosmeticsandPhenols in Common Household Cleansersare two of the all-time most popular articles on SixWise.com and will make you more aware of the pervasiveness of harmful chemicals that can be eliminated from your home. http://shop.sixwise.com/thetoxicdangeroffabricsofteneranddryersheets2805.aspx The Hidden Life Of†¦ Laundry By Chris Borris Ah, clean! Fresh-smelling towels, chubby-cheeked cherubs snuggling into soft blankets that have been lovingly bathed in chlorine, benzene, formaldehyde . . . what?! That’s not part of the image, but it is the reality for the 99.8 percent of Americans who use common commercial detergents, fabric softeners, bleaches, and stain removers. Plus doing our laundry burns through hundreds of thousands of barrels of oil and sends millions of pounds of chlorine into our air and water each year. But we don’t have to put our health—or the environment—at risk to get our clothes brighter and whiter. Recipes for homemade greener cleaners abound, and nontoxic, eco-friendly laundry products are no longer rare. Looking for the best of the conventional brands, on the other hand, isn’t always easy. Cleaning-product ingredients are considered â€Å"trade secrets,† so manufacturers aren’t required to list all of them on the label. (Environmentally friendly b rands often do list ingredients, since they have nothing to hide.) Philip Dickey, staff scientist at the Washington Toxics Coalition, advises consumers to look for products with specific, rather than general, claims: â€Å"90 percent biodegraded in three days,† not just â€Å"biodegradable†; â€Å"contains no phosphates,† not simply â€Å"environmentally safe.† Detergents and Bleaches: Thanks to activist efforts, many major makers of laundry products have reduced their use of phosphates, minerals that promote rapid (and ecologically dangerous) algae growth in lakes and streams. But the active ingredients in most detergents (called â€Å"surfactants†) are still derived from petroleum, so the environmental damage starts with drilling, spilling, and refining oil—and can end with toxic residues contaminating our water and soil. Artificial fragrances, bleaches, and other additives in these â€Å"spring fresh† brews can cause rashes and aggravate asthma. Avoid these dangers by cleaning the old-fashioned way : with plant-based, fragrance-free soaps (and non-chlorine bleaches). Dry Cleaning: Ever notice a harsh chemical smell clinging to your dry-cleaned clothes? That’s perchloroethylene, or â€Å"perc,† a solvent that can cause dizziness, fatigue, confusion, nausea, and skin irritation in high doses, and—for those exposed to it repeatedly—liver damage and increased risk of miscarriage. Our air, soil, and water fare little better than our bodies: According to Greenpeace, 10 percent of drinking-water wells in California are contaminated with perc. And incinerating the chemical along with other hazardous waste generates dioxins and other pollutants. The Federal Trade Commission is proposing changing â€Å"dry-clean only† labels to recognize alternative methods, including â€Å"wet cleaning,† a nontoxic, nonpolluting process that uses water and biodegradable soap. To find a wet cleaner near you, consult the Professional Wetcleaning Network (www.tpwn.net). Stain Removers and Fabric Softeners: They may make your clothes look and feel clean, but these products can leave your garments tainted by formaldehyde and irritating synthetic fragrances. Spot removers also contain the pernicious perchloroethylene. A healthier alternative is probably as close as your kitchen cupboard: Some swear by egg yolk and lukewarm water for coffee stains, or sour milk or lemon juice followed by a salt rub and sun-drying for rust. Home Safe Home author Debra Lynn Dadd favors an all-purpose mixture of borax dissolved in cold water to treat blood, chocolate, coffee, and mildew stains. Clothes can be softened by adding baking soda during the rinse cycle. Look for a fabric softener with a natural base (such as soy) rather than one made from chemicals. Washing: Why waste 40 gallons of water to do an average load of laundry? Front-loading washers use one-third to one-half the water and less soap than conventional top-loaders—and they’re gentler on clothes and wring them drier in the spin cycle, cutting dryer time and energy use. Although they may cost twice as much as conventional washers, Consumers Union estimates that you can earn the money back in as little as six years of savings on water and energy bills. (The EPA’s Energy Star program provides buying tips atwww.energystar.gov.) Use even less energy by choosing the cold-water cycle, reserving warm water for your grimiest duds. Since 86 percent of the energy consumed by a washing machine goes to heating the water, one household can eliminate 1,600 pounds of annual carbon dioxide emissions by washing in cold. Drying: The saints among us line-dry every load. The rest of us can make sure dryers are efficient, vented, cleaned, and kept in a heated space. Use the cooler permanent-press cycle, which takes advantage of residual heat. And try line-drying, at least in the summer: Not only will you prevent hundreds of pounds of CO2 from warming our planet, but your clothes will smell great, too. http://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/200209/hidden_printable.asp

The Impact of Algorithmic Trading on Mutual Fund Performance

The Impact of Algorithmic Trading on Mutual Fund Performance Abstract The paper is devoted to the mutual fund performance, tournaments and their interconnection with algorithmic trading. The theoretical research has been conducted with the purpose of understand the nature of tournaments in the industry of mutual funds.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Impact of Algorithmic Trading on Mutual Fund Performance specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Then, the methodology was designed with the purpose to follow the risk-taking behaviour of competitors in tournaments. This allows us to draw a conclusion that endogenous benchmark is not spread in tournament behavior, while exogenous benchmark has stronger influence. Introduction Mutual funds’ functions are limited to helping people have a small share in big corporation. There are two main ways of getting profit from mutual funds, interest or dividends to the fund or the raise of security in value.1 There are a lot of adv antages of mutual funds, like professional management of investments, affordability, variety and diversification, high convenience and easiness in recordkeeping.2 Technologies have revolutionized the processes at the financial markets and influenced the trading of financial assets.3 Having implemented different electronic platforms and algorithms for trading, some market operators are aimed at competing with others instead of â€Å"trading with a counterparty that has no high-speed access†.4 Therefore, the mutual funds are affected as well. The necessity to adopt algorithmic programs is felt due to the increases of the expected performance.5 Tournament behaviour in the mutual fund industry is defined as â€Å"the intense competition between fund managers who alter their portfolio risk with the expectation of improving or maintaining their existing ranking relative to the relevant peer group†.6 Fund managers try to reach the leading top positions at the end of the year7 as these activities are used as the basis for the first decade of a new year. There is no much difference between middle and bottom positions in the mutual fund tournament rating, so, â€Å"the optimal response of a fund manager to its interim performance is an adjustment of her risk taking†.8Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Mutual fund tournaments cover â€Å"the attempts of rational fund managers to maximize their expected compensation by adjusting the risk of their portfolios in accordance with their relative performance over a year†.9 According to Wang, â€Å"managers increase their portfolio riskiness in response to the gambling incentives, which tends to have a negative effect on fund performance†.10 Such behaviour also impacts algorithmic traders as the decisions are based on specific information on the markets and the raise of portfolio riskiness means the variation in prices. Focusing attention on mutual fund performance and tournament behaviour, Lin, Chung, Lee conducted a deeper research and identified a direct link between competition fund managers and management risk choice. These activities influence future performance. Lin, Chung, Lee stress that â€Å"the tournament system provides fund managers with the incentives to alter their portfolio risks in an effort to catch up with the market or lock in their yearly performance†.11 Beckmann, Là ¼tje, Rebeggiani have proven that tournament behavior in mutual funds depends on overconfidence, risk assessment and gender differences.12 Mutual fund performance on the international arena is conducted via algorithmic platforms in a number of reasons. Algorithmic trading engines are more secure than human trading. Moreover, algorithmic engines allow monitor and modify funds. It can be concluded that â€Å"algorithmic trading systems capitalize on the ir advantageous ability to process high-speed data feeds and react instantaneously to market movements by submitting corresponding orders or modifying existing ones†.13 The spread of algorithmic trading systems in mutual fund tournaments is explained by the dynamic changing of the principles of financial relations, client needs, cost reducing strategies, emergence of new markets, etc.14Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Impact of Algorithmic Trading on Mutual Fund Performance specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Investors want to know the post risk-taking effect in the industry of mutual funds as this helps them understand â€Å"whether the change of risk-taking alters future fund performance†.15 This data helps algorithmic system predict the outcome of the affair and make decisions. Methodology The increase of declination of the risks may lead to wrong decisions, which, in their turn, are going to influence the situation at the fund market, as â€Å"markets always incorporate all available public information† for their needs.16 To follow the linkage between mutual funds and algorithmic trading, it is necessary to consider the risk-taking behaviour of competitors in tournaments.17 Considering closer the data which should be used for the research, it should be mentioned that sample funds should be referred to from France database for 5 past years. Only domestic equity funds are to be examined with at least 60% hold in common stock. We are not going to take into account specialist funds, closed funds and index funds.18 We expect to â€Å"alter risk-taking behaviour in response to [fund managers’] performance relative to competing fund managers†.19 The first step of our research is the examination of the monthly compound return of each fund taken in one tournament year: , where   is â€Å"the monthly change in the fund’s index series value† .20Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Next, we are going to explore â€Å"relationships between interim period performance and subsequent period risk† by means of calculating risk adjusted-return/ratio which represents the change in risk:21 , where is the intercept, is the gradient, denotes winners dummy variables denotes losers dummy variables.22 We are going to test two hypotheses, H0: b=0 and H1: b0. If the estimated coefficient is equal to 0, so we fail to reject the null hypothesis which states that â€Å"subsequent period fund risk is independent of ranking period performance†.23 If we manage to reject this hypothesis, we will focus on the alternative hypothesis aimed at exploring the central prediction of the tournament hypothesis: â€Å"funds with below benchmark returns in the first part of the year (losers) increase their total risk in the remaining part of the year, relative to better performing funds (winners)†.24 The age of funds should be related to the mutual fund performance and tour nament behavior. Therefore, having classified funs into two categories, ‘young’, which have been existing less than two years, and ‘old’, which have been existing for more than four years. The hypothesis is as follows, the investors â€Å"would be more strongly influenced by poor short-term performance history than for a fund that has been around for some time†.25 Referencing to the previous equation, we are going to utilize the following augmented dummy variable: Conclusion Using the data of France mutual funds performance, we have tested a number of hypotheses which might point to the absence of strong evidence of tournament behavior using endogenous benchmark, however, exogenous benchmark is predicted to be used in the tournament behavior. Furthermore, the impact of the choice of ‘young’ and ‘old’ funds in the mutual funds tournament may be used for changing some parameters in the algorithmic trading system to make the decisions better and more profitable for the investor. Young funds are considered to be more risky, thus, the fund’s performance should be double checked in case of using those. Bibliography A guide to understanding mutual funds, Investment Company Institute, Washington. Beckmann, D., Là ¼tje, T., Rebeggiani, L., 2007. Italian asset managers’ behavior: Evidence on overconfidence, risk taking and gender. Discussion paper, 358, pp. 1-26. Benson, K.L., Hall, J., Lim, X., 2010. Semi-annual mutual fund performance in up and down markets. [pdf]. Broihanne, M., n.d. Funds tournaments and equity portfolio managers risk-taking, [pdf], pp. 1-24. Erturk, K., Ozgur, G., 2009. What is Minsky all about, anyway? Real World Economics Review, 50, pp. 3-15. Gomber, P., Gsell, M., 2009. Algorithmic trading engines versus human traders – do they behave different in securities markets? CFS Working Paper, 2009/10, pp. 1-15. Gsell, M., 2009. Technological innovations in securitie s trading: The adoption of algorithmic trading. Pacific Asia Conference on Information Systems, pp. 1-13. Gsell, M., n.d. Assessing the impact of algorithmic trading on markets: A simulation approach. [pdf], pp. 1-12. Hallahan, T., Rahim, V., Iorio, A. D. n.p. Risk shifting in Malaysian managed funds – panel data analysis of conventional and Islamic funds. School of Economics, Finance and Marketing. [pdf], pp. 1-42. Hallahan, T., Rahim, V., Miisa, I., Yacoub, A., O’Neill, B., Backulja, M., 2009. Tournament behavior in Malaysian managed funds: A non-parametric analysis. Working Paper, 005. Hendershott, T., Riordan, R., 2009. Algorithmic trading and information. [pdf], pp. 1-40. Jans, R. Otten, R., 2008. Tournaments in the UK mutual fund industry, Managerial Finance, 34(11), pp. 786-798. Kempf, A., Ruenzi, S., 2005. Tournaments in Mutual Fund Families. Discussion Paper, 05-20, pp. 1-35. Khan, M. F., 2006. Financial modernization in 21st century and challenge for Isl amic banking, International Journal of Islamic Financial Services, 1(3), pp. 1-4. Ko, K., Ha, Y., 2010. Mutual fund tournaments and structural changes in an emerging fund market: The case of Korea. FnGuide Research Grant, pp. 113-138. Lin, M., Chung, H., Lee, C., n.d. Mutual fund tournament test: Do shareholders benefit from fund managers’ risk-taking behavior. [pdf]. Wang, X., 2010. On time varying mutual fund performance. Rotman School of Management, Toronto. Footnotes 1 A guide to understanding mutual funds. Investment Company Institute, Washington, p. 3. 2 A guide to understanding mutual funds, p. 4. 3 Terrence Hendershott, Ryan Riordan, 2009. Algorithmic trading and information. [pdf], p. 2 4 Markus Gsell, n.d. Assessing the impact of algorithmic trading on markets: A simulation approach. [pdf], p. 11. 5 Markus Gsell, 2009. Technological innovations in securities trading: The adoption of algorithmic trading. Pacific Asia Conference on Information Systems. 6 Karen L. B enson, Jason Hall, Xander Lim, 2010. Semi-annual mutual fund performance in up and down markets. [pdf], p. 1 7 Alexander Kempf Stefan Ruenzi, 2005. Tournaments in Mutual Fund Families. Discussion Paper, 05-20, p. 2. 8 Kempf Ruenzi, p. 2. 9 Kwangsoo Ko Yeonjeong Ha, 2010. Mutual fund tournaments and structural changes in an emerging fund market: The case of Korea. FnGuide Research Grant, p. 116. 10 Xiaolu Wang, 2010. On time varying mutual fund performance. Rotman School of Management, Toronto, p. 26. 11 Mei-Chen Lin, Huimin Chung, Cheng-Few Lee, n.d. Mutual fund tournament test: Do shareholders benefit from fund managers’ risk-taking behavior. [pdf], p. 24. 12  Daniela Beckmann, Torben Là ¼tje, Luca Rebeggiani, 2007. Italian asset managers’ behavior: Evidence on overconfidence, risk taking and gender. Discussion paper, 358, p. 1. 13 Peter Gomber Markus Gsell, 2009. Algorithmic trading engines versus human traders – do they behave different in securities markets? CFS Working Paper, 2009/10, p. 13. 14 M. Fahim Khan, 2006, Financial modernization in 21st century and challenge for Islamic banking, International Journal of Islamic Financial Services, 1(3), p. 1. 15  Lin, Chung, Lee, p. 4. 16 Korkut Erturk Gokcer Ozgur, 2009. What is Minsky all about, anyway? Real World Economics Review, 50, p. 6. 17 Marie-Helene Broihanne, n.d., Funds tournaments and equity portfolio managers risk-taking, [pdf], p. 4. 18 Benson, Hall, Lim, p. 4. 19 Rob Jans Roger Otten, 2008, Tournaments in the UK mutual fund industry, Managerial Finance, 34(11), p. 786. 20 Terrence Hallahan, Vikash Rahim, Imad Miisa, Amel Yacoub, Ben O’Neill, Milica Backulja, 2009, Tournament behavior in Malaysian managed funds: A non-parametric analysis. Working Paper, 005, p. 15. 21 Terrence Hallahan, Vikash Rahim, Amalia Di Iorio, n.p., Risk shifting in Malaysian managed funds – panel data analysis of conventional and Islamic funds. School of Economics, Financ e and Marketing. [pdf], p. 8 22 Hallahan, Rahim, Iorio, p. 8. 23 Hallahan, Rahim, Iorio, p. 8. 24 Hallahan, Rahim, Iorio, p. 9. 25 Hallahan, Rahim, Iorio, p. 10.

How to Build an SAT Study Plan 4 Sample Schedules

How to Build an SAT Study Plan 4 Sample Schedules SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips To do well on the SAT, you’ll need to have an SAT study plan. This plan tells you what, when, and how to prep for the SAT. It also helps you manage your time so that you’re not focusing too much (or too little) on certain topics and skills. In this guide, we give you four SAT study plans to choose from, based on your SAT score goals. Before we dive into those, though, let’s go over the benefits of having an SAT study schedule and the preliminary steps you'll need to take to get your SAT plan off the ground. Feature image: danyeela/Flickr What Are the Benefits of a Study Plan for SAT Prep? Everyone who takes the SAT should have a study plan. But what exactly can an SAT plan do for you? For one, an SAT study plan lets you balance your schedule so that you’re spending enough time prepping for the SAT but not overworking yourself.For example, if you’ve got two months until your test date, an SAT plan tells you how many hours per week you must study so that you’re prepping regularly but not squeezing in too many study hours each day. An SAT study schedule also tells you when and how to study the topics you must master to get a high score. If you're not sure where to start with algebra, for instance, a good plan will show you when and how to study all major algebraic concepts you need to know for the test. Likewise, an SAT plan should give you time to review and strengthen any content weaknesses you have. Finally, a solid SAT study schedule indicateswhether you’re improving. By studying consistently for several weeks or months, you’ll be able to determine whether your SAT score is in fact getting higher, as well as whether you’re getting more questions correct in your weaker areas. The easiest way to check your progress is to use official SAT practice tests(we'll tell you how to use these later). As you can see, an SAT studying schedule can greatly benefit you. With a plan, you’ll not only be able to manage your prep time better but will also be able to use your time more effectively to hone the skills and study the content areas you struggle with the most. What’s more, you can use your plan to help you track your progress and see whether you’re improving your likelihood of getting the SAT score you want. Getting Started on Your SAT Study Plan: 5 Preliminary Steps Don't jump into an SAT study schedule without a plan! These five preliminary steps will help you gather the info and materials you need to choose the right SAT plan for you. Step 1: Set a Target Score First and foremost, you'll need to set an SAT goal score. A goal score is the score most likely to get you into all of the schools you’re applying to. To get your goal score, you must find the 25th and 75th percentile SAT scores for each of your schools (excluding any safety schools). But what does these numbers mean? And where can you find them? The 25th and 75th percentile scores represent the middle 50 percent of scores for admitted applicants, or the average range of scores. A75th percentile score means you’re scoring higher than 75 percent of admitted applicants to a school, while a 25th percentile score means you're scoring higher than only 25 percent.The best way to keep track of your schools' SAT info is to make a chart (or downloadour pre-made chart). Once you've got a chart,get on Google and search for â€Å"[School Name] PrepScholar." Then, click the link to your school’s â€Å"Admission Requirements† page.On this page, you'll see a table listing your school's 25th and 75th percentile SAT scores. For example, here is the SAT score table for theUniversity of Hawaii at Manoa: Repeat this process for each of your schools until you’ve got all 25th and 75th percentile scores in your chart. Then,choose the highest 75th percentile score in your chart; this will be your SAT goal score sinceit’s the one most likely to get you into all of your schools. Let’s say I am applying to the University of Hawaii at Manoa, UC Davis, the University of Oregon, and the University of Washington. Of these schools, the highest 75th percentile score is 1420 (for the University of Washington). This means my SAT goal score would be 1420. Step 2: Find Your Baseline Score The next step is to get your baseline score. This score is essentially your starting point; it’s the score you’d get on the SAT at this very moment, without any prep. To find your baseline score, take an official SAT practice test. Official tests are the best resources for getting a baseline since they’re the most similar to the SAT.As you take your practice test, try to recreate real testing conditions as closely as possible: take it in a quiet room, usean SAT-approved calculator, and follow the official section time limits. Once you finish, use your test’s scoring guide to calculate your scores for each section as well as overall (out of 1600). Your total score- that is, your Math and Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW) scores combined- will be your baseline score.So ifI earned a 630 on Math and a 600 on EBRW, my baseline score would be 1230. Your baseline score is your starting point in SAT prep. Step 3: Calculate How Many Hours You’ll Need to Study Next, use the info you got in steps 1 and 2 to calculate the approximate number of hours you’ll need to studyto raise your current score to your target score.To do this, subtract your baseline score from your goal score. Then, match the difference you get to the numbers below to see how many total hours you'll need to prep for the SAT: 0-30 point improvement: 10 hours 30-70 point improvement: 20 hours 70-130 point improvement: 40 hours 130-200 point improvement: 80 hours 200-330 point improvement: 150 hours+ As you can see, the bigger the point increase you want, the more hours you’ll need to study. In my example from steps 1 and 2, my goal score was 1420 andmy baseline score was 1230. The difference between these two scores is 190 points. Using the conversions above, I find that 190 points translates to about 80 study hours. Step 4: Choose a Test Date When taking the SAT, always choose a test date that: Gives you ample time to prepare for the exam Fits well with your schedule Ensures your scores will get to your schools in time Let's look at time first. The amount of time you’ll need for SAT prep will vary depending on your baseline and goal scores.Simply put, the more hours you need to study, the more time you should give yourself before your test date. Generally, anywhere from three to six months of study time should be enough. However, you might find you have less (e.g., a month) or more (e.g., a year) time than this. In any case, try to find a time frame that lets you easily fit in the total number of hours you need to study. Secondly, pick a date that works well with any obligations or commitments you have (personal, school, or otherwise). For example, if you’re starring in a school play in April, a spring SAT probably wouldn’t work as well for you as a summer or fall SAT would. Lastly, if you’re taking the SAT as a senior, choose a date that's guaranteed to get your scores to your schools before yourcollege application deadlines. If your scores arrive after the deadlines, your application could get disqualified. In general, seniors (who aren’t applying early actionor early decision) should be safe with all fall test dates and likely the December test date- but not anything later! Step 5: Gather Study Materials It's important to gather all of your study materials before you begin prepping for the SAT. This way you won’t waste any study time trying to find resources you can use. Official SAT resources are by far the best ones to use.Luckily, the College Board has released many free prep materials online. Here's what we recommend using in your prep: Official SAT practice tests:These full-length tests are exactly like the real SAT in terms of structure and overall content. They're the closest you can get to taking the SAT without actually taking it! Official practice questions: You can accesstons of practice questions for all SAT sections through the College Board website. Each question comes with a question difficulty and detailed answer explanation to help you understand how to find the right answer. The Official SAT Study Guide: This is the official SAT prep book, covering everything you need to know about the format of the exam, what's on it, and how to study for it. There are also plenty of sample questions you can work through. The best part is that the College Board has uploaded the entirety of the book to its website, making it entirely free to download! Khan Academy:A free partner website with the College Board, Khan Academy offers thousands of official practice questions, answer explanations, and video lessons for the SAT. Furthermore, there are many high-quality, unofficial SAT resources you can buy. Our guide to the best SAT prep books offers a look at which prep books are worth investing in. As a reminder, always be a little pickier with unofficial resources since many are low quality and don’t contain realistic SAT practice questions. We give each of our four SAT study plans four stars. Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free, SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today! 4 SAT Study Plan Options for You to Choose From Now that you’ve finished all preliminary steps for your SAT plan, it’s time to find the plan that’s right for you. Below, we give you four SAT study plans to choose from. These plans differ in both length of time (e.g., one month, three months, etc.) and intensity (that is, the total number of hours you’ll need to study per week). Each SAT study plan gives you an overview of what to study for the week and comes with suggested time frames.These guidelines tell you (approximately) how much time you should spend on each activity. That said, you are welcome to tweak them if you feel you need more or less time with a certain topic. Remember, a good SAT prep plan willadapt tofit your needs. If you're stronger at math and want more study time for Reading and Writing, it's OK to replace some of your Math prep time with Reading and Writing prep. Just know that by changing content focuses or time frames, you'll likely need to shift other days' topics or make up for missed time on other days. Ultimately, what's most important is that you're getting in the total number of study hours you need. Now, let's take a look at our study plans. We offer the following four programs: A three-month program of medium intensity (80 hours) A three-month program of low intensity (40 hours) A six-month program of medium intensity (150 hours) A one-month program of high intensity (40 hours) SAT Study Plan 1: 3-Month Program, Medium Intensity This moderate, three-month SAT plan aims to get you as many as200 pointson test day. To reach this goal, you'll need to study a total of 80 hours, or six and a halfhours per week.Since you'll be spending several hours a week prepping, this SAT plan is best if you're studying over the summer and taking the SAT in the fall. As with any plan, you may spread out your hours however you like each week. Those studying in the summer should try to prep fairly regularly- two or three days a week is ideal. On the other hand, if you’re currently in school, it may be easier to study mostly on weekends. In the end, just do what works best for you! To be successful, always start with the foundation. Month 1: The Basics This month is all about familiarizing yourself with the SAT's structure and content. Week 1: Get to Know the SAT 1. Take a practice test to get your baseline score. If you haven’t taken an official SAT practice test yet, use this time to take one and get your baseline score. Try to take the test in a quiet room without distractions so that you’re getting an accurate representation of your current SAT abilities. Suggested Time: 4 hrs 2. Score your test and analyze your results.Calculate your baseline score and take some time to see what kinds of questions and content areas you struggled with on the test. Suggested Time: 1 hr 3. Learn the format of the exam. To do well on the SAT, you’ll need to understand the format of the test, including what kinds of concepts it tests and how these concepts are given as questions. Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs Week 2: Focus on Reading 1. Learn the Reading test format. Know what kinds of passages and questions there will be and how much time you’ll get. Suggested Time: 2.5 hrs 2. Figure out the best passage-reading strategy for you. Take a couple of Reading practice tests (you can use official practice tests) to test out different reading strategies. When finished, choose the strategy that gave you the highest score. Suggested Time: 2.5 hrs 3. Try out Reading practice questions with the strategy you’ve chosen. Put your strategy to the test and aim to get better at it the more you use it. Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs Week 3: Switch to Writing Language 1. Learn the Writing and Language test format. Understand how it’s different from Reading, what kinds of questions it asks, and what sorts of grammar and stylistic rules you’ll need to know. Suggested Time: 2 hrs 2. Review core English grammar topics and punctuation rules.Go over standard English conventions and familiarize yourself with the kinds of errors you’ll see on the SAT. Suggested Time: 2.5 hrs 3. Find the best passage-reading strategy for you. This strategy might differ from the one you use for the Reading section. To figure out which one you like most, take some Writing practice tests, using a different strategy each time. Stick with the one that gives you the highest score. Suggested Time: 2 hrs Week 4: Move Toward Math 1. Learn the Math test format. Understand the differences between the No Calculator and Calculator subsections as well as the differences between multiple-choice questions and student-produced responses. Suggested Time: 2 hrs 2. Review basic math concepts. Start by reading our guide to integers andour advanced guide to integers. Then, check out our fundamental guide to fractions, ratios, and proportions. Suggested Time: 2 hrs 3. Go over major algebraic concepts, including: Linear functions Single-variable equations Systems of linear equations Algebra plays a key part on SAT Math, so you’ll need to know what it is and how it looks on the SAT. Suggested Time: 2.5 hrs You can't do well on the SAT without strategy. Month 2: Strategies For this month, you'll study additional concepts you need to know and learn basic test-taking strategies that'll help you attack questions effectively on test day. Week 5: Learn More Math 1. Get to know other SAT Math concepts, specifically those in the realms ofadvanced math and problem solving and data analysis. Topics include: Statistics Reading data tables, bar graphs, histograms, and scatterplots Quadratic and nonlinear functions and equations Exponential functions and equations Polynomials Coordinate geometry (points, lines and slopes, etc.) Plane and solid geometry (lines and angles, polygons, solid geometry, etc.) Trigonometry Suggested Time: 2.5 hrs 2. Memorize important formulas.Get down the main formulas for SAT Math. Suggested Time: 1 hr 3. Practice SAT Math questions and drill difficult topics. As you practice, check your answers and analyze your mistakes so that you can see which concepts you need to study more. Suggested Time: 3 hrs Week 6: Start Strategizing 1. Learn key SAT Math strategies, including plugging in answers and plugging in numbers. In addition, learn how to pace yourself and practice guessing strategically on Math. Suggested Time: 2.5 hrs 2. Learn key SAT Reading strategiesand Writing tips. Understand what to look for in different question types and how to rule out incorrect answer choices. Also, study possiblevocabulary words. Suggested Time: 2.5 hrs 3. Practice Math, Reading, and Writing questions. Put your strategies to the test with realistic practice questions for each section of the exam. Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs Week 7: Check Your Progress 1. Take an official practice test. You'll use this score to see how much you’ve improved since your baseline test.As always, try to recreate a real SAT-testing environment as you take the test. Suggested Time: 4 hrs 2. Score your practice test and determine your weaknesses. Look at your results to get a clearer idea of what you’ve improved and what you’re still struggling with. Over the next month, you'll primarily study the weaknesses you find in this test. Suggested Time: 2.5 hrs Week 8: Hone Your Essay-Writing Skills 1. If you’re planning on taking the optional SAT Essay, use this time to go over the basic format of the essay.Understand what kind of writing you'll need to do and how long your essay should be. Suggested Time: 2 hrs 2. Readofficial practice SAT Essay prompts.This will give you a broad idea of the kinds of topics you might see on test day. Learn how prompts are usually worded and look at sample responses, too. Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs 3. Write a few practice essays.Once finished, grade yourself using the official SAT Essay rubric. You can also get another person to grade your essays and offer suggestions for improvement. Suggested Time: 3 hrs Test day is coming up, which means it's time to start reviewing. Month 3: Review Practice Almost done! In this last month, you’ll focus mainly on reviewing and practicing what you've already studied. This means there will be no new content to learn. Week 9: Strengthen Your Weaknesses 1. Use high-quality practice questions to drill any major weaknesses you still have. For example, if you’re struggling to get trig questions right, review the basic concepts you need to know and test yourself with more trig questions. Suggested Time: 6.5 hrs Week 10: Check Your Progress 1. Take your third and final practice test.This will give you a last-minute look at what kinds of weaknesses you still have at this point. Suggested Time: 4 hrs 2. Score your test and closely analyze your results. Are there any areas you really need to improve these next two weeks? What confuses you or eats up your time? Learn what's holding you back and then attack it head-on. Suggested Time: 2.5 hrs Week : Practice Still-Difficult Concepts 1. Spend all of your time reviewing and practicing difficult concepts.Use practice questions to try out what you've learned and to ensure you’re making progress on the concepts you struggle with the most. Suggested Time: 6.5 hrs Week 12: Review as Needed 1. Keep reviewing concepts or strategies you still need to work on- but don’t overdo it. This week should feel more relaxed than other weeks. As you study, focus on staying calm and confident. Don’t study the day before the test or the day of your test; you’ll need this time to give your brain a break and calm your nerves. Suggested Time: 6.5 hrs (with 0 hrs on test day and the day before the test) SAT Study Plan 2: 3-Month Program, Low Intensity Compared to the plan above, this SAT schedule is slightly more relaxed and instead targets those looking to make smaller gains- anywhere from 70 to 130 points. With this plan, you’ll study a total of 40 hours, or only about three and a half hours per week. This plan is ideal for those studying for the SAT during the school year, though you can also use it during the summer. If you're any having trouble finding time to prep during the week, try opting for Saturdays and Sundays. You need to go back to the basics if you want to do well on the SAT. Month 1: The Basics This month familiarizes you with all of the main parts of the SAT, including how it’s structured, how it’s scored, and what kinds of Reading and Writing content you’ll need to know. Week 1: Find Your Baseline Score 1. Take a practice test and score it.Although this test will likely exceed your weekly number of study hours, it’s important to get it done so you can see where you’re currently scoring. Once you finish the test, score it to get your baseline SAT score. Suggested Time: 4 hrs Week 2: Get to Know the SAT Format 1. Analyze your baseline test’s answers from the previous week. Just getting your baseline score doesn’t illuminate your weaknesses and strengths. Take some time to go over each of the answers on your practice test, and see if you can re-solve any questions you missed without relying on the answer explanations. Suggested Time: 2 hrs 2. Learn the format of the exam. You need to understand the format of the SAT to know how to attack it on test day. This means getting to know the question types, what kinds of topics are tested, and how the sections are arranged. Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs Week 3: Focus on Reading 1. Learn the Reading test format. Go over the different kinds of passages and question types on SAT Reading. Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs 2. Figure out the best passage-reading strategy for you.Try out different strategies with a variety of Reading passages and question sets. Give yourself 13 minutes to get through each passage and question set. Once finished, calculate the number of questions you answered correctly to determine which strategy gave you the highest score. Suggested Time: 1 hr 3. Practice answeringReading questions with the strategy you’ve chosen. You’ll need to understand how your passage-reading strategy works and how you can use it effectively on test day. Suggested Time: 1 hr Week 4: Switch to Writing Language 1. Learn the Writing and Language test format. Go over the basics of what’s on this section, how it differs from Reading, and what kinds of passages and questions it has. Suggested Time: 1 hr 2. Review core English grammar topics and punctuation rules. SAT Writing is all about channeling your inner editor, so be sure to familiarize yourself with all of the major grammar and punctuation topics tested. Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs 3. Practice the graf-by-graf method for reading passages. This method is the best one out there for Writing section passages, so be sure to try it out on a couple of SAT passages to get a feel for how it works. Suggested Time: 1 hr Time to get calculating! Month 2: Math Strategies Next up, you’ll get to know the SAT Math section, what it tests, and how to strategize for it. You’ll also learn key Reading and Writing strategies. Week 5: Move Toward Math 1. Learn the Math test format. Know what kinds of question types and math topics to expect. Also, understand the difference between regular multiple-choice questions and student-produced responses, or grid-ins. Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs 2. Review basic math concepts. You must have a basic knowledge of integers (make sure to also read our advanced guide to integers) as well asfractions, ratios, and proportions. Suggested Time: 2 hrs Week 6: Learn More Math 1. Go over common algebraic concepts, such as linear functions, single-variable equations, and systems of linear equations. Since algebra plays a huge part on the Math section, you’ll need to understand how it's tested and how to solve these types of problems. Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs 2. Review other major math concepts, mainlyadvanced math and problem solving and data analysis. Additional topics you should know include the following: Statistics How to read data tables, bar graphs, histograms, and scatterplots Quadratic and nonlinear functions and equations Exponential functions and equations Polynomials Coordinate geometry (points, lines and slopes, etc.) Plane and solid geometry (lines and angles, polygons, solid geometry, etc.) Trigonometry Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs 3. Memorize important SAT Math formulas.Focus primarily on the formulas you won't get to see on test day (though it’s a good idea to memorize all of them!). Suggested Time: 30 mins Week 7: Practice Reading Writing 1. Learn key SAT Reading strategiesand Writing tips.Specifically, you should know how to answer different question types and how to rule out an incorrect answer. Suggested Time: 1 hr 2. Practice SAT Reading and Writing questions. Drill Reading and Writing questions until you’re comfortable with your passage-reading strategies. If you have extra time, learn some of the most common SAT vocabulary words, too. Suggested Time: 2.5 hrs Week 8: Practice Math 1. Learn key SAT Math strategies. These include plugging in answers, plugging in numbers, and the process of elimination. Suggested Time: 1 hr 2. Practice SAT Math questions. Test out the strategies you’ve learned and try to drill questions on topics you struggle with. Use the correct answers to guide your thinking if you’re having trouble understanding how to solve something. Suggested Time: 2.5 hrs You won't get the SAT score you want if you don't practice, practice, practice. Month 3: Review Practice This month is all about making sure you understand the major concepts tested on the SAT. Week 9: Check Your Progress 1. Take an official practice test. Make sure to recreate a real testing environment as closely as possible. When finished, score your test to see how much you’ve improved since your baseline test. Suggested Time: 4 hrs Week 10: Strengthen Your Weaknesses 1. Use high-quality practice questions to drill any major weaknesses you still have at this point. For example, if you don’t understand how to answer big-picture questions on Reading or coordinate geometry questions on Math, focus on getting those concepts down pat. Suggested Time: 3.5 hrs Week : Practice Still-Difficult Concepts 1. Spend time reviewing difficult concepts until you can correctly answer practice questions on these topics. Keep using the strategies you’ve learned and review any other topics as needed, such as vocabulary words, formulas, etc. Suggested Time: 3.5 hrs Week 12: Review as Needed 1. Continue going over any topics you still need to study before test day- but don't overdo it. Your goal now is to feel calm and confident on test day. Keep reviewing any topics, question types, etc., you struggle with and then relax the day before test day. Suggested Time: 3.5 hrs (with 0 hrs on test day and the day before the test) You'll know you're almost done with this next SAT plan when these kittens are nearly full-grown cats. SAT Study Plan 3: 6-Month Program, Medium Intensity For this medium-intensity plan, you’ll study 150 hours over the course of six months- that’s six or six and a half hours per week. This plan can give you a maximum score increase of 330 points. So if your baseline score is far from your goal score, this is a perfect plan for you! I highly recommend this plan to high-achieving sophomores, as it gives you a head start on SAT prep and dramatically raises your potential to get a high score on your first SAT attempt (which should ideally be in the fall of your junior year). Juniors can benefit from this plan, too, by using it to prepare for a spring or early summer SAT. What's especially great is that you can spread out your study sessions across the school year, helping you to avoid overwhelming yourself with school work and test prep. Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Month 1 Find Your Baseline Score Take an official practice test (4 hrs) Score your test to determine your weaknesses (2.5 hrs) Understand Structure Learn the SAT format (3 hrs) Learn the Reading test format (3 hrs) Understand Structure Learn the Writing and Language test format (3 hrs) Learn the Math test format (3 hrs) Learn How to Read Find your preferred passage-reading strategy for Reading (2.5 hrs) Find your preferred passage-reading strategy for Writing (2 hrs) Study vocabulary (2 hrs) Month 2 Learn Math Content Review basic math topics and formulas (3 hrs) Build algebra foundation (3.5 hrs) Learn EBRW Content Review English grammar and punctuation topics (3 hrs) Build reading comprehension knowledge (3 hrs) Learn More Math Content Build problem solving and data analysis foundation (3 hrs) Build advanced math foundation (3 hrs) Check Your Progress Take a practice test (4 hrs) Score the test and review your answers (2.5 hrs) Month 3 Learn EBRW Strategy Learn how to eliminate wrong answer choices and practice (3 hrs) Practice other EBRW strategies (3 hrs) Learn Math Content Strategy Build additional topics foundation (2.5 hrs) Practice plugging in answers and numbers (2.5 hrs) Practice other Math strategies (1.5 hrs) Focus on Your Weaknesses Practice Math and EBRW topics and question types you struggle with (6 hrs) Check Your Progress Take a practice test (4 hrs) Score the test and review your answers (2.5 hrs) Month 4 Review Practice Practice Math and EBRW topics and question types you struggle with (6 hrs) Learn the Essay Format Learn the Essay format (2 hrs) Practice writing essays (4 hrs) Review Practice Practice Math and EBRW topics and question types you struggle with (6.5 hrs) Check Your Progress Take a practice test (4 hrs) Score the test and review your answers (2.5 hrs) Month 5 Review Needed Math Concepts Review any Math topics you’re still struggling with based on your practice test results (6.5 hrs) Review Needed Reading Concepts Review any Reading topics you’re still struggling with based on your practice test results (6 hrs) Review Needed Writing Concepts Review any Writing topics you’re still struggling with based on your practice test results (6 hrs) Check Your Progress Take a practice test (4 hrs) Score the test and review your answers (2.5 hrs) Month 6 Review Needed Concepts Review any Math or EBRW topics you’re still struggling with based on your practice test results (6.5 hrs) Review Needed Concepts Review any Math or EBRW topics you’re still struggling with based on your practice test results (6 hrs) Check Your Progress Take a practice test (4 hrs) Score the test and review your answers (2.5 hrs) Prep Lightly Review Practice any topics or question types you want to review and get some rest before test day (6 hrs) SAT Study Plan 4: 1-Month Program, High Intensity For this quick, high-intensity plan, you’ll spend 40 total hours, or 10 hours a week, studying for the SAT. By the end, you'll be able to raise your baseline score by up to 130 points. In order for this plan to work, however, you must be willing to put in the time and effort to study each week. One month isn’t a whole lot of study time, especially if you’re trying to make gains of more than 100 points, but it’s certainly doable if you know how to use your time wisely. For more tips on studying for the SAT in a month, check out our step-by-step guide. Week 1: Study Structure 1. Take a practice test.First and foremost, you’ll need to have a baseline score. Make sure to take the test in a quiet room without distractions. Suggested Time: 4 hrs 2. Score your test and analyze your results. To figure out what areas you struggle with the most, look closely for any patterns in your mistakes. Suggested Time: 1 hr 3. Learn the SAT format. Go over what’s tested, all question types, and how it’s scored. Suggested Time: 2 hrs 4. Learn theReading test format.Get a feel for what the Reading section tests and what kinds of passages it contains. Suggested Time: 1 hr 5. Learn theWriting and Language test format. Get to know the Writing section by learning how it differs from Reading and what kinds of passages it includes. Suggested Time: 1 hr 6. Learn theMath test format. Familiarize yourself with the topics it tests, its No Calculator and Calculator sections, and the differences between multiple-choice questions and grid-ins. Suggested Time: 1 hr Make sure you understand the structure before focusing on content. Week 2: Concentrate on Key Content 1. Reviewcore English grammar topics andpunctuation rules. You’ll need to know a variety of grammar rules for the Writing section, so memorizing these is critical for a high Writing score. Suggested Time: 2 hrs 2. Review and practice core math concepts. These include the following: Integers (we also have an advanced guide to integers) Fractions, ratios, and proportions Algebra (linear functions, inequalities, equations, systems of equations) Advanced math (nonlinear functions, polynomials) Problem solving and data analysis (statistics, how to read graphs) Suggested Time: 5 hrs 3. Memorizeimportant SAT Math formulas. Knowing these formulas will give you a leg up on test day. Suggested Time: 1 hr 4. Choose and practice a passage-reading strategy for Reading. To choose one, practice different strategies using official SAT Reading tests. The one that gives you the highest score is the one you should use on test day. Suggested Time: 2 hrs Week 3: Strategize Check Your Progress 1. Practice thegraf-by-graf method for reading passages on SAT Writing. This is the best strategy for Writing passages since it is less time consuming than others and easy to learn. Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs 2. Learn key Math, Reading, and Writing strategies.For Math, the best ones to know are how to plug in answers and how toplug in numbers. For Reading and Writing, learn how to eliminate incorrect answer choicesand when to choose â€Å"No Error.† Suggested Time: 4 hrs 3. Check your progress by taking a practice test.Once finished, calculate your score to see how much you’ve improved since your baseline test and to determine where your weaknesses lie. Suggested Time: 4.5 hrs Week 4: Review Practice 1. Go over any SAT topics, question types, or strategies you want to practice more. You’ll need to get down the most important concepts if you hope to do well on test day, so focus on any glaring weaknesses you still have. Don’t study the day before the test, though, as you should take some time to rest your brain a bit! Suggested Time: 10 hrs What to Remember When Choosing an SAT Study Plan Before choosing an SAT schedule, set a target score, take a baseline practice test, choose a test date, and gather all of the materials you'll need for your prep. This will help you find an SAT study schedule that's perfect for you and your goals. But which plan will work well for you? In short, the best SAT study plan for you is the one that'll help you reach your goal score on test day. As you consider what plans might work for you, keep the following points in mind: Consider your obligations. Choose a study plan that doesn’t interfere with any major commitments you have. For example, if you have sports practice every day after school, opt for a plan that lets you get in all of your prep hours over the weekend. Stick to a regular schedule. The plan you select will be most effective if you stick to a regular schedule each week. This means you should try to study on the same days each week and for the same number of hours. Customize your plan- but don’t forgo critical steps. We encourage you to tweak our SAT plans to better fit your study needs. However, you should still follow the general order of steps we’ve given you so that you don’t skip crucial information or practice. Don’t overwhelm yourself. Study plans can be heavy, but they should still be doable. Don’t choose a plan that’ll require you to pull all-nighters every week- exhausting yourself won't get you the score you want! With that, I wish you the best of luck with your SAT study plan! What’s Next? Want more guidance on SAT study plans?Get tips on how long you should study for the SAT and learn how many times you should take the SAT. Looking to get a perfect 1600?Read our expert guide to getting a perfect SAT score, written by a real full scorer! Taking the ACT?We've got a separate guide to help you come up with your own ACT study plan today (coming soon)! Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points?We have the industry's leading SAT prep program. Built by Harvard grads and SAT full scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so you get the most effective prep possible. Check out our 5-day free trial today:

Operations Management Principles-Phase 1 DB Essay

Operations Management Principles-Phase 1 DB - Essay Example This makes today’s customer more sophisticated in terms of tastes and preferences. Customers have come to demand the value of their money in relation to quality and other critical features of products or services. Recent research shows a massive growth in numbers of people complaining about poor services or faulty goods as well as being more assertive and willing to take action against companies (CIM, 2003). Customer complains may range from faulty goods or inadequate services. Thus there is the need to realize we are operating in a more competitive and litigious environment where our company must respond to customer complains. Research also indicates that it is far easier and cheaper to retain current customers than it is to cultivate new ones (Wilmshurst J. & Mackay A, 1999). Moreover, research shows that dissatisfied customers tend to spread the news of their bad experiences very quickly – something that will affect not only our company image, but also risk loosing sales in the long run. There need for the company to develop a strategy that must effectively deal with customer complains for us to achieve growth and sustainability in the industry and take market leadership. For the purpose of establishing practical steps in establishing a customer complaints program, I will use steps established by Wilmshurst, J. and Mackay, A 1999 in their book The Fundamentals of Advertising, which suggest identification of customer needs and perception as first step. Our company must clearly establish what these are and how our customer care department needs to be designed to meet them (Wilmshurst J. & Mackay A, 1999). Secondly, we need to establish a mission statement that is widely accepted for the approach of customer care. Thirdly, our company must clearly set standards and specifications, such as standard for courtesy, credibility, communication, responsiveness, empathy with customer and confidentiality. Fourthly, we

Strategic Direction of Tesco Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

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