Conversation Analysis and the X Factor

Part 1 I have selected an interview with X-Factor judge Kelly Rowland, in which she finds out that contestant Frankie Cocozza has been ‘kicked off' of the show. Transcription methods vary depending on what the analyst chooses to investigate. In this particular case, as I was interested in, not only how the speakers perform social activities through language (Seedhouse, 2008), but also the contribution of their non-verbal actions, I chose Conversation Analysis (CA). However, one must point out that, although CA emphasises empirical, data-led research â€Å"to guard against building speculative theories,† (Hewings, 2008, p. 4), it is futile to suppose one single, authoritative version of the original event exists (Graddol, 1994). Furthermore, not all features of spoken interaction can be captured, nor can specific motives be attributed to a certain non-verbal action. 01Reporter: of course we are a:bsolutely huge fans of you on the[x factor 02Kelly: [thank you 03Reporter:(l oving watching [you 04Kelly: [thank you 05Reporter: um (. ) but b. but (. ) w. we're sho(cked to hear today ((fiddles with hair)) that Frankie's (. ) gone (. ) what can you tell ? us ? w. hat do you make of that 06Kelly:(0. 2) what(= 07PA:= I don't we don't we've been lo(cked in a room [all day 08Reporter: [oh re::ally( hah hah (. ) oh gosh yeah( th. they released a statement saying that he um (. ) that he's decided to leave 09PA:(. ) oh I don't know I think we'll have [to ( ) 10Reporter: [oh I'm sorry I ( ) 11Kelly: ((holds up hand as if to stop)) [yeah cos that would be quite the face to have from [that oh my god 12Reporter: [I'm so sorry I didn't realise it like broke all over twitter (. and I um we got a ? statement ? about it 13PA:((Kelly looks at her PA)) (0. 2) I don't know we'll have to cos (Ellen's not (here from (. ) talkback we haven't we'd need to get that [verified 14Kelly: [ye: :ah [I'm sorry 15PA:[ ( ) music interview [today 16Reporter: [like no no I'm sorry I didn't mean to= 17PA: =well hahhah 18Reporter:I I didn't mean to [like 19PA: [ ( ) 20Reporter:Yeah sorry I didn't mean to [like um I didn't realise that you (. ) didn't know 21Kelly: [ ((she sighs loudly)) (0. 3) (poor guy( 380 words Part 2Conversation Analysis is based on the idea that what is said draws a vast amount of meaning from what is left unsaid (Maybin, 2007). Seemingly incoherent conversations are actually organised in an orderly fashion, centred around the cooperation of participants (Hewings, 2008). The excerpt I have chosen is particularly interesting as, although it stems from a potentially scripted situation, due to Kelly's misinformation, the entire conversation immediately shifts to unscripted. The conversation begins with informal ‘small talk,' known as phatic communion (Malinowski, 1923. Its primary purpose is not its content, but rather to bind the reporter and Kelly together before ‘getting down to business. ‘ The reporter's opening comment of being an absolutely huge fan of hers on the X-Factor establishes an interactional framework for the encounter. As the interviewer, she is expected to lead the conversation, yet her continuous opening compliments – â€Å"loving watching you†- show that she is aware of Kelly's higher status and, thus, is paying far more attention to face needs (Levinson, 1987). â€Å"Face† is a term coined by sociologist Goffman (1967) for people's public self-image.Here, the reporter, keen to obtain a successful interview, uses compliments to focus on positive face needs, fitting with Holmes' (1994) research that women are more likely to give compliments as a way of gaining popularity through ‘egalitarian norms. ‘ Although turn-taking may be taken for granted, it is actually managed through a complex range of linguistic and social signals. In the transcript, we can see that normally one person talks at a time, and any instances of overlap are quickly repaired (lines 15-16). Early conversation analyst, Sacks (1974), suggests this is due to people's shared cultural knowledge of the kind of ‘script' used in certain speech events. Therefore, turns can be roughly predicted. Furthermore, this intuitive knowledge is based on adjacency pairs, where particular utterances and responses tend to occur together – e. g. , lines 1-4, where each compliment is answered with â€Å"thank you. † Through this dialogic comprehension, turns can easily be allocated. In addition to adjacency pairs, Sacks noticed that speakers unconsciously respond at the end of a grammatical unit, rather than in the middle.In lines 5-7, we see clear examples of transition relevance places (TRP), where the reporter pauses for a response, allowing both other interlocutors to speak. Sometimes, one can slightly overlap the previous speaker or break in before a TRP (e. g. , lines 9-10), which is classed as an interruption. The concept of maintaining face is a constant reference point throughout the interaction, especially when the journalist discovers that Kelly does not know that Frankie has left the competition.Determined to both satisfy Kelly's face needs, as well as to protect her own, the journalist begins apologising profusely (lines 10-20), in addition to hedging expressions (line 18) to avoid a face-threatening act, personifying the British ‘negative politeness' culture (Brown, 1987). Line 12 even shows an example of typical political rhetoric whereby the journalist immediately changes her usage of the pronoun ‘I' to ‘we' in order to give collective responsibility (Beard, 2008) for the news on Frankie's departure. This signal of inclusiveness is another device used to save face and ensure that conversation continues running smoothly.It is interesting, however, that, contrary to the belief that a person will use ‘I' when wanting credit for an idea, the journalist still uses ‘we' (line 5). Given that ‘we' can have various potential meanings, here it would appear to be a mechanism to emphasise with the British public – ‘we,' as a whole, are shocked at the news. Even so, when apologising, the journalist shifts back to the first person singular, almost as if she feels she has the sole responsibility to maintain face, both for personal and professional motives.Spoken conversation is filled with inexplicit references that are understood by a considerable amount of shared knowledge between speakers. In line 13, when replying to the journalist, the PA announces that ‘Ellen' is not here – we can assume that the journalist knows who Ellen is but, just to make sure, the PA adds ‘from Talkback' (X-Factor's Production Company). As well as justifying why they cannot answer the question, this response also subtly signals solidarity by communicating surreptitiously that there are no ‘hard feelings' between them.As Levinson's (1987) study shows, people are remarkably ade pt at interpreting these inexplicit nuances and, thus, it should serve to put the journalist more at ease. These references are closely linked to elliptical structures, such as in line 3 where, although the clause lacks some words, its meaning is inferable from its context. These half-finished sentences are a key part of everyday interactions, yet would seem highly inappropriate in written English. As all speakers are women in this transcript, it is easy to identify their specific style features.According to Lakoff (1975), women are more cooperative and work harder to make conversations run smoother. This aspect is clearly detectable throughout the extract by both the journalist's repeated apologies and Kelly and her PA's attempts to casually move away from the issue. This non-confrontational collaborative speech style also centres around an interest in people's feelings (Goodwin, 1990). However, as opposed to Lakoff's suggestion that women use more tag questions and weaker vocabula ry, we see no examples of this in the conversation.One reason may be that the women have no reason to show deference, as there are no men involved and, thus, they do not have to conform to the belief that they occupy a less powerful position in society. One predominant metaphor comes in line 7 of the text when the PA states that they have been â€Å"locked† in a room all day. This device both emphasises that they truly have no idea about the news, as well as serving as a pointer to guide the conversation into a different direction. In response to this metaphor, we see continual repetition from the journalist (in particular, â€Å"yeah† and â€Å"sorry†).Although repetition is typically used to persuade, here it performs the dual function of consciously expressing the journalist's nervousness as well as unconsciously signalling how the other speakers should respond. The repetition of â€Å"sorry† is used to indicate the journalist's desire to not impose up on them and avoid any act that may threaten face. In terms of prosody, the use of intonational shift is very significant, as it highlights particular key words, as well as prompting the other speakers when to reply (Atkinson, 1984).In line 6, Kelly's voice rises up on â€Å"What? † to express disbelief and concern at the information that she has been given. Similarly, we see a fall in intonation on the last remark â€Å"Poor guy,† which signals completion as well as sadness. Likewise, the lengthy stress on â€Å"yeah† (line 14) shows acknowledgement of the PA's utterance and provides a sense of cooperation with her. A related concept is the function of softly spoken words. In line 5, ‘us' is murmured softly in order to place the journalist on the same level as the interviewee.Despite the typical image of a journalist, this lady wants to show that she is truly interested in how Kelly feels about Frankie's departure on a personal level. In line 12, ‘st atement' is pronounced quietly to perhaps ‘soften the blow' of the news. As a statement is something official, it highlights the fact that the news is real, and not just a rumour. Therefore, in order to save face, the journalist tactfully pronounces the word. This conversation extract is filled with various meaningful pauses. A lot of these pauses occur within a syntactic unit before an important content word (e. g. line 20) to subtly inform the speaker that they are not finished yet. However, there are also prolonged pauses, such as in line 21 – in this case, Kelly is genuinely shocked at the news and needs to carefully plan her answer before speaking. For celebrities, this is even more important, as anything they do say can be subject to scrutiny. The journalist's utterances are also classified by filled pauses, such as ‘um' and ‘hahhah' – this shows hesitancy on her part and a caution to ensure that she does not make the situation anymore awkward t han it already is. This also explains the reasons for her continual cluttered speech (e. . , line 5) – on breaking the news, she cannot predict Kelly's reaction, and so she nervously brings up the topic, not sure of the best approach, eluding the usual self-assured journalistic persona. Finally, when looking at body language, it appears that it communicates a lot non-verbally. Firstly, in line 5, the reporter fiddles with her hair as she relates the announcement. Although we cannot claim 100% what this means, it is highly likely that this is a comforting action in a tense situation. In line 11, Kelly's raising of the hand signals that she wishes to stop and does not want her reaction recorded.Line 13 similarly expresses uncertainty on Kelly's part when she looks at her PA for reassurance before speaking. Finally, in line 21, the prolonged sigh emphasises with Frankie's grief. Overall, this particular extract fascinated me, as it shows how scripted conversation can quickly tur n unscripted when typical conventions break down. Non-fluency features are common and evident – there are excessive hesitations, stuttering and repetition by the journalist and spontaneous turn-taking procedures seen by the interruptions and overlaps of Kelly and her PA (Edwards, 2007).Furthermore, irregular supra segmental features are present, as well as fillers and echoes. Syntax is irregular, with convoluted utterances and incomplete sections as well as mid-sentence pauses. In my opinion, Conversation Analysis was the best method to transcribe this conversation as, without it, it would have been impossible to convey the specific emotions of each interlocutor as well as their non-verbal communication. Also, I felt that the false starts and fillers were incredibly relevant to the spontaneity of the extract, and provided an insight into each speaker's thought process.I specifically chose to omit gaze in my transcript as CA has been criticised for over-analysing simple gestur es – e. g. , blinking could merely be something in the eye, rather than lying. Using this transcription method, I have been able to analyse both ideational and interpersonal meaning (Halliday, 1978) and how it specifically relates to my chosen example. 1706 words (2086 words in total) References Atkinson, J. M. (1984) Our Master's Voices: The Language and Body Language of Politics, London, Methuen Beard, A. 2007) ‘Using English to persuade' in Maybin, J. , Mercer, N. , and Hewings, A. (eds) Using English, London, Routledge/The Open University, pp. 43-81 Brown, P. and Levinson, S. (1987) Politeness: Some Universals in Language Usage, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press Crystal, D. (1985) ‘Things to remember when transcribing speech,' Child Language Teaching and Therapy, Vol. 1, No. 2, pp. 235-239 Edwards, V. (2007) U211 Exploring the English Language, DVD 1: Language Play in English, Block B, Unit 11, Section 5, Milton Keynes, The Open UniversityGoffman, E. (1967 ) Interactional Ritual, Harmondsworth, Penguin Goodwin, M. H. (1990) ‘Tactical use of stories: participation frameworks within girls' and boys' disputes', Discourse Processes, Vol. 13, No. 1, pp. 33-71 Graddol, D. , Cheshire, J. , and Swann, J. (1994) Describing Language (2nd edn), Buckingham, Open University Press Halliday, M. A. K. (1978) Language as Social Semiotic: The Social Interpretation of Language and Meaning, London, Edward Arnold Hewings, A. 2008) U211 Exploring the English Language, ‘Conversation Analysis,' Resource and Reference Materials, Unit 9, Section 1, Milton Keynes, The Open University Holmes, J. (2001) Introduction to Sociolinguistics (2nd edn), London, Longman Lakoff, R. (1975) Language and Women's Place, New York, Harper & Row Malinowski, B. (1923) ‘The problem of meaning in primitive languages' in Ogden, C. K. and Richards, I. M. (eds) The Meaning of Meaning, London, Routledge &Kegan Paul Maybin, J. (2007) ‘Everyday talk' in Maybin, J. , Mercer, N. , and Hewings, A. eds) Using English, London, Routledge/The Open University, pp. 5-41 Percival, A. (2011) What? The moment Kelly finds out Frankie has been axed [online] London http://celebrity. aol. co. uk/2011/11/08/kelly-rowland-frankie-cocozza/ (Accessed: 29th Nov 2011) Sacks, H. , Schegloff, E. and Jefferson, G. (1974) ‘A simplest systematics for the organization of turn-taking in conversation', Language, Vol. 50, No. 4, pp. 696-735 Seedhouse, P. (2008) U211 Exploring the English Language, DVD 1: Everyday Talk, Block B, Unit 9, Section 1, Milton Keynes, The Open UniversityVaid, V. (2011) 4 rules of Verbatim Transcription [online] Gurgaon http://www. indianscribes. com/4-rules-of-verbatim-transcription/ (Accessed: 2nd Dec 2011) ———————– Key to transcription methods used in this excerpt (. )Short untimed pause (0. 6)Timed interval [ ]Overlapping utterances or actions ( )Transcription doubtful (Marked risi ng shift in pitch (Marked falling shift in pitch : :Extension of sound or syllable .Stopping falling tone ? ? Talk that is quieter than surrounding talk

God of Small Things Essay

In â€Å"God of Small Things†, written by Arundati Roy, Roy talks about many things but one thing that stood out was her negativity of what the colonist had brought over into India. Her argument could be that the colonist brought materialism into their culture making the natives think that they need things that they really do not need. The colonist bring the thought that making money any way possible is acceptable and Roy points out that ritual dances are even being used as a way of profit. Roy is just pointing out what effect colonialism has had on the people of the native country. Like many other text from post-colonial nations â€Å"God of â€Å"Small Things† points out the negative aspect of colonialism. Roy throughout the book talks about the city of Ayemenem and the river that used to flow through it. On one side of this river there was a place called the â€Å"history house†. Roy describes this place as a worn and old abandoned estate in a couple of her chapter but in one chapter she is describing what it looks like now and how different it is from when she was just a child. In chapter five a hotel is described; this is the chapter that I think she criticizes the rich and how they have become rich. Roy is showing her disapproval for the colonist making what was once an abandoned land fill into a tourist attraction that is no longer an eye sore and is now a beautiful estate. In chapter five Rahal returned to the river she used to know as a child. She describes how it used to be compared to how it is now that she has returned. Rahal does not seem to care about progress â€Å"So now they had two harvests a year instead of one. More rice-for the price of a river† (Roy 59). Sure people were making a profit from the rice but there will always be someone that is making a profit from something. The only good thing that Roy sees from the people making barges is that there is one more harvest; there are many rewards from having another harvest and they are not recognized; it is not that she probably does not see them but she is just pointing out the negativity from the colonist. Roy continues on and describes a five-star hotel that had bought what they used to call the â€Å"Heart of Darkness†. She says that the History House no longer could be approached from the river and that the house had turned its back on Ayemenem. Roy described this place as an abandoned haunted estate that nobody ever went to when she was a child but she says that it has turned its back on Ayemenem. Once again progress is looked at in a negative way. The hotel guests were transported to the estate by a speed boat through the backwaters and Roy describes the boats as leaving a film of gasoline. She does say that the hotel does have a beautiful view but says that they try to cover up the slum part of Ayemenem, which is understandable, it is not nature, all the slum was man made and they do not want to look at slummy areas. There was not much that the hotel could do about the smell of the waist. Roy makes many assumptions about the â€Å"hotel people†. First the thoughts are that the people actually care what is going on around them, and they do not care. She calls the estate a â€Å"smelly paradise†; the guest are to get used to the smell as they have become immune to other peoples poverty; with that statement she is claiming that everyone that owns the hotel and stays there is rich and does not know what poverty taste like; everything was a matter of discipline, nothing more to them. Roy then goes on to criticize the way the people are making money; through selling their history. In chapter five Roy not only criticizes and shows the negatives of progress, with hardly any positives, but also criticizes the way the people are making a living and profit. The â€Å"hotel people† advertise their estate as a paradise with history making many sensational claims just to draw the tourist to their paradise. She called many of the buildings that had history for sale â€Å"Toy Histories†. Roy does not like the fact that these people are trying to make a profit off of their own history and culture. The biggest thing of all probably is when the hotel hires dancers to perform dances that are classic ritual dances that have actual meaning and are not just for show; six hour classics are turned in to 20 minuet shows for pleasure. The ancient ritual dances were diluted into nothing more than entertainment where at one time they had meant something to the culture that those people once love so dearly. Here it is easy to see why Roy would criticize so much but one must realize that everyone cannot be pleased and never will be pleased. The colonial effect had some good effects and had bad, but Roy again only seems to point out the negativity that the colonialism has brought to the nation. Roy brings up many problems in her native land; I know that the point of her book is to point out the negativity of post-colonialism on her country but still, point out some more good things that did come out of colonialism. In many texts it is the same way though. In â€Å"God of Small Things† it speaks negatively of people from the native land sending their children to boarding schools in Britain, not directly but you can see that she is making a point that all the negativity is geared at those from the culture who have brought British culture and British economics back to their land. Whereas in Soyinka’s â€Å"Death of the King’s Horseman†, the horseman’s son has gone to Britain to study but comes back. After coming back he sees that his father has gone against customs and he decides to take it upon himself to see that the act is fulfilled in some form or another; in this text you have a native that stayed true to his native land but in Roy’s case the natives that went to Britain did not stay true and keep up their own culture but rather adopted another’s culture. Another example of colonist having an influence on the children of the native land and infiltrating through them is in Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo’s son becomes a Christian and Okonkwo does not like that, it is the beginning of his culture being put to a halt. Roy, I do not think, is pointing out all the people who sent their children to Britain but rather that even though India was â€Å"Independent† it still had Britain’s influence impacting almost everything in daily lives. In conclusion, Roy makes descriptive negative images because it is what she sees and has seen from the start. People that have not grown up in her culture from birth and seen the changes she has seen cannot fathom what she has seen. If someone from a more developed country was to go there they would see progression as a positive aspect because it is what they have grown up with but for people in that culture they can see the negative aspects of some progress; and that is what Roy is pointing out, she does point out some positives but the majority of the description about the way society is looked at is negative. The book becomes a very dreary read and quite depressing at some points because of all the negativity and horrible things that happen. However, all of the description of even the negative parts make you really get a since of what Roy is trying to say and that is that even with all the negativity one can break barriers. At the end of the day it is not the colonist fault for making Roy’s society what is but rather the people that refuse to change what needs to be changed. It does not matter about how much negativity is directed at the colonist, if the native people do not take responsibility they are to blame just as much as the British. The negativity is not geared at the British but rather her own society and own people.

The Complete List of SAT Subject Tests

The Complete List of SAT Subject Tests SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The SAT Subject Tests are a chance for you to show where you have specialized knowledge. With these tests, you can indicate to colleges which subjects interest you and which you've taken the time to get to know well. With that being said, how can you decide which SAT Subject Test to take? First, let's take a look at all the SAT Subject Tests from which you can choose. List of SAT Subject Tests In total, there are21 SAT Subject Tests (we're counting Biology E and Biology M as two separate tests). Nine of these tests cover four core subject areas- English literature, history, math, and science: Literature US History World History Math Level 1 Math Level 2 Biology - Ecological Biology - Molecular Chemistry Physics The other12 Subject Tests cover nine different languages. Half of these tests have a listening component: French French with Listening German German with Listening Spanish Spanish with Listening Modern Hebrew Italian Latin Chinese with Listening Japanese with Listening Korean with Listening Simply put,there are 21 different variations of tests to choose from. All SAT Subject tests cover 13 subject areas- four core courses and nine languages. Now, let's take a look at how many students take each SAT Subject Test, from most to least. We'll also show you the average scores these students achieve on the tests: SAT Subject Test Average Score # of Test Takers (2016-18) Math Level 2 693 427,765 Chemistry 666 208,588 US History 640 178,258 Physics 667 169,950 Math Level 1 605 162,998 Literature 607 150,361 Molecular Biology 650 116,622 Ecological Biology 618 91,866 Spanish 647 51,808 World History 622 43,660 French 628 18,725 Chinese with Listening 760 13,173 Latin 626 7,088 Spanish with Listening 662 6,937 Korean with Listening 761 5,364 French with Listening 668 3,819 Japanese with Listening 703 3,436 German 620 1,875 Italian 666 1,396 German with Listening 618 1,297 Modern Hebrew 612 980 Source: SAT Subject Tests Percentile Ranks As you can see, the tests based on core courses- i.e., literature, math, history, and science- tend to attract the largest number of students. When it comes to tests that have listening and non-listening options, more students typically opt for the non-Listening option. You'll also notice a large variation in the average scores of SAT Subject Tests. A higher mean score does not necessarily mean that the test is easier; instead,it likely means that students who opt for that test know that subject really, really well. Check out our analysis of which SAT Subject Tests are the easiest based on their average scores and other factors. Now that you know what options you have, how can you decide which Subject Test to take? How to Decide Which SAT Subject Tests to Take In order to decide which Subject Tests to take, you'll need to think about a variety of factors, from what kinds of tests colleges want to what subjects you're especially skilled at. We introduce three important questions to ask yourself before you commit to a particular Subject Test. #1: What Do the Colleges You're Applying to Want? First off, you need to know the testing requirements of the colleges you're applying to.How many Subject Tests does each of your schools want you to take? Is one a technology school that'll take a close look at your knowledge in math and science? Or is one a liberal arts college that wants you to demonstrate a range of abilities by taking one test in literature and another in math? Some colleges have adoptedtest-optional or test-flexible policies,which means you might be able to submit scores from Subject Tests in place of scores from the general SAT or ACT. Check out our article for the full list of colleges with these policies. These approaches can be really helpful for you to know as they let you shape your application in a way that's best for you. Another factor to consider is placement in college classes. Some colleges might prefer listening language tests to non-listening language tests, for example, because they demonstrate that extra dimension of fluency. If you're a native speaker, the listening language test will likely be pretty easy for you to achieve a great score on. If you're not a native speaker, however, you want to make sure that your language skills have reached a very high level before taking a language Subject Test. College requirements and expectations play the biggest role in which SAT Subject Tests you decide to take. But within those requirements, you might still have several options. Now you have to consider where you can best demonstrate your subject mastery. #2: Which Subjects Do You Know Best? The SAT Subject Tests test your knowledge of a particular subject rather than your reasoning skills. In this way, they're closely aligned with your high school classes and the finals or AP exams you take to demonstrate your content and conceptual knowledge. Since people often devote more time to learning about things that actually interest them, the SAT Subject Tests essentially tell a story about you- what you're interested in and have dedicated time to understanding. For instance, ifyou love reading and analyzing books, you should probably take the Literature test. Not only will you be more likely to get a high score on it, but you'll also be indicating your personal interests to admissions officers. As you can see, the SAT Subject Tests offer one more way you can individualize your college applications and tell a story about your personality and identity. By the way, did you know you have six chances a year to take a Subject Test?In other words, you don't have to wait until your junior year to take one. You might be ready to take the Biology or Chemistry tests, for example, at the end of your freshman or sophomore year. The two Math tests, on the other hand, typically require several years of high school-level math. Despite the many opportunities you have to take an SAT Subject Test, generally speaking,the best time to take one isnear the end of the school year,when you've been studying all the relevant material and the content is still fresh in your mind. #3: Which Format Is Best for You? The third and final factor has to do with the format of the Subject Test. As we've touched on above, some tests have language components while others don't, and others- such as the Biology tests- have two different versions to choose from. Language Tests As mentioned previously, the French, Spanish, and German language tests offer listening and non-listening options. If you have strong listening skills, the listening versions of the tests will be a great way to demonstrate fluency. They might also place you in a higher level once you get to college. (Check with the individual college on this policy as some have their own placement tests.) If you don't feel confident in your listening skills, on the other hand, your best bet would be to take the non-listening option or another SAT Subject Test altogether. The language tests tend to be difficult to score highly on if your language skills are limited to a classroom environment. Biology Are you intrigued by populations and energy flow within systems? Or do you prefer to know how cells work and talk about the ins and outs of photosynthesis? There are two options for the Biology Subject Test: Ecological Biology and Molecular Biology. While both tests share a core 60 questions, each also has an additional 20 questions with either an ecological or molecular focus. You can further explore the differences between these two tests and try practice questions here. Math If you're taking a math Subject Test, you have to decide between Math Level 1 and Math Level 2. For Level 1, you'll need to have taken at least two years of algebra and one year of geometry. By contrast, for Level 2, you should have taken these plus some trigonometry and pre-calculus. Both tests require you to use a graphing calculator, but Level 2 requires more complex use of the calculator. You can learn more about the Math Level 1and Math Level 2tests by visiting the College Board website. As is the case with the listening language tests, Math Level 2 has a higher mean score and lower standard deviation, meaning most students who take it score near the relatively high mean score of 693. Therefore, if you're not super confident in your math skills, it'll likely be harder to score in a high percentile. And don't be alarmed if you score an 800 on SAT Math 2 and see you're only in the top 79th percentile- getting a perfect score matters more than what percentile it is! Conclusion: Finding the Best SAT Subject Tests for You Ultimately, you're the expert on your own learning. You know what captivates you or makes you fall asleep. You also know whether you learn best by seeing, listening, doing, or combining some of these methods. You've probably already been drawn to and chosen the high school classes that'll determine which exams on this list of SAT Subject Tests you should take. You know yourself better than anyone else, so as long as you research the Subject Tests and have a strong sense of what'll be on them- and know what your colleges' requirements are!- you will make the right decision about SAT Subject Tests. What's Next? Another important consideration about SAT Subject Tests is when to take them- especially when you have to schedule them around the regular SAT/ACT and all your other activities. Check out our article on thebest dates to take the SAT Subject Tests. Are you also studying for the SAT or ACT?Read all about when you should start preparing and how you can design a balanced SAT/ACT schedule. Want that coveted 1600 SAT score or 36 ACT score? Read our famous guides to scoring a perfect SAT score and a perfect ACT scoreto get started! Need a little extra help prepping for your Subject Tests? We have the industry's leading SAT Subject Test prep programs (for all non-language Subject Tests). Built by Harvard grads and SAT Subject Test full or 99th %ile scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so that you get the most effective prep possible. Learn more about our Subject Test products below:

Free Essays on Simple As Black And White

Term Project Research log The Black Image in the White Mind: Media and Race in America B Robert M. Entman and Andrew Rojecki â€Å"Television ads now show many Blacks and eschew stereotypes. However, hidden patterns of differentiation and distance emerge on close analysis. Not surprisingly, for instance, Blacks do not touch Whites in the ads, but (unlike Whites) they rarely even touch each other,†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"blacks appear in more commercials, but only for less-expensive products). Using nuanced measurements and arguments,†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬  The main point in my paper is how the media manupulate our attitude about racial issues. How we view our own race identity and look at other races. This litte part in the book couht my attentnion If indeed this is a legit observation,What is does something like this convey to the audience? Black is Beautiful? The Creation of Black Womanhood Representation and Stereotyping Throughout American history, images of black women have been controlled by three main stereotypes that of the mammy, the tragic mulatta and the jezebel or whore. Blacks And Whites in Magazine Advertisements. George M. Zinkhan, Keith K. Cox, and Jae W. Hong Examines if any change has occurred in portraying black models in magazine ads since Tis article examines if any change has occurred in portraying black models in magazine ads since the 1950’s. The study also suggests that differences, while tending to decrease, still exist in the ways the blacks and whites are portrayed in the magazine ads. A Portrait of an Emerging Subculture. Current Issues and Research in Advertising Helena Czepiec and J. Steven Kelly I found this really intresting to read. The article examines how Hispanics are portrayed in advertising through analysis of two components. Characteristics of the models and values expressed in the ads about the character. It was kind of funny how the ads targeted at the Hispanic audience presented a... Free Essays on Simple As Black And White Free Essays on Simple As Black And White Term Project Research log The Black Image in the White Mind: Media and Race in America B Robert M. Entman and Andrew Rojecki â€Å"Television ads now show many Blacks and eschew stereotypes. However, hidden patterns of differentiation and distance emerge on close analysis. Not surprisingly, for instance, Blacks do not touch Whites in the ads, but (unlike Whites) they rarely even touch each other,†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"blacks appear in more commercials, but only for less-expensive products). Using nuanced measurements and arguments,†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬  The main point in my paper is how the media manupulate our attitude about racial issues. How we view our own race identity and look at other races. This litte part in the book couht my attentnion If indeed this is a legit observation,What is does something like this convey to the audience? Black is Beautiful? The Creation of Black Womanhood Representation and Stereotyping Throughout American history, images of black women have been controlled by three main stereotypes that of the mammy, the tragic mulatta and the jezebel or whore. Blacks And Whites in Magazine Advertisements. George M. Zinkhan, Keith K. Cox, and Jae W. Hong Examines if any change has occurred in portraying black models in magazine ads since Tis article examines if any change has occurred in portraying black models in magazine ads since the 1950’s. The study also suggests that differences, while tending to decrease, still exist in the ways the blacks and whites are portrayed in the magazine ads. A Portrait of an Emerging Subculture. Current Issues and Research in Advertising Helena Czepiec and J. Steven Kelly I found this really intresting to read. The article examines how Hispanics are portrayed in advertising through analysis of two components. Characteristics of the models and values expressed in the ads about the character. It was kind of funny how the ads targeted at the Hispanic audience presented a...

Complete Guide Job Shadowing for High School Students

Complete Guide Job Shadowing for High School Students SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Are you thinking about future careers and wondering what different jobs are like?There are many job shadowing opportunities for high school students, and they're a great way to observe different jobs and help you decide which careers would be best for you. Read this guide to learn about job shadowing for high school students, how you can find great job shadowing opportunities, and tips for making the most of your job shadow experience. What Is Job Shadowing? Job shadowing is an experience where you spend a day or a few days observing a professional on the job.While job shadowing, you can easily learn about different jobs and help decide which careers you would enjoy the most. You can follow a doctor making her rounds in the hospital, observe a teacher conducting class, look over building plans with an architect, or something completely different, depending on who you shadow. Job shadowing is popular withstudents because it introduces them to different careers and helps them decide which jobs would be the best fit for them.Job shadowing for high school students is especially helpful because knowing which jobs you enjoy can help you decide on a major when you begin applying to colleges. What Will You Do While Job Shadowing? What you do while job shadowing depends heavily on where your shadow takes place. In general, job shadowing involves following one worker, often called a mentor, as they go about their work day. A job shadow mostly involves listening and observing, but they often give you the chance to perform some simple job duties. For example, if you shadow a doctor at a hospital, you may be able to discuss different diseases and methods of treatment, be sent to pick up x-rays, and watch doctors interact with patients, but you won't be able to do things that require special training, such as draw blood or examine a patient yourself. You will get to see what your mentor's schedule is like, how much of their time they spend on different duties, who they talk to during the day, and what knowledge and skills they use. You may focus specifically on one job or observe multiple jobs within a company.You will also usually have the chance to speak to other workers and ask them questions about their jobs and career paths. A job shadow usually lasts one day, but there are cases when they can last several days to give you a more in-depth look at a certain career or company. To set up a job shadow, you just need to find a company who is willing to host you and available when you are. This means thatthey can take place at any time of the year. However, because most people work Monday to Friday, it is often easier to schedule a job shadow during the summer when you are not in school during those days. You may also be able to find an opportunity over a weekend or on a school holiday, or you may get permission to miss a day of school to attend a job shadow. What Are the Benefits of Job Shadowing? Job shadowing has many benefits for high school students, and three of the most important are discussed below. Learn About Different Jobs Usually, the biggest benefit of job shadowing is that it lets you directly observe different jobs so you can better understand what different careers entail.Shadowing a job can help you learn if it’s really something you would enjoy. For example, you may have always dreamed of being a journalist, but shadowing one may cause you to realize that you don’t enjoy all the research and editing they have to do. On the other hand, you may find a different job much more interesting than you originally thought it would be. Job shadowing is a great opportunity for high school students because it lets them learn about different jobs in a risk-free way before they choose a major and begin to take college classes. It’s much better to learn which jobs you like and dislike now,rather than wait until after you’ve graduated college to learn that you don’t like any of the careers your major prepared you for. Network With Professionals When you job shadow, you will get the opportunity to speak with professionals in that field.Job shadowing typically involves spending the majority of your time with one person, your mentor, but almost all job shadow experiences also include interacting and speaking with other workers at the company. You can use this opportunity to ask them about their job, what they like about it, what they dislike about it, and what advice they have for a student who wants to go into that career field.Making connections with professionals can also make it easier for you to find a job or an internship in that field down the road because you have already established a relationship with people working there. If you had a great job shadow experience at a place where you'd like to work, try to nurture the relationships you created and keep in touch with the people you met. This can include sending them an e-mail every few months mentioning something you read or learned about that's relevant to their job, meeting them for coffee about once a year to discuss the career field and your goals, or applying for an internship there. There's a long period of time between high school and when you'll begin your job search in college, and keeping up with your relationships will help keep you fresh in their memory, so they are more likely to help you when you're looking for a job. Be Introduced to the Workforce Another benefit of job shadowing is that it lets you experience what having a job and being in the workforce is like.During your job shadow, you can get a better idea of what it’s like to go to work every day, interact with coworkers, and have a boss.This can be useful for students thinking about applying to their first job or internshipbecause it will give them a better idea of what to expect when they begin working. Are There Downsides to Job Shadowing? Job shadowing can provide great experiences and teach you a lot, but if you have a negative experience or a mentor, it can turn you away from a job you had previously been really interested in. If you have a bad job shadow experience, the important thing is to remember that you only spent one day at one place, and that does not represent the entire career by any means. People can have bad days, and people with the same job title can, and often do, have completely different work experiences. If this happens to you, you should try to set up another job shadow, either at a different location but for a similar job, or at the same place but with another mentor. Having a second job shadow can help you determine if it's really the career you dislike, or if it was the specific company or person you shadowed. How Can You Find Job Shadowing Opportunities? So now that you know how beneficial job shadowing for high school students can be, read on to learn how to set up your own. Check With Your School High schools often have connections with various companies who offer job shadowing.Ask your academic adviser or someone at your school’s career office for a list of organizations you can contact.If you aren’t sure where you’d like to do your job shadow, they can talk to you about your career goals and help you choose a place that will fit your interests. Contact Places Where You'd Like to Work If you have a specific place where you may like to work in the future or want to learn more about, you can also contact them directly.Call or e-mail someone from the company’s human resources department (or if they don’t have an HR department, call or e-mail the main contact line). Say that you’re a student interested in learning more about certain careers, and you’d like an opportunity to do a job shadow with someone from the company. List some reasons as to why you chose that particular company. Try Community Boards Your community center or town hall may also offer opportunities for job shadowing. Check community boards or websites for possibilities. If you see interesting companies hiring for workers or interns, you can also contact them to see if they’d be willing to let you job shadow there. Want to build the best possible college application? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. Tips for Job Shadowing The more effort and preparation you put into your job shadow, the more you will get out of it. Follow these tips to have an informative and useful job shadowing experience. Before Your Job Shadow: Do some research on the company so that you’re prepared for when you arrive. Check the company’s website to get this information. Learn basic facts such as what work they do, how many people they employ, and when they were founded. Also, read over the company’s goals and mission statement if they have them to get a better sense of where you’ll be working. If you know who you’ll be shadowing, research their position as well so you have a better idea of what to expect when you shadow. Be prepared to discuss yourself and your career goals. If you’re not sure about your career goals, that’s fine too, just mention you’re still gathering information if you’re asked. Prepare some questions you’d like to ask while shadowing. These questions can be about the job itself, the career field, or advice you’re interested in getting. Sample questions include: What caused you to choose this job? What do you like about this job? What do you dislike about it? What makes a person successful at this job? What classes can I take to help prepare me for a job in this field? What skills are useful for this job? Make sure you know where and when your job shadow will be taking place, and confirm with someone from the company a few days beforehand. During Your Job Shadow: Know how to get to the location and allow extra time to ensure you are not late. Dress appropriately. Unless you will be getting dirty, dress similar to how you would for a job interview. Don’t wear t-shirts, shorts, or flip-flops. Bring a notepad so you can take down notes and things you learn. Keep your phone off during the job shadow and resist the urge to text or check your Facebook messages until you’re back home. Be enthusiastic and participate in each activity suggested. You want to learn as much as possible from this experience. Speak to as many people as you can and ask for their business cards if you're interested in talking with them more. Shake hands and introduce yourself to every person you meet. Remember to be respectful of people's time. While most people you meet will be happy to talk with you, remember that you are at someone's workplace and they need to work as well, so try not to take up too much of any one person's time. After Your Job Shadow: Send thank-you notes to the person or people you shadowed, and mention a few things you learned. Write up a few sentences on your job shadow experience for your own personal use. Describe what you did, what you enjoyed, what you didn’t enjoy, and what you learned. This will be useful information to have in the future when you don’t remember the details of your job shadow as clearly. Store contact information and business cards in a safe place so you can reference them if you need to contact the company again for more information, ask follow-up questions, or if you end up applying for a job there. Key FactsAbout Job Shadowing Job shadowing is a great way to observe specific jobs and help decide which careers you are most interested in. Job shadows are a great opportunity for high school students because they can help you plan your future and decide what to major in at college. During a job shadow, you will observe a typical workday at the company. Your school can help you set up a job shadow, or you can contact companies you’re interested in directly. Beforehand, research the company and career field you’ll be observing so you can ask relevant questions. During your job shadow, make the most of the experience by speaking to as many people and participating in as many activities as you can. What's Next? Thinking about getting a job in high school? Check out our guide to the 8 best jobs for teens and learn how to find yours! Considering doing an internship? Learn how to get an internship as a high schooler, the benefits and drawbacks, andhow to choose the best internship for you. Community service is also a great way to get experience and learn about different jobs. Read our guide to learn what community service is and how it can benefit you. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Dynamics of crime and Delinquency Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Dynamics of crime and Delinquency - Assignment Example This would not lead to the happiness of the society. Under this statement, Baccaria means that the stronger members of the society are guilty of oppressing the weaker members of the society. This is because they are accused of crimes, and hence they are under torture, to either confess them, or implicate others. Baccaria advocates against torturing a suspect, and this is mainly because they are not guilty, until the courts prove that they are indeed the ones who committed the offence. Furthermore, Baccaria advocates against the prison sentence (Barker and Colin, 29). He believes that imprisonment in a crime against humanity. On this basis, people should make policies aimed at preventing crime, instead of punishing crime. From this passage, we can denote that necessity refers to the preservation of the public liberty. These are rights and privileges enjoyed by the public. An individual can only be punished when they try to interfere with these public liberties. Baccaria denotes that justice is a bond that makes it possible to unite the society. Furthermore, justice is a concept that prevents individuals from being barbarians. This is the original state of mankind. On this basis, punishments that aim at destroying this bond of unity are not

Propaganda Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Propaganda - Research Paper Example According to Magstadt (147), Propaganda is the deliberate and a systematic effort to manipulate the perceptions, cognitions and or behavior using false, true or partial information in order for the informer to achieve certain specific responses that serves his or her intention. Propaganda may therefore passing information mainly to direct perception towards a certain point for the benefit of the propagandist. It therefore follows that propaganda may not benefit the audience but benefit only the architecture of the propaganda. Propaganda may also be intentional deception of individuals by changing their perceptions towards a particular issue. It can be engineered by the government or politicians for political reasons or just by an individual for self benefit. However, victims of propaganda do not often realize until they are completely deceived. Most of the times, propaganda is used to garner political support for politicians and they do this by spreading propaganda against their riva ls. However, it is important to clarify that propaganda is not only for political reasons but may be also witnessed by other societal organizations that have intensions of manipulating the perceptions of the people. The understanding of propaganda in a class setting has therefore to start with the differentiation of propaganda with the other forms of advocacy. There are other forms of advocacy that are used to persuade people and hence change their perception by not necessarily using lies and false information. From the explanation given above, it is clear that there is a difference between propaganda and other tools of persuasion. One idea that has come out is that with propaganda, is that the propagandists are willing and uses confusion and deception to change the people’s perception rather than ordinary persuasion and understanding (Magstadt, 148). Another difference is that they may take the opportunity that the audience do not have the full information and hence use part ial truth and partial lies to confuse them and make them believe. For example, in an organization, the leaders of that particular organization know very well that the information may not be true, however for the individuals in the organization that helps in the dissemination of the information; they might not know this. Bringing this difference in class aids in the understanding of propaganda as it it makes the members in a classroom stay focused and avoids confusion with other methods of advocacy. It also brings the concept clearer for the members in the classroom. It is therefore clear that propaganda is deliberate, deception and confusion that is intended to benefit individual interest or group of individuals. The techniques that are used to share propaganda are also very important. Since it is not a direct deception, it is important to outline the various techniques that are used by the propagandist to share information. The two commonly used avenues for sharing propaganda are t he advertisements through media and public relations. However the difference should come out clear between the advertisement that are meant to promote a commercial product and the advertisement that is only meant to share propaganda. It should be noted that the propaganda often takes a specific forma and is totally different from the commercial advertisements in the media. Propaganda often takes the political or nationalist kind of messages and hence should not be