Neutralization Definition in Chemistry

Balance Definition in Chemistry A balance response is a compound response between a corrosive and a base which delivers a moreâ neutral arrangement (closer to a pH of 7). The last pH relies upon the quality of the corrosive and base in the response. Toward the finish of a balance response in water, no abundance hydrogen or hydroxide particles remain. Balance Examples The great case of a balance is the response between a corrosive and a base to yield a salt and water: corrosive base â†' salt water For instance: HCl NaOH â†' NaCl H2O The correct bolt shows the response finishes to shape the item. While the great model is legitimate, a progressively broad articulation dependent on Bronsted-Lowry corrosive base hypothesis is: Ok B â†' A BH For instance: HSO4-OH-â†' SO42-H2O is likewise a case of a balance response. Solid versus Weak Acids and Bases While solid acids and solid bases totally separate, powerless acids and bases just halfway separate to frame a balance blend. The balance stays deficient. Along these lines, the correct bolt is supplanted by bolts directing both to items and reactants. A case of a balance with a powerless corrosive and base would be: Ok B â‡Å' A-BH Source Steven S. Zumdahl (2009). Chemical Principlesâ (6th ed.). New York: Houghton Mifflin Company. pp.â 319â€324.

United Nations Environmental Program Essay Example for Free

Joined Nations Environmental Program Essay There are a ton of articles, books and papers that have been composed, addressing the relationship that land has with farming practices. For example, Helmut Geist and Lambin Eric in their paper cause hypotheses that unreliable rural practices to have been liable for the vanishing of tropical woods covers, both at the nearby and local levels. The two, being postdoctoral analysts in topography, work in the field of worldwide climatic change, set that flighty farming is far much liable for the idea of land use and land spread change (LUCC). To back this contention up, Helmut and Lambin explain on the issue, hypothesizing that untrustworthy horticulture contrarily influences the LUCC than some other practice did inside the sponsorship of human development. To support this idea, it is placed by the two that separated from the way that agrarian exercises has the power to convey negative natural debasement, flippant agribusiness can convey soil disintegration an accomplishment that ecological corruption can't get from the modern division and its contamination. Proof Presented The qualities in these cases are that cultivating and reckless horticulture has in many occasions been accused for soil corruption. Much proof is showed and introduced by Helmut and Lambin in this work. For example, Helmut and Lambin quote the United Nations Environmental Program 2004 insights that demonstrate that working area that is on a slope and inability to manufacture gabions have in many occasions been accused for over 75% of cases addressing soil disintegration (Levine 2006). In another frequency, the facts demonstrate that untrustworthy cultivating exercises hurts the dirt when exceptionally solid inorganic manures are utilized, causing the dirt to get impervious to composts and pesticides. Shortcomings Critics, for example, Geist (2006) point that there are entanglements in this work was introduced by Helmut and Lambin. For instance, in the primary case, not all the antagonistic impacts of untrustworthy cultivating rehearses are managed in this. For instance, there is no point on the job overloading (of creatures) plays towards soil disintegration and the consumption of the rare assets inside the earth. In any case, the facts confirm that all the above components add to the vanishing of the land spread. Suppositions made by the journalists simultaneously, there are a few presumptions that Helmut and Lambin make. Accepting that keeping the correct size of cows, building gabions, utilizing the correct amounts of natural manures and pesticides are simply the main panacea against the spread of the loss of ripe land is a false notion all alone. Despite what might be expected, the two neglect to address significant cultivating practices, for example, the developing of leguminous yields, crop revolution and fallowing of land, as being instrumental in the reason against soil disintegration. Developing leguminous yields, for example, beans help in nitrogen fixing in the dirt, while crop turn and blended editing enables the land to get nourishment from various kinds of harvests. Letting land lay decrepit then again, empowers the renewal of pedological vitality and the recuperation of humus. These are the counterarguments that have been advanced by different pundits, for example, Singh and Fox (2001). End and significance of the issues and the contention being handled The sacrosance of the current contention is that there is a genuine interrelationship among LUCC and human life. This implies blunder of the previous has the strength to savagely harm the reason for human life. It is no big surprise that calls are overflowing from UNEP for the main economies to tow the line in guaranteeing that there is the alleviating of soil, water and air contamination with the goal that the possibilities of future human endurance can be combined. Works Cited Singh, Ram and Fox, Jefferson. A Look at Land Use and Cover Change. New York: McGraw Hill. 2001. Geist, Helmut. A Study on Earth’s Changing Landscape. Colorado: John Wiley and Sons. 2006. Levine, Joel. Worldwide Change and the Burning of Biomass. Massachusetts: Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 2006.

How Do Wild Animals Feel in the Zoo

How Do Wild Animals Feel in the Zoo? How would you like the idea of being locked in the cage and having thousands of people looking at you every day for their pleasure? Nobody would like things like that. But that’s an ordinary treatment animals get in the zoos. To my point of view, it is strictly important to forbid such places like zoos, as they are unsuitable to maintain the health and habits of poor animals. First of all, it is important to say that animals have their right not to live in captivity, but enjoy wildness. In zoos they are doomed to live in unnatural environment. Once you are in the zoo, you have an opportunity to see that animals live in stress, which is caused by numerous visitors and their separation from families and free life. Those animals who live in water usually have too little of it and the ones who got used to live in huge herds, are kept alone in the cage. A great number of innocent creatures die in the zoo because they have no opportunity to fly, to hunt or to roam the way they want and need. Some people try to argue saying that keeping animals in the zoos is beneficial for education, but in fact kids can learn almost nothing, as it is necessary to observe animals in their natural conditions. What is more, when animals cannot live in their natural environment, their lives can be in danger. For instance, the food they eat. It can be inappropriate for them and cause illnesses or even deaths. When an animal lives in the zoo there’s usually no mother who could teach it basic skills, which could help this animal survive in the wildness. A great number of animals, once they are allowed to live in nature, have no idea how to survive. The point is that they have no food finding skills and cannot hunt or fight off the other predators. Although zoos are presented like places for education obtaining, they are unnatural places for the animals’ lives. They are deprived of freedom and our governments should do their best in order to improve this situation.

Global Warming And Its Effects On The Planet Essay

As Albert Einstein said â€Å"Look deep into nature and then you will understand everything better†. It can be hard, but not impossible to understand more about this ever changing universe. Without a doubt, our planet as we know was not the same a century ago and it will not be the same a decade from now. Due to this perpetual evolution of our planet’s natural cycles, its inhabitants are forced to choose between adaption or extinction. Meanwhile, an invasive species, or humans, has started a chain of disasters that are accelerating global changes and, in extension, the crucial selection of existence. Over the years, the field of natural science has increased human knowledge regarding our negative impact on the planet. Despite this, humans have taken minimal action towards addressing the problem that, considered a myth by some, is global warming. Many of us take our planet for granted, not realizing that, in of its own, it consist of one huge ecosystem relying on all of its parts to function properly. Because of this interdependence, action must be taken to minimize and raise awareness of global warming on the arctic region and its resulting effects on ecosystems around the world. Occurring on the entire planet, global warming affects individual regions at different intensity levels. Places covered in snow, like the Arctic, are being disturbed by the rising temperature, resulting in a decrease of ice and an increase of liquid water. To illustrate the immensity of this matter,Show MoreRelatedThe Effects of Global Warming on the Planet1158 Words   |  5 PagesGlobal warming can be defined as the increase in the earths sea level due to an increase in surface temperature. In decades past, there have been debates on what can be causing global warming. Greenhouse gasses and ozone depletion are one of the most important factors that geologists are facing in the fight against global warming. It presents a major problem for not only geologists, but also for policy makers, foresters, scientists, and most definitely the inhabitants of the Earth. Greenhouse effectsRead MoreThe Effects Of Global Warming On Our Planet1396 Words   |  6 Pages There is no doubt that global warming becomes one of the most dangerous, serious and popular issues in the 21st century. It is possible to identify the probable and effective solutions by means of the population around the world to reduce negative effects on our planet. Joseph and Roy (2014) points out 97% of the scientists and professionals are trying to discover the best explanations, which can prevent our world from violent disasters that can damage the lives and wealth of all nations and animalsRead MoreThe Effects Of Global Warming On The Planet879 Words   |  4 Pagesthings that would damage the planet. For example the people usually use the air conditioner, this would discharge a lot of greenhouse air. That is too late to save it from complete destruction when climate change has damaged the planet beyond repair. Global warming is caused by the factory and cars always discharge CO2. ’ Global warming is primarily a problem of too much carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere—which acts as a blanket, trapping heat and warming the planet.’ (Union of Concerned ScientistsRead MoreGlobal Warming and Its Effect on Our Planet2763 Words   |  12 PagesIntroduction Nowadays, Global warming is an incontrovertible fact, which proves that our planet and its climate are in trouble. Well global warming is a term that denotes a slow warming of the earth’s regular temperature. It was also named exclusively man-made effects, in particular carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide has largely increased during the past forty years, and scientists concluded that the average earth temperature has increased solely based on man-made activities suchRead More The Effects of Global Warming on Our Planet Essay576 Words   |  3 PagesThe Effects of Global Warming on Our Planet Global warming, professionally also called the climate change represents nowadays a critical global issue posing a serious potential threat. This simply means that the average temperature of our planet is slowly rising. This however is not due to the natural causes as it was in the past but due to people and their activities, which permit the so-called greenhouse gases to be emitted into the atmosphere. This has already takenRead MoreThe Effects Of Global Warming On Our Future On A Hotter Planet1829 Words   |  8 Pages21st, global warming rates have increased by unprecedented amounts. As the Earth’s changing climate becomes a pertinent issue for nature and human society, climate scientists continue to predict the effects that rising temperatures will have on the whole planet in the future. Notably, in 2008, environmental activist Mark Lynas examined aspects of global warming, like rising sea levels, natural disasters, and overall temperature changes in his book â€Å"Six Degrees: Our Future on a Hotter Planet.† LynasRead MoreThe Effects Of Global Warming On Our Planet s Ecosystem1173 Words   |  5 PagesMother Earth is burning as we speak; humanity has killed our precious Earth. Global-warming is a vicious killer that was created by the humans on this Earth, and there s no way to cure it. We, as humans, have the power to cleanse the Earth, but instead we destroy it. Heat is absorbed by carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases. A greenhouse gas absorbs thermal radiation emitted by the Earth s surface. As the sun s energy reaches the Earth’s surface, some of it is released into space, some is absorbedRead MoreThe Issue Of Global Warming1338 Words   |  6 PagesOver the past years, the controversial issue of global warming has been primarily brought to the attention of the public. Global warming is generally assumed to be the main cause of rising average global temperature. The climate on the Earth is changing and there is no big surprise. It is believed that global warming is caused by many natural and manmade activities, which is affecting the planet by the seconds, minutes, hours, days, and years. Many may not even care about this serious issue, butRead MoreThe Potential Cause Of Global Warming1689 Words   |  7 PagesThe potential causes of global warming are debated about by many scientists. Many scientists believe that global warming is natural while others believe it to be caused by mostly humans. Global warming may be completely natural for many reasons. First, Earth tends to go through cycles of heating and cooling and this wouldn’t be the first time our planet has begun to heat up unexpectedly. Second, nobody can directly correlate humans with global warming, we may emit CO2 but that doesn’t mean we causedRead MoreGlobal Warming And Climate Change Essay932 Words   |  4 PagesKatherine Suarez Bio. Professor Agostino November, 29 2016 Global Warming/ Climate Change Global warming or also known as climate change refers to the increase heating of Earth s surface, oceans and atmosphere and its effects. It is unknown who was the first person to point out the term â€Å"Global Warming†, but since the late nineteenth century geologist started talking about that increasing carbon dioxide by combustion, which could be the cause of rising temperature. But if talk about 55 million

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen - 1363 Words

2010 Snobbery to Husbandry: Reassessing Ideals of Mr. Darcy As Jane Austin establishes, through the voice of Mrs. Bennet, â€Å"†¦Lizzy does not lose much by suiting his fancy; for he is a most disagreeable, horrid man, not at all worth pleasing† (Austen 9) she forms the general consensus of the sentiment that a majority of the characters feel for Mr. Darcy throughout Pride and Prejudice. Cold, rude, arrogant, and snobbish are what many characters consider Darcy due to his actions towards society and, especially, Elizabeth, Jane, and Wickham throughout the story. At the commencement of the tale, Darcy refuses to dance with Elizabeth due to his premature prejudices against her looks and â€Å"inferior connections† (8). However, at the story’s†¦show more content†¦Darcy composes a letter for Elizabeth explaining why he interferes with Jane and Bingley’s courtship and tells his version of the Wickham relationship. By humbling himself in this fashi on, a shift occurs in the mood of the novel. The mood of his character begins to express feelings and creates warmth for him as a human being. Austen generates emotions of sympathy for Darcy within both Elizabeth and the reader. Subsequent to this emerging change in character, Darcy also finds that he truly loves Elizabeth and wants to marry her; this is not because he wants to improve her status, but because he has authentic feelings for her. Darcy feels that the two have grown closer and demonstrate many similarities in personality, which is the basis of their love. He relays this upon saying â€Å"We neither of us perform to strangers† (139). Through this quote, Darcy implies that Elizabeth and he need not fear of making mistakes when performing on the piano because their similarities would most likely lead them to make the same mistakes. Austen exposes this growing relationship through her use of both point of view and characterization. Third person limited perspective relates most of the tale through the point of view of Elizabeth, although it does occasionally switch to third person omniscient. Because the narration is mostly through Elizabeth’s thoughts, the next time the audience hears of Darcy, it is when he meets Elizabeth at Pemberly. By allowing theShow MoreRelatedPride And Prejudice By Jane Austen Essay1724 Words   |  7 PagesThe 18th century novel, Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen, is a fascinating book about a young woman’s struggle with family and love. Pride and Prejudice was originally published in 1813, but, the most common version of the story, and the one used for this research, is from the version published in 1892, still by only Jane Austen, though many other authors have contributed to this book over time. Austen often references the class system at the time, often noting one of the multiple heroine’s struggleRead MorePride And Prejudice By Jane Austen1467 Words   |   6 Pages Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is a classic novel that has remained relevant even years after its release. Its themes and symbols are understandable to even the most modern of reader. One of the many themes is sisterhood, something that is focused on constantly throughout the novel. Elizabeth Bennet, the protagonist of the novel, finds many of her decisions to be based upon the actions of her sisters. Making sisterhood a main driving force. Whether they are confiding in each other for marriageRead MorePride And Prejudice By Jane Austen872 Words   |  4 PagesIn my personal cherished novel, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, the worlds of two immensely divergent people display the marxist idea of the importance of social status and its affect on the people. The two main characters seem to be on opposite ends of the earth in terms of an affluent Mr. Darcy being so privileged while on the contrary, Miss Elizabeth Bennet is of a lower class. Throughout the novel, ther e is a fine distinction between their clashing opinions and actions that are highly influencedRead MorePride And Prejudice By Jane Austen Essay1711 Words   |  7 Pageshe 18th century novel, Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen, is a fascinating book about a young woman’s struggle with family and love. Pride and Prejudice was originally published in 1813, but, the most common version of the story, and the one used for this research, is from the version published in 1892, still by only Jane Austen, though many other authors have contributed to this book over time. Austen often references the class system at the time, often noting one of the multiple heroine’s struggleRead MorePride And Prejudice By Jane Austen1285 Words   |  6 PagesPride and Prejudice Analysis I.Introduction Jane Austen wrote her novels during the time period known as the Regency. The Enlightenment and the Age of Reason, a time where ideas like democracy, secularism, and the rise of developing sciences were making their way across Europe had come to an end.It was replaced with the wave of horror that was the French Revolution, a once minor revolt that escalated into a violent war, concluding with the rise of Napoleon, which whom England fought against the majorityRead MorePride And Prejudice By Jane Austen1384 Words   |  6 PagesNicole Voyatzis Professor W. Acres HISTORY 1401E May 26, 2015 Discussion Paper - Pride and Prejudice Pride and Prejudice written in 1813 by Jane Austen tells the story of The Bennet’s and their five unmarried daughters. The family live as part of the lower gentry in early 19th century England. With that being said, Mrs. Bennet’s primary focus in life is to ensure that all her daughters are married, preferably to wealthy men. The book begins with Mrs. Bennet seeing an opportunity for her daughtersRead MorePride And Prejudice By Jane Austen1570 Words   |  7 PagesThe comical novel Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen depicts the love life of women in the early 1800’s. Austen shows the hardships young women in that time period had to go threw to find their place in this world. Women were thought of as objects to the men, they were supposed to be stay at home mothers, or simple just a accessory to their partner. Women were the subordinates in life, as they still are today. Austen tells the story of how Mrs. Bennet (a mother of 5) works tirelessly to get her daughte rsRead MoreJane Austen: Pride and Prejudice 1086 Words   |  5 PagesJane Austen, born December 16, 1775, was an English novelist whose works of romantic fiction earned her a place as one of the most widely read authors in English literature. Austen’s novels critique the life of the second half of the eighteenth century and are part of the transition to nineteenth-century realism. Though her novels were by no means autobiographical, her fictional characters do shed light on the facts of her life and but more importantly, they offered aspiring writers a model of howRead MorePride And Prejudice By Jane Austen914 Words   |  4 Pages Bell 1 Natalie Bell Pedersen English 4 honors 29 February 2016 Pride and Prejudice Essay Jane Austen s novel, Pride and Prejudice, focuses on the social conflicts of England during the 1800s. Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy fall in love, and face social criticism. 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Performance Improvement System and Most Effective Way †Free Samples

Question: Discuss about the Performance Improvement System and Most Effective Ways for these Areas to be Communicated to Managers and Employees. Answer: Discussion: According to Aguinis, (2009), the three communication areas that performance management system should address are need of the training and development of the employees, to provide justice to the employees to understand if there is any kind of disagreement among the employees and the managers on the performance improvement of the employees and lastly, in terms of gaining feedback from the employees as a frequent check that the co workers and the managers have been transparent enough for the performance management. These are indeed the most important areas that are based on performance management system. The most effective means to be communicated to managers and employees is through the HR. The HR department serves as the mediator between the employee and the supervisor (Aguinis, Gottfredson Joo, 2013). The HR remains in a good position to judge the policies of the organization and knows how to implement them correctly. The decision that is taken by the HR department remains unbiased and thus, one should communicate through the HR. It is expected that the employee should simply not accept the role that he or she is designated to. The employee should understand his ability of performance in the organization and should fight for the position that he/she finds eligible. It is only when each employee understand his/her individual role in the performance improvement plan, the plan can be successful (Aguinis, Gottfredson Joo, 2013). It is for the same reason meetings are often called to set out responsibility for each person in the organization to assign work to each individual. References: Aguinis, H. (2009).Performance management. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. Aguinis, H., Gottfredson, R. K., Joo, H. (2013). Avoiding a me versus we dilemma: Using performance management to turn teams into a source of competitive advantage.Business Horizons,56(4), 503-512.

Shopping Diaries Brand New Flat Screen 47

Before Shopping My mother and I have been toying with the idea of getting a brand new flat screen 47 inch TV for over a year now. After much debating, consideration, and internet searching, we finally decided that it was time to go shopping and make the purchase.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Shopping Diaries: Brand New Flat Screen 47-inch TV specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Since this was like buying a new toy for a child, you can just imagine the excitement and eagerness that both of us felt as I drove us to the mall where all the appliance stores were located. Before we seriously buckled down to shopping, I remember feeling a tinge of apprehension. Were we really ready to make this purchase? Wasn’t this just an impulse buy? Maybe we should sleep on it and come back another day? During the time when I was doing my internet research on the product, I had come to the realization that the amount of money needed to purchase the TV would probably pay for a semester of college for me. Not only that, but television technology advanced and came out with newer, more superior models to the previous flat screen TV releases on a 6 month basis. Making the item devalue practically the minute we plopped down our payment for it. Somehow I managed to convince myself otherwise and we trudged on in search of the perfect flat screen TV. Knowing that my mother was advancing in age and needed a larger screen TV in order to see the images on the screen, and that we already had a digital entertainment theater system set up at home, sans the correct TV set, were what probably helped me get over my initial apprehensions about buying the flat screen at this point in time. It may not be a necessity for me, since I spend most of my time at school, studying, or at work, but my mom, who is always at home, needs it for her own personal enjoyment. So who am I to prevent her from getting what she will enjoy the m ost? I can use the set up when I have some free time anyway. After Shopping Okay, so here we are, sitting in the food court and enjoying an after shopping snack. We have finally made the purchase and both feel quite satisfied with our choice of an LG Scarlet 47 inch flat screen. We had actually lucked out at the appliance store because they had both a Samsung flat screen TV and an LG flat screen TV in the display area. These were the exact 2 brands that we were considering to buy and it was fantastic that we got to compare their visual output and other specs side by side. It made shopping and decision making a lot easier. Thanks to the internet research that I did previously, I was able to ask the salesman the proper questions about the items and get his opinion on the items, all things considered. Since we were shopping for opinions, he even went to the extent of asking his co-workers for their opinions on the 2 items, and later on, his store manager also weighed in with his opinio n.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The more opinions the better I always say. We finally settled on the LG flat screen because it had one thing that the Samsung flat screen did not have, a screen protector that would protect the pixels and bulbs from â€Å"death† in the event that the screen was accidentally hit by a sharp or blunt object at full force. The Samsung version would have dead pixels instantly. Since I had my mother with me, and the purchase was really being made for her, I felt that she was the best shopping companion that I could have brought with me. She helped me stay focused on what item we really wanted to get when my eyes would stray to the other product displays, and reminded me of the budget that we had to stick to. We had a pleasant time shopping together and enjoyed our time together because we both knew exactly what was needed and wanted at the time and had already discussed it before hand. This essay on Shopping Diaries: Brand New Flat Screen 47-inch TV was written and submitted by user Javier L. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

How to Build an ACT Study Plan 4 Sample Schedules

How to Build an ACT Study Plan 4 Sample Schedules SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The best way to attack the ACT is to use an ACT study plan. With a study plan, you can manage your prep time more easily, figure out your weaknesses, and hone the skills you need to get the score you want on test day. We give you four top-notch ACT plans to choose from, based on your ACT score goals. Before we take a look at those, though, let’s go over the benefits of having an ACT schedule and the steps needed to find the right ACT study plan for you. What Are the Benefits of a Study Plan for ACT Prep? Everyone studying for the ACT should start with a thorough study plan. But what are the benefits of having one? For one, having an ACT study plan allows you to balance your prep time so that you’re spending enough time on the topics you need to study- but aren’t overworking yourself. For example, if I had four months to prep for the ACT, my plan would tell me how many hours to study per week as well as how I could arrange these hours to fit my schedule. ACT plans are also highlyadaptable. This means you can change your ACT schedule to better suit your study needs and work around any obligations you have. So if you’re struggling with math but have already completed your "ACT Math Review" day, you could spend some of your â€Å"ACT Reading Review† day reviewing more math concepts you need to know. Finally, an ACT prep schedule can tell you whether you’re en route to hitting your goal score. A good study plan will tell you when to take ACT practice tests (starting withofficial ones) so that you can gauge your overall progress and pinpoint your weaknesses. Clearly, there are many benefits of having an ACT study plan. But how can you find the right schedule for you? Choosing a Study Plan for ACT Prep: 5 Preliminary Steps Before you decide on an ACT schedule, you need to figure out where you’re currently scoring, what your goal score is, and how much prep time you’ll need. Below, we cover the five preliminary steps you must take to find the best ACT study plan for you. Step 1: Set a Goal Score The first step is to set an ACT goal score. This is the score most likely to get you admitted to all of the schools you’re applying to.You'll want to aim for this score on test day, but to do this you must prep accordingly (which we help you do in our study plans below!). To set a goal score, look for the 25th and 75th percentile ACT scores for each of your schools. These scores represent the middle 50 percent, or average range, of scores of admitted applicants. Ideally, you’ll get an ACT score in at least the 75th percentile for your schools. This will mean you've scored higher than 75 percent of admitted applicants! The easiest way to keep track of ACT score info for your schools is to make a chart (you can also download our pre-made chart). To find your schools’ ACT score info, go online and search for â€Å"[School Name] PrepScholar.† This will bring up links to our database. Click on the â€Å"Admission Requirements† page for your school. On this page, scroll down to find your school’s ACT score info.You'll see a big banner containing your school's average ACT score. Beneath that are your school's 25th and 75th percentile ACT scores. Here’s an example of how this looks onNotre Dame's PrepScholar page: Once you’ve gathered the 75th percentile scores for all of your schools and recorded them in your chart, look for the highest score. This will be your goal score, as it’s the one most likely to get you accepted to all of the schools you're applying to. Let's say I applied to Notre Dame, the University of Michigan, Indiana University Bloomington, and Indiana State. In this case, my ACT goal score would be 34 (the highest 75th percentile score, for Notre Dame). Step 2: Find Your Baseline Score Next, it's time to get your baseline score. A baseline score is essentially your starting point in ACT prep- it’s the score you’d get right now on the ACT, without any prep. To find your baseline, take an official ACT practice test. Official tests are the best resources to use for getting your baseline score since they’re by far the most realistic tests out there. As you take your practice test, make sure to simulate real testing conditions as closely as possible: take the test in a quiet room, use an ACT-approved calculator, and abide by theofficial time limitson all sections. When finished, use your test’s scoring guide to calculate your scaled scores. Your composite score (that is, the average of your four section scores) will be your baseline score. For example, if I got 32 on English, 25 on Math, 28 on Reading, and 30 on Science, my final ACT score would be 29 (since 28.75 rounds up!). Step 3: Calculate How Many Hours You’ll Need to Study Now, it's time to use your baseline and goal scores to figure out roughly how many hours you’ll need to prep for the ACT. First, subtract your baseline score from your goal score. Then, match the difference to a point range below to see how many total hours you’ll need to study: 0-1 point improvement: 10 hours 1-2 point improvement: 20 hours 2-4 point improvement: 40 hours 4-6 point improvement: 80 hours 6-9 point improvement: 150 hours+ The more points you need to improve by, the more hours you’ll need to study. In my examples above, my goal score was 34 and my baseline score was 29. This comes out to a 5-point improvement, equaling about 80 total hours of prep. Step 4: Pick a Test Date When picking an ACT test date, you'll need to consider the following three factors: How much time you want to prepare for the ACT How busy your schedule is around a test date Your college application deadlines The most important point to remember is this:the more hours you need to study, the more time you should give yourself before test day.If you're planning to make large gains of 4 or more points, choose a test date that’s further out so that you have ample time to prep for the exam (and relax as needed!). I suggest prepping forthree to six months,though you might need more or less time depending on how big of a point improvement you want to make. Additionally, choose a test date that works well with your schedule. If you have tons of activities or commitments with little to no time to study, go with a test date at a different, more relaxed time to make your schedule less stressful for you. Finally, if you’re a senior, make sure to take the ACT well before your college application deadlines. If your scores arrive after deadlines, your application could get disqualified, so always choose an early test date. Generally, seniors should be able to do the September and October test dates and possibly the December test date- but not anything later! Step 5: Gather ACT Study Materials Before you begin your ACT prep schedule, spend time gathering high-quality study materials. Far and away, the best resources you can use are official ones (i.e., anything created by ACT, Inc.). Here are some of the top official ACT resources: Official ACT practice tests: These free, full-length practice tests are the best out there and offer highly realistic ACT test-taking practice. Use these to check your progress and monitor your score improvement. Official sample test questions:ACT, Inc., offers online batches of sample questions for each ACT section. This free resource comes with detailed answer explanations and is ideal for both general practice and drilling weaknesses. The Official ACT Prep Guide: At about $25, this official ACT prep book offers three full-length practice tests, 400 practice questions, and test-day guidance. Just be aware that if you already have the 2016-17 version, the 2018 one is essentially the same. Additionally, all three practice tests sharesignificant overlap with the free tests above, so you might want to get the third edition of the book instead (which comes with five unique tests). You can also use high-quality, unofficial ACT resources to supplement your prep. Our guide to the best ACT prep books gives you our top recommendations for official and unofficial ACT prep books. Pro tip: always be pickier when buying unofficial ACT resources since many are low quality and don’t contain realistic practice questions. Get your popcorn ready as we preview four Oscar-worthy ACT study plans! 4 ACT Study Plans for You to Choose From You are now ready to pick an study plan for ACT prep! Below, we offer four study plans to choose from. Each one differs in intensity (how many hours you need to study per week) and length (how many months the program is). Each plan also comes withsuggested time frames to help you balance your prep. That said, you are free to tweak our plans so that you’re spending more or less time on certain topics and skills. Remember,a good ACT study plan canadaptto fit your needs. If you’re struggling with Math and Science, for example, but are strong at Reading and English, you could (and should) focus more on honing your Math and Science skills. Just be sure you’re generally following your ACT schedule so that you’re not missing any critical practice, review, or progress checks. The four ACT study plans we offer are as follows: A three-month, medium-intensive plan A three-month, low-intensive plan A six-month, medium-intensive plan A one-month, high-intensive plan ACT Study Plan #1: 3-Month Program, Medium Intensity This moderate study plan lasts three months and requires a total of 80 study hours, or about six and a half hours a week.With this plan, you’ll be able to raise your total ACT score by up to 6 points. This is a great plan to use any time of the year but works best if you’re studying over the summer (to take the September or October ACT) and have more free time to dedicate to ACT prep. First tip for your ACT Reading studies: don't remove your glasses! Month 1: English Reading Basics For the first month, you’ll get to know the ACT, specifically the English and Reading sections. Week 1: Learn the ACT Format 1. Take an official practice test. To get your baseline score, take a full-length ACT test. Be sure to recreate real testing conditions as closely as possible- this means taking the test in a quiet room without interruptions. Suggested Time: 3.5 hrs 2. Score your practice test and analyze your results. Your composite score will be your baseline score (the score you start with before beginning any test prep). You should also take some time to go over your results and see what questions you got right and wrong. Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs 3. Learn the overall format of the ACT. Familiarize yourself with the basics of the ACT: what kind of content it tests, what kinds of questions it has, and how much time you’ll have on each section. Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs Week 2: Focus on English 1. Learn the English test format. Understand what it tests and what types of passages you’ll need to edit. Suggested Time: 2 hrs 2. Study all ACT grammar topics and punctuation rules. You’ll need to know all of the major English rules that can appear on the ACT, from pronouns to apostrophes. Suggested Time: 2.5 hrs 3. Learn and practice the graf-by-graf reading strategy. This passage-reading strategy is by far the best one for ACT English. With this strategy, you'll read a passage one paragraph at a time and answer questions for each paragraph. Once you understand how this strategy works, practice it using realistic ACT English passages. Suggested Time: 2 hrs Week 3: Turn to Reading 1. Learn the Reading test format. Understand how this section differs from the English section, what kinds of passages there are, and what sorts of questions you'll be answering. Suggested Time: 2.5 hrs 2. Find the passage-reading strategy that works best for you. You’ll want to use a strategy that’s both quick and effective. To figure out which one you like most, test out a few different strategies using Reading practice tests. The strategy that gives you the highest score is the one you'll use in your prep and on test day. Suggested Time: 2.5 hrs 3. Practice your chosen passage-reading strategy. Once you've decided on a strategy, continue practicing it using quality Reading practice tests. Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs Week 4: Learn Reading English Strategies 1. Memorize common ACT vocabulary words. Our ACT vocabulary list contains 150 common words you should know for the exam. Suggested Time: 2 hrs 2. Learn English and Reading strategies. Most importantly, practice the #1 critical rule for Reading so that you can know how to eliminate incorrect answer choices. Suggested Time: 2.5 hrs 3. Practice strategies. Use official practice questions or high-quality, unofficial questions to test out the various English and Reading strategies you’ve learned. Suggested Time: 2 hrs On the ACT, you get to play the part of a scientist- but, sadly, do not get to work with red goo. Month 2: Math Science Basics Now, you’ll move on to math and science topics. This month teaches you the format of the Math and Science sections and how to strategize for them. Week 5: Move Toward Math 1. Learn the Math test format. Get to know the basic structure of the section and what kinds of topics it tests. Suggested Time: 2 hrs 2. Go over basic math concepts. Readour basic guide to integersfollowed byour advanced guide to integers. Then, learn about fractions and proportions. Suggested Time: 2 hrs 3. Review algebra. Key topics include the following: Single-variable equations Systems of equations Operations Functions Word problems Suggested Time: 2.5 hrs Week 6: Learn More Math 1. Study key geometry concepts. These include the following: Lines and slopes Reflections, translations, and rotations Lines and angles Polygons Circles Triangles Solid geometry Suggested Time: 3 hrs 2. Go over all other math topics- in particular,trigonometry. Suggested Time: 2 hrs 3. Memorize all critical formulas. You won’t get any on test day, so definitely get these down pat! Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs Week 7: Switch to Science 1. Learn the Science test format. Understand what kinds of passages you’ll have and what the questions will look like. Suggested Time: 2 hrs 2. Find the passage-reading strategy that works best for you. This strategy might be different from the ones you use for Reading and English. To find the right one for you, test out a few different strategies using Science practice tests. Whichever gives you the highest score is the one you'll use in your prep. Suggested Time: 2.5 hrs 3. Practice your chosen reading strategy. Use high-quality Science practice tests to help you get used to reading scientific passages and answering questions. Suggested Time: 2 hrs Week 8: Learn Math Science Strategies 1. Learn Math and Science strategies. For Math, the most important ones include plugging in numbers and plugging in answers. In addition, make sure you know what kind of science is on the ACTand how to read tables and graphs. Suggested Time: 2.5 hrs 2. Practice strategies. Use high-quality practice questions to test out the Math and Science strategies you’ve learned. Suggested Time: 2 hrs 3. Learn the Writing test format.If you're planning to take the ACT essay, you'll need to know what kind of essay you'll be writing, how much time you'll have for it on test day, and what kinds of prompts there are. Suggested Time: 2 hrs Month 3: Progress Check Review Now, it’s time to review everything you’ve learned and check your progress to make sure you’re on track to getting your goal score. Week 9: Check Your Progress 1. Take an official practice test. This will tell you how much your score has improved since your baseline test. Suggested Time: 3.5 hrs 2. Score your test and determine your weaknesses. Look at the questions you got wrong and try to see whether there are any patterns in your mistakes. These will be the areas you’ll need to drill more in your prep. Suggested Time: 3 hrs Week 10: Practice Writing Strengthen Your Weaknesses 1. Practice writing ACT essays using high-quality prompts.This way you'll get used to writing quickly and effectively. I suggest getting someone to score your responses so that you can figure out what skills you need to work on in order to produce more cogent essays. Suggested Time: 2.5 hrs 2. Use high-quality practice questions to drill general weaknesses. For example, if you’re having problems solving algebra problems, spend more time reviewing algebraic concepts and practicing them as they appear on the ACT. Suggested Time: 4 hrs Week : Check Your Progress (Again) 1. Take your third and final practice test. As always, take it in a quiet place and in one sitting to get an accurate reflection of your scoring ability. Suggested Time: 3.5 hrs 2. Score your test and closely analyze your results. Are there any question types or topics you’re still getting wrong? What’s eating up your time and taking more energy than it needs to? Get a feel for what’s holding you back and then figure out how to fix your approach. Suggested Time: 3 hrs Week 12: Review as Needed 1. Continue reviewing concepts and strategies you want to work on. Use high-quality practice questions and resources to help you hone your skills. Just don’t overdo your prep at this point- it's OK to take some time to relax and mentally prepare yourself for the test! Suggested Time: 6.5 hrs (with 0 hrs on test day and the day before) ACT Study Plan #2: 3-Month Program, Low Intensity This is another three-month program but of a much lower intensity. With this plan, you’ll study for a total of 40 hours, or just three and a half hours per week. At this rate, you'll gainup to 4 total points on the ACT. This ACT schedule should work well for those prepping during the school year since it’s lighter and less demanding than the plan above. However, because you're only studying a handful of hours a week, you're limited in the number of points you can gain. Therefore, only choose this plan if you need to make small gains on test day. Grammar is a key part of ACT English. And, uh, graminivorous is not. Month 1: English Reading Basics During this first month, you’ll familiarize yourself with the ACT format and learn the basics of the English and Reading sections. Week 1: Find Your Baseline Score 1. Take an official ACT practice test and score it. This week will slightly exceed your weekly time limit. You’ll spend about 3.5 hours on the test and a half hour scoring it. Remember to recreate real testing conditions to give yourself a more accurate indicator of where you’re currently scoring. Suggested Time: 4 hrs Week 2: Learn the ACT Format 1. Analyze your results from your baseline test. A score doesn’t tell you everything you need to know about your ACT abilities, so take some time to analyze your practice test's results and see where your strengths and weaknesses lie. Suggested time: 2 hrs 2. Learn the format of the ACT. You must understand how the ACT tests concepts and sets up questions in order to do well on it. Specifically, you should know what's on the ACT, what its time limits are, and how it's scored. Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs Week 3: Focus on English 1. Learn the English test format. Understand what kinds of passages you’ll see, how grammar questions are presented, and how many questions there are in total. Suggested Time: 1 hr 2. Study all ACT grammar topics and punctuation rules. Get down the most important grammar and rhetorical topics likely to appear on the ACT. Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs 3. Learn and practice the graf-by-graf reading strategy. This strategy is the best one out there for the English section. You’ll read passages in paragraphs and answer questions for each paragraph. Suggested Time: 1 hr Week 4: Turn to Reading 1. Learn the Reading test format.Get to know the types of passages you'll read, what Reading questions look like, and how much time you'll have. Suggested Time: 1 hr 2. Practice the best passage-reading strategy for Reading: read the questions first and then skim the passage. This strategy is ideal for the ACT, as it teaches you to identify correct information fast. Always practice with high-quality Reading practice questions. Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs 3. Memorize common ACT vocabulary words. Our list contains 150 ACT vocabulary words and their meanings for you to study. Suggested Time: 1 hr The ACT assumes you know the basics of math and don't need to count on your fingers for everything. Month 2: Math Science Basics This month focuses primarily on the fundamentals of the Math and Science sections. Week 5: Move Toward Math 1. Learn the Math test format. You should know what kind of math you’ll face on the ACT, how questions are worded, and approximately how much time you’ll have per question. Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs 2. Go over basic math concepts. Read our basic guide to integers and our advanced guide. After, get started on reviewing the basics of fractions and proportions. Suggested Time: 1 hr 3. Memorize all critical ACT Math formulas. Oftentimes, an ACT Math problem can only be solved with a formula, so getting these down will help you get a great Math score. Suggested Time: 1 hr Week 6: Learn More Math 1. Review algebra. Algebra plays a key part on ACT Math, so make sure you understand the following concepts: Single-variable equations Systems of equations Operations Functions Word problems Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs 2. Study key geometry concepts. Like algebra, geometry plays a big role on the ACT. The most important topics you should know include the following: Lines and slopes Reflections, translations, and rotations Lines and angles Polygons Circles Triangles Solid geometry Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs 3. Go over all other math topics. Trigonometry, for example, is a less commonly tested but still important topic you'll need to know for the ACT. Suggested Time: 30 mins Week 7: Switch to Science 1. Learn the Science test format. Know what kinds of passages and questions you'll encounter on test day. Suggested Time: 1 hr 2. Practice the best passage-reading strategy for Science: read the questions first and then skim the passage. This is similar to the approach you’ll use for the Reading section. Be sure to use high-quality Science practice tests when practicing this method. Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs 3. Review the science topics you’ll need to know for the ACT.Generally, you won't need any specialized knowledge to do well on ACT Science, but you should still be familiar with certain biology, chemistry, physics, and math concepts. Suggested Time: 1 hr Week 8: Check Your Progress 1. Take an official practice test and score it. As always, find a quiet place to take the test and take it all in one sitting. This will let you see how much you’ve improved since your baseline test. Suggested Time: 4 hrs Acing the ACT is all about strategizing. Month 3: Strategies Review To wrap up this ACT study plan, you’ll spend your last month learning key test-taking strategies, checking your progress, and reviewing topics you’re still struggling with. Week 9: Learn Strategies for Each Section 1. Practice English and Reading strategies.Above all, be sure to practice the #1 critical rule for Reading, which teaches you how to eliminate incorrect answer choices. Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs 2. Practice keyMath and Science strategies, such asplugging in numbers and plugging in answers. For Science, practice reading tables and graphs. Suggested Time: 2 hrs Week 10: Check Your Progress (Again) 1. Take your third and final practice test and score it. This will give you a last look at what kinds of weaknesses you still have and what topics or skills you should review more before test day. Suggested Time: 4 hrs Week : Strengthen Your Weaknesses 1. Drill any weak spots you have.Use your third practice test's results to get a clearer picture of what areas you're still having trouble with. Then, practice these mistakesand test out strategies to help you overcome them. Suggested Time: 3.5 hrs Week 12: Review as Needed 1. Continue drilling any difficult concepts, skills, or strategies. Just be careful not to overdo it. This week isn't only for practicing but also for calming your nerves. So don’t study the day before the test or on test day- your brain will appreciate the break! Suggested Time: 3.5 hrs (with 0 hrs on test day and the day before) By the time you finish this next plan, it'll be spring! ACT Study Plan #3: 6-Month Program, Medium Intensity Need more study time? This six-month ACT schedule offers you a more relaxed and balanced approach to test prep. With this plan, you’ll study a total of 150 hours, or six to six and a half hours a week, to improve your composite score byup to 9 points! This plan is ideal for high-achieving sophomores wanting a head start on ACT prep. Ideally, you’ll take your first ACT in the fall of your junior year (in September or October), meaning you'd likely study the end of your sophomore year and over the summer. Juniors, too, can use this plan for a spring or summer ACT. Since this schedule lets you spread out your prep across several months, you'll feel less overwhelmed by homework and ACT prep. Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Month 1 Find Your Baseline Score Take an official practice test (3.5 hrs) Score your test to see your weaknesses (1.5 hrs) Learn the ACT format (1.5 hrs) Understand Structure Learn the English test format (3 hrs) Learn the Reading test format (3 hrs) Understand Structure Learn the Math test format (3 hrs) Learn the Science test format (3 hrs) Choose a Passage-Reading Strategy Practice the graf-by-graf strategy for English (1.5 hrs) Choose and practice a passage-reading strategy for Reading (2.5 hrs) Choose and practice a passage-reading strategy for Science (2.5 hrs) Month 2 Learn Math Content Review basic math concepts and formulas (3 hrs) Build algebra foundation (3 hrs) Learn English Reading Content Go over major English grammar and punctuation topics (2 hrs) Study vocabulary (2 hrs) Practice reading comprehension (2 hrs) Learn More Math Some Science Build geometry foundation (3 hrs) Learn additional math topics such as trig (2 hrs) Learn basic science topics (1.5 hrs) Check Your Progress Take a practice test (3.5 hrs) Score it, analyze your answers, and re-solve missed questions (3 hrs) Month 3 Learn English Reading Strategies Practice eliminating wrong answer choices (3 hrs) Practice other English and Reading strategies (3 hrs) Learn Math Science Strategies Practice plugging in answers and numbers for Math (2 hrs) Practice reading graphs and tables for Science (2 hrs) Practice other Math and Science strategies (2 hrs) Review Practice Practice questions for each section, reviewing concepts as needed (6.5 hrs) Check Your Progress Take a practice test (3.5 hrs) Score it and analyze your answers (3 hrs) Month 4 Study the Essay Format Learn the Writing section (essay) format (2 hrs) Practice writing timed essays (4 hrs) Review Practice Practice questions for each section, reviewing concepts as needed (6.5 hrs) Review Practice Practice questions for each section, reviewing concepts as needed (6 hrs) Check Your Progress Take a practice test (3.5 hrs) Score it and analyze your answers (3 hrs) Month 5 Review Needed Math Topics Practice any Math topics or strategies you’re still struggling with (6.5 hrs) Review Needed English Topics Practice any English topics or strategies you’re still struggling with (6 hrs) Review Needed Science Topics Practice any Science topics or strategies you’re still struggling with (6 hrs) Review Needed Reading Topics Practice any Reading topics or strategies you’re still struggling with (6.5 hrs) Month 6 Check Your Progress Take a practice test (3.5 hrs) Score it and analyze your answers (3 hrs) Review Needed Concepts Practice any English, Math, Reading, or Science topics you’re still struggling with (6 hrs) Review Needed Concepts Practice any English, Math, Reading, or Science topics you’re still struggling with (6.5 hrs) Prep Lightly Review Zero in on any final topics you want to practice, and rest up before test day (6 hrs) ACT Study Plan #4: 1-Month Program, High Intensity This high-intensity plan requires a lot of commitment to make it work. For this brief one-month program, you’ll study a total of 40 hours, or 10 hours a week, to get amaximum 4-point increaseon the ACT. In truth, onemonth isn’t a particularly long time to prep for the ACT, but you can be successful if you're willing to put in the effort and stick to a regular schedule. This ACT study plan works best if you don’t have a lot of activities or commitments going on and can therefore focus primarily on test prep. If you’re using this plan while in school, you’ll need to carve out study time during the week, as prepping for 10 hours every weekend is fairly difficult. For more advice on how to study for the ACT in a month, check out our step-by-step guide. Week 1: Study Structure 1. Take an official practice test to get your baseline score.Find a quiet room with no distractions and time yourself using official time limits. Suggested Time: 3.5 hrs 2. Score your test and analyze your results.Use your baseline test results to determine your weaknesses and look for any patterns in your mistakes. Suggested Time: 1 hr 3. Learn the overall ACT test format. Know how long the test is, what’s on it, and how it’s scored. Suggested Time: 1.5 hrs 4. Learn the English test format. Get to know the kinds of questions and passages you'll encounter on test day. Suggested Time: 1 hr 5. Learn the Reading test format. Acquaint yourself with the different types of Reading passages and how questions are worded. Suggested Time: 1 hr 6. Learn the Math test format.Briefly review how the math section is set up, what kind of math you’ll need to know, and how much time you’ll have for this section and per question. Suggested Time: 1 hr 7. Learn the Science test format. Go over how long the section is, what kind of science it tests, and what role passages and data play. Suggested Time: 1 hr Week 2: Get Down Key Content 1. Review themost important English grammar topics and punctuation rules. Knowing which grammar rules are most likely to be tested is key to doing well on English. Suggested Time: 2 hrs 2. Learn and practice core ACT Math topics. Understand the basics of integers as well as ratios and proportions. Above all, know the ins and outs of algebra and geometry. Specific topics in these fields include the following: Algebra Single-variable equations Systems of equations Operations Functions Word problems Geometry Lines and slopes Reflections, translations, and rotations Lines and angles Polygons Circles Triangles Solid geometry Suggested Time: 5 hrs 3. Memorize the most important ACT Math formulas. Many questions can only be solved with a formula, so knowing these guarantees you’ll have a better shot at getting a high Math score. Suggested Time: 1 hr 4. Practice reading graphs and tables for Science.Understand how data is presented in this section and what kinds of questions will be asked about it. Suggested Time: 2 hrs Week 3: Strategize Check Your Progress 1. Practice your passage-reading strategies for English, Reading, and Science. The best one to use for English is the graf-by-graf method. For both Reading and Science, I recommend reading the questions first and then skimming the passage. Suggested Time: 3 hrs 2. Learn and practice key strategies for all sections of the exam. The most important ones include plugging in numbers and plugging in answers for Math and the #1 critical rule for Reading. Suggested Time: 3 hrs 3. Take and score a practice test to check your progress. Use the test to see how much you’ve improved since your baseline test, and look for any weaknesses you'll need to target in your final week of prep. Suggested Time: 4 hrs Week 4: Review Practice 1. Review and practice difficult ACT topics and strategies. This is the time to zero in on your weaknesses so that you’ll feel more confident and make fewer mistakes on test day. Additionally, if you're taking the ACT with Writing, you can use some of this time to go over the format of the essay and practice answering prompts. Just don't study the day before or the day of the test- you need to give your brain a rest! Suggested Time: 10 hrs (with 0 hrs on test day and the day before) Which plan will lead you to victory? Recap: What's the Best ACT Study Plan for You? A good study plan for the ACT not only helpsyou reach your goal score but also fits easily into your schedule, changes to fit your study needs, and gives you ample confidence on test day. Before choosing a plan, make sure to complete these five preliminary steps: Set a goal score Find your baseline score Figure out how many hours you’ll need to study Choose a test date that works well for you Gather high-quality ACT study materials Finally, here are some key points to remember as you consider what type of ACT schedule might work best for you: Remember your commitments. Don’t choose a study plan or test date that’ll interfere with any major obligations or activities in your life. You should have plenty of time to dedicate to ACT prep, so choose a test date that’s got less going on around it. Find a routine. You’ll get the most out of your ACT study plan by following a routine. This means you should try to prep on the same days and at the same times each week. In turn, you’ll be less likely to procrastinate and won't forget to study. Customize your schedule. An ACT study plan should always adapt to fit your needs, so feel free to change up our plans to give yourself more or less time with certain topics. Just avoid completely skipping any major concepts or strategies! Be confident. Last but not least, stay calm and go into the test optimistically. As long as you’ve followed your ACT study plan and targeted your weaknesses, you’re sure to get a great ACT score! Good luck with your ACT studies! What’s Next? Need more help preparing for the ACT?Read our guides to learn how long you should study for the ACT andhow many times you should take it. Aiming for a perfect ACT score?Our expert guide can show you what steps to take and what strategies to use to get that coveted 36 on test day. Taking the SAT, too?Then get started today with one of our four SAT study plans! Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes your prep program to your strengths and weaknesses. We also have expert instructors who can grade every one of your practice ACT essays, giving feedback on how to improve your score. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Business law Aldi Supermarkets Negligent - Free Sample

To prove the above issues, the analysis of the law of negligence is required. In Donoghue v Stevenson (1932), the law of negligence was analyzed for the first time wherein it was held by Lord Atkin that no harm must be caused to the consumer for the products supplied by the manufactures. So to prove negligence the basic requirements include: (RN Moles, 2016) Once proved, the defendant is negligent. But, if the defendant can prove that the damage which is caused to the plaintiff is not by the performance of the defendant alone but the plaintiff has also acted negligently and it is her negligence which has also resulted in the contribution of damage then the contributory defense can be availed. The liability of the defendant can be reduced proportionately Kalokerinos v Burnett  [1996]. It is submitted that the Aldi Supermarkets is negligent and must pensate Tamara. The negligence is established because of the following reasons: Thus, Aldi can be casted with the DUTY OF CARE that it must furnish against Tamara. So, all the above facts when applied to the case laws reveal that the Aldi Supermarkets is totally negligent in its actions because the duty of care is not furnish by its properly and which has resulted in causing loss to Tamara. But, Aldi Supermarkets cannot be held liable for all the losses and it has a defense of contributory negligence. Aldi can prove that though it has not catered its duty properly which has resulted in the loss of Tamara. But, the loss that is caused to Tamara is exaggerated by her actions as well. If Tamara would have not run very fast on the aisle of the supermarket in order to grab the chocolate knowing the fact that the market has frequent visitors and that some other customers is also approaching the chocolate section, then, the loss that is suffered by her can be reduced. Tamara has contributed because she ran very fast knowing the fact that it was a wet day and there are chances that she might get sip if she will run fast. Thus, Tamara has contributed to her own loss. So, Aldi can rely on the defense of contributory negligence. The Aldi has not provided adequate care to the market visitors and this breach of care has resulted in loss to Tamara. So, there is clear negligence on the part of Aldi. But, Aldi can prove that Tamara was also negligent in her actions and has contributed to her own loss by running fast on aisle on the wet day. Atkins et al. (2014) Ethics and Law for Australian Nurses. Cambridge University Press. Barnett K, (2014) Equitable pensation and remoteness: not so remote from the mon law after all’. P Latimer (2012) Australian Business law, CCH Australia Limited. R N Moles (2016) Law Reports, McAlister or Donoghue (Pauper) v. Stevenson (1932). Burnie Port Authority v General Jones [1994]. Naxakis v Western General Hospital (1999). Wyong Shire Council v Shirt  [1980].

MySofa.co.uk digital marketing plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

MySofa.co.uk digital marketing plan - Essay Example These are some of the most critical aspects that have the potential to bring critical challenges in the company’s expansion plan. Among these factors some are controllable or manageable (like selection of local vendor, supply chain and logistics) while others are uncontrollable (like government restrictions). In the present situation we are required to create a digital marketing plan for the brand â€Å"My Sofa† by the renowned sofa company of UK, Stokers. Sofa reflects the taste and preference of the users and thus it makes significant furniture among others. Whenever a visitor steps into the house, he or she faces the drawing room first where they are offered seats. These seats leave an impression in the person’s mind about the owner of the house as well as about the other members of the house. Thus it is of utmost importance to place a suitable sofa in the drawing room that would help the outsiders to have an impressive inkling about the people staying within the house. My Sofa is a luxury brand that aims at capturing the attention of the aged generation who mostly prefer a traditional, classic and sophisticated look in their drawing room. The digital marketing plan would create an online platform for the buyers and sellers where the customers will be able to choose the perfect sofa for their house without even visiting the store. The main aim of the website is saving the time and effort of the modern customer base that mostly remain busy with their professions. The online platform would also prove to be helpful for the sellers since the transactions will get recorded automatically that would save their time and effort and this platform will also provide the sellers with the opportunity to offer customized products and service to their customers. A situation analysis and clearly defined objectives The furniture and furnishings sector of UK is a significant industry. It accounts for ?9.4 billion to the nation’s GDP, which is equiva lent to 1.7% of the manufacturing yield, and provides job opportunities to almost 116,000 people inside  8,180 firms. In addition, the business  recruits 17,000 people in dedicated furniture and furnishings wholesale and retail, 7,000 in leasing, 2,000  in repair and a section of the 42,000 listed professional designers (The British furniture Confederation, n.d.). The Sofa Market is estimated to be worth ?2.8b annually by industry insider reports. Of this it is thought that 30% (?850m) are ‘quality seekers’. These are aspiring consumers who are proud of their home. This group of consumers can be split into 3 sub-groups according to their family, age, income status and their relationship with children: 1. Young established shoppers within the age group 25 to 35. These shoppers mostly do not have kids. The audience size is 3.4 million. The sofa market size is 230 million pounds. This group is basically considered to be the youngest among the three groups with urban lifestyle and modern outlook. Their choice

Banks Deal with Documents and Not with Goods, Services or Performance Essay

Banks Deal with Documents and Not with Goods, Services or Performance to Which the Documents May Relate' (UCP 600, Article 5) - Essay Example Further risks are the economic climate in both the importing and exporting countries and the political stability of the countries, which affects the sale transaction and the degree of trust and confidence of each party in the other. As a result, banking regulations serve to lower or alleviate the risks that banks are exposed to and any disruptions and interruptions emanating from adverse economic and banking conditions. Additionally, banking regulations reduce the criminal risks to which banks are exposed, not to mention promoting and ensuring the confidentiality of banks.4 To reduce risks in international sales, in terms of the payment issue, the seller and buyer usually agree to settle through letters of credit. This essay seeks to explore Article 5 of the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits (UCP 600) 2007, which reads as follows: â€Å"Banks deal with documents and not with goods, services or performance to which the documents may relate†. In fact, this Art icle is usually explored in regard to the letters of credit principles. Thereby, in the first part of this essay, the concept of letters of credit in the light of the UCP 600 will be revealed. Subsequently to that, the principles of letters of credit, which are autonomous and conform to strict compliance, will be discussed in the light of relevant cases. Finally, the way that fraud affects letters of credit will be examined in the light of relevant cases. 1. Letter of Credit and the UCP The importance of letters of credit to the current commercial society is evidenced by the many rules established to regulate and control its usage. These rules are called the Uniform Customs and Practice of Documentary Credits (UCP), which were created by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).5 Several commentators tend to accept this unification, such as Royston Goode, who describes it as â€Å"the most successful harmonizing measure in the history of international commerce†.6 In fact, the first version of these rules was drafted by the ICC in 1929. The rules were revised many times until the last version, UCP 600, was issued in 2007 and came into force on 1 July, 2007.7 Even though the UCP 600 regulates letters of credit, the legal status of these rules will not be considered binding until they are incorporated into the two parties’ contract, as it is mentioned in Article 1 of the UCP 600.8 Letters of credit, which are also known as documentary credit or banker’s commercial credit, is defined in Article 2 of the UCP 600 as â€Å"any arrangement, however named or described, that is irrevocable and thereby constitutes a definite undertaking of the issuing bank to honour a complying presentation†. According to this definition, a letter of credit has two characteristics. First, it is an irrevocable credit, which means that it cannot be amended or cancelled when it has already been communicated to the seller; under the previous UCP 500, credits co uld be

Effective Teaching Practices in the Writing Classroom Essay -- English

"While I had thought initially to matriculate into the English Department, it seems to be more heavily weighted toward theory than application, whereas the pedagogical training that I consider necessary for teaching is available through ETAP." So I had thought and so I wrote in my application for admission to the doctoral program. At the same time, realizing that I still would need a solid grounding in my subject area to teach composition and rhetoric, my goal for pursing a Ph.D., I co-matriculated the next semester into the English Department's M.A. program on the writing sequence. Returning to school from a corporate background meant that, while I had trained individuals and small groups in the workplace, I had had no classroom experience with teaching writing. As well, the sun has risen so many times on my memories of learning to write myself that those memories are fairly well bleached out by now. Yet, after almost two years worth of education and English courses, I have learned little about effective teaching practices in the writing classroom. I’ve read about issues of culture and diversity (Apple, 1996; Banks, 1997; Bruner, 1996; Freire, 1998; hooks, 1994) and I’ve been exposed to the history of composition and different approaches to teaching writing (Berlin, 1987; Durst, 1999; Elbow, 1973; Haswell, 1991; Herrington & Curtis, 2000; Lindemann, 1995; Miller, 1993, for example). The better part of class time has been spent discussing racism and feminism and sexism and classism and Marxism and structuralism and expressionism and post-colonialism until the appearance of "ism" makes my eyes glaze over. The teaching of anything concrete or structured, such as the specific formats put forth by current-traditional rhetoric or gr... ...000). Persons in Process: Four Stories of Writing and Personal Development in College. Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English. hooks, b. (1994). Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom. New York: Routledge. Lindemann, E. (1995). A Rhetoric for Writing Teachers (Third ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. Miller, S. (1993). Textual Carnivals: The Politics of Composition. Carbondale and Edwardsville, IL: Southern Illinois University Press. Richlin, L. (Ed.). (1993). Preparing Faculty for the New Conceptions of Scholarship (Vol. 54). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Sosnoski, J. J. (1991). Postmodern Teachers in Their Postmodern Classrooms: Socrates Begone! In P. Harkin & J. Schilb (Eds.), Contending with Words: Composition and Rhetoric in a Postmodern Age (pp. 198-219). New York: The Modern Language Association of America. Effective Teaching Practices in the Writing Classroom Essay -- English "While I had thought initially to matriculate into the English Department, it seems to be more heavily weighted toward theory than application, whereas the pedagogical training that I consider necessary for teaching is available through ETAP." So I had thought and so I wrote in my application for admission to the doctoral program. At the same time, realizing that I still would need a solid grounding in my subject area to teach composition and rhetoric, my goal for pursing a Ph.D., I co-matriculated the next semester into the English Department's M.A. program on the writing sequence. Returning to school from a corporate background meant that, while I had trained individuals and small groups in the workplace, I had had no classroom experience with teaching writing. As well, the sun has risen so many times on my memories of learning to write myself that those memories are fairly well bleached out by now. Yet, after almost two years worth of education and English courses, I have learned little about effective teaching practices in the writing classroom. I’ve read about issues of culture and diversity (Apple, 1996; Banks, 1997; Bruner, 1996; Freire, 1998; hooks, 1994) and I’ve been exposed to the history of composition and different approaches to teaching writing (Berlin, 1987; Durst, 1999; Elbow, 1973; Haswell, 1991; Herrington & Curtis, 2000; Lindemann, 1995; Miller, 1993, for example). The better part of class time has been spent discussing racism and feminism and sexism and classism and Marxism and structuralism and expressionism and post-colonialism until the appearance of "ism" makes my eyes glaze over. The teaching of anything concrete or structured, such as the specific formats put forth by current-traditional rhetoric or gr... ...000). Persons in Process: Four Stories of Writing and Personal Development in College. Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English. hooks, b. (1994). Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom. New York: Routledge. Lindemann, E. (1995). A Rhetoric for Writing Teachers (Third ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. Miller, S. (1993). Textual Carnivals: The Politics of Composition. Carbondale and Edwardsville, IL: Southern Illinois University Press. Richlin, L. (Ed.). (1993). Preparing Faculty for the New Conceptions of Scholarship (Vol. 54). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Sosnoski, J. J. (1991). Postmodern Teachers in Their Postmodern Classrooms: Socrates Begone! In P. Harkin & J. Schilb (Eds.), Contending with Words: Composition and Rhetoric in a Postmodern Age (pp. 198-219). New York: The Modern Language Association of America.

Managing your professional performance Essay

1.0 INTRODUCTION Personal development planning (PDP) is a process undertaken by an individual to reflect upon their own development in a purposeful way through learning and experience. (Jackson, 2001) Everyone has desires and aspirations in life. To go about achieving goals and success in one’s life, it is vital to jump start and implement a very own personal and professional development plan. Every individual will have their own interpretation of personal development. For me, it is a lifelong personal growth and learning progress not only in building on self awareness and enhancing on skills and professions but also to achieve spiritual growth. 2.0 ANALYSE PERCEIVED DEVELOPMENT NEEDS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MODULE 2.1 Personal Vision and Mission Vision Statement: â€Å"To become an effective and respected General Manager in the hospitality industry; helping to enhance the performance and continuous improvement within the business and extending excellence service to the customers.† Mission Statement: â€Å"I will strive hard to work my way up the ladder with continuous learning and development of knowledge, skills and experiences and at the same time, maintaining good work ethics and relationships with people around me.† MANAGING YOUR PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCE Philosophy: I always believe that if one does not have the passion towards something, one won’t achieve success in it. We may be inspired to do something, but to be successful in what we are doing requires great effort and determination. Just like the saying from Thomas Alva Edison (1929 cited in Sommers 2012, p184) – â€Å"Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration†. If no effort is put in, there’s just no way that we can achieve success in life. 2.2 Status When I have chosen hospitality as my career, I knew it is a field that differs from the others which it requires not only basic hospitality knowledge and skills but also industry experience. Therefore, along with my studies I have held several part time positions as a waitress, promoter, sale executive and even a part time tuition teacher to gain career-related experience. As soon as I completed my diploma studies, I undergo my industrial training and continue on as a full time employee working as a guest experience executive with Le Meridien Hotel before I further my degree in order to gain broader knowledge and real-world experiences. Throughout these years so much has happened. Everyday I’m facing with new challenges and obstacles in work, with many ups and downs. I have learned to be patient; looking at things from different perspective and creatively dealing with different types of human being. All these working experiences have developed me a sense of competence and build up my self-esteem. Also, I’m more aware of the attitudes, skills and experiences that required for further career development and seizing the opportunity to gain insight and learn more about myself. MANAGING YOUR PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCE 2.3 Self Assessment I have made an assessment of my own personality and capabilities in certain key skill areas in order to anlayse my strengths and weaknesses as well as to review on the gaps that I could further enhance for my long-term career prospects. (a) Personality Personality test is vital in helping me to understand my inner self and review on areas that could be improved for better self development to achieve future career success. I have taken the big five personality tests which could review on my level of sociability, friendliness, work ethic, calmness and creativity. (Please refer to appendix 1 – The Big Five Model of Personality) The result indicated that I am a person who is well organised, relatively social and tends to consider the feelings of others. However, weak in handling emotions and tend to be conventional. (b) Career Motivation According to Robbins (2001 cited in Tan and Amna 2011, pp73-94), motivation is a needs-satisfying process, which means individuals will strive to achieve goals when their needs are satisfied by certain factors. It is highly important for me to understand my career motivation in order to achieve a more fulfilling and productive career. And based on the career motivation test that I have taken, I realized for me to ensure a long term job satisfaction; my career motivational needs are recognition and long-term reward. (Please see appendix 2 – Career Motivation Test) This enables me to reflect and decide on the type of organisation My ex-manager exercises a range of leadership approaches as shown in the table above and deploys them appropriately according to different situations. Instead of practicing only one or few of the leadership approaches, her way of leading and levels of control towards the team is moving along the continuum which from being an autocratic leader to a democratic leader. MANAGING YOUR PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCE 3.1.4 Different Styles and Different Stages When I first joined in the organisation, I was really not used to her way of managing as I was being ordered and instructed on things to do without having the freedom to do according to my way. Whenever I questioned on the task that I was performing, her reply is always the same – â€Å"Just follow and do whatever I told you, soon you will understand why.† Until a period where I saw other teams were doing the same tasks as mine but different way of performing; and they ended up screwing up the tasks made me realized her intention was to train me on the right way of doing things. After gaining some period of working experience, she presented a list of suggestions and solutions; and allowed me decide on my own based on my analysis and past experience. And as soon as she had faith on me and the team and having confidence in our abilities, she allowed us to develop ideas and decide on action to be taken. As in overall, when the team is immature or new, she will practice the styles more towards to the left-hand side of the spectrum. By contrast, when the team is skilled and motivated, she will practice the styles that are more towards to the right-hand side of the spectrum. Her shifting in leadership styles from being autocratic to democratic at different stages has inspired me and made me understand that a great leadership is not necessary to be consistent with the forms of leadership, but being able to apply the right style at the right situation. ILP 333 MANAGING YOUR PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCE and influence followers’ perceptions, and eventually smooth the path in achieving common goals. 3.1.6 Conclusion I truly believe that there is no one â€Å"best† style of leadership. Different leaders will have their own interpretation of what is called a good leader and with different approaches to leadership. To me, to be a good leader, first is to become a good follower, which I truly agree with the saying from Mark Wagner (2010) – â€Å"Great Followers make the Best Leaders†. In my opinion, a great leader needs to be developed through experience and learning; learned from observation, listening, hearing and doing. A leader may be is naturally born, but a great leader is definitely made. Page 21 of 41 ILP 333 MANAGING YOUR PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCE 3.2 COMMUNICATION (Activity 4) Communication is a simple yet complex activity in which can be defined as a twoway process of reaching mutual understanding through verbal or nonverbal means. (Business Dictionary, n.d.) It is an important facet of life which plays a vital role not only in personal interactions but also in business communication. 3.2.1 Importance of Effective Communication In the daily personal interactions, effective communication could help oneself to deliver the information along and get the desired respond or need. It could also help to build up good relationships with the people around through better understanding and avoiding from arguments and misunderstandings. Effective communication could also build up individual’s’ self-esteem as they are able to present themselves well and express their thoughts and feelings. Effective communication is also a key to success for every organisation, leader, manager, and employee. It is vital for an organisation to build or strengthen the relations with internal and external stakeholders and ultimately, achieving business goals and missions. Following table highlights the importance of effective communication in business: Consideration Understands human nature Emphasize positive pleasant facts, visualizing reader or listener’s problems, desires, emotions and responses. ILP 333 MANAGING YOUR PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCE Courtesy Strengthen relations Not only thinks about receiver but also valuing his or her feelings. Use polite word and gestures, being appreciative, thoughtful, tactful, showing respect. Source: Managementstudyguide.com, 2012 3.2.3 Reflection Throughout this activity, I found out that it wasn’t easy to get everyone to be in the same level of understanding of the information that I have been delivered. Different people tend to have different interpretation and understanding towards my explanation of the visual ‘poster’. I was struggling in expressing my own thoughts and ideas effectively towards the entire class. Also, I realized the same scenario happened in my previous workplace when I was expressing or explaining something to different people. My words are often misinterpreted or misunderstood; and eventually lead to ineffective job performance. My weakness in delivering message is causing me great difficulty to communicate effectively especially in the workplace. Out of the 7C’s above, I realized I am somehow lack of the 2 C’s – completeness and concreteness. I often simplify my expressed thoughts and ideas without any further explanation and supporting facts. Perhaps this is the issue which leads to the misinterpretations due to having an unclear and ineffective communication. Therefore, it is essential for me to look into how I could craft effective communications and further develop on my communication skills. Page 24 of 41 ILP 333 MANAGING YOUR PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCE 3.2.4 Communication Skills The act of communicating involves verbal and nonverbal components. (Rod and Suzanne, n.d.) Both of these components are interrelated which are vital to deliver clear and concise messages; and receive correct and understand messages sent by the others. Therefore, these two aspects of communication skills should be enhanced as a whole to ensure effective communication. (a) Verbal Verbal communication includes both oral and written communications. (Rod and Suzanne, n.d.) There are numerous verbal communication skills such as speak with confidence, think before you speak, don’t talk too much and so on. And, I found it that there are certain verbal skills that I could enhance and worth mastering based on my communication weaknesses, which are: (i) Learn the art of listening Listening someone effectively enable us to gain valuable information and greater understanding of the others’ point of view. One of the key improvements that I would require is to stay focus or pay attention on the message delivered to gain a deeper understanding of another’s thoughts. Remain clearheaded is also another key area that I need to further enhance by truly listen to someone’s perception and controlling emotions when it comes to sensitive and emotional topic. (ii) Be clear and concise I should avoid wordy expressions and learn to choose my words; state out my point of views as clear as possible and as briefly and succinctly as possible. I Page 25 of ILP 333 MANAGING YOUR PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCE should train on this daily while communicating with family members, friends, colleagues and relatives; and gain feedbacks from them for better improvement. (b) Nonverbal Nonverbal communication can be described using body languages which involve facial expression, body movement, gestures, eye contact, voice, space and more. (Rod and Suzanne, n.d.) Following are the list of tips that could help me in enhancing my nonverbal communication skills: Always make eye contact while communicating with people. Exhibit appropriate facial expressions and affirmative head nods. Avoid distracting gestures and actions. Be mindful of personal space while communicating. Do not invade personal space by getting too close or confuse communication by being too far away. Source: IILM, 2012, p90 3.2.5 Conclusion Communication is not just a simple daily activity but it comes together with skills and techniques where individuals need to learn and acquire them in order to perform daily tasks and work effectively. To me, it is the most highly valued skill out of all professional skills as it plays a vital role in all aspects of personal and professional lives that would last for a lifetime. (Word Counts: 1436 Words) ILP 333 MANAGING YOUR PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCE 4.0 DEVELOP AN ACTION PLAN FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT A personal action plan is a detailed schedule of key activities which set by an individual in order to accomplish personal goals. (Carnes, 2010) Based on my vision and mission statements as well as the identified development needs, I have set a list of goals to be achieved into short-medium terms in the next fifteen years; starting from year 2013 till 2027. 4.1 FIVE-YEAR ACTION PLAN Plan period: From 2013 to 2017 (Age 22 to 26) Goals to be achieved: 1. To be a Front Office Manager I have got two years working experience as a guest experience executive in the hotel industry and several part time working experiences in the related fields. My next stage will be looking forward to be a front office supervisor; and then strive hard to work my way up to the next level which is to be a front office manager within these five years. 2. To travel every year Ever since I finished primary school, I have not been to anywhere out of the country, as I am committed to my study and work. And to be frank, I can’t really remember when is the last time I traveled, most probably is when I was in the age of 12. I want to turn this around; and I want to go on vacation or travel abroad every year to gain a different perspective of the world. Lifetime ILP 333 MANAGING YOUR PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCE ï‚ · From industry expertise, managers, supervisors and colleagues through sharing of industry knowledge and experiences. Personal Observations and Experiences ï‚ · The daily working experiences also known as the firsthand experiences enable me to gain awareness and up-todate hospitality-related service and knowledge. Year 1 – 2013 (Age 22) Basically my plan in 2013 is to return to my previous workplace right after I finished my degree course in between April to May. I have been offered a position by my ex-manager, working as a guest experience supervisor or called it as a front office supervisor starting in June. Throughout the whole year, I have planned to take different training programmes or courses to overcome my weaknesses, enhance my professional skills, gain additional knowledge, build up self esteem and develop self competencies. The examples of training programmes include the â€Å"360-Degree Leadership Skills† training course, â€Å"Creativity, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving and Decision Making† training course, and â€Å"Personal and Professional Effectiveness† training workshop. Also, I am seeking for work-life balance, and I will plan for at least an oversea trip probably in the year-end; which it is also one of my personal goals.ILP 333 MANAGING YOUR PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCE Year 2 to 5 – 2014 – 2017 (Age 23 to 26 ) These four years are going to be hectic years as I will be striving hard to work my way up to the next position level. I will apply for Starwood Leadership Development Programme which is a hands-on-three-year training programme to prepare myself to be a future leader; enhancing every aspect of my personal and professional skills, knowledge and experiences. From time to time, I will also keep myself up-to-date of the hospitality or related industry knowledge through a wide variety of resources as listed in the action plan. I will also constantly look up for courses or training programmes to help me to further improving my professional skills and knowledge. And hopefully by 2017, I could achieve my first career goal which is to be a front office manager; utilizing my skills, knowledge and experiences gained to help the organisation in enhancing the performance and continuous improvement within the business. Page 31 of 41 ILP 333 MANAGING YOUR PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCE 4.2 TEN-YEAR ACTION PLAN Plan Period: From 2018 to 2027 (Age 27-36) Goals to be achieved: 1. To be a Director of Rooms Division (By Year 2022, Age 31) My next goal to be achieved after being a Front Office Manager is to be a Director of Rooms Division after five years. I planned to apply for cross training or internal transfer programme to the housekeeping department for at least two years to learn and get more exposure about the overall rooms operation. 2. To be a Hotel Manager (By Year 2027, 36) My next goal to be achieved after being a Director of Rooms Division is to be a Hotel Manager after five years; before moving forward to the next position level which is the General Manager. I planned to gain experience and exposure to all hotel departments and different functions to gain more in-depth knowledge and integrated experience of how the entire hotel operates. 3. To get a Master’s Degree (By Year 2019, Age 28) Also, one of my ten-year goals is to earn a Master’s Degree on a part-time basis to acquire broader knowledge and skills to keep myself a competitive edge over the others. Keeping me on the edge of developments with constant professional skills improvement and keeping industry knowledge up to date is also one of my life time plans. Personal Observations and Experiences The daily working experiences also known as the firsthand experiences enable me to gain awareness and up-todate hospitality-related service and knowledge. Cross Training Programme – Housekeeping Department ILP 333 MANAGING YOUR PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCE Year 1 to 5 – 2018 – 2022 (Age 27 to 31) Basically my plan after achieving my first career goal is to get a Master’s Degree major in hospitality management on a part-time basis over two years duration. This enables me to stay competitive in the industry as there is a growing in demand for higher education qualifications in the hospitality industry especially for the higher level positions. Also, I will participate in certain soft skills training programmes or courses to further improve and enrich myself such as stress management and emotional intelligence training workshops. Constantly updating the industry knowledge through a variety of sources is also one of my to-do-lists to keep myself stay alert about the industry changes, spot threats and opportunities early on, and make better business decisions. After planning to work for two years as a front office manager, I plan to get myself involved in cross training programme in housekeeping department to gain integrated experience and knowledge on how the entire room division operates. This can be an important stepping stone for me to move onto the next career level. Besides, I will also take up the Certified Professional Coach (CPC) Programme to enhance my mentoring and coaching skills to elevate myself to become a better leader. This programme not only able to help me to become better coaches in my own professional and personal lives but at the same time also improving better cross functional interaction and efficiency in the organisation. And expecting by 2022; all the plans, efforts and determination that I have put in could help me in achieving my second career goal in life which is to be a Director of Rooms Division. Page 36 of 41 ILP 333 MANAGING YOUR PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCE Year 6 to 10 – 2023 – 2027 (Age 32 to 36) Gaining integrated experience in all hotel departments through cross training programme is going to be my next plan after being a Director of Rooms Division. This cross training is going to take about three years duration to six different departments with six months each which include food and beverage, security, engineering, sales and marketing, finance and revenue, and human resource departments. This programme is extremely important for me in achieving my next career goal as it enables me to expose, learn and gain an in-depth knowledge and experience on how the entire hotel runs. And expecting by 2027, I could achieve my third career goal in life which is to be a Hotel Manager. Other than just focusing on maximizing my career achievement, I also aim to buy a home latest by 2024 in the age of 33 and build up a happy and healthy family. Not to forget also to ensure a balance of my work life; go on vacation or travel abroad probably in every year-end to relax and gain a different perspective of the world. 4.3 Contingency Plan Reviewing on the action plans regularly is essential to keep track of my progress in achieving my personal and professional goals. However, situations may change at times due to sudden or unexpected circumstances or perhaps desires may change as time goes by. Therefore, adjusting goals and plans are necessary when the situation calls for it. Following are the contingency plans of the five and ten years development plans by identifying the possible breakdowns: Page 37 of 41 ILP 333 MANAGING YOUR PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCE 1. Extension of Timeframe An extension of time is essential when the goals are unable to be achieved within the timeframe perhaps due to unexpected circumstances. For example, my aim to purchase a house by the age of 33 might need to be extended in the case that I am facing financial difficulties at that moment. The cross training programme to all hotel departments might also need to be extended from three years to four years if I can’t gain my desired result and knowledge from all the departments within the targeted timeframe. 2. Seek consultation from industry expertise Seeking advice and consultation from industry expertise such as managers and directors is required if I don’t gain the desired or enough skills and knowledge from the training programmes and workshops. Often the view, opinion, experience and knowledge share by the expertise could help me to gain a better insight into the required skills development. 3. Online Professional Development Taking up online development courses are my backup plan instead of attending training programmes or workshops during the case of having limited time in completing a thousand of tasks in daily life; causing me couldn’t fulfill my development plans within the targeted timeframe. This backup plan would be more flexible and convenient for me especially in a hectic working environment. However, I would still prefer participating in training workshops as I will get the chance to get involved in a variety of activities such as role plays, group Page 38 of 41 ILP 333 MANAGING YOUR PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCE dynamics, games and more; which could help me in gaining a better understanding and insight of the professional skills development. 4.4 Future Plan My next career aim after being a Hotel Manager for about five years length of duration is looking forward to become an effective and respected General Manager in the hospitality industry which is also my vision in life. My career development will not just stop at this stage after achieving my vision; but will continue on to set another vision and goals to be accomplished in the rest of my life. I will continue to emphasize on maximizing my career potential and achievement through ongoing development of professional skills, knowledge and experience. Besides taking up different skills training courses and participating in training programmes to further enhance and enrich myself, I will also seek advice from the industry experts to achieve a better result in career achievement. Not to forget also to constantly reviewing and evaluating the action plan and self development; and look for ways to further enhance personal and professional performance. Besides, one of my future plans is also to contribute to the best of my ability towards the community not only on behalf of the organisation but also for my own sake. Example of contributions include participating or working with the local or international charities and adopting green approaches such as choosing more Page 39 of ILP 333 MANAGING YOUR PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCE environmentally viable alternative power supplies, integrating the consideration of environmental concerns into decision makings, promote environmental awareness, reducing waste through reuse and recycling activities and more. Conclusion To me, personal and professional development is a journey that never ends. It is a lifetime and ongoing process in developing professional skills, knowledge and experience as well as in achieving personal and spiritual growth. I truly believe that personal growth and development is completely within my hands which requires not only strong determination and self discipline but also having a positive, can-do attitude and thought that are vital in driving me to success. And based on my philosophy of success, I will definitely put in great effort and determination in everything I do; strive hard to achieve every single goal that I have set in life. (Word Counts: 1869 Words) (Total Word Counts: 4184 Words) Page 40 of 41