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. 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Catastrophes, cultures,and the angry earth assigment Essay

Catastrophes, cultures,and the angry earth assigment - Essay Example It was a leap backwards to history. An earthquake took the imperial Japan to a century back! No buildings stood high in Tokyo’s frightened streets. No one held their heads high there either. Even the gloomy sky was full of dark monstrous smoke clouds. Everything stood on its head after a monster from deep beneath Izu Oshima Island in Sagami Bay paid its deadly visit to the mainland Japan. The invisible waves simply took nearly hundred and fifty thousands human lives with it. The human might that built the great cities of post-World War I was no match for the mighty shake of the earth. Tokyo and Yokohama were no more cities but piles of rambles. The temblor stole the all-life labour of millions of toiling masses. Even the wealth of royals and the elites were not spared. The fire which spread from house to house sucked up everything in its way. Capitalists and labourers went together along the line of fire. Even the pet dogs ended up with a small meek voice. September 1, 1923 ma rked the end of Japan’s deeply entrenched romance with wooden houses. Two million homeless people shivered on the streets as did their houses earlier in the day. Death and destruction triumphed over the wreckage. Displacement was at its zenith; of people, statues, landscapes, railway tracks, buildings and so on. There was no one remaining without cursing their fate. There was no one remaining not fearing the wrath of mother earth. ... Slabs of plaster left the ceilings and fell about our ears, filling the air with a blinding, smothering fog of dust†. The monster that came as invisible waves from under the earth swallowed whatever existed over the earth. After the frightening ten minutes, to add oil to the fire, there were more than two hundred after shocks. And, another three hundred aftershocks in the next couple of days. The catastrophe did not end with earthquakes, fires and tsunami. At many places, the earth was literally lifted high. The shape of the shorelines changed. The ground was dramatically uplifted and depressed. Hundreds of landslides gulped scores of villages. An immense mudslide simply buried a village called Nebukawa in Idu province besides killing hundreds of people. The conflagration that followed the earthquake was not easy to contain. The victims who trapped in the rabbles were buried alive by the fire. Both the cities of Yokohama and Tokyo were under fire for next two days. Coal and cha rcoal stoves, which then were widely used, provided the necessary link for fire from one house to another. The fire was coupled with the improperly stored chemicals and fuels. More than forty thousand refugees were killed by the skyline fire at the Military Clothing Depot in Honjo Ward alone. Fire and wind played hand in glove and neighbourhood after neighbourhood fell like dominoes for the flames. Especially in Yokohama, the fire was more villainous than the earthquake in taking the tolls. Nearly seven hundred thousand houses were fully or partially destroyed. After the earthquake, the water shortage spread like wildfire, leaving the possibility of fighting fire in complete vein. Moreover, telephone and telegraph communication

Policy Choices Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Policy Choices - Essay Example Coming to an individual, what are the factors that influence actions of self interest Basically, individuals are goal oriented, and as such, they depend on their skills and resource to achieve their goals. Also, in order to achieve his goals, an individual may look for information, evaluate alternatives, and choose the ideal option. In the absence of these, there is manipulation due to lack of information and ignorance. There are also other factors involved in the process of decision making. "The rational ideal not only overstates the purity of information, it also exaggerates the rationality of the people using information. That humans do not make decisions in purely rational fashion is a point that needs no belaboring." [1] This is what Charles Lindblom has called "the preceptoral system," whereby "a system of social control is exercised by a highly unilateral governmental persuasion addressed not to an elite or to a bureaucracy alone but to an entire population" [2] "While the individual in the rational ideal is autonomous, free to deliberate and choose on the basis of accurate information, in the preceptoral system the individual is a puppet whose mind has been invaded by others and who acts as though he or she chooses voluntarily but is in fact directed from without." [3] The practice of restriction or suppression of information is not only confined to totalitarian regimes, it is also practiced in the highly scientific corridors of medical research, mega business houses, the media, law agencies, political parties, and at the highest levels of the proponents of free society. [4] Nonetheless, public-interest is the result of experience and proper understanding of what the problem is and how the solution could be achieved with minimum confusion and confrontation. It involves public debate and perception, and allows for discussion and information based solutions, instead of leaving it to the discretion of a single individual. "The rational ideal, in sum, offers a vision of society where conflict is temporary and unnecessary, where force is replaced by discussion, and where individual actions are 1Policy Paradox, p314. 2Policy Paradox, Chapter 13, page 316. 3Policy Paradox, p308. 4Why Public Ideas Matter Chapter 2, page 31 brought into harmony through the persuasive power of logic and evidence. Government by persuasion brings out the highest human quality - the capacity to deliberate." [5] However, the decision making process often tend to be long and tedious on issues related to public interest. That is why sometimes it is felt that that there is the need for some element of totalitarianism in government. That is to say, it is not always necessary for government to be of the totalitarian type in order to use persuasion. "Let us for the moment, however, not make totalitarian government a necessary condition for indoctrination and so not limit indoctrination to totalitarian regimes by definition. Instead, let us regard it as a relationship in which dominant elites control people's beliefs and

Effect of English Language in the World

Effect of English Language in the World At the present time communication and traffic are growing, and globalisation has linked the world more closely together. The world becomes smaller and smaller every day; technology is constantly updated, business contacts and information sharing speed is also accelerating. This project investigates English as an international language and evaluates its effect on international business and marketing. This project aims to identify the advantages and disadvantages of English as a global language with specific reference to marketing. Firstly, this project will critically appraise the importance of language to culture. The project will then go to investigate the present position of English as an international language in marketing, followed by a critical appraisal of the advantages and disadvantages of English international language in marketing. Chapter 1: Introduction The English language is used as a global international language. I chose to do a literature based survey on English as an international language because I am interested in this. According to Crystal (2003) there are 320-380 million people whose first language is English, 300-500 million people whose second language is English and a number of about 500-1000 million people who recognize the importance of English as an international language. The history of English language began over 1500 years ago. In 1066, the Normans conquered the English. French became the language of the rich and powerful, but the poor primarily spoke English. In the 14th century, the British used many words from French or Latin, and much of the vocabulary no longer exists. However, as Britain began to be more powerful and build up an empire, from the about the end of the 17th century, the English language became more important. English has become a world language because of its establishment as a mother tongue outside England Above all, it is the great growth of population in the United States that has given English its present standing in the world. (Soars, 1986:52) This project investigates English as an international language and evaluates its effect on international business and marketing. This research aims to identify the advantages and disadvantages of English as a global language with specific reference to marketing. Firstly, this project will critically appraise the importance of language to culture. The project will then go to investigate the present position of English as an international language in marketing, followed by a critical appraisal of the advantages and disadvantages of English international language in marketing. Chapter 2: Literature review There are many people speak English now. And David Crystalà ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã‹â€ 2003à ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã¢â‚¬ ° said that there are 320-380 million people refers to the traditional bases of English, where it is the primary language: It includes the USA, UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. There are 300-500 million is the second language. And there are 500-1000 million people recognize the importance of English as an international language. Why is English an international language? It is from a book with English as a world language said that English has become a world language because of its establishment as a mother tongue outside England, in all the continents of the world. This exporting of English began in the seventeenth century, with the first settlements in North America. Above all, it is the great growth of population in the United States, assisted by massive immigration in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries that has given the English language its present standing in the world. An d Crystal support that there are seen kinds of answer given to the question: historical reasons, internal political reasons, external economic reasons, practical reasons, intellectual reasons, entertainment reasons, and some wrong reasons. Why English language is a branding? According to Maggie St. John (1992) said that the most basic concept underling marking is that of human needs and marketing has become a key factor in the success of western businesses. Because English language include this points, so English language is a branding. Chapter 3: Methodology I chose to do a literature based survey on English as an international language because I am interested in this. It was therefore necessary to get more information about this topic. I used books and relevant e-journals from the JMU library and got help from my tutor. The objective of this research question is to evaluate the effect of English as an international language on international business and marketing and then to identify the advantages and disadvantages for business and marketing. Hopefully this research will be useful research because there are many people studying English and they do not really know why; they just know they need to study to find a good job. This research will perhaps make people see more clearly why they need to learn English, not just to look for a job. In order to make this information valid and reliable, I will make a questionnaire and send it to 20 or more people learning English; 10 come from China and 10 come from the other people whose first language is not English. The questionnaire sheet will sent by e-mail to my friends. If I had more time it would be possible to do a much bigger, more representative survey. Chapter 4: Analysis and findings 4.1 To critically appraise the importance of language to culture. As Lotman states, (cited Bassnett, 1991) No language can exist unless it is steeped in the context of culture; and no culture can exist which does not have at its centre the structure of natural language Language, then, is the heart within the body of culture, and it is the interaction between the two that results in the continuation of life-energy. In the same way that the surgeon, operating on the heart, cannot neglect the body that surrounds it, so the translator treats the text in isolation from the culture at his peril. (Bassnett, 1991:14) 4.2 To investigate the present position of English as an International Language in marketing. Nowadays, the present position of English as an International Language occupies a high position in marketing. What is marketing? Today market is the commodity economy, the carrier or the actual running performance.  The more developed commodity economy, the market scope and capacity of the more expanded.  The there markets are interrelated meanings. Firstly, there is the sum of commodity producers and consumers of goods of economic relations between the convergences. Second, there is a demand for purchasing power; third is the reality of customers and potential customers. With the development of market economy, all kinds of markets are in development.  With the social interaction, the market is not necessarily true sites and locations.  Social division of labor and commodity market is the inevitable product of economic development.  Meanwhile, the market in its development and strengthening of the process, but also promotes the social division of la bor and the further development of commodity economy.  Market through information feedback, a direct impact on people what is produced, the production number, and time to market, product sales, etc.; join the process of economic development, commodity production, supply, marketing parties, for the production, supply, marketing parties exchange place, exchange  time and other exchange, in order to achieve commodity producers, operators and consumers to their own economic interests. (John, 1992). So accomplish a great deal of English education market. Primary and secondary students to learn English before they can enter university; students pass exams in English, they can not get places; As for the serving staff, English is a compulsory subject title examinations, title means more money, sub-house; those who want to study abroad, no  a certain TOEFL, IELTS (English assessment test), you can not apply for a scholarship; want foreign companies have gained a seat, no t English to work hard to find, even if found, but also the lack of promotion opportunities. The huge demand to learn from the huge crowd, rough statistics, the number of people learning English, just the middle and high school students, has nearly 190 million. According to the Chinese Ministry of Education Statistics 2005, the national junior high school students have 65144000, in the national senior high school students to reach 3990.09 million. à ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã‹â€ Diyazhaoà ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã¢â‚¬ ° 4.3 To critically appraise the advantages and disadvantages of English Language in marketing. We all know there are many advantages of learning English, The usefulness of English far more than meet the test and get a degree that simple. While the United Nations has six official languages, although Chinese is the worlds most widely spoken language, but now, the worlds most widely used language is English.  Chinas largest population, China wants to develop to isolation from the world, to get the world to gain a foothold in the world to seek their own way, will not be the most widely used language that how about other areas?  On second thoughts, we as individuals want to break a world in the world, confined to the domestic is not enough, although the history of closed-door policy has become in the past, but it always warned us to learn foreign advanced science and  technology to develop their own to improve their own!  However, if the language does not pass even the most basic communication can not do, how can we talk about learning and development? B ut few people would think of a disadvantage.  Because people want to learn English, they all feel is a good thing, but people often do not think learning English will let another language extinction.  The people of the world only know 2 languages come from china: Cantonese and Mandarin.  But China has more than the 2 languages.  For example: Hakka.  I am from China, I am also a Hakka, but since I live in a big city in the city led me to only speak Cantonese and Mandarin. But I spoke Hakka when I was small.  However, due to speak Cantonese and Mandarin for a long time resulted in the Hakka dialect pronunciation of my non-standard, and sometimes my family does not understand what I said when I use Hakka.  If this continues, the Hakka may be extinct.  This is just an example. Chapter 5: Conclusion In this research, it enhanced English as a global language, It seems to capture the other indices between the worlds languages, roughly on the number of economic factors or the basis of mother tongue, do not convey the relative relationship between things. The awareness of the importance of language learning is point of departure. Taking into account economic factors has been discussed, including severe language products and open world trade index. Taking into account the human development are index of different countries. It combines education with literacy and the quality of life measures were generated. At least it is not some standard, but far ahead of all other languages, including Chinese. Chapter 6: Recommendations According to my research, this research shows why English as an international language. From this research, we should: firstly, we should know why we learn English. Because if you do not have an objective, and you cannot learn English very well. Finally, you need to know why English as an international language, not your mother language, it will let you know how different from English with your language that you can learn English harder. Chapter 7: Self Evaluation First four weeks This is the first time I have ever done research and I had little confidence, so initially I had trouble finding a topic or expressing a particular idea. I started to get some ideas from the internet. Luckily, I found an idea about English language as an international language from the internet. Although I had an idea, I did not know what I could do next. Then I talked with my teacher and she helped me to finish the research proposal. When I finished the proposal, I did not know how to research the information from books or websites, because there is so much information for me to choose from, I did not know which one is best for my research. Due to having classes taught about how to take notes and avoid plagiarism, I know now how to do these things and I am learning how to look for information. Mid course Midway through this research I had many problems. Firstly, I had toothache and I could not focus on my research and missed some classes, sometime I got so lost that I did not know what I can do next. I also found some books from library, but I did not know how to connect them with my research. Luckily, my tutor has told me how to connect them. I think my classmates are faster than me, so I need to catch up with them Final evaluation This is the final research, from this research; I learned how to write a full research and how to write references. And I knew there have a software can check you essay is copy or not that I very worried about this software. Then I checked my work again and again. Because I have an essay is for business that I have a lot of work to do. So sometime felt tired. However, I am a student, learning is student task.

Language Analysis Bullying

Girls College wrote an opinion piece â€Å"It's time for us to take a stand†, which was published In the Breadboard Leader on the 9th of December, 2013, she contends In a critical and negative tone that the young people of Australia must stand up against the cruel, vindictive and cowardly practice of bullying. Elise explains how bullying has been around since the start of time, but social media is making acts such as bullying too easy for these bullies to argue their victims and little is being done about it.Stakeholders include friends, family, workers, schools, social media, victims, and the medical industry. The target audience for this text is the victims, to encourage them to stand up for themselves. Elise opens up the article in a serious and urgent tone, explaining how serious this really is, and how little Is being done about it, strongly suggesting something needs to be done now. Social Media sites such as Backbone and Twitter play a huge role In Weber bullying, they make millions of dollars In advertising and Elise explains how It Is only fair If they use some of the money to help stop the spellbinding that their platforms allow.She draws In the audience with a persuasive technique appealing them to fear by stating â€Å"it seems that not a month goes by when we don't hear another story of a teen somewhere overseas or in Australia that has taken their life due to the bullying that has occurred on line. † Another effective technique she has used is the use of rhetorical questions for example â€Å"Can we as young people sit idly y while these companies become indirectly wealthy from the misery they help create? Can parents knowingly let their children use websites that allow such cruel behavior to be facilitated? Elise continues to explain the causes of bullying with reason and logic, stating that most bullies are highly sensitive so they bully to avoid getting bullied themselves, and making them feel the bigger person, or to compensate for some short coming In their lives. She then explains In a call and clear tone how Important It Is for the parents to educate their children that bullying s not acceptable, suggesting how can the children take a stand for themselves if they have no guidance by their parents?Elise explains more in depth how the parents need to be educated themselves, so they can educate their children that the appalling behavior of bullying is wrong. The best way to stop bullying is to prevent it, and the parents and education department play a key role in that. She explains the effects of bullying in every aspect, not only the physical and emotional cost, but the financial cost too for example it costs the tax areas money every time they have to go to the doctor's surgery.She uses evidence and repetition as a persuasive technique that Is supporting her contention effectively. For example â€Å"Based on 2009 studies, 27 per cent of students In years four to nine are bullied regularly – let' s call It one In four students. Personally I am horrified by this statistic. One in four! ONE IN FOUR! † Elise closes the article with an for themselves. She says â€Å"Remember that we the good people outnumber the bullies. Don't let the unnecessary suffering continue. United we stand, divided they fall. In the visual piece of the text there is a photograph of a young child with innocent eyes looking right up at you, with his hands up showing the words written across them â€Å"stop bullying†. The camera is angled in front and above the boy, creating a dominating effect, making the boy look more vulnerable, innocent and weak. It is a simple but powerful photograph taken by James Luckier. The effects on the stakeholders such as the victims of bullies sends out a message to them to take a stand for themselves.The effect on the bullies is that they would hopefully feel bad for what they do and actually consider thinking about stopping. In conclusion, Elise uses many diff erent techniques and tones in this argument, with a lot of logic and evidence to support her main points, so overall this is an effective persuasive piece, leaving the audience convinced to take a stand. We outnumber the bullies, they are truly the weak ones. Target audience – young people themselves, taking a stand Stakeholders – friends, family, workers, schools, social media, victims, medical industry

Definition and Examples of Semantic Satiation

The Economic and Social Relations of a Globalizing World Free Essay Example, 1750 words

If certain aspects of the neo-liberal globalization project have had benign consequences, there has also been a fair share of criticisms. The economic globalization process also coincided with the boom in cable and satellite broadcast television and the Internet, which has indeed made the world a smaller place. A consequence of these developments is the exposure and adoption of Western cultural practices that manifest in the form of fashion, clothing, lifestyle patterns, changing nature of interpersonal relationships, conspicuous consumption, etc. Some critics point out that what is at play is a type of cultural imperialism, which constantly competes and replaces native, indigenous cultural practices in the developing world. Again, there is plenty of scholarly evidence to support the validity of this claim, beyond what is common knowledge. (Knox Pinch, 2000) There are two different ways in which the increasing resemblance between cities is interpreted. While some see it in terms of weakening of local culture and tradition, others see it as a progressive development. The United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-HABITAT), which undertakes extensive studies on subjects such as globalization, population displacement, economic immigration, etc, released in 2004 a report titled The State of the World s Cities. We will write a custom essay sample on The Economic and Social Relations of a Globalizing World or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/page