The Castle Doctrine and Stand Your Ground Laws

The Castle Doctrine and Stand Your Ground Laws Recent events involving the use of deadly force by private individuals have brought the so-called Castle Doctrine and stand your ground laws under intense public scrutiny. Both based on the universally acknowledged right of self-defense, what are these increasingly controversial legal principles?   Stand your ground laws allow people who believe they face a reasonable threat of death of great bodily harm to meet force with force rather than retreat from their attacker. Similarly, Castle Doctrine laws allow persons who are being attacked while in their homes to use force- including deadly force- in self-defense, often without the need to retreat.   Currently, more than half of the states in the U.S. have some forms of Castle Doctrine or stand your ground laws.   Castle Doctrine Theory The Castle Doctrine originated as a  theory of early common law, meaning it was a universally accepted natural right of self-defense rather than a formally written law. Under its common law interpretation, the Castle Doctrine gives people the right to use deadly force to defend their home, but only after having used every reasonable means to avoid doing so and trying to retreat safely from their attacker.   While some states still apply the common law interpretation, most states have enacted written, statutory versions of Castle Doctrine laws specifically spelling out what is required or expected of persons before resorting to the use of deadly force. Under such Castle Doctrine laws, defendants facing  criminal charges who successfully prove they acted in self-defense according to the law may be fully cleared of any wrongdoing.  Ã‚   Castle Doctrine Laws in Court   In actual legal practice, formal state Castle Doctrine laws limit where, when, and who can legally use deadly force. As in all cases involving self-defense, defendants must prove their actions were justified under the law. The burden of proof is on the defendant.   Even though the Castle Doctrine statutes differ by state, many states utilize the same basic requirements for a successful Castle Doctrine defense. The four typical elements of a successful Castle Doctrine defense are:   The defendant must have been inside his or her home when attacked and the building must be the defendants regular place of residence. Attempts to apply the Castle Doctrine to defend the use of deadly force during attacks that happen in the defendants yard or lot, but outside the home, typically fail.  There must have been an actual attempt to illegally enter the defendants home. Merely standing threateningly at the door or on the lawn will not qualify. In addition, the Castle Doctrine does not apply if the defendant had allowed the victim into the home, but decided to force them to leave.In most states, the use of deadly force must have been reasonable under the circumstances. Typically, defendants who are unable to prove they were in actual danger of physical injury will not be allowed to claim defense under a Castle Doctrine law.Some states still apply the common law Castle Doctrine edict that defendants have some level of duty to retreat or avoid the confrontation before using d eadly force. Most state castle laws no longer require defendants to flee from their homes before using deadly force.   In addition, persons claiming the Castle Doctrine as a defense cannot have started or have been the aggressor in the confrontation that resulted in the charges against them.   The Castle Doctrine Duty to Retreat   By far the most-often  challenged element of the Castle Doctrine is the defendants duty to retreat from the intruder. While the older common law interpretations required defendants to have made some effort to retreat from their attacker or avoid the conflict, most state laws no longer impose a duty to retreat. In these states, defendants are not required to have fled from their home or to another area of their home before using deadly force.   At least 17 states impose some form of duty to retreat before using deadly force in self-defense. Since the states remain split on the issue, attorneys advise that persons should fully understand the Castle Doctrine and duty to retreat laws in their state.   Stand Your Ground Laws State-enacted stand your ground laws- sometimes called no duty to retreat laws- are often used as an allowable defense in criminal cases involving the use of deadly force by defendants who literally stood their ground, rather than retreating, in order to defend themselves and others against actual or reasonably perceived threats of bodily harm. In general, under stand your ground laws, private individuals who are in any place they have a lawful right to be at the time may be justified in using any level of force whenever they reasonably believe they face an imminent and immediate threat of great bodily injury or death.   Persons who were engaged in illegal activities, such as drug deals or robberies, at the time of the confrontation are typically not entitled to the protections of stand your ground laws.   In essence, stand your ground laws effectively extend the protections of the Castle Doctrine from the home to any place a person has a legal right to be. Currently, 28 states have legislatively enacted stand your ground laws. Another eight states apply the legal principles of stand your ground laws though courtroom practices, such as citation of past case law as precedent and judges instructions to juries.   Stand Your Ground Law Controversy   Critics of stand your ground laws, including  many gun control advocacy groups, often call them â€Å"shoot first† or â€Å"get away with murder† laws that make it difficult to prosecute people who shoot others claiming they acted in self-defense. They argue that in many cases the only eyewitness to the incident who could have testified against the defendants claim of self-defense is dead.Prior to passage of Floridas stand your ground law, Miami police chief John F. Timoney called the law dangerous and unnecessary. Whether its trick-or-treaters or kids playing in the yard of someone who doesnt want them there or some drunk guy stumbling into the wrong house, youre encouraging people to possibly use deadly physical force where it shouldnt be used, he said.   The Trayvon Martin Shooting The fatal shooting of teenager Trayvon Martin by George Zimmerman in February 2012, brought â€Å"stand your ground† laws squarely into the public spotlight. Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch captain in Sanford, Florida, gunned down the unarmed 17-year-old Martin minutes after reporting to the police that he had spotted a suspicious youth walking through the gated community. Despite being told by police to stay in his SUV, Zimmerman pursued Martin on foot. Moments later, Zimmerman confronted Martin and admitted to shooting him in self-defense after a brief scuffle. Sanford police reported that Zimmerman was bleeding from the nose and back of the head. As a result of the police investigation, Zimmerman was charged with second degree murder. At trial, Zimmerman was acquitted based on the jury’s finding that he had acted in self-defense. After reviewing the shooting for potential civil rights violations, the federal Department of Justice, citing insufficient evidence, filed no additional charges.   Before his trial, Zimmermans defense hinted that they would ask the court to drop the charges under Floridas stand your ground self-defense law. The law enacted in 2005, allows individuals to use deadly force when they reasonably feel they are at risk of great bodily harm while engaged in a confrontation.   While Zimmermans lawyers never argued for a dismissal based on the stand your ground law, the trial judge instructed the jury that Zimmerman had had a right to stand his ground and use deadly force if reasonably necessary to defend himself.

Apple Paper Information

Apple Paper Information Apple Paper Information Founded in 1975 initially to sell personal computers, Apple, Inc. is now among the world’s most recognizable and successful multinational corporations. Apple is the world’s second largest information technology company and third largest mobile phone producer (Wikipedia, 2014, para. 3). Apple’s enormous success is evidence of the drive and tenacity of its founders Steve Jobs, Ronald Wayne, Steve Wozniak. The highly revered Steve Jobs succumbed to cancer in 2011 but is still regarded for his wisdom, leadership, innovation, and insight. The company designs, develops, and sells consumer electronics, computer software, online services, and personal computers. Apple’s well branded product line is led by the coveted iPhone which is an internet supported smartphone that merges mobile phone capabilities, a wireless internet device and iPod into one handheld unit. Also popular is the iPad computer tablet which can also be used for emailing, playing music, photo graphy, videography, gaming, and social networking. Apple’s media player is the iPod which is a portable device which serves as a media library and plays both audio and audiovisual files. The iPod uses the Apple owned iTunes software application for categorizing, downloading, and playing digital files for multiple Apple products. The Mac personal computer was Apple’s first product which is beneficial for personal and business use. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Inc. Founded in 1975 initially to sell personal computers, Apple, Inc. is now among the world’s most recognizable and successful multinational corporations. Apple is the world’s second largest information technology company and third largest mobile phone producer. The company designs, develops, and sells consumer electronics, computer software, online services, and personal computers. Apple’s well branded product line is led by the coveted iPhone which is an internet supported smartph one that merges mobile phone capabilities, a wireless internet device and iPod into one handheld unit. Also popular is the iPad computer tablet which can also be used for emailing, playing music, photography, videography, gaming, and social networking. Apple’s media player is the iPod which is a portable device which serves as a media library and plays both audio and audiovisual files. The iPod uses the Apple owned iTunes software application for categorizing, downloading, and playing digital files for multiple Apple products. The Mac personal computer was Apple’s first product which is beneficial for personal and business use. The company’s success is evidence of the drive and tenacity of its founders Steve Jobs, Ronald Wayne, Steve Wozniak. The highly revered Steve Jobs succumbed to cancer in 2011 but is still regarded for his wisdom, leadership, innovation, and insight. Apple Inc. is an American multinational corporation headquartered in Cupertino, California, that designs, develops, and sells consumer electronics, computer software, online services, and personal computers. Its best-known hardware products are the Mac line of computers, the iPod media player, the iPhone smartphone, and the iPad tablet computer. Its online services include iCloud, iTunes Store, and App Store. Apple's consumer software includes the OS X and iOS operating systems, the iTunes media browser, the Safari web browser, and the iLife and iWork creativity and productivity suites. Apple was founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne on April 1, 1976, to develop and sell personal computers. It was incorporated as Apple Computer, Inc. on January 3, 1977, and was renamed as Apple Inc. on January 9, 2007, to reflect its shifted focus towards consumer electronics. Apple is the world's second-largest information technology company by revenue after Samsung Electronics, and the world's third-largest mobile phone maker after Samsung and Nokia.[5] Fortune magazine named Apple the most admired company in the United States in 2008, and in the world

Analysis of the Arabian Construction Companys Costs Essay

Analysis of the Arabian Construction Companys Costs - Essay Example ACC tries to minimize costs by cutting down on some of its expenditure. The expenditure on unnecessary variable costs is cut down to ensure efficiency. Analysis of the firm’s market structure Arabian Construction Company is operating in a perfectly competitive market, which has many buyers and sellers. The forces of demand and supply therefore determine the prices of the products offered by the company. Among the competitors of ACC, we have the Larsen & Toubro, which carries out large-scale construction projects and designs. The other is the DLF, which deals in the development of housing and retailing in property as well. The company has developed over 70 million square units of housing projects up to date. The firms in the construction industry do not deal on single products qualifying them to be in a perfect competition form of market. The industry is free to enter and free to exit with very few legal formalities placed by the government governing company registration hence no barriers to entry into the market. Any firm which feels can withstand the fierce competition in the field can enter the market. The firms are also not forced to stay in the market hence they can a lways leave at their pleasure most so if they are not able to compete favorably (Etro & Federico, pg.132). The firms in this market are therefore neither price takers nor price makers; the forces of market, which are the forces of demand and supply, dictate the prices of their outputs. Profits are therefore highly regulated.

Law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Law - Case Study Example Damages as well as remedies that can be awarded will also be explored. In this particular case, Jill has to prove the kind as well as the authenticity of the employment law. She has to prove that the contract itself is somehow suppressive as it strips her off her rights. She is hired as an independent contractor but the terms of the contract reflect otherwise. The contract does not want to take full responsibility of her welfare. It seems that right from the beginning, she has no rights and is supposed to abide by the rules and regulations of the contractors. Under normal circumstances, the employment laws in the federal states forbid this practice as it seeks to subdue the employees’ rights as they would not have any power to stand up for their rights. The elements of proof she must prove is the â€Å"arbitration, mediations† clause which requires her to complete this process if there is a contract dispute, and the results will be binding legally and she will waive her future rights in federal and state court to contest any employment violations. In other words, this clause implies that she has no right to contest an employment dispute. Her rights can be violated but she is not given the opportunity to take legal recourse. Indeed, the court is the highest arbiter of disputes among contracting parties but in this case, above mentioned clause prohibits the other party from seeking legal action against the employer.

Who Inspires Me Essay Example for Free

Who Inspires Me Essay Some people think that for someone to inspire you the person still has to be alive. Well in my case I just recently lost the person that inspired me the most. My father, he was the person whom I asked about money, about how to get better at playing golf and about anything else I needed help with. Wesley Doolen Morgan was a sensitive and caring man, who didn’t like to show emotion much. He never said â€Å"I love you† to us, but we all knew he did. When we needed help with buying school supplies or just advice on how to save money he was the one to ask. He may not have been good with money himself but he could teach us what not to do by what he did as an example. Wes had an example for everything we asked like, how do I start a bank account? His answer was â€Å"well not like this then go into a story of how he had messed up. Dad was the ultimate golfer. He had been teaching me to golf since I could walk, and I still love it. Golfing was dads sport, he tried to always do better and encourage me and my brother to try our hardest. Sometimes he lost his temper and started to yell but he always made up for it by ice cream or extra gas money. My brother and I were so proud of how much dad stuck to playing golf and my fathers dedication to teaching beau and I was what made us so proud. That is pure dedication. As you noticed my dad had a long life and I’m proud of what he has done. He was also a sergeant in the Marine Corps. That told me he didn’t mind a challenge. Daddy loved having control and that’s why he worked hard to get up to a sergeant. Im so inspired by how much my dad has helped not only his family but his friends he inquired over the years. He was greatly loved and is missed tremendously by his friends and family.

The Great Depression Essay -- American History

The Great Depression The Big Picture The Great Depression was the longest and most severe economic decline in American history. On October 29, 1929, the stock market crashed and began the depression. Although industry leaders issued optimistic predictions for the nation's economy, the market crash wiped out nearly 40% of the paper values of stocks. Great innovations in productive techniques during and after the war raised the output of industry beyond the purchasing capacity of U.S. farmers and working force. As a result of this, unemployment skyrocketed during the years of the Depression, reaching levels as high as one third of the population. Almost half of the commercial banks of the United States failed during the Depression. Crop prices fell by over fifty percent. People went hungry because so much food was produced that production became unprofitable. Others were unemployed because they had produced more than could be sold. Hundreds of thousands roamed the country in search of food, work, and shelter. Huge numbers of Americans had their lives upset by the Depression. Homelessness, poverty and despair characterized much of the nation in those days. Many of those who could not provide for their families, in larger cities as well as smaller towns, committed suicide to put an end to their troubles. Small Town Life The depression was not limited to the confines of large cities, it spread like a disease throughout our great nation. It even managed to find its way into the small town of Oakesdale, Washington. Frances Taylor, a mere child at this time clearly remembers the events that took place. "As children, we weren't really aware of what was going on. We simply didn't understand the concept of being poor." Many fam... ...ovided the initial 63 million dollars for the project to begin. "My father found work by being part of the construction of Grand Coulee Dam. He would stay on the site while our mother took care of the children back in Oakesdale. He would send the money back to support the family." The Grand Coulee Dam would provide many jobs for the unemployed as well as be used in the upcoming war. It was used primarily for irrigation at first, but as the war progressed it was changed to produce more electricity for the Northwest's aluminum industry. The beginning of World War II would prove to be the factor that directed America out of the Depression. How ironic, that such a horrifying event could spur an economic rejuvenation. The Depression was a trying time, America was at a loss for words and money, but as a nation, we pulled together and got through the worst of the worst.

Solutions to Global Poverty

There are different solutions to Global Poverty nowadays. Foreign aid is considered one of the most effective because it helps in pioneering new ideas for development and solves the budgeting problem that might ruin even the brightest project. There is considerable scope for improving on the current level of foreign aid, around $120 billion per annum. Another solution is tax recovery. Multinational corporations and wealthy elites minimize tax burdens so that poor countries are denied tax revenues from each of these sources exceeding in aggregate the current level of foreign aid. Besides this, investment in the rural economy always pays off. Rewards of economic growth are to be spent on payments for the poor and for immunisation. Of equal importance to local communities and individual households is greater power to control their own affairs.  Control Key and Word – Text and Graphics. An infusion of accountability through democracy and individual rights creates the environment in which governments come under pressure to end wasteful practices and corruption. However the removal of agricultural subsidies that protect American and European farmers is needed to create a favorable atmosphere for the real business competition to take place. A fundamental reordering of priorities is the surest remedy for the poor, as indeed it may be for all of us in search of a sustainable future. Plenty of issues call for fundamental reform of global governance. Undoubtedly, some other sectors where developing countries struggle for treatment are trade, investment, intellectual property rights, climate change and energy. It’s a well-known fact that Brazil, China and Vietnam are countries with the greatest success in poverty reduction. Only their governments control key sectors of their economies and show little inclination to relax those restrictions on human rights and democratic freedom. That’s why we need to find another solution of this consequential issue.

Hallstead Jewelers

We see an increase in the break-even point, both in dollars and in sales tickets, from year 2003 to 2006. This increase is not as dramatic between the years 2003 and 2004 as it is between 2004 and 2006. The increase in break-even point in sales tickets is 1615,80 and 7623,90 respectively. The increase in the first year is due to the increase in fixed costs and also the decrease in sales. The increase between 2004-2006 is due to the dramatic increase of fixed costs because of the bigger store and higher rent and the decrease in contribution margin that is caused by the greater increase in variable costs than sales.The margin of safety on the other hand gradually decreased. The decrease between 2003-04 and 2004-06 are 20% and 47% respectively. The reason for that is the huge increase in break-even point between 2004 and 2006 and the decrease in sales for the years 2003-2004.If the company were to pursue that new idea, the net income of the company would increase to $917,01. The new bre ak-even point would be 9105,56 in sales tickets and $8.203,20 in dollar amount.Assuming that everything stays constant, because sales commissions are variable costs, if will increase the contribution margin per unit which will end up decreasing the break-even sales volume compared to 2006. The new break-even point would be 11 570,86 in sales tickets and $9487 in sales dollars.Because advertising is a fixed cost, an increase in advertising will cause an increase in break-even point. The new break-even point, everything else staying the same, would be 17 912,28 in sales tickets and $ 14.687,17 in sales dollars. Because the outcome of advertising is not certain, it carries a certain amount of risk. I would not recommend that the sisters try this because it is risky for the situation that they are in now.  The average sales ticket have to increase to $840 from $819 ($21 increase) to break-even if the fixed costs remained the same in 2007 as it was 2006.I would recommend the managers a t Hallstead Jewelers to go with the idea of the consultant, the %10 price reduction in order to increase the number of  people visiting the store. If everything goes according to the plan, they can have a profit of $900,90 and even if it doesn’t goes as smoothly as planned, this option has a 39% margin of safety, so it has a large portion of the break even sales to fall back on. Among the options given, this one is the safest and the one that will provide the highest profit.

Who Influenced Michael Jordan to Become the Player and Person He is Today essays

Who Influenced Michael Jordan to Become the Player and Person He is Today essays Who Influenced Michael Jordan to Become the Player and Person He is Today? 1. Bye, Bye, Bye (Retirement from the Game) Well everyone has theyre own opinion about Michael Jordan, but one thing is certain, he is a phenomenal athlete with a unique combination of grace, power, artistry and the improvisational ability. He is not only the top player of his Era, but is quite possibly the best player to wear the uniform of a NBA team. He is the most recognizable athlete in the world and is believed to be the best there ever was, is, or ever will be. (NBA.com) A person to this magnitude has obviously a success, being able to have a family of his own and, knowing that there are thousands of people looking up to him, and being many peoples idol. To be able to stand the pressure of being a national symbol of greatness, you have to have a driving force. This driving force has been known to be the edge a lot of people have needed to make it over. Michael Jordans family helped him to fight and become one of the most influential, successful, and professional Michael Jeffrey Jordan was born on February 17, 1963, in Brooklyn, NY, to a proud Deloris and James Jordan. (Nba.com; BioLife.com) Now this very first point may seem like no big deal but its something in itself. Jordan almost wasnt born. In 1963, when Deloris was carrying Mike her mother died unexpectedly causing her to fall into a deep depression and stress period. Fearing a miscarriage the family doctor ordered her to bed rest. (Greene 12; NBA.com) I always said that Michaels birth was like a sign. I lost my mother w ...

How to Become a National Merit Semifinalist

How to Become a National Merit Semifinalist SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Every October, about 1.6 million juniors across the country take the PSAT. Those who score in the top 1% achieve the distinction of National Merit Semifinalist. Most of these students move on to become National Merit Finalists, with some winning scholarship money for college. Being named a National Merit Semifinalist is a huge achievement along the path to college. Let’s take a look at what you need to do to become a National Merit Semifinalist. Basic Entry Requirements forNational Merit Semifinalists To become a Semifinalist and be eligible for a National Merit Scholarship, you must meet the following four requirements set by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC): Be enrolled as a high school student, progressing normally toward graduation.This just means that you’re taking and passing a normal number of classes and expect to graduate on time. Plan to enroll full-time in college starting the fall following high school graduation. In other words, you can’t postpone college to spend a year abroad, work full-time, and so on. Be a U.S. citizen or lawful U.S. permanent resident planning to become a U.S. citizen. Earn a top PSAT score.The definition of a "top" score varies by state, but generally you'll need to score in the top 1% of juniors to qualify. But what PSAT score do you need exactly? Keep reading because in the next section we explain exactly how high your PSAT score needs to be to qualify you for Semifinalist status. To be eligible for National Merit, you must plan to start college in the fall after your high school graduation. National Merit SemifinalistQualifying Scores The NMSCuses its own Selection Index to determine which students qualify as Commended Students and Semifinalists. In general, students who score in thetop 3-4%are named Commended Scholars, while students who score in the top 1% are deemed Semifinalists. Students are compared on astate-by-state basis.The NMSC's Selection Index ranges from 48 to 228 and is based on PSAT section scores. There are three PSAT section scores (one each for Math, Reading, and Writing and Language). Each section score ranges from 8 to 38. To calculate your Selection Index, you simplyadd your three PSAT section scores together and then multiply the sum by 2. Let's say you got 28 on Reading, 32 on Writing and Language, and 34 on Math. To find your Selection Index score, first add your section scores together: 28 + 32 + 34 = 94. Then, multiply the sum by 2 (94 * 2 = 188). This gives you a Selection Index score of 188. As you'll see in the chart below, a 188 Selection Index score isn't high enough toqualify for National Merit Semifinalist status. Instead, you'll need a Selection Index of 212 or higher, depending on where you take the test. Based on reports from individuals around the country, we've put together a comprehensive list of qualifying PSAT Selection Index scores. Check out the most recent state cutoffs for National Merit Semifinalist in the chart below. These were used to pick out Semifinalists from the October 2017 administration of the PSAT. State Selection Index Alabama 216 Alaska 215 Arizona 220 Arkansas 214 California 223 Colorado 221 Connecticut 222 Delaware 222 DC 223 Florida 219 Georgia 220 Hawaii 220 Idaho 214 Illinois 221 Indiana 219 Iowa 216 Kansas 218 Kentucky 218 Louisiana 217 Maine 217 Maryland 223 Massachusetts 223 Michigan 219 Minnesota 220 Mississippi 215 Missouri 217 Montana 214 Nebraska 216 Nevada 218 New Hampshire 219 New Jersey 223 New Mexico 215 New York 221 North Carolina 220 North Dakota 212 Ohio 219 Oklahoma 215 Oregon 221 Pennsylvania 220 Rhode Island 220 South Carolina 216 South Dakota 215 Tennessee 219 Texas 221 Utah 215 Vermont 216 Virginia 222 Washington 222 West Virginia 212 Wisconsin 216 Wyoming 212 Average Score 218 As you can see, scores vary depending on where you take the test. Cutoffsregularly vary a few points between years, so if you haven't taken the PSAT yet and are aiming for National Merit, set your target Selection Index about2-5 points higher than the predicted cutoff for your state. After you take the PSAT, there's nothing more you can do to be named Semifinalist until the results are announced. The NMSC notifies eligible students in September the following school year. Disappointed with your scores? Want to improve your SAT score by 160points?We've written a guide about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: What Are the Steps to Becoming a National Merit Semifinalist? You now know the requirements for becoming a National Merit Semifinalist, and you have a plan to get a top PSAT score. But what are the actual steps to becoming a Semifinalist?The process begins early in your junior year and can last all the way until the end of your senior year. Below is an outline of the key steps you'll need to take to become a Semifinalist. Junior Year October: Take the PSAT You’ll take the PSAT on a Wednesday or Saturday in October of your junior year. Because you'll be competing with about 1.6 million juniors, it's important to study diligently for the PSAT (as you would for the SAT or ACT) by taking official PSAT practice tests andtargeting your weaknesses in your prep.(We give you more PSAT prep tips in the next section.) Remember, only the top 1% of juniors qualify for Semifinalist status, so you'll need to be at the top of your game on test day! Aiming for a National Merit Scholarship but worried your score won't qualify? If you're not sure you can self-study your way to a qualifying PSAT score, you'll love our PSAT prep program, PrepScholar. We designed our program to learn your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics and customize your prep to be as effective as possible for you. When you start with PrepScholar, you’ll take a diagnostic that will determine your weaknesses in over forty PSAT skills. PrepScholar then creates a study program specifically customized for you. To improve each skill, you’ll take focused lessons dedicated to each skill, with over 20 practice questions per skill. This will train you for your specific area weaknesses, so your time is always spent most effectively to raise your score. We also force you to focus on understanding your mistakes and learning from them. If you make the same mistake over and over again, we'll call you out on it. There’s no other prep system out there that does it this way, which is why we get better score results than any other program on the market. Check it out today with a 5-day free trial: December: Receive PSAT Scores You’ll typically get your PSAT scores in early December,about six weeks after you take the test. While you'll be able to see how well you scored and whether you meet your state's most recent National Merit Semifinalist cutoff, remember thatthese cutoffs can change slightly each year, so you won’t know for sure whether you're a Semifinalist until the beginning of your senior year. Winter/Spring: NMSC Determines High Scorers During this time, the NMSC determines the 50,000 high scorers who quality for the National Merit program. Senior Year September: Semifinalists Announced In early Septemberof your senior year, you’ll finally learn whether you’re officially a National Merit Semifinalist or not. Of the 50,000 high scorers determined, 16,000 will become Semifinalists, and the remaining 34,000 will be recognized as Commended Students (but won’t move forward with the National Merit Program). Fall: Apply to Be a Finalist After you’ve been recognized as a Semifinalist, you’ll begin the Finalist application process. To apply, you’ll need to submit the following materials: High school transcript SAT scores (must be received by December 31) Information about your activities and leadership roles A personal essay A recommendation from your high school principal, or someone the principal designates as a school official Information about your school’s curricula and grading system There’s no official cutoff for SAT scores or GPA, but the NMSC is looking for strong grades and test scores to prove that your PSAT scores weren’t just a fluke. February: Finalists Announced In February, 15,000 of the 16,000 Semifinalists are named Finalists and can apply for National Merit Scholarships. March: Scholarship Winners Announced Finally, 7,500 of the finalists learn that they are National Merit Scholarship winners. Each winner receives a $2,500-a-year National Merit Scholarship, a corporate-sponsored scholarship, and/or a college-sponsored scholarship. How Do You Get the PSAT Score You Need to Become a National Merit Semifinalist? Alright, so you’re going to need an amazing score on the PSAT in order to meet the National Merit Semifinalist cutoff. Getting that score can be tough, but follow these three tips as you prepare in order to get your best PSAT score. #1: Take Practice Tests Doing well on the PSAT is all about preparation. Studying the content and format of the test is the best way to bring your score up. Some people are natural test takers, while others stress under pressure. Regardless of how you react to timed tests, preparing with high quality, relevant materials is the best way to position yourself toward top scores. Since the College Board makes the PSAT, its online practice questions are a great place to start. Below are two official practice PSATs you can use for free.You can also find more free and official PSAT practice tests in our guide. Official PSAT Practice Test 1 - Score Your Test - Answer Explanations Official PSAT Practice Test 2 - Score Your Test - Answer Explanations Take these practice tests under typical test conditions:work in a quiet area with few distractions and time yourself in accordance with official PSAT time limits. Taking timed tests is a skill, and practicing this skill will help you get better and better at the PSAT. Understanding the format of the test will also help you eliminate the potential for careless errors. #2: Identify and Strengthen Your Weak Areas It’s not enough, however, to take just one practice test and then immediately move on to the next one.As you’re studying and answering practice problems, try to identify your weaknesses.Are there any patterns in your mistakes? Do you need more practice with Reading questions? Grammar? Vocabulary? Algebra? Probability? Figure out where you need to focus your attention to really strengthen your overall PSAT score. At the same, you might also be able to push up your overall score by playing to your strengths. The NMSC considers your composite score rather than your individual section scores. For example, if you scored 650 on the Math section of a practice test, it might be easy for you to push that up to 750+. Or if you’re stronger at Reading and Writing, you might be able to add more points to your composite score by focusing your energies on those two sections. Just remember that, ultimately, you can’t have any low section scores on the PSAT if you want to become a National Merit Finalist. So try to staystrong across all areas of the test! #3: Set Goals and Track Your Progress Becoming a National Merit Semifinalist is a lofty goal, and in order to make sure you’re on track to meet it, you need to know early on what PSAT to aim for and how much progress you should be making. First, use the above chart to figure out what the cutoff is for your state. You might want to add a point or two just to be safe and take into account any potential increases in the cutoff score. Once you have your overall PSAT goal score, set smaller goals to accomplish throughout your studying. These can be monthly or weekly goals depending on what works best for your schedule. Some ideas could beto try to develop a better understanding of algebra questions by the end of the week, or to try to raise your total PSAT score 20 points by the end of the month. No matter your goals, regularly check to see that you’re (on your way to) meeting them. If not, figure out what you can do to improve, such as studying more often or changing up your study methods. Setting regular goals will not only help you stay motivated but will also ensure that you’re making the progress you need to be making to get the score you want on test day. How to Stay Motivated for the PSAT In addition to planning how you'll prep for the PSAT, you should ask yourself another important question: how will you stay motivated?Staying motivated is key to sustaining your studying. Why do you want to do well on the PSAT? What drives you? Some reasons students strive to become National Merit Semifinalists are academic recognition, scholarship money,and getting into college.What are your own personal reasons? Write down your ideas, and look back at this list for inspiration whenever you feel your motivation lagging. Since the PSAT is closely linked to the SAT, any studying you do now will definitely pay off when you take the SAT. Plus, it’s probably easier for you to find free time now than when you’re immersed in college applications senior year. Achieving a qualifying score or higher takes a lot of hard work. The benefits of this hard work don’t end when you get a certificate in the mail from the NMSC recognizing you as a semifinalist in September of your senior year. You can prove to yourself and to others the depth of your commitment and drive by putting your hopes into action and your dreams into determination. After all, this focused, purposeful effort is the key to achieving success in anything you do! What's Next? Being named Semifinalist is just the first step. Learn what it takes to become a National Merit Finalist and how to increase your chances of winning a scholarship. Did you know there are four kinds of National Merit Scholarshipsand more than 8,000 are awarded each year? Read all about the various scholarshipshere. Want to score a perfect SAT score?Check out our easy-to-read guide on how to do just that, written by an expert 1600 scorer. Want to improve your SAT score by 160points?We have the industry's leading SAT prep program. Built by Harvard grads and SAT full scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so you get the most effective prep possible. Check out our 5-day free trial today: Have friends who also need help with test prep? Share this article! Tweet Rebecca Safier About the Author Rebecca graduated with her Master's in Adolescent Counseling from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She has years of teaching and college counseling experience and is passionate about helping students achieve their goals and improve their well-being. She graduated magna cum laude from Tufts University and scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT. Get Free Guides to Boost Your SAT/ACT Get FREE EXCLUSIVE insider tips on how to ACE THE SAT/ACT. 100% Privacy. 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Language and Literacy in Children Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Language and Literacy in Children - Assignment Example Children use different literate behaviours in different contexts based on the grounds of language. (2006a) Language is partitioned into syntax, phonology, semantics, and pragmatics, each with distinctive characteristics. The semantic system bears little resemblance to the structure of phonology or the rules of communication. The mapping of words onto representations of the world appears very different from the mapping of articulatory movements onto sounds or sounds onto written letters (Bialystok, 2001, p. 24). Moreover the systems appear at different times, starting with detection of the phonological and prosodic features of language and moving to adept, persuasive prose. Vocabulary and communicative skills change throughout the child life span, whereas command of the phonological and grammatical structure of one's native tongue rarely changes radically after middle childhood. (Amsel, 2002, p. 6) Language along with the context of learning is not purely a matter of speech. Gestures of the arms, hands and face also contribute meaningfully towards essential properties of learning. Language unfolds in predictable stages from infancy through early childhood, with production lagging behind perception and comprehension. The most important aspects of language and syntax emerge between the ages of two and four and seem to be governed by a sensitive period of growth. For many years, the development of theories about the way children learn to read and write was dominated by studies of English-speaking populations. As we have learned more about the way that children learn to read and write other scripts whether they have less regularity in their grapheme phoneme correspondences or do not make use of alphabetic symbols in all it has become clear that many of the difficulties that confront children learning to read and write English specifically are less evident, or even non-existent, in other populations. At the same time, some aspects of learning to read and write are very similar across scripts. When learning to read and write is examined from a unique cross-linguistic perspective, it is found that there are several ways to develop a child's skill towards learning reading and writing. (Light et al, 2000,p. 55) In this respect Japanese, Greek and the Scandinavian languages as well as English, demonstrates several ways showing how the processes of learning to read and spell are affected by the characteristics of the writing system that children are learning to master. Language and literacy starts just after the birth of a child, as this is the time when they start hearing and recognizing sounds. Very young infants cannot speak, but they are capable of perceiving aspects of speech long before they can produce them. One way to show this in a baby is to connect an artificial nipple to a tape recorder, so that every time the baby sucks a speech sound is played. The experiment shows the infants seem to enjoy sucking for sound almost as much as they enjoy sucking for milk. After hearing the same sound for a while, however the baby loses interest and the sucking rate drops. Thus he has actually learned the phenomenon of habituation, which

Management of Malnutrition Among Adult Patients Essay

Management of Malnutrition Among Adult Patients - Essay Example But a healthful diet can prevent many illnesses. In fact, WHO estimates that up to 40percent of cancer cases could be prevented by better eating habits and by exercise. However, with the existence of different illnesses in the society and the different therapies that are needed to be given to the patients in hospitals and even in homecare, malnutrition becomes an unavoidable matter. To prove this particular matter, the following diagram shall make an indicative implication as to how malnutrition actually affects the aged patients who need to undergo certain medications that require lesser solid food intake. It has been observed that there is at least 15% annual increase in the measure of patients being involved in issues of malnutrition. The diagram that follows herein simply pertain to the record garnered from the year 2005; with the years fast progressing, one could just imagine how much the estimated diagram presentations have actually increased in rate measurements as to how much more are naturally included in the record of malnourished patients in different hospitals around the world. From the diagram presented above, it could be observed that the rate of the patients undergoing the situation of malnutrition during medication are naturally expected to result to high mortality rate among the said particular population considered in the situation. No matter, even though malnutrition among patients undergoing certain medical therapies cou... situation could not be dealt with systematically so as to bring back the health and enthusiasm of the said individuals for the right nutrition that they actually need. Hence, to be able to support the said needed improvement in the health situation of the primary patients to be treated by the process to be proposed herein, a presentation of the major indicative factors to consider in the process shall be discussed herein. Program Title: Dietary Nutrition Therapy (1) Objective: To assist adult patients in their struggle for better nourishment. These patients are noted to have special health cases that require constant care especially with regards nutritional intake. (2) Mission: To make sure that adults undergoing special health treatments are given the right nutrition even when they are under a certain medication treatments that require less or no solid food intake at all. (3) Particular health cases to be considered for dietary nutrition therapy are as follows: Stroke Cancer Oesphageal Cancer Head and Neck Cancer Huntington's Disease Heart failure Parkinson's Disease Tuberculosis These are only a few among the qualified health cases that could be assisted through the dietary nutrition therapy procedures. There are still other health failures that could be supported through the utilization of the said dietary therapy. It should also be noted that the dietary nutrition therapy is strongly suggested o be taken by those who are not supposed to eat for weeks or days due to some other medication therapies they need to take. NOTES TO CONSIDER: (a) The measure of malnutrition in a patient should be well examined by the attending doctor. (b) The parallelism of the medication with the suggested dietary assistance program therapy noted herein should be well