Professionalism Professionalism For Public Health

Nowadays we can see professionalism presenting in every career. Professionalism is required to help companies or any working facilities easily solve their problems so that they can generate the best outcomes of their services. In the medical aspect, professionalism is importantly needed because this field has high responsibility for public health. Medical staff need to show their professionalism in order to avoid preventable accidents which can cause regretful losses. Their professional characteristics also help our community live happier and healthier. So what does professionalism mean? As Alistair Cooke said: â€Å"a professional is a person who can do his best at a time when he doesn’t particularly feel like it.† The definition seems to be simple for some people, but there are actually many stand-out characteristics required to become any types of professionals in general, and medical professionals in particular. On the road of being a professional, we need to fulfill the first requirement which is to acquire a substantial knowledge and essential skills toward our desired future profession. A comprehensive knowledge will allow professionals to finish their work appropriately. Being a professional doesn’t mean we are at the best of the knowledge. Things change frequently nowadays. Therefore, professionals will need to improve themselves by keeping learning new knowledge. Learning is also important to medical professionals. The health care system is a place conveying newShow MoreRelatedProfessionalism Is Necessary For Public Health1627 Words   |  7 PagesThese days we can see professionalism presented in every career. Professionalism is required to help companies or any working facilities easily solve their problems so that they can generate the best outcomes of their services. In the medical aspect, professionalism is importantly needed because this field is highly responsible for pu blic health. Medical staff need to show their professionalism in order to avoid preventable accidents which can cause regretful losses. Their professional characteristicsRead MoreThe Importance Of Professionalism Within The Nursing Field889 Words   |  4 Pages The purpose of this paper is aimed towards the importance of professionalism within the nursing field. Nursing professionalism should be demonstrated inside and outside of the work area, such as: the nurses’ appearance, during patient interactions, interaction with other health care providers, and anytime you are representing the health care facility. Being professional is not only expressed verbally but also non-verbally; your first impression or how you present yourself to your patient is importantRead MoreChanging Connection Between Professionalism And Managerialism1622 Words   |  7 PagesCarvalho, T. (2014) ‘Changing connection between professionalism and managerialism : a case study of nursing in portugal’. Journal of Professions and Organisation,1:176-190. In this essay it will be argued that Carvalho’s (2014) article is beneficial to develop an understanding for the connection between professionalism and managerialism but it is limited to a small sample size and population target which is not appropriate for an effective research. Besides, several other factors such as leadershipRead MoreProfessionalism Within The Health Care Field1375 Words   |  6 PagesThe lack of professionalism in the workplace is a problem in the health care field. This can be improved by incorporating workshops on professionalism within orientations and enforcing a code of ethics along with the proper protocol of working in healthcare. Although there is no exact definition for professionalism many would define this as a set of values or qualities that include behaviors and relationships that helps the person to trust their advisor. (Brown, 2013) Over the course of many doctors/Read MoreThe Obligations Of A Dentist1382 Words   |  6 Pagesa professional, beyond the dentist/patient relationship. Consider social, political and environmental issues in your assignment. Ryan Chu 636553 A world centrally founded upon technology has changed the public perception of healthcare professionals, prompting discourse over what professionalism entails by modern standards (Tallis, 2006). With medical information being available to anyone with a computer, the actions of dentists are being scrutinised now more than ever, spurred on by media maligningRead More21st Century Dentistry : Professionalism And Dentistry1432 Words   |  6 Pages†¨21st Century dentistry Professionalism and Dentistry Najlah Enayatzada 675123†¨ Dentists are professionals. They remain the sixth most trusted profession in Australia2, this indicates that a dentist has a role beyond the dentist/patient relationship. But what is professionalism? The Merriam-Webster dictionary describes professionalism as the conduct, aims, or qualities that characterise or mark a profession or a professional person†3 . This vague definition whilst understandably applied in onesRead MoreProfessionalism And Health Care Practitioners938 Words   |  4 PagesProfessionalism in Dentistry â€Å"Profession† sometimes is seen as a similar thing to the â€Å"occupation†. However, these two terms have different definitions that are not interchangeable with one another. â€Å"Professionalism† in Grasekemper’s study (2011) defined as: â€Å"[a] collective of expert service providers who jointly and publicly committed to always give priority to the existential needs and interests of the public they serve above their own and who, in turn, are trusted by the public to do so† GenerallyRead MoreNursing Professionalism And The Profession Of Nursing1308 Words   |  6 Pagesevolve (Ghadirian, Salsali, Cheraghi, 2014). Professionalism in nursing encompasses a broad spectrum of core values and characteristics expected of each and every professional registered nurse. As one of the largest and most respected healthcare professionals (Maryland Gonzalez, 2012), nurses are held to explicit standards first introduced almost 200 years ago. Florence Nightingale, often seen as a pioneer of nursing professionalism, was pivotal in reforming the profession of nursing.Read More Professionalism in Nursing Essay996 Words   |  4 Pageswhen being evaluated on professionalism, a person is judged based on the clients; Attitude, Values, Communication techniques, and approachability. Clients who display a committed, dependable attitude will benefit more from work exerted, and overall be rewarded with incentives. Although professionalism may be in the eye of the beholder. A profession is defined as a trade or vocation, mainly one that involves some sort of higher education or special training. Professionalism is a stature that theRead MoreProfessionalism: What It Is and Why It Is Important in Nursing?1235 Words   |  5 PagesProfessionalism: What Is It And Why Is It Important In Nursing. Professionalism is a calling which requires specialized knowledge and often long and extensive academics. A professional is characterized by or conforming to the technical or ethical standards of a profession, that shows a carefully considered generally well-organized manner in the workplace. Being professional should be a subconscious effort in the fact that it should always be applied. When employees are professional it helps the system

Technology That Changed Global Living - 1586 Words

Technologies that Changed Global Living Jasmin Mesner History to 1877 Dr. Monica Gallamore November 30, 2016 Jasmin Mesner Dr. Gallamore History to 1877 30 November 2016 There are many things in today’s world that help us every day that we do not realize how much it does. The internet helps us reach completely across the world in a matter of seconds. Cell phones help us reach people that we need to talk to and not have to wait weeks for a reply. What did we do before all the things we know and make our daily lives easier? Before those things, the world had other technologies that helped transform global living to where it is today. Many things helped shape the world decades ago, including the printing press which helped pamphlets and other books be easier made, steamboats and trains help get goods and transform goods to one place to another, steel plow and mechanical reaper help agriculture working easier, and American System of Manufacturing made producing goods less time consuming, created more jobs, and less complex. To begin with, the impact of railroads on the Industrial Revolution changed economy, and social change to this cou ntry. The railroad was first invented in Great Britain by George Stephenson. â€Å"Railroads would drop shipping cost by 60 % - 70%.† The Railroad helped economic growth in the west. More goods could be imported out there since businesses and other goods were scarce because it was newly settled. The building of railroads also createdShow MoreRelatedThe Global Economy Has Changed Over Time953 Words   |  4 PagesThe global economy has been evolving over time; there are patterns that have emerged which indicate similarities and differences between the past and the present century. In this paper I will analyze how the global economy has changed and what contributed to those changes. During the 19th century the cost of transportation decreased as a result of innovation. Income per capita nearly doubled across all classes in America and in Europe during the gilded age (1870-1900). Advancements in technologyRead MoreThe Human Of Human Beings1142 Words   |  5 Pagessocial structures in spite of evolutionary heritage. Humans have been successful in every habitat on the planet, and this is due to technology and the adaptation to form it to the needs and desires of the human species. Author Michael Bess writes a provocative article about how human beings are already cyborgs, due to the enculturation, enskilment and adaptation of technologies of the human species (Bess 2008). The term cyborg is defined as â€Å"a person whose physiological functioning is aided by or dependentRead MoreTechnology And Its Impact On The Business World992 Words   |  4 PagesAdvances in technology and connectivity have made daily communication and face-to-face interaction possible ac ross international borders and will continue to bring innovation to the business world. The innovation has forever changed the how companies do business and is fully integrating itself into day-to-day operations as well as the lives of employees. Technological advances in the communications field have been rampant and will continue to evolve even the business culture. Technology and communicationRead MoreEnvironmental Message in Wall-E Essay877 Words   |  4 PagesWall-E Science/Description Essay Kari Jacobson Ottawa University LAS 45012- Global Issues in Liberal Arts Karen Bryson January 27, 2013 Introduction The film Wall-E is related to the science and description area because it talks about the environment and what can happen in the future. The film starts with a robot named Wall-E and he has been assigned to clean up Earth from all the waste that the humans have left behind. It shows him coming out of his house that is full of little differentRead MoreGlobalization Has Changed the World in Different Way818 Words   |  4 Pagesthe World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Globalization is a current trend that has recently started in the last 30 years. With the continue of globalization it will continue to lead the world to a better economic future. Such as Globalization has changed the world in different ways; for example, decreasing isolation, allowing trade between countries, providing new information every day around the world, and growth of business like McDonalds and Starbucks. Globalization was started in the late 1980sRead MoreThe Emerging Challenges in Human Resource Management Essay923 Words   |  4 Pagesprofession. According to Ekta Srivastava (2012), these challenges have increased the pressure on human resource managers. This paper will disgust the many emerging challenges in human resource management such as globalization, workforce diversity, technology, and changes in the economic environment and the ways to overcome some these challenges. The key question that the author (s) is addressing is There are various methods and techniques to overcome these challengesRead MoreHow World Has Changed Past 40 Years Essay example983 Words   |  4 PagesBurennemekh Marc Hamilton Management Practices 17 October 2012 FNA The world has changed in many ways over the past years, and it will continue to change in the future. For the last forty years, the world has suffered several changes both good and bad and it makes individuals have what they have today. However, despite of people arguments, the world has changed for the better. It is because of the science, technology, and the internet, and those factors are plays very important roles of today’s worldRead MoreMy Life And The Internet1200 Words   |  5 PagesLearning Portfolio. SECTION A. Everyday life and the Internet is entwined, the Internet has transformed modern behavior, and virtually every aspect of living, is both widely known and a source of ongoing study. In plain terms, such unlimited access to information and communication has radically altered concepts of self and community. It gives us up to date information to start our day from finance, work schedules, family. Marshall McLuhan quoted: â€Å"When something becomes commonplace people don’tRead MoreCompare and Contrast the Current Era of Globalization with the First Age of Globalization (1850s-1920s). What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Globalization in Its Current Context?1720 Words   |  7 Pagesand ending of the two different period globalization, the driver of the two globalization, how the first and second world war affected the first and second globalization eras and the influence of technology to the different two globalization. In addition, how the movement of goods, labor or capital changed in the process of globalization. Finally, the advantages and disadvantages that globalization brings to the world is also a significant issue. The earliest globalization appeared in the mid 1800sRead MoreGlobalization Has Changed The Economic Condition Of A Country Or The Lives Of People995 Words   |  4 Pagesconnection between person-to-person, local-to-local and nation-to-nation to preserve and develop trade, technology, education, and etc. There are a couple aspects of globalization to count on, but this essay will be focusing on one specific dimension of globalization. Mostly, this essay will examine economic aspect of globalization as well as it will conduct a research: how globalization has changed the economic condition of a country or the lives of people. Moreover, this article will discuss free

Evaluation Of An Initial Assessment - 952 Words

Initial Assessment The initial assessment was conducted in an EP’s office where Mrs. G. Patterson felt safe and comfortable, ensuring her current anxiety was acknowledged to develop trust. Effective communication and engagement was the priority, utilising patient-centred interviewing skills to build rapport, show empathy and ensure Mrs. G. Patterson was an active participant through the assessment phases. Person centred engagement was paramount ensuring possible barriers are identified and reduced, enabling the building level of trust and rapport using transparency, repetition, resources and patience (Stanton et al. 2015). Subjective Assessment Mrs. G. Patterson’s undertook an initial assessment screen tool, a series of directing†¦show more content†¦Information gained from the referral, General client-specific information, General information required to participate in a physical activity program. Comprehensive medical assessment: including previous injuries, surgeries, medications and medical interventions not associated with diagnosis. Objective Assessment Information gathered during the objective assessment are based on the observations of Mrs. Glenys Patterson and all assessments selected from the subjective interview, general observations and justified using clinical reasoning. Assessment tools utilised: Body Composition: †¢ Weight, Height, BMI, Waist, BF% (BIA) o Client goal is weight loss, therefore require a baseline measure against which progress can be assessed. o Client is sedentary, has put on weight, and being severely obese has high risk factors for the development of several chronic diseases and secondary health conditions. Gait, Balance and Functional Mobility: †¢ Timed Up and Go, assesses client’s functional ability and can also provide information regarding gait pattern. †¢ Balance Assessment, double leg stance and progress to single leg stance. †¢ Mobility Assessment (Community Balance and Mobility Scale). †¢ Independence inShow MoreRelatedEvaluation Of An Initial Self Assessment1545 Words   |  7 PagesThe purpose of this paper is to complete an initial self-assessment to determine both educational and academic background. I will also recognize strengths and potential weakness recognized in components of management and leadership roles that I have worked in over the course of my nursing career. Descriptions of the characteristics indicated from the Jung typology test by Humanmetrics, Inc. will be included in the analysis. Education My academic nursing education includes receiving my registeredRead MoreArchitecture Assessment Method And Assessment Methodology Path1399 Words   |  6 Pagesfunctions the system must have. From those initial required inputs the architecture generation process can begin. The initial architecture representation and a tree of attributes will be generated by the architect in conjunction with the stakeholder’s consensus. The final architecture is the end result of the architecture assessment model method and the Key Performance Attribute (KPA’s) system performance evaluation. The architecture assessment method and assessment methodology path is represented in FigureRead MoreEvaluation Of A Formal Referral1691 Words   |  7 Pagesdetermine if an evaluation is warranted and the scope of that evaluation. Typically learning, psychological, and social assessments are ordered. Additional evaluations that may be ordered include speech, occupational therapy, physical therapy, psychiatric, and/or neurological assessments. If the parent attends the initial determination meeting and evaluations are warranted, the parent can sign consent at that time or refuse. The school district has 90 calendar days to complete the evaluations, and if eligibleRead MoreThe Evidence Presented In The UnitS Ir, Addendum, Observations1063 Words   |  5 Pagesacross the university to broadening their involvement on unit committees and in the unit decision-making process. Some of the newly formed committees are: the Unit Wide Steering Committee, Unit Wide Assessment Committee, Unit Wide Advisory Committee, Field Experience Advisory Committee (FEAC), Unit Assessment Committee (UAC), Secondary Education Committee, and Teacher Education Council (TEC). The unit has also clarified their involvement with their school partners through formal agreements. Unit partnershipRead More1 Strategic Planning, Learning Theory, and Training Needs Analysis1314 Words   |  6 Pagescrafted to mee t this need. Only after the design is complete are the instructional materials developed. During development, individual and group tryouts of the materials are conducted. Results are iteratively fed back into design and development. Evaluation is a central feature of ISD and is performed in each phase. The phases are: Phase 1: Analysis –Determine if training is the appropriate solution; if so, define training requirements Phase 2: Design – Define objectives, design the training programRead MoreThe Ethics Of Ficer1177 Words   |  5 PagesEthics in Enlisted Evaluations The definition of ethics, reads as a complex of moral precepts held, or rules of conduct followed by an individual (dictionary.com, 2014). Non-commissioned officers and officers in the Army, find themselves facing ethical dilemmas on a daily basis. Some dilemmas are minute in nature, while other dilemmas force Non-commissioned officers and officers into making questionable decisions. The Non-Commissioned Officer Evaluation Report, or NCOER, is one of the most prevalentRead MorePtlls - Assessment Methods1080 Words   |  5 PagesSam Groombridge Question: Explain the main types of assessments and explain how you conduct or could conduct an initial assessment of learners Assessment is one of the main resources of learning. It is key to understanding and developing for both teacher and learners. Here are the different methods of assessments and how I would use them in my organisation. Initial Assessment: this method comes into play the minute the group of learners are introduced to a new teacher. It is a crucial part ofRead MoreEvaluation Of A Student Program1330 Words   |  6 PagesIEP or has an IEP. The IEP team discusses the student’s progress and the effectiveness of the RTI. . If a student needs an IEP, then there are steps to take before creating an IEP. First, student is referred for evaluation. This occurs through reaching top of RTI, or parent requests evaluation. Second, student is evaluated to identify disability. Third, the IEP team meets to determine eligibility. Fourth, the IEP is developed. Fifth, both the IEP team and special education teacher inform the parentRead MoreTeacher Assessment And Assessment913 Words   |  4 Pagescapacity of educators and their ability to use computer software to run analyses but also to competences such as formulating research questions, isolation of relevant data outputs, interpreting results and effective ly developing and using classroom assessments (Marsh and Ikemoto, 2006). Instructional leaders ought to know how to use data and evidence to inform decisions associated with learning, more so when those decisions become standard practice (Martin et al 2016). In the light of seemly widespreadRead MoreLink Between Autism And Noonan Syndrome1135 Words   |  5 Pagescharacterized as a formal assessment. They were as follows: The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children- Revised, Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, and Test of Problem Solving skills. For speech and language evaluation specifically, the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals-Revised was given. (Ghaziuddin, Bolyard, Alessi, 1994) Wilson and Dyson (1982) targeted speech and language characteristics of children with Noonan Syndrome. They used the following assessments to evaluate the speech and

My Dream, My Future Free Essays

My Dream, My Future Do you pay attention in how fast time goes by? Before we realize, time has passed by and all the dreams we had for our future have not yet come true. The reason is because our dreams are just dreams and haven’t yet become goals. Life is no Nintendo game. We will write a custom essay sample on My Dream, My Future or any similar topic only for you Order Now You live only once. Therefore, we must fulfill those precious one called Dream during the rest of our short Life. As for me, I have my own dreams too. If you ask me this in my childhood, I would say: â€Å"I want to be a teacher†¦ I want to be an actor†¦ and so on†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . But if you ask me now, I will tell you I have three major dreams. First, I want to graduate this school with the Best grades ever! So, my parents can be proud of me. Second, I want my life to be colorful and beatific. Enjoying life doesn’t waste money, we should use many to do some significative things. For instance, we can contribute our money to help the poor and homeless children, we can travel to somewhere to see the nature scene, we can buy book or collect your interested things to enrich our life, we also can have time to play with your family. Third, I want to travel all around the world. I have always been curious about other cultures and the differences between people in other countries. It would be amazing to travel the whole world. Just realize that you are Riding an Elephant which is the Biggest terricole being, or standing on the Highest spot of magical Pyramids in Egypt, or maybe wandering Deep in the sea and seeing unidentified creatures. Furthermore I would love to bungee jump or swim with sharks, experiencing life to the limits. In the future I may have new dreams, but the first goal I have to achieve is getting my diploma. This is one of the keys to accomplish my other goals and dreams. After becoming a professional, I want to start a family, one lovely wife and maybe three children’s and have one beautiful cozy home to raise my kids and grow old with the people I love the most. I hope to achieve†¦ Written by: B. Davaasuren How to cite My Dream, My Future, Essay examples

Childcare Level 2 Unit 1 D5 and B1Assignment free essay sample

D5-explain how to prepare to work in a placement with children. Before starting placement it is important to prepare for it because it will help you get the most out the placement â€Å"before starting placement it is important that you prepare yourself in every aspect. †(Class hand out). you can prepare for it by finding out about the placement, what to wear, time of arrival, and name of supervisor. You can ask your placement provider or from the setting’s website; in the placement you should know what you hoping to achieve by undertaking placement. It is very good to find out about the setting you will work in because then you will have a clear idea of what to expect; you need to have knowledge about children and have a professional way of working with children and others and also it will be good if you set some goals before starting placement which may help you stay focused and you will also be able to make the most of opportunities that may arise while you are in the placement. We will write a custom essay sample on Childcare Level 2 Unit 1 D5 and B1Assignment or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page B1-explain why the first impressions that you make in the setting are important. It is very important to give first impression in a appropriate way; because most of the people try to guess the personality right from the first impression and they act according for e. g. Some people may give first impression very bad like dressing up, way of talking â€Å"remember that your perceived personality is also judged by your physical attributes and how you present yourself to the people. †(www. exforsys. com accessed on 28th Nov 09) but with the passage of time you may come to know that they have an opposite personality and they gradually change. Same way there are some people who give first good impression and you may like them in the early stages but later on they may change and have a opposite personality for. e. g. narrow minded,impernent,negative thinking, pessimistic. Despite of all that it is very important to give first impression in a good way and act accordingly throughout the time because it is very hard to change the first impression and you have to make the people think positive in optimistic way; because the first impression invites others to come closer to you and to know more about you. So before starting placement it is very important for you to give first good impression in order to create a good relationship with the staff; you can do this by preparing yourself in every way so you don’t give bad impression and you can do this by finding out about the setting so for that I choose these two explanations. What to wear *black sensible shoes *straight black trousers by finding out the dress code you will be able to show that how interested you are and also that you are aware of safety. Who is your supervisor? *what their job is *how to address them *how they teach the children *the dress code *name of the supervisor *what duties you’ll be expected to do. This show how reliable you are and will help people to talk openly with you and to trust you. That is why first impression is very important because people decide and make opinion about you in the first impression. So it is very important to give a nice first impression to win their hearts.

Use tables or graphs to illustrate the price stability performance of Japan Essay Example

Use tables or graphs to illustrate the price stability performance of Japan Essay Japans economic slump, which began with a stock market crash in 1989, now lies in its fourth recession in ten years. The Asian banking and financial crisis has had a profound effect on this, the second largest economy in the world. Japanese under performing banks are carrying Yen150 trillion ($1.3 trillion) of bad loans. State-run corporations are dragging productivity down, unemployment is rising and Japanese consumer confidence remains low. Macroeconomic policy is proving highly unstable as Japans illness that of deflation remains predominant. Price stability is defined as the sustained absence of both inflation and deflation. (Mc Aleese: p.294, 2001). Further economic agents can make decisions regarding economic activity without being concerned about the fluctuation of the general price level. Along with effective fiscal policy, the control of government spending, low unemployment levels, controlled interest rates and hence inflation rates, macroeconomic policy is maintained. The most serious aspect of Japans economic sickness is deflation. Japans paralysis, where ineffective control measures have had many negative results, will now be discussed. Price Stability: We will write a custom essay sample on Use tables or graphs to illustrate the price stability performance of Japan specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Use tables or graphs to illustrate the price stability performance of Japan specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Use tables or graphs to illustrate the price stability performance of Japan specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Price stability, or rather instability in Japans case, is characterised by the prolonged presence of deflation. The stock market is hovering around a 19 year low. The Nikkei 225, the most commonly used Share Price Index, had stood at 14 times the Dow through the 1980s. However in February 2002 it dropped below the Dow Jones Industrial for the first time since 1957. Japans persistent decline in the general price level is again indicated by the Consumer Price Index. Prices have shown a 1% fall per annum. These falling price levels have increased real debt burdens. National debt stands at over 130% of GDP (www.economist.com). Also Japans banks are chronically weak and burdened by duff loans of Yen37 trillion, about 7% of GDP. So Japanese banks have been left carrying excess bad loans, forcing them to cut lending. Together with depressed consumer spending it has proved impossible for the Bank of Japan to deliver the negative real interest rates that the economy needs to revive demand. Interest rates in Japan stand at virtually 0%. However most companies are not investing but paying down their debts (mentioned above). This adverse impact on investment is also due to the fact that real long-term interest rates in Japan have reached high percentages. The fact that interest rates stand at zero has kept inefficient firms afloat and delayed restructuring. This has contradicted Japans bust advantage. Structural adjustment and creative destruction can prove positive outcomes of negative fluctuations. However, rigid labour and product markets, along with the Japanese keiretsu relationship have hindered the weeding out of inefficient firms. Simultaneously, low interest rates have led to low inflation rates (-0.6% in 2001). This has reflected weak demand and thus the economic slowdown. These supply-side factors, such as the intensification of global competition and deregulation, have put additional downward pressure on prices. This is contributing to the high debt ratio and subsequent price destruction. This bout of recession and deflation has not only had negative impact on CPI, share prices, investment and inflation but also on property prices. Since 1991, commercial property prices have dropped by an average of 84% in Japans six biggest cities (www.economist.com). Housing demand has also collapsed since 1996. Analysis: It remains evident that Japans economy lies in uncertainty, where consistent unstable price performance has given rise to the lost decade. Its current situation comprises of internal factors (e.g. buyer uncertainty) and external factors (e.g. the U.S. current bubble burst). These counter-cyclical variables have had the following negative effect the decrease in economic activity in Japan has led to the increased unemployment rate (+5.3%), bankruptcies, non-performance loans etc. Analysing Japans current prolonged crisis, it becomes evident that it displays attributes of Keynesian economics. The existing shifts in aggregate demand, the low rate of investment and price rigidities, all clearly display this. Price stability is an indispensable prerequisite to ensure sustainable development of the economy (Masaru Hayami, Governor Bank of Japan). 77 year-old Mr. Hayami however has failed so far to deliver such a position. This political paralysis, where political resistance to reform is demonstrated, is hindering Japans recovery. Again, the current Japanese Prime Minister, Junichiro Koizumi (elected April 2001), who unveiled a series of economic reforms has met with little success against this rigid political system, resistant to reform. Furthermore his termination of Makiko Tanaka (his Foreign Minister) in January 2002, along with his lack of co-operation with Economics Minister, Heizo Takenaka, has left Japan still in search of a cure. Is there Evidence of Inflation or Deflation in Japan at the moment? What problems might be associated with very low inflation or deflation? Deflation is defined as the persistent decline in the general price level of goods and services1. The most common measure of inflation statistics is the Consumer Price Index (CPI). In Japan, this has fallen at a rate of about 1% since 1999. If the GDP Deflator is used this deflationary trend can be traced back to 1995. The difference between potential and actual GDP is called the output gap. This is another indicator of price stability (or instability). Price stability is defined as the sustained absence of deflation (falling prices) and inflation (rising prices). It is fundamental to the second pillar of the new consensus, macroeconomic stability. Therefore policy makers welcome disinflation and low inflation. Owing to the bias2 in constructing CPI indices, an inflation rate of 0-2% has become acceptable. There are certain costs of changing prices regardless of whether these are due to high inflation or deflation. There is a loss in efficiency as menu costs and shoe leather costs are incurred. Additionally, the necessary fiscal and monetary policies required to attain stability are costly. More specifically, why is deflation problematic? Initially, falling prices seem like a good thing and people feel as if they have more money in their pockets to spend. Even those on a fixed income, (state pensions, social welfare) benefit from an increase in real income. In spite of all this, the far-reaching contagion effects of deflation mean it is a phenomenon to be avoided. Rather than spending more on the goods, which they can now afford, a continuous fall in prices means that consumer and investor spending actually slows down. Consumers and businesses are reluctant to buy goods, which they expect to drop in value in the near future. Such speculation curbs investment and saving increases. In an effort to encourage borrowing for investment, nominal interest rates fall and approach zero. Since the nominal interest rate is the opportunity cost of holding money, savings further increase. This fall in investment demand and activity retards economic growth. Furthermore, since the nominal interest rate cannot fall below zero, the real interest rate will always be positive. In times of deflation, the burden of debt therefore increases. It would seem that lenders gain and borrowers lose. The problem for lenders occurs when debt rises too high and borrowers cannot afford repayments. Banks who earn profits through loan repayments cannot attract big borrowers. T his type of debt deflation is the main problem in the Japanese economy today but is also reminiscent of the Great Depression in the 1930s. In times of low economic growth, it is typical to lower the currency value thereby making exports more attractive to foreign investors. However, the low nominal interest rates induced by deflation have caused foreign demand for the Yen to rise. The Yen remains strong and exports remain relatively expensive. On the whole, wages are accepted to be ratchet. This means that even if prices are falling, the nominal wage rate will not fall. Higher debt repayments and squeezed profits mean that the pressure on companies to cut costs is twofold. This leads to a Darwinian shake-out as companies see job cuts as the only option to save on costs. Deflation is clearly at the root of Japans failing economy. Policy makers must now look to the formulation and implementation of an effective plan to fight deflation if there is any hope of a recovery.

Should You Prep for the PSAT 3 Reasons Why

Should You Prep for the PSAT 3 Reasons Why SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Even if prepping for the SAT or ACT isn't the most enjoyable of activities, it's easy to see why it's important to do well on these tests. Depending on your point of view, SAT and ACT scores are either tools that colleges use to help figure out if you're a good match for them and if you'll succeed at their schools...or are admissions gatekeepers that you have to conquer if you want to attend most American colleges*. By contrast, PSAT scores are never seen by colleges. Even if you get a perfect score on the PSAT, it's really only useful for helping you qualify for a National Merit Scholarship- something that only US citizens and permanent residents are eligible for. So why prep for the PSAT, and what do you need to know about PSAT prep if you're interested in trying it out? Keep reading to find out more about the pros and cons of focused PSAT prep (rather than joint PSAT/SAT prep) and what our PSAT prep recommendations are. *exceptions include test-optional schools and Hampshire. Why Take the PSAT? While the SAT (or ACT) is far, far more helpful to college applications than the PSAT, there still are good reasons to take the PSAT. We'll start with the most important reason: if taking the PSAT is required by your high school. If The PSAT Is Mandatory in Your School In some high schools (particularly public high schools), the PSAT is mandatory for all students. Sometimes, this just means that you'll have to take the PSAT NMSQT the fall of your junior year. Depending on your school, however, you may also have to take the PSAT NMSQT or PSAT 10 sophomore year, and indeed some students start taking PSAT-like-exams (PSATLE?) as early as 8th grade with the PSAT 8/9. Dealing with all these extra standardized tests is kind of a pain as a student, but from the high school's point of view, the PSAT is a good way to see if students are on track for college applications. No matter what point of view you look at it from, though, if it's mandatory to take the PSAT at your school, then you'll have to take the PSAT. What if, though, you don't fall into this category? Perhaps you could take the PSAT but you'd have to go to a different school to take it, or your school offers the PSAT but doesn't require students take it- should you take it anyway? In these cases, the PSAT is still worth taking for the following two reasons. Taking the PSAT Is Mandatory to Qualify for National Merit You may know that another name for the PSAT students take in the fall of 11th (and sometimes 10th) grade is the PSAT NMSQT (or National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test). That's because the only way to qualify for a National Merit Scholarship is through taking the PSAT NMSQT as a high school junior. National Merit Scholarships are merit-based (rather than need-based) awards given to students who have (through testing and other factors) qualified as National Merit Finalists. The competition for National Merit is open to high school students who: are enrolled and progressing normally towards graduation (basically, you plan to graduate high school in four years, not more or less) plan to enroll full time in college the fall after high school (no gap years!) are US citizens or US lawful permanent residents planning to become citizens We'll discuss the different kinds of scholarships you can win by becoming a National Merit Finalist (and what steps beyond the PSAT you need to take to become one), but for now, just know that if you want to win a National Merit Scholarship, you must take the PSAT NMSQT in your junior year and do extremely well. The PSAT Is Great Practice for the SAT Taking the PSAT can be a great low-stakes way to see what taking a college entrance exam will be like. You can treat it as an extra chance to get used to standardized testing without having to worry about the scores affecting your college acceptance. Learning how you react to extended periods of focus on a test, how stressed you feel doing a math test without a calculator, what the time pressure is like- you can gather tons of different data points for future SAT/ACT prep by taking the PSAT. There are fewer and fewer schools these days, even among top-tier colleges and universities, that require all SAT scores sent (notable exceptions include Yale, Georgetown, UC Berkeley and Carnegie Mellon), so if you have the time and money, you can take the real SAT just to see what it's like and not worry about your scores. However, in most public high schools, taking the PSAT is free- or at least significantly cheaper than the SAT- and its administration is built into the school day (no need to waste half a Saturday). Bottom line: the PSAT is a fine way to dip your toe into the waters of college entrance tests at low cost but under realistic conditions. Dip your toe into the water of college entrance exams with the PSAT and the sands of standardized test experience will follow. PSAT Prep vs. SAT Prep: What's the Difference? While there's a lot that remains the same between the PSAT and the SAT (including the subject areas covered and test structure), there are a few major differences between the tests that lead to differences in PSAT prep compared to SAT prep. The most important difference between the two tests is that PSAT scores are not looked at by colleges, whereas SAT scores are very much an important factor in college admissions. It's possible to argue that colleges might consider your being a National Merit Semi-Finalist when looking at your application, which indirectly relates to your PSAT score, but the SAT vastly outweighs the PSAT in importance when it comes to college admission. Because of this, PSAT prep is lower stakes than SAT prep. Another key difference between the PSAT and SAT is that the PSAT has no essay section. While the SAT essay section is optional, and more and more schools are making it optional to send SAT essay scores, there are still a number of schools (mostly highly selective colleges) that do require you to take the SAT with the essay. Therefore, students prepping for the SAT and aiming for a high score to get into top-tier schools will need to spend some of that prep time learning how to write a high-scoring SAT essay. By contrast, students studying for the PSAT don't need to bother with essay prep. Overall, the PSAT is also a little easier than the SAT, both in terms of timing and content covered. With the exception of the Writing and Language section (which has the same number of questions and is the same length on the PSAT as on the SAT), there are fewer questions per section on the PSAT than the SAT. While you have the same time per question on PSAT Reading as on SAT Reading, there are fewer questions on each passage; and both PSAT Math sections give you more time per question while asking fewer questions than the SAT Math sections do. The cumulative result of these timing differences is that you need slightly less endurance to take the PSAT than the SAT- you only have to concentrate for an hour and 45 minutes instead of two full hours. Combined with having more time to answer each Math question, these timing differences between the PSAT and SAT mean that when prepping for the PSAT, you don't have to get as good at time management as you do for the SAT. Finally, there are subtle differences between the content covered on the PSAT and SAT. As we mention in this article comparing the PSAT and SAT, there may be slightly fewer big picture and inference questions and more detail-finding questions on the PSAT than on the SAT. In addition, the PSAT Math sections contain proportionally fewer questions that require geometric and trigonometric knowledge than do the SAT Math sections. Instead, PSAT Math includes more questions (compared to SAT Math questions) on the Passport to Advanced Math topic areas, like functions and linear and nonlinear systems of equations. Your PSAT prep will reflect this difference- instead of having to cover the SAT's harder topics (that you may not have yet learned in school as an 11th grader), you can spend more time perfecting a smaller number of skills. Now that we've discussed why you should take the PSAT at all and the differences between prepping for the PSAT and the SAT, we'll move on to the debate of whether or not to prep for the PSAT. Why Do PSAT Prep? With the College Board offering free SAT prep through Khan Academy and ACT, Inc. offering paid ACT prep, it's become pretty clear that even the testing companies themselves admit that prepping for the SAT and ACT will help you get a higher score. Because the PSAT is just a slightly easier, slightly shorter version of the SAT, it makes sense that you can prep for the PSAT and increase your score the same way you can with the SAT. Since PSAT scores aren't used in college applications, however, it can be harder to figure out whether or not it makes sense for you to prep for the PSAT. To help you decide, we've laid out the arguments for the three most compelling reasons to spend time prepping for the PSAT: qualifying for National Merit, focusing on one thing at a time, and getting ready for SAT prep. Reason 1: Qualifying for the National Merit Scholarship The number one reason students take the PSAT is to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship. We have a more detailed breakdown of how the National Merit Scholarship process works in this article, but basically what happens is that you take the PSAT NMSQT in the fall of your junior year to see if you can score well enough to become a National Merit Semifinalist (which is the first step on the road to becoming a National Merit Finalist and getting a National Merit Scholarship). As a National Merit Finalist, you can win a National Merit scholarship, a scholarship from your college, or a corporate scholarship. For more info on how to get each type of scholarships, read this article explaining how you can qualify for and win a National Merit scholarship. Let's now go back to the first step of the process, which happens when you take the PSAT NMSQT in the fall (usually October or early November) of your junior year. Your PSAT score qualifies you for National Merit depending on whether your score passes the cutoff for your state. The cutoff isn't announced officially by the College Board, but it can be inferred from students receiving notification that they have or haven't become a national merit semifinalist. You can find out what your state's National Merit cutoff score was last year here. By taking an official PSAT practice test or by comparing your sophomore year score on the PSAT to the cutoff score for your state, you can get a good idea of how much prep you'll need to score high enough to pass your state's cutoff score and become a National Merit Semi-Finalist. 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: Reason 2: Focusing on One Test at a Time Because PSAT prep and SAT prep are so similar, many students who are aiming for National Merit either go straight to studying for the SAT as prep for the PSAT or try to study for both tests at once. Whether or not this is effective really depends on the individual student. Some students thrive by multitasking. Whether it's doing homework while listening to music and eating dinner or preparing to take multiple SAT subject tests on one day, these students get good results when they maximize their time by doing multiple things at once. For other students, however, having to prep for multiple things at once (particularly if they're academic or test-related things like the PSAT and SAT) is so stressful that it leads to poorer performance on everything. As an example: during college, I had multiple assignments I had to hand in at the end of each finals period. Rather than work a little on each assignment each day, I found it more effective for me to focus on one project at a time and get it out of the way before going on to the next. Similarly, depending on what kind of student you are, you may find that it's more helpful to start out by focusing just on the PSAT, getting that over and done with, and then moving on to study for the SAT. This "one thing at a time" strategy works well for students who have some time during sophomore year or the summer before junior year to set aside specifically for PSAT study. CAUTION: If you're just starting to study the fall of your junior year and your prep time is limited, you're better off going straight to SAT prep. If you have to choose between PSAT prep and SAT prep, the clear choice is SAT prep. It's only if you have the time to do both that you should consider prepping for the PSAT and SAT separately. If you're feeling overwhelmed by everything you have to do for college applications, it can be helpful to prep for one test at a time. Reason 3: Getting in Gear for SAT Prep One other benefit to prepping for the PSAT is that it put you in a good place for SAT prep. As we discuss in detail in this article comparing the PSAT and SAT, there are very few content differences between the PSAT and SAT (the main difference being in the math concepts covered and the increased length of the SAT). By prepping for the PSAT, you'll be more than 75% of the way there for the SAT. You won't be able to get away without doing any SAT-specific prep (particularly for those math topics that aren't on the PSAT), but the amount of work that you'll have to do is way less than those starting on SAT prep from scratch. If the "doing more prep now means less hard prep later" argument isn't convincing, think about it in non-test prep terms. Imagine that you want to learn how to play the piano by the end of junior year of high school. You have the option of learning how to play an electric keyboard first or just starting straight on the piano. Also, for some reason there's an electric keyboard competition the fall of your junior year that could lead to you winning money; it's only open to people playing the electric keyboard, though (not people playing the piano). Because the electric keyboard and piano are so similar, if you do start out by just teaching yourself to play the electric keyboard (what the notes are, how to read music, how to do different things with your right and left hands at once, etc), you'll be most of the way there to learning the piano; all you'll have to get used to is the bigger range and using the pedals. Or in test-prep terms, if you prep for the PSAT, you'll just need to learn any pre-calc math you hadn't learned when you took the PSAT and work on time management and endurance in order to prepare for the SAT. What if you're already studying for the SAT, or don't have the time to first study for the PSAT and then for the SAT? Going back to the analogy, if you already know how to play the piano, then you don't need to do intensive prep to teach yourself how to play the electric keyboard- you just need to do a practice test to make sure you get used to playing on a simpler instrument. Or in the case of the PSAT/SAT, if you've already studied for the SAT, you just need to take a PSAT practice test to make sure you're all set for that. Basically, if you prep for the PSAT, it'll help you prep for the SAT; if you're already prepping for the SAT, that will also prep you for the PSAT. While we've gone over some of the reasons students might want to prep for the PSAT, there are also cases in which PSAT prep is unnecessary and pointless. We'll get into these cases in the next section. When PSAT Prep is Unnecessary As we mentioned above, the main reason to take the PSAT (other than your school forcing you to take it) is to qualify to apply for a National Merit Scholarship. If you're not interested in qualifying (or are ineligible) for that National Merit Scholarship, then there is no point in doing pure PSAT prep. That doesn't mean you can't prep at all- you just should jump right into prepping for the SAT (or ACT) You can still treat the PSAT as a chance to take an official standardized test and get used to what sitting and concentrating for that long at once feels like, but there's no need to prep for the PSAT in particular. Another important point that we touched on earlier is that prepping for the SAT will help you with the PSAT. If you start to prep for the SAT before your junior year (when you'd take the PSAT NMSQT), any SAT prep you do will also prepare you for the PSAT. Of course, if you're not prepping for the SAT effectively, then you won't prep for the PSAT any more effectively. But, assuming you're putting in time and effort in the right way, if you're already prepping for the SAT, there's no need to do additional PSAT prep. Summary: Is PSAT Prep Right for You? Whether or not it makes sense for you to prep for the PSAT specifically (instead of just prepping for the SAT) depends on a few different factors. We've put these factors into a checklist you can go through below to see if prepping for the PSAT is the right call for you. Should You Study for the PSAT? YES, if... NO, if... You're hoping to qualify for National Merit You don't care about National Merit You work better when focusing on prepping for one test at a time You're already prepping for the SAT anyway You want to get a head start on prepping for the SAT but don't want to prep for the SAT because you haven't learned all the math you need to know for it yet You don't have the time and just want to focus on SAT prep If you checked off all "No" answers, there's no need to do any PSAT-specific prep; instead, you should turn all your prep energies toward studying for the SAT (or ACT). However, if you checked off any of the "Yes" reasons, then it's worth thinking about doing some prep for the PSAT in particular. What's Next? Doing well on the PSAT is just the first step to winning a National Merit Scholarship. Find out how the whole process works with our complete guide to becoming a National Merit Finalist and winning the scholarship. The PSAT NMSQT is only offered once each year in the fall, but what date is it this year? We tell you when the PSAT is and when you'll get your scores in this article. Curious what the PSAT looks like? Want to try your hand at a practice test? We have a complete list of all the free official practice tests the College Board has released here. Want to improve your PSAT score by 150 points? We have the industry's leading PSAT 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 that you get the most effective prep possible. Check out our 5-day free trial today: