Frequent Tests as the Ways to Overcome Procrastination and Anxiety

Frequent Tests as the Ways to Overcome Procrastination and Anxiety Why do students often feel frustration after their final tests? Why are they dissatisfied by their achievements and results? The problem can depend not only on the level of the students’ knowledge but also on the degree of the tension and anxiety which are associated with the preparation and review of the material during the last days before the final examination.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Frequent Tests as the Ways to Overcome Procrastination and Anxiety specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In spite of the fact students can orient in the material well, the stressful situation can influence their test results. If there are no weekly or monthly tests during the whole course, students do not have the opportunity to improve their study skills, and the final examination can become the real challenge for them. In his essay â€Å"More Testing, More Learning†, Patrick O’Malley discusses all these cont roversial questions and provides the solution to the problem which is based on implementing more frequent tests during the course in order to control the students’ progress in studying, stimulate their motivation, and improve their study skills. The additional examinations, frequents tests, and quizzes during the course can be discussed as the effective organizational means to improve the students’ performance and the level of knowledge with accentuating the regular work and reducing the possible procrastination and anxiety connected with the final tests. The examinations which influence the final mark of the students for their performance during the definite courses are the main reasons of the students’ worrying at the end of the academic terms. Moreover, the stressful situation of the examination and the inadequate tension during the preparation period often influence the students’ achievements negatively. In addition to that, many students prefer to pr ocrastinate and not to study regularly and efficiently during the course. O’Malley states that â€Å"if professors gave additional brief exams at frequent intervals, students would learn more, study more regularly, worry less, and perform better on midterms, finals, and other papers and projects† (O’Malley 488). In spite of the fact I am not inclined to procrastinate, it is rather difficult for me to recollect all the necessary information during the last days before the examination because of the stressful situation, and the courses with many additional tests are more useful for me.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Thus, brief examinations, additional tests, and quizzes provided by professors weekly or monthly can be considered as the good stimulating factors for the students’ effective performance and activity. These short examinations can be use d for developing students’ study habits and skills and for organizing the students’ academic activity. The necessity of the regular tests during the course depends on the basic principles of studying as the regular and continuous process. Thus, to achieve the best results in study, it is necessary not only to develop the learning skills and examine a lot of information but also to control the progress in learning regularly with the help of the definite tests and short examinations. From this point, final tests are not effective in organizing and controlling the students’ performance during whole course. O’Malley indicates the fact that final examinations and tests â€Å"don’t encourage frequent study, and they fail to inspire students’ best performance† (O’Malley 488). I agree with the point because the necessity of writing tests during the course helps me organize learning the material regularly because I can set definite smal l goals and achieve them while completing the tests effectively. To contribute to the students’ good performance, it is important to develop the system of lectures and discussions as well as tests for controlling the students’ short-term achievements in studying and understanding the material. Students study certain subjects and follow definite courses in order to develop their vision of this or that field, to expand their knowledge, and to improve their skills. However, to be successful in learning the definite material, students should also know how to learn it efficiently. In this case, it is important to work out the system in relation to which students could develop their learning skills. The control of the material’s understanding is the necessary part of this system. According to O’Malley, â€Å"frequent exams are key to developing good habits of study and learning† (O’Malley 489). Analyzing my academic performance, I can state that m otivation is the significant factor for me, and it helps concentrate on the task. Students are able to present the best results in their academic performance when they are highly motivated. The absence of the regular control can contribute to the development of the procrastination habits and to reducing the degree of the students’ involvement in the process of studying. Moreover, the risk of the anxiety during the preparation for the examination is directly connected with the students’ habits to cope with the regular tests during the course.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Frequent Tests as the Ways to Overcome Procrastination and Anxiety specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Students’ high academic performance and the good results in the final tests and examinations depend on many factors. Patrick O’Malley presents the arguments that the tradition of using significant examinations after the w hole course without concentrating on the short examinations, brief tests and quizzes during the course can be discussed as ineffective and reducing the students’ learning habits and skills. In spite of the fact many professors can consider such practice as time-consuming, it is one of the most effective methods to control the students’ achievements and their studying process in order to avoid procrastination and anxiety. The students’ learning process is effective not when they prepare only for the final examination at the end of the course because of the absence of certain tests, but when they have to organize the material, use their knowledge, and write tests regularly. That is why frequent tests are more useful for stimulating the students’ motivation and good results. Work Cited O’Malley, Patrick. â€Å"More Testing, More Learning†. Reading Critically, Writing Well: A Reader and Guide. Ed. Rise B. Axelrod, Charles R. Cooper, and Alison M . Warriner. New York: Bedford/St. Martins, 2008. 488-492. Print.

20 Synonyms for Expert

20 Synonyms for Expert 20 Synonyms for â€Å"Expert† 20 Synonyms for â€Å"Expert† By Mark Nichol Just as the many synonyms for beginner should be picked over with care to capture the correct connotation, the numerous alternatives available for referring to an expert have sometimes unique or specific senses appropriate for some contexts and unsuitable for others. Here’s a usage guide to such words: 1. Ace (ultimately derived from the Latin word as, â€Å"one,† â€Å"unit†): Originally, a combat pilot with at least five (later, ten) confirmed kills, or enemy planes shot down, and by extension a highly skilled person. The slang designation stems from the most valuable card in a deck and far predates powered flight; it was used to denote excellence, and eventually â€Å"top of the deck† athletes were so designated. The term is still employed in sports, as in gaining a point on a serve in tennis or hitting a hole in one in golf, as well as in the scholastic sense of performing well in a course or on a test. 2. Adept (from the Latin word adeptus, â€Å"having reached, attained†): Usually has the connotation of a mystical or secret pursuit or body of knowledge; this sense stems from the use of the term in Middle English to refer to an alchemist, and the term is widely used in heroic-fantasy literature featuring wizards and sorcerers and in writing about mysticism, though it is appropriate for general usage. 3-4. Artist (ultimately from the Latin word ars): Originally referred solely to a practitioner of art, but now often applied to someone who demonstrates skill with an artistic flourish in any pursuit. The French form, artiste, is used only facetiously or by or in reference to the pretentious. 5. Authority (from the Latin word auctoritatem, â€Å"advice, opinion†): Connotes the go-to source for, well, authoritative information or advice, or the governing agency or institution for a body of knowledge. As you may have guessed, the Latin term from which this word derives is also the source of author. 6-7. Connoisseur (from the Latin word cognoscere, â€Å"to know†): Usually employed in gustatory or artistic contexts, identifying someone with a refined taste in wine, for example, or a specific school of painting. The term, which comes to English from French, has an Italian cognate, cognoscente, which, when borrowed into English, has the same sense or that of â€Å"one in the know.† (The plural is cognoscenti.) 8-9. Doyen (from the Middle French word meaning â€Å"leader of ten,† stemming from the Latin term decanus, and ultimately from the Greek term dekanos, both with the same meaning): Carries a connotation similar to that of connoisseur or maven, of a person with knowledge about or skill in a rarified topic or area. Dean, sometimes used to denote an expert in or master of a specific field as well as in its academic sense, derives from doyen. 10. Guru (from the Hindi word for â€Å"teacher† or â€Å"priest,† from the Sanskrit term guru-s): Originally denoted a spiritual mentor, but the meaning was later extended to a secular sense and then generally to an expert. 11. Hotshot: Originally referred to a headstrong person or a headlong object; it now is usually employed in the sarcastically derogatory sense of someone who considers themselves more knowledgeable or capable than they are. 12. Initiate (from the Latin word initium, â€Å"beginning†): Originally, this word identified one who had undergone or was about to undergo an initiation ceremony, but now it is also a designation for one privy to certain knowledge or skills. 13-14. Maestro (from the Italian word for â€Å"master,† ultimately from the Latin term magister): A term for a gifted composer, later extended to orchestra conductors and now sometimes used facetiously to refer to those with pretensions of genius. The English form master denotes both an academic leader (hence â€Å"master of arts† and so on) and one who is eminent in any given field of endeavor. 15. Maven (from the Yiddish word, meyvn, â€Å"one who understands,† ultimately from the Hebrew term mebhin): Generally used in the sense of someone with expertise in a sophisticated area of study or skill. 16. Pundit (from the Hindi payndita, â€Å"learned man,† ultimately from Sanskrit payndita-s): Usually employed to refer to commentators, analysts, or consultants, often with a negative sense because of the widespread realization that one can find â€Å"experts† who will support or attack any position one favors or opposes. 17. Scholar (from the Latin word schola, â€Å"school,† ultimately from the Greek term skhole): Originally, referred to a student, but now, except in formal or jocular contexts, denotes an academician. 18. Virtuoso (from the noun form of the Italian word meaning â€Å"skilled, learned,† from the Latin term virtuosus, â€Å"virtuous†): Originally applied to highly talented musicians, but now appropriated in many other contexts to refer to manual or mental dexterity. 19-20. Wizard (from Middle English wys, â€Å"wise,† and -ard, â€Å"one who [is]†): The supposedly traditional connotation, that of a person with magical powers, supplanted the original meaning of â€Å"wise man,† and the modern sense, outside of fantasy-literature and computer-gaming circles, is of someone astonishingly good at a certain endeavor. Whiz is either a short form of wizard or a variant of the onomatopoeic whizz, â€Å"humming, hissing sound or movement.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How Many Tenses in English?45 Synonyms for â€Å"Old† and â€Å"Old-Fashioned†How to Style Legislative Terms

Human resources Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Human resources - Essay Example This intangible factor accounts for such facets of employee motivation as charismatic leadership, collective cultural sensibilities, conditions of the broader economy, etc. Just as motivating employees has its share of challenges, it can be equally as rewarding. This is so, because a motivated workforce transforms the internal dynamics of an organization and produces a synergistic effect on its performance. The sum of a group of motivated employees is greater than its constituent parts. While motivation theory discourse tends to focus on outcomes for the organization, an employee-centric evaluation is also relevant, for employees are what comprise the labor market. Without the constant supply of human resources from the labor market, no industry could survive. (Murphy, 2009) Coming to the question of motivating employees who survive a layoff, the challenges are compounded due to the atmosphere of employee insecurity. Top management’s leadership skills will be thoroughly tested while handling this particular scenario. The threat of job loss would have shaken the workforce’s commitment to the company and its cause. Seeing their colleagues being laid-off would have disillusioned survivors about principles of team ethic and team spirit. One cannot blame lay-off survivors to grow distrustful of the management, for it is always those in lower ranks who lose their jobs first, while most of the top management remains unscathed. Given this environment of distrust and insecurity, it is not uncommon for the relations between management and workers to turn antagonistic. In the case of General Electric, the relations between top management and entry level workers turned fractious during the 2008 Wall Street collapse and its aftermath. In contrast, East Asian automotive companies such as Nissan and Toyota espouse a strong support system for employees during times of economic distress. Situations like this test the skills of managers and separate the great ones from mortals. Those managers who see opportunity in adversity will be the ones who see the ship sail through turbulent waters to calmer shores. (Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975) 2. To what extent is Conaty’s advice consistent with equity and expectancy theory? Coming to the case study in question, the observations made by Bill Conaty, former HR Manager at General Electric, are very pragmatic. Conaty is someone who believes in an equitable and compassionate mode of management. In this spirit, the difficult process of layoffs can be handled by upholding basic principles of fairness. These three steps for managing the equity process are consistent with Conaty’s vision of equity and fairness: â€Å"Recognize that an equity comparison will likely be made by each subordinate whenever especially visible rewards such as pay, promotions, etc are being allocated. Anticipate felt negative inequities. Communicate to each individual your evaluation of the reward, an appraisal of the perfor mance on which it is based and the comparison points you consider to be appropriate.† (Motivation Theories, p.185) The truly great leaders will make surviving employees see opportunity in the apparent adversarial situation. This is factually true as well, for a reduced workforce makes the chances of promotion and career progress easier for the surviving members. Although it sounds

Mental health (nursing) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Mental health (nursing) - Essay Example Unfortunately, not every has been blessed with sanity. That is, there are millions of people living whose defected minds cannot cope up with the fast-paced world of today. When a person is not mentally fit, he is said to have a mental disorder. This is a psychological or behavioral defect that causes a disability that hinders normal human development. A mental disorder causes one to be labeled as ‘abnormal’, causing severe distress to the patient. There are many different categories of mental disorders - anxiety disorders, mood disorders, dissociative disorders, psychotic disorders, personality disorders, development disorders, sleeping disorders and even eating disorders (Radcliffe, 2000). There is no one cause for every disorder; it is usually explained by a biopsychosocial model, which is the interaction of biological, psychological and social causes (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2007). Mental disorders may not be cured entirely, but there is extensive treatment available. Psychotherapy is one of the basic methods along with medication. A psychologist cannot prescribe medication to the mental patient; a psychiatrist suggests medicines based on the diagnosis. Diagnosis is based on the patient’s history taken by the doctor as there is no other way for him to determine how the patient is feeling. There are many subgroups of the types of medicines available for mental patients – anti depressants (for producing happy hormones and lifting up a person’s mood), anxiolytics (for reducing anxiety and calming a person down; also prescribed for insomnia), mood stabilizers (using for bipolar disorders – extreme mood conditions), antipsychotics (for problems such as schizophrenia), and lastly stimulants (for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). These medicines are required for a mental patient to remain sane at times; however, there are adverse affects caused by adherence and excessive intake. Psychotherapy is a method which takes a

Exam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Exam - Essay Example weighted-average cost of capital for a firm with the following sources of funds and corresponding required rates of return: $5 million common stock at 16 percent, $500,000 preferred stock at 10 percent, and $3 million debt at 9 percent. All amounts are listed at market values and the firms tax rate is 35 percent. 3- Firms A and B intend to merge and Firm A has calculated the NPV of the merger to be $2 million after paying $8 million for Firm B. If Firm A had a pre-merger value of $10 million and Firm B had a pre-merger value of $6 million, calculate the value of the merged entity, as well as the cost of the merger. 4- Circular File stock is selling for $25 a share. You see that call options on the stock with exercise price of $20 are selling at $3. What should you do? What will happen to the option price as investors identify this opportunity? Then you observe that put options on Circular File with exercise price $30 are selling for $4. What should you do? In the first case, I will be exercising the call option since it gives me the intrinsic benefit of $2 ($25 - $20 - $3). My total cost of the stock would be $23 however; I will still earn benefit of $2 as compared to market where the stock is selling at $25. When other investors would see this opportunity, there are two possibilities to happen. Firstly, the current share price is likely to reduce to $23 or secondly, the value of call option may increase to $5. In case of put option, I will be exercising the put option as it will allow me to generate the intrinsic benefit of $1 ($30 - $25 - $4). I would be purchasing the stock at a total cost of $29 i.e. $25 current price plus $4 the value of put option. I would then be selling the stock at $30, which would earn me $1

Business strategies Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Business strategies - Assignment Example Kohl’s Corporation is regarded to be a rapidly growing department store chain in the United States which offers apparel, valuable accessories for women, men and children, footwear and home furnishing products to its customers. It has been apparent that the corporation generated an amount of revenue in excess of US$13 billion in the year 2006. It performs its business and operational functions in several states of the US. The objective of the corporation is to achieve leadership position in the business market in the US (The New York Times Company). Thesis Statement This paper intends to identify the external trends in order to deal with the changing lifestyle and shopping experience of the consumers. Moreover, the kinds of external information which is required for the corporation to make effective decisions will be taken into consideration. Finally, the significant opportunities as well as the threats of Kohl which can be drawn from the case will also be addressed in the disc ussion. Discussion Question 1 According to the case, it has been viewed that Kohl adopted significant business strategies due to changing lifestyle, fashion and shopping experience of the customers. ... case, the strategic manager of Kohl has to deal with the changing lifestyle and the shopping experience of the customers with the motive of improving its profitability along with accomplishing superior competitive position over its chief business market competitors. In this context, the strategic managers of the corporation would have to identify the target market in order to deal with the aforementioned aspects. It can be pointed out that the primary target market of the corporation were mostly the women aged in between 25 years to 54 years. The other external trends which are important for the strategic managers of Kohl to consider include the price as well as the quality of the products and convenient location of the stores (Coulter 103-104). To keep track of the changing lifestyle and shopping experience of the customers, the business managers of Kohl may visit the location of its different retail outlets that are situated in different states of the US. This particular activity w ould support the corporation to analyze the business trends and preferences of the consumers. Moreover, it is necessary for the strategic managers of Kohl to conduct marketing research within its business market segment in order to maintain the track of the changes. By conducting the market research, the strategic managers of Kohl would be able to obtain frequent feedback from regular customers about their overall shopping experience. By conducting such research, the corporation would be able to analyze the purchasing behavior along with the shopping experiences of the customers at large (Kohl's Illinois, Inc). Discussion Question 2 There are several types of valuable external information which can assist a strategic business manager of an organisation to make significant business

WAG case analysis Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

WAG analysis - Case Study Example Financial Analysis of the Wag’s Judgments and Method of Calculating Net Income According to Canadian accounting standards for private enterprises (ASPE), WAG’s financial judgments and methods used have resulted to overstatement and understatement of net income in various ways. First, the method of calculating and awarding dividends and salaries has resulted in the understatement of net income. In Wiki Art Gallery (WAG) dividends are shared on 50 per cent basis on monthly basis and this was paid up to $400 until April 2012. The amount of dividend paid out to shareholders determines company’s annual net income because they determine the difference between assets and liabilities. According to the Canadian accounting standards for private enterprises (ASPE) a company is restricted from paying out dividends before passing balance sheet test whereby the declared dividends must be equal to or less than the difference between the assets and liabilities. The act of paying dividends on monthly basis instead on annual basis leads to the understatement of WAG’s annual net income as it prejudices the company’s ability to pay creditors therefore increasing the cost of liabilities. Additionally, the increased interest rates should be captured in WAGs annual income statement to reflect the true net income. Moreover, reduction of Stephen salary by $2,000 in fiscal 2012 was not included in the annual income statement and according to the ASPE principles on full disclosure of expenses such changes if effected during the fiscal year must be provided as additional information to the financial document. Therefore, if Stephen buys WAG Company based on the stated net income and decides not to change the methods of calculating dividends, he will be held liable for violating ASPE that might attract legal penalties for wrong disclosure of financial returns. Secondly, the depreciation of assets method as used by WAG leads to understatement of net income as well as overstatement of it if considered in different perspectives. The disposal of assets with zero residual value at any given cost other than zero is treated as income to a company under the ASPE. WAG disposed of computer server that had zero residual value at a price equal to the book value and this was not captured anywhere in the annual income statement. This also has an effect to the company’s net income as it understates company’s gains realized on the disposal of assets thus leading to underreporting of the net income. Note Withstanding, WAG records equipment at cost and charges depreciation on a straight-line basis on its equipment which decreases in value every year due to depreciation charged on it. The depreciation expense is captured in the income statement while the assets true value remains overstated. This implies that the net income is highly overstated because the depreciable assets are not recorded at the book value. Therefore if Stephen buys WA G Company based on the Rob’s calculation of depreciation that informs the current net income calculation, he would buy assets that are overstated and this may affect his eligibility to acquire more capital for the expansion of the company. Thirdly, the method of capitalizing intangible assets adopted by Rob leads to understatement of net income through the charging of amortization costs in the income statement. WAG capitalizes intangible assets