Heritage tourism definition

Introduction Heritage tourism is the aspect of experiencing destinations and activities that represent a group of people’s culture, history, and the present (Paolo, 2002). Megalithic temple of Gigantija Gozo Malta is an example of a heritage site. Primary data was obtained through interviews and interactive discussions with the head curator of Megalithic temples of Gigantija in Gozo and Malta, Mr. Kenneth Gambin. Further discussion was also held with another official, Mr. James Aquilina.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Heritage tourism definition specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Data was also obtained from secondary sources that included websites, books, and literature from the libraries and other academic publications (Heritage Malta, 2008). This report identifies the resources and visitor attractions that are present in this site. The report analyses the management of the sites and explores various ways in which sites can be improved to attract more visitors. Megalithic temple of Gigantija Gozo Megalithic temple of Heritage Malta The temples are regarded as the oldest structures standing freely and have been innovated as the culture of the residents evolves. These monuments have been in existence for approximately 7,000 years and form a wealth of artefacts that reflect the island’s history. These natural resources are as a result of man’s discovery and innovation, which have been articulated in the modern art for continuity. They consist of museums, temples and underground chambers that are very fascinating to the visitors. They portray the creativity and rich culture of the people who inhabited the place before Phoenicians arrived (Heritage Malta, 2008). Megalithic temple of Gigantija Gozo This tourist destination consists of two megathilic complex of temples that have a massive wall separating them. The monument has been preserved over the years by a series of rest oration works in the 20th century. The name Gigantija originates from the belief that the walls were built by giants who existed in the 16th century. Some of the striking features of this temple are the remains of bones from animals. This suggests that there were rituals that were carried out in the temples. They make visitors explore and learn historical and cultural aspects of the people who inhabited this destination. Excavations on the surface suggest that liquid offerings were also performed in these temples. Soft limestone was used for the altars and doors and in other decorative slabs. This facilitates creativity in the way the architectural styles are used to bring out beauty and elegance (Heritage Malta, 2008). Core resources and products in Megalithic temple of Gigantija Gozo and Heritage Malta The temples are the greatest form of attraction. Visitors want to see the architecture used in the construction of temples and appreciate the beauty depicted by this creativity. The decorations used and some of the remains form a good source of archaeological materials that are preserved to serve the needs of tourists. Paintings and sculptures, most of which have been prepared in the studio, are a common source of attraction.Advertising Looking for report on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More They are painted on stones, wood and canvas or even on copper plates. They make a bulk of the attractions. Most people from different cultures across the world communicated their emotions through the use of paintings. The temples have immovable objects that form the bulk of artefacts. They include ceramics, glass objects and even moulded metals and carved stone. Textiles are also represented in these temples including veils, flags and costumes. The way of dressing represents a community’s way of life and culture. It is a form of identification, and this has often been used as a symbol for most communities. Architecture is preserved through the establishment of a conservation studio for reference by future generations (Edgell, 2006; Heritage Malta 2008). Products Tangible products in this tourist destination include temples, their compositions and the archaeological objects. The staffs in this site also offer guided tours in which visitors are provided with a lot of information about the destination. They also offer photography filming and visitors are offered these films at a cost for every image. Visitors also have a chance to rent sites for their functions and events. This promotes awareness and generates funds for the preservation of the site. Augmented products are also available in this tourist site. They include services such as group visits that are normally organized by agents. Gift shops in which visitors can purchase souvenirs paintings and other products are also available. Visitors are also offered transport services that enable them to move within the te mples and various sites (Jones, 1999; Heritage Malta, 2008). Events are also organized to ensure that the visitors experience adventure with memorable moments. These include open days for people who love art and design to explore and learn more about this subject. Artists also visit the museums and get inspiration from the paintings and other well known artists who paint during these events. Frequent visitors are provided with membership schemes where they can attend these events at a discounted rate. They get an opportunity to experience the heritage trail evening tour and cultural tour facilitated by MCCA. These events are used to make every visit a new experience. They ensure that visitors keep coming back to enjoy the experience. They also provide a variety in the products and services offered every year. This makes individuals anticipate visits to the temples. These tourist destinations provide interactive sessions with visitors and give them an opportunity to explore and learn more about art and design. Education is provided through libraries in which teachers avail downloadable learning resources used in the sites’ museums.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Heritage tourism definition specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Higher education is also promoted to willing students. This includes masonry heritage skills that offer learners skills on building and construction. Other short term courses that nurture professionalism in individuals are offered to ensure that learners upgrade their skills and use them to maintain and preserve cultural heritage resources (Gentile, Spiller Noci, 2007; Timothy Nyaupane, 2009). Stakeholders One of the major stakeholders to this tourist destination is the Heritage Malta that is greatly involved in managing the museums and sites. They also provide up to date collections and facilitate the events and activities run in the tourist site. This is meant to provide the best experience for visitors. Conservation and continuation for this site is maintained to ensure that the future generation will enjoy this tourism experience too (Edgell, 2006). The Malta tourism authority is also another stakeholder who holds regular meetings with Heritage Malta to plan on how to improve and promote this tourist destination. They organize for ways in which the culture can be maintained while issuing exciting packages to attract many visitors. Those who have direct contact with visitors include the tour operators, MICE section, and language schools. They work according to the stipulated parliamentary law to come up with ticketing prices. Other packages offered are decided by stakeholders who work with the marketing and advertising sections (Leighton, 2006; Heritage Malta, 2008). Visitors make up the most significant group of stakeholders. This destination attracts both the local and foreign markets that come to learn the culture of the Ggantija. Th ey are attracted by packages, events offered, and the tourism experience that they get. Students also love this destination because it offers them a wide range of reading resources and skills. The libraries and the museums offer a good learning experience in Ggantija. The minority groups and disabled representatives form part of the stakeholders. They are great beneficiaries to this tourism site. The surrounding environment to the temples consists of the local councils and neighbours. The research studies are done through the neighbouring communities. Matters such as drainage or electricity are addressed through the local councils. Therefore, they form a fundamental part of the stakeholders who promote the continuity of Ggantija. When open days and other annual events are organized, there is support from these communities. This helps in building good relationships that promote heritage tourism. The local council, Xaghra, supports the annual events organized by Ggantija (Garrod Fyal l, 2000; Sethi, 1999; Heritage Malta, 2008; Fyall, Garrod, Leask Wanhill, 2008).Advertising Looking for report on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The media channels are critical in publishing reports on the organization and in the promotion of awareness among the public. Media also comprises of the websites, the information kiosks and panels in the museums, info guides, and interactive Ds available in the sites. Social media have also been utilized to ensure that this destination attracts a wider range of markets. Other people apart from employees working there include the outsourced cleaning contractors, the security companies, and the maintenance contractors. They form part of the Ggantija community. The community also includes experts who are centralized from heritage Malta or outsourced as dictated by the needs. The European Union funds are also part of the stake holders to Heritage Malta and Ggantija. Other bodies like advisory boards are also recognized as stakeholders. Some organizations that are interested in partnership to promote the tourist destinations as they promote their products are also valuable stakeholders to the Ggantija and Heritage Malta. For instance, â€Å"I love food† is interested in combining the Maltese cuisine with the story of culture and history as a way of promoting their products and the tourist destination (McKercher Cros, 2002). Key Management issues at Ggantija Cultural heritage has become very significant in Maltese in terms of culture preservation, society and the economy. Generating revenue is one of the management functions that aim at ensuring the continuity of these tourist destinations. Revenue is generated from admission fees and donations. Other sources also include the money raised through partnerships like â€Å"I Love Food† organization that pays a fee to operate its business in the tourist areas. Open days organized to promote historical and cultural aspects of the people in Ggantija also serve as a major source of revenue (Fyall, Garrod, Leask, 2002; Heritage Malta, 2008; Hall McArthur, 1996). Revenue Ggantija obtains most of its revenue from visitor admissions fees. In the period between 2004 and 2011, the public, cultural heritage sector had a progressive rise in the revenue generated. In the period between 2004 and 2011, out of the total revenue generated, about 2.8 million Euros were allocated for the purpose of upgrading the tourist sites. Heritage Malta Admission Fees (2004-2011) 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Euro Euro Euro Euro Euro Euro Euro Euro 2,117,980 2,867,016 3,191,663 3655,118 3867,184 3,928,250 4,920,565 4,427,945 Source: Heritage Malta sources Expenses are shared between all the sites of heritage Malta. Such expenses include marketing expenses, the amount spent on publicity and media, the experts invited to facilitate open days and annual days and the maintenance costs. The tourist sites often require upgrading and maintenance to ensure that they remain attractive to the visitors. This is a strategy for raising revenue and promoting the continuity of the sites for the future generation (Heritage Malta, 2008). Conservation of Sites The tourist sites have been receiving popularity, and the number of visitors has increased tremendously. However, the more the number of visitors, the higher the likelihood of destroying the heritage value of the sites (Cochrane Tapper, 2006; Leask Yeoman, 1999). The paintings and sculptures are conserved in the studio rooms, and attention is given to the past restoration techniques to ensure that the original state of the sculptures is maintained. Treatments are carried out through relining of the paintings, consolidating the pictorial layers, removing the worn out layers and retouching them. The treatments are done by the modern conservation standards that are more superior and long lasting than the traditional ones. A lot of emphasis has been put on preventive conservation to ensure that chances of deterioration are minimised. This is done through extensive studies on the artefacts and materials used on the archaeological sites to establish how they can be conserved. Proper use and storage of artefacts and other collections is encouraged to give them long life. Attention is also given to the textiles, books, paper and the buildings to ensure that they are preserved for the future (Heritage Malta, 2008). Security Issues Ggantija is experiencing a challenge when it comes to the issue of security. Controlling the big multitude of visitors has proved to be very difficult and often visitors go beyond the barriers that can be a threat to their safety. The schools premises are not secure either. This is because they can be easily accessed by people mostly the youths and students. This can result into thefts or even destruction of property if not well monitored. Walls are vandalized during visits, and tracking this vice is quite difficult because there are no cameras available. The only means of monitoring activities in the tourist areas is by physical checks done by the security people. This is quite a cha llenge because they cannot be present in all areas at once (Drummond Yeoman, 2001; Heritage Malta, 2008). Health and Safety The movement of the people in the tourist areas is not fully guided, and there is a risk of falling and hurting their bodies. There is no bank in Malta that is willing to insure the archaeological site thus the health and safety of visitors is not guaranteed. This situation can be resolved through a study instigated to establish the number of visitors who can be accommodated in each temple at a time. This will ensure that visitors’ safety is improved, and they can be controlled while in the temples. This will promote safety and minimise the chances of destruction and misuse of the available facilities (Heritage Malta 2008; Drummond, et al, 2000). Effectiveness of Management Tools To ensure that the management of heritage tourism sites is effective, a number of factors have been emphasized in Ggantija. First, customer focus has been used to gain a compet itive advantage. The product, people, pricing and marketing have been utilized through the use of multi media technology. People interested in visiting the site can find out information from the website and other social sites like Facebook. This gives the site popularity and increases the chances of increasing the number of visitors (Poria, Butler Airey, 2004). Offering guided tours has also been a good strategy of engaging the visitors and promoting their learning and enjoyment experience in the tourist destination. This increases the chances of future visits or even attracting many people who would love to get a similar experience. There is plenty of information through the libraries and information boards. This promotes a self guided learning in which visitors can choose their subject of interest and explore further. Brochures were initially used on the information stands. However, this has been changed; today, they are only available on the website. This has ensured waste is li mited, and visitors can access the brochures at their convenience. The films that are produced at the site are sold to the visitors. This is a good way of promoting publicity. When visitors leave the site, they are likely to influence their friends and relatives to visit the site. This is a good strategy for marketing products and service offered (Poria, Butler Airey, 2003; Whitfield, 2009). Megalithic temples of Gigantija Gozo and Heritage Malta have gained a lot of publicity through their publications including the Heritage Malta magazine. The news letters published inform readers and visitors on the activities that are in progress and offer them the new developments that would attract them. It has also established exhibition spaces that give artists an opportunity to promote public awareness, educate the public, and allow visitors to explore the culture and heritage depicted. In addition, participating in European Union programs promotes heritage culture and conservation. This i s a good strategy that ensures public recognition through participating in activities. These strategies promote good international relations, and this serves to attract visitors who in turn increase the revenue generated (Schwer, Gazel Daneshvary, 2000; Sigala Leslie, 2012). The Malta heritage site management has established a good relationship with the stakeholders, and this has attracted organizations and individuals to make donations. This promotes the continuity of the site because such donations are used to upgrade and maintain the collections and the buildings. Transfers and gifts from other entities have increased the organization’s collection, and this has resulted in a wide variety of attractions for visitors. The staffs at Ggantija offer quality services through the friendly guided walks. This gives visitors a sense of appreciation, and they have the will to visit the site once more. Education offered to professionals and youths is a good strategy of maintaining g ood relationships with the communities and improving the quality of their lives. It is a good way to give back to the society. This is especially because the organisation derives its resources from the surrounding community’s culture and heritage. Partnering with other organisations also promotes good relations (McCain Nina 2003; Whitfield, 2009). Recommendation for Management Improvement The management can coordinate the various activities in the sites to increase visitor numbers. It is recommended that an all inclusive source of information be availed (Buckley, 2004). The brochure can include information on the restaurants, the bookshops and libraries, and updates on the present heritage trails. This offers visitors more than they expect and attracts them to explore the wide variety of services and products offered. The trends experienced over the recent past suggest that visitors want to experience more than they anticipate. The temples have been there since the 1890s, an d previous visitors may not be willing to return to experience the same products and services (Smith, 2003). To ensure that visitors anticipate new experiences, features and collections can be modified to mimic the currents forms of visitor attraction. For instance, the state of the art site can be transformed into an archaeological park. This way, the originality of its collections remains while the product becomes new. This is a good strategy to stay ahead of the competitors in the competitive tourism environment (Austin, 2002; Boniface, 2003; Leask Fyall, 2006b). A visitor orientation centre is also another strategy that can be introduced to make the visitors experience memorable. They can be aided through the introduction of touchscreens spread across the whole site through gazebos, and audio visuals. This way, visitors can easily get information from these tools without having to enquire from the staff. The available education system only focuses on the youths and professional s who want to advance their skills (Timothy Boyd, 2003). Children have been overlooked, and they could be targeted to expand the revenue base through admissions and education programs. Integrating children ensures that the available resources are well utilised maximally. Security measures can be improved by ensuring that cameras are installed around the sites to monitor the activities in the tourist areas (Leask, 2010; Shackley, 1998). The environment in which these heritage sites are built provides a chance for communities to offer their cultural and historical resources (Andereck Vogt, 2000; Leask Fyall, 2006a). To ensure that these communities cooperate to promote heritage tourism, it is advisable to reduce negative social impacts. This comes as a result of foreign influence and increased populations of visitors. To ensure that this does not affect the communities, the site can introduce a code of conduct that matches the community’s way of living. This reduces the soci al impact and promotes the cultural experience (Alonso, O’neill Kim, 2010; Timothy, 2011; Timothy, 2009). Meeting and exceeding visitor expectations has been turned into a competitive advantage. Innovation and customer focus are two principle aspects to maintaining good visitor relationships and positive feedback (Hannam Knox, 2009; Ritchie Crouch, 2003). Conclusion Heritage tourism is based on the historical, cultural and natural resources that a tourist site possesses. The Megalithic temples are rich in history and culture of the past communities that developed these temples. It provides visitors with an opportunity to experience heritage tourism. The management has employed tools and strategies that have seen the site increase its revenue generation capability and upgrade to meet the current needs of the visitors. However, continued innovation to make the products and services diverse and different from the ordinary is necessary. Modifying the available collections to f it the current needs of visitors will attract visitors and promote the continuation of the site to meet the needs of the future generation. Focusing on visitor needs improves the chances of attaining a place in the inscription as a World Heritage Site. Reference list Alonso, A, O’neill, M Kim, K 2010, ‘In Search Of Authenticity’, Journal Of Heritage Tourism, vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 61-72. Andereck, K Vogt, C 2000, ‘The Relationship between Residents’ Attitudes toward Tourism and Tourism Development Options’, Journal of Travel Research, vol. 39, no. 1, pp. 27-36. Austin, N 2002, ‘Managing Heritage Attractions – Marketing Challenges at sensitive historical sites International’, Journal of Tourism Research, vol. 4, no. 6, pp. 447- 457. Boniface, P 2003, Heritage and Tourism: In the Global Village, Taylor Francis, New York. Buckley, R 2004, ‘The Effects of World Heritage Listing on Tourism to Australian National Parksâ€⠄¢, Journal of Sustainable Tourism, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 70-84. Cochrane, J Tapper, R 2006, Tourism’s contribution to World Heritage Site management, in A Leask and A Fyall (Eds.) Managing World Heritage Sites, Elsevier, Oxford, pp. 97-109. Drummond, S, et al. 2000, Quality Issues in Heritage Visitor Attractions, Butterworth Heinemann, Oxford, UK. Drummond, S Yeoman, I 2001, Quality issues in heritage visitor attractions, Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford, UK. Edgell, DL 2006, Managing Sustainable Tourism: A legacy for the Future, The Haworth Press, Inc., New York. Fyall, A, Garrod, B Leask, A 2002, ‘Scottish Visitor Attractions: Managing Visitor Impacts’, Tourism Management, vol. 23, no. 3, pp. 265-279. Fyall, A, Garrod, B Leask, A Wanhill, S 2008, Managing Visitor Attractions: New Directions, Butterworth Heinemann, Oxford, UK. Garrod, B Fyall, A 2000, ‘Managing Heritage Tourism’, Annals of Tourism Research, vol. 27, no. 3, pp. 682-708. Gentile, C, Spiller, N Noci, G 2007, ‘How to Sustain the Customer Experience: An Overview of Experience Components that Co-create Value With the Customer’, European Management Journal, vol. 25, no. 5, pp. 395-410. Hall, CM McArthur, S 1996, Heritage Management in Australia New Zealand, Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Hannam, K Knox, D 2009, Understanding tourisms: a critical introduction, Sage, London. Heritage Malta, 2008, Heritage Malta website, viewed on http://www.heritagemalta.org/home.html Jones, MA 1999, ‘Entertaining Shopping Experiences: An Exploratory Investigation’, Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, vol. 6, no. 3, pp. 129-139. Leask, A 2010, ‘Progress in Visitor Attraction Research – Towards Effective Management’, Tourism Management, vol. 31, no 2, pp. 155-166. Leask, A Fyall, A 2006a, Managing World Heritage Sites, Elsevier Ltd, Burlington. Leask, A Fyall, A 2006b, ‘Researching the Management of Visitor Attract ions: International Comparative Study Issues’, Tourism Recreation Research, vol. 31, no. 2 pp. 23-32. Leask, A Yeoman, L 1999, Heritage Visitor Attractions – An Operations Management Perspective, Continuum, London. Leighton, D 2006, ‘Step back in time and live the legend: experiential marketing and the heritage sector’, International Journal of Non-profit and Voluntary Sector Marketing, vol. 12, no.2, pp.117-125. McCain, G Nina, J 2003, ‘Legacy tourism: the search for personal meaning in heritage travel’, Tourism Management, vol. 24, no. 6, pp. 713-717. McKercher, B Cros, H 2002, Cultural Tourism: The Partnership between Tourism and Cultural Heritage Management, The Haworth Press, Inc., New York. Paolo, RA 2002, ‘The vicious circle of tourism development in heritage cities’, Annals of Tourism Research, vol. 29, no. 1, pp. 165-182. Poria, Y Butler R Airey D 2003, ‘The Core of Heritage Tourism’, Annals of Tourism Re search, vol. 30, no. 1, pp. 238–254. Poria, Y, Butler, R Airey, D 2004, ‘Links between Tourists, Heritage, and Reasons for Visiting Heritage Sites’, Journal of Travel Research, vol. 43, pp.19-28. Ritchie, JRB Crouch, GI 2003, The competitive destination: a sustainable tourism perspective, CABI Pub., Oxon. Schwer, K Gazel, R Daneshvary, R 2000, ‘Air-tour impacts: The Grand Canyon case’, Annals of Tourism Research, vol. 27, no.3, pp. 611-623. Sethi, P 1999, Heritage tourism, Anmol Publications, New Delhi. Sigala, M Leslie, D 2012, International Cultural Tourism, Routledge, New York. Shackley, M 1998, Visitor Management – Case Studies from World Heritage Sites, Butterworth Heinemann, Oxford, UK. Smith, M 2003, Issues in Cultural Tourism Studies, Routledge, London. Timothy, DJ 2009, Cultural Heritage and Tourism in the Developing World, Routledge, New York, N.Y. Timothy, DJ 2011, Cultural heritage and tourism: an introduction, Channel View, Br istol, UK. Timothy, DJ Boyd, SW 2002, Heritage tourism, Pearson Education, Harlow, England. Timothy, D Boyd, S 2003, Heritage Tourism, Pearson Education Ltd, Harlow, England. Timothy, D Nyaupane, G 2009, Cultural Heritage and Tourism in the Developing World: a Regional perspective, Routledge, Abingdon. Whitfield, J 2009, ‘Why and How UK Visitor Attractions Diversify their Products to Offer Conference and Event Facilities’, Journal of Convention Event Tourism, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 72 – 88. This report on Heritage tourism definition was written and submitted by user Keith V. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Appropriate vs. Apropos vs. Apt

Appropriate vs. Apropos vs. Apt Appropriate vs. Apropos vs. Apt Appropriate vs. Apropos vs. Apt By Maeve Maddox A reader has asked for a discussion of â€Å"appropriate vs. apropos vs. apt.† All three words may be used as adjectives meaning suitable or pertinent: Your reference to â€Å"The Emperor’s New Clothes† is apropos of the way so many people conform to social expectations rather than think for themselves. I admire your apt choice of words in this article. A rating of â€Å"G† indicates that a movie is appropriate for children. Of the three adjectives, appropriate [uh-PRO-pree-it] is heard more often. Appropriate derives from the past participle of a Latin verb, a combination of ad (to) and proprius (own). Something appropriate â€Å"belongs† to someone or something. Here are some examples of current usage: How Having An Appropriate Level Of Confidence Can Better Your Life By comparing many entertainment jobs, you should be able to get a good idea of the appropriate salary. The young offender could not be questioned without an appropriate adult present Was Lohan’s courtroom attire appropriate? Note: English also has the verb appropriate [uh-PRO-pree-ATE], â€Å"to take possession of.† For example, â€Å"A section of land at St. Clements in Oxfordhas been appropriated to planning purposes to facilitate a regeneration project intended for the area.† Apt is from the Latin word aptus, â€Å"fitted, suited, appropriate.† The adjective derives from a verb meaning â€Å"to fasten, to attach.† The most common use of apt is to describe the fitness or expressiveness of language. Another meaning of apt is â€Å"ready to learn,† as in â€Å"She’s an apt student.† Sometimes apt is a synonym for likely: â€Å"Children are apt to live up to what you believe of them.† Apt can also be used in the sense of â€Å"having an unfortunate tendency, or â€Å"exposed to a risk†: Spanked kids more apt to commit crimes Study: Immigrants who live, work together less apt to learn English The adjectival use of apropos is the least common of the three. I’ve seen forum comments asserting that apropos is â€Å"never a synonym for appropriate.† A French borrowing, apropos functions more often as a preposition or as an adverb. Apropos comes from French propos, â€Å"with regard to this purpose.† As an adjective, it is a synonym for appropriate: My point is rather that it is not  apropos  in every case. The mayor called the cornflake comment â€Å"not apropos† and warned Lukaszuk to be careful of what he says. Your allusion to Josephine Tey’s bit of dialogue was very clever and funnybut not apropos As a preposition, apropos means â€Å"with reference to; concerning†: The principal remarked apropos the new regulations, â€Å"They will cost a lot to implement and do nothing to address the problem.† As an adverb, apropos is most commonly heard in the expression â€Å"apropos of nothing.† The sense is that someone’s comments or actions are completely unrelated to any previous discussion or situation. For example, â€Å"Apropos of nothing, Tom started talking about his root canal.† The usual preposition to follow apropos is of. 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 Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:15 Terms for Those Who Tell the FutureOn Behalf Of vs. In Behalf OfCharles's Pen and Jesus' Name

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Are trauma centres best practice for the UK Essay

Are trauma centres best practice for the UK - Essay Example A look at the figures spent by NHS on treating injuries related to trauma is convincing enough to make one realise the importance of an effective trauma management, with efforts to also locate the source of these injuries (like speed driving), and effectively put a stop to them. Since road trauma is one of the major causes of death, it is also necessary for the government to take initiatives where road accidents can be reduced. During the late eighties specialists from the Royal College of Surgeons UK, had highlighted the fact that there are major flaws in the management of patients with serious injuries, and ineffective handling of the entire situation often leads to many untimely deaths, that are completely avoidable in nature. My article will examine the current conditions of trauma management and the services offered to patients in trauma within UK, and to ascertain the importance of the trauma services in this country, with main emphases on the transportation of patients using a mbulance services (pre-hospital care). Are trauma centres best practices for the UK? 1 Introduction 1.1 Background history Severe injuries, resulting from accidents like a car crash or after falling from great heights, are one of the most common causes of death amongst the UK youth. The chances of surviving the fatal accident, later followed by a complete recovery are dependent on the trauma care that the patient receives immediately after the mishap, and in the few following weeks, as he recuperates. In England and in other parts of UK, it has been observed that the most common cause of death from trauma is in case of road accidents. At an average count it has been estimated that annually there nearly 20,000 reported cases of severe trauma in England that results in an estimated 5,400 deaths, while many of the survivors suffer from long term disabilities, a majority of which are permanent in nature, thus demanding provisions for long-term care facilities (National Audit Office, 201 0, 4). The term trauma can be summarily defined as â€Å"physical injury caused by events such as road traffic accidents, falls, explosions, shootings, or stabbings. The term ‘major trauma’ is therefore used to describe multiple injuries involving different tissues and organ systems that are, or have the potential to be, life threatening. Trauma patients require specialist care from a multidisciplinary group of professionals† (The Royal College of Surgeons of England, 2007, 1). Death from major trauma (from severe multiple injuries) is a major cause in UK with almost 16000 dying in England and Wales alone each year (ibid). According to NHS Choice the term ‘Major Trauma’ may be defined as comprising of â€Å"multiple, serious injuries that could result in disability or death. These might include serious head injuries, severe gunshot wounds or road traffic accidents† (NHS Clinical Advisory Groups Report, 2010, 5). In scientific terms Major Traum a is exemplified with the use of Injury Severity Score (ISS), which gives certain values to â€Å"injuries in different parts of the body and totals

Answers to Prompt Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Answers to Prompt Questions - Essay Example However, the idea of Plato that knowledge is inclined more on the non-sensible Forms contradicts his own metaphysical claim that Forms would depend upon the interpretation of the philosopher’s works. According to Irwin (154), Plato’s epistemological claim states that â€Å"these Forms are inaccessible to the senses.† While Plato expressed that his metaphysical claim is â€Å"the Form of F has properties that no sensible F can have.† However, according to Silverman, epistemology is about the acquisition of knowledge and what knowledge is (Silverman). On the other hand, metaphysics is anything which can be thought and said to be. One cannot fully endorse Plato’s theory of Forms as there are difference in interpretations and opinions of the said work. Not all knowledge is being considered as knowledge by the philosopher. It is only those people who have philosophical thoughts or the non-sensible ideas which are being considered as knowledgeable. This p roposition does not apply to those who are exerting more on their physical capabilities. Acquiring skills can still be considered as knowledgeable by other people or group of thinkers, but not Plato. The idea quite discriminate skill workers which are very much part of the society especially with regards to the economic and workforce aspect. Though what the skilled are doing is sensible, their actions are still knowledge because they are thinking what to do next on a systematic manner. In this aspect, the famous line â€Å"I think, therefore I am† by Rene Descartes can come into context (Irwin, 148-55; Silverman; Russell, 516). Plato makes people seem that knowledge is unachievable which is contradicted by Descartes. According to the latter, there is no perfect knowledge. If the idea proposed by Descartes would be considered, one can be considered knowledgeable without the need to measure up to forms or criterions. Descartes may not have proven to everyone the existence of Go d; however, he had proclaimed its existence in his works. The author stated that the knowledge which a person acquires is from a supreme being, which is God. This is supported by the statement: But after I have discovered that God exists, seeing I also at the same time observed that all things depend on him, that he is no deceiver, and thence inferred that all which I clearly and distinctly perceive is of necessity true: although I no longer attend to the grounds of a judgment, no opposite reason can be alleged sufficient to lead me to doubt of its truth, provided only I remember that I once possessed a clear and distinct comprehension of it. (Descartes & Veitch, 109) There might be no concrete evidence to prove the existence of God. Nevertheless, knowing within the self that a supreme being exists is enough to convince the self and preach about its existence or truthfulness to others. Though there is neither a concrete fact nor a distinct indication of God’s existence, Desca rtes proposed his readers to meditate and reach within the self to be freed from the doubt that is covering them from recognizing the presence of a higher power. In most if not all of the writings attributed to Descartes, there is always an indication towards the existence and acknowledgement to the things created and attributed to the power and creation of God as the Supreme Being and higher power (Russell, 515-20; Descartes & Veitch, 103-10). There will always be people who would be skeptic upon the idea of God’

Delay Aware Multipath Switching Zone Traversal (MSZT)

Delay Aware Multipath Switching Zone Traversal (MSZT) Delay Aware Multipath Switching Zone Traversal (MSZT) Approach for MANET Abstract Route discovery and data transmission in Mobile Ad-Hoc networks (MANETs) are the key procedures which influence the performance of the network. The data transmission through the discovered route with in minimum delay is considered as a major problem in the MANET. Hence this paper proposed an approach called Multipath Switching Zone Traversal (MSZT) approach to minimize average delay. In this approach, the broadcast has been converged to two zones after the initial broadcasting in order to minimize the broadcast delay. Based on the data size and the Time to Live (TTL), the data transmission is initiated via multipath or single path. Game theory approach (GTA) is a powerful mathematical tool for analyzing the strategic communications among several decision makers. Hence this paper utilizes the GTA for switching the path between inter-zonal and intra-zonal nodes for different source data to provide a successful data transmission. The simulation results show that the approach is efficien t in terms of delay, packet delivery ratio, and localization error when compared to the existing approaches. Keywords: Routing, MANET, MSZT, game theory approach, delay 1. Introduction A multi-hop wireless Ad hoc network (MANET) is composed of mobile nodes, which can communicate without any aid of centralized Infrastructure (T.Durga , 2015) The demand of different multimedia applications such as surveillance system and video on demand service over MANET has been increasing rapidly in recent years. However, it is not easy to support the data transmission according to the end-to-end delay requirements over MANETs. A number of routing protocols have been proposed for Ad hoc mobile networks to improve the QoS ((K.S.Dinesh , 2014). Most of the routing protocols use the minimum hop numbers as a metric of route cost while taking routing decisions. However they ignore the some important link capacity properties because of simplicity and ease of implementation. Each node in the network may have different traffic load and hence, nodes which have more active neighbors may experience more collisions (Rakesh Kumar, et, al., 2010). Uncertainly some of the over loaded nodes may fall on the minimum hop route, it may considerably introduce a longer delay, even though the number of nodes in the chosen route is minimum. In addition, if some of the over loaded nodes are congested; it may result in huge packet drop rates and consequent retransmission. This may increase the end – to – end delay between two end points. Thus in this paper Multipath Switching Zone Traversal (MSZT) routing approach has been proposed in order to reduce average delay. The approach reduces the number of broadcast after the initial broadcast in the network. Multipath data transmission is enabled based on the TTL and the data size. The game theory approach is used to switch the path between inter-zonal and intra-zonal nodes for different source data, which is a powerful mathematical tool. The path switching while during the data transmission provides a successful data transmission by checking the path availability. Thus this approach enhance the QoS demanded MANET applications The rest of the paper is organized as follows: Section 2 presents the recent related work on the delay aware MANET. Section 3 describes the system model of the proposed Multipath Switching Zone Traversal (MSZT) routing approach. The explanation of the Multipath Switching Zone Traversal (MSZT) routing approach is presented in the section 4. Section 5 describes the simulation results. Finally, section 6 renders the conclusion 2. Related Work (Saad M. Adam, et, al., 2013) presents an reactive routing protocols overview in terms of QoS requirements in MANET. Due to the requirements has been fulfilled for the commercial, real-time, and multimedia applications in MANET. The delay has been considered as one of the important QoS metric to satisfy the application requirements. The delay optimization approach has been presented by the authors (Syed Jalal Ahmad, et, al., 2015) for multimedia application in MANET. The Knapsack algorithm is used for buffer management to maximize and minimize the in order and out order packets simultaneously. The buffer internals are exploited and the adjusting the buffer usage dynamically makes the node to transmit the packet in the preferred order to its successive nodes. The simulation results show that the approach transmits multimedia data packet without loss and in minimum delay. (K. Sasikala,et, al., 2014) proposed the finite state machine for queue and transmission management mechanism to minimize the packet delay time in MANET. Information about the delay for each data flow in the queue is maintained in a node. A timer is fixed to each flow in a node and it has been updated dynamically. Based on the nodes characteristics the queue is controlled to minimize the packet delay. (Obaidat, M, et, al., 2011) proposes a multipath routing protocol for MANETs. The protocol establishes the route, which having the lowest delays relied upon the communication of various layers. The performance of the protocol is compared with the AODV and AOMDV. (V. R. Budyal and S. S. Manvi, 2013) presents a clever agent based on-demand QoS routing methodology in MANET. The intelligent agent utilizes the neuro-fuzzy logic aided by Q-learning. The DSR protocol has been enhanced to discover all the multiple paths and the condition of the path from source to destination. The fuzzy membership function has been optimized by the software agents and if then rules are made to take decision in the system. A cross layer design is made for delay concerned Node Disjoint Multipath AODV in Ad Hoc Network by the author (GawasMahadev A, et,al., 2014). The channel and link information has been obtained by applying the cross layer design between the MAC and routing layer. The path status has been updated subsequently by concerning the lowest delay attained at each intermediate node. The protocol is compared with the AODV and NMDR and it perform better than the other two in terms of routing overhead and packet delivery ratio. 3. Multipath Switching Zone Traversal (MSZT) The Multipath Switching Zone traversal routing approach is proposed in this paper to minimize the average delay in the network. The approach is implemented after the initial broadcast from the source. The MSZT is composed of two parts such as route discovery and path switching. 3.1 Route Discovery During the initial broadcast the source node obtains the information about the location of the destination node by using the GPS service. After the initial broadcast, the source node divides its communication range into four equal zones for further broadcasting. The node broadcast the RREQ message through one or at most 2 zones, where the broadcast should be destination oriented zone based on the location information of the destination node. Only one node must be selected in each zone for forwarding the broadcast. Alike the source node, the forwarding node also divides its communication range into four equal zones and forward the broadcast in the same manner. The process will take place until the destination node is reached. Before the data transmission via the shortest path, the Expected Transmission Time (ETT) and the TTL value has to be estimated to enable multipath through the different zones in order of increasing the packet delivery factor (PDF). Expected Transmission Time (ETT) is the time taken for transmitting a data packet successfully to the destination. The ETT is estimated based on the data size of a packet. (1) Here ETX is the expected transmission count i.e. expected number of transmissions that a node needs to transmit a packet successfully to a neighbor. The ETX can be estimated as follows (2) Where dforward is the received probes from a A dreverse is the received probes from B Where t is the average time a single data packet requires to be delivered and the t can be estimated as follows (3) The maximum Time to Live (TTL) is a timer data part in the IP header which specifies RREQ packet life time before it is discarded (Cheng-Yuan Ho,et, al., 2007). All the RREQ fields in its route cache have been maintained in order to find the route minimum Time to Live (TTL) value after TTL time expires and the information about the TTL is available in the RREP packet. If the ETT is greater than the TTL, then the packets are fragmented and then the packet has been transmitted over the multiple paths. 3.2 Path Switching Algorithm based on the Game theory Approach Game theory is a mathematical tool for analyzing and estimating how a person behaves in strategic situations. The game is composed of three fundamental components: a set of players, a set of strategies, and a set of payoffs. Nodes (players) are the decision takers in the game. The strategies are the various options available to nodes such as (TTL, node availability) (Badr Benmammar, Francine Krief, 2014). At last the utility function (payoffs) make a choice of all possible outcomes for each player. The components of the proposed game theory approach are given in the table 1. Table 1Components of the proposed Game Theory Approach After each transmission, the next hop zonal node must update the path availability (zone availability) to its predecessor node. The competition is between the multiple paths available between the source nodes to the destination node. After each successful data transmission the payoff is considered such as the availability and the TTL in order to stay on the same path otherwise path is switched to the next highest probability value of the available path. For each available path a probability value is estimated and it is formulated as follows (4) Here the total hops is the number of hops in the path and the not available hops is the number of hop which is not available for next data transmission due to the reason â€Å"the node is available for other source node in the network†. This information is updated to the source after each successful transmission. The proposed path switching algorithm based on the game theory approach is shown in the figure 1. Figure 1 Path switching algorithm based on the game theory approach 5. Simulation Results The proposed Multipath Switching Zone Traversal (MSZT) routing approach make an effort to minimize average end to end delay to enhance the network performance. The NS2 simulation has been adopted to evaluate the performance of the MSZT approach and the simulation setup is shown in the table 2. The performance of the MSZT is compared with other existing approach such as Zone Tree Routing (ZTR), Path State Routing (PSR). The metrics used to measure the performance of the proposed approach are broadcast delay, localization error and packet delivery factor. Table 2 Simulation Setup A. Performance metrics Broadcast Delay: Broadcasting is the fundamental process where the probe transmission from the source to all other forwarding nodes to arrive at the destination. The broadcast delay is the difference between the packet receiving time (prt) by destination and the packet transmitted time (ptt) from the source node. (5) Localization Error: Localization error (LE) is accounted as a one of the performance metric in the scattered network and it yields the LE of a node. (6) Where EMax is the maximum LE (7) (8) Where a is the radius based on the communication range of node i in a network model and it can be determined as follows (9) Where N is the number of nodes A is the area of the network and is the connectivity order ie the number of neighbor nodes linked to the node i The average value of LE for a network can be determined as follows (10) Packet Delivery Factor Packet delivery factor is defined as the ratio of the number of packet arrived at the destinations to those transmitted data packets by the source. (11) B. Discussion In the proposed approach the broadcast delay has been minimized by converging the broadcasting to one or at most two zones. The nodes distance increases then the broadcast delay increases simultaneously. Figure 2 shows the broadcast delay concerning the distance. The broadcast delay attained by the proposed MSZT for 10 m distance is 15 ms, while the PSR and the ZTR incurred 16ms, 19ms. Figure2 Broadcast delay The localization is directed in our approach by broadcasting towards the destination oriented zones after the initial broadcast. The increase in distance between the nodes affects the localization error. Figure 3 shows the localization error concerned with the distance. The localization error attained by the proposed MSZT for 10 m distance is 2%, while PSR and ZTR attained 16%, 18%. Figure 3 Localization error The multipath switching algorithm in the proposed approach improves the packet delivery factor by considering the TTL and path availability. When the number of group (paths) involved in the data packet transmission increases then the packet delivery factor (PDF) will decrease. While in the proposed a minimum number of zones have been utilized than the existing methods in the network. Figure 4 shows the packet delivery considering the number of groups. For 2 groups the proposed approach MSZT acquired 0.94, while the PSR and ZTR incurred 0.91, 0.83. Figure 4 Packet Delivery Factor 6. Conclusion This paper proposes a Multipath Switching Zone Traversal (MSZT) routing approach for achieving a minimum average delay in a network. The number of broadcast has been converged to two zones after initial broadcast in order to minimize the broadcast delay. Multiple paths have been selected through different nodes presents in different zone. While during data transmission the TTL and the data size has been checked to provide a successful data transmission with minimum transmission delay. Furthermore a game theory approach based path switching algorithm has been proposed after each successful data transmission to improve the delay metric for each data transmission. The simulation results show that the proposed routing approach performs better than the existing approaches in terms of Localization error, broadcast delay and Packet delivery factor References 1.Syed Jalal Ahmada , V.S.K. Reddyb, A. Damodaramc and P. RadhaKrishnad, â€Å" Delay optimization using Knapsack algorithm for multimedia traffic over MANETs†, Expert Systems with Applications, Elsevier, vol 42, issue 20, pages 6819-6827. 2. K. Sasikala, Dr. R. S. D. Wahidabanu, â€Å" Adaptive packet scheduling technique to minimize the packet delay time in MANET by maintaining a Queue for each flow through FSM Mechanism†, Journal of Convergence Information Technology(JCIT), Vol 9, No 3, 2014. 3. Saad M. Adam , Rosilah Hassan, â€Å"Delay aware Reactive Routing Protocols for QoS in MANETs: a Review†, Journal of Applied Research and Technology, Elsevier, vol 11, issue 6, pages 844-850, 2013. 4. Obaidat M, Ali M.A, Obaidat M.S, Obeidat S, Shahwan I, â€Å"A Novel Multipath Routing Protocol for MANETs†, International Conference on Wireless Communications, Networking and Mobile Computing (WiCOM), pages 1-6, 2011. 5. Cheng-Yuan Ho, Yaw-Chung Chen, and Cheng-Yun Ho, â€Å"Improving Performance of Delay-Based TCPs with Rerouting†, International conference on Communication letters, IEEE, vol 11, no 1, 2007. 6. Badr Benmammar, Francine Krief, â€Å"Game theory applications in wireless networks: A survey† International Conference on Software Engineering, Applications of Information Systems in Engineering and Bioscience, 2014. 7. V. R. Budyal and S. S. Manvi, â€Å"Intelligent Agent Based Delay Aware QoS Unicast Routing in Mobile Ad hoc Networks†, International Journal of Multimedia and Ubiquitous Engineering, vol 8, no 1, 2013. 8. GawasMahadev A, Gudino, Lucy J, Anupama K. R, Rodrigues, Joseph, â€Å"A Cross-Layer Delay-Aware Node Disjoint Multipath Routing Algorithm For Mobile Ad Hoc Networks†, International Journal of Wireless Mobile Networks, vol 6, issue 3, page 39, 2014. 11. K.S.Dinesh , â€Å"Routing Overhead Reduction and Selection of Stable Paths in MANET†, International Journal of Inventions in Computer Science and Engineering (IJICSE), vol 1, issue 9, pages 2348-3539, 2014. 12. T.Durga , â€Å"Maximizing the Network Lifetime by Using a Mobile Aware Topology Control Algorithm in MANET†, Journal of Recent Research in Engineering and Technology, pages 2349-2252, vol 2, issue 3, 2015. 13. Rakesh Kumar, Manoj Misra and Anil K. Sarje, â€Å"A Simplified Analytical Model for End-To-End Delay Analysis in MANET†, International Journal Computer Application (IJCA), no 4, article 6, 2010.

Frustration on a Deserted Island Essay

William Golding wrote a book Lord of the Flies that has his thoughts about human nature and his central idea of the theme civilization versus savagery. The book starts with kids that are stranded after a plane crashes and fight for survival. Two characters show their differences in the book known as Ralph and Jack. Golding uses these characters as a foil that will lead to the overall theme, shows how violent people get when there are no rules that control them and he also shows symbols in the book that defines each character. In the book Ralph and Jack have their differences and similarities. Ralph shows how he wants to rule in a form of civilization that will unify the group as one. But Jack opposes to the way Ralph rules, Jack wants to rule in a savage way of killing pigs to eat meat and have no responsibilities of keeping the fire going to be rescued. But they both have a common enemy known as the beast the beast has caused terror ever since they heard and thought they saw in the mountains. Making them realizes there aren’t alone in the island. Golding uses Ralph and Jack as a foil to show they don’t like their way of how they rule, so their there is a conflict that leads to the overall theme. Ralph tries to lead as a civilization and make a fire for a signal for rescue, but no one likes his idea. Jack rules with fear and savagery in his group, he tells them that he will protect them from the beast and will provide meat by killing the pigs in the island. I believe that Ralph is the better leader because he is using his knowledge on what he has learned back home of civilization. There are symbols that represent Ralph and Jack on how they act on the island. The symbol that represents Ralph based on his ideas of trying to keep the group unified is the conch. The conch represents Ralph when first used it and everyone gathered up like there were a civilization. A symbol that represents Jack is the beast in the island. The beast symbolizes Jack on his way of treating his tribe bad and killing Simon thinking he was the beast. Both characters start acting opposite to each other after Jack believes that Ralph is trying to be better than him leading to the conflicts between these two characters. Golding uses his thoughts in the book using Ralph and Jack. He shows these two characters about violence, human nature and government. He thinks that there is a part of violence in human nature but there is a government that maintains people as a civilization with laws. Golding also uses foil to lead to the overall them. He uses these two characters against each other to let people know how we need laws for civilization because savagery can overcome civilization like in the island. Without laws that we can follow, human instincts will lea to think we can do anything we want. Golding has shown many clues in the book Lord of the Flies to represent the theme of the book. He shown how the kids in the island how they used to lived in a civilized society and then being stranded in a island can make them turn into savages after living with no laws or rules.

Shaping, Chaining, and Reinforcement Schedules in Prison Essay

Shaping, Chaining, and Reinforcement Schedules in Prison: A Review Shaping, chaining and reinforcement schedules are learning theories utilized in operant conditioning to change individual behaviors. Shaping involves teaching new behaviors in steps. An individual shapes their behaviors when they are rewarded for closely or perfectly mastering a step in the behaviors modification. Chaining is the links that are made from one step to another in the behavior modification. Reinforcement schedules are the rewards and punishments given when an individual masters or refuses to master a step in the shaping of a behavior. Operant conditioning incorporates the use of shaping, chaining and reinforcing behaviors in order to create a desirable outcome in the behaviors of an individual. Shaping, chaining and reinforcement schedules are utilized in schools, homes, and prisons across the world. In the prison environment they are used to change inmate’s behaviors, and help inmates get ready to reenter society as productive members. Prisons utilize the various steps of operant conditioning to aide in changing all sorts of behaviors including anger management. Shaping and Chaining Shaping and chaining behavior is a key part of the learning theory known as operant conditioning. Operant conditioning Shaping takes place when an individual is rewarded for a acceptable response to a stimulus. In an anger management program an individual would be rewarded for the reaction to anger and the ability to manage anger. An individual would be rewarded for managing anger when presented with stimuli that triggers anger and punished when failing to manage anger when presented with stimuli that trigger anger. At first then inmate might be reward for not becoming physically aggressive when presented with the stimuli that triggers anger. Over time the inmate would not be rewarded unless management is displayed without verbal or physical aggression. The reward for the anger management displayed by inmates would decrease as the management techniques improve. Chaining would occur when the inmate is able to move from one step to another in their ability to manage their anger. Reinforcement Schedules Reinforcement schedules are the rewards and punishments utilized in conjunction with shaping and chaining in operant conditioning of behaviors.  Rewards are utilized to encourage the right responses to stimuli while punishments are utilized to consequence or discourage any responses that are not close to the desired response to a stimulus. As an individual chains the responses and shapes anger management behaviors they are rewarded and learn to utilize anger management in place of old behaviors. The use of rewards is phased out when an individual utilizes the anger management responses instead of the originally responses to stimuli that create anger. Rewards and sanctions are key to shaping any behavior (Carey & Carter, 2009). Literature Review Research shows that the utilization of positive reinforcement in inmates produces positive results in shaping behaviors (Thomas, 2001). According to Fishbein, Sheppard, Hyde, Hubal, Newlin, Serin, Chrousos, & Alesci; â€Å"Executive cognitive functioning and emotional regulation may play a key role in treatment responsively† (2009 p.419). Burdon, St. De Lore & Prendergast report that behaviorally based protocol that involves the systematic application of positive reinforcement following demonstration of a desired behavior in drug treatment programs have proven to promote the shaping of inmate behaviors (2012). â€Å"Although historically sanctions have been used as the primary method to respond to or control offenders’ behavior, research indicates that positive reinforcement should be applied more frequently than negative reinforcement when trying to change behavior† (Carey & Carter, 2009 p.9) Most experts in psychology and criminal justice agree anger is problem atic when it is too frequent, too intense, too prolonged, or managed ineffectively (Smith, Smith & Beckner, 1994). Smith, Smith & Beckner discuss a research study in which anger management workshops were utilized in a women’s correctional facility (1994). In this study women were taught anger management skills over the duration of three sessions (1994). The inmates were taught anger management skills and reported feeling better about themselves and their ability to cope with stimuli that triggers anger (1994). Reinforcement schedules are shown to be more effective in women inmates (1994). Shaping of inmate behaviors in drug treatment programs with the use of reinforcement schedules have been researched and findings have been promising (Burdon, St. De Lore & Prendergast, 2012). The shaping of anger management behaviors in inmates is possible with positive  reinforcement schedules. Inmates do well when positive reinforcements for behaviors are given (Seirn & Hanby, 2009). As Burdon, St. De Lore & Prendergast explains, inmates are constantly being given punishments and acknowledged for the negative behaviors displayed (2009). When punishments are strip away replace with positive reinforcement there is a significant change in the behavi ors exhibited by inmates (Smith & Schweitzer, 2012). Individuals receiving positive attention of behaviors exhibit more positive behaviors to get the attention desired. The same can be said in the prison setting. Individuals need to be taught new ways to deal with anger, and the prison environment offers a unique environment to reshape the very behaviors and beliefs that contributed to an individual being placed in there. Inmates imprisoned for acts of violence due to the lack of anger management skills will only reenter the prison system for the same acts if not taught a different way to cope with stimuli that triggers anger. Implementing anger management skills to inmates with anger management issues would reduce the likelihood of reentry. Shaping and chaining the way in which inmates respond to anger can result in lifelong effective implementation of anger management skills by inmates. Shaping would occur by first helping inmate identify stimuli that triggers anger. Once inmates know what triggers anger, next the teaching of anger management skills can take place. When inmates utilize the anger management skills in place of the natural reaction for situations that trigger anger, rewards would be given. By implementing reinforcements for the utilization of anger management skills inmates learn the acceptable responses to stimuli of anger. The goal would be to effectively shape the anger management skills utilized by inmates without the need for reinforcement. For example, instead of becoming violent, an inmate would walk away. Conclusion The utilization if positive reinforcement schedules have been proven to be effective in prisons across the United States. Anger management programs have not always proven to be successful within prisons. Shaping and chaining of anger can be done within the prison system through the implementation of anger management workshops and reinforcements schedules. Several studies have shown the successes of positive reinforcement with inmates. Combining anger management shaping with reinforcement schedules could prove to  increase the likelihood of success in anger management programs offered to inmates. References Butdon, W., St. De Lore, J., Prendergast, M. (2012). Developing and implementing a positive behavioral reinforcement intervention in prison-based drug treatment: Project BRITE. Journal of Phychoactive Drugs, 7, 40-50 Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3429341/ Casey, M., & Carter, M. Center for Effective Public Policy. (2009) Shaping offender behavior. Retrieved from http://www.cepp.com/documents/Shaping%20Offender%20Behavior.pdf Fishbein, D., Sheppard, M., Hyde, C., Hubal, R., Newlin, D., Serin, R., Chrousos, G., & Alesci, S. (2009). Deficits in behavioral inhibition predict treatment engagement in prison inmates. Law and Human Behavior, 33(5), 419-35. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10979-008-9163-7 Serin, R., Hanby, L. Correctional Service Canada. (2009). Offender incentive and behavioural management. Retrieved from http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/research/005008-0214-01-eng.shtml strategies. Smith, P. & Schweitzer, M. (2012). The therapeutic prison. Journal of Con temporary Criminal Justice, 28(1), 7-22. doi: 10.1177/1043986211432201 Thomas, S. P. (2001). Teaching healthy anger management. Perspectives in Psychiatric Care, 37(2), 41-8. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/200754284?accountid=458

AP English Literature Multiple Choice Complete Expert Guide

AP English Literature Multiple Choice Complete Expert Guide SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Does the thought of spending an hour answering multiple-choice questions on complex prose and poetry passages strike fear into your heart? The challenge of the AP Literature multiple-choice is enough togive even the most adept reader hives, but don't stress! This guide will serve as your complete roadmap to success on the AP English Literature and Composition multiple-choice section. First, we’ll go over what the multiple-choice section looks like- the nuts and bolts. Then, I’ll reveal the eight types of multiple-choice questions you can expect to encounter, and how to succeed on them. Next will come study tips, multiple-choice practice resources, and finally things to remember for test-day success! AP Literature Multiple-Choice Section Overview AP English Literature and Composition section one is the multiple-choice section. You’ll have 60 minutes to answer 55 questions about four-five literary prose and poetry passages. The date of composition of the passages could range from the 16th to the 21th century, however, you generally won’t be provided with the author, date, or title for any passages (poetry being an occasional exception with respect to title). Most passages come from works originally written in English, although there might occasionally be a translated passage from a notable literary work in a foreign language. The multiple-choice section is worth 45% of your total exam score. You receive a point for each correctly answered question. Since there’s no penalty for guessing on this exam, you should answer every multiple-choice question, even if you have to guess. However, you should only guess after you eliminate any answers you know are wrong.That’s the general overview. But what kinds of questions can you expect to see? The 8 Types of Multiple-Choice AP Lit Questions There are eight question types you may encounter on the AP Lit exam. In this section, I’ll go over each question type and how to answer it. All questions are taken from the sample questions in the â€Å"AP Course and Exam Description.† Passages for these questions are available there as well. 1. Reading Comprehension Reading comprehension questions test whether you understood what the passage was saying on a literal, concrete level. You don’t need to flex your interpretation or analysis muscles here- just report what the passage is saying. You can spot these questions because they usually use words and phrases like â€Å"according to,† â€Å"asserting,† and â€Å"mentioned.† The best strategy for these questions is to go back and re-read the portion of the text associated with the question to make absolutely sure that you are reading it correctly. You may need to read a little before and/or after the moment mentioned to orient yourself and find the most correct answer. Example: Explanation: The lines the passage is referring to say, â€Å"Spare us all word of the weapons, their force and range / The long numbers that rocket the mind / Our slow, unreckoning hearts will be left behind, / unable to fear what is too strange.† This question is asking why people won’t listen to the prophet when he talks about the dangers of weapons. Which of the answers makes the most sense? Choice (A), â€Å"human beings are interested in weapons,† might be a tempting choice simply because that’s a common theme and message of many works. But nowhere in the passage does it say that humans are interested in weapons! Eliminate it. Choices (B) and (C) can also both be eliminated because this part of the passage says nothing about nature or love, even indirectly. Choice (D) may also be tempting simply because it’s another common theme in literature- that people don’t listen to repeated warnings. But again, there’s not really anything in the passage to support that. This leaves (E), â€Å"people cannot comprehend abstract decisions of power.† This lines up nicely with the passage, which says that the â€Å"hearts† of the people are â€Å"unable to fear what is too strange.† (E) is the correct answer. The people in this poem have hearts of stone. 2. Inference These questions take you one step beyond simple reading comprehension and ask you to make an inference based on the evidence in the passage- you may be asked about a character or narrator’s implied opinion, the author’s attitude, etc. This will be something that isn’t stated directly in the passage, but that you can assume based on what is actually said in the passage. These questions generally use words like â€Å"infer† and â€Å"imply.† There are two keys to answering these questions: first, as always, go back and read the part of the passage the question is concerned with. Second, don’t be tripped up by the fact that you are making an inference- the best answer will be most supported by what is actually written in the passage. Inference questions are like second-level reading comprehension questions- you need to know not just what a passage says, but what it means. Example: Explanation: The first sentence of the passage reads, â€Å"Certainly the religious and moral ideas of the Dodson and Tullivers were of too specific a kind to be arrived at deductively from the statement that they were part of the Protest population of Great Britain.† Which choice is the most reasonable inference about the Dodson and Tulliver religious ideas based on the first sentence? Choice (A) says â€Å"the narrator is unable to describe them with complete accuracy.† This might be true, but there’s nothing in the first sentence to support this inference- the narrator says that their ideas are â€Å"too specific,† not they the narrator can’t describe them accurately. Eliminate Choice (A). Choice (B), â€Å"they have no real logical foundation† may also be true, but can’t be inferred from the sentence, which gives no indication of whether their beliefs are logical or not. Choice (C) may be tempting- the idea that they cannot be appreciated by anyone who doesn’t share them might seem to dovetail nicely with the fact that they are â€Å"too specific† for the mainstream Protestant population. But is this the best choice that’s most supported by the passage? Let’s keep it in mind but consider the remaining answers. Choice (D) posits that the beliefs of the Dodsons and Tullivers â€Å"spring from a fundamental lack of tolerance.† This is a leap that is not supported by what the first sentence actually says; eliminate it. Choice (E) says that their beliefs â€Å"are not typical of British Protestants in general.† The sentence says that their beliefs are â€Å"too specific† for one to know them simply because the Dodsons and Tullivers identify as British Protestants, which implies that their beliefs in fact do not â€Å"match up† with mainstream British Protestant beliefs. Choice (E) is the inference most supported by the passage, then- even more supported than Choice (C). So, (E) is the answer. Remember, multiple answers may seem like they could be correct, but only the best answer is the correct one. Do you think appropriately ornate churches are also important to the Dodsons and Tullivers? 3. Identifying and Interpreting Figurative Language These questions ask you to either identify figurative language within the passage or to interpret what figurative language means in the context of the passage. These questions are identifiable because they will either outright mention figurative language or a figurative device, or there will be a figurative language phrase in the question itself. Once again, the most important thing you can do to be successful on these questions is to go back and re-read! For figurative language, the meaning is very much dependent on the phrase’s context in the passage. Consider what is said around the figurative phrase and what the phrase is referring to. Example 1: Identifying Figurative Language Explanation: We need to look at each of these phrases in context to tell which is being used figuratively. Choice (A) comes from the sentence, â€Å"It was necessary to be baptized, else on could not be buried in the churchyard, and to take the sacrament before death as a security against more dimly understood perils; but if was of equal necessity to have the proper pall-bearers and well-cured hams at one’s funeral, and to leave an unimpeachable will.† The phrase â€Å"well-cured hams at one’s funeral,† is clearly literally referring to funeral arrangements; (A) can be eliminated. Moving on, choice (B) comes from the sentence, â€Å"A Dodson would not be taxed with the omission of anything that was becoming...such as obedience to parents, faithfulness to kindred, industry, rigid honesty, thrift, the thorough scouring of wooden and copper utensils, the hoarding of coins likely to disappear from the currency, the production of first-rate commodities for the market, and the general preference for whatever was home-made.† In this case â€Å"the hoarding of coins† refers directly to a behavior the Dodsons considered â€Å"becoming,† and is not figurative. (B) can be eliminated. Choice (C) comes from the clause, â€Å"society owes some worthy qualities in many of her members to mothers of the Dodson class, who made their butter and their fromenty well, and would have felt disgraced to make it otherwise.† Again, this refers literally to making butter and fromenty; (C) can be eliminated. Choice (D) is from the sentence, â€Å"To live respected, and have the proper bearers at your funeral, was an achievement of the ends of existence.† Once more, this refers on a concrete level to actual funeral-bearers (echoing the discussion of proper funerals earlier in the passage) and is not figurative. This leaves only (E), from the sentence, â€Å"A conspicuous quality in the Dodson character was its genuineness: its vices and virtues alike were phases of a proud, honest egoism, which had a hearty dislike to whatever made against its own credit and interest, and would be frankly hard of inconvenient ‘kin,’ but would never forsake or ignore them- would not let them want bread, but only require them to eat it with bitter herbs.† It’s pretty easy to identify â€Å"eat it with bitter herbs† as figurative if you are familiar with the allusion to â€Å"bitter herbs† which symbolize the slavery of the Israelites in Egypt in the Jewish tradition. If you don’t know that, you can still identify this as the figurative phrase because it seems more likely that this phrase is referring to feeding your ‘kin’ but shaming them for needing your help as opposed to actually feeding the hungry with bread and â€Å"bitter herbs.† (E) i s the correct answer. Example 2: Interpreting Figurative Language Explanation: This questions asks you to interpret what the figurative phrase â€Å"that live tongue† means. To orient you in the poem, these stanzas are advising the prophet to â€Å"speak of the world’s own change† (13). The poem states, â€Å"What should we be without / The dolphin’s arc, the dove’s return, / these things in which we have seen ourselves and spoken? Ask us, prophet, how we shall call / our natures forth when that live tongue is all / Dispelled, that glass obscured or broken.† In the context of the poem, right the narrator asks what we are without â€Å"that live tongue,† the poem speaks of how we â€Å"see ourselves† in â€Å"the dolphin’s arc† and â€Å"the dove’s return.† These are images of nature. The best interpretation of â€Å"that live tongue,† then, is answer (A), as a metaphor for nature. In essence, the stanza means, â€Å"Ask us, prophet, how we shall know ourselves when nature is destroyed.† The dolphin's arc. 4. Literary Technique These questions ask why the author uses particular words, phrases, or structures. Essentially, what purpose do such choices serve in a literary sense? What effect is created? These questions often include words like â€Å"serves chiefly to,† â€Å"effect,† â€Å"evoke,† and â€Å"in order to.† Of course to approach these questions, re-read the part of the passage referred to. But also ask yourself, why did the author use these particular words or this particular structure? What is being accomplished by this specific literary â€Å"move†? Example: Explanation: This stanza containing the repetition of â€Å"ask us† reads: â€Å"Ask us, ask us whether with the worldless rose / Our hearts shall fail us; come demanding / Whether there shall be lofty or long-standing / When the bronze annals of the oak-tree close.† So what is the effect of repeating â€Å"ask us, ask us†? Choice (A) says it suggests the prophet is causing much of the world’s misery. There’s nothing in the stanza- or even the entire poem- to suggest this, so we can eliminate it. Choice (B) says it represents a sarcastic challenge. This stanza doesn’t read as sarcastic, though, but very serious- eliminate (B). Choice (C) says it suggests the speaker is certain of the answer the prophet will give. This doesn’t really make sense because the speaker isn’t actually asking the prophet questions, but telling the prophet what questions to ask. Eliminate (C). Choice (D) says it makes the line into perfect iambic pentameter. You can eliminate this one without even worrying about what syllables are emphasized because a perfect line of iambic pentameter has 10 syllables and this line has . This leaves (E)- the effect is to provide a â€Å"tone of imploring earnestness.† Given that the speaker seems to be begging the prophet to ask particular questions, this fits. (E) is the correct answer. 5. Character Analysis Character analysis questions will ask you to identify something about a character- their opinions, attitudes, beliefs, relationships with other characters, and so on. In many ways this is a special type of inference questions, because you are inferring broader traits of the character based on the evidence presented in the passage. As you might expect, character questions are asked much more frequently for prose passages than poetry ones. The key here is to pay attention to everything that is directly stated about the character(s) in the relevant parts of the passage. Like in an inference question, there will be an answer that best fits with the evidence in the passage. Example: Explanation: These lines read, â€Å"Their religion was of a simple, semi-pagan kind, but there was no heresy in it- if heresy properly means choice- for they didn’t know there was any other religion except that of chapel-goers, which appeared to run in families, like asthma.† Choice (A) purports that this part of the passage draws attention to the Dodson sisters’ devotion to certain rituals. No rituals are mentioned here; (A) can be eliminated. Choice (B) says these lines point to their â€Å"untroubled complacency.† The passage states that they didn’t know of any other religion. If they don’t know, we can reasonably infer that they are not troubled by their own religion. Keep (B) in the running. Choice (C) purports they have â€Å"deep religious conviction.† This seems like a bit of a leap; all the passage really states is that their religions if â€Å"semi-pagan,† but not heretical because they simply don’t know any other religion other than â€Å"chapel-goers† which seems to be tied to family lineage. We can’t reasonably infer that they have strong religious conviction from this. Eliminate (C). Choice (D) states that they have â€Å"disturbed consciences.† Again, nothing in the passage makes this a reasonable conclusion; if they don’t know there could be other religious traditions, why would they be disturbed by their own? Choice (E) says they have a â€Å"sense of history and tradition.† This might be a tempting choice because they point to the fact that the religion of â€Å"chapel-goers...appeared to run in families.† But that’s not their religion, so this isn’t a well-supported inference. Thus, Choice (B) provides the most reasonable inference about the Dodson sisters and is the correct answer. Quite a character. 6. Overall Passage Questions These questions will require you to take a â€Å"bird’s-eye view† of the passage and identify or describe a characteristic of the passage as a whole: its purpose, tone, genre, and so on. These can be difficult because you can’t simply go back to a specific place in the passage to find the best answer; you need to consider the passage overall. Consider the overall picture created by the tiny details. I strongly recommend marking up texts for main themes, purpose, tone, etc on the first read-through so that you can consult your margin notations for these kinds of questions. Example: Explanation: It is clear through even a quick scan of this passage that the narrator goes on at length about the Dodsons, so we can surmise that the narrator is most concerned with something about the Dodsons. We can eliminate (B) and (C), then, as they don’t say anything about the Dodsons. So what about the Dodsons is the narrator most concerned with? The first sentence mentions their â€Å"religious and moral ideas,† but then describes their â€Å"semi-pagan† but not heretical religion. We then see â€Å"the religion of the Dodsons consisted in revering whatever was customary and respectable† (22-23), followed by a long list of what that is. The rest of the passage similarly describes what the Dodsons believe is important, from being â€Å"richer than was supposed† to doing right thing â€Å"towards kindred.† It is clear, then, that the narrator is most concerned with describing the values of the Dodsons, which aligns with choice (A). 7. Structure These questions ask about specific structural elements of the passage. Often you’ll be asked about shifts in tone, digressions, or the specific form of a poem.Sometimes these questions will point to a specific part of the passage/poem and ask you to identify what that part of the passage is accomplishing within in the larger excerpt. This is another question type where marking the passage on your first read-through will be very helpful- be sure to mark any shifts in structure, tone, genre, etc as you read, and any structural elements that seem unusual or significant. Example: Explanation: Lines 1-34 describe an image of the narrator playing his lute for his love. Lines 34-43 establish that the narrator is about to introduce an idle thought (yes, this is a loquacious poem). Lines 44-48 read: â€Å"And what if all of animated nature / Be but organic Harps diversely fram’d, / That tremble into thought, as o’er them sweeps / Plastic and vast, one intellectual breeze, / At once the Soul of each, and God of all?† So what’s the narrator saying here? He is wondering if â€Å"all of animated nature† (so all living things) are just harps, and thought is the strings being played. This is clearly metaphorical, and the third footnote for the passage tells us that â€Å"lute† is a synonym for â€Å"harp.† So the answer is (D)- this part of the passage functions as a â€Å"metaphorical application of the image of the lute.† It's a harp! No, it's a lute! No, it's both! 8. Grammar/Nuts Bolts Very rarely, you will be asked a question on the grammar of a part of a passage- like identifying what word an adjective is modifying. Very specific questions about the meter of a poem (i.e. iambic pentameter) would also fall into this category. These questions are not so much about literary artistry and more about the dry technique requisite for a fluent command of the English language. Example: Explanation: The section of the poem concerned reads, â€Å"Of yonder hill I stretch my limbs at noon, / Whilst through my half-clos’d eye-lids I behold / The sunbeams dance, like diamond, on the main, / And tranquil muse upon tranquility.† What a mouthful! If we can untangle this sentence, figuring out what â€Å"tranquil† is modifying will be fairly easy. First, though, we can eliminate all answers that call â€Å"tranquil† an adverb, because the adverb form of â€Å"tranquil† is â€Å"tranquilly.† Eliminate (B) and (E). In the sentence, we have that the speaker (â€Å"I†) is beholding the sunbeams dancing. Then we have â€Å"and† followed by another verb in â€Å"muse.† How do we know â€Å"muse† is a verb here? Because otherwise the clause â€Å"and tranquil muse upon tranquility† has no verb and makes no sense. Since â€Å"muse† is a verb, it can’t be modified by an adjective, so eliminate choice (D). This leaves (A) and (C). Does it make sense for â€Å"sunbeams† to muse upon tranquility? Not particularly; it makes much more sense for the speaker (I) to muse upon tranquility. Choice (A) is the correct answer. So are these sunbeams dancing? How to Prepare for AP Literature Multiple Choice I have several tips on how you can best position yourself for success on the AP Lit multiple-choice section. Read a Variety of Literary Works and Poems Because the passages on the AP Literature multiple-choice section come from a variety of eras, genres, authors, and styles, it’s important to familiarize yourself with a wide variety of English literary styles so that you will feel comfortable with the passages and able to parse what they are saying without becoming overwhelmed. So read a lot of everything: prose of course, but poetry in particular, as many students are less familiar with poetry already and poetry can be fairly opaque and hard to analyze. As a starting place for things you could read, see my ARTICLE ON BOOKS. When you start to feel comfortable with the language of many eras and styles, it’s time to work on honing your close-reading skills. Hone Your Close Reading Skills Your ability to read closely- to read passages not just for comprehension but with an eye for how the author uses literary technique- is paramount on the multiple-choice section. You will practice on close-reading prose and poetry in class, but extra practice can only help you. So when you’re doing all of your reading from different eras and genres, think about what the author is doing and why he or she is doing it. What techniques are being deployed? What motifs and themes are there? How are characters portrayed? If you’re stumped as to how to go about this, here are some prose close-reading resources: You can get close-reading guides online from The University of Wisconsin-Madison’s writing center and the Harvard College Writing Center. The Purdue OWL also has an article on steering clear of close-reading â€Å"pitfalls.† Here are some close-reading resources for poetry: Here’s a poetry reading guide from The University of Wisconsin-Madison. You should definitely check out this truly excellent guide to reading poetry from Poets.org, which comes complete with two poetry close-readings. Learn Literary and Poetic Devices You’ll want to be familiar with a literary terms so that any questions that ask about them will make sense to you. Again, you’ll probably learn most of these in class, but it doesn’t hurt to brush up on them. Here are some comprehensive lists of literary terms with definitions: About.com Literary Glossary Literary-Devices.Com list, which even has examples! Complete Practice Questions and Take Practice Multiple-Choice Sections To succeed on the multiple-choice section, practice taking multiple-choice questions! This may seem like a no-brainer but it’s still very important nonetheless. Set aside time to take a sizeable number of practice questions every week. Keep track of what kinds of questions are easy for you- do you identify the theme every time?- and which ones are hard- stumped by similes? This will help you figure out if there are any skills or concepts you need to brush up on. You should also take a complete multiple-choice practice section at least once, twice if you are able. You could do this as part of a complete practice test (which I recommend) or do it separately. But taking a multiple-choice section under AP-like conditions will help you feel prepared, calm and collected on test day. As prepared as a Regency belle who has snagged an officer! AP Literature Multiple-Choice Practice Resources There are a variety of practice resources available that you can use to hone your multiple-choice skills for the AP English Literature and Composition exam. The gold standard for the best multiple-choice practice questions is the College Board. This is because they write the AP exam, so their practice questions are the most like the real AP multiple-choice questions you’ll see on test day. They offer both complete released exams and sample questions. Even once you run out of official College Board practice questions, there are still unofficial resources you can use to hone your multiple-choice skills. In this section I’ll go over both. Official Resources See below for three potential sources of official College Board questions. Released College Board Exams There are two official released College Board Exams. Each have a complete multiple-choice section of 55 questions. Here are the links! 1987 AP English Literature and Composition Exam 1999 AP English Literature and Composition Exam Sample Questions from the Course and Exam Description The AP English Literature Course and Exam Description has 46 practice multiple-choice questions! Your Teacher Your AP teacher may also have copies of old AP exams that you can use for practice. Ask him and see! In my mind, all English teachers look like they came from the 19th century. Unofficial Resources In addition to the multiple-choice practice questions provided by the College Board, there are also several places online where you can get unofficial multiple-choice practice questions. However, they aren’t all worth your time in terms of quality. I’ll go over the best ones here. For an even more robust list, check out our complete list. Barron’s Books Free Practice Test Barron’s offers a complete free practice test with multiple-choice and free response. So, that’s 55 questions at your disposal! There’s a timed mode and an untimed â€Å"practice† mode. The author and name of the work is provided for each passage, but not the date. You won’t have the author/title on the actual exam; I suspect that many free resources give this information to you for copyright reasons.Overall, the questions are high-quality and this is a good option when your well of official multiple-choice practice questions has run dry. McGraw-Hill AP Diagnostic Quiz McGraw-Hill has a 25-question multiple-choice â€Å"diagnostic quiz† for the AP English Literature exam. The questions are difficult and are pretty good imitations of AP questions. You may even be able to get more than 25 questions out of this site because every time you open a new test window, you’ll receive 25 randomly selected questions from their question pool.One slightly annoying thing to note if you use this resource is that the passages open in another window.As with the Barron’s test, you will receive the author and the title for each passage. You will not, however, recieve an atmospheric picture of the setting. Another solid option for getting more practice multiple-choice questions is a good review book. You want to make sure it’s high quality- I recommend Barron’s for the AP Literature exam in particular, as their questions do resemble real AP questions in difficulty and writing style. Test Day Tips for AP Lit Multiple-Choice Success Don’t rely on your memory of the passage when answering questions. Always look back at the passage, even if you think the answer is obvious! Interact with the passages- circle, mark, underline, make notes, whatever floats your boat. This will help you retain information and actively engage with the passage. Especially mark areas where there seems to be some kind of transition or change, as it’s highly likely that you will be asked questions about these transitions! It may also be helpful for you to jot some quick notes on the overall theme or motif of the passage/poem once you reach the end. This will help you on questions about the passage overall. If you’re having trouble making sense of a passage, skip it and move on to the next one. Odds are when you come back to it later, you’ll find it much easier to understand. And if you don’t, at least you didn’t waste too much time puzzling it out before you answered the questions about other, easier passages. Acing the AP Lit Multiple Choice: Key Takeaways The first section of the AP English Literature and Composition Exam is an hour-long, 55-question multiple-choice test about four-five literary and prose passages. This section is worth 45% of your total exam score. There are eight kinds of questions you can expect to see on the multiple-choice section: Reading Comprehension Inference Identifying and Interpreting Figurative Language Literary Technique Character Analysis Overall Passage Questions Structure Grammar/Nuts and Bolts Here’s how to best prepare to crush the multiple-choice sections: Read a variety of literary works and poems, from all of the eras and genres covered by the test! Hone your close-reading skills so you can identify what writers are doing and why they are doing those things. Learn literary techniques and terms and how to identify and apply them! Practice for the exam by taking practice sections and practice questions. There are a variety of official and unofficial resources available to practice. The best are College-Board official, but once you run out of those, there are also high-quality unofficial resources available. Here are some test-day tips to help you hit an English Lit home run: Always look back at the passage when answering questions- don’t rely on memory! Interact with the passages as you read through them, including marking significant moments and structural or tonal shifts in the text. You may also wish to write a couple of quick notes about the overall theme(s) and motifs of the passage at the end, to refer to when answering overall passage questions. If the language of a passage is hard to parse, skip it and come back later. Odds are it will make much more sense the second time around, and if it doesn’t, at least you didn’t waste time that you could have spent answering easier questions. And then you lived happily ever after. What's Next? Need more resources for AP English Literature? See our complete guide to the AP Literature Exam, our complete list of AP English Literature practice tests, and our AP English Literature Reading List. Also taking AP Language and Composition? We have an expert guide to AP Lang and Comp, a comprehensive list of AP Language and Composition practice tests, and a list of 55 AP English Language terms you must know. If you're taking other AP exams, check out our five-step AP study plan, when to start studying for AP exams, and how to find the best AP practice tests. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: