Sample on Teenage Pregnancy and its Causes

Sample on Teenage Pregnancy and its Causes Teenage Pregnancy: Causes and Reasons Dec 20, 2018 in Healthcare Causes and Reasons for Teenage Pregnancies Introduction Teenage pregnancy is evident in all societies, although the level of childbearing associated with teenage pregnancy varies with regions, states and countries. Levels of adolescent pregnancies vary significantly by a factor of almost ten in the developed countries. In Europe, for example, in the last decade, the United Kingdom had the highest rate of teenage pregnancy; with more than 90, 000 teenage conceptions per year. More than half or these pregnancies are below the age of 16, and about 2200 cases under the age of 14. Throughout the same period, in another European country; the Netherlands; the rates were as low as 12 pregnancies per a 1000 adolescents in a year. It is well known that not all teenage pregnancies are carried to term as many unwanted teenage pregnanciesgetterminated, despite the associated critical consequences this act is believed to have on the victims. The issue of teenage pregnancies is considered a crisis due to the circumstances associated with it, such as hea lth and medical complications, low career aspirations, high school dropout rates, and a life encircled with poverty(Rasheed, Abdelmonem Amin, 2010). Literature Review In the last two decades, various studies on causes and reasons for teenage pregnancies have been completed, with various outcomes. Studies have documented several risk factors that contribute to teenage pregnancy. Unsafe sexual activity, substance misuse, having many sexual partners, start of sexual activity at an early age, poor performance at school, single parent families and low family income are some of the most prevalent reasons behind teen pregnancies. Today, in America, statistics indicate that three in every ten girls get pregnant at least once in their teenage years; this makes it almost 750,000 teenage pregnancies each year. Parenthood is one of the important reasons for teenage pregnancies and school dropout in America today, with more than half of the teen pregnancy victims dropping out of high school. The socioeconomic status and the society which a teenage girl comes from also contribute to cases of teenage pregnancy. In 2009, teenage pregnancy rate among Hispanic and African American girls between the ages of 15 to 19 was more than double the rate of white teenage girls in the same age bracket(Miller, Benson Galbraith, 2001).

Relational Theory All About Relationships Essay - 718 Words

Relational Theory There has been some recent argument against the current understanding of the place of relationships in psychotherapy. While most theories argue that relationships are important or even essential to good mental health, other theorists claim that the way relationships are conceptualized in these theories is insufficient (Slife Wiggins, 2009). Most of these theories conceptualize the individuals first, and then talk about the way these individuals relate. Relationships are often understood as two or more independent self-contained individuals interacting (Slife Wiggins, 2009). An alternative way to look at relationships is offered by relational psychoanalysts and other theorists, though again it should be noted that†¦show more content†¦It takes two friends actively being friends to each other for the relational good of friendship to occur (Fowers, 2005). In real life there is no taking turns in â€Å"doing† friendship between friends because it is a shared good. When a client attends individual therapy, the focus is traditionally on the client and their internal thoughts, feelings, and perceptions. A relational therapy would encourage an inward look, but also a recognition that the goal of therapy is to help the client not to understand themselves through introspection, but to relate to others well and to experience belonging (Slife Wiggins, 2009). RACT theorizes that interpersonal problems are often what bring clients into the therapy room and good relational connections with the therapist and others is often what they are looking for. As Wachtel (2008) explains, relational therapy is less of an interview or an examination and more of a conversation. Relational therapy is a relationship and has the potential to be a good healing one as therapist and client(s) work towards common goals. It is important to note that it is the right type of relationships, rather than a large quantity of relationships which are the goal of relational therapy. An integration of ideas from structural family therapy helps us see that relationships can also be the source of many problems. In families, if there are imbalances or structural disorganization, the relationships are not able toShow MoreRelated Critique on Relational Dialectics Essays662 Words   |  3 PagesCritique on Relational Dialectics A Theory by Baxter and Montgomery Relational Dialectics concerns itself with trying to explain the intricacies of close interpersonal relationships such as those with a lover, close friend, or family. Written by two women, Leslie Baxter and Barbara Montgomery, it comes across a little more touchy-feely than other theories. This Humanist quality in the way it iw presented allows myself to critique Relational Dialectics in the following fashion. AccordingRead MoreRelational Dialectic Theory : Relational Theory1662 Words   |  7 PagesRelational Dialectic Theory American author and Professor at the University of Southern California, Leo F. Buscaglia; also known as the Dr. Love says, â€Å"A loving relationship is one in which the loved one is free to be himself — to laugh with me, but never at me; to cry with me, but never because of me; to love life, to love himself, to love being loved. Such a relationship is based upon freedom and can never grow in a jealous heart.† Relationships are shared with the people we cherish or care aboutRead More Relational Dialectics: A Research Report Essay633 Words   |  3 PagesRelational Dialectics: A Research Report This research of Relational Dialectics Theory refers to the book titled A Handbook of Personal Relationships, edited by Steve Duck. The title A Dialectical Perspective on Communication Strategies in Relationship Development, written by Lesile Baxter, presents the basic strategies for an ideal relationship . The theories in which Baxter discusses describe the communication actions that a coulpe must use to establish, maintain, and dissolve their personalRead MoreMultiple Theories Influenced The Development Of My Personal Model And Therapeutic Approach For Couples And Families1668 Words   |  7 Pagesmultiple theories have influenced the development of my personal model and therapeutic approach to couples and families. Three theories in particular that I draw my therapeutic approach from includes: narrative therapy, emotionally focused couple’s therapy, and attachment theory. I will articulate the theoretical underpinnings of these three theories and integrate them in one cohe sive personal model called Emotional Enhanced Attachment Narrative Therapy. This paper will discuss my approach in regardsRead MoreEssay on Relation Cultural Theory Development1631 Words   |  7 PagesThis paper analyzes my development in the context of Relational-Cultural Theory (RCT). Being older, I felt it appropriate to break my analysis up into three distinct phases: pre-adult (1-17 years of age), early-adult (18-30), and middle-adult (31 and on). In the pre-adult phase, I demonstrate a number of developmental deficiencies in RCT terms that handicapped my entry into adulthood. I then show the explosion of development that took place in my early-adult years that allowed me to begin operatingRead MoreThe Relational Dialectics Theory And The Genderlect Styles Theory1429 Words   |  6 Pagesbody language. All of these forms of communication affect our relationships and vary between men and women. Numerous communication theories have been established regarding relationships an d gender, but I will discuss two specific theories, the Relational Dialectics Theory and the Genderlect Styles Theory. One theory is based on the contradictions and interactions, which takes place in relationships. The other theory is based on the gender communication differences in relationships. When we canRead MoreRelationship Leadership Theory1167 Words   |  5 PagesDiscussion Questions 1. The readings for this unit explore several ideas about how leaders and followers form relationships, and the impact of those relationships on followers, leaders, and organizations. These include relational leadership theory (RLT), leader-member exchange theory (LMX), and direction-alignment-commitment (DAC). For your initial post for this discussion, compare two of these leadership models. Present your analysis of the similarities and differences of the models. Then, addressRead MoreCreating Positive Value From Personal Conflict1692 Words   |  7 Pagesunpredictability but it is possible when one studies all of the parts. Understanding human conflict patterns involve realizing that conflict is a self-organizing system, how reflected appraisals of self in the world work, the systematic view of self-control and relational power, and the way conflicts occur in patterned behavior. Creating Positive Value from Personal Conflict Experiences comes from understanding the intrinsic value of theory for conflict communication, the challenges of the socialRead MoreTransformational Leadership : A Transformational Leader1348 Words   |  6 PagesThe second subgenre that falls under the relational theory is known as transformational leadership. Transformational leadership is one of the four types of leadership styles defined in Daft’s textbook. The transformational leader is the one that cares most about the well-being of others just like the servant leader. A transformational leader is able to develop not only followers, but is also able to develop the overall vision of the company in a positive manner. De schamps (2016) found that, â€Å"TheRead MoreThe Breakfast Club : A Perfect Source For The Study Of Communication Theory1657 Words   |  7 PagesBreakfast Club† is a perfect source for the study of communication theory. It possesses the potential for numerous conversations regarding theories that even the most basic scholar of communication could discuss. For example, there are countless displays of symbolic convergence, symbolic interactionism, relational dialectics, cathartic scenes, identification, and social comparison. When viewing this movie it is hard to ignore these theories being put into practice. They constitute the framework of the

Vanity Vs. Morality From Victorian England - 2183 Words

Vanity vs. Morality: From Victorian England to America’s Roaring ‘20s Love is the driving force behind many decisions made, but in previous times wealth was the driving force behind the concept of marriage. Emily Bronte discusses the power money has over individuals in her romantic/gothic novel Wuthering Heights, which is paralleled by Baz Luhrman’s 2013 recreation of the film The Great Gatsby. During the industrial revolution, Bronte depicts the story of a poor orphan who falls in love with a privileged girl. Although their romantic feelings are mutual, his lack of wealth deems him as an unsuitable suitor in her eyes. This conservative and vain thinking common in this era not only limits the youth’s abilities to act for their selves, but also limits the opportunities for true love despite one’s social class. However, the priorities of a woman in the Victorian era of England are known to be materialistic and vain, ruining any romantic freedom. Young Catherine realizes the selfishness of her thoughts too late as Heathcliff run s away to go create his own means of wealth. This plot is reintroduced in Baz Luhrman’s film The Great Gatsby, a movie set in the ‘Roaring ‘20’s’: a time of loose morals and economic opportunity; although, as the world develops and progresses towards women’s rights and a lesser social and economic divide, the expectation for an ‘appropriate’ suitor seems not to have changed. Luhrman also uses the same conflict as Emily Bronte to create obstacles

Relationship between the research process and evidence based practice Free Essays

The aim of this essay is to explore the relationship between the research process and evidence based practice. The author of this essay intends to explore and illustrate an understanding of the various types of evidence used within nursing practice. There are barriers to implementing research into practice, the author intends to give explanation to these barriers and detail strategies/organisations that assist to putting research into nurse’s everyday practice. We will write a custom essay sample on Relationship between the research process and evidence based practice or any similar topic only for you Order Now Two journal articles will be critiqued within this essay; the aim of this is to indicate which evidence has been used, to assess the strengths and weaknesses in the research process and to evaluate its usefulness in practice. Principles of Evidence Based Practice Research can be described as a method of investigating a chosen area to illicit new information on the topic or to build on previous knowledge. In nursing research the aim of this research is to provide clients, their carers and their families with the best possible care in all aspects of their treatment to promote wellbeing (Burns and Grove 2001). â€Å"The conscientious, explicit and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients. The practice of evidence based medicine means integrating individual clinical expertise with the best available external evidence from systematic research.† (Sackett et al 1996;72) Nurses are at the frontline of healthcare and have most one to one contact time with clients; therefore it is essential that the foundation of their practice be formed from reliable evidence (Parahoo 2006). Evidence based practice sets out to integrate the best possible evidence, nursing knowledge and patient views into practice. It is vital that nursing staff be knowledgeable of the latest findings in nursing research and are able to access and opt for the most suitable evidence to inform and implement into their practice. (Gerrish 2006) suggest that evidence based practice consists of research, patient experience and clinical expertise. It is important to address which research findings nurses should consult to inform their clinical practice in order for them to deliver adequate care to their patients. There are many different types of evidence available to practitioners; Gray Muir (1997) as cited in Gerrish (2006) outlines a hierarchy of evidence and indicates which types are more superior. Placed at the top of the hierarchy are systematic reviews and multiple randomised controlled trials (RCTs). A systematic review is essentially a study done on prior research; this is then deemed as secondary research (Parahoo 2006). The aim of this type of review is to carry out an extensive and thorough search of material already available on this topic. The most fitting material in relation to the topic is chosen, this is then evaluated, the findings are then collaborated and summarised to answer the original question. This process should be performed in a clear manner so that it would be possible for others to carry out this research. In second place on the hierarchy is randomised controlled trials, third; non-randomised controlled trials, fourth; non-experimental studies and fifth; descriptive studies/expert committees. This hierarchy is more suited to quantitative research and is deemed inappropriate if outcomes are not measurable (Gerrish 2006). There are many organisations that provide information on research and guidance to how it should be implemented into clinical practice. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) offer clinicians guidelines and criteria to follow with the aim of developing nursing care to the benefit of the clients health (NICE). The Cochrane Collaboration supply research material which is available to everyone. Their aim as an organisation is to provide health care workers, clients and their carers with information on the most current and reliable evidence used within health care settings. There are several different barriers to implementing evidence into clinical practice; Gerrish (2006) suggests that these barriers can be set into four categories; the nature of the evidence, communication of the evidence, knowledge and skill of the nurse and organisational barriers. Barriers with regard to the nature of the evidence may include research questions unsuitable to clinical practice. In relation to communication of evidence the language used in the research may be deemed as inaccessible due to complex terminology. It has been identified that barriers concerning the nurses skill include troubles identifying or appraising evidence and also lack of confidence of the individual in using resources to access the research. Organisational barriers seem to indicate that lack of support from senior staff in providing information and time to implement changes are the main cause for concern. Parahoo (2006) suggests that there are four main components in the research process. Identification and formulation of the research question is the first stage in the process, this is where the researcher determines what is being researched and a question is created. Previous literature researched in the chosen field may be consulted by the researcher to help define concepts. The final question must be clearly set out. The second stage of the process is the collection of data, in this part of the process several decisions will have to be made before data is collected. The design of the study, methods used within it and sometimes piloting need to be decided upon. The population that will be participating needs to be defined at this point consent may need to be sought from ethical committees. Once these arrangements are in place the data can be collected. The third stage in this process is the analysis of data, at this stage the researcher would analyse, translate and display their fin dings. It is important to note that before the data was collected the researcher would have decided on how the analysis would be conducted. After analysis the researcher would typically translate findings, examine the limitations and make suggestion as to how to implement into practice. Recommendations may be made for additional research needed. The final stage in research process is the dissemination of findings. An organisation that might be responsible for this area would be NICE, the barriers to the implementation of evidence are outlined above. There are many ethical issues involved in the research process; the author of this essay intends to discuss some of these implications. Beneficence is an important ethical issue, it is essential that the study should be of the benefit of its participants and in the best interests of the overall public. Confidentiality is another ethical issue within the research process, any information gathered should be respected. Consultation to the participant’s wishes should be sought throughout the process and care must be taken by the researcher when publishing results so not to unintentionally expose the identity or information of its participants. Conclusion The author of this essay has explored the relationship between evidence and the clinical setting. Research, evidence based practice and the research process was considered. Barriers to implementing evidence based practice and the strategies/organisations used to avoid these barriers were discussed. Critiques of two research articles are included in this essay; these critiques aim to illustrate the author’s understanding of the research process and knowledge of the various types of research and the methods used. How to cite Relationship between the research process and evidence based practice, Essays

Issues of our Times Globalization Era

Question: Discuss about theIssues of our Timesfor Globalization Era. Answer: Introduction In todays globalization era, each and every country is connected to each other. The interconnection can be in any form like financial support, food, trade, and many more areas. It is very difficult for a country to run itself on alone. As when something is happened in one nation it automatically affect the other nations through which it is connected either by the distance, trade, foreign transactions and many more. Ever country is dependent on other countries in some ways (Jain, Girotra, Netessine, 2011). Global Connections on Basis on Inventory Countries are connected to each other in one way or another. Countries can be connected in the form of trade, sports, communications and events and many more. There is not nay country which runs itself on the basis of its own. Everything that had happened in one country would automatically affect another country in some ways (IMF). Inventory is considered as one of the important assets in case of globalization in many industries. The inventory structure would affect the number of suppliers, impact of lead times, uncertainty in demand, and cost of procurement on inventory. On the basis of inventory it can be said that each country is dependent on another country may be knowingly or unknowingly. This can be understood by quoting an example, an individual wakes up from his/her bed designed in Italy, he took a cup of coffee where coffee is made in America, and cup is made in Germany. Hence the people of a nation dont even know sometimes about adaptation of another country culture. As in case of global connections 90% if the inventory are traded through shipment. This lead in many advantages to the trade countries as in case of economies of scale, increase in specialization in one key area. Countries that most Benefitted from Globalization and which least Benefitted Many countries have got benefitted from globalization. India GDP has increase from 3.6% as in 1990 to 7.3% in 2016. In case of china in terms of purchasing power the GDP has increase from 4.1% as in 1990 to 17.86% in 2016 as shown in the figure below. The main reason for this big increase was growth in globalization. By analyzing on the table it can be said that globalization index is highest in case of smaller economies that have benefitted the most such as Ireland, Belgium and Netherlands. While in case of highly developed economies like Spain, France, Germany they are on the mid scale of globalization index. While countries such as Brazil, China, Argentina, and India though developed to a great extent but have low globalization index (Chakravarty, 2017). Impact on Trade Independence due to U.S Trade Policies In the early period of trade, the businesses were concentrated on their country only by ignoring to what happened in other nations. But after World War II the countries have started reducing the trade barriers and coordinating with the world economy. In context to United States it has concentrated in not only increasing the economy interest but also started focusing on making relations more peaceful. US president Donald trump has promised to regain the glory of American manufacturing. This can be done by imposing import tariff duties on China, Mexico and other countries. As imports have affected manufacturing companies and workers of U.S. this has made an impact on trade. Import in U.S. has impacted in a negative way to workers and local markets of U.S. due to direct competition with exporting countries(United States economy). Is Deglobalization easy? Deglobalization is a kind of re-empowerment of national and local. Economic growth of that particular country and countries related to that if Deglobalization is adapted. In case of deindustrialization it would majorly affect the job opportunities as many people would be jobless. Globalization has made a negative effect on least developed countries. The motive of Deglobalization is to motivate the traders to production not for the export but for the local market. The process of Deglobalization is very complex. But it has many advantages too as it will increase the possibilities of trade, finance, and others in one own country (Bohmer, Funke, Sachs, Weinelt, Weib). Conclusion After analyzing the report it can be concluded that though the globalization has raised the economic growth. Countries that have mostly benefitted from the globalization are Ireland, Netherlands while countries like India, china are considered as emerging countries for globalization. Besides from the advantages of globalization it has some disadvantages which can be overcome by focusing on Deglobalization. References Bohmer, M. Funke, C. Sachs, A. Weinelt, H Weib,J. Globalization report 2016: who benefits most from globalization? Retrieved by https://www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de/fileadmin/files/BSt/Publikationen/GrauePublikationen/NW_Globalization_Report_2016.pdf Chakravarty, M. (2017) Which countries have benefitted the most from globalization? Retrieved at https://www.livemint.com/Money/cNmmQJZdnMhbk3Ydbs26wI/Which-countries-have-benefited-the-most-from-globalization.html IMF, International monetary fund, Globalization: A brief overview. Retrieved at https://www.imf.org/external/np/exr/ib/2008/053008.htm Jain, N. Girotra, K Netessine, S. (2011) Managing global sourcing: inventory performance, Faculty research working paper, retrieved by https://sites.insead.edu/facultyresearch/research/doc.cfm?did=48597 United States economy, Foreign trade and global economic policies. Retrieved at https://countrystudies.us/united-states/economy-10.htm

ESSAY STRUCTURE

Writing an academic essay means fashioning a coherent set of ideas into an argument. Because essays are essentially linear—they offer one idea at a time—they must present their ideas in the order that makes most sense to a reader. Successfully structuring an essay means attending to a readers logic. The focus of such an essay predicts its structure. It dictates the information readers need to know and the order in which they need to receive it. Thus your essays structure is necessarily unique to the main claim youre making. Although there are guidelines for constructing certain classic essay types (e.g., comparative analysis), there are no set formula. Answering Questions: The Parts of an Essay A typical essay contains many different kinds of information, often located in specialized parts or sections. Even short essays perform several different operations: introducing the argument, analyzing data, raising counterarguments, concluding. Introductions and conclusions have fixed places, but other parts dont. Counterargument, for example, may appear within a paragraph, as a free-standing section, as part of the beginning, or before the ending. Background material (historical context or biographical information, a summary of relevant theory or criticism, the definition of a key term) often appears at the beginning of the essay, between the introduction and the first analytical section, but might also appear near the beginning of the specific section to which its relevant. Its helpful to think of the different essay sections as answering a series of questions your reader might ask when encountering your thesis. (Readers should have questions. If they dont, your thesis is most likely simply an observation of fact, not an arguable claim.) What? The first question to anticipate from a reader is what: What evidence shows that the phenomenon described by your thesis is true? To answer the question you must examine your evidence, thus demonstrating the truth of your claim. This what or demonstration section comes early in the essay, often directly after the introduction. Since youre essentially reporting what youve observed, this is the part you might have most to say about when you first start writing. But be forewarned: it shouldnt take up much more than a third (often much less) of your finished essay. If it does, the essay will lack balance and may read as mere summary or description. How? A reader will also want to know whether the claims of the thesis are true in all cases. The corresponding question is how: How does the thesis stand up to the challenge of a counterargument? How does the introduction of new material—a new way of looking at the evidence, another set of sources—affect the claims youre making? Typically, an essay will include at least one how section. (Call it complication since youre responding to a readers complicating questions.) This section usually comes after the what, but keep in mind that an essay may complicate its argument several times depending on its length, and that counterargument alone may appear just about anywhere in an essay. Why? Your reader will also want to know whats at stake in your claim: Why does your interpretation of a phenomenon matter to anyone beside you? This question addresses the larger implications of your thesis. It allows your readers to understand your essay within a larger context. In answering why, your essay explains its own significance. Although you might gesture at this question in your introduction, the fullest answer to it properly belongs at your essays end. If you leave it out, your readers will experience your essay as unfinished—or, worse, as pointless or insular. Mapping an Essay Structuring your essay according to a readers logic means examining your thesis and anticipating what a reader needs to know, and in what sequence, in order to grasp and be convinced by your argument as it unfolds. The easiest way to do this is to map the essays ideas via a written narrative. Such an account will give you a preliminary record of your ideas, and will allow you to remind yourself at every turn of the readers needs in understanding your idea. Essay maps ask you to predict where your reader will expect background information, counterargument, close analysis of a primary source, or a turn to secondary source material. Essay maps are not concerned with paragraphs so much as with sections of an essay. They anticipate the major argumentative moves you expect your essay to make. Try making your map like this: - State your thesis in a sentence or two, then write another sentence saying why its important to make that claim. Indicate, in other words, what a reader might learn by exploring the claim with you. Here youre anticipating your answer to the why question that youll eventually flesh out in your conclusion. - Begin your next sentence like this: To be convinced by my claim, the first thing a reader needs to know is . . . Then say why thats the first thing a reader needs to know, and name one or two items of evidence you think will make the case. This will start you off on answering the what question. (Alternately, you may find that the first thing your reader needs to know is some background information.) - Begin each of the following sentences like this: The next thing my reader needs to know is . . . Once again, say why, and name some evidence. Continue until youve mapped out your essay. Your map should naturally take you through some preliminary answers to the basic questions of what, how, and why. It is not a contract, though—the order in which the ideas appear is not a rigid one. Essay maps are flexible; they evolve with your ideas. Signs of Trouble A common structural flaw in college essays is the walk-through (also labeled summary or description). Walk-through essays follow the structure of their sources rather than establishing their own. Such essays generally have a descriptive thesis rather than an argumentative one. Be wary of paragraph openers that lead off with time words (first, next, after, then) or listing words (also, another, in addition). Although they dont always signal trouble, these paragraph openers often indicate that an essays thesis and structure need work: they suggest that the essay simply reproduces the chronology of the source text (in the case of time words: first this happens, then that, and afterwards another thing . . . ) or simply lists example after example (In addition, the use of color indicates another way that the painting differentiates between good and evil).

The 10 New SAT Changes and What They Mean for You

The 10 New SAT Changes and What They Mean for You SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Times, they are a-changin’. Bob Dylan’s 1964 anthem of change may not have originally referred to a college admissions test, but it certainly applies to the SAT overhaul of 2016. The redesigned test features huge changes from its previous version, in terms of its structure, scoring, and content. Read on to learn about the major updates and what you can do to prepare for them. To start, let’s take a look at the test’s structure and exactly how it’s a-changin'. Changes in SAT Structure: Four Long Sections and Optional Essay Anyone familiar with the old SAT will immediately notice huge structural changes in the new test. While the old SAT had ten shorter sections, the new SAT has just four (or five with the optional essay). The old SAT’s subject order was largely random, but the new SAT’s order is predictable: first, Reading; second, Writing and Language; third, Math No Calculator; and fourth, Math with Calculator. Its Essay section is now optional, and you can choose to add it as a fifth section at the end. You can compare the structure of the old and new tests and see just how different they are in the charts below. Old SAT Structure The old SAT had ten sections. The first was always the essay, and the last was always a short Writing section. In between, though, you couldn't predict the order of Critical Reading, Writing, and Math. Students had different tests, so the person beside you might have been working on Math while you were skimming throughCritical Reading passages. Two of the Math sections were 25 minutes, and one was 20 minutes. Similarly, two of the Critical Reading sections were 25 minutes, and one was 20 minutes. As for Writing, you had a 25-minute essay, a 25-minute multiple choice, and a 10-minute multiple choice. Compared to the redesigned SAT, this old format seems prettyrandom! Order Section Time in Minutes 1 Essay 25 minutes 2 - 9 3 Critical Reading, 3 Math, 1 Writing, and 1 Experimental Section in any order six 25-minute sections and two20-minute sections 10 Writing 10 minutes Total: 3 hours, 45 minutes New SAT Structure By looking at the chart above, you can tell thatstudents who took the old SAT went into the test with a lot of unanswered questions about its exact format. They couldn't know exactly what order the majority of the test, sections 2 through 9, would come in. On the new SAT, you can know the order and length of each section. You also get more insight into passage and question types, which we'll explore below. First, take a look at the predictable structure of the new SAT. Order Section Time in Minutes 1 Reading 65 2 Writing and Language 35 3 Math No Calculator 25 4 Math Calculator 55 5 Essay (optional) 50 Total: 3 hours, 50 minutes (3 hours without essay) Notice that some of the section names have been changed. Critical Reading has been shortened to Reading, while Writing has been lengthened to Writing and Language (but we'll probably still call it Writing anyway). Another difference you might notice between the two tests is that the new SAT features two Math sections, one where a calculator is permitted and the other where one is prohibited. This is a new feature, as you could always use a calculator on the old SAT. Since the two tests are so different, they require somewhat different approaches to prep. Whether you’ve already studied for the old SAT or not, how can you shape your studying now to approachthis new SAT structure? Since you'll get fewer sections for longer, you'll have even more responsibility for managing your time onthe SAT. Tips for Your Prep The new SAT is all about focus. With just four sections (or five with the essay), you’ll work on one subject for a big chunk oftime. While students taking the old SAT had to get used to quickly shifting their mindset from Reading to Math to Writing and back again, students taking the new SAT will need to concentrate on one subject for an extended period of time. Since you’ll encounter longer sections, you should also practice managing your time across a large amount of material. On the Reading section, for instance, you’ve got to divide your time among five passages over 65 minutes. On the old SAT, you might struggle with one Reading section but have two(or three if your experimental section was Reading)more sections to try again. On the new SAT, you only get one Reading section and can’t return to it. You'llneed to manage your time well and make sure you don’t let one tricky passage or word problem trip you up for the rest of a section. In addition to test-taking and time management strategies, you’ll also need to do some research before you register for the SAT. Besides figuring out your best test date for the SAT, you also need to decide whether or not to take the Essay section. For the most part, this decision relies on your colleges’ requirements. Before you register, check whether your colleges require essay scores on your SAT score report. As a result of its restructuring, the SAT now has a new scoring system too. Read on to learn how the new SAT is scored and tips for adjusting your test-taking strategies. The SAT has shed its scales and embraced a whole new look. Changes in SAT Scoring: Return to 400 to 1600 Scale Any students who took the SAT in 2005 or earlier will recognize the new SAT scoring scale. It now has a maximum score of 1600, rather than 2400. Your score will be half math and half verbal. The math sections will be scored together from 200 to 800, and the Reading and Writing sections will be combined into one Evidence-based Reading and Writing (EBRW) score between 200 and 800. If you choose to take the Essay section, your essay score won’t be factored into your total scores. Instead, you’ll get three separate essay scores between 2 and 8 for Reading, Writing, and Analysis. As with the old SAT essay, two readers will read and score your essay. Just as your essay score is broken down by skill area, your test scores will also get a variety of subscores. You’ll get test scores between 10 and 40 so you can see how you did on Reading, Writing, and Math separately. You’ll also get cross-test scores and subscores that reveal how well you did on specific skill areas and question types. Finally, another big change is the adoption of rights-only scoring. While the old SAT deducted points for wrong answers, the new SAT has no penalties. You’ll get one point per correct answer, but no points added or taken away for wrong or skipped answers. The SAT has undergone big changes in its scoring system. Is there anything you can do to prepare for the new scale? Don't underestimatethe Math section, asit's now worth half of your total score! Tips for Your Prep The changes in SAT scoring affect your test prep in a few ways. First, your Reading and Writing scores no longer count for two-thirds of your total score, as they did on the old SAT. Now Reading and Writing arehalf the score, while math is the other half. This change may shift the amount of time you devote to prepping for each section. Make sure to spend sufficient time on Math, especially if it’s not your strong subject, as it now counts for a greater proportionof your overall score. If you’re writing the essay, you’d be well served to familiarize yourself with the rubric on which graders base their scores. Since you’ll get scores for Reading, Writing, and Analysis, you should learn exactly what you need to accomplish to score an 8 in each of these three categories. While your section and total scores matter most for college, the more specific cross-test scores and subscores can be useful feedback. If you’re retaking the SAT, then these scores can help you identify exactly which question types are your strong point and which ones are weak points. Even if you haven’t taken the SAT yet, you can take the time to calculate these scores from your own practice tests. These scores will give you insight into your strengths and weaknesses, insight you can then use to shape your study plan. Finally, the switch to rights-only scoring means that you no longer have to worry about which questions to answer and which to leave blank. In fact, you shouldn’t leave any questions blank, as there’s no penalty for wrong answers. If you’re not sure on a question, you should still give it your best try. With only four answer choices on the new SAT (as opposed to the previous five), you have an even stronger chance of making a lucky guess! Now that we’ve reviewed the big picture 2016 SAT changes, let’s take a closer look at specific changes to content and question types in each subject area, Reading, Writing and Language, and Math. After you read through these changes, you’ll get an extra one that appears in all three subjects - data interpretation questions. First, though, let’s take a look at the new SAT Reading section. On the new SAT Reading, you'll know the general topics of each of the five passages. Changes in SAT Reading: New Question Types One change to SAT Reading is its greater predictability. You know exactly how many passages you’ll get - five - and the subject matter that each with will deal with - one with US and World Literature, two with History and Social Studies, and two with Science. All of the questions will be passage-based and will test four main skill areas: Command of Evidence, Words in Context, Analysis in History/Social Studies, and Analysis in Science.Many Reading questions resemble those on the old SAT; they ask you to interpret the meaning of a passage, supporting detail, or individual word. There are two big 2016 SAT changes to Reading that you should know, though, the first being the elimination of sentence completion questions. #1: No More Sentence Completions As you just read, the SAT Reading questions are all passage-based. This means that the sentence completions on the old SAT have been completely done away with. These were stand-alone questions that asked you to fill in one or two blanks with often obscure, high-level vocabulary words. On the new SAT, these question types have disappeared. Vocabulary still plays a role, though, as sentence completions have beenreincarnated as Words in Context questions. Words in Contextquestions will ask you the meaning of a word in the context of its passage. These words won’t be especially obscure; instead, they’ll feature more commonly used words that may be being used in an unusual way. While the new SAT has gotten rid of sentence completions, it’s introduced an entirely new question type: the evidence-based question. #2: Evidence-Based Questions For the first time, SAT Reading features questions that relate to one another. One question may ask you to interpret the meaning of a sentence or paragraph. Then the next question may ask for the reason behind your answer to the previous question. This official sample question features one of these new evidence-based questions: Most evidence-based questions will feature this same wording: â€Å"Which choice provides the best evidence for the answer to the previous question?† In the past year, a few students noticed these new question types on the experimental sections of their SAT tests; if you’re in this group, then you may already have some experience with this question type on test day! In addition to learning about these changes in question types, what else can you do to prepare for them? Make sure to incorporate historical and scientific texts into your prep for SAT Reading. Tips for Your Reading Prep There are many concepts and strategies you can use to prep for Reading, but, for now, let’s focus on what you can do to prepare specifically for the changes described above. First, you learned that the texts are no longer predominantly prose, but instead are sourced from history, social studies, and science. To get ready, you should seek out a variety of texts - readings from history and science class may be helpful here - to develop your reading comprehension skills across genres. Science passages can be especially technical, so you want to practice reading scientific texts. College Board’s first official SAT practice test, for example, features a passage by â€Å"Fathers of DNA† Watson and Crick. This type of writing, produced by scientists in 1953, is quite different than a passage from, say, Jane Austen’s Emma. Since sentence completions are gone, you don’t have to worry about studying long lists of obscure vocabulary anymore (as a taker of the â€Å"old SAT,† I still can’t believe students won’t need to memorize the definitions of words like obstreperous and perspicacity!). Instead, you should focus on more commonly used, multiple-meaning words and gain a sense of how meaning shifts depending on context. The final new SAT change for which you should prepare is the introduction of evidence-based questions. While these questions are new, the mindset of backing up your answer with evidence from the text shouldn’t be. Reading questions have always required that you base your answers completely on information presented in apassage. In many ways, these new questions serve as helpful reminders to refer back to the text and to double check that you have specific proof from the text to back up your answers. Now let’s take a look at the new SAT changes in Writing, many of which resemble the changes in Reading. SAT Writing and Language still tests grammar, but in a somewhatdifferent way. Changes in SAT Writing and Language: Passage-Based Questions One new SAT change involves naming: the Writing section is now technically called Writing and Language. Since most long words and titles inevitably get abbreviated, though, the majority of people will probably still refer to it as the Writing section. Just like in the Reading section, the Writing section’s questions are now 100% passage-based. They still ask about English grammar and usage, but they’ll also ask you to do big-picture editing, like reorganizing ideas or adding a sentence to improve meaning. Additionally, you’ll now get some questions that ask about punctuation, like comma and apostrophe usage. As with the Reading section, the subject matter of the Writing passages is predetermined. You’ll get four passages, one each dealing with Careers, Social Studies, Humanities, and Science. Unlike the Reading, you won’t get any prose; instead, the passages will be texts that are argument-based, explanatory, or nonfiction narrative. You’ll get many questions that ask you whether adding a detail or reorganizing sentences would strengthen a passage. Some words and sentences will be best just as they are, so one of your answer choices will be, â€Å"No Change.† Given this switch to passage-based questions, many of which focus on big-picture editing, what can you do to prepare for the new SAT changes in Writing? Tips for Your Writing prep Your prep for the new Writing section remains similar to what it was for the old. You should focus on rules of grammar and usagewhile also adding punctuation rules to your review. The redesigned section also calls for a strong understanding of structure, organization, and transitions betweenideas. Developing your writing and editing skills in school will help you do well in this section. As with the Reading passages, you should also work to sharpen your reading comprehension of texts from various nonfiction genres, especially from the fields of social studies and science. As you read, pay attention to how an author introduces, concludes, and movesbetween ideas, as well as how she uses supporting details to reinforce an argument or central thesis. Again, both verbal sections now place a heavy emphasis on vocabulary, details, and ideas in context with their entirely passage-based questions. As you read, write, and edit in your SAT prep, in school, and in your own time, make sure to pay attention to the context around a word or detail that helps shape its meaning and purpose. Get ready to write out math problems by hand. There are 20 questions that you'll have to solve without a calculator. Changes in SAT Math: New Skills and Calculator Rules The new SAT Math is divided into a 25-minute section and a 55-minute section with a short break in-between. Let’s take a look at the 2016 SAT changes in skill areas, as well as explore the new calculator rules. #1: DifferentSkill Areas The new SAT Math focuses largely on algebra. For the first time, it also features problems that ask about trigonometry and complex numbers. The number of geometry problems has been largely reduced, now making up only about 3 to 5% of the total questions. These trig, complex numbers, and geometry questions fall into the skill area called Additional Topics. The other skill areas are Heart of Algebra, Passport to Advanced Math, and Problem Solving and Data Analysis. Another 2016 SAT change is the emphasis on word problems featuring â€Å"real world scenarios.† College Board says that it wants to test the math you’ll use in real-life situations, like in college courses, jobs, and even your personal life. You’ll see questions, for instance, that ask you to calculate gas mileage of a car or to convert one country’s currency into another. Before discussing how you can prep for the changes in math content, let’s review the secondbig change: the division into a â€Å"calculator prohibited† and a â€Å"calculator permitted† section. #2: No Calculator and Calculator Section You’ll start in on SAT Math with a 25-minute section during which you’re not allowed to use a calculator. The 20 questions in this section don’t necessarily require a calculator; instead, they’re meant to test your understanding of a mathematical concept, rather than your ability to perform complex calculations out by hand. You’ll probably get some basic arithmetic on the No Calculator section, but it won’t go beyond multiplication or division of numbers with decimals. In fact, many of the questions on both sections are easier to solve without the use of a calculator. So even when you’re allowed to use it on your second section, you might be better off solving many of the problems by hand. Taking these changes together, how can you sharpen your math skills and do well in these two sections? Tips for Your Math Prep To begin, you should familiarize yourself with exactly what concepts will be tested on SAT Math. Make sure your practice materials break down each of the major skill areas - Heart of Algebra, Passport to Advanced Math, Problem Solving and Data Analysis, and Additional Topics - into their component subtopics. Then you can pair your review of each concept with relevant practice questions. Your main focus will be algebra, but you’ll need to be able to do some trigonometry and geometry as well. You should also practice reading comprehension when it comes to word problems. Some of these word problems will contain extraneous information, so you’ll need to discern which details are important for working toward a solution. In order to prepare fully for the No Calculator section, you should sharpen your skills of solving multiplication, division, addition, and subtraction problems by hand. You won’t have to do a lot of calculating, as this section aims to test your conceptual understanding rather than your ability to mimic a calculator. Still, though, you’ll get a few questions that will require calculations, so you want to make sure you can still write out these problems long-hand. Finally, you read above that you might not always need a calculator, even on the problems when you’re permitted to do so. College Board says it wants to test your calculator fluency, or ability to determine when a calculator’s a useful tool and when it’s unnecessary. Keep a critical eye on your calculator use as you answer practice questions and take note of which question types call for a calculator and which ones don’t. Now that you’ve seen the main changes in SAT Reading, Writing, and Math, let’s look at the optional fifth section, the SAT essay. Your essay prompt may saysomething like, Explain how the dog presents his argument that sweaters should notbe shared with parrots. Your essay should not explain whether you agree with the dog, but rather explain how he builds an argument to persuade his avine audience. Changes in SAT Essay: Analyzing an Argument The fact that the essay’s now optional is one major change; in the past, it was your first section on the SAT and factored into your overall Writing score. Now, the essay will come last if you choose to take it. The old SAT essay was only 25 minutes. It presented you with a quote and asked you to â€Å"take a stand,† supporting your opinion with examples from just about anywhere. You could talk about experiences in your own life, observations of others, characters in books, or historical events, to name a few. Your examples had to support your opinion, and you were welcome to use the first person â€Å"I† throughout. The new SAT essay is twice as long at 50 minutes. Unlike the old essay, the new essay doesn’t ask for a personal opinion. Instead, it asks you to write a third-person analysis of the argument presented in a given passage. (If you’ve made it this far in the guide, you’ve probably noticed that lots of content on the new SAT is passage-based.) You’ll get a passage, followed by a prompt that asks you to analyze the passage’s central argument. In particular, you’ll describe the devices the author uses to present his/her point of view. In order to analyze the argument, you’ll need to understand how supporting evidence and rhetorical devices function in the passage. While the old essay was often abstract, personal, and philosophical, the new essay is more concrete and analytical. Because this section has changed so much and uses a distinct scoring system from the other sections, you’ll want to prep specifically for this section if you decide to take it. Tips for Essay Prep First and foremost, you need to figure out whether taking the essay is beneficial to you. For most students, this means researching your prospective colleges’ policies on the SAT and whether or not they want to see this section. If you’re a younger student unsure where you want to apply or if your colleges still haven’t set a policy, then you may choose to take this section just in case. More selective colleges are likely to require that you take the SAT with Essay. Your prep for this section should be largely different than it was on the old SAT. For instance, you don’t need to show up prepared with flexible examples that you could apply to many prompts. Instead, you should practice your skills of analysis, particularly analysis of how an author uses rhetorical devices and presents evidence to persuade readers of her point of view. As with the old SAT, you should get a firm grasp ofstructure and practice writing this kind of essay under time limits. You might pair up with a friend and grade each other’s using the essay scoring rubric. Through practice, you’ll improve your skills at analyzing an argument and writing a thesis-driven five paragraph essay under time limits. Before reviewing the key new SAT changes you’ll see on the redesigned test, let’s look at one more addition that pops up across the test: data interpretation questions. Prepare yourself. We're heading into charted territory. One More Change: Data Interpretation Questions If you flip through a sample SAT, you’ll see graphics popping up in every section of the SAT. While you may be used to seeing graphs in the Math section, now you’ll get graphs, tables, and charts in Reading and Writing too. A graphic will accompany one or more passages in both the Reading and Writing sections. You’ll get a few data interpretation questions that may ask whether the passage and graph are in sync with each other. A Writing question could ask if adding or deleting a data point from the graph would clarify a passage’s main argument. Below are a few official examples of data interpretation questions, one each from Reading, Writing, and Math. We'll be posting a guide to answering data interpretation soon, so check back for more strategies on attackingthese new questions! Example of a Data Interpretation Question in Reading Example of a Data Interpretation Question in Writing Example of a Data Interpretation Question in Math The latteris also an example of an Extended Thinking question in Math, in which more than one question refers to the same graphic or word problem. You should only get one Extended Thinking question, and it will likely show up in the calculator permitted section. Since data interpretation questions show up all over the test, you’ll want to sharpen your skills of reading graphs, tables, and charts. This shift, along with the others mentioned above, will help you prepare for the 2016 SAT changes. Let’s quickly review the main updates in each section and the test as a whole. Students, the SAT of the future is here. Final Thoughts: Key New SAT Changes In many ways, the new SAT looks likea whole new test. Its structure is radically different, with just four sections, Reading, Writing and Language, Math No Calculator, and Math with Calculator, as opposed to its previous ten. While the old SAT had students write a 25-minute opinion-based essay at the beginning of the test, the new SAT gives students the option of writing a 50-minute evidence-based essay at its end. While the old scores fell between 800 and 2400, the new SAT is scored between 400 and 1600. No longer do all three sections haveequal weight. Now, Math counts for half of your total score and Reading and Writing together make up the other half. As you read above, the Reading section has largelyeliminated high-level vocabulary words and features new evidence-based questions. Writing questions are also all passage-based and ask you to edit grammar, punctuation, and structure. For the first time, the SAT contains a Math section for which you can’t use a calculator. The math questions primarily focus on algebra, but you’ll also get a few geometry, trigonometry, and complex numbers questions. As you just read, data interpretation isn’t consigned to just the Math sections; you’ll find and interpret graphics on all three sections of the test. If you’ve made it this far, then you’ve already completed an important first step of your SAT prep: familiarizing yourself with the changes on the redesigned test. By first understanding the structure, scoring, and content of the new test, you can then move onto studying concepts and taking practice tests. Once you’ve learned all about the test, you’re ready to jump into studying and master the SAT. What’s Next? You’ve learned all about the changes, so now it’s time to delve into SAT content and strategies. Check out ourultimate study guides to learn all about concepts,question types, and strategies forthe SAT Math, SAT Reading, and SAT Writing. Are you taking the SAT with Essay? This comprehensive guide walks you through how to write an SAT essay, step by step. Are you deciding between the SAT and ACT? This guide compares the two tests so you can see all of their similarities and differences. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points?We've written a guide about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: