How to Start Writing a Book

How to Start Writing a Book Youve finally decided to write a book, and youre pumped about it. Youre confident your book is going to be one of the greatest written works in literary history. It will be the hot topic of discussion at book clubs everywhere! But when you consider actually starting the process, you feel stuck. Now what?Everyone has his or her own distinct writing style. Some gush out words to create a lengthy and very rough draft, while others agonize over every single word and sentence. Certain writers start at page one, while others create the body first and then fill in the intro later. Some arent even quite sure what genre they want to follow until theyve hashed out several pages.Whatever your creative process, youre likely to run into a few walls as you embark on your writing journey, so here are a few tips to get you started and to simplify the process.Dedicate a special space to your writingFind a spot that is set apart from the other events of daily life, and use that space each time you wri te. Cater the environment to your specific needs. Does music help you relax and inspire creativity? Or, do you prefer silence? Do you need to look out the window? Consider your personal preferences and the elements that will best invite the magic into your writing process.Devote part of each day to writingOnce youve established a good environment conducive to writing, make a plan to establish a solid, regular plan of action. Just like getting six-pack abs requires regular exercise, your literary masterpiece also needs constant, dedicated attention. An obstacle many writers face is the lack of motivation to sit down each and every day and ignore all of the distractions. Set aside a certain amount of time every day (or even a certain exact time; set an alarm on your phone!) to add content to your book.Set a goal for how many words you will write per day. Start smallâ€"say, 200 words a dayâ€"and increase your volume of daily work from there. Even small contributions can add up with con sistent effort.Solidify your ideaOnce youre ready to start putting words down, begin with one sentence describing what your book is about. This statement offers a big-picture view of your book. You might even use this sentence when youre ready to market your final work! But for now, focus on this short expression as a very simplified summary and a means to focus your intent. Instead of using your characters name, use vivid descriptors. For example: An enterprising teenage boy starts his own business in a rural town unaccepting of new ideas and confronts the woes of poverty within the community.Create memorable charactersIn most book reviews and recommendations from friends, I find a common thread: The characters were complex/relatable/likable. Very seldom will I hear someone rave about a book if he or she wasnt moved by the people in the story. Consider characters like Sherlock Holmes; we all know who he is, but the details about his stories are a bit hazier. People latch on to char acters.This means your characters need depth and background so your readers can lose themselves in their lives. What is your characters name? What are her goals and desires? How will she achieve them? What conflicts does she face? How will she change?Mapping out the path of your characters development follows what is called a character arc. Each character goes through a transformation from the beginning to the end of your story. Just as Harry Potter starts out as an innocent boy and becomes a steely-eyed young man, your characters go through a transformation. Typically, a character progresses through a series of stages.Stage 1 â€" Ordinary lifeHere the characters before picture is set up. We learn some details about the foundation of life before anything juicy happens.Stage 2 â€" Call for adventureSomething happens to our main character to motivate him to follow a certain course. For example, in Hamlet, the kings ghost appears to Prince Hamlet and tells him who his murderer was, sti rring Hamlet to seek revenge.Stage 3 â€" Refusal of callAt this stage, the character hesitates to embark on this grand mission. Here we see the characters flaws and fears.Stage 4 â€" Encouragement from a mentorThe character musters up courage with a little help from a wise friend.Stage 5 â€" Trials and challengesInevitably, the hero faces his foes, and his outlook and personality are significantly changed.Stage 6 â€" RebirthThe ordeals the character has faced cause him to rise again as a new person, usually with renewed strength, determination, and focus.Stage 7 â€" Resolution and restThe characters woes seem to settle down, and life offers a quiet pace once again for our hero.Crafting the details of your characters story can present a daunting task, but once you decide on the path your protagonist will follow, the details will fall into place through the events of your story.Set your settingAre you writing a work of historical fiction? Do your research about the particular time per iod and area of the world. Are you on the beach? In space? Figure out what that means for the flow of your text. In works of nonfiction, hash out what you want your readers to learn. Will you go broad on a subject or focus on exploring one aspect in depth?Outline your storyMap out a summary of your story. In a work of fiction, what happens to your characters and when? If youre writing nonfiction, create an outline of the points you want to cover and in what order. In a nonfiction work, writing out a table of contents can help you focus the direction and points of your book.Heres an example of an outline Id create if I were writing a book about road cycling:IntroductionAbout the BookChapter 1: What is Road Cycling?Road cycling vs. mountain bikingGetting the right equipmentWhat kind of bike is right for me?Benefits of cyclingChapter 2: Finding Your PathRiding with trafficCommuting by bikeLocating out-of-traffic paths in your areaCreating an outline provides you with the scaffolding fo r your book and gives you a springboard from which to launch into your story. Seeing the bare bones of your intended story will inspire you to fill in the gaps and will give you much-needed direction.Start at the endIf youre not sure where your story will start, focus on the ending of your work and figure out how you want to get there. Does Captain Yellow Beard find the treasure at the end? What state is he in when he gets there? Deciding the conclusion of your work first will give you a better idea of the details and events youll need to incorporate.When you work back to the first chapters, keep in mind that the first few sentences of a book are very important to readers. Some look at those first sentences to get a feeling of whether they want to proceed through the whole work. So hook them in quickly. Dive into the conflict of the story to set the mood instead of describing the scene first. You can provide character development as you go. For nonfiction books, an author can hook r eaders by relating a surprising or interesting example related to the subject matter. For example, in my road cycling book, I could relate my first experience scaling a mountain road in the snow.Plan for discouragementDuring the process, youre bound to face frustration, confusion, and self-doubt. Plan for these obstacles and prepare a plan to counteract them. Perhaps you can be ready to visit an inspiring mentor who always manages to boost your confidence and motivation. Maybe you can save a really enjoyable section of your book to write when you feel like youre running on empty. Whatever your strategy is, prepare it in advance. Even simply steeling yourself for that doubt to creep in can help you avoid being swallowed up by it.Above all else, doing something is better than doing nothing when youre facing the task of getting started on your book. Following a plan can help you feel more focused on the task and help you overcome those first twinges of self-doubt or the dregs of writer s block. Dive in! Before you can publish your masterpiece and bask in its bestselling success, you have to write it. Good luck!

Why Did America Join The Korean War - 1174 Words

Julia Jiang Foundation History History Research Paper 4/20/2015 Why did America Joined the Korean War In the 1950s, two super powers, the Soviet Union and America, were competing for influence throughout the world. The Soviet Union supported the spread of communist dictatorships, while the United States promoted democracy and capitalism. These opposing opinions over what kind of political and economy system should dominate the world resulted in remote wars, including the Korean War. In response to the Soviet Union’s aggrandized communism influence in Southern Europe and China, and bolstered by domestic hysteria at home, America entered the Korean War to prevent a legitimate threat of Soviet expansion in Asia. America was concerned that†¦show more content†¦The influence of Communism would expand in those countries once the Communist leader took the lead. America was concerned about the propaganda of Communism more than the expansion of Russian’s actual territory. In response, President Truman â€Å"gave aid to France troops in Greece and Turkey during the late 1940s† in order to â€Å"help contain communism in Europe and the Middle East.† The Soviet Union’s ambition was far beyond Southern Europe. In Asia, Russia was also trying to intervene inner country affairs in China. The Chinese Supreme leader, Mao Zedong, was a believer of communism. Thus, the Chinese government had an intimate relationship with the Soviet Union. Coalitions were formed in politically and economically. Joseph Stalin was eager to help and provide ideas. In order to win the Civil War and gain wide support from the citizens, Mao Zedong took advice from Joseph Stalin and â€Å"followed the Soviet model of development.† These evidence showed that Russia was ambitious to step into other countries’ inner affairs both economically and politically and spread the ideas of Communism. America, also aspiring more control in the world, could not stand on its feet to watch these incidents. Geographically, once the collaboration between Russia and China was formed and consolidated, these two countries would occupy large areas of Asia. This is a huge disadvantage for American troops. The Soviet Union was also reaching

Fidel Castro And The Cuban Revolution - 943 Words

The infamous Cuban dictator, Fidel Castro was born on a farm on August 13,1926 and he is currently 89 years old. He was the third child out of six. His full name was Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz Fidel Castro. He was not born into a poor family, his father Angel happened to be a very wealthy sugar plantation owner. At the time Cuba’s economy was not thriving, but Castro still grew up in wealthy conditions. He went to a private boarding school to receive his education. There he became a star student and excelled in not only academics but athletics too. Later on he went to law school where he became very well known and also found a passion for politics. He wasn’t famous for doing phenomenal in school, but for leading the Cuban Revolution, Bay of Pigs Invasion, and the Cuban Missile Crisis. The Cuban Revolution was a revolt against the U.S.-backed Cuban President put together by no other than Fidel Castro himself. This revolution against President Fulgencio Batista started July 1953. This went on for about six years â€Å"until the rebels finally ousted Batista on 1 January 1959, replacing his government with a revolutionary socialist state† (Wikipedia). The rebels or the Movement organization later recreated themselves with communist guidelines. On October 1965, Cuba officially became a Communist Party. Castro ruled the Communist Party for a while, but when he stepped down his brother Raà ºl took over and is still ruling to this day. The Cuban Revolution had a very powerful effectsShow MoreRelatedFidel Castro And The Cuban Revolution1367 Words   |  6 PagesOn January 8th, 1959, Fidel Castro and his rebel army marched triumphantly into Havana, Cuba, having overthrown corrupt dictator Fulgencio Batista the week earlier. It was the fruition of the Cuban Revolu tion, and the dramatic shift in power was about to radically alter the country’s political, social and economic course forever. The positive and negative effects of the revolution on the Cuban people, however, as well as the condition of Cuba’s economy pre and post-revolution, is subject to heatedRead MoreFidel Castro And The Cuban Revolution1517 Words   |  7 Pages In 1959 Fidel Castro attempted to overthrow dictator Fulgencio Batista; Castro led a revolutionary movement in a guerrilla war against Batista s forces. As anti-Batista sentiment grew, Castro took a leading role in the Cuban Revolution which eventually ousted the president.(Stevenson 118)Once in power, Castro nationalized American property and because of this the United States diplomatic relations with Cuba were cut in 1961. Even prior to the break in relations, President Eisenhower agreed toRead MoreFidel Castro And The Cuban Revolution1410 Words   |  6 PagesIn 1959 Fidel Castro led a successful rev olution that overthrew the Cuban government, placing him in total control. During this time America had considered â€Å" Central America - and the Caribbean - as its own ‘backyard’†, and therefore, when they saw a communist running the Cuban government tensions began to build (Todd 140). Eventually, in 1960 Castro led Cuba into an economic deal with the Soviet Union (or USSR), as a result of this American and Cuban relations were completely cut off (Dobbs 12-18)Read MoreFidel Castro And The Cuban Revolution1360 Words   |  6 Pagesprominently known as the face of a repressive dictatorship, Fidel Castro governed Cuba for nearly five decades (1959-2006) achieving both successes and failures throughout the course of his rule. His rise to power as Prime Minister in 1959 saw Cuba become the first communist state in the Western Hemisphere, improving relations with the Soviet Union but at the cost of a trade embargo with the United States. During the period of the Co ld War, Castro played a significant role in allowing missiles to be placedRead MoreAnalysis Of Fidel Castro And The Cuban Revolution1140 Words   |  5 Pages Cuban leader Fidel Castro (1926-2016) established the first communist state in the Western Hemisphere after leading an overthrow of the military dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista in 1959. He ruled over Cuba for nearly five decades, until handing off power to his younger brother Raà ºl in 2008. During that time, Castro’s regime was successful in reducing illiteracy, stamping out racism and improving public health care, but was widely criticized for stifling economic and political freedoms. Castro’sRead MoreFidel Castro Led The Cuban Revolution934 Words   |  4 PagesNearly fifty-five years ago, an embargo was placed on Cuba, halting all trade between the two countries. Fidel Castro led the Cuban Revolution, which began in July of 1953, leading to their victory and the previous leader, Fulgencio Batista, being driven out of his position. Castro had gained a lot of support from Cuban citizens with his promises to restore political and civil liberties. Castro later began to stray from these promises, starting by nationalizing American businesses within Cuba andRead MoreFidel Castro Led The Cuban Revolution1106 Words   |  5 Pagesfifty-five years ago, an embargo was placed on Cuba, halting all trade between the two countries. Fidel Castro led the Cuban Revolution, which began in July of 1953, leading to their victory and the previous leader, Fulgencio Batista, surrendering from his position. Castro was an American friend and had gained a great deal of support from Cuban citizens with his promises to restore basic, essential liberties. Castro later began to stray from these promises, starting by nationalizing American businesses withinRead MoreFidel Castro s Impact On The Cuban Revolution1678 Words   |  7 Pagesquestion, â€Å"How significant was Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara in the Cuban Revolution era?† It will establish the effect Che Guevara had on the Cuban Revolution, it will compare the effect Guevara had to other leaders in the Cuban Revolution (i.e. Raà ºl Castro, Camilo Cienfuegos), it will contrast the effect Guevara had to other leaders in the Cuban Revolution, and it will consider whether Che Guevara had a significant impact on the Cuban Revolution. Based on these two sources, it can be conducted that ErnestoRead MoreTo What Extent Was Brutality Used by Fidel Castro During the Cuban Revolution1440 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"A revolution is not a bed of roses ... a revolution is a struggle to the death between the future and the past.† – Fidel Castro, 1961. This statement was certainly true for Fidel Castro and his revolutionaries during the Cuban Revolution, an armed revolt that took place between July 26th 1953 and January 1st 1959, which ended successfully. During this revolt, many of Fidel Castro’s fellow revolutionaries were killed in this process of violent revolution (My Life, p133, 2006). However, Castro andRead MoreCuban Revolution And The Revolution1309 Words   |à ‚  6 PagesFidel Castro once said â€Å"I do not fear the fury of the miserable tyrant who took the lives of 70 of my comrades. Condemn me. It does not matter. History will absolve me.† This iconic line triggered one of the greatest events in Cuba’s history, the Cuban revolution. The factors that caused the revolution and the main events during changed the lives of Cuba’s people as well as North Americans. Cuba was a poor, uneducated, country controlled by a brutal dictator in 1953. The attack on the Moncoda barracks

Business-to-consumer and Business-to-business relationships Free Essays

The business-to-consumer type of relationship is considered as â€Å"economic transactions conducted between individual consumers and organizations† (van Slyke, Belanger, Comunale, 2004). There are several differences between this type of marketplace, the business-to-consumer (B2C), and its other counterpart, the business-to-business (B2B) marketplace. It has its corresponding impact to Cavalier Products that needs to be considered before venturing into this type of business relationship. We will write a custom essay sample on Business-to-consumer and Business-to-business relationships or any similar topic only for you Order Now As mentioned earlier, there are differences between the B2B and B2C type of relationship along several lines. First, the clients of the two are different where in the B2B, it is businesses or organizations and in B2C markets, the clients are individual consumers (Wright, 2006). Approach towards these two types of clients is different where in the former, buying behavior is considered to be more rational and in the latter, it is influenced by biases and personal preferences (Wright, 2006). The approach in terms of marketing and the selling strategy would be different when dealing with these two types of clients. Second, the volume of sales is entirely different for that of the B2B and B2C business types. It is known that the sales, and consequently the profit derived, is far greater in the transactions that arise from the B2B as compared to the B2C because of the differences in the demand (Moore, Petty, Palich, Longnecker, 2008). The demand for the B2B is far greater because of the larger needs of the organizations as compared to individual customers who would not consume as much as what businesses consumer. This is especially true for the office equipment and materials where there is a greater amount needed for such in an office than for an individual consumer. It also takes a longer time for the individual consumers to consume a specific quantity compared to the businesses who would consume more at a faster rate. However, it remains that both of these lead to profits for the company but with corresponding business risks. It is best to conduct an initial study regarding the profitability of a B2C business endeavor through simulation and projection. There are several means through which this could be done without incurring significant losses. From a personal standpoint, there is a feasibility of such but the problem lies mainly with the delivery of goods especially for distant areas which require long transportation and careful handling for the equipment. This is especially true for purchases made for small quantities only and would require a large cost for handling and shipping. This requires additional distribution centers in the region where the company intends to launch its B2C business. There should be safety nets installed in order to prevent losses and failures when it comes to the inability of the company to meet the demands of the customer as expected because this would also affect the image it has in its B2B relationships. There should also be a thorough understanding of the company’s capabilities in meeting the volume of demand from both the B2B and B2C clients. When there are sufficient clients, it is deemed better to sell to businesses because of the continuous demand for the products and the volume required by these organizations. It is significantly large for the company and would save on shipping and handling. A B2B relationship would also be easier to handle because the clients are lesser, compared to a B2C market, and would make marketing easier to formulate and implement. Thus, it has been shown that there are differences and similarities in B2B and B2C markets, which primarily lie on the volume and nature of clients. These are important considerations when venturing into any of the two markets in order to maintain the reputation of the company. References Moore, C. , Petty, J. W. , Palich, L. , Longnecker, J. (2008). Managing small business: An entrepreneurial emphasis (14th Ed. ). Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning. van Slyke, C. , Belanger, F. , Comunale, C. (2004). Factors influencing the adoption of web-based hopping: The impact of trust. ACM SIGMIS Database, 35(2), 32-49. Wright, R. 92006). Consumer behavior. London, UK: Thomson Learning. How to cite Business-to-consumer and Business-to-business relationships, Papers

A Man For All Seasons Critical Essay Example For Students

A Man For All Seasons Critical Essay Common AttitudeIm breathing. Are you breathing too? Its nice, isnt it. It isnt difficult to keep alive, friendsjust dont make troubleor if you make trouble, make the sort of trouble thats expected. Well, I dont need to tell you that. Good night: If we should bump into one another, recognize me. (p. 94-95) The common mans words are true not only to the time of Thomas More, but as well throughout history. Many in the world today follow the same philosophy that the common man states at the end of the play. Most people would rather avoid the troubles caused by being an individual. However, there are a few, such as Thomas More, who follow their conscience, who are willing to take on the extra stresses that come with being ones own person. The statement made by the common man, although practiced by many in the world today, is the wrong way to think. The man says to survive in the world one must leave behind their morals, and to forget their conscience. While this may lead to temporary happiness in life, it may lead to eternal punishment after death. In the modern world, this philosophy is still the best way to go for some. Today, another teen-ager is abusing an illegal drug because everyone else is doing it. If the teen does the drug, then his personal life will be better because he has gained more friends. Even though he knows that it is illegal and thus, morally wrong, he takes the easiest route, and goes with the flow. Thomas More is an extraordinary man, because instead of giving in to the pressures of the King of England and even the entire country, he followed his conscience. Thomas is damned on earth due to his faith, but for following his conscience, and doing what he truly believed to be right, he will have eternal happiness in the afterlife. If only everyone realized this, and had the smallest concept of what eternity close to God meant, then they would suffer the hardships on earth, and stand firm in their beliefs. The common man asks to be recognized. A definition of recognize is to acknowledge. In saying recognize me, the common man may be asking for one to take note and remember what he has said. The statement made is an important one, and in saying recognize me, he makes sure that his point has gotten into the mind of the listener (or reader).

Best SAT Math Prep Books (2019) Expert Reviews

Best SAT Math Prep Books (2019) Expert Reviews SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips While there are many differentSAT prep books, they all have one thing in common: they allclaim to be the best. How canyou figure outwhich one will actually helpyou succeed on the SAT? This guide will give you myrecommendations for the best prep books for theMath section of the SAT.Some of these books are best for strategies and thinking through the problems, while others are best for practice problems. A few are geared toward top scorers, while somewill help you improve a low score fast. Before delving into the list, I have to make one disclaimer: Disclaimer Everyone's learning styles and motivation levels are unique. Thus, I don't believe there's a one-size-fits-all book out there that will help everyone equally. While these recommendations should help a lot of students, they can't necessarily account for everyone's individual differences. That's why I'm a huge proponent of PrepScholar's online method of test prep. It diagnoses your strengths and weaknesses and customizes the test prep for you and your schedule. Because of this high level of personalization, it's very effective forhelping students study efficiently and make big leaps in their SAT scores. That being said, prep books can be very helpful in reviewing material and giving you practice with hundreds of sample SAT questions. It's great that you're already starting to break your test prep down by section by focusing specifically on math. Since the best representation of SAT questions come from the test makers themselves, I'll start this list with College Board's The Official SAT Study Guide. There are some pros and cons to this book, but perhaps the biggest con is that you can find these same eight practice tests for free online!Read on to decide whether or not this book would be helpful to you. The College Board's Official SAT Study Guide Price:About $19 Pros When it comes to the SAT, the best sample questions come directly from the test makers themselves.College Board's The Official SAT Study Guideincludes eight real practice tests with official answer explanations. Since College Board makes and administers the SAT, thisbook contains the best representation of the real test. However, and this is an important point, College Board has also released PDFs of every chapter and practice test in the book on its website!As part of its efforts toward greater transparency and equalizing access to test prep, College Board has published its practice tests and offered free resources via Khan Academy. The College Boardbook's main strength is its official SAT questions, since they are the very best practice material. Beyond the practice tests, the book's greatest strengths are its review of the overall test structure and format, its presentation of math concepts, and its description of the new essay. Since the SAT is a written test, it's a good idea to have hard copies of practice tests to gain practice in the most authentic way.Whether this means buying this book or printing out the free tests yourself is up to you. College Board's real questions will get you familiar with how questions are worded, how they're arranged, and other patterns of the SAT. You'll gain practice with the new structure, which gives you a 65-minute Reading section, 35-minute Writing section, and two math sections. The eight full-length practice tests add upto 24 hours of prep or 32 hours if you include the essay section. Cons While College Board's official questions are helpful and effective practice, their answer explanations are not as detailed as they could be. They explain the answer choices but don't give you much information about how to approach and think through the question. Since there are a limited number of officialpractice tests, you might choose to stagger each one throughout your prep as a way to measure your progress and evaluate your approach. The tests could be best used as measuring posts; College Board's official material won't help you as much as some other options in terms of learning and test-taking strategies. Overall, you should familiarize yourself with the material in this book, since it contains the most accurate practice questions compared to any other source. Whether you choose to do so with a hard copy of the book or via College Board's website (for free) is a matter of personal preference. Now that you know where and how to locate official College Board practice problems, let's discuss the best math prep books, starting with the best book for content instruction. Best SAT Math Prep Book for Instruction Steve Warner's SAT MathSeries Price:About $30 Pros Steve Warner offers several SAT math books. The best one for content instruction isNew SAT Math Problems, but you can also find workbooks geared towards students in certain scoring levels. New SAT Math Problems is one of the best books out there for content review and instruction. He discusses the new areas emphasized on the test:Problem Solving and Data Analysis, Heart of Algebra, Geometry and Trigonometry, and Passport to Advanced Math. The book arranges concepts and their corresponding practice problems in level of difficulty, from Level 1 up to Level 4. This organizationby level, rather than problem type, is useful, as it allows you to integrate skills and ensure you don't leave out any important concepts. It also lets students focus on the difficulty level that will help them most improve their scores, with students scoring around a 600 advised to focus on Levels 2 through 4 and students aiming for 700+ directed to the Level 4 and 5 problems. The lessons are carefully crafted and paired with practice problems to test your understanding. The questions are realistic and come with detailed explanations, which often go overa few different approaches (unlike College Board's single approach explanations). These explanations allow you to carefullyunderstand your mistakes while learning how to approach a similar question the next time. Cons One major con to this book is simply its restricted length. Compared to Steve Warner's multiple-issue series on the math section of the old SAT, his currentbooks don'trepresent the same scope of material that was so useful to students at all different scoring levels. Not only will future additions be helpful, but they will ideally break down the concepts into even smaller components. This book is a good start, but students who want to review concepts would be best served with a detailed and specific breakdown of each and every one. If you're using this book, you may want to consult other resources to ensure that you've filled in every gapin knowledge for the SAT. Finally, the New SAT Math Problemsbook may not contain a sufficient number of practice problems for your prep. Its strength lies in content instruction and review with practice problems interspersed by concept and difficulty level. If you're looking for a large set of practice problems to test your knowledge, then the next book on this list would be a better resource. Best SAT Math Books for Practice Questions Dr. Jang's SAT 800 Math Workbook for the New SAT Price:About $25 Pros If you're looking for math practice problems, you'll find over 1,500 in Dr. Jang's Math Workbook for the New SAT. This book discusses math topics and concepts, but its real strength lies in the sheer number of practice problems. Since timing yourself, answering questions, and analyzing your mistakes is a key part of your preparation, this book could be a very effective study tool. The practice problems throughout the book are arranged by difficulty level, so if you've got a certain question type mastered then you can challenge yourself with harder ones. Additionally, Dr. Jang's Math Workbook has a diagnostic test at the beginning and 10 sample tests that you can take under test-like conditions. Not only are the practice questions abundant, but they are realistic. You'll find the addition of trigonometry, and the questions will be marked as non-calculator and calculator. This book is well customized to the concepts, format, and rules of the SAT. Cons As mentioned above, this book is most useful for its abundance of practice problems. It's less ideal for students looking for thorough content review. It also is not the best source of test-taking strategies, like time management. Furthermore, its answer explanations are not all that varied, so you won't gain a ton of insight into different approaches you could use to solve a problem. Dr. Jang's Math Workbook is useful for students at all levels, but you'd probably want to supplement it with a book that provided more in-depth instruction, strategies, and explanations. While the above books cater to students at various scoring levels, the two books below are best for strong math students aiming for top scores. Barron's Math Workbook Price:About $12 Pros Barron's Math Workbook has hundreds of practice SAT math questions, all with detailed answer explanations. The questions are divided by content area and concept, so you can learn about a specific skill and then drill with relevant problems. In addition to all of the practice questions, there are two full-length practice tests at the end of the book. You'll also get some test-taking tips, but the real strength of the book lies in its abundance of practice questions. Cons Students have noted some typos and spelling errors in Barron's, as if the company rushed to get the book to print without thorough copyediting first. It doesn't seem to have substantial mistakes, but these little typos can be distracting, especially as you're going through the detail-oriented work of SAT prep. As a traditional SAT book, it's written in astraightforward style that can get a bit dry and boring. If you're looking for a more engaging, personable, or funny writing style, you won't find it in Barron's. Of course, since the book is more of a workbook full of practice questions, you should look elsewhere for in-depth lessons and content review. Best SAT Math Books for High Scorers PWN the SAT Math Guide Price:About $29 Pros PWN the SAT is geared towards highly achieving, motivated students aiming for a top score in SAT Math. The book is written in an engaging, irreverent style,which helps students stay engaged with the material. It's divided into five categories: Techniques, Heart of Algebra, Passport to Advanced Math, Problem Solving and Data Analysis, and Additional Topics in Math. The book breaks down each SAT Math category into its component concepts. It has realistic practice problems that are designated as either "Calculator" or "No calculator" to help you get ready for both question types. Each chapter also provides a list of official questions of a certain type to help you drill specific skills. Finally, you can register on the PWN SAT website to get bonus material, as well as watch video answer explanations that walk you through practice problems, step by step. Cons The main con of PWN the SAT Math Guide is that its target audience is limited. It will help top scorers with strong math skills, but it won't be as accessible to students who struggle with math. If you're looking for foundational knowledge, then PWN the SAT isn't the book for you. It won't be the best resource to raise low math scores. Rather, it's better to bring already strong scores into the top percentiles. Dr. John Chung's SAT Math: 60 Perfect Tips and 15 Complete Tests Price:About $39 Pros As compared to College Board's four practice tests, 15 is certainly an improvement! Dr. Chung's SAT Math book is one of the most comprehensive currently out there in terms of content and practice questions in one place. This book is best for strong math students and top scorers. It doesn't go over the fundamentals and assumes its readers have a stable foundation in math concepts. It advertises itself as "designed for students to get a perfect score" and provides useful examples and practice questions to this end. The 60 "perfect tips" are brief descriptions of concepts, like linear function, exponents, transformations, and average speeds, paired with a few examples and practice problems to reinforce your understanding. Cons First, because there aren't a lot of copes available anymore, this book can be quite expensive. Additionally, Dr. Chung does not give you much in the way of review, lessons, or concept reinforcement. The book mostly assumes you have a strong foundation in math.It's a "no-frills" kind of book that essentially looks like a list of practice problems; you won't find much in the way of introduction or narrative. It's not a book you can fully rely on for your test prep, and it's probably not the best one to start out with, either. Some students have also noted some typos in Dr. Chung'svarious editions, as if the books wererushed to publication without proofreading for all the errors. While it's great that this bookhas so many practice questions, it seems like there may besome careless mistakes throughout the material. Finally, this book is not particularly descriptive of the changes to the SAT. It contains relevant practice problems, but it doesn't go into detail about new skills and question types or even the new structure. Make sure to familiarize yourself with the changes, like the addition of trigonometry and non-calculator questions, outside of this book. The 150 Hardest SAT Math Problems Reincarnated for the New SAT Price:About $10 Pros The 150 Hardest SAT Math Problems Reincarnated for the New SATwas designed for the "A+ student who wants to go from 700 to a perfect score" and doesn't want to waste her time on "fodder problems." This book collected the trickiest questions that most students missed over the last ten years of SAT administrations. According to the author, he "reincarnated" these questions in the format of the new SAT. These questions are useful for top scorers who want to make sure they understand fundamental concepts of algebra, geometry, and numbers and how to apply them to the most challenging question types. At the same time, this book has some major weaknesses that you should understand before purchasing a copy. Cons The author maintains that his problems have been "reincarnated" to fit the redesigned test, but he doesn't seem to have changed much beyond reducing the answer choices from five to four. He does include some non-calculator questions, but other than that the author downplays the major changes that were madeto the SAT in early 2016. For instance, he includes numbers, algebra, and geometry, but no trigonometry. He also provides little explanation of the new SAT's focus on real-world word problems and scenarios. Since the math section is the one that changed the least on the SAT, these recycled problems from SATs past will still help you prepare. At the same time, make sure you're aware of the changes that are being made and supplement these questions with ones more specific to the redesigned SAT. Finally, these next two books are useful for the average math student who wants to shore up her foundation in the fundamentals or can only dedicate a limited amount of time to studying. Best SAT Math Books for Low Scorers If you're planning to devote only a few hours to studying for the math SAT, these books should give you a general overview and introduction to the concepts you need to know. However, if you are taking a more active approach to your test prep, then these are the books you should probably avoid. They're not so helpful for trulyin-depth understanding and preparation. Kaplan Price:About $12 Pros Kaplan's SAT Math Prep Bookis a traditional prep book that reviews concepts and provides corresponding practice sets. It includes new concepts, like trigonometry, and has 16 practice sets and over 250 practice problems. Kaplan's book also breaks down the new format and structure of the SAT Math section, while many other books do not. It's a useful tool for learning about the new SAT, reviewing 16 key concepts, and trying out practice problems. Cons Kaplan's practice questions tend not to be the best written. They're not always realistic or phrased in the same way that the SAT is.In the beginning of this guide, I emphasized the importance of taking official College Board tests, since they're the best representation of the questions you'll get on test day. Kaplan's questions usually represent the other end of this spectrum, because they don't always resemble actual SAT questions. Doingwell on the SAT math is not just about understanding the concepts, but also about understanding the SAT and being able to apply those concepts to the SAT's uniquely worded questions. Without this practice, you won't be asprepared as you could be for the SAT's unique phrasing and tricks. Doing well is also about strategy.Kaplan has some strategies, but they're not that helpful for breaking away from a score of around 600. Kaplan gives a basic overview, but it's not the most helpful resources for students looking to make a large score improvements or understand the material in depth. A second book for students who are not planning to do all that muchSAT prep is Bob Miller's SAT Math for the Clueless. Bob Miller's SAT Math for the Clueless: The Easiest and Quickest Way to Prepare for the New SAT Math Section Price:About $6 Pros While I'm not a big fan of the title, Bob Miller's SAT Math for the Cluelessbook delivers what it says it will - an easy and quick way to prepare for the SAT. It provides a mix of material for the current SAT and theredesigned SAT. While Dr. Chung's Math Workbook is spare, Bob Miller's book has funny and accessible introductions. If you find it hard to focus on math without some humor, you might find this book more engaging (a useful characteristic when you're self-studying with books). Cons Bob Miller's SAT Math focuses more on strategies, techniques, and introductory review than on practice questions. It also lacks an in-depth description of changes being made to the SAT, and it doesn't incorporate the more advanced math problems. This book is really just for the self-described "clueless" math students who want a brief, accessible review. Perhaps it will spark your motivation to move onto better study guides with more comprehensive SAT preparation. So there you have it, my recommendations for instruction, practice problems, high scorers, and low scorers. There are pros and cons of each, and hopefully there will be books of ever higher quality published over the next few months. One challenge that all the above booksshare is the self-discipline that required tostudyfrom them.You'll have to set your own schedule, score your own tests, and learn via reading and writing, rather than incorporating visual or auditory approaches. With these considerations in mind, is solely studying for the SAT from books the best option for you as a learner? Is Studying From Books the Best Option for You? While books used to be the main test prep method for the SAT, now there are lots of other approaches. This gives you a lot more choice in finding a method that fits best with your math level, study style, and goals, not to mention how much money you're able and willing to spend on SAT prep. Books can be affordable, but as you can see from the pros and cons mentioned above, you probably want to use more than one book to truly prepare. This can add up to hundreds of dollars. As more and more test prep companies focus their attention online, you might have to go online to find answers, answer explanations, and other supplementary materials. This could divide your attention while still leaving it up to you to spend a long time scoring your own tests. Books can be very comprehensive and informative, but you'll only access all theinformation you need with the self-discipline to take time to study and learn from your mistakes. PrepScholar's method of online test prepfor the new SAT attempts to address and make up for these weaknesses in a number of ways. One, it's an all-in-one program that incorporates the best practices from all these books, while also customizing the test prep based on what you already know and what you need to study further. It addresses the accountability and self-discipline issue by planning our your study schedule for you in the way that's been proven to be most effective. It also takes away the time-waster of self scoring, since it will give you instant feedback on your performance.On a similar note, you can visually see your progress, how far you've gone in the material and how much you have to left to conquer. By incorporating the "pros" of every test prep book - high-quality questions, comprehensive explanations, diagnostic tests, and expert test-taking strategies - and making up for the cons with personalized motivators and progress reports, PrepScholar is an affordable, accessible, and highly effective method of convenient online prep for the new SAT. Just as you should diagnose your strengths and weaknesses to best prepare for the SAT, you'd be smart to reflect on your learning style and what method of test prep, whether through books or online, will best meet your needs and allow you to excel on all sections of the SAT. What's Next? Are you aiming for perfection? This perfect SAT scorer describes all the strategies and techniques he used to achieve a full score on the SAT, and what exactly you need to do to reach that perfect score. Besides studying, planning exactly when you're going to take the SAT is also a key consideration for maximizing your performance. Read all about when you should take the SAT as you design your schedule. Perhaps you've noticed that theSAT is looking a lot like the ACT these days. If you're deciding which test to take, check out our detailed comparison of the SAT and the ACT. Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free, SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today!

The eNotes Blog Are You with theBanned

Are You with theBanned Banned Books Week is currently celebrating its 36th anniversary! This years theme, Banning Books Silences Stories, is a reminder that everyone needs to speak out against the tide of censorship. Did you know that some of the best works of all time, and very often the ones youll have studied in school, have at one time or another been censored from the public? Did you know that the practice of censorship in literature still goes on today? Yup, somewhere out there, a blinkered individual could actually be pondering at this very moment the dangers of a mind raised on an occultist story like  Bridge to Terabithia, while someone of the same mindset argues that the bildungsroman The Perks of Being a Wallflower is unsuited to a teenage audience. Seriously. And its not all Sex, by Madonna, Gossip Girl and l8r, g8r that are considered poised to corrupt our youth either. No, those are part of a tiny minority. What are the most frequently banned books? Our greatest ones, of course. Of Random Houses list of the 100 best novels of all time, 46 classics have been either challenged or banned altogether, some on a frequent basis. Of Mice and Men is one that is commonly challenged today. Even  in the last decade the list of banned books still includes To Kill a Mockingbird (for racial themes), Brave New World (for insensitivity, offensive language, and probably for being dystopian), and  The Catcher in the Rye (for being a filthy, filthy book), proving we are far from the progressive culture we may like to think of ourselves as. No sauciness allowed. Of all the reasons books are banned or challenged, sexual explicitness is cited the most often. Even when it does not concern important works, the point at hand here is that individuals and governments consider it their right to censor what others read, and that (to me) sounds borderline Cultural Revolution/Big Brother-esque. Its a tad hypocritical that the freedom of speech has been such a huge part of the public discourse lately, while so little thought is ever given to intellectual freedom: Intellectual freedom can exist only where two essential conditions are met: first, that all individuals have the right to hold any belief on any subject and to convey their ideas in any form they deem appropriate, and second, that society makes an equal commitment to the right of unrestricted access to information and ideas regardless of the communication medium used, the content of work, and the viewpoints of both the author and the receiver of information.   Intellectual Freedom Manual, 7th edition If libraries begin to ban books from the public, weve basically descended into a Fahrenheit 451 situation. Oh wait, thats another banned book, so that analogy means nothing If a book offends you, dont read it. But please, dont worry that Harry Potter will turn an entire generation of kids into wand-wielding Satan worshipers. Moreover, if the people trying to censor these stories really took the time to read them, they might just realize how much more faith in humanity these offensive books store than the censors do themselves. Theres a lot more out there to fear than a mind fed with imagination, fantasy, and original thought. And with that, Ill get off my soapbox. To see a visual history of the last thirty years of banned books, check out this great timeline  from the American Library Association. It contains thirty entries between 1982s banning of Slaughterhouse Five (a just plain filthy book) and 2012s Pedagogy of the Oppressed (banned for concerning ethnic studies).  You can also find out whos behind most of the book challenges, and other information, in the ALAs Statistics page. More famous banned books: Animal Farm by George Orwell Criticism of corruption and depiction of a talking pig.   The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie Criticized for profanity and sexual content.   All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque Viewed as unpatriotic. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe Challenged for elements of racism and negative portrayal of colonialism. Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck Banned for foul language, sexual content, violence, and considered a rejection of American individualism. Lord of the Flies by William Golding Challenged for being racist and offensive to minors.   Call of the Wild by Jack London Considered too radical. Alices Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carrol Banned for talking animals, negative depictions of teachers, and alleged drug references. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain Challenged for stereotyping, racism, and inappropriate language. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins Criticized for being sexually explicit, too violent for young adults, and anti-family. What are your thoughts on banned books? Do some deserve to be taken off the shelves? If so, which ones? Wed love to hear your thoughts in a comment below!