Advantages and Disadvantages of Learning German From a Native Speaker

Advantages and Disadvantages of Learning German From a Native SpeakerLearning German is an extremely effective way to begin speaking the language. If you are one of those people who would rather learn from experience than by reading or listening, then this method of learning is right for you. Learn German from a native speaker and avoid the internet for any reason. Learning a language from a native speaker is much more enjoyable.The great thing about learning German is that it is available on the internet. You will be able to learn without ever having to worry about anything. Even though this method may be more convenient, it may not be for everyone. Here are some disadvantages and advantages of this method. We will then see if this method works or not.I must say that this old method of learning a language can actually be an extremely good option for some people. It does have its advantages, and if you want to learn to speak German, it will work for you. But, there are also a few dis advantages that you need to take into consideration. We will examine them here.One of the first disadvantages that you need to be aware of is that this way of learning German is very time consuming. You will spend most of your time in classes and doing other things. Some people find this method tedious and slow, while others find it boring.Learning German from a native speaker of the language is definitely better than doing it the 'old' way. The old way is very cumbersome and takes a lot of time. It requires a lot of hard work. You will also spend a lot of money on it. This method of learning from a native speaker is much cheaper than the traditional way. It is also a much better option if you cannot afford anything else.Another disadvantage of the old method is that it is not all that practical. Many people find this method boring and repetitive. Most of the time, it is just too easy to learn.If you want to learn to speak German, then this method is just as effective as any other m ethod. And this way of learning from a native speaker is a better option than doing it the 'old' way. In short, this method of learning to speak German is definitely worth your time and effort. It is not too expensive and does not take a lot of time. So, if you are interested in learning a new language, then this method is definitely the way to go.

The Qing Dynasty Chinas Last Empire

The Qing Dynasty China’s Last Empire All You Ever Wanted to Know about the Qing Empire. ChaptersWhere was the Qing Dynasty, and When?The Origins of the Qing EmpireThe Qing Dynasty at its PeakThe Qing Empire in DeclineConclusion.The Qing were the last imperial dynasty in China, reigning between  the seventeenth century to the Chinese republic in the twentieth. The Qing ruled during a period in which the world’s great powers were increasingly concentrated in Europe, and this Chinese empire ultimately fell due to competition and aggression from precisely those powers.Yet, they were hugely important in the history of modern China, and anyone studying the A Level in China in the Twentieth Century will need to grapple with the fall of the Qing. Importantly, it was this dynasty that established the borders of modern China, ruling over a multicultural and increasingly huge population, and succumbing to powers â€" such as the British Empire â€" with much more advanced technologies, trade, and militaries. MarkHistory Teacher 5.00 (3) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tuto rs JohnHistory Teacher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarjotteHistory Teacher 5.00 (4) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ErinHistory Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ChantelleHistory Teacher 5.00 (2) £17/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AndriyHistory Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PeterHistory Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SerenaHistory Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhere was the Qing Dynasty, and When?The main dates for the Qing Dynasty are 1644 and 1912, when the empire formally established power over China and when it officially ceased to exist. However, dynastic rule preceded these dates, being technically declared in Manchuria.The Qing was the fifth largest empire in history. Not only did it essentially establish the borders of contemporary China, but it gained control over Tibet, Outer Mongolia, and Taiwan, and its role in Manchuria gave it significant influence over Korea.The rulers were from Manchuria, the north-eastern part of China that borders with Korea. This is the reason for its nickname â€" the Manchu dynasty â€" and its capital city was in Shenyang before moving to Beijing.It collapsed in 1912, after eight global powers invaded together: Italy, US, Austro-Hungary, France, Japan, German, the Russian Empire, and the UK. They were trying to quell the Boxer Rebellion â€" an anti-foreigner movement led by the ruler at the time, Empress Dowager Cixi. When the rebellion was crushed, Cixi fled to Xi’an, Manchuria, and the empire soon came to an end.The Qing Dynasty in 1820 - one of the largest empires ever.The Origins of the Qing EmpireWhat is interesting, in the context of twentieth-century China’s emphasis on Han ethnicity, is that the Qing dynasty was only the second time China was not ruled by the Han - the first time being the Mongol Empire.  Rather, it was established and ruled by the Jurchen people from M anchuria.Initially, the Manchurian state was established by a tribal chieftain called Nurhaci, who attempted to unify the tribes in Manchuria around him. in 1616, Nurhaci declared himself Khan of the Great Jin.He attacked the Ming Dynasty to unite further tribes who at that time were still allied to the Chinese empire in Beijing and, capturing the city of Shenyang in 1625, he made that city his capital, known as Mukden.Whilst he was allied with the Khorchin Mongols - descendants of the Mongol Empire - it was evident that he had insufficient Manchu troops to conquer China proper. However, after further military successes, he enlisted more Mongols, and enlisted into his army Han people who had defected from the Ming.Nurhaci died in 1626. After extensive familial struggles for succession, Nurhaci’s grandson, Shunzhi, became emperor and eventually conquered Ming dynasty Beijing and declared Qing rule over the whole of China in 1644. Shunzhi took up the Mandate of Heaven. This was the Chinese belief that anyone who ruled China did so under the pleasure of heaven. If a dynasty was overthrown, or if there were significant natural disasters, it was seen as a sign that heaven no longer supported that ruler.After the conquest of Beijing, the defeat of the remnants of the Ming took a further seventeen years. MarkHistory Teacher 5.00 (3) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JohnHistory Teacher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarjotteHistory Teacher 5.00 (4) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ErinHistory Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ChantelleHistory Teacher 5.00 (2) £17/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AndriyHistory Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PeterHistory Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SerenaHistory Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsThe Qing Dynasty at its PeakHaving established Qing power over the Chinese capital, Shunzhi died of smallpox six years later. He was replaced by his third son, who became the Kangxi emperor.Throughout the next three generations â€" the reigns of Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong â€" Qing China reached its peak of strength, influence, wealth, and cultural and artistic achievement.Kangxi â€" ruling from 1661 to 1722 â€" is the longest Chinese ruler ever. Interestingly enough, however, his grandson, Qianlong, would have outdone him, but he resigned so as not to surpass his grandfather’s rule.TerritoryThroughout the height of the Qing, the emperors consolidated power over China and extended their territories further. Kangxi beat the Russians in battle at the Amur River, which led to the 1689 Treaty of Nerchinsk â€" allowing China to dominate much of Siberia and Manchuria (although the Russian Empire would later overturn this). He beat the Dzungar Mongols to gain control of Inner and Outer Mongolia and Tibet and gained control of Taiwan.Part of the Chinese emperor’s job had a lways been to put down rebellions, and in 1673, the Revolt of the Three Feudatories was quashed by Kangxi’s forces.GovernmentChinese government, once it moved to Beijing, was based in the Forbidden City.Whilst the Emperor was an absolute ruler, he sat on six ministries which dealt respectively with revenue, rites and religion, war, crime, public works, and appointments to the civil service. Appointments to these ministries were split between Manchu and Han â€" and some Mongolians â€" in order to keep the multicultural nature of the regime. Just in terms of religion the diversity was vast, with Confucianism mixing with Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, and, later, Christianity.These ministries were mainly for routine admin, but major decisions were taken in the court, where the noblemen and the emperor’s family dwelt.Arts and CultureDespite new technologies in printing and reproduction, the Qing dynasty was not a peak of Chinese culture. Inspiration came primarily from artists during the previous dynasty â€" the Ming â€" during which artistic production flourished. Porcelain, painting, and the novel, for example, came into their own, but all were performed under Ming inspiration.The fact that the Qing were from Manchuria caused a number of measures to ensure cultural cohesion across China. Kangxi insisted that, in the military, Manchurian hairstyles must be worn â€" under pain of death â€" and Chinese women were ordered not to bind their feet. Qianlong, who reigned from 1735 to 1796, aggressively maintained official Confucian and Manchurian culture, burning any books that criticised them.One important development was the Kangxi Dictionary, which standardised Chinese script. Kangxi also liked western instruments and technology, and he employed westerners in his court.World TradeWhilst trade with the west was a source of wealth for China, it was also one of the factors causing imperial decline. After 1757, Canton (now Guangzhou) was the only place permitted to trade w ith the west. The British, for example, bought massive shipments of tea from the Chinese.However, throughout the period, and particularly during Qianlong’s reign, China was in decline â€" whilst Europe was growing ever more powerful. Qianlong denied further trade with the Europeans, seeing them as lesser peoples to the Chinese and, after 1796, no further Europeans could meet with the emperor.The Qianlong Emperor was one of the greatest of China's Qing Dynasty.The Qing Empire in DeclineFinanceDuring the reign of Qianlong, the Chinese state was running out of money to pay their ministers and military. The tax rates were very low, and the booming population meant that there was a lot of pressure on land, government, and resources.Efforts to modernise were increasingly thwarted by conservative politicians, and, during Qianlong, corruption was rife, meaning that money was diverted from more important things.WarChina’s nineteenth century was dominated by war.Most significantly, perhap s, were the two Opium Wars with Britain. Opium was popular in China and, in order to make money, British traders attempted to sell huge quantities of it to the Chinese. The drug was banned â€" as there was an addiction epidemic â€" but the British resented this quick end to their lucrative trade. This led to war, first in 1840 and then again between 1856 and 1860. The treaty forced upon China after Britain’s victory brought many westerners into the country and weakened Qing rule.In 1860, the Russian Empire was expanding, and it retook the Amur River. In 1894, furthermore, China fought Japan over influence over Korea. Japan won completely and China was forced to submit ports and land.The Empress Dowager Cixi, who ruled Qing China at the end of the nineteenth century.RebellionBetween 1850 and 1864, China was shaken by the Taiping rebellion, in which the Christian Hong Xiuquan took over the city of Nanjing for a decade. Twenty million people are ultimately thought to have died, and t he war inspired many similar rebellions to flourish across the next half a century.The Boxer Rebellion of 1900 was one of the most important of these. Directed towards the Europeans, however, it was supported by the Qing ruler of the time, Empress Dowager Cixi. It attempted essentially to kick out foreigners, but this led to eight countries invading the country and quashing it â€" to defend their colonial interests there.FallAs a result, the Dowager Cixi fled to Manchuria. She returned after a year in 1902, but further revolution â€" namely the Xinhai Revolution of 1911 â€" overthrew her successor, and a republic was established by anti-Qing revolutionaries. The resulting republic was to lead to the rise of the famous Mao Zedong.Conclusion.You can learn more about the greatest empires ever, about the Roman Empire, and about the Ottoman Empire in the other pieces in the series!

How Are Cooking Classes Organised

How Are Cooking Classes Organised The Structure Of Cooking Lessons ChaptersGetting To Know How Your Course Will Be Set OutWhat If I Miss Part Of My Course?Will I have To Do Homework In Preparation For Classes? GiovanniCooking Teacher 4.83 (12) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HalimaCooking Teacher £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HakimCooking Teacher 5.00 (5) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors VincenzoCooking Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GinellaCooking Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ArronCooking Teacher 5.00 (2) £9/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JoshuaCooking Teacher 5.00 (5) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FlickCooking Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsGetting To Know How Your Course Will Be Set OutLonger CoursesWhile all cooking classes'  curriculum  will differ slightly in structure, which will be determined mainly by how much teaching time you have, many week-long courses will be organised in a similar wa y.For instance, you can expect, if attending a 5 or 7-day course to arrive at your chosen class at around 9am ready to learn. You’ll probably be greeted with a tea or coffee and be informed of what you will be doing during the day ahead (menus and recipes may be handed out). Your tutor will most likely run through the recipes for the day, to get you excited to crack on with the practical cooking techniques and elements planned for you.Find out more about the prices of cooking classes and how to find a cooking tutor.You will probably work on some savoury recipes over the course of the morning session, which you’ll then get to eat for lunch, followed by more demonstrations and cooking in the afternoon. You may find that a sweet dish is thrown in which you can try out as an afternoon snack with your tea but, in any case, any food you make but don’t eat is yours to take home.Any food that you make in cooking lessons and don't eat can be taken home. Photo credit: yoppy on VisualHun t / CC BYThe food that you cook with is provided by the cooking school, funded partly by your payment to them. It is only in very rare cases that you will be given a shopping list to buy items for yourself.Meanwhile, if you have a passion for cooking and have your heart set on a culinary arts degree, then you might have just started, or be prepared to embark on a term of cooking school next September.If you want to know how your course will be structured, like how many hours of hands on cooking you will do per week, the ratio of practical vs written work, the recipes that you will work from, etc... then you should contact your admissions office to request the details of the curriculum.Each course will have their own structure and should be able to give you an old timetable if they haven't yet released a new one, to give you a better idea of what you might expect.As an overview, you can expect to learn key cooking skills at the start of your course like basic knife skills (including using them and sharpening them) and general cooking methods before leading on to more complicated aspects of cooking like how to follow recipes or instruction.Shorter CoursesFor those enrolled on half-day or evening classes, your teacher will obtain the ingredients for you to work with and provide a partial hands on cooking class, which relies heavily on demonstration.You will probably arrive at your chosen location half an hour before your class to mingle with the other participants and have a light refreshment and appetizers. Once everyone has arrived, your instructor will no doubt give you a brief introduction to the session before moving onto some food preparation techniques. If you have an evening class planned, it may be wise to have brunch in place of a big lunch so that you aren't too full to enjoy the food on offer.Most shorter courses (less than half a day) will focus primarily on the various elements of one dish or perhaps two meals that go hand in hand, like a main meal and a dessert or even an accompanying side dish. Meanwhile, your tutor may also advise on food and wine pairings, if they are qualified in this area.If you're simply going to an hour-long demonstration, then expect the instructor to focus on a particular element of cooking, like cooking a particular cut of meat or creating a sauce for a Thai style stir fry.Some of the types of independent cooking classes you can expect to find are those centred around working with chocolate, getting a taste of Italy, vegan cooking classes, authentic Spanish tapas and paella, cooking with herbs and creating bite-sized party foods, and decorating cakes, to name but a few.Finally, if you have chosen to hire a tutor to teach you how to cook privately, your tutor will usually discuss your requirements with you and might even work with you to structure the block of courses you have paid for.In any case, they will start by teaching you basic elements of cooking, like explaining the fundamental cookware ite ms, informing you of the essentials to keep in your pantry, showing you how to prepare vegetables and preparing cuts of meat.Discover the different types of cooking classes near me here.You and your private tutor might meet to discuss requirements and then plan sessions in around each of your timetables. Photo on Visualhunt.comWhat If I Miss Part Of My Course?If you have paid for a full term at cookery school, then the chances are that you have paid quite a substantial amount of money on tuition. As such, you should do your best to avoid any absences, which don't just result in a financial loss, but also in gaps in your learning.Unfortunately, it can be quite hard to catch up on a class related to cooking, because you cannot recreate the demonstrations performed by your instructor on that day. If you are lucky, however, one of your peers may be able to help you to fill in some of the gaps.If you foresee any absences, like if you have a family wedding to go to, or if you fall sick, y ou should contact your tutor immediately to inform them of the cancellation so that they can offer you advice on how best to catch up on cooking methods taught. For instance, you may be able to attend a session held on a different day or even at a different establishment so that you don't miss vital cooking techniques.If you happen to be ill on a day that you are booked in to see a private tutor, it is only fair to contact the individual as quickly as possible so that can rearrange their schedule and perhaps even see another pupil in your place.Remember that they are working for themselves so a missed session for them results in less money in their pocket. If you continue to skip classes or consistently ask to rearrange sessions, your instructor may start to get tired of your lack of organisation and put an end to your tuition.Similarly, your tutor is not going to be happy if you miss a couple of hours of a five-day course. If you take into consideration the total number of hours of tuition you have, then this will make up a pretty high percentage! Re-book that dentist check-up for another day or make sure that you leave earlier than you need to, to avoid any issues with traffic.Leave yourself enough time to get to your class, considering peak times for traffic. Photo on Visual huntYou want to be top of the class, not the class drop out (especially if you are funding the course with hard-earned cash).Will I have To Do Homework In Preparation For Classes?Naturally, if you are enrolled on a one-day course, you won't be given any homework to do, at least nothing that your tutor will later check up on.Your instructor may, however, give you some activities to try at home in order to further develop your learning. He or she may also give you their contact details and encourage you to speak to them if you have any questions or if you want to send an update on your cooking journey beyond their class.Don't be alarmed if the cooking school's administrative team contacts you before the class with some prep to do beforehand. As most cooks attending the course will be novices, they might simply ask you to brush up on some knowledge before you arrive at class so that everyone enters the classroom on the same page.For example you might be asked look into the hospitality industry, foods from Italy (like fresh pasta or ravioli) or the art of baking and pastry, depending on the theme of your lesson.Courses that last a few days or more are more likely to require some additional work, but as a foodie you probably won't see this as an inconvenience. In fact, if you have a passion for cooking, then being asked to do cooking at home might be just what you want to hear!Along with some hands on home cooking, your tutor might ask you to do some research or studies into a particular food discipline (which might be different for one student than for another, depending on their interests).For example, alongside demonstrations taking place during the day, you may be asked to write a short essay on restaurant management, baking artisan bread, making fresh pasta, gluten free cooking, vegetarian cooking, vegan cooking, the history of French cuisine, how to work with chocolate, specialities of Italy, Mediterranean delicacies, pastry arts, the history of traditional British pies, how food and wine work together or the art of cooking with spices, for example.Rest assured, however, that a vocational cooking class will usually be ungraded, so having attended a short course is more of a personal accomplishment than a professional achievement. That said, students enrolled on courses upwards of a week in duration might see their diploma or qualification as a vital step in their career, and an important achievement to have on their resume.Regardless of the way you choose to learn to cook, how you perform or what you accomplish along the way, the main thing is to put your all into it and ensure that you do the best that you can do in the time given.If you w ish to learn more about cooking school, take a look at how to find a cooking tutor.

What is it Like to Attend The University of Scranton

What is it Like to Attend The University of Scranton The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Michelle is a Philadelphia tutor specializing in Chemistry tutoring, Physics tutoring, Physiology tutoring, and more. She graduated from The University of Scranton with a Bachelors degree in Biology Philosophy in 2014. Check out her review of her alma mater: VT: Describe the campus setting and transportation options.How urban or safe is the campus?Are there buses or do you need a car/bike? Michelle: The University of Scranton is located several blocks from downtown Scranton, which contains various restaurants and shops. There is a bus service that stops on campus, and it goes to several stops not within walking distance, but many students prefer to use their own cars to drive places. I did not have my own car on campus during my freshman and sophomore year, and I experienced little to no inconvenience. In regard to safety, I never felt unsafe on campus during any hour of the day or night. VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Michelle: Very available. Because class sizes are small (no more than 35), professors generally try to learn your name and usually seek to know more than just that. In my experience, professors at the University of Scranton demonstrate genuine care and concern for their students education as whole persons, which is in line with the Jesuit idea of Cura Personalis, or Care of the whole person. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Michelle: Dorm life freshman year is the basis for many of the friendships that University of Scranton students form. Several of my closest friends are girls I lived with freshman and sophomore year. The community that made these relationships possible is a result of the small dorm room floor sizes (typically about 16 students per floor) and the awesome resident assistants (RAs) who supervise them (I am slightly biased because I was an RA). The food is amazing! There are sushi nights, awesome brunches on the weekends, and wonderful grab and go options, as well. In the past, the admissions department has given out meal vouchers to visitors, so go see for yourself! VT: Which majors/programs are best represented and supported?What did you study and why? Did the university do a good job supporting your particular area of study? Michelle: The University of Scranton has an awesome pre-professional (pre-medical, pre-veterinarian, etc.) reputation. The pre-physical therapy track is well represented, and the students in the business school often have great opportunities, as well. Occupational therapy and nursing are also popular and well-supported majors. The University of Scranton also equips all of their students with a solid liberal arts background. I studied biology on the pre-medical track, and I had a second major in philosophy. To support pre-medical students, the University of Scranton has a Health Professions Organization, which provides guidance and support to students for all four years of their undergraduate careers. This organization facilitates student mentoring, brings in professionals from different specialties to meet students, and even hosts an annual retreat at which alumni talk about their experiences with medicine. These alumni tell us every year how special the universitys pre-medical progr am is compared to other schools; students at the University of Scranton help one another succeed! VT: How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Michelle: As a freshman, there were many opportunities to get involved and meet others. I met many wonderful people during my freshman year through clubs, in my residence hall, on retreats, and in class. Since the University of Scranton is a small school, it is easy to meet people and get to know them. The University of Scranton does not have Greek life. VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Michelle: Career Services provides a multitude of helpful resources, such as resume/cover letter writing help, general advising, and mock interviews. Although I love the people who work there, I did not find them as helpful as I would have liked. I applied for internships and graduate school with the help of a faculty mentor. Career Services has an annual (possibly once every semester) Career Fair. Although I was not part of the business school, the business school has an annual expo at which businesses recruit students. There is also an annual fair for long-term post-graduate service agencies, such as Mercy Corps or the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, among many others. VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Michelle: Although things do get a bit crowded during finals time, usually there is more than enough study space available. The library houses five floors of study space, including a silent study space on the 5th floor with a beautiful view of the mountains, as well as a 1st floor that is open 24 hours a day (incredibly helpful for those inevitable all-nighters). I also liked to study in various lounges throughout the new science center and in the student center. The residence halls also have study space available to students. VT: Describe the surrounding town. What kinds of outside establishments / things to do are there that make it fun, boring, or somewhere in between?To what extent do students go to the downtown area of the city versus staying near campus? Michelle: There are several restaurants and clothing shops, as well as a mall, surrounding campus. I enjoyed walking to a local coffee shop to study or meet with friends periodically. Although students sometimes go out to eat, they generally stay on campus. The programming board at the University of Scranton is great about bringing in tons of entertainment, so there are usually a lot of things going on during weeknights and the weekends. VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Michelle: Scranton has about 4,000 undergraduate students and 2,000 graduate students, making it a relatively small school. While walking anywhere on campus, I always saw familiar faces and people I knew, but I also always saw people I had never met before. As I mentioned, the class sizes were generally small, containing 35 students at most. As a result of the class sizes, professors always knew who I was. The class sizes also made it easier to participate in class and ask questions. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Michelle: I was fortunate to be able to participate in the Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Honors Program (or SJLA), through which I took my general education requirements as well as various philosophy and literature courses. The cool part? I got to take these classes with the same group of incredibly talented and passionate people for all four years. Together, we attended class, studied, wrote papers, procrastinated into the wee hours of the morning, and conquered daunting coursework. It was a wonderful community of people. I cannot wait to see the things that my fellow SJLA-ers will accomplish in the future! Check out Michelles tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Top 5 Tips To Make Statistics Easy For You

Top 5 Tips To Make Statistics Easy For You Statistics is often a tough subject for newbies and it sure does pull down grades! Poor performance in the subject may even lead to anxiety and this would contribute to a bad GPA. With applications in almost every field, this subject needs to be mastered and understood completely. Read on to learn a few top tips that are recommended by experts in the subjects and teachers of statistics such as online statistics tutors to help you learn the subject easier, faster and better. #1: Attend all classes, don’t skip them Attendance to all important lectures would help you understand the topics at ease. Skipping classes would mean you having to put in more effort and when it comes to complex topics, you may find yourself out of depth. This would have adverse effects on your grades and performance in exams. #2: Use a scientific calculator Using the most appropriate calculator such as the TI-83 or TI-89 should prove to be helpful. Learn to use the calculator before classes and always be prepared for classes â€" go through the material in advance so that you can be completely alert in classes. Also, your calculator would be your best source for statistics homework help; using it regularly would give it a strategic advantage. #3:  Learn to read graphs and charts Graphs and charts are an integral part of statistics and learning to read chart patterns and graphs would help you in solving problems. When given a problem, look for all given data and read charts and graphs to understand what it required. Familiarize yourself with graphs such as Gaussian curve, the normal curve and work on associated problems to master this subject. #4: Practise Statistics as much as you can Practise daily, work on extra problem sets to learn quick problem solving; this will surely help you score straight As. When in doubt, take assistance of experts and solve all assignment problems as well. Look up statistics assignment help online or take up live tutoring sessions to deal learn complex statistics topics with personal attention and the latest technological tools to help better learning. #5: Employ memory techniques to retain better It is important to classify your learning style â€" auditory, visual or kinesthetic and choose techniques that will help you learn better. For instance, if you are a kinesthetic learner, you learn by doing things. So, preparing flash cards, index cards and associating them will help you learn better. Similarly, mind maps can help you learn effectively. Summary Statistics can be mastered quite easily with these tips and you would be able to get good grades as well. It is important to keep in mind that your efforts and complete commitment will take you places; however strategic learning such as using mind maps, preparing flash cards, getting help when required from experts, etc. can help you top your class.

Five Tips for Successful MCAT Prep Part 1

Five Tips for Successful MCAT Prep Part 1 MCAT Medical School Admissions The MCAT is a beast of an exam â€" there’s no way around it â€" and for many of you, it will also likely be your first real challenge academically, in terms of necessary preparation, exam intensity and sheer volume of subject matter. It won’t be easy, regardless of your IQ or SAT scores, but with a little bit of assistance and a whole lot of dedication, it is absolutely doable and within your reach. If you’ve made it this far in school, progressing through the pre-med curriculum, you certainly have what it takes to make it into medical school and beyond. The issue now is how do you make the most of your abilities and the time you have to study between now and testing day? There are a host of answers â€" some better than others â€" and separating the wheat from the chaff can sometimes seem daunting. Below we consider the first three of five recommendations, offered with confidence that some or all may prove helpful in your studies and preparation. Check back in a week for the final two recommendations: #1 Know Your Strengths and Weaknesses Very few students are completely well prepared across the board. As human beings, we all have different aptitudes and innate capabilities that make us uniquely suited for various tasks, including studying. Unless you’re one of the lucky few geniuses who effortlessly knows everything expertly and equally well, you should have an idea by now as to which subjects or topics are easier or harder for you to learn and master. Use this knowledge to your advantage when deciding on your division of labor. If biology has always been a snap for you, and chemistry still befuddles you, then slant your time and priorities towards those areas that need it most. For me, physics and verbal were well under control (an odd mix, I know), so I tended to stress the other areas more heavily. To be certain, you cannot get away with completely neglecting any one area or only working on another (unless you fit the envied category above). But since all the questions are worth the same amount, and the test makers probably do their best to evenly distribute from among the major disciplines, why not use probability and the law of averages in your favor? A good balance of knowledge will almost definitely serve you better on this test than will being a standout in one area, at the expense of others. #2 Use Mnemonics The advice is simple: use any device, of any sort, that will aid you in remembering all the information required. It absolutely does not matter what it is that works for you, as long as it works. And the more personalized (and perhaps even humorous) you can make it, the better. A common mnemonic is of course the acronym, where each letter stands for a different word/phrase/concept that must be recalled as part of a group or sequence. But acronyms merely scratch the surface of all the possible ways to wander with these tools. Whether it involves songs, literature, pop culture references, family traditions or any number of other potential wells of connection, use these devices to your advantage whenever and wherever possible. Quite simply, it is the best possible way to efficiently memorize a lot of information that is otherwise unbelievably boring to you. Their effectiveness lies in making connections between this material and things that you might possibly care about enough to remember in your ordinary life. And in general, the funnier and wackier the mnemonic, the more memorable it becomes. #3 Read the Answers First Both during preparation and on the real exam, and particularly with questions based on passages, read the answers before you read the questions. Sounds bizarre, but it works. Doing so will give you an idea of what they’re looking for prior to ever reading the question, and it often allows you to predict the question entirely. This gives you a practical advantage as well as a psychological one. Hopefully, considering the actual question will be a necessary afterthought once you’ve perused the possible responses, but it will certainly give you a head start regardless. But perhaps more importantly, a bit of success with this method begins to offer a distinct edge in terms of confidence. And as we all know, that can carry you quite a distance in the test-taking world. We hope you enjoyed these first three MCAT tips. Stay tuned for our final two tips in the coming weeks. If you're interested in private, 1-1 MCAT tutoring, visit our MCAT tutoring page. Gary Rothbard is a Senior Tutor for MyGuru. Gary got his B.S. in Biopsychology at the University of Michigan followed by his MD at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. He no longer practices medicine, and has also obtained an MS in Science Education. He has over twenty years of tutoring experience. hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(215486, '6baac2ae-05a3-4610-9d1f-265c8cbd809f', {});

How to Get Teens to Read

How to Get Teens to Read There are lots of reasons teens stop reading as much as they did at a younger age. Nightly reading is often assigned by elementary teachers as homework, and many parents read to their children during those years. This changes in middle school, however, when it is assumed that students are independent readers who need to read to learnand not the other way around. Also, some teens never have grasped reading well, and would much rather do other things. How can you encourage your teen to read during middle and high school (and beyond)? Here are a few tips to help your teen get into (or back into) reading: Choose to read yourself. It can be hard to get teens off their smartphones, where the lure of instant access to games, social media and the internet is ever-present. If youre always scrolling through your phone, however, its going to be hard to convince your teen that he or she should not. Set the phone down, pick up something to read and let your teen see you doing so. Have your teen read to younger siblings. The benefits of reading aloud are well documented, both for the reader and the person listening. If your teen has younger brothers and/or sisters who are learning to read, ask him or her to do the out-loud reading sometimes. Visit the library and the bookstore. Continue to make regular library visits part of your family routine, and have your teen check out events and clubs that the library has going on. Talk about new releases that interest you and books that youve treasured, and reserve them for checkout. Give books as gifts. Try different genres and styles. Any reading is good reading. If your teen doesnt gravitate toward nonfiction, how about fiction? If novels arent capturing his or her interest, suggest comic books or graphic novels. Get the guidance of a librarian or bookstore employee, who are skilled at enticing readers of all ages with good book choices. Pick a family book to read. This works well at any age, but reading a book with your teen could give you something to talk about and bond overand why not make those chats into something fun like a coffee outing, a walk or a hike? Correct any problems. If reading is overly challenging for your teen, chances are, he or she will not choose to do it during any free time. Talk with teachers and get your teen the individualized assistance necessary to help him or her acquire and strengthen those reading building blocks. When reading becomes easier, your other efforts to promote it will be more successful. Dont force it. Be encouraging, but dont panic if your teen isnt a voracious reader. Many teens are busy, focusing on school, extracurricular activities and their social lives. Reading might temporarily take a backseat, but if you show your teen through your actions that reading has so much to offer, he or she might come back around later on. With so many other options competing for their time, many teens dont continue reading on their own. However, reading is integral to learning and will always be important while your teen is a studentplus, it is an activity that can bring your teen happiness for the rest of his or her life. Be persistent and patient with your support, which will make a difference in getting your teen to choose reading as an enjoyable pastime.

Chaos at the Istanbul Pride March

Chaos at the Istanbul Pride March Image via Philip Host My flatmate’s voice sounded worried as he prepared to leave for the Istanbul LGBT Pride Parade. It was a little after two and the parade would not begin until five, but he told me that he was leaving early; the police had deployed armored water-cannon vehicles known as TOMA around Taksim square, where the parade was supposed to begin. Preparations for Pride Week had kept him extremely busy in the preceding days and today he had an air of resolve, or perhaps resignation to whatever the coming hours might bring. As he walked out the door I half-jokingly reassured him that there would be a lot more of us than them and he responded with something between a smile and a grimace. I arrived at Taksim Square a little before five o’clock. The atmosphere was jovial, but confused. Police had formed a barrier across Istiklal Caddesi, a huge pedestrian street down which the parade was supposed to proceed. As I pondered the situation a nasty itch grew in my lungs and I began to cough. Soon I noticed that the people around me were coughing too. I realized that the burning was tear gas and as I saw the panic in the eyes of nearby protesters a proportional fear began to swell in me. We surged away from its source and it quickly dissipated, leaving us to wonder why they had deployed so little gas so early. Later I would be thankful for that small introductory dose. The parade started off at 5:00 p.m. as scheduled, but instead of heading down Istiklal it wound its way through the smaller streets of the surrounding neighborhood. I did not know at the time that the parade had been banned only minutes earlier by the Istanbul governors office, but it was clear from the start that the parade would not end without incident. Police separated the parade into segments, shouting at some protesters to move back and driving others forwards. This did nothing to quell the noise or excitement. At many points the parade’s progress stalled, but its energy continued to boil. Colorful signsâ€"mostly in Turkish but frequently in Kurdish, Arabic, or Armenianâ€"and rainbow banners waved and billowed, or were thrust into the air and held steadily and proudly; the streets were packed and the chants, cheers, and whistles could be deafening. Shopkeepers stood in their doorways and the windows up above were speckled with onlookers. My standards may be low, but their lack of visible disgust was frankly moving; here, together, gay, lesbian, transgender, and bisexual people could walk down the street and, as the name implies, feel a rare sense of pride and belonging, even approval from the people around them. We marched on for some time; the police mostly looked on as gay and lesbian couples kissed atop cars that drove along with the parade and rainbow flags were launched into trees. Then, as we mounted one of Istanbul’s many hills, a panicked mass of protesters came rushing back to meet us. There was a long moment of confusionthe necessity to act coupled with an electrifying sense of anticipationand then thick white gas was billowing ahead and behind, and people were knocking one another out of the way as they tried to scatter into one of the many side-alleys. My eyes burned and ran and I hopelessly tried to cough out the fiery gas; I was grateful when a door opened and allowed us to stream in. I found myself in bar newly packed with coughing and gasping protesters. I made my way upstairs and realized that I was lucky to have been on the fringe of the gas; one girl, who may have had asthma, was holding a wet cloth to her throat and struggling to breathe. But the coughs changed to bursts of coughing laughter, grins, and sudden camaraderie. Somebody switched on the news; we cheered as we watched an opposition parliament member mount a TOMA in protest to the crackdown, and we collectively drew a sharp breath when a water cannon blasted one protester off of his feet. The bar did great business that day and despite a good deal of head-shaking a wild, almost manic elation filled the room. One of my professors later described it as “the thrill of overcoming your initial fear” and to that I can only add a certain fatalistic elation in knowing that the police brutality only further validated the LGBT cause. When it comes to politics in Turkey, everyone is a conspiracy theorist to some degree and as we sat in that bar we began to discuss all the possible motives for banning and then attacking the parade. The official reason for the ban was that it took place during the holy month of Ramadan. But due to close ties between the police and Turkey’s leading party, the conservative Justice and Development Party (acronym AKP), many suspected that the latter group played a large role in the crackdown. (Paranoia is justified surprisingly often in Turkish politics, and connections between parties and sections of government are not altogether uncommon; the Turkish military, for example, is widely known to be secularist and much more closely aligned with Turkey’s main opposition party, the CHP, to the point where there is perennial discussion as to what level of AKP overreach might provoke a military coup.) Indeed, the pride parade did not consist solely of LGBT people, or even LGBT supportersâ€"many were there simply to protest the AKP; one Kurdish man confided to me that he did not particularly care for LGBT people but that as long as they supported Kurds, he would support them. No doubt the AKP had a vested interest in dispersing this coalition of its enemies. But later many people, including a professor of mine, ascribed a cleverer motive to the party. A recent election substantially reduced the AKP’s power and made a coalition government necessary. Coalitions are notoriously unstable, and many opponents of the AKP suspect that the AKP are deliberately fueling chaos in order to sell the benefits of a strong, central leadershipâ€"naturally led by the AKP themselves. Of course few if any protesters would deny that simple homophobia played a large role. Homosexuality is not illegal in Turkey, but it is taboo. Nevertheless, pride parades have been occurring annually, without incident, since 2003. Back in the bar, a woman at the door gave us an all-clear and I left with two Kurdish students whom I had been chatting with for some time. The street was littered with abandoned signs and banners. I picked up a rainbow flag which was almost immediately confiscated by a group of officers. But when we got to Istiklal it was clear that the parade had only been fragmented, not stopped altogether; bands of rainbow-clad protesters cheered and whistled their way up and down the street, drawing cheersâ€"and occasional detractionâ€"from lookers-on. The parade gradually transformed into a number of street parties, all of which were eventually dispersed by gas or water cannon. Then the partiers would regroup; they would dance, cheer and sing till gas set them to panicked flight. I went home late and was still giddy and excited as I began to draw up this article. My flatmate came home much later and I happily asked him how he had enjoyed the parade. One look at his face brought me back down to earth. Where I had seen defiance, camaraderie, and reckless, laughing abandon in the name of human rights he had seen oppression and degradation, an attempt to drive LGBT people into the shadows, a societal disgust that the LGBT community should have the audacity to assert their existence. He did not go to work the next day. Instead, he went with friends to help them file claims for physical and psychological injuries inflicted by police attacks.

italki Team Language Challenge Week 1 Update

italki Team Language Challenge Week 1 Update The italki team is taking  the 2015 New Years Language Challenge How much Chinese can they learn in 20 hours? 3 members of the team at italki are taking the language challenge to improve their skill in Mandarin. Each of them will have 20 hours of lessons between January and February. Can you do better than them?  Check out their original Public Video Pledges that they made at the beginning of the Challenge here. Aimé, Intern Week 1 In this first week I’ve managed to complete 3 hours of lessons with my teacher Lea. I’m still feeling pretty confident about the challenge and the goals that I set out for myself, although it is a lot harder than I anticipated. I’m having the most trouble with my pronunciation but my teacher assures me that with lots of practice outside our lessons I will start to see improvements. Before we started the challenge I had a talk with my teacher about my Language challenge goals and she believes its doable if I commit myself and trust myself for the next six weeks and she assured me she will do everything possible to help me achieve my goals. My goal for the first week was to memorize about 4-5 sentences but unfortunately I came a little short, as I’ve been able to only memorize 3. Going into the second week I am a lot more determined to practicing by myself and working on my pronunciation. My goal this week is to learn 5 new sentences and to start using them around the office. Josie, Services Week 1 After the first of the language challenge I unfortunately have not been able to take any lessons yet. I’m feeling a little nervous as my schedule has all of a sudden gotten fuller, so taking lessons after work isn’t as easy I thought it would. Also my Internet connection has been bad lately so that doesn’t help much. Fortunately I have my teacher on WeChat now so it’s a lot easier for us to communicate. We have not talked much about the challenge yet but she is aware that I am taking the challenge and would like to use have as my teacher. I told her what my goals were for this language challenge and she was able to send me an online book to help me get started, which I have found to be very helpful. I also asked her to give me some homework because otherwise I won’t work as hard. My goals for this next week is to get at least 2 lessons and sit down and study for at least 3 hours. I want to be able to put my notes on flashcards to help with my vocabulary but I haven’t been able to find them anywhere. I’m really hoping my second week of the challenge goes better than my first week but I’m still very confident I am going to kick Kartick and Aimé’s butts in this challenge. Karthik, Data Scientist Week 1 After the first week of the challenge I have been able to get 1 hour of lessons under my belt. I’m starting to feel a little anxious, 20 hours is a lot! I thought taking 1 lesson every other day would be easy but in the evenings after work, its usually hard for me to focus on much. My teacher and I have discussed my goals for this language challenge and she assured me she would make lessons geared towards a more conversational focus that are appropriate for my level, context, and needs. My goals for this upcoming week are to be able to introduce myself, memorize 20 words of fruits and vegetables and have a 30 seconds conversation. I think I will be able to meet my learning goals for week 2 but I’m afraid I might now meet my session goals once again. italki Team Language Challenge Week 1 Update The italki team is taking  the 2015 New Years Language Challenge How much Chinese can they learn in 20 hours? 3 members of the team at italki are taking the language challenge to improve their skill in Mandarin. Each of them will have 20 hours of lessons between January and February. Can you do better than them?  Check out their original Public Video Pledges that they made at the beginning of the Challenge here. Aimé, Intern Week 1 In this first week I’ve managed to complete 3 hours of lessons with my teacher Lea. I’m still feeling pretty confident about the challenge and the goals that I set out for myself, although it is a lot harder than I anticipated. I’m having the most trouble with my pronunciation but my teacher assures me that with lots of practice outside our lessons I will start to see improvements. Before we started the challenge I had a talk with my teacher about my Language challenge goals and she believes its doable if I commit myself and trust myself for the next six weeks and she assured me she will do everything possible to help me achieve my goals. My goal for the first week was to memorize about 4-5 sentences but unfortunately I came a little short, as I’ve been able to only memorize 3. Going into the second week I am a lot more determined to practicing by myself and working on my pronunciation. My goal this week is to learn 5 new sentences and to start using them around the office. Josie, Services Week 1 After the first of the language challenge I unfortunately have not been able to take any lessons yet. I’m feeling a little nervous as my schedule has all of a sudden gotten fuller, so taking lessons after work isn’t as easy I thought it would. Also my Internet connection has been bad lately so that doesn’t help much. Fortunately I have my teacher on WeChat now so it’s a lot easier for us to communicate. We have not talked much about the challenge yet but she is aware that I am taking the challenge and would like to use have as my teacher. I told her what my goals were for this language challenge and she was able to send me an online book to help me get started, which I have found to be very helpful. I also asked her to give me some homework because otherwise I won’t work as hard. My goals for this next week is to get at least 2 lessons and sit down and study for at least 3 hours. I want to be able to put my notes on flashcards to help with my vocabulary but I haven’t been able to find them anywhere. I’m really hoping my second week of the challenge goes better than my first week but I’m still very confident I am going to kick Kartick and Aimé’s butts in this challenge. Karthik, Data Scientist Week 1 After the first week of the challenge I have been able to get 1 hour of lessons under my belt. I’m starting to feel a little anxious, 20 hours is a lot! I thought taking 1 lesson every other day would be easy but in the evenings after work, its usually hard for me to focus on much. My teacher and I have discussed my goals for this language challenge and she assured me she would make lessons geared towards a more conversational focus that are appropriate for my level, context, and needs. My goals for this upcoming week are to be able to introduce myself, memorize 20 words of fruits and vegetables and have a 30 seconds conversation. I think I will be able to meet my learning goals for week 2 but I’m afraid I might now meet my session goals once again.