Organisational Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Organisational Culture - Essay Example Involvement is a very important factor in any place of work. Everyone needs to feel like they are part of the organization so that they can concentrate all their effort in making the company better. In Denison’s model, involvement is one of the components of an effective organization. According to the model, involvement makes people in the organization feel that whatever their input is, it is not taken for granted; instead it is used to make the organization better (Denison et al, 104). Involvement should also not target some people in the organization and leave out other. Everyone form the most junior worker to the highest ranking official needs to be involved in the day to day running of the company (Parker, 2002). Consistency is another important aspect of an affective organization as proposed by the Denison model. Organizational cultures need to be consistent and well coordinated. This way, the core values of the organization will be entrenched and a positive work attitude created among every employee in the organization (Denison et al, 100). When the organizational culture is consistent, running the organization becomes very easy and efficient. Employers and employees can come to agreements on certain issues affecting the company even if they might have divergent points of view. This creates an atmosphere of tolerance and respect which promotes the organization’s productivity (Alvesson, 2002). Adaptability is the third aspect of an effective organization that Denison explains in his model.

The Unlikely Tragic Hero Essay Example for Free

The Unlikely Tragic Hero Essay In his essay on tragedy, Arthur Miller once wrote the tragic feeling is evoked in us when we are in the presence of a character who is ready to lay down his life, if need be, to secure one thinghis sense of personal dignity. This insightful view of the common mans ability to be a tragic hero is emblematic of the female protagonist, Mrs. Alving, in Henrik Ibsens controversial drama Ghosts. In her fight to pull her family together and become the archetypal wife Mrs. Alving learns of lifes tragedies- she loses everything she loves and all she has built in the name of dignity. Regardless of the deleterious internal effects on her psyche, Mrs. Alving protects and uphold her values. She respects marriage; she knew her husband was unfaithful, yet Mrs. Alving did not end the relationship as she wanted to uphold her matrimonial vows. She recalls soon after, I heard Alving come in too. I heard him say something softly to her. And then I heard oh! it still sounds in my ears, so hateful and yet so ludicrous I heard my own servant-maid whisper, Let me go, Mr. Alving! Let me be!' (1.405). Though she fights to understand the truth, she has nobly held her tongue to save her boy and let her husband die honorably. Although she believes it is a bad idea to leave the newly built orphanage uninsured, she protects Manders from public indignation by complying with his anti insurance idea; this becomes a regrettable decision when the orphanage burns down. She still respects Manders ability to function under the laws of society, but when he makes note of the ignominious progressive books she has been reading Mrs. Alving becomes defensive. She explains, here, in my loneliness, I have come to the same way of thinking, Pastor Manders. But I have never dared to say anything (1.351). While she has a strong belief in progressive ideas, Mrs. Alving would never shame her family by outwardly expressing them. Mrs. Alving respects her family enough to realize they will be hurt if she does not hold everything together. She imparts only fond memories of Mr. Alving to her son Oswald and reminds him of the familial ties which they must live by. As Oswald refers to his father saying, and yet he managed to do so much in the world; so much that was good and useful; although he died so early the reader realizes how delusional his vision of his father is (1.295). Deeply obliged to both her son and her late husband, Mrs. Alving fights to cover up the truth of her marriage and provide the best for her son, striving to protect his innocence and morality. She believes she can save her son from anything, though as her marital situation worsened she could not bear the thought of keeping her son in such an environment, she explains I had to bear it for my little boys sake. But when the last insult was added; when my own servant-maid; then I swore to myself: This shall come to an end! (1.411). She did not want him to suffer from the actions of his father, thus she sends him abroad. Continually fighting to protect those around her, Mrs. Alving only hurts herself in the process. She invites Captain Alvings lovechild, Regina, to live and work in their home to ensure she receives a fair education. It is only later that she becomes aware of her son and Reginas relations- an incestual relationship made possible by Mrs. Alvings kindness to the young Regina by letting her live in their home. In behaving under the societal guidelines and ignoring her husbands despicable actions, Mrs. Alving only pushed him further away. The absence of a faithful husband created a perpetual loneliness in Mrs. Alving and though she found peace of mind in sending her son Oswald abroad, his absence devastated her and their relationship would never be repaired. Plagued by the internal guilt of her husbands unfaithfulness, Mrs. Alving concludes that their environment pushed her to become the societal faà §ade of a wife. By viewing life through societys vantage point, Mrs Alving became a dutiful wife, who unfortunately fell into the mechanic motions of a wifes day-to-day duties. Upon realizing her fault, she apologizes to her son saying, they had taught me a great deal about duties and so forth, which I went on obstinately believing in. Everything was marked out into duties into my duties, and his duties, and I am afraid I made his home intolerable for your poor father, Oswald(3.122). Mrs. Alving sees how she added to her husbands unhappiness and thus tries to make up for his wrongdoings. She dedicates the orphanage to him, even though he was unfaithful to her. She believes in showing respect, and making sure her husband is remembered in the light which others knew him. She believes she will have fixed everything once she rids herself and her family of the true memories of her husband. The morality of societys ability to coerce the family unit to function under traditionally acceptable conditions has been questioned throughout history. Henrik Ibsen enables his readers to become aware of the horrible truths that lie behind closed doors in his contentious 1881 Norwegian drama, Ghosts. Mrs. Alving suffers from the conflict between the external pressures of society battling what she believes is moral. Her societal training has taught her how to gracefully handle any situation- sweep your troubles under the rug and wait for them to creep out when you are most vulnerable. The tragic events she faces throughout this play result in the domino effect which stems from the intricate web of society-pleasing lies she has spun since marrying Captain Alving. Eventually Mrs. Alving comes to the understanding that societal dignity is not a panacea; ones ability to complete the tasks of a dutiful wife will not save a marriage, will not show a child love, nor will it create a fairytale ending. Mrs. Alving does not live happily ever after, rather she is left isolated. She will continue on in her dignified lonesome state of living.

Superstar Is A Team Economics Essay

Superstar Is A Team Economics Essay Superstar is a team use to describe that the people who got special who is widely known, prominent and successful to dominate the fields in which they engage and superstars normally earning enormous amounts of money. This essay is trying to explain and analysis this phenomenon in the labour market of sports industry. The reason for the superstar phenomenon might cause by many factors. Production in the world of sports, as noted by Neale (1964), is decidedly different from production in most other markets. Argentine professional footballer, Lionel Messi is the worlds highest-paid football player, The talisman of Barcelona, Messi ,earns some 33 million euros ($43.5 million) a year with a 10.5-million-euro salary, 1.5 million euros in bonuses and 21 million euros in advertising and other contracts. (Levine, 1991)This salary might be far more than normal worker. There are many reasons for the super star phenomenon and the labour market of superstar will be analysis in the rest part of th e essay. This essay is aim to use economics model to explain the reason of the high salary for super stars in sport industry. Main body Assume that the labour market is perfect for athletes. Players are all identical. The labour market can be explained by the perfect competition model. In the figure 1, profit maximization requires that the MRP curve cut the MC curve from above. The firm gives up profits if it operates at point a because adding units of labour beyond the intersection adds more to revenue than it adds to costs. Once the firm reaches point b, adding more labour would result in the costs of each unit being higher than the revenue that unit generates. In long-run equilibrium in a perfectly competitive industry in a perfectly competitive industry only normal profits are earned. At that situation employment would be at E1, and the wage at W1, since ARP equal to MC. If above normal profits were being earned by the firms in a perfectly competitive industry average revenue product would be forced down by the entry of new firms. (Figure 1) In labour market of sports industry, monopsonist market means that there are too few of buyers so that the price of labour increases if a team attempts to employ more. (Sandy et al, 2004) Assume all the firms in the league are aim for profit-maximized. The monopoly power of sports clubs makes the question of motives important because the monopolies have much more discretion over pricing and output levels than do competitive companies. A model (Figure 2) is applied to determinate the salary for athletes. Team rosters are usually fixed and it is more sensible to consider the supply of labor in teams in units of quality rather than in the number of players. Even if the rosters were not fixed, if a club already has many players it may not be sensible to add another player of average quality. As superstars are extremely scarce, the supply of labor measure in quality units is not perfectly elastic. To add a unit of player quality the team has to pay a higher price than it paid for its last unit of quality. Marginal factor cost (MFC) is cost of hiring an extra unit of quality. Marginal revenue product (MRP) is additional revenue that the league receives as a result of hiring each additional unit of quality.The wage that tem willing to pay will be located at the intersection of MFC and MRP because marginal cost equal to marginal revenue is the maximum of profit. The profit will be maximized at W1 with L1 unit of player. (Figure 2) In the labour market of sports, athletes with outstanding talent are monopolistic due to scarcity and restrictions on mobility, especially draft system in US. The Agent or players unions also act as monopolists on account of there are very few union and most players are in the same union in each sport. The union helps player to bargain for their salary therefor it act as a single seller in the market. Similar to (Figure 2), the model (Figure 3) for players union determines the wage level for salary at the intersection of MRP and MC, where marginal cost equal to the marginal revenue product. The profit maximized for players union at W2 and L2 unit of player. (Figure 3) Because of the draft system in some sports is more special. For example in US, the teams drafted player from college and buy them. The trade, with only one seller and one buyer involved, has been defined as Bilateral Monopoly. The model of Bilateral Monopoly (Figure 4) is like combination of (Figure 2) and (Figure 3).The W1 stands for Monopoly wage and W2 is Monopsony wage. The salary will be between W1 and W2 depend on the bargain. (Figure 4) In superstar markets, tiny differences in talent at the top of the distribution will translate into large differences in revenue. sellers of higher talent charge only slightly higher prices than those of lower talent, but sell much larger quantities; their greater earnings come overwhelmingly from selling larger quantities than from charging higher prices (Rosen etc. 1981), Just like the (Figure 4).As the talent of player getting close to the top along the curve, little tiny change of talent can cause significant change in the salaryhe reason for this phenomenon is because the special skills are had to copy and it has been defined as productive of the players. (Figure 5) For non-team sports the difference is much easier to find that widely spread prize money. As Non- team sports normally don not have salary, the prize reward monitoring the relationship of the talent and the earning. An example is the prize reward of Wimbledon Tennis Championships, first prize money is 1,150 thousand pounds and the second places prize is 575 thousand pounds, the rest of players only share very little amount of money. (Hogg, 2012)The reason for this is because of the match host trying to have more attraction of latter game and match. The Tournament theory has the same pattern of (Figure 4). The theory used to describe certain situations where wage differences are based not on marginal productivity but instead upon relative differences between the individuals. In the study of labour market of super star, Sherwin Rosen (1981) found that threats of potential entry force the market became equilibrium. Free entry implies that total revenue must be driven down to opportunity cost P2 .Assume the buyer paid at P1.the value excess the P2 is profit and another seller would like to join in the market to share the profit .This behaviour will definitely shift price to P1 and makes profit to zero. (Figure 6) Even professional player are only for one kind of sport, but individual player have different talents they cannot simply shown by (Figure 5).Therefore using (Figure 7) to explain the situation. The superstars can make profit base on their unique talents. There are limitations of distance of competitors and unit rent, but total revenue for superstars still large because of scales economies. There might be a lot of people can do the similar skill but one skill by a professional player is still very special. Since the services produced by more talented sellers are less contaminated by crowding, the quantity-price gradient grows as talent increases. Therefore the better sellers can and do handle much larger players in equilibrium. (Figure 7) Hausman and Leonard (1997) found the presence of stars had a substantial effect on television ratings, even after controlling for team quality. Berri(2004) used data of NBA proved the relationship between the Gate revenue and the star player is significant. As Hausman argued, the star power attracts the fans. The analysis made by Berri (2004) also shows the star player have a strong relationship with number of wins, which also been assume as the performance of the team. A super star is not only benefit the own team which also benefit the competitors. As the product of the sports game is normally Broad casting has become an increasing source for the revenue of most of sports league for the last several decades. In the case of the National Basketball Association, each teams financial situation depends significantly on the revenue it generates through its local television contracts and national television contracts. Television Station are willing to pay high levels of rights fees to NBA games because they can charge high advertising rates to advertisers and because they add incremental subscribers. Advertisers are attracted by sports programming because it provides access sizable numbers of the funs of super stars. The famous case might be the return of Jordans first game, the highest NBA regular season game rating since 1975, generated a rating of 10.9 %.( Hausman et al 1997) For example, Manchester United benefit from the distribution and broadcasting of live football content directly from the revenue. The Manchester United with huge amount of fun around the world helps the c lub with its commercial achievement and utility ( Hogg ,2012) .Since a super star can draw so much attention and increase large amount of revenue .it is no doubt that a club would like to pay such high salary to these professional players. For example, Manchester united generates revenue from multiple sources, including sponsorship, merchandising, product licensing, media and mobile, broadcasting and match day. The super stars effects are not only happen during the matches, but also for the league commercial revenue. The Manchester United is not only a club with super stars .It also trying to combines the power of super stars to build up its own brand. Manchester United sells competitive sports apparel, training and leisure wear and other clothing featuring the Manchester United brand on a global basis. Over 5 million items of Manchester United branded licensed products were sold in the last year, including over 2 million Manchester United jerseys. Manchester United branded products are sold through over 200 licensees in over 130 countries. Super stars earing money when each product with their copy rights. ( Hogg ,2012) Limitation In this article, many situations and factors in the real word has been neglected as it is easier to analysis the labour market. Firstly, there are uncertainties of hire a new player. Secondly, when a team sign the contract with a player in long term, there is no guarantee for the quality of performance. Thirdly, Team work is also important in the real world. Finally, the club is not able to keep observe players future quality and effect. Because of the superstar phenomenon, many experts believe it reduce the competitive balance .Therefore ,some policy and rules has been used to prevent from it ,for instance, Luxury tax ,Salary cap and gate sharing increase the competitive balance. Conclusion The labour market of superstar holds a key position in the analysis of the economics of sport and of professional team sports in particular, as a consequence of monopsonists and monopolists. The situations in sports labour markets are bilateral monopolies with only one buyer and one seller and the wage for player is indeterminate. Super stars with special abilities are scarcity and restrictions on mobility. Professional plays earning far more than others for tiny talent change when the talent level is relatively high. The combination of technology consumption and imperfect substitution leads to sport superstars can own a large market size and income at a same time. Power of super star also attracted fans and consumers to see their matches by live matches or broadcasting. Moreover, club can use the superstars to build up their brand and earing revenue from global basis funs. Even leagues of sports try to increasing the competitive balance of the labour market by using restrictions lik e salary cap; however, it is clear that super stars still deserve the high income and honour after the analysis all above. Reference Bibliography Berri, D. et al (2004) Stars at the Gate: The Impact of Star Power on NBA Gate Revenues. Journal of Sports Economics; vol. 5: pp. 33-50 Berri, D. et al (2006) On the Road With the National Basketball Associations Superstar Externality. Journal of Sports Economics; vol. 7: pp. 347-358 Depken, C.A. (2000), Free Agency and the Competitiveness of Major League Baseball, Review of Industrial Organisation, Vol. 14, pp. 205-17 Frick, B. (2007). The football players labor market: Empirical evidence from the major European leagues. Scottish Journal of Political Economy, 5, 422-446. Hausman, J.A. and Leonard, G.K. (1997) Superstars in the NBA: Economic Value and Policy, Journal of Labour Economics, Vol. 15, No. 4, pp. 586-624 Hogg, T (2012) Statistics and comparisons of annual incomes in the UK, 2010, Journal of Economics, Vol. 5, pp55-78 Kahn, L. and Shah, M. (2005). Race, compensation and contract length in the NBA: 2001-2 Industrial Relations, 44, 444-462. Levine, D.I.(1991) Cohesiveness, Productivity and Wage Dispersion, Journal of Econ. Behaviour and Oragnisations, Vol. 15, pp. 237-54. Porter, P.K. and Scully, G.W. (1982) Measuring Managerial Efficiency: The case of baseball, Southern Economic Journal, Vol. 48, No. 3, pp. 642-50 Rosen, S. (1981) The Economics of Superstars, American Economic Review, issue 5, pp. 845-58 Rottenberg, S. (1956) The Baseball Players Labour Market, Journal of Political Economy, Vol. 64, No. 3, pp. 242-58. Scully, G.W.(1974) Pay and Performance in Major League Baseball, American Economic Review, Vol, 64, No. 6, pp. 915-30 Sandy. R et al. (2004), The Economics of Sport: An International Perspective, Palgrave Macmillan, New York: Toby ,M. et al.2003) The Over-Production of US Sports and the New International Division of Cultural Labor .International Review for the Sociology of Sport. Vol. 38: pp. 427-440 WALLACE, M. (1988) Labor Market Structure and Salary Determination among Professional Basketball Players. Work and Occupations; vol. 15: pp. 294-312

To Be A Slave :: American America History

To Be A Slave The only things that come to my mind when I think of slavery and of the book To be a Slave are either misunderstanding or very negative. During the slavery years, African people were subjected to some of the worst treatments of the history of this planet. They were forced to work for white people as slaves, but that is nothing compared with the treatment they received. Slaves were beaten, mal-nourished, and disrespected as a whole. Slaves were considered as low as the lowest forms of life. They were treated less than some forms of life. They were treated as property that was disposable and replaceable, and I don't understand why this mentality came into the human brain. I sometimes can try to make myself understand how a man could feel that he could own another man. Money and greed is probably the reason that made people feel that they should convince themselves that they are superior to another race. I believe that white people tried to make themselves believe that they were superior, and eventually the idea surfaced that they were superior, even though deep down they knew they were not. Why treatment was so harsh I don't fully understand either. My theory is that the extremely rough treatment given to the Africans was to ensure that the white people would remain "top dog." This could also explain the holocaust, when the Nazis executed millions of innocent people for no apparent reason. They too could have felt threatened by a different society. The only difference is that the Americans didn't necessarily feel threatened by the Africans, but they probably didn't like the fact that they could revolt and free themselves. Intimidation was a very effec tive strategy. Harsh punishment could keep the slaves in-line. However, this thinking could only happen once the idea that White people were superior was firmly, and falsely, imprinted in the slave owner's minds. At first, when slave trading was new in America, I would be willing to assume that punishment was not as harsh. It was probably gradual. Leading to the climax of one of the worst spectacles that the eye of man has beheld.

Modern America was shaped

Modern America was born in the 1920s Looking back at the 1920s we see the birth of modern America. Women started dressing differently, the invention of household cleaning tools were emerging, and athletes were becoming heroes of many. The Jazz Age also came about In the 1 920s and influenced different types of music we have today such as: Rock and Roll, Hip- Hop, and R&B. Although, many new inventions and social changes were coming about, nothing/no one shaped modern America more than Henry Ford and his impact on the automobiles, the media, and the start of a public education.Henry Ford, American Industrialist, greatly influenced production. wages, working conditions, and daily life. With his development of the assembly line, a technique used for mass production, Henry Ford made cars faster and cheaper than ever before. He allowed both wealthy and non-wealthy to afford cars. Today, thanks to automobiles, people are able to live farther from their jobs and the demand for car parts or necessities has fueled the economy by an increase of Jobs and businesses, In addition to this, automobiles have played a key role in the development of many cities, motels, and highway systems of today.Having not only an Impact on automobiles, Ford also provided better working conditions and wages for his workers. Doubling wages to $5 a day, reducing workdays from 9 hours to 8, and giving the weekends off, was how Henry Ford Influenced working conditions of today. Along with automobiles, the media also helped shaped modern America. The Inventions of the radio and sound films have greatly influenced America's lifestyle of today. The radio as well as sound films are probably one of the most used inventions of all time. When the radio first came about it was used by many as a leisurely thing.People would listen to music, religious sermons, news, and sports games. Today the radio is used by almost everyone; it is used in cars, stores, houses, and parties, it Is a form of entertainment. The radio has influenced many other electronic devices of today such as the iPod. Sound films are another popular invention that we still use today. With the help of sound films, movie theaters arose and shaped the American tradition of going out to the movies. Today there are about 18,000 movie theaters in the U. S that help fuel our economy and keep America entertain with new releases every week.In addition to leisurely Inventions, public education became more important in the 1920s. Before the 1920s a public education was not the maln concern of people as It Is today. In the 1920s public education became more important when people realized that, â€Å"Mastery of mathematics and language could spell the difference between a low-paying Job, unskilled Job and a higher paying position as an office worker. † (p. )This idea has greatly prospered over the years and led to many public schools and unlversltles of today. In the 1900s the percentage of students graduating rom high sc hool was 6. and tripled during the 1920s. Today children, teens, and adults continue to go to school to receive an education and a higher paying Job. During the 1920s the theory of evolution also became known during the scopes trial t Of2 ata scnool In lennessee. I nls Idea 0T evolutlon vs. rellglon Is stlll around today ana continues to be challenged. It is safe to say that the 1920s affected America greatly and continues to do so today. The invention of the automobile still affects modern America today and has greatly impacted the economy financially and socially.It has defined America's structure and changed the way we do things. The radio and sound films have changed the lifestyles of many and have become an American custom. Its businesses continue to grow today and are thriving. Education has also become very important to America and plays as key to architecture, health, and politics of today. Education has challenged many ideas and influences the way we think, positively.

Helpful Tips and Tricks for Night Nurses to Help You Through Your Shift

Helpful Tips and Tricks for Night Nurses to Help You Through Your Shift As a nurse, you’re always caring for others. Given the hectic nature of your job, sometimes you may forget that self-care is important as well. This is especially true for night nurses. Working late nights can take a toll on you mentally and physically. That being said, here are some useful tips and tricks to help you survive. With these tips, you can see what works best for you.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Source [ Independence  Plus ]

The Best AP World History Study Guide 6 Key Tips

The Best AP World History Study Guide 6 Key Tips SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Are you taking AP World History this year? Or considering taking it at some point in high school? Then you need to read this AP World History study guide.Instead of cramming every single name, date, and place into your head, learn how to study for the AP World History exam so that you can learn the major ideas and feel ready for test day. We'll also go over some key strategies you can use to help you prepare effectively. TheAP World History test is challenging- just 8.5% of test takers got a 5 in 2017. But if you study correctlythroughout the year, you could be one of the few students who aces this test. Below are six tips to follow in order to be well prepared for the AP World History exam. Read through each one, apply them to your testprep, and you'll bewell on your way to maximizing your AP score! Why You Should Study for the AP World History Test Is it really that important to study for the AP World History test? The quick answer to this question is absolutely. But why? Let's start by taking a look at the kinds of scores students usually get on the exam. The following chart shows what percentage of test takers received each possible AP score (1-5) on the AP World History test in 2017: AP Score Percentage of Test Takers Who Received Score 5 8.5% 4 19.9% 3 26.7% 2 29.6% 1 15.4% Source: The College Board As you can see, roughly 55% of test takers scored a 2 or 3, a little less than 30% scored a 4 or 5,and just 15% scored a 1. Sincemost test takers scored a 3 or lower on this test, it's safe to say that a lot of AP World History students are not scoring as highly as they could be on this test. While a 3 is not a bad AP score by any means, some colleges such as Stanfordrequire at least a 4in order to get credit for the exam. If the schools you're applying to want a 4 or higher, putting in ample study time for the test is a definite must. In addition, if you're applying to highly selective schools, a 5 on the AP World History test (or any AP test, really) could act as a tipping point in your favor during the admissions process. Finally, getting a low score on this test- i.e., a 1 or 2- might make colleges doubt your test-taking abilities or question your potential to succeed at their school. You don't want this to happen! Want to get better grades and test scores? We can help. PrepScholar Tutors is the world's best tutoring service. We combine world-class expert tutors with our proprietary teaching techniques. Our students have gotten A's on thousands of classes, perfect 5's on AP tests, and ludicrously high SAT Subject Test scores. Whether you need help with science, math, English, social science, or more, we've got you covered. Get better grades today with PrepScholar Tutors. What's on the AP World History Exam? Before we give you our six expert study tips for AP World History, let's briefly go over the structure and content of the test. The AP World History exam consists oftwo sections: Section I and Section II.Each section, then, also consists of two parts: Part A and Part B.Here is what you'll encounter on each part of each section: Section/Part Total Time Question Type # of Questions Scoring Section I, Part A 55 mins Multiple choice 55 Worth 40% total score Section I, Part B 40 mins Short answer 3 Worth 20% total score Section II, Part A 60 mins Document based 1 Worth 25% total score Section II, Part B 40 mins Long essay 1 Worth 15% total score Source: The College Board And here is an overview of the types of tasks you'll be asked to perform: Analyze historical texts as well as historians' opinions and interpretations of history Assess historical documents and make an argument to support your assessment Write an essay concerning an issue in world history Now that you understand exactly how the AP World History test is set up, let's take a look at our six expert study tips for it. We don't keep our best secrets to ourselves. How to Study for AP World History: 6 Key Tips Below are our top tips to help you get a top score on the AP World History test. Tip 1: Don't Try to Memorize Everything If you start your AP World History class with the expectation of memorizing the entirety of human history, think again. Although AP World History tests a wide span of time, you aren’t expected to learn every tiny detail along the way. Rather, this class focuses on teaching major patterns, key cultural and political developments, and significant technological developments throughout history. AP World History is organized into the following six time periods: Technological and Environmental Transformations (to c. 600 BCE) Organization and Reorganization of Human Societies (c. 600 BCE to c. 600 CE) Regional and Interregional Interactions (c. 600 CE to c. 1450) Global Interactions (c. 1450 to c. 1750) Industrialization and Global Integration (c. 1750 to c. 1900) Accelerating Global Change and Realignments (c. 1900 to the present) Within each period, you should know the major world powers and forces driving economic development, politics, and social change (including technology). However,you don’t have to have every detailmemorized in order to do well on the test. Instead, focus on understanding big patterns and developments, and be able to explain them with a few key examples. For instance, you don’t necessarily need to know that in 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue; you also don't need to know the details of his voyages or the particulars of his brutality. However,you should be able to explain why the European colonization of the Americas happened, as well as the economic effects it had on Europe, Africa, and the Americas, and how colonization affected the lives of people on all three continents. Knowing a few concrete examples is essential to succeeding on the short-answer section. The short-answer questions which will typically present you with some information (e.g., a chart, primary source, etc.) and thenask you to provide several specific examples or reasons for a broader theme or historical movement that relates to the information provided. You'll have flexibility in what specific examples you choose, just so long as they are relevant. The short-answer section is four questions long and worth 20% of your total test score (so each question is worth 5%). You'll have 50 minutes within section 1 to complete it. Concrete examplescan also bolster your essays and improve your ability to break down multiple-choice questions on the topic.However, focus first on understanding the big picture before you try to memorize the nitty-gritty details. If you’re coming from AP US History, this advice might seem odd. But unlike US History, which is more fine-grained, the AP World History exam writers do not expect you to know everything, as they test a much larger topic. AP US History is essentially a test of 400 years of history in one location, so it’s fair to expect students to know many proper names and dates. But for World History,that same level of detail isn’t expected; this test takes place over thousands of years all around the world. Instead, you should focus on understanding the general patterns ofimportant topics through history. This won't only save you time but will also keep you sane as your textbook hurls literally hundreds of names, places, and dates at you throughout the year. Speaking of your textbook ... Tip 2: Keep Up With Your Reading! When it comes to AP World History, you can't sleep through the class all year, skim a prep book in April, and then expect to get a perfect 5 on the test. You're learning all of human history, after all! Trying to cram for this test late in the game is both stressful and inefficient because of the sheer volume of material you have to cover. And all that reading would hurt your eyes. Instead, keep up with your reading and do well in your World History class to ensure you're building a strong foundation of knowledge throughout the year. This way, when it hits spring, you can focus on preparing for the exam itself and the topics it’s likely to test, as opposed to frantically trying to learn all of human history in just two months. If your teacher isn’t already requiring you to do something like this, be sure to keep notes of your readings throughout the school year. This could be in the form of outlines, summaries, or anything else that's useful to you. Taking notes will help you process the readings and remember them better. Your notes will also be an invaluable study tool in the spring. Finally, check the website of whatever textbook your class uses. Many textbook websites have extra features, such as pre-made chapter outlines and summaries. These can be excellent study resources for you throughout the year. Tip 3: Read a Prep Book (or Two) in the Spring Even if you keep up with AP World History throughout the year, you’re probably going to be a bit hazy on topics you learned in September when you start studying for the test in March or April. This is why we recommend getting a prep book, which will provide a much broaderoverview of world history, focusing especially on topics tested on the exam. If you’ve been learning well throughout the school year, reading a prep bookwill trigger your background knowledge and help you review. Think of your prep book as your second, much quicker pass through world history. And in case you’re wondering- no, the prep book alone will not fill you in on the necessary depth of knowledge for the entire test. You can't replace reading your textbook throughout the year with reading a prep book in the spring. The AP World History multiple-choice section especially can ask some pretty specific questions, and you'd definitely have blind spots if all you did is read a prep book and not an actual textbook. Furthermore, you wouldn't be able to explain examples in your essay in as much detail if you've only read a few paragraphs about major historical events. Tip 4: Get Ready to Move at 1 M.P.Q. (Minute per Question) To prepare for the AP World History exam, knowing the material is just half the battle. You also need to know how to use your time effectively,especially on the multiple-choice section. The multiple-choice section (Section 1, part A) asks 55 questions in 55 minutes,and is worth 40% of your total score. This gives you just one minuteper question, so you'll have to move fast. And to be ready for this quickpace, practice is key. Taking the AP World History exam without practicing first would be like jumping into a NASCARrace without a driver's license. To practice pacing yourself, it’s crucial that you get a prep book containing practice tests. Even if you've read your textbook diligently, taken notes, and reviewed the material, it's really important to practice actual multiple-choice sections so you can get used to the timing of the test. Althoughthere are a few two-part questions on AP World History,most are stand-alone questions. As a result,you can move from question to question fairly quickly, and even skip and return to tough questions (as long as you keep an eye on the time!). There might be some images, maps, charts, and passages to work through as well, so some questions will likely take longer than others. Your teacher should be giving you multiple-choice quizzes or teststhroughout the year to help you prepare for the test. If your teacher isn't doing this, it will, unfortunately, be up to you to find multiple-choice practice questionsfrom prep books and online resources. See our complete list of AP World History practice tests here. You need to create your own multiple-choice strategy as you study, such as using the process of elimination, being ready to read and analyze pictures and charts, and being constantly aware of your time. I recommend wearing a watch when you practice so you can keep an eye on how long you spend on each question. In short, make sure you practice AP World History multiple-choice questions so that when you sit down to take the exam, you'll feel confident and ready to move fast. Want to get better grades and test scores? We can help. PrepScholar Tutors is the world's best tutoring service. We combine world-class expert tutors with our proprietary teaching techniques. Our students have gotten A's on thousands of classes, perfect 5's on AP tests, and ludicrously high SAT Subject Test scores. Whether you need help with science, math, English, social science, or more, we've got you covered. Get better grades today with PrepScholar Tutors. Tip 5: Practice Speed-Writing for the Free-Response Section The AP World History exam has two essay questions that, together, account for 40% of your total score. You'll get 55 minutes for the Document-Based Question (DBQ), including a 10-minute reading period. The DBQ is worth 25% of your exam grade. You'll then get 35 minutes for the Long Essay, which is worth 15% of your score. For each essay, you need to be able to brainstorm quickly and write an essay that answers the prompt, is well organized, and has a cogent thesis. A thesis is a one-sentence summary of your main argument. For the sake of AP essays, it's best to put your thesis at the end of the introductory paragraph so the grader can find it quickly. When organizing your essay, have each paragraph explain one part of the argument, with a topic sentence (basically, a mini thesis) at the beginning of each paragraph that explains exactly what you're going to say. For the DBQ, you'll need to bring all or most the provided documents into your argument in addition to your background knowledge of the period being tested. For example, in a DBQ about the effects of Spanish Influenza during World War I, you needed to demonstrate your knowledge of WWI as well as your ability to use the documents effectively in your argument. See our complete guide to writing a DBQ here. For the Long Essay, it’s up to you to provide specific historical examples and show your broad understanding of historical trends. (Again, this is why doing your reading is so important, since you'll have to provide and explain your own historical examples!) Throughout the year, your teacher should be having you do writing assignments, including in-class essays, to teach you how to write good essays quickly. Since you'll be writing youressays by hand for the test, you should ideally be writing your practice essays by hand as well. If you struggle with writing by hand fast, you can build up your writing fluency (your ability to quickly translate thoughts to words) by writing additional practice essayson your own. If you need to work on writing fluency, it's best to practice with easier writing topics.First, find a journal prompt to write about (this website has hundreds). Next, set a timer. Between 10 and 15 minutes is best. Finally, write as much (and as fast) as you can about the prompt, without making any big mistakes in spelling or grammar. When time's up, count how many words you wrote. If you do this a few times a week, you'll build up your writing speed, and your word counts will continue to grow. Once you've built up this skill, it will be much easier to tackle the AP World History free response section. You can also practice on your own using old AP World History free-response questions.However, note that the test was revised for 2016-17, so old questions will have old instructions. In fact, there actuallyused to be three essays on the AP World History test- in addition to the DBQ, there was a "Change Over Time" essay and a "Comparison" essay. Now, there's just one long essay. Be sure to compare older questions with the most up-to-date examples from the most current AP Course and Exam Description. Tip 6: Take Practice Exams and Set a Target Score In the spring, aim totake at least one full practice exam- ideally in late March or early April- once you’ve learned most of the World History material. By a full practice exam, we mean the entire AP World History test. Time yourself and take it in one sitting, with a 15-minute break between the multiple-choice/short-answer section and the essays. Why should you do this? It will give you a chance to experience what it’s like to take a full AP World History exam before you sit for the real thing. This helps you build stamina and perfect your timing. All the practice in the world won't help you if you run out of steam on your last essay question and can barely think. Also, set a target score for each section: multiple choice and free response.Good news: you don’t need to be aiming for 100% on the multiple-choice section and a 9/9 on every essay in order to secure a 5 (the highest possible score). Far from it, actually! The truth is that a high multiple-choice score (50/55) with average short-answer and free-response scores (say, 8/12 on short answer, 5/7 on the DBQ, and 4/6 on the long essay) can get you a score of 5. Likewise, an average multiple-choice score (35/55) with high short-answer and free-response scores (say, 11/12 on short answer, 6/7 on the DBQ, and 5/6 on the long essay) can also net you a 5. Setrealistic score targets based on your personal strengths.For example, a really good writing student might go the average multiple choice/strong essay route, while a strong test taker might go the other way around. You could also be somewhere in-between. In addition, don't be intimidated if your target score is a lot higher than your current scores. The whole point of practicing is to eventually meet your target! Once you have a target score, practice, practice, practice! Use old exams, the practice exams in (high-quality) prep books, and thefree-response questions linked above. You can even ask your teacher for old AP World History tests and essay questions. The more you practice before the test, the more likely you are to meet- or exceed!- your score goal. Bottom Line: How to Prep for the AP World History Test Although AP World History is a challenging test, if you follow the advice in this AP World History study guide and preparecorrectlythroughout the year, you can definitely pass, or even be one of the few students who gets a 5! Just make sure to keep up with your reading, use a prep book in the spring, and practice a lot for the multiple-choice and the free-response sections. With clear target scores for each section and plenty of practice under your belt, you'll have the strongest chance of getting a 5 on test day! What’s Next? How many AP classes should you take in total? Find out here. How hard is AP World History compared with other AP tests? We’ve rounded up a list of the hardest and easiest AP tests, as well as the average scores for every exam. For more tips on doing well in all of your classes, from AP to IB to honors, read this expert guide to getting a perfect 4.0, written by PrepScholar founder Allen Cheng. Even if you're not going for perfection, you'll learn all the skills you need to work hard, work smart, and get better grades. Also studying for the SAT/ACT? In a hurry? Learn how to cram for the ACT or SAT. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: