How to Write a Reflective Essay on Community Service

How to Write a Reflective Essay on Community Service Essay on Community Service How to start How to write a thesis for a reflective essay on community service How to write your introductionn How to construct body paragraphs How to finish your essay Revising your essay Outline sample A reflective essay on community service (Sample) Writing a reflective essay on community service is one of the most fulfilling things you can do in your entire life. It comes with responsibility, goal, and dedication. In writing a reflective paper, first, you have a goal to persuade all of your readers to start doing community service in their own respective community. This might be the most difficult part in composing your essay; thus, you have to be careful and sensitive in placing every detail of your writing. Remember, people can be easily discouraged once they have heard something negative about what you wanted them to do; they can just â€Å"no†, and you can no longer do anything about it. Second, a responsibility which means you can take a stand to whatever things you have talked about in the course of your essay. Keep in mind that you need to write only about things you are familiar with. Do not get us wrong in here, we are not asking you to back-off from taking risks in placing new ideas on your essay you can add things you want but, please, make sure that research was done properly and accordingly. Lastly, as a writer, you should be able to have the dedication. Take notes, put your heart in every sentence, especially when you want to write a perfect essay about community service. So, here are some effective steps for you to use as your guide in writing a reflective essay on community service. How to start As an observation, knowing where to start and how to start a reflective paper is the most difficult part. It is not as easy as you think. In writing a reflective paper on community service, you should be able to know your motivation. Know the roots and how does the concept start. We suggest you do research first. Try to read published essays, other blogs, or previous studies that are similar to what you wanted to write about. We have some tips you can consider in starting your reflective essay. Compose yourself. You will need to be in the right state of mind. Make sure to do some researches and background study to what you are going to write. Lastly, properly think who are the receivers or the readers of your essay. Knowing who are going to be your target readers means knowing where to go. How to write a thesis for a reflective essay on community service It is known as the summary of your main idea. Usually, in some essays, a thesis statement consists of one to two sentences. Also, keep in mind the goal of a thesis statement, which is to give bird’s eye-view as to what your readers should expect on your essay. How to write your introduction Your introduction serves as the welcome paragraph of your essay. It should be as catchy as possible. In your introduction, make sure to state the purpose of your essay, define the concept, and make sure to add some words to trigger your readers curiosity. So, here are some tips for writing an effective introduction. Keep it short. Readers sometimes lose their patience. Make it personal. As early as in your introduction, you should have already created a bond between you as the writer and your reader. Avoid clichà ©s or common lines to start your introduction. State your inspiration in writing your reflective essay. How to construct body paragraphs The body is the part of your reflective essay where you can start, elaborate and end your discussions. In this part, your personal experiences in doing community service should be placed. You could add your observations regarding the basic problems your community has as well as the possible help you can give. Usually, writers include their main idea, arguments, experiences and observations in the body. In addition, always keep in mind that every paragraph should be somehow related or connected to other paragraphs. To write your body paragraphs correctly, below are a few tips you should consider. First, write the main points you wanted to discuss in a bullet form. If needed, place specific supporting points under its respective main point. Elaborate, make sure to explain each idea you have placed. Turn the body to a sentence form; make sure to use appropriate words. Write as if you are retelling a story. Each paragraph should have connections to its succeeding paragraph. Read it aloud. If it sounds good, then it will surely be pleasant in the eyes of readers. How to finish your essay Finishing an essay is a lot easier than starting it. No studies are needed to be done, it is just internalizing. Consider if there is enough learning on your essay. Always keep in mind that a regular essay is different from a reflective essay. A reflective essay talks about the experiences you have, meaning that it is more personal than a regular essay. A conclusion is a summary of whatever you have written in your body, making your conclusion as short as possible is one the secrets for you to be able to have an excellent reflective essay. However, do not sacrifice the substance of your conclusion. Lastly, since what you have written is a reflective essay, make sure of having some lessons on the last part or your essay. Make it relatable, add a personal touch to it. Revising your essay In revising your reflective essay, ask someone to read your essay. Ask for possible revisions or recommendations. In addition, revise an hour or two after you are done writing your reflective essay. Lastly, Read it aloud, you as the writer should be able to feel the feeling of fulfillment. Outline sample I. Introduction Purpose of Community Service Definition of Community Service Thesis Statement II. Body Experiences you have with community service Observations Solution to the problems you have observed III. Conclusion Summarising Review of the main arguments Realization A reflective essay on community service (Sample) For our community to be able to survive and take the changes we have in the world today, everyone is expected to extend their help. Giving help comes in different forms; you can lend your helping hand through donations, like giving financial aid to sustain and to support what your community needs. Another way for you to be able to help your community is by simply following your community rules and regulations. For instance, following the basic traffic rules might be a very basic thing to consider; however, doing this every time gives a lasting effect on your community. Lastly, through community service, there are two connotations when someone hears the word community service, some people might think, this is a punishment to someone who is able to abide himself with the law, on the other hand, community service is an effect of volunteerism, which means, someone just want to do something different for his or her community. Community service has been the bridge in having a united and a strong community. This has been proven, and this has been observed by almost everyone. There are three benefits community service has; psychological benefit, social benefit, and cognitive benefit. A psychological benefit: with this benefit, psychologists believe that participating in a community service boosts the satisfaction and the feeling of fulfillment of an individual. Moreover, it also gives some social benefits, the moment an individual engaged himself in community service creates a better bond and better relation with another person. Lastly, for the cognitive benefits, the process of a person gain more experiences makes him a better individual. I can remember when I have participated in a community service; I have seen how camaraderie and unity bring us to where we are now. In this time, I observed how an individual works with another individual. I was able to see sincerity and determination, which I think is a good step in reaching our goal of having a peaceful world or community. I think if we continue what we have started, then, it will be easier for us to attain our ambitions in life. In a nutshell, community service might be a very difficult thing to do but trust me, once you have started doing it, you will surely love it.

The Ultimate Guide to the AP US History Exam

The Ultimate Guide to the AP US History Exam SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The AP US History exam involves reading, writing, and in-depth analysis. It's not just about memorizing names and dates; you'll be asked to interpret historical evidence quickly and accurately, recall outside information about the topic, and, on the essay questions, synthesize your ideas into a coherent argument. In this guide, I'll give you a rundown of the format and structure of the exam along with a brief content outline, sample questions, and some tips for a great score! How Is the AP US History Exam Structured? The AP US History testin 2016 will be administered on Friday, May 6th at 8 AM. It hasmultiple-choice, short answer, and free-response sections, and the total length is 3 hours and 15 minutes. The Multiple-Choice Section Is: 55 minutes long 55 questions 40 percent of your score Formatted in sets of two to five questions that are based on the provided pieces of historical evidence The Short-Answer Section Is: 50 minutes long Four questions 20 percent of your score Questions have multiple parts and will usually reference pieces of historical evidence The Free-Response Section Is: Comprised of two questions: Document-based question An essay based on a prompt that's accompanied by a series of relevant historical documents 55 minutes 25 percent of your score Long essay question Regular essay question where you get to choose between two different prompts 35 minutes for the long essay question 15 percent of your score On the free-response section, you will be told when 55 minutes are up and advised to move on to the second question, but you aren’t forced to do so. Time management is one of the major challenges of this test! Content Background for the AP US History Exam There are seven themes addressed inthe AP US History course, and all of them will show up in one form or another on the exam.Each represents a subset of learning objectives that students are expected to master.You can read more about the learning objectives in the course description;here I’ll just give a broad overview of the major themes: Theme 1: American and National Identity How and why definitions of American and national identity and values have developed. Related topics such as citizenship, constitutionalism, foreign policy, assimilation, and American exceptionalism. Theme 2: Politics and Power How different social and political groups have influenced society and government in the United States. How political beliefs and institutions have changed over time. Theme 3: Work, Exchange, and Technology Factors behind systems of economic exchange and development, including the role of technology, economic markets, and government. Theme 4: Culture and Society The roles that ideas, beliefs, social mores, and creative expression have played in shaping the United States. How various identities, cultures, and values have been preserved or changed at different stages in U.S. History. Theme 5: Migration and Settlement Why and how the various people who moved to and within the United States both adapted to and transformed their new environments. Theme 6: Geography and the Environment The role of geography and environments (natural and man-made) on social and political developments in the United States. Theme 7: America in the World Interactions between nations that affected North American history in the colonial period. The influence of the United States on world affairs. These themes are discussed across nine different historical periods, each of which corresponds to a certain percentage of questions on the AP exam: Sample AP US History Questions Now that you have a sense of the test content, I'll present you with sample questions to give you a better idea of what it actually looks like! Multiple-Choice Question For multiple choice, you’re given one or two pieces of historical evidence followed by a set of questions that ask you to do some analysis.The US History exam is less about knowing specific dates and names and more about being able to draw conclusions and connect themes based on materials provided by the test. First, let’s read the (disturbing) statement we’re considering for this question: Hammond refers to slaves as â€Å"fellow creatures whom God has entrusted to my charge† and goes on to say that it is â€Å"in the interest of all...to treat our slaves with proper kindness.†This is a statement typical of many southern slaveowners at the time.In his view, he has been entrusted by God to take care of his slaves because they are lower in the natural hierarchy.He talks about treating them with kindness to make it seem like slavery helps everyone. Southerners believed they were doing their slaves a favor by treating them well within the slave system because slaves weren’t capable of handling freedom. Now, we'll examine our choices: Choice (A) can be ruled out because there is nothing in the statement that indicates a reaction to the development of gradual emancipation laws. Hammond isdefending slavery in a broader moral sense. Choice (B) is incorrect because there is no relationship between the statement and development of stronger slave codes.Hammond talks about treating his slaves well and is clearly trying to ignore the increased unrest within the slave system. Choice (C) should be eliminated as well.Although Hammond is making a moral argument for slavery that could be considered a counter to activists’ moral arguments against it, there isn’t a direct enough connection between the quote and the trend described in this answer choice. Finally, let’s look at choice (D), which is the correct answer.This is the only choice that makes a DIRECT connection between the point of view expressed in the excerpt and the social/political trends of the time.Hammond’s statement is an individual piece of evidence that serves to demonstrate the larger movement of southerners touting slavery as a â€Å"positive good† benefitting both slaves and masters. Short-Answer Question Short answer questions are technically considered part of the multiple-choice section because they are so much less involved than the essay questions.Although they do have multiple parts, you don’t have to come up with a thesis (one sentence answers are ok). They're about succinctly connecting themes and reference materials to specific events or trends. Here’s an example: For part (A), you would need to provide a brief explanation of the aspects of the cartoon that express the artist’s point of view on a particular economic topic. For example:The artist expresses the view that industrial capitalism is an exploitative and unfair system in which underpaid laborers work hard to build the basis on which wealthy capitalists lounge around and enjoy lives of luxury. For part (B), you would need to describe a specific development between 1865 and 1910 that supports the artist’s viewpoint. For example:Newly rich businessmen such as Gould or Vanderbilt quickly rose to prominence and lived lavish lifestyles funded by huge corporate monopolies. For part (C), you would need to describe another specific development within the same time period that challenges the artist’s viewpoint. For example:A more industrialized economy brought benefits to many people in society through access to cheaper commodities, new technologies, and improvements in the standard of living. Document-Based Question These are the instructions you’ll see for the document-based question: The question itself is a short prompt that gives you a lens through which to view the sample documents.You’re given seven different documents to examine, and, to earn full credit, you have to use at least six of them as evidence for your thesis in your answer. Documents range from transcripts of folk songs to excerpts from letters and newspapers to demographic maps.I won’t list all the documents that were presented for this specific question, but here are a couple so you can get a sense of the variety you’ll see on the exam: There are several components of a solid response to this question: Thesis The thesis must clearly address patterns of continuity and change over time with regards to the social and economic experiences of African Americans who migrated North in the early 1900s.Don’t make it hard for the graders to find your thesis; the best place to put it is right at the end of your first paragraph. Here's an example:As many African Americans migrated North in the period from 1910 to 1930, they encountered both new and familiar challenges, including the hostility of white northerners, barriers to employment, and housing segregation. Evidence At least six out of seven documents (and preferably all seven!) should be used as evidence in your essay. Also, atleast one of the following should be examined in the essay for four or more of the documents: the author’s point of view, the author’s purpose, the intended audience, and the historical context. Analysis and Connections The essay must draw connections between documents or parts of documents to build an argument.You should also observe in your essay that documents reflect differences in point of view, audiences, formats, etc.Paying attention to the context is critical for an appropriate historical reading (for example, document 4 is written for a white audience by a white author, so that should inform the way its statements are viewed). Outside Knowledge Your essay should also include knowledge that extends beyond the documents themselves and strengthens your argument. Caution:DON’T start fact-vomiting all over this essay. Make sure what you’re saying is directly relevant to your argument.One historical trend you might mention specifically is the rise of legalized social segregation in the South (impact ofPlessy v. Ferguson).You could also note that the evidence in the documents provided does not reference the Harlem Renaissance, which was an important development in the experience of many African Americans in the urban North during the 1920s. Context Your essay shouldalsoconnect the issues raised by the documents to broader discussions of racism in U.S. history.You could talk about things like: The transition from an agricultural to an industrial economy Different motivations that have influenced migration within the U.S. Development of housing patterns in urban environments Long Essay Question For your long essay, you will be able to choose between two prompts.Here’s an example of a potential prompt: Your answer should include many of the same elements as your answer to the document-based question, but there are no documents to analyze and reference, so you have less time to write.This question also asks you to take a more solid argumentative stance for or against a certain claim. The first thing you should do is decide whether you support, partially support, or totally disagree with the argument presented in the question.Then, write a thesis that makes your point of view clear and briefly references examples you will use to support it in the body of your essay. If you chose to support the statement, your essay might include the following points: The New Deal was a conservative measure taken to preserve a capitalist economy in the US by lessening the negative effects of capitalism and mitigating weaknesses within the system. It represented a desire to change things as little as possible while maintaining the economic status quo. No programs in the New Deal led to fundamental redistribution of land and wealth, so most elements of the capitalist system were unchanged. If you instead decided to argue against the statement, your essay might include the following points: The New Deal was a dramatic departure from the role government had played in the US economy up to that point. Programs were revolutionary in that they provided relief to people who were struggling, curbed corporate abuses, and sought to protect the environment. Alternatively, you could say that the New Deal was revolutionary in a negative way; the government veered too far into socialism and worsened the effects of the depression for people like business owners. You could mention the more far-reaching benefits and drawbacks of the New Deal to provide additional evidence for your point (greater financial security for people in the long run as a result of New Deal programs). You could also modify the original statement by saying that the New Deal was a moderate measure that fell between conservatism and revolution (the partial agreement option).More extreme factions of conservative and progressive groups were either alarmed at the dramatic changes or dissatisfied with a policy that fell short of complete economic restructuring. Whatever your argument, you must include specific references to historical events or trends of the period for context (for example, you might mention conservative fiscal policies of presidents before Roosevelt and the causes of the Great Depression). One of FDR's quirks was that he always had to be painted completely green from head to toe before being seen in public. Using this strategy, he successfully prevented people from noticing his wheelchair for years. How Is the AP US History Exam Scored? On the multiple-choice section (55 raw points possible), you get a point added to your raw score for each question that you answer correctly. No points are taken off for incorrect answers!Each short-answer question is worth three points, so there are 12 raw points possible in the short-answer section. The document-based question is scored based on the following criteria (seven raw points possible): Thesis and argument: 2 points Document analysis: 2 points Using evidence beyond the documents: 2 points Synthesis: 1 point The long essay question is scored based on the following criteria (six raw points possible): Thesis: 1 point Argument development: using the targeted historical thinking skills: 2 points Argument development: using evidence: 2 points Synthesis: 1 point On essay questions, points are taken off for errors only if they detract from the quality of the argument being made (basically, don’t make up historical facts to support an argument).Grammatical errors are not a big deal as long as they don't inhibit the grader's ability to understand what your essay is saying. The total number of raw points you can earn on the test is 80: 55 on the multiple choice, 12 on the short answer, seven on the DBQ, and six on the long essay.Raw scores can be converted to scaled scores out of 150. Multiply your raw score (out of 55) on the multiple-choice section by 1.1 to get your scaled multiple choice score. Then, multiply your raw score (out of 12) on the short answer-section by 2.5 to get your scaled short answer score.Multiply your raw score (out of seven) on the document-based question by 5.4 to get your scaled DBQ score.Multiply your raw score (out of six) on the long essay question by 3.75 to get your scaled long essay question score. Then, add all of the scores together to get your final scaled score! Here’s a chart to show you approximately how the scaled scores translate to final AP scores: Scaled Score AP Score Percentage of Students in 2015 115 - 150 5 9.3% 90 - 114 4 17.8% 65 - 89 3 23.6% 44 - 64 2 25% 0 - 43 1 24.3% I made my best estimates based on other AP score conversion charts because there was no official scaled to AP score conversion chart online for the latest version of the exam.Your teacher or review book may have a more accurate score conversion system that you can use for official practice tests. Tips for the AP US History Exam AP US History is a grueling test that requires intense critical thinking and analytical skills.Here are some tips you should remember if you hope to do well: Tip #1: Accurate Facts Aren’t Always Correct Answers Many multiple-choice questions will list answers that are accurate representations of historical events or trends but don’t directly respond to the question being asked. Be wary of these answers on the test so that you don’t accidentally choose them over more relevant responses.In the multiple choice question I gave as an example, one incorrect choice was â€Å"The expanding use of moral arguments by Northern antislavery activists.†At the time referenced in the question, this was a real trend that occurred, but it doesn’t relate directly to the excerpt that was referenced. That means it’s still the wrong answer.Don’t let these types of choices confuse you; adhere to the particulars of the question and the evidence presented! Tip #2: Details Are Important: Read Excerpts Carefully! Most of this exam is based on historical reference materials.You won’t be able to answer questions correctly without reading carefully.Even if you know everything there is to know about US History, that knowledge will mostly just serve to contextualize the evidence presented on the test.The specific details found in the writings and images will ultimately reveal the best answer choice. Tip #3: Plan Before You Write It’s critical to write well-organized, focused essays on the AP US History test.A clear thesis is the first thing on the agenda.Then, you need to make sure the rest of your essay ties back into your thesis and provides relevant evidence throughout.If you jump into writing an essay without taking the time to organize your thoughts, you’re more likely to ramble or get off-topic from the main focus of the question. For the document-based question, you’re encouraged to spend 15 of the 55 minutes planning how to organize your thoughts and use the different documents as evidence.You have less time for the long essay question, but you should still spend five minutes or so writing a brief outline before you start your final draft. Tip #4: Use Outside Evidence Wisely It’s a smart idea to incorporate additional background knowledge into your responses on the test.It shows that you’ve mastered the material and can connect themes to what you learned in class and not just what was presented to you in the question.However, don’t include outside knowledge unless it bolsters your argument.If you’re just sticking it in there to prove how much you know, your essay will lack focus, and you may lose points.That’s why it’s so important to plan ahead; in the planning stage, you can think of examples that tie into your thesis and strategically place them throughout your essay in ways that contribute to your point. Be wise, like an owl. Not necessarily this one...it looks like it lost its grip on reality a long time ago. Conclusion The AP US History exam is one of the longer AP tests, and it has four different types of questions! You'll see multiple-choice, short answer, document-based, and long essay questions on this test. The main thread running through the entire exam is an emphasis on analyzing historical evidence and applying outside knowledge in context. In your studying, you will need to learn to connect the five themes of the course to events spanning 500 years of North American history. To recap, some study tips that I recommend include: Don't mistake accurate facts for correct answers Always read excerpts carefully Plan before writing your essays Use outside evidence strategically Make sure you practice all the different types of questions with official materials before you sit down to take the real test. If you get used to thinking about history in an analytical, evidence-based context, you should have no problem earning a high AP score! What's Next? Looking for more practice materials? Check out our article on the best online quizzes you can take to prepare for the AP US History test! Review books can be extremely helpful tools in preparing for AP tests. If you can't decide which one to get,take a look at this list of the best review books for the AP US History exam in 2016. Did you lose some of your notes? Head on over to this article for links to AP US History notes on every section of the course. 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:

Deep analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Deep analysis - Research Paper Example The reverse is also true; meaning when the market demand slackens there will be a decline in capacity utilization. In the economic scene, capacity utilization is employed to track inflation pressures (Nelson 275). In United States, data on capacity utilization is released on monthly bases by the Federal Reserve Board. This helps in tracking the extent to which the country’s productive capacity is being utilized and also forecast likely growth or decline in various sectors. Capacity utilization is measured by deducting actual production from potential production. Capacity Utilization=Real actual output-Real potential Output The data released by the Federal Reserve Bank can be plotted in a graph to show historical developments in capacity utilization. Notably, capacity utilization is represented in percentages, 100% is considered a maximum level of production. Such a graph is represented in the next part; the data represented is from 1965 through to 2012 (Federal Bureau of Reser ve). Capacity Utilization in United States of America Year Question 3 One of the emergent findings is that the overall capacity utilization has declined over the years. In the 1960s capacity utilization averaged around 85 percent. ... In explaining whether these findings are to be expected it would be important to look at the general economic environment over the years. It is clear that in the 1960s, which was largely a postwar period, there was a massive growth in the economy. This massive growth was enabled by a growing demand for goods and services which prompted companies in various industries to increase their productive capacity. At the same time, companies sought to maximize on their productive capacity to meet the demand. The result was higher levels of capacity utilization. However, this scenario would falter with a general change in the economic environment. This is because the economic environment remains a major determinant of the levels of production. In times of great demand the production levels will rise and thence the capacity utilization of existent companies will also rise. Therefore, at times of slow economic growth, or recession in that case, the industries are performing below par and thence the capacity utilization is way below that of a thriving economy. Given this scenario, it is thus expected that the level of capacity utilization will falter every time there is a marked decline in economic growth. Looking at the plotted levels and matching this with the overall health of the economy, we are able to see a higher level in the 1960s. It is during this period that the United States experienced the longest period of uninterrupted period of economic expansion. At the time, the efficiency and production levels of the U.S improved markedly. However, these levels have since declined and the country hardly goes for two decades without a recession. This reality largely suggests that the findings would be