The Integration Of Computers And Software Tools - 940 Words

Bioinformatics is the integration of computers and software tools to analyse information associated with biomolecules on a large scale. Conventionally, biological study examines individual system in detail and uses the data that is produced to frequently compare similar systems that are related. However, bioinformatics facilitates scientists to study and conduct global analysis of all the available data. This allows researchers, to uncover common principles that may be applied across numerous systems, which results in different features to be highlighted (Luscombe , et al., 2001). Due to the increased amount of research that has been conducted in association with genes and proteins, computational methods such as bioinformatics has become†¦show more content†¦Computational biology became popular during the 1970’s when the price of computers decreased and they were easier to use and more readily available. Subsequently, this new technology was introduced primarily to store and manage data that was produced through genomic research. This then resulted in investigations to be completed in shorter amounts of time, which lead to larger investigations, leading to more data being produced. Thus, bigger and better computers were needed to manage the data that was generated. Hence, bioinformatics was used to create tools, algorithms and databases, which enabled comprehensive management of data. Therefore, as more and more data is being produced, the need for more powerful computers are needed in order to manage the data. Furthermore, due to large amount of data being generated, larger databases are required and more powerful tools are needed to manage and store the data. The proteins play a key role in the biological function and their studies make possible to understand the mechanisms that occur in many biological events. The human genome project enabled the emergence of proteomics. Proteomics is the large scale study of proteins, particularly the functions and structure of different proteins. The field of bioinformatics has had a significant effect in proteomics, as it has introduced new algorithms to handle large and heterogeneous data sets. Moreover, Bioinformatics has offered the

Study of Knowledge Free Essays

Epistemology – The Study of Knowledge Jeff Castro PHI 200 Dr. Akins February 4, 2013 Epistemology – The Study of Knowledge The study of knowledge has always been the journey toward truth and understanding. Epistemology deals with the creation and distribution of knowledge in certain areas of inquiry. We will write a custom essay sample on Study of Knowledge or any similar topic only for you Order Now Humans should be free to gain, study and question knowledge and claims without repercussions in any social, cultural or religious setting. As we move forward in our understanding of life, religion and nature, we have changed our way of thinking through philosophy. We are less ignorant and uneducated about the truths of the world and how we as human beings perform in it. Knowledge and the confirmation of knowledge can be confirmed by propositional and procedural knowledge or knowledge by acquaintance. Propositional knowledge is expressed in declarative sentences or indicative propositions of one’s knowledge based on the known or knowing that. If someone says â€Å"all birds have feathers† they are stating or asserting a proposition that is factual or somewhat factual. Procedural knowledge is the knowledge used in the performance of a task, such as knowing how to replace brakes on a vehicle. It is learned knowledge through doing that act. Knowledge by acquaintance is experience based knowledge learned through casual interaction, such as knowing a place or person well (Mosser, 2010). Knowing for certain is always questionable because everything can be challenged. For the three identified ways of attaining knowledge, the most challenged one is propositional knowledge. Propositional knowledge receives the most skepticism because of the statements it brings forward, like â€Å"I believe that†, â€Å"I know that† and â€Å"I think that† (Steup, 2005). These statements are based on one’s beliefs, thoughts and ideas which can be questioned. If knowledge is based on one’s beliefs or opinions it will bring challenges, but remember an individual’s ideas based on beliefs or opinions should respected. We are certain of the other two due to experiencing or performing acts to solidify the knowledge. But then still can be questioned because of different procedures or experiences can still result in a different or validation of an outcome or answer. To justify what we really know is inherited, learned or experienced. We cannot really be certain of our knowledge because we can be tricked or limited by our sense that provides us this information to confirm or deny what we know or learn. Knowledge at one point is imperfect, but the truth at that point and is reinforced by the progress of science to be an absolute truth to some degree and as Vladimir Lenin says, â€Å"There is no impassable boundary between relative and absolute truth. † (Bogdanov, 1908). The normal order of the world is how we perceive it through our senses. It can play tricks on us and deceive through illusions that the mind receives from sight, sound, taste and touch. How humans recognize what is real and not real through their senses is known as empiricism (Mosser, 2010). Empiricists view that there is no such thing as innate knowledge, but instead knowledge is received from experience. On the argument side you have rationalism which view knowledge to be innate. It argues that the knowledge of God, mathematics and science cannot be explained by the senses (Mosser, 2010). But this does contradicts how we learn, because without the senses how do we learn mathematics, science or the knowledge of God (the bible). Innate knowledge is derived from the mind, but requires other things to support or build the mind, the senses. Let’s break down the five senses (vision, sound, touch, smell and taste) and try to understand what can be limited and why. Vision can be received or altered based on the ability to distinguish objects, the depth or field, color, contrast, or even color blindness. Sound can be affected by the volume or pitch that is received by the ears. Touch can be affected by your haptic perception and how sensitive one’s outer skin is. Smell and taste can be affected by our bad habits (smoking and drinking), disease or medications. So the limitations of one’s senses can fool and be limited by our own doings and by the aging process (Gwizdka, 2010). Cognitive relativism is the idea of the knowledge we hold of the real world requires assistance from our mental/mind to build and support and that things being the truth or false are relative to a society, group or individual. I also realize that there are cognitive bias, notational bias and culture bias, which prevents us from seeing or analyzing something objectively with our senses (empiricism) which we cannot discount. So to really assert a position of truth would depend on who interprets it based on moral, ethical, or social view (Slick, 2012). Friedrich Nietzsche developed perspectivism which supports cognitive relativism in that there are many possible perspectives to determine any possible assessment of the truth to be determined. This means that there is doubt and uncertainty about how we see the world and the truth about it based on perspectives. The limits to human perception or cognition are bounded by each individual and how they can comprehend or process what they are receiving. The processing of the knowledge can be expanded upon through the use of one’s innate knowledge. We limited ourselves based on what we only know and what is in front of us. If we can make sense of the world beyond what our senses take in we would be much better off, but remember it is all based on one’s perspective of faith, ideas, thoughts and knowledge. Skepticism is originally was defined as someone who simply looked at things and now it is someone who doubts claims. Skepticism forces claims to be justified (Mosser, 2010). When assessing epistemology on the bases of what is known and the unknown we will still question everything for it is uncertain that we really know the truth about something. Yet there will still be limits on what we question because some are based on faith, which is an individual’s belief in their religion. There are several types of skepticism: moral, religious, metaphysical and scientific. Each identifying a particular area to question or doubt, but what I find most questionable or intriguing are the religious skepticism or theological skepticism which examines faith-based claims and scientific skepticism or empirical skepticism which uses the scientific method of examining claims. Religious skepticism does not mean one would be either an Atheist or Agnostic. These skeptics question religious authority, but are not anti-religious just because they question specific or all religious beliefs or practices. One of the first religious skeptics was Socrates, he questioned the legitimacy of the beliefs during his time of the existence of various gods and this led to his trial and execution. Scientific skepticism seek proof through deductive argument before accepting any knowledge in any area, such as health claims, environmental claims, parapsychology, etc. Carl Sagan originated scientific skepticism and was a world-famous astronomer and astrophysicist well known for supporting the search for extra-terrestrial intelligence (SETI) and questioned that there was more than earth in our and other vast universes. There is also a sub-set of scientific skepticism which is call activist skepticism who seek to expose or prove false publicly what they see as the truth behind extraordinary claims (Klein, 2000). Socrates claimed that he knew one and only one thing: that he knew nothing, which was in line with being a Pyrrhonist. He questioned everyone who claimed to have knowledge, hoping to learn from them, but he never claimed that gaining knowledge was impossible and never claimed to discover any knowledge. As such proof of never recording anything to prove or disprove his knowledge (Mosser, 2010). Sagan wrote in his publications â€Å"Too much openness and you accept every notion, idea, and hypothesis—which is tantamount to knowing nothing. Too much skepticism—especially rejection of new ideas before they are adequately tested—and you’re not only unpleasantly grumpy, but also closed to the advance of science. A judicious mix is what we need. † (Sagan, 1995). Both men were skeptics who believed in questioning and challenging claims and exhibited a fascination with discovery. I believe it is in our nature to question everything to ensure we have validated the claim, but as Sagan has stated there is a fine line before tilting it too far to the left or right. I believe the two skepticisms try to get at the answer of how humans came to being. The religious skeptic will question all religions by comparing claims and questioning why to find the ultimate truth of our existence and our true meaning. The scientific skeptic will require proof in the way of science before accepting knowledge to be true (Munchin, 2011). By taking the two and trying to analyze and form a more complete set of questions to develop a more sensible truth or theory behind the human existence would possibly help me understand or rationalize the questions of â€Å"why† and â€Å"how† in my mind. But I understand there are limits to what I chose to believe as my ideas or perceptions (Shogenji, 2011). The decision between right and wrong is relative to one’s society or cultural background. Relativism in the Muslim world would be a death sentence (honor killing) and we would see it as radical relativism. It is easily defendable in their culture and country because it is viewed as a norm or way of life, but not so within most other countries. It is all about perspective because we to at one time burned people at the stake for being witches. Ignorance and lack of education or knowledge made it defensible and accepted at that time. So is radical relativism defensible, it is all about an individual’s or country’s perspective, religious beliefs and culture to decide one way or the other (Mosser, 2010). The basic understanding of philosophy and how it affects our lives is sometimes transparent to most people because they only do without thinking. We have gotten so busy with our tethered lives we do not take the time to question why something is true or not, we move around like mindless beings. Epistemology gives us that way to question and seek knowledge to validate truth and to hope to truly understand the â€Å"why† and â€Å"how† of our lives and everything in and around us. Humans should be free to gain, study and question knowledge and claims without repercussions in any social, cultural or religious setting. But this is an ongoing battle to be free from repercussions or persecution of our thoughts, ideas and actions when publically projected. Some countries and cultures still lash out in the way of medieval and barbaric manner at anything that does not fit their way of life and interactions, but it is all relative and it still falls within the study of philosophy. Choosing to accept this or not, based on beliefs, ideas and religion is your choice, but to understand and have a greater degree of insight of knowledge and truth is true epistemology. References Bogdanov, A. (1908). Absolute and Relative Truth, or the Eclecticism of Engels. Retrieved from: http://www. marxists. org/archive/lenin/works/1908/mec/two5. htm Gwizdka, J. (2010). Human Perception Cognition. Retrieved from: http://comminfo. rutgers. edu/~jacekg/teaching/ITI230_HCI/2006_4f/lectures/Lecture3. pdf Klein, P. (2000). Contextualism and the Real Nature of Academic Skepticism. Retrieved from: http://www. jstor. org. proxy-library. ashford. edu/stable/pdfplus/3050570. pdf? acceptTC=true Mosser, K. (2010). A Concise Introduction to Philosophy. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Munchin, D. (2011). ‘Is theology a science? ’ Paul Feyerabend’s anarchic epistemology as challenge test to T. F. Torrance’s scientific theology. Retrieved from: http://search. proquest. com. proxy-library. ashford. edu/cv_756002/docview/894110952/fulltextPDF/13C00235777679CB0A0/4? accountid=32521 Sagan, C. 1995). Wonder and Skepticism, Vol 19, Issue 1. Retrieved from: http://www. positiveatheism. org/writ/saganws. htm Shogenji, T. (2011). Internalism and Externalism in Meliorative Epistemology. Retrieved from: http://search. proquest. com. proxy-library. ashford. edu/cv_756002/docview/1111853938/fulltextPDF/13C06554AFF58193594/1? accountid=32521 Slick, M. (2012). Cognitive Relativism. Retrieved from: http://c arm. org/secular-movements/relativism/cognitive-relativism Steup, M. (2005). Epistemology. Retrieved from: http://plato. stanford. edu/entries/epistemology/ How to cite Study of Knowledge, Papers

Evolution of Community and Public Health Nursing free essay sample

Key health issues during the American Revolution, there were high rates of smallpox, yellow fever, cholera, typhoid, typhus, tuberculosis, malaria and infant mortality. Community and public health’s major goal was Improving sanitation among all areas in all communities. The AMA developed a committee to take surveys on sanitation and taking vital statistics. A few years later the Shattuck report would be published, and state and local health departments would be established from that. During this time, the role of community and public health services included â€Å"monitoring water quality, constructing sewers and a waterfront wall, draining marshes, planting trees and vegetables, and burying the dead† (Stanley Lancaster, 2012,p. We will write a custom essay sample on Evolution of Community and Public Health Nursing or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 24). There were several local community and public health foundations during this time. The Ladies’ Benevolent Society of Charleston, South Carolina, provided charitable assistance to the needy, while in â€Å"Cincinnati, Ohio, the Roman Catholic Sisters of Charity began a visiting nurse service†( Stanley Lancaster, 2012,p. 24) Florence Nigthengale  Key health issues at the time were typhus, cholera, yellow fever, and wounded soldiers from the Crimean war. Perspectives and goals of community and public health nursing were that all nurses were trained using a nursing education model. This would improve care, and patient outcomes. Nurse’s goals were focused on disease prevention and health promotion rather than just treating the sick. Visiting nursing associations were established. Public health emphasized on meeting urban health care needs and caring for the needy (Stanley Lancaster, 2012, p.25). A few groups of Roman Catholic  and protestant women cared for the needy and visiting nursing services began to be established, caring for the ill and the needy. 1950’s As the population lived longer, advances were made in medicine, vaccinations, education, and nursing, more patients suffered with heart disease, cancer, and cerebral vascular disease (Stanley Lancaster, 2012,p.33). The goals of community and public health nurses were treating and preventing chronic diseases and to address areas of psychological issues such as stress and anxiety. Roles and functions of community and public health nursing was in home health agencies, screening communities for chronic illness, providing communities with vaccinations. Community and public health partnerships at the time were the home health agencies and insurance programs.

Comparative Paper on Perfect Sunday free essay sample

The Second Joyful Mystery Ding-dong. As I lazily got up to answer the door of the short stories in my hand, I was surprised to see a blind man, named Robert and a long lost grandson, named Jorge. Perfect Sunday by Jose Ayala and Cathedral by Raymond Carver both revolves around the host-visitor dynamic. Raymond Carvers Cathedral revolves around the interaction of the character of the husband and his wifes long time blind friend, Robert and Jose Ayalas Perfect Sunday delves into Jorges visit to his grandmother. As both pairs of characters engage in small talk they are able to reconnect, establish new ties and iscover more of themselves. The characters of the short stories will be cross-examined with each other. First would be visitor to visitor then host to host, Jorge to Robert and Dona Santos to the husband. Then Jorge will be compared to the husband and Dona Santos will be compared to Robert. Through this we can discover the deeper ideas both short stories possess. Jorge and Robert are both the visitors in the short stories. Both characters appear to be unconventional to the host characters. The husband and Dona Santos are in a way traditional and conservative. In Cathedral the husband was at first not very comfortable with Robert visiting. Aside from Robert being a complete stranger, the husband was not at ease about the idea that Robert was blind. The husband had a lot of preconceived notions about how blind men behaved and looked like. The thought that Robert married an African-American woman came as a shock to him. He even reacted quite violently. Her name was Beulah. Beulah! Thats a name of a colored woman. Was his wife a Negro? I asked. He also was surprised when he saw Robert with a beard and without a cane or a pair of glasses. He was even taken aback with the way Robert ate. l watched with admiration as he used his knife and fork on the meat. In Perfect Sunday Dona Santos is the typical grandmother. According to the text she is of traditional Spanish descent. She is very conservative. Jorges lifestyle seems to be quite not ideal to her. When Jorge took out a cigarette Dona Santos eyed Jorge quizzically. Dona Santos looked at the cigarette, then at Jorge. She also seemed to be a little disappointed that Jorge is a musician. She seemed to have approved more on Jorges cousin, Leo who was a taking up business administration nd was disappointed when she heard that he was not able to finish school. The visitor characters represent the unusual in the society each of the short stories exist in. They also represent change and reform in the society. The host characters symbolize the norm and the tradition the society upholds. In both short stories the contrasting of these ideas are present. Both selections also look into how the concept of change and tradition can help shape the characters. Jorge and the husband are very much alike. Both characters have that tendency to election when he was observing the passersby. This trait is apparent to the husband with regard to how he perceives and treats Robert. Both characters are not in tuned to their religious beliefs. Jorges refusal to attend mass and even claiming that doing so will ruin his perfect Sunday is proof to this. The husbands prayer during their dinner was done Jokingly and even bordering on mockery. When asked by Robert whether he was religious or not, he explicitly answered l guess I dont believe in it. Dona Santos and Robert can be put next to each other. Both these characters are the eligious or spiritual influence in the other characters lives. Dona Santos beliefs are more explicitly stated. Roberts can be considered as more spiritual. These characters serve as the catalysts for change in their co-characters. Dona Santos sense of religiousness and spirituality influenced Jorge in a Juvenile and very childlike way, the way a little boy is disciplined by his grandmother for not going to mass or rewarded for behaving well in the liturgy. Through this, although very superficial, Jorge was able to grasp a ritualistic and cultural concept of religion and his grandmothers beliefs. I found the husbands and Roberts spiritual enlightenment quite problematic, because both of them were high on marijuana when they engaged in the activity. This may be so, but in a way Robert was also able to help awaken and reconnect the husbands character to himself. Both selections had religious references in them, specifically with cathedrals. In Perfect Sunday, cathedral was used to describe Jorges state of being, Feeling again like a vast and empty cathedral. As for Cathedral, the cathedral served as a vessel for the enlightenment and awakening of the husband. The cathedrals can also ymbolize how the characters perceive religion and ultimately their lives. For Jorge religion is very tradition based. With his grandmothers influence, religion is an obligation and not devotion. So when his grandmother asked him if he went to mass his mind went into this trance-like, echoing and empty state. What Jorge knows of religion is its structure and like a cathedral, its vast hollowness. As for the husbands experience, the cathedral, at first, amplified his unfamiliarity with religion. But what the story promotes is that when the husband begins to open his mind to what Robert as to say and looks at things in a different way; profound, transcendent and unexpected experiences arise.

Reflective Essay on a Book Sample

Reflective Essay on a Book SampleA reflective essay on a book sample is an invaluable tool for any student that takes a writing course. Even the most rudimentary school essay will quickly show what you lack in terms of writing ability. The reflective essay will give you the inspiration and the tools to write from a different perspective and create a higher quality work.This type of reflective essay is very similar to any one given by the school. After writing the introductory paragraph and the first paragraph, the student will be asked to list examples that support their essay. The professor will ask the student to provide multiple examples for each word in their essay. The examples should be based upon facts and characters in the novel.If you choose to use a reflective essay, you will need to select a chapter or a section of the book to focus on. There are several things that you should keep in mind when choosing a book. The most important thing to do is to pick a book that is well written and that has a good storyline. To avoid asking 'what if' questions, you will want to pick a book that has a clear beginning, middle, and end.Make sure that the book has a good narrative and is well written. Some writers will be able to make the best plot and characters but others have the talent of writing a book that is believable and complete. You should always ask the professor for ideas for a reflective essay. The best place to look is the book in question and any ideas that the professor might have.The reflective essay will have to cover all the major events in the book. The first part of the essay will deal with character development and a theme. The second part will contain the narrative and the last part will deal with the plot.The best way to use a reflective essay is to put your points in chronological order. The ideas should come first and then the best points that you can come up with after that. By putting it in this way, you will give yourself the best chance t o be successful.To begin this reflective essay, write down an outline of what the essay will be about. Then, write a brief summary of the essay.

AP Test Dates 2020 Complete Calendar

AP Test Dates 2020 Complete Calendar SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Looking for the 2020 AP exam dates? We have the complete 2020 AP test datesas well as advice for getting through the busy May exam season. Keep reading to stay on top of your 2019-20 study schedule and to get tips for dealing with the stress of endless AP tests! 2020 AP Exam Dates Here are the AP exam dates for 2020. All exams take place during the first two weeks of May (you'll receive your results in mid-July). Note that there is not an exam for AP Studio Art, but the portfolio deadline falls during the exam period. All AP test dates have been confirmed by the College Board. If you’re taking two AP classes whose exam times conflict, talk to your school counselor; the College Board will work with you to give you a late testing slot for one of them. Week 1 AP Schedule (2020) Morning (8 am) Afternoon (12 pm) Afternoon (2 pm) Monday (May 4) United States Government and Politics Physics C: Mechanics Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism Tuesday (May 5) Calculus AB German Language and Culture Calculus BC Human Geography Wednesday (May 6) English Literature and Composition European History Physics 2: Algebra-Based Thursday (May 7) Chemistry Japanese Language and Culture Spanish Literature and Culture Physics 1: Algebra-Based Friday (May 8) United States History Art History Computer Science A Friday, May 8, 2020, is the deadline for AP Studio Art (2-D Art and Design, 3-D Art and Design, and Drawing). It's the last day for Coordinators to submit digital portfolios (by 8 pm ET) and to gather students in 2-D Design and Drawing for portfolio assembly. Teachers should have already forwarded completed digital portfolios to Coordinators before this date. Week 2 AP Schedule (2020) Morning (8 am) Afternoon (12 pm) Monday (May ) Biology Chinese Language and Culture Environmental Science Tuesday (May 12) Seminar Latin Spanish Language and Culture Psychology Wednesday (May 13) English Language and Composition Microeconomics Music Theory Thursday (May 14) Comparative Government and Politics Italian Language and Culture World History: Modern Macroeconomics Friday (May 15) Computer Science Principles Statistics French Language and Culture Want to get a perfect 5 on your AP exam and an A in class? 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. How to Stay Focused During the AP Exam Period It can be tough to manage your time in May and feel prepared for each AP test- whether you’re taking two AP exams or five! I’m actually pretty familiar with the AP time crunch. In my last three years of high school, I had multiple exams every May, and each year had a different but equally challenging schedule. Sophomore year I had three AP tests in one week. Junior year I took two tests in two days. Senior year was more of a marathon: I took four tests, stretching from the first day of testing to the last! Whether your AP schedule feels like a sprint or a marathon, you can expect it to be challenging. From experience, I know it can be challenging to keep your energy and motivation up during the exam period. So my main piece of advice is to memorize your AP exam schedule as early as possible so you can start preparing for May. As an example, if you realize you’re going to have three AP tests in three days, you should get all of your studying out of the way before AP exams start. This way you can focus on staying rested during the exam period and not stress yourself out with last-minute cramming. On the other hand, if you have tests on the first Monday, the second Monday, and the last Friday of the exam period, you should plan to do some studying during May for your last two tests. That said, definitely prioritize the test you’re taking soonest, and make sure you’re prepared for it before May rolls around. Consult the tables above and figure out what your AP exam schedule looks like for 2019. Next, follow our rules for staying focused and motivated during May. #1: Don’t Cram! By May, you should have learned all major concepts and taken at least one practice exam for each AP test you're taking. Trying to pull off last-minute studying during the exam period, such as by rushing through a prep book or taking tons of practice exams, will just stress you out. You’ll study more effectively if you give yourself plenty of time. If you finish major studying before May, you can use any extra time to review tricky concepts and to ensure you're getting enough rest. #2: Focus on Your Weak Points If you have one exam that you know is going to be the hardest for you, prioritize any extra time you have in May toward that test. For example, if you’re taking both AP Calculus AB and AP US History- and you’re pretty confident about Calculus- you can use any extra time in May to keep working on AP US History. Memorize dates, practice essay questions, or review your notes. If you try to spend equal time on every upcoming exam in May, you risk spreading yourself too thin. Again, this is why it's so important to begin studying early so you have enough time to learn all the major concepts for your tests well before May! #3: Timing Is Everything When doing practice sections in April or May- either multiple choice or free response- be sure to time yourself strictly so you're prepared for actual AP test timing. Earlier in the year, it’s appropriate to take a few untimed multiple choice or free-response sections. But right before your AP tests, you need to make sure that you're prepared for what the actual exam timing will be like. Do this, and it'll make taking the AP tests much less stressful, since you'll be used to the time constraints! #4: Don’t Burn Yourself Out If you have multiple exams in a week, or two days in a row (or two in a day!), limit heavy studying during that time and instead confirm that you’re getting enough rest. Right before an AP test, getting enough sleep and eating a healthy, balanced breakfast or lunch will do far more to improve your score than will memorizing a few more facts or doing one more practice test. #5: Be Self-Reflective If you’re the type to obsess over studying and get really anxious about tests, try to actively make time to do something fun or get some exercise in during the AP exam period. Whether that's doing yoga, going for a run, or reading your favorite book, taking time to relax is key, since anxiety can (and will!) negatively affect your performance on test day. However, if you’re having a tough time staying motivated late in the year and have been slacking on studying, definitely take the time you have left in May to do some practice sections or review key terms. Remember, finishing strong and doing well on your AP tests is important to getting the most out of your AP classes! #6: Don’t Forget Your Other Classes Most teachers should be sympathetic about homework and assignments during the AP test period, but you still want to be surethat your schedule isn’t crammed with cramming in case you have to deal with non-AP class assignments, too. Your high school GPA is very important for college admissions, so don't let AP exams completely distract you from your other classes! #7: Remember Your Goals Whether you’re hoping to ace AP Spanish so you won’t have to take a language in college, or you're aiming for high scores across the board to make you competitive for top schools, don't lose track of your goals during May. Even though it can be exhausting and stressful to have a handful of AP exams, make sure to keep your reasons for taking the tests in the back of your mind. This will give you the motivation you need to finish strong and pass your exams! What About AP Test Dates for Future Years? You might be wondering what the AP exam schedule is for 2021 and beyond. Unfortunately, we cannot predict the schedule exactly. This is because the AP Calendar tends to change a bit from year to year. Since there are always slight changes, we can’t say for certain what the 2021 calendar will look like- even though the changes from year to year are often minor. Here are the schedules from the last three years, with changes from the previousyear highlighted in yellow: 2019 AP Testing Schedule Week 1 (2019) Morning (8 am) Afternoon (12 pm) Monday (May 6) United States Government and Politics Chinese Language and Culture Environmental Science Tuesday (May 7) Seminar Japanese Language and Culture Spanish Language and Culture Physics 1: Algebra-Based Wednesday (May 8) English Literature and Composition European History French Language and Culture Thursday (May 9) Chemistry German Language and Culture Spanish Literature and Culture Psychology Friday (May 10) United States History Computer Science Principles Physics 2: Algebra-Based Week 2 (2019) Morning (8am) Afternoon (12pm) Afternoon (2pm) Monday (May 13) Biology Physics C: Mechanics Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism Tuesday (May 14) Calculus AB Art History Calculus BC Human Geography Wednesday (May 15) English Language and Composition Italian Language and Culture Macroeconomics Thursday (May 16) Comparative Government and Politics Statistics World History Friday (May 17) Microeconomics Computer Science A Music Theory Latin 2018 AP Testing Schedule Week 1 (2018) Morning (8 am) Afternoon (12 pm) Monday (May 7) Chemistry Psychology Spanish Literature and Culture Tuesday (May 8) Seminar Art History Spanish Language and Culture Physics 1: Algebra-Based Wednesday (May 9) English Literature and Composition Japanese Language and Culture Physics 2: Algebra-Based Thursday (May 10) United States Government and Politics Chinese Language and Culture Environmental Science Friday (May ) German Language and Culture Computer Science Principles United States History Week 2 (2018) Morning (8am) Afternoon (12pm) Afternoon (2pm) Monday (May 14) Biology Physics C: Mechanics Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism Music Theory Tuesday (May 15) Calculus AB French Language and Culture Calculus BC Computer Science A Wednesday (May 16) English Language and Composition Italian Language and Culture Macroeconomics Thursday (May 17) Comparative Government and Politics Statistics World History Friday (May 18) Human Geography Latin Microeconomics European History 2017 AP Testing Schedule Week 1 (2017) Morning (8 am) Afternoon (12 pm) Monday (May 1) Chemistry Psychology Environmental Science Tuesday (May 2) Computer Science A Art History Spanish Language and Culture Physics 1: Algebra-Based Wednesday (May 3) English Literature and Composition Japanese Language and Culture Physics 2: Algebra-Based Thursday (May 4) United States Government and Politics Chinese Language and Culture Seminar Friday (May 5) German Language and Culture Computer Science Principles United States History Week 2 (2017) Morning (8am) Afternoon (12pm) Afternoon (2pm) Monday (May 8) Biology Physics C: Mechanics Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism Music Theory Tuesday (May 9) Calculus AB French Language and Culture Calculus BC Spanish Literature and Culture Wednesday (May 10) English Language and Composition Italian Language and Culture Macroeconomics Thursday (May ) Comparative Government and Politics Statistics World History Friday (May 12) Human Geography Latin Microeconomics European History 2016 AP Testing Schedule Week 1 (2016) Morning (8 am) Afternoon (12 pm) Monday (May 2) Chemistry Psychology Environmental Science Tuesday (May 3) Computer Science A Art History Spanish Language and Culture Physics 1: Algebra-Based Wednesday (May 4) English Literature and Composition Japanese Language and Culture Physics 2: Algebra-Based Thursday (May 5) Calculus AB Chinese Language and Culture Calculus BC Seminar Friday (May 6) German Language and Culture European History United States History Week 2 (2016) Morning (8am) Afternoon (12pm) Afternoon (2pm) Monday (May 9) Biology Physics C: Mechanics Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism Music Theory Tuesday (May 10) United States Government and Politics French Language and Culture Spanish Literature and Culture Wednesday (May ) English Language and Composition Italian Language and Culture Macroeconomics Thursday (May 12) Comparative Government and Politics Statistics World History Friday (May 13) Human Geography Latin Microeconomics There was quite a bit of change in AP test scheduling from 2018 to 2019- nearly half of all the AP exams moved around time- or day-wise (although most of the change happened to tests in the afternoon of week 1). From 2017 to 2018, just four changes in the AP schedule took place. These were as follows: Spanish Literature and Culture switched from the afternoon in week 2 to the morning in week 1 AP Seminar shifted from the afternoon late in week 1 to a morning slot earlier in week 1 Environmental Sciencechanged from week 1 in the morning to week 1 in the afternoon Computer Science A went from a week 1 morning slot to a week 2 afternoon slot There were also some minor schedule changes between 2016 and 2017.The Calculus AB/BC and US Government and Politics tests switched slots in weeks 1 and 2, while European History moved from week 1 to week 2. Lastly, 2017 welcomed the new Computer Science Principles test, which began as an AP course in 2016. If you look back five or even 10 years, the dates change more, and the exams evolve as well. Some AP tests have been added over time (such as the new Physics exams), and some have been taken away, such as French Literature and Studio Art. In short, you can expect the AP test schedule for the next year or two to look somewhat similar to the 2020 schedule- but you can’t do any longer-term planning beyond that! What’s Next? Learn more about AP tests- how long they are, how many you should take, and which ones are the easiest and hardest for students. Also studying for the SAT or ACT? Develop a target SAT score based on your top schools (ACT version here). Studying for the SAT? Check out our complete guide to the SAT. Taking the ACT instead? Then get a complete guide to the ACT. 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:

The Oxygen Revolution - History of Life on Earth

The Oxygen Revolution - History of Life on Earth The atmosphere on early Earth was very different than what we have today. It is thought that the first atmosphere of the Earth was made up of hydrogen and helium, much like the gaseous planets and the Sun. After millions of years of volcanic eruptions and other internal Earth processes, the second atmosphere emerged. This atmosphere was full of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and also contained other types of vapors and gases like water vapor and, to a lesser extent, ammonia and methane. Oxygen-Free This combination of gases was very inhospitable to most forms of life. While there are many theories, such as the Primordial Soup Theory, Hydrothermal Vent Theory, and the Panspermia Theory of how life began on Earth, it is certain that the first organisms to inhabit the Earth did not need oxygen, as there was no free oxygen in the atmosphere. Most scientists agree that the building blocks of life would not have been able to form if there had been oxygen in the atmosphere at that time. Carbon Dioxide However, plants and other autotrophic organisms would thrive in an atmosphere filled with carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is one of the main reactants necessary for photosynthesis to occur. With carbon dioxide and water, an autotroph can produce a carbohydrate for energy and oxygen as waste. After many plants evolved on Earth, there was an abundance of oxygen floating freely in the atmosphere. It is hypothesized that no living thing on Earth at that time had a use for oxygen. In fact, the abundance of oxygen was toxic to some autotrophs and they became extinct. Ultraviolet Even though oxygen gas couldnt be used directly by living things, oxygen wasnt all bad for these organisms living during that time. Oxygen gas floated to the top of the atmosphere where it was exposed to ultraviolet rays of the sun. Those UV rays split the diatomic oxygen molecules and helped to create ozone, which is made up of three oxygen atoms covalently bonded to one another. The ozone layer helped block some of the UV rays from reaching Earth. This made it safer for life to colonize on land without being susceptible to those damaging rays. Before the ozone layer formed, life had to stay in the oceans where it was protected from the harsh heat and radiation. First Consumers With a protective layer of ozone to cover them and plenty of oxygen gas to breathe, heterotrophs were able to evolve. The first consumers to appear were simple herbivores that could eat the plants that survived the oxygen laden atmosphere. Since oxygen was so plentiful in these early stages of colonization of land, many of the ancestors of the species we know today grew to enormous sizes. There is evidence that some types of insects grew to be the size of some of the larger types of birds. More heterotrophs could then evolve as there were more food sources. These heterotrophs happened to release carbon dioxide as a waste product of their cellular respiration. The give and take of the autotrophs and heterotrophs were able to keep levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere steady. This give and take continues today.