Counseling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Counseling - Essay Example This is because the process of being sick includes other aspects of health which is not an individual event alone but also concerns the family and social relationship. When one member of the family is ill, it is normal for the other members to be likewise affected more so, when the illness entails long term care. Thus, becoming ill and recover from it is a challenge. Being sick may lead to many adverse reactions which may further contribute to the process of the illness and recovery. It creates a change in the environment of the patient affecting her behavior. How the patient behaves during the duration of illness is a strong contributory factor in coping with the illness. With this situation, counseling the patient is deemed empirical. However, before counseling commence, case analysis of the patient should be carried out. Analysis of the patient’s experience of illness includes examining the progress of the illness and the process of recovery identifying the patient’s own psychosocial characteristics that may influence the illness and recovery while intervention suggests psychosocial counseling with the application of behavioral cognitive theory (CBT). The Nature of the Case Melinda is a married 50 year old female with six children who is sick of cervical cancer. She claims she did not have any hospitalization for several months prior to her illness. This is her first consultation with her physician. According to her, she is not supposed to have her consultation if not for a fall from the staircase of their house causing her some bruised at her back and arms. However, the bruises according to her doctors are just but minor health problems as compared to the result indicated in her health history taken from her. Her health history reveals that she is showing warning signs and symptoms of cervical cancer. Accordingly, she had been having vaginal bleedings for several months after her menopausal period. However, she never had any consultations nor alarmed because she believes her menstrual cycle had resumed. In May of 2010, she was diagnosed of first stage cervical cancer. Like any individual who is diagnosed with such illness, she was shocked to hear the r esult of her laboratory examination as revealed by her physician and is immediately under a circumstance where she had no prior experience (Clarke, et al. 2005) thus, her reaction to the information is devastating. Shock is followed with denial as evident in her statement, â€Å"I never had any health problems in the past. Why would I be sick of such disease†? Melinda had married three times one after the other and had been sexually active. From the time of her diagnosis, she lost her appetite, has not been sleeping well and been irritable. She also does not want to sleep with her husband anymore. She defends she is more comfortable to sleep alone in a room. This made a gap in their relationship. Most often, Melinda does not respond when her husband tries to communicate with her. Observation also reveals that she rejects foods and drinks offered by her children. However, her family is regarded to be caring and tried their best to adjust to the behavior change of Melinda. Meli nda does not also like to see neighbors and even friends as she shuns away from them whenever they pay visit. When ask if other members of the family had been stricken or have died of the same illness in the past, she answered, â€Å"Does it matter† that shows that she is not interested to know her family health history. Her mother died of breast cancer many years ago and a distant relative recently passed away with lung cancer. Now, she is under the care of an oncologist and several other

Alienation of Labor Essay Example for Free

Alienation of Labor Essay The Alienation of Labor is an idea of Karl Marx which is an artificial construct and it is certainly applied but not too clear. Marx describes this idea in a pretty straightforward manner. He is basically saying that the worker has no control over his or her life. The worker is nothing more than a cog being used in the business machine’s discretion. The worker really has no individual rights and certainly no demonstration in the market place. In turn, the laborer is a slave to the system of product construction. There are four stages involved in this idea. There is nature, or human nature and this is because you are alienated from human nature. The second stage is the self, it is animalistic, and you are being reduced to an animal. The third stage is species, no longer having any sort of creativity. The final stage is other, meaning competition or work amongst each other. Hegel vs. Nietzsche -Hegel Hegel believes that slave morality is an opportunity to work on one’s self, and that freedom in the mind truly helps oppression. He believes that in this relationship, the master is actually the slave. He thinks this because he feels that the master is dependent on the slave and without the slave the master is nothing. In turn, this makes the master a slave because he is so dependent on his slave. If you crumble, Hegel believes it is a tragedy because he is a communitarian which means he is more empathetic to situations. He believes that if you weren’t strong enough and mentally tough enough it was because you didn’t get the support and care from the community. -Nietzche Similar to Hegel, Nietzche also thinks that freedom is held in the mind and you can only achieve this by being strong. A main difference of Nietzsche’s view compared to Hegel is the fact that he believes that if you fail at freeing yourself through the mind, you can only put it on yourself, it was your fault and no one else’s. Nietzsche’s view of this relationship works on two different levels or ideas: good or bad in the case of master morality and evil or good in the case of the slave. When talking about slaves, he believes that the slaves are incapable of creating their own original values, instead they are influenced and invert to their masters. The master’s view of the slave according to Nietzsche is basically that he is good therefore the slave is bad. In contrast, the slave’s view of the master is that he is evil, therefore we are good.

Set Of Principles Of Right Conduct Theology Religion Essay

Set Of Principles Of Right Conduct Theology Religion Essay It is important to us human know the set of principles of right conduct. The meaning of ethic commonly used now day. It includes study of universal values such as the essential equality of all men and women, human or natural rights, obedience to the law of land, concern for health and safety and, increasingly, also for the natural environment. The study of the general nature of morals and of the specific moral choices to be made by a person with ethics. It is also about the rules or standards governing the conduct of a person or the members of a profession. Ethics generally defined as the principles of morally acceptable conduct of individuals. Ethics also means an individuals personal belief about right and wrong behaviours. In the essence of ethics, there some implications warrant additional consideration. There are ethics in individual defined. People have ethic in an organizations and what constitutes ethical behavior can vary from one person to another. Ethics also is relative and it is not absolute. This means that although what ethical behavior is in the eye of the beholder, it usually conforms to generally acceptable social form. The factors that form individual ethics are in family influences. Individual start to form their ethical standards since their childhood period in response to their perception of their parents behaviors. Besides that the peer influences also the factors that form individual ethics. When children enter school, they are influenced by peers with whom they interact every day. In this human condition related with each other, bound within them is the life experiences that can be one of the factors that form individual ethics. There is lots of important life events, activities, and communication, both positive and negative that shape peoples lives and influence their ethical beliefs and behaviors. All these events are part of growing up process that leads to maturity of human person. FAMILY INFLUENCES FACTOR In the beginning of person life, family influences are more affect our ethical. Since childhood period, our response to parents behaviors will leads to positive or negative side of our own attitude and individual ethics. Children are more likely to adopt high ethical standard if they see that their family member adhere to high standards such as being truthful and honest. If they receive rewards for conforming and punishment for not conforming to these standards there will affect individual ethics of their own. For example in my experience, family influence is the main factor of individual ethics in the time of my growing up life. Parents tend to shape their child to be successful person in future. Therefore, proper education must have to lead the way. My parents send me to various schools during primary school. Begin with my preschool at Chinese morning bell, study with almost majority different culture and background make my study start with happening and fun stuff. This early factor affects my individual ethics in culture diversity in school. To respect and respond toward surrounding environment in life of different culture. Family influence in positive way will lead us to be responsible and independent person in future. My families teach me various ways to make me more alert of surrounding environment. At home, discipline is important to shape a positive attitude toward older people. Parents strict at reasonable reason to teach me about respect and responsible. My family does play a major role in the way my behavior in society. As we grow, we learn many things from our family that are beneficial to our society. Almost everything that I learn as a child comes from parenthood and how I react with my parents. My parents went through the concepts of life, and they were exposed to society as a kid and an adult, which I learn as I get older as well. Our families, especially my parents, have a lot of wisdom about what goes on life, since they have already experienced many parts to it. They are the ones who can teach us what they have learned, and they can show us how we should act, feel, and think about our modern-day society. PEER INFLUENCE FACTOR While some people believe that family has the largest influence on young adults individual ethics, others feel that friends have more influence on young adults. I believe that friends provide a stronger influence on young adults rather than family because of the amount of time spent with friends, and the fact that peer pressure can be one of the strongest influences that a young adult will face. First, young adults spend a lot of time with their friends. Young children spend the majority of their time with family unless they are in school, which means family exerts the greatest amount of influence. However, as children enter their teenage years, they tend to spend most of their free time outside the house with their friends. Whether fighting against parental influence and control or just trying to make friends, teenagers spend a great deal of time interacting with their peers as they develop their own sense of morals and values. For example, once I entered high school I often spent time away from home studying with friends at their house. After studying we switch to science experiments, which usually involved competitions to see whose homemade rocket would fly the highest. While maybe an uncommon hobby, we found our parents often did not encourage us to explore our interests in science and became more influenced by each other rather than our respective families. Second, peer pressure can be one of the strongest influences that teenagers face. Most new experiences that young adults face are the end result of peer pressure. What one teenager thinks is cool is forced on to others in order to fit in. For example, the first cigarette I tried was due to the pressure of a classmate in high school. Later in university, the first disco party I tried was at the urging of classmate that discovered I had never been to the club to have fun. While parents also encourage their children it is usually for an entirely different reason, not wanting their children to embarrass them. Peer pressure also continues to be a major influence, even into adult life. In short, while family influences children the most, as children grow up and become young adults the strongest influences becomes their friends. Teenagers spend the majority of their time with friends, rather than family, so it is only natural that they are a stronger influence. Peer pressure also forces teenagers to try and fit in with their peers, an influence that is much stronger than family to form individual ethics. LIFE EXPERIENCE FACTOR Lots of important events, both positive and negative, shape peoples lives and influences their ethical beliefs and behavior. These events are a part of growing up and maturing. For example, people who steals something and does not get caught feel without any remorse and continue to steal. However, a person who is caught stealing may feel guilty enough to revise his ethical standards and not steal in the future. Ethical in live experience are not merely bound with each other, a yes or a no choice. Ethical decisions in life experience also are not simple choices between right and wrong. They are much more difficult to make when the person who make the decision is personally involved in the situation. The judgments are complex to balance between the feeling and social performances from the life experience. For example, all was well till I came across this teacher in my junior high. Since when I was young, my anticipation was to become a networking analysis, an engineer to be precise, I always got fascinated with the way engineers carried themselves and the driving force they had in them. Knowing the force to save lives and improve the health conditions of mankind was their major goal, I envied the engineers and I promised myself that before I joined my ancestors and forefathers I had to be one of the most prominent network engineers for a specific well to do firm. Thank to my brothers they had a friend who was a engineers whom I would accompany in a number of times to the his work place and spend a few times with him to see how he conducted his daily activities. I was even ready to defer from my studies if someone would give me an opportunity to work and run from him. But I knew that the road into becoming a renowned engineer was a rough one, it needed determination, patience and hard- work. As indicated earlier, everything was flowing smoothly and all those close to me knew that I had to achieve my goal in one way or the other. In my junior high secondary school, I attended a technical course symposium that was held in our state and all the students were requested to attend because it would shed some light on them. We had a number of professionals from almost all fields and walks of life and they took most of their time explaining what their careers involved and the number of challenges they are faced with daily. One of the professionals in the symposium was the IT Engineers. The first thing that came into me after my experience with him was to be like him. I was entrenched by the life history of this Engineer and the difficulties he had to undergo before he could finally succeed. Without the trust his family and friends had in him, he could not have reached where he was. Joining the high school that I joined was the greatest mistake I ever did in my life which I believe will haunt me to my grave. My junior high secondary school despite it being a well performing school, we lacked counseling sessions, and w e had no one to run to when we needed guidance, especially guidance that is related to career choice. Similarly, the environment we were presented with was not favorable, emphasis was put on science subjects while the art based subjects were disregarded, they were considered feminine. This is an experience that made me doubt the curriculum we were using if the administration considered other subjects to be more powerful than others. These whole life experiences make me more respond to surrounding environment. No doubt it affects my individual ethics through making decision on my own. To achieve goal we must gain lots of knowledge and information without giving up in life so easily. RULE OF LAW The law is a consistent set of universal rules established to govern societal behavior. These rules are widely published, generally accepted and usually enforced. The law as a possible basis for making managerial decisions when one is confronted with an individual ethics. The law also can be used as guide to moral choices. This is because when faced with a conflict between an organization such as school and working place. We should let the law decide, particularly in democratic society, where the argument can easily be made that the rules within the law represent the collective judgments made by member of the society. The rule of law specified a set of requirement which lawmaker must respect if they are to govern legally. Nevertheless, the rules of law restrict the illegal or extra legal use of power. When a society rules by law, there are clear rules articulating the behavior appropriate for citizens and officials. Such rules ideally determine the particular contours political relationship will take. When the requirements of the rule of law are respected, the political relationship between the legal system constitutively express the moral values of reciprocity and respect for autonomy. We should follow these collective judgments, instead of trying to establish our own moral opinions. For example, during my primary school time, I abide by the rule and moral value for not doing something against the law. Every student must know the basis of the rule of law during school period. These will make us more discipline and more responsible to others student in our school. Not to fight with each other, finish homework early and do not litter rubbish in school area. Teachers at school will guide us to follow a good moral choice that related to the rule of law. Rule of law truly serve to combine the personal moral standards of the majority of the population into universal legal requirements. The view that the law does represent collective moral judgment is certainly appealing. My secondary school period was crucial time for me. The time to choose what I am really gets into study. My family influences me a lot in making decision. They want me to be independent and responsible person for my better future living. Father always remind me, to be successful person, we must never give up. Hardworking is the key to success. When the time to study, be focus in what teachers share and teach so that we can learn and understand better. For me, hardworking is the hardest process to learn. Friends and peers influence really make my school life full of joy and fun. Study and knowledge at school left behind while enjoy is the most important part in my secondary school at that time. SUMMARISE Ethics is an individuals personal belief about right and wrong behaviors. Ethics refers to individual personal beliefs about right and wrong behavior. Individual ethics is shaped by a combination of factors such as influences of family these related to principles of morally acceptable conduct of individual ethic. Moral reasoning provides reasons and grounds for determining whether an action is morally right or wrong. Some theorists argue that there is one universal moral standard for everyone (moral absolutism), while others argue that no such standard exists (moral relativism). Some moralists hold that certain actions are wrong in themselves. Others believe that no action can be judged immoral in itself since circumstances and social conditions play the decisive role in determining whether or not a given action is right or wrong. From this ethics there are factors that form individual ethics. Family influence that is starting to form their ethical standards since their childhood period in response to their perception of their parents behaviors. The factor from peer influence that friends provide a stronger influence on young adults rather than family because of the amount of time spent with friends, and the fact that peer pressure can be one of the strongest influences that a young adult through youth life. Meanwhile, the life experience will shape peoples lives and influences their ethical beliefs and behavior. These events are a part of growing up and maturing. Base on my experience the law is a consistent set of universal rules established to govern social behavior. These rules generally accepted and usually enforced the law as a possible basis for making individual and managerial decisions when one is confronted with an individual ethics. The law also can be used as guide to moral choices. Society establi shed rules reflect the collective choices of members of that society regarding any decisions and actions that affect its welfare. Some changes in the norms, moral value of individual members of society are eventually reflected by changes in the rule of law. (2552 words)

Humorous Wedding Speech to a Groom with Long Hair :: Wedding Toasts Roasts Speeches

Humorous Wedding Speech to a Groom with Long Hair Good evening Ladies and Gentlemen. I must admit, I am more nervous about being best man than I was at my own wedding. Maybe it’s because I have been married a year and I know what Jonathan’s letting himself in for! And on that happy occasion, as some of you know, Jonathan was my best man and he did a wonderful job. However Jonathan, there are many reasons why you should get married and I’m not sure if revenge is one of them. But, it is a great thrill and an honor, and Jonathan’s already agreed that I can do it again next time! First of all, Pamela, you look radiant – absolutely stunning in that dress. Jonathan, you need a haircut! As I was walking behind him leaving the church this morning a funny thought occurred to me. From the back, it is very difficult to tell if Jonathan is a man who needs a haircut or a woman who just had one. When Jonathan was best man at my wedding he made a great deal of me having a mullet. Jonathan, I don’t think I have to say anything more about your present hairstyle other than at least mine had a name. But he hasn’t always looked this way as you’re about to find out. When I first met him, at the age of fifteen, he was in the process of developing a 'Human League' style flick, which his sister Sally enhanced with a little coloring. The words 'Babe Magnet' do spring to mind – but not on this occasion. We soon became close and it was great to have someone to hang out with because being a teenager is never easy. Rejection is the worst thing. I know all about the humiliation of being turned away; from football teams for not being good enough, from pubs for not looking old enough and from women for not looking male enough. Yep, I’ve seen Jonathan do all those things, and he carried himself with dignity throughout. After leaving school and between getting a job, Jonathan smartened himself up. But he suffered terribly from headaches during this period, he was going for the wet hair look and the toilet seat kept falling down. However, this new image seemed to completely contradict his emerging obsession with the electric guitar that was to keep him banging away in his bedroom until the small hours – or at least that’s what he told his mum.

Deception Point Page 28

Should I consult Sexton? She quickly decided against it. He was in a meeting. Besides, if she told him about this e-mail, she'd have to tell him about the others. She decided her informant's offer to meet in public in broad daylight must be to make Gabrielle feel safe. After all, this person had done nothing but help her for the last two weeks. He or she was obviously a friend. Reading the e-mail one last time, Gabrielle checked the clock. She had an hour. 30 The NASA administrator was feeling less edgy now that the meteorite was successfully out of the ice. Everything is falling into place, he told himself as he headed across the dome to the work area of Michael Tolland. Nothing can stop us now. â€Å"How's it coming?† Ekstrom asked, striding up behind the television scientist. Tolland glanced up from his computer, looking tired but enthusiastic. â€Å"Editing is almost done. I'm just overlaying some of the extraction footage your people shot. Should be done momentarily.† â€Å"Good.† The President had asked Ekstrom to upload Tolland's documentary to the White House as soon as possible. Although Ekstrom had been cynical about the President's desire to use Michael Tolland on this project, seeing the rough cuts of Tolland's documentary had changed Ekstrom's mind. The television star's spirited narrative, combined with his interviews of the civilian scientists, had been brilliantly fused into a thrilling and comprehensible fifteen minutes of scientific programming. Tolland had achieved effortlessly what NASA so often failed to do-describe a scientific discovery at the level of the average American intellect without being patronizing. â€Å"When you're done editing,† Ekstrom said, â€Å"bring the finished product over to the press area. I'll have someone upload a digital copy to the White House.† â€Å"Yes, sir.† Tolland went back to work. Ekstrom moved on. When he arrived at the north wall, he was encouraged to find the habisphere's â€Å"press area† had come together nicely. A large blue carpet had been rolled out on the ice. Centered on the rug sat a long symposium table with several microphones, a NASA drape, and an enormous American flag as a backdrop. To complete the visual drama, the meteorite had been transported on a palette sled to its position of honor, directly in front of the symposium table. Ekstrom was pleased to see the mood in the press area was one of celebration. Much of his staff was now crowded around the meteorite, holding their hands out over its still-warm mass like campers around a campfire. Ekstrom decided that this was the moment. He walked over to several cardboard boxes sitting on the ice behind the press area. He'd had the boxes flown in from Greenland this morning. â€Å"Drinks are on me!† he yelled, handing out cans of beer to his cavorting staff. â€Å"Hey, boss!† someone yelled. â€Å"Thanks! It's even cold!† Ekstrom gave a rare smile. â€Å"I've been keeping it on ice.† Everyone laughed. â€Å"Wait a minute!† someone else yelled, scowling good-naturedly at his can. â€Å"This stuff's Canadian! Where's your patriotism?† â€Å"We're on a budget, here, folks. Cheapest stuff I could find.† More laughter. â€Å"Attention shoppers,† one of the NASA television crew yelled into a megaphone. â€Å"We're about to switch to media lighting. You may experience temporary blindness.† â€Å"And no kissing in the dark,† someone yelled. â€Å"This is a family program!† Ekstrom chuckled, enjoying the raillery as his crew made final adjustments to the spotlights and accent lighting. â€Å"Switching to media lighting in five, four, three, two†¦ â€Å" The dome's interior dimmed rapidly as the halogen lamps shut down. Within seconds, all the lights were off. An impenetrable darkness engulfed the dome. Someone let out a mock scream. â€Å"Who pinched my ass?† someone yelled, laughing. The blackness lasted only a moment before it was pierced by the intense glare of media spotlights. Everyone squinted. The transformation was now complete; the north quadrant of the NASA habisphere had become a television studio. The remainder of the dome now looked like a gaping barn at night. The only light in the other sections was the muted reflection of the media lights reflecting off the arched ceiling and throwing long shadows across the now deserted work stations. Ekstrom stepped back into the shadows, gratified to see his team carousing around the illuminated meteorite. He felt like a father at Christmas, watching his kids enjoy themselves around the tree. God knows they deserve it, Ekstrom thought, never suspecting what calamity lay ahead. 31 The weather was changing. Like a mournful harbinger of impending conflict, the katabatic wind let out a plaintive howl and gusted hard against the Delta Force's shelter. Delta-One finished battening down the storm coverings and went back inside to his two partners. They'd been through this before. It would soon pass. Delta-Two was staring at the live video feed from the microbot. â€Å"You better look at this,† he said. Delta-One came over. The inside of the habisphere was in total darkness except for the bright lighting on the north side of the dome near the stage. The remainder of the habisphere appeared only as a dim outline. â€Å"It's nothing,† he said. â€Å"They're just testing their television lighting for tonight.† â€Å"The lighting's not the problem.† Delta-Two pointed to the dark blob in the middle of the ice-the water-filled hole from which the meteorite had been extracted. â€Å"That's the problem.† Delta-One looked at the hole. It was still surrounded by pylons, and the surface of the water appeared calm. â€Å"I don't see anything.† â€Å"Look again.† He maneuvered the joystick, spiraling the microbot down toward the surface of the hole. As Delta-One studied the darkened pool of melted water more closely, he saw something that caused him to recoil in shock. â€Å"What the†¦?† Delta-Three came over and looked. He too looked stunned. â€Å"My God. Is that the extraction pit? Is the water supposed to be doing that?† â€Å"No,† Delta-One said. â€Å"It sure as hell isn't.† 32 Although Rachel Sexton was currently sitting inside a large metal box situated three thousand miles from Washington, D.C., she felt the same pressure as if she'd been summoned to the White House. The videophone monitor before her displayed a crystal clear image of President Zach Herney seated in the White House communications room before the presidential seal. The digital audio connection was flawless, and with the exception of an almost imperceptible delay, the man could have been in the next room. Their conversation was upbeat and direct. The President seemed pleased, though not at all surprised, by Rachel's favorable assessment of NASA's find and of his choice to use Michael Tolland's captivating persona as a spokesman. The President's mood was good-natured and jocular. â€Å"As I'm sure you will agree,† Herney said, his voice growing more serious now, â€Å"in a perfect world, the ramifications of this discovery would be purely scientific in nature.† He paused, leaning forward, his face filling the screen. â€Å"Unfortunately, we don't live in a perfect world, and this NASA triumph is going to be a political football the moment I announce it.† â€Å"Considering the conclusive proof and who you've recruited for endorsements, I can't imagine how the public or any of your opposition will be able to do anything other than accept this discovery as confirmed fact.† Herney gave an almost sad chuckle. â€Å"My political opponents will believe what they see, Rachel. My concerns are that they won't like what they see.†

The 5 Best AP Statistics Review Books to Prep for the Exam

The 5 Best AP Statistics Review Books to Prep for the Exam SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you’re preparing for the AP Statistics exam, a prep book can be your best tool to help you reach the score you’re aiming for. However, not all prep books are created equal. In this guide, we go over the top five AP Statistics review books out there and give advice on whom each of them is best for. We also explain what you should look for in an AP Statistics book and how to make the most of your prep book during your studying. What to Look for in an AP Statistics Book Before we dive into the prep book reviews, let’s first look at what makes a particular AP Statistics prep book better than the rest. In general, there are four qualities that all the best prep books share. #1: Tips and Strategies for the Exam A good AP Statistics review book will give explanations and advice for how to attack each question type you’ll see on the AP Stats test.These can make studying more productive and faster than it would be without a prep book because you’ll learn the best way to answer questions without having to do trial-and-error on your own. #2: High-Quality Practice Problems Practice problems are a key part of AP Stats prep because they give you a chance to see how well you can apply your stats knowledge to actual questions.Even if you’re acing your school stats tests, AP questions are often worded in different ways and cover different topics than questions you see in class. High-quality prep books will contain dozens of practice questions covering each section and question type of the exam. They’ll help you get used to the types of questions you’ll see on the AP Stats exam. #3: Complete Practice Tests In addition to practice problems, the best AP Stats prep books contain full-length practice tests to help you become more familiar with the exam and track your progress.By taking practice tests, you’ll get an idea of how well you’ll score on the AP Statistics exam and be prepared to the format and length of the test. #4: In-Depth Answer Explanations Even if a book has top-quality practice questions, you won’t get as much out of them as you could if they don’t also have good answer explanations.A top AP Statistics review book will explain why a particular answer is correct for all or most of its practice problems.This way, you can learn from your mistakes and understand why the correct answer is what it is. The Best AP Statistics Review Books In this section are the five best AP Statistics prep books to help you study for the exam. For each book we include the price, a brief summary, pros, cons, and who the book will be most useful for. Barron’s AP Statistics Price: About $13 Summary Barron’s prep books are well known for being slightly more difficult than the actual tests they prepare you for, and their AP statistics review book is no exception. It goes over challenging stats concepts and prepares you for the most difficult questions you'll see on the exam. Additionally, this book contains a diagnostic test for you to figure out how well you’re scoring, five practice tests with answer explanations, and access to an online test. The bulk of Barron’s book is devoted to explaining how to answer different types of stats questions. This part of the book is divided into 15 chapters based on different stats topics, such as confidence intervals and sampling distributions. The end of each chapter includes a mini quiz on the topic. Pros Good value for money if you’re looking for lots of practice tests (you get seven total with the book). Book is well organized which makes it easy to study a specific topic. Practice problems are high-quality and similar to official AP Statistics questions. Covers tough questions and topics many review books skip over. Cons Assumes you already have a solid basic knowledge of statistics. Doesn’t give much advice on how to develop a study plan. Who It’s Best For Barron’s book is best for students who already feel pretty solid with their statistics skills and are aiming for a high score on the AP exam. It skips over a lot of basic stats knowledge to focus more on tougher concepts. It also has challenging practice questions to ensure you’re well prepared for the AP exam. Barron’s practice tests are slightly more difficult than the actual AP exam, so if you can score well on these practice tests, you’re in great shape for test day. Cracking the AP Statistics Exam (Princeton Review) Price: About $14 Summary Princeton Review’s bookincludes two complete practice tests, but the bulk of the book is devoted to reviewing the content you’ll be tested on during the AP Statistics test. Princeton Review aims to write prep books that are easy to understand and more interesting than a standard textbook, and many people like the encouraging and down to earth style of their books. The content review for this book is organized into four main chapters, and each chapter ends with a mini quiz. The book also includes tips on how to approach different types of questions you’ll see on the exam, how to create a study plan, and how to best use your calculator. Pros Written in an easy-to-understand, engaging style. The content review chapters are organized into very specific topics that makes it easy to find exactly what info you want to review. Breaks down statistics problems step-by-step to make them easier to understand. Cons Only has two practice tests, which is less than most other prep books. Their practice questions tend to be somewhat easier than actual AP Stats questions. Who It’s Best For Princeton Review’s books are known for their engaging and accessible style which can appeal to students who are bored or intimidated by traditional prep books. This book also spends a lot of time breaking down and explaining key stats concepts that you may have been struggling with. Therefore, it’s best for students who have just started their prep and/or those who want to build up their stats knowledge more. Because the book’s practice problems tend to be somewhat easier than actual AP problems, it’s not ideal for people who are looking for a top AP score. If you do want a top score, plan on supplementing it with another prep book like Barron’s. 5 Steps to a 5: AP Statistics 2018 Price: About $13 Summary The 5 Steps to a 5 book is organized to walk you through your AP Statistics plan from start to finish. It begins by explaining how to set up your study plan, then gives tips for succeeding on the test, reviews the content you’ll need to know, and finishes with practice tests. The book includes three paper practice tests and three online tests, as well as additional online resources like online lessons, practice problems, and ways to track your progress. Pros Has extensive online resources with which you can develop a personalized study plan, study online flashcards, and answer practice problems. These are also accessible on your phone. Gives in-depth info on how to develop a study plan and attack different types of stats questions. Has a well-organized and in-depth content review section. Cons Writing style is often dry and wordy. Three of the six practice tests are online, so they don’t give you as realistic practice as the paper tests do. Who It’s Best For The 5 Steps to a 5 prep book is a good middle-of-the-road choice for people who feel they are past the level of the Princeton Review book but perhaps aren’t quite ready for Barron’s AP Stats book.A standout feature of this book is its online prep resources. With your access code, you can create your own complete study plan and track your progress in different skill areas. If you want more guidance in your AP studying and planning, these resources can be a big help for you. Ultimate AP Statistics Practice Book Price: About $15 Summary This AP Statistics review book is somewhat different than the others. Rather than giving a comprehensive review of AP Stats content and including full-length practice tests, the Ultimate AP Statistics Practice Book contains 100 practice questions that are explained in the book. Additionally, your book comes with a code you can scan that gives you access to YouTube videos that give in-depth explanations of each of the 100 questions. Pros The 100 questions give a solid overview of the different topics and types of questions you’ll see on the exam. Answer explanations are very thorough and include both written and video explanations. Practice questions are similar to official practice tests. Cons The book has a very specific focus100 practice questions and explanationsand doesn’t include other features most other prep books include like full practice tests or a comprehensive content review. Who It’s Best For If you’re struggling to understand how to solve stats problems and standard book explanations aren’t helping, this book may be exactly what you need. Since it includes video explanations for the problems, it can be very helpful for people who want practice problems explained in more detail or people who learn better with videos rather than written explanations. However, since this book doesn’t contain any full-length practice tests, it shouldn’t be your only prep book. Be sure to supplement it with another AP Statistics book that contains practice tests, like the Barron’s or 5 Steps to a 5. Introduction to Statistics and Data Analysis Price: About $90 new, $40 used Summary This is an AP Statistics textbook, not a prep book, but if you are self-studying for the AP Stats exam, feel the textbook your class is using isn’t helpful, or need an in-depth review of statistics content, this is one of the best stats textbooks out there.It’s approved by the College Board and is often used in college statistics classes. Reviewers have given it high marks for its high-quality practice problems and clear explanations of difficult concepts. The book (all 944 pages of it) includes 16 chapters, each of which dives into a different stats topic to give you a thorough understanding of the course.This textbook is also cheaper than most other stats textbooks, many of which are close to $200. Pros In-depth explanation of all the topics you need to know for AP Statistics. Includes a lot of practice problems with step-by-step explanations. Cons Somewhat dense and dry writing style. Some readers found the organization of the book confusing. Who It’s Best For Most people preparing for the AP Statistics exam won’t need to look for their own textbook since the one that they use in class will likely be enough. However, if you don’t like the textbook your class uses, feel like you really need to review certain stats topics, or you’re self-studying for the exam, this AP Statistics textbook can really help you out. How to Use Books in Your AP Stats Prep Now you have all the information you need to choose the best book for you, but how do you get the most out of your book? Check out the three tips below to learn the best way to use prep books in your AP Statistics studying. Create a Study Plan to Organize Your Studying No matter how long you have to study and how much you want to improve, a study plan will help you maximize your efficiency and get closer to your goal score. We have an in-depth guide to the five steps to making an AP study plan that you should definitely check out, but the quick version is to schedule regular times to study (like Tuesdays from 6-8pm and Saturdays from 12-4pm) and set yourself regular goals (like learning a new topic or increasing your raw score by 5 points). Remember to schedule time to take practice tests as well. Creating a schedule helps you hold yourself accountable, makes it more likely you’ll get your studying done, and helps you track your progress. Supplement Your AP Statistics Prep Book With Official Practice Tests Official practice tests are the best to use because you can be sure they follow the same format and content as the actual AP exam.Unfortunately, the College Board doesn’t make many official practice resources available for AP Statistics. There are two complete official AP Stats practice tests available, from 1997 and 2012. Definitely make use of these during your studying even if your prep book has a lot of practice tests. We recommend taking the 1997 official practice test at the beginning of your studying so you can see what official questions look like and make sure your prep book’s questions are similar, and take the 2012 official test towards the end of your studying to get an accurate idea of how well you’ll score on the actual AP exam. Attack Your Weaknesses Prep books aren’t novels, and you don’t need to read every word of your prep book in order for it to be useful.Focus on the content you’re struggling with, especially if your AP exam is coming up soon and you don’t have time to read through every chapter of your prep book. This is why taking a diagnostic test early on in your studying can be very useful. Take the diagnostic test, see which areas you struggled in, then go back and read those chapters and answer practice problems until you feel solid with that content. Take another practice test, see where you still need to improve, and repeat as needed. Conclusion: The Best AP Statistics Review Book Having an AP Statistics book can be extremely useful for helping you strengthen your statistics knowledge and become more familiar with the exam.AP Statistics books can vary based on their purpose, but, in general, the best prep books include tips and strategies for doing well on the test, lots of practice questions, complete practice tests, and in-depth answer explanations. Whether you’re looking for lots of practice tests, content review, a better way to understand and attack questions, or an AP Statistics textbook, there’s a book out there to meet your needs. Do a bit of research before buying to ensure you get the best AP Statistics review book for you. When using your AP Statistics book, to get the most out of it you should create a study plan, supplement your book with official practice tests, and use the book to focus specifically on your content weaknesses. What's Next? Want more info on what to expect from the AP Statistics exam?Check out our complete guide to the AP Stats exam and learn exactly what type of questions you'll see and how your exam will be graded. If you want a high score on the AP Stats test,you'll need to take practice tests.We've compiled a list of every AP Statistics exam available, both free and official. How difficult is AP Stats compared to other AP classes?Get the answer by reading our guide to the hardest AP exams and classes. 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: