Has zero-based budgeting gone out of fashion Dissertation

Has zero-based budgeting gone out of fashion - Dissertation Example Aside from allowing the organisational leaders to come up with a detailed information presented in each of the proposed budget plan, the use of zero-based budgeting is effective in terms of reducing bureaucratic ambiguity, inefficiencies, or duplication in budgeting. Likewise, the use of this method promotes communication among the budget decision makers. The use of zero-based budgeting method in the UK industries has lost its fame for the reasons that the use of this method is time-consuming, triggers the development of resistance-to-change, and is very costly. Even though zero-based budgeting is no longer applicable when managing the short-term budget in companies throughout the United Kingdom, the method of zero-based budgeting can still be used when making more important long-term busines investment. Table of Contents Executive Summary †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 2 Table of Contents †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 3 I. ... 9 II. Literature Review †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 11 a. Brief Overview with Regards to What Zero-Based Budgeting Is †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 11 b. Stories behind the Success and Failure of Zero-Based Budgeting †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 14 c. Advantages and Disadvantages of Using the Zero-Based Budgeting †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 17 c.1 Advantages of Zero-Based Budgeting †¦.. 17 c.2 Disadvantages of Zero-Based Budgeting . 22 d. Comparison between the Advantages and Disadvantages of Zero-Based Budgeting and Activity-Based Budgeting †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 24 III. Research Methodology †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã ¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 30 a. Primary Research Method †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 30 b. Research Survey Questionnaire Design †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 33 c. Target Population, Sample Size, and Research Venue †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 34 d. Research Evaluation Method †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 35 e. Ethical Considerations when Conducting a Primary and Secondary Research Study †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 36 IV. Research Findings and Analysis †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 38 V. Conclusion and Future Study Recommendations †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 50 Appendix I – Quantitative and Qualitative Research Survey Questionnaire ............................................... 52 Appendix II – Quantitative Research Survey Results .................... 53 Appendix III – Summary o f Demographic Data Results †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 54 Appendix IV – Qualitative Research Survey Results ..................... 55 References †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 57 - 61 Chapter I – Introduction Zero-based budgeting has been one of the most researched and talked about

Describe how you would teach rounding with mixed decimals to the Essay

Describe how you would teach rounding with mixed decimals to the nearest tenth - Essay Example I will require briefly revisiting rounding up of whole numbers and placing values. Teaching how to round up decimals will be easy if the students are well conversant with the two concepts. Students should know what they are to do and where they are required to apply the round up by first knowing about the place value of tenths. First, rounding up is done right off the decimal point. After that, students should know that the number that is to be rounded is the one that is to the left of the decimal points. It is of importance to take the students through various place values that come after the decimal point such as tenth, hundredth, thousandth and so forth. Rounding decimal numbers take a similar route to that of whole numbers (Wingard, 2005). Round up 3.174 to the nearest tenth. The student is required to identify the number whose place value is tenths. The number is 1. The next step is to look at the number right after 1 which is in the place value of hundredths (Wingard, 2005). The number is 5. If the digit at the hundredth place value is below five, then the value of the tenth to not change. If the digit at the hundredth place value is five or above five, one is added to the number at the tenth place value. In our case, five is in the hundredth place value hence we add one to 1. Therefore, we will have 3.2 as our answer. I will further provide my students with worksheets that have the concept well illustrated for references. In addition, I will give two sums on the same topic that will be solved in five minutes, and I will go round checking to ensure that none of my students is left behind. When students are learning the concept of rounding mixed decimals to the nearest tenth, they often develop some errors. Such include rounding a whole number instead of the number after the decimal point (Wingard, 2005). In addition, some students

Discuss Unreliability In Shutter Island

Discuss Unreliability In Shutter Island Films more often than enough can demonstrate signs of unreliability and the majority of the time it is the narrator who is the cause of the films dubiousness. The dictionary definition of an unreliable narrator asserts that they demonstrate qualities and tendencies that denote an absence of reliability or perception of the narrative. Whether due to age, mental disability or personal involvement, an unreliable narrator provides the reader with either incomplete or inaccurate information as a result of these conditions.  [1]  As Wayne Booth once stated: I have called a narrator reliable when he speaks for or acts in accordance with the norms of the work, (which is to say, the implied authors norms) unreliable when he does not  [2]  . We are consumers of narratives which has given us the ability to identify unreliable stories. However as theoreticians, we are less well able to say what constitutes unreliability and how it is detected.  [3]  Shutter Island is a film adapted, from a novel, by Martin Scorsese; the film is within the film noir genre, with an unreliable narrator that, as result, plays with your mind and makes the film appear to be very ambiguous. Shutter Island is clearly shown through the perspective of a fallacious narrator. A narrators job is to reveal what is real in the narrative and, comparable to tellers in reality, the narrator may have it incorrect or would rather disclose what they deem to be true. On this model we perceive narrative unreliability when we perceive a disparity between the intentions of the implied author concerning what is true in the story and the intentions of the narrator concerning what she would have the reader believe.  [4]  Shutter Islands narrative follows this idea as throughout the film, the central characters perspective gradually becomes more and more inconsistent. The narrator successfully distorts the lines between fantasy and reality which as a result makes the audience struggle to distinguish between the two. It is not until half way through the film where we are initially required to consider the option that the protagonist himself is the one who is in fact mad. It is, to a certain extent, evident from the beginning that something is not right or clear. Scorse se suggests that the narrator is unreliable without explicitly revealing where the perspective diverges from an objective view of events  [5]  ; thus, we can, on no occasion, really believe what we are being shown. In many films it is possible to distinguish between dream sequences, flashbacks and concrete reality.  [6]  Shutter Island has all of these components however it is hard to distinguish which section is which. The unreliability of the narrator in Shutter Island is hard to decipher as the narrator does not really give us a motive to suspect Teddy. The uncertain characteristics of the island and of the establishment are reinforced with the blustery weather, but also visually with repeated long shots. These shots emphasize the remoteness and eeriness of the area as well as the uncanny diegetic and non-diegetic choice of symphony music. Furthermore, figures like Dr Cawlez (Ben Kingsley), Dr Naehring (Max von Sydow) or the warden (Ted Levine), not to mention the patients themselves, make it even easier to align oneself with Teddys judgment that what is happening on Shutter Island is uncanny.  [7]  It is as the film develops that Teddys illusions turn out to be more powerful and make his reliability dither. For example, during his discussions with Noyce in the prison, Dolores interferes as a hallucination and enhances the unsettling of Teddy. Whats more, Richard Dyer and Douglas Pye are two theorists who indicate with respect to film noir the way in which dream, flashback and voice-over structure cast into doubt the status-as-truth of the eventers presented  [8]  . In Shutter Island, Teddy repeatedly has memories and recollections of Dachau, which he recounts to Dr Naehring. These flashbacks however also blend with his dreams and as result become more detached from the proceedings happening in real life. This is an exemplar for the cooperation amongst the narrators partiality, recollection and trustworthiness, which we reexamine after the recognition of Teddys psychological condition. This unreliability persists all throughout the film and even at the end we are still unclear as to what is real. Furthermore, Shutter Island is made within the film noir genre. A key characteristic in film noir is that there will permanently be some form of a mystery. Shutter Island would be considered a neo-noir film due to the fact that it does relate or draw upon the notion, the image and the putative conventions of film noir, and, directly or indirectly, on some of the film featuring centrally within most version of the basic noir canon.  [9]  It has been affirmed that an element of the film noir genre is that the characters the story is centered on are mentally and emotionally vulnerable  [10]  and occasionally they are, or envision themselves, to be physically helpless too. Leonardo Di Caprio is the protagonist in Shutter Island; he has been through a distressing incident where his wife and children have died. He is plagued by images of his dead family and haunted by the fact he was unable to stop it; as a result, he is on a mission to find and murder his wifes murder. However, he is hampered by himself through his mental condition of suppression and deterioration which is the primary narrative impediment for the audience. A quote by Leonardo from the film Memento that sums this idea up: Memories can be distorted. Theyre just an interpretation, theyre not a record, and theyre irrelevant if you have the facts.  [11]   As a final point, when watching a film, we need to be conscious that nonentity may appear as it seems and that even the camera may be lying to us. Seymour Chatman once asserted that visuals are no more sacrosanct than words and that the camera can even conspire with an unreliable narrator  [12]  . In the genre film noir, this method of narrative disruption is very common, for example in the movie The Lady from Shanghai (Orson Welles), the cameras focal point is on the main character who is correspondingly the unreliable narrator, which is confessed by mistake in the introductory narrative. In Shutter Island red herrings can be discovered, however they are quite simply disregarded, which operates to subvert the narrative. Shutter Island supports this idea of not being able to trust the camera: one example is seen when Teddy fires his gun at Cawley where his blood is dashed all over the white board. However, shortly after the image we are presented with a shot that makes it appear as if nothing has occurred, that the gun is fake and the Cawley is still positioned in the same place and very much alive. It is clear in this sequence that the narrative discourse here is built for shock effect  [13]  ; however it also clearly demonstrates to the audience that Teddy and the camera are scheming with each other and that the camera is in actual fact Teddys coconspirator. In conclusion, it can be debated that Shutter Islands story occurs on six distinct planes which are the actual reality, the narrated reality, the perceived reality, the flashbacks, the dreams and finally the hallucinations  [14]  . It is difficult to differentiate each one throughout the film due to the fact that they all blend together which is what makes it confusing and difficult for the audience to extricate reality and the truth from the rest. As a result, the audience, between the unreliable narrator and the unreliable camera work, are left with unclear knowledge of what is really happening. Shutter Island strongly follows the film noir genre characteristics by leaving the revelation of what is real until the end, however, Shutter Island is slightly different to many common film noir films due to the fact that even the ending is slightly unclear, while it is generally supposed that the film will end with Teddys lobotomy as he is taken away by the orderlies in the final imag e of the film  [15]  . Due to the fact that even the ending is ambiguous, it is clear that Shutter Island has a very unreliable narrator which makes it difficult for the viewer to distinguish reality from the rest.

Make A Difference Essay -- Teaching Education Teachers Essays

Make A Difference I have always wanted to be an elementary school teacher ever since I was young. My grandmother was a third grade teacher, and after every school year she would give me her old books that she no longer used. I was so excited when she gave them to me. As soon as she handed them to me I would make my younger brother play school with me. From the first day she gave me her old school books, there was no doubt in my mind that I would become a teacher of education. Education is defined as the lifelong process of acquiring knowledge, skills, and values through either formal or informal means. I believe that the purpose of education is to allow students to discover who they are through exploring what the future holds for them. Formal means of education should provide students with skills that will facilitate living and working in a dynamic world. In my opinion, a variety of instructional options are necessary for teachers and students to be successful. There are many different approaches available in doing so, a few of them include: the behaviorism, essentialism, and progressivism philosophies. Agreeing with the behaviorist point of view, I see myself using positive reinforcement with my students, when a task or behavior is achieved. Rewarding students can make a big difference in the student’s attitudes, even if it is just a little reward like a smiley face drawn on their paper or even a sticker. By doing these little things it will help encourage students to continue the good work and to carry on in this manner. Behaviorism also deals with the big role that the environment plays in a student’s academic learning. Throughout my junior high and high school years, I had the meanes... ...ly teaching students from different backgrounds, races, and interests. Nonetheless I have great confidence in myself, and the teachers here at Concord College, which will help me to achieve all of my goals and wishes to become an excellent teacher. Entering my adulthood, after graduation, I would like to pursue a teaching position in a public school teaching any grade from kindergarten up to third grade. My academic goal is to further my education and receive my master’s degree in elementary education as soon as possible. I plan to move out of this area after receiving my degree to the south. Teaching is a dream that I have had all my life, motivated by family and teachers that I had in the past. Choosing the path of becoming a teacher will allow me to experience one of life’s greatest joys – making a difference in children’s lives!

Review on mary poppins which is now played in prince edward

The focal point of this paper is to present a 500 word review of ‘Mary Poppins’ which is at this point running its shows at the Prince Edward Theatre in London. This recent version of the show started only recently only a year ago and already is in a march of captivating audience with a favourable box office result. The show is based on the script by Julian Fellowes and is a musical well directed by Richard Eyre. The original music was composed by Richard M. Sherman and the lyrics were written by Robert B. Sherman. In the latest version new songs have been added with additional music scores by George Stiles. The additional songs are written by Anthony Drewe. Being a musical this show is composed of many dance sequences that are nicely choreographed by Mathew Bourne, who is also the co-director of the play and is well supported by co-choreographer Stephen Mear. The designing is ably done by Bob Crowley. The lighting part is skilfully handled by Howard Harrison whereas the sound has been looked over by Andrew Bruce. (Brochure-Mary Poppins; 2006) This remake of the 1934 play, based on the stories written by PL Travers on the   Walt Disney film, is performed is beautifully and extremely professionally executed by the protagonist Lisa O’Hare and set in the ambiance of a lavish background to the point of dazzling the audience with spectacles. Speaking of background and set it is only obvious to refer about the doll’s house which could be enumerated as truly exceptional and memorable part of the show the supported well with the strong script that is enjoyable for a full family amusement. One very important aspect of the play is the execution of music backed by admirable choreography that could be termed as being at par with the lasting memories of Disney’s act. Songs like Chim Chim Cher-ee and Supercalifragilsticexpialidocious are basically evergreen in nature and are performed with much justice in this version of the play with dances that are enough to bring out the child within each of us. There are few moments that are particularly could be termed as breathtaking experience. One such scene is the act when Mary Poppins flies over the audience and almost gave the audience a feel of a magic land. Another such noted scene that is almost a show stopping act is the part when Bert is seen walking in an upside down manner and that too above the parameters of the stage with his usual sequences of dance numbers. However it should also be mentioned that the shoe presents a night of technically perfect vibe but not so much of emotional pleasure. Somehow or the other this play, so lavish and spectacular in nature and utterly professional in execution, lacked that extra bit of touch that makes a simple story outstanding and simple operation exceptional. This play has everything possible on stage but lacked that extra feel to make it a magical experience. Apart from this part the show could be termed as a must see event. Reference: Brochure-Mary Poppins; 2006

The German Blitz

Where and when did the Blitz start? At 4:56pm on 7 September 1940, the air raid sirens wailed as the luftwaffe (the German Air Force), launched a massive attack on London. Around 350 bombers flew across the English Channel from France and dropped 300 tonnes of bombs on the docks and streets of London. Other places that were affected? Other important military and industrial centres, such as Aberdeen, Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Exeter, Glasgow, Sheffield, Swansea, Liverpool, Manchester, Portsmouth, Plymouth, Nottingham, Brighton, Eastbourne, Sunderland, and Southhampton, suffered heavy air raids and high numbers of casualties. Bootle and Hull were the most badly damaged cities city after London. Birmingham and Coventry were targeted because of the Spitfire and tank factories based in Birmingham and the many munitions factories in Coventry. Who did it affect and where did they go? Around 827,000 Schoolchildren and their teachers were evacuated, 524,000 Mothers with children under five and some pregnant women and disabled people. They were evacuated by trains and via the road to smaller towns in the countryside. Some children went to stay with relatives but most were sent to live with complete strangers. Where did people go during the air raids? As the night raids became so frequent, many people who were tired of repeatedly interrupting their sleep to go back and forth to the shelters, virtually took up residence in a shelter. There was different types of air raid shelters, there was the anderson shelter which were small corrugated iron shelters half buried in the ground with earth heaped on top to protect them from bomb blasts. Another type of shelter was the morrison shelter, it was made specifically for people without gardens, it was made from heavy steel and could also be used as a table, people sheltered underneath it during a raid. On September 21, 1940 the London Underground started to be used as an air raid shelter. On the busiest night in 1940, 177,000 people slept on platforms. In other parts of Britain caves where used to shelter in. When did the blitz stop? The Blitz ended in mid-may 1941 due to German Planes being sent to the east of Europe to prepare for the invasion of Russia.

The Best AP Biology Books 2019 Full Expert Reviews

The Best AP Biology Books 2019 Full Expert Reviews SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips It’s extremely important to have reliable books for learning and studying the material covered in AP classes. This is particularly true for AP Biology considering the complexity and breadth of the course's content. The format of the AP Biology exam was modified significantly in 2013, and there are some books that have kept up with the changes better than others. In this article, I’ll tell you which books are your best bet for acing AP Biology and which ones you should use only at your own risk! What’s in This Guide? This is my take on the best books to help you do well in AP Biology (the class and the exam!). In the first two sections, I’ve included the best textbook as well as a few high-quality review books. In the third section, I’ve included a couple of review books from popular prep companies that I rate a bit lower. I wanted to give you more specific details about the issues with these books so that you can supplement them appropriately if you have already bought them (or choose to buy them because you’re used to the format). My assessments of these AP Biology books are derived from Amazon reviews by students and educators as well as my personal impressions after perusing them. I’ll provide pros and cons for each book along with an overall summary of what it offers and whether I recommend it. I've also rated each book on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest score. The Best AP Biology Textbook Campbell Biology 11th Edition Price: $146 new Pros Good, easy-to-follow organizational structure. Great examples that will help you understand biological concepts. Helpful illustrations and diagrams throughout. Clear writing style. It’s used in real college classes, not just AP classes, so it could even be useful to you in the future! Cons Students sometimes complain that this book is overly dense and wordy. It’s pricey! But you can choose to buy a used version for about $50 cheaper. Summary This text is one of the most universally accepted college-level biology books. It’s written at a high-level, but, according to student feedback, it appears that most people have found it relatively easy to understand and generous in its use of diagrams and examples. I would recommend this book as a reliable AP Biology textbook if you’re self-studying or are having a lot of trouble understanding your in-class textbook. Rating: 9/10 The Best AP Biology Review Books This is a list of the review books that I think will be most helpful to students studying for the AP Biology exam. The highest-rated books include comprehensive coverage of the course material, excellent practice questions, and helpful test-taking and study planning tips for students. Preparing for the Biology AP Exam (School Edition) Price: $17 new Pros Includes high-quality free response and multiple choice questions at the end of each chapter that align well with the content of the updated AP Biology exam. Effectively highlights the most important things you need to know about each topic area. Encourages readers to make connections between topics, which is critical on the new version of the exam. Cons I haven’t seen any complaints about this book! Summary Even though this review book technically goes with a specific textbook, you can use it on its own just as easily. From all that I’ve read, this book is a solid, well-organized representation of the content and format of the current exam. Rating: 9/10 Sterling AP Biology Practice Questions: High Yield AP Biology Questions Price: $22 new Pros Includes over 1,500 high-quality practice questions that are diverse and not repetitive. The material and difficulty level aligns well with the new format of the exam (lots of molecular and cell biology questions). There are detailed answer explanations for all questions that will teach you important concepts for the exam. The book is accompanied by online resources that will give you more practice testing opportunities. Questions are divided by subject area so that if you are having trouble with a particular portion of the curriculum you can focus on that material specifically. Cons It’s a less guided studying experience than some other books- you have to be able to plan your time responsibly to get the most out of the questions and explanations. This book is pretty much just questions; it doesn’t provide an overview of the content in textbook-like form. It's not so great for students who are self-studying because you’ll want to have some background knowledge before diving into practice questions (although the answer explanations will help you). Summary If you’re in an AP Biology class and already have access to a textbook, I would definitely recommend this book as a study aid for the exam. You might buy this book along with another book on this list that has more information about test-taking strategies and overall exam format. If you use this book as a resource for practice questions, you can use another book to get a concise overview of the material on the exam to supplement your studying. This is not a stand-alone AP Biology book, but it is an awesome tool to have in your arsenal. Rating: 9/10 CliffsNotes AP Biology 5th Edition Price: $17 print, $10 digital Pros Includes sections with information on the format of the exam, test-taking strategies, and how to answer different types of questions. There are two full practice exams with answers and explanations. Includes a detailed overview of all the labs and major content areas (with review sections) at the end of each chapter to help you to retain the background information you need for the exam. The actual content is well-aligned with the new AP Biology exam (although practice materials could be better). Cons It’s relatively dense, and the amount of text might be overwhelming to some students. Many reviewers commented that the book was informative but didn’t necessarily prepare them well for the new format of the AP Biology test. Summary This book is helpful if you’re looking to clarify some of the concepts you'll learn in your AP Biology class and see a more concise summary of the information. I wouldn’t recommend relying on it completely as your only source of review material because many students felt that it didn’t give them all the tools they needed to do well on the new, less memorization-heavy AP Biology exam. If you get this book, you should also do lots of supplemental practice questions that are more aligned with the way the new exam is formatted. It’s a good baseline resource for content, though! Rating: 8/10 Barron’s AP Biology 6th Edition Price: $13 new Pros Covers all the basic information you’ll need for the exam. Practice questions will help you to memorize key facts and concepts. Diagrams are plentiful and easy to understand. The overall layout is pleasing to the eye and may be easier to read than other less well-designed review books. Cons Students complain that there is too much superfluous content and that the book is sparse on important test-taking tips. Content has not been fully updated to reflect recent changes to the AP Biology exam. Practice questions are mostly fact and memorization based and don’t fully prepare you for the analytical format of the current AP Biology test. There seems to be a consensus that the free response questions in this book are particularly bad and are not at all comparable to free response questions on the new exam. Summary This is a mediocre review book overall. You can probably use it to review the content you need to know for the test or to help you understand concepts in your AP class, but I wouldn’t recommend relying solely on the practice test materials and testing strategies in this book. Barron’s is usually pretty dependable, but it seems like this book may be a bit tedious and out of date. Rating: 6/10 Review Books to Avoid or Use Only as Supplements This section is for books that aren’t the greatest, but you might already have them or plan on buying them because you’re most familiar with their corresponding prep companies. These books can still be somewhat useful, but I would advise that you supplement them with other review books that I’ve rated higher in the previous section. I’ll go through the pros and cons of each of them so you can get a better idea of where and why they fall short. 5 Steps to a 5 AP Biology 2018 Price: $9 new Pros Guides you through the creation of a study plan that fits your needs. Covers the four â€Å"Big Ideas† in the AP curriculum and has plenty of information about the facts you’ll need to know for the test. Cons Content review is pretty dense and difficult to get through. Practice questions are very memorization-based, so they won’t prepare you very well for the new format of the AP exam. Summary This book does a good job of outlining a study plan for the test, so it might help you in structuring your prep time. Its coverage of AP Biology concepts is thorough, but it's not the easiest to study. If you get this book, you should use other sources for additional practice questions to ensure you're getting the most out of your studying (the Sterling book in the first section could be a good place to start). Rating: 5/10 Cracking the AP Biology Exam 2018 Edition (Princeton Review) Price: $17 print Pros Starts with a high-level overview of how to plan out your studying and how to use the book effectively, so it’s easy to follow. The book walks you through the process of designing a study plan for your individual needs. Extensive section on test-taking tips, including mnemonic devices that will come in handy during the exam. Text in the content review section is broken up so that it’s easy to read and not too overwhelming- diagrams are plentiful. Key terms and practice questions are provided at the end of each content chapter. Cons Information isn’t as in-depth as it should be. Main complaints were that this book is too shallow and simple for a really good review of the AP Biology curriculum. Practice questions may be less difficult compared to the real test. Not fully updated to reflect the types of questions you’ll see on the current AP Biology exam (lots of memorization-based practice questions). Summary I tend to like Princeton Review books because they’re very student-friendly and not as dry as some other review books. However, it seems like this book has some of the same issues as other review books on this list in its attempts to adapt to the new format of the AP exam. I think the main positive aspect of this book is that it gives you a strong foundation for planning out your studying and approach to the test. I’d recommend supplementing this book’s content and practice questions with another more comprehensive review book on this list. Rating: 5/10 Kaplan AP Biology 2018-2019 Price: $15 print, $16 digital Pros The book is structured around the four â€Å"Big Ideas† that are a feature of the new exam format, so its content is pretty well-aligned with the current state of AP Biology. Very detailed review of concepts with helpful diagrams. Cons Some students might not like the fact that the review questions are divided by the four â€Å"Big Ideas† in AP Biology and not by smaller chapter sections- this makes it more difficult to use the book as a focused review tool. The book is a bit long-winded, so it’s not as easy to quickly go over concepts. This book tries too hard to relate to students and writes some test-taking tips in an oblique way (i.e. one of the tips for free response questions is "Writing Smart Stuff Gets You Points"; it's simplified to the point where it doesn't even mean anything without reading the rest of the wordy explanation). Practice questions are not fully aligned with the new, more analytical exam format. Summary This book is ok as far as content goes, but it’s not that easy to use as a review tool overall. It won't help you much with the actual ins and outs of the AP test. You should supplement it with another book that gives you access to better practice questions and more concise content summaries. Rating: 4/10 Which AP Biology Book(s) Should You Get? Which Should You Avoid? I don't think there are any review books that are horrible enough for you to avoid at all costs, but there are quite a few that won't do much for you by themselves. The point of a review book is to prepare you for the AP Biology test specifically. Accurate and comprehensive biology content isn't enough. It's more important to have access to practice questions that are a faithful reflection of what will be on the test. You don't want to be in a position where you know a lot about biology but are unable to apply the facts you know to scenarios you haven't seen before when you take the test. When choosing from this list of books, you should consider your individual needs as well as the nature of the test. If you think you'll need more guidance in structuring your test prep, you might buy one of the books that gives more instruction on how to devise a study plan (even if it's in the lower-rated section, like 5 Steps to a 5). You could supplement that review book with another book from the higher-rated section that has great practice questions. Make sure your review books and textbooks cover all the important bases. This means that they should give you the tools you need to create a study plan, learn biology content, and do relevant practice questions. Reference real versions of the post-2012 AP Biology test to compare questions on the test with the practice questions you've been doing and confirm that you're on the right track! What's Next? Itching to get started with AP Bio prep right away? We cover cell theory, enzymes, cell structures (endoplasmic reticulum and cell membrane), homologous and analogous structures, and the photosynthesis equation with subject-specific guides. Are you taking AP US History in addition to AP Biology? Read our guide for more information on the best AP US History textbooks. If you're like most high-achieving students, you're probably wondering how many AP classes you really need to take to get accepted to an elite college. Check out this article to learn how many AP classes you should take based on your goals. Are you still investigating different options for earning college credit while still in high school? Learn more about the pros and cons of AP classes versus community college classes and which option might fit better with your needs. Thinking about being pre-med in college? Learn more about being pre-med and helpful books to read as a pre-med student. 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: