Writing Test Questions Well – Part 2 of 3

Very often an organization wants to prove the effectiveness of its training by administering some type of test at the end of the training. Unfortunately, most trainers are not skilled in writing test questions. It is much more than simply writing 20 questions about the content. You can skew the results of the test (and therefore get inaccurate feedback about the effectiveness of the training) if your test questions are not designed correctly.

In the second of three articles on designing appropriate test questions, we will discuss True / False questions and how best to design them.

I often hear that true/false questions are avoided because they are “too easy” for the participant; heck they have a 50/50 chance. The truth is, if you write a test question correctly, even a 50/50 chance isn’t good enough. Here are some things to keep in mind when writing true/false questions so that they are challenging for your participants and truly test their knowledge.

In true/false questions, make sure your options are entirely true or entirely false – do not include answers that might be true under certain conditions. Example: Moss grows on a northern exposure; (except if it’s a really shady area).

We tend to write more true statements than false ones, because it is easier; so be aware of that and try to give an equal number of each.

Also, as is true with Multiple Choice questions (Part 1 of 3), our true statements tend to be longer than our false ones; so watch your word count and try to be consistent in length.

Avoid what are known as “specific determiners” which signal the correct answer – most obvious are ALWAYS and NEVER. Rarely is anything always true or never true. The use of either of these words is usually a clue to the test taker to choose the answer that doesn’t include the specific determiner.

Example: “i” always comes before “e”

These guidelines should help you to design true/false questions that are a challenge to your participants and truly test their knowledge.

Pros and Cons of a Cross Cultural Relationship

Dating has indeed become global, and finding a soulmate on that scale can be rewarding if managed well, and conversely, heart-breaking if not. Those who are contemplating on how to find love beyond their physical borders (especially for people who are still single after 40) should weigh the pros and cons of a cross-cultural relationship before getting into one. It is tempting to get into such relationship out of desperation, but to address your personal quest of “how can I find love,” you will have to decide whether you can get comfortable with the disadvantages for you to enjoy the benefits of dating expats:

The Pros:

  • You get to develop interpersonal skills. Learning how to get along with people from entirely different world views will demand tolerance, patience, open-mindedness and willingness to see another person’s point of view;
  • You keep your eyes peeled for international current events. You become more aware of global issues that affect both your cultures. In the process, you become observant and analytical;
  • You will cultivate appreciation for diversity because you are opening up your senses to another culture’s tastes, smells, sounds and sights;
  • You open up yourself to life’s possibilities. You will begin to understand that there is no right or wrong, only perspectives;

As you revel in your new-found joys, you will also have to inevitably accept some realities that you will have to live with for the long-term. You accept this, however, as a necessary bargain on how to find love in a different cultural setting.

The Cons:

  • You may have to compromise your most cherished beliefs. You will need to meet the other person halfway. You may come to a point where you need to choose between keeping the relationship and letting go some of your cultural prejudice, or staying true to your personality as shaped by your culture and letting go of the other person. Would you give up your Christian beliefs when you marry an atheist?
  • You may have to entirely make a huge leap of adjustment, especially when the other person does not come from the same region. Religion and politics are usually hotly contested grounds between people coming from the north and people coming from the south. One of the couple may have to acquiesce to the values of the other to maintain harmony in the relationship. For example, are you willing to share the socialist ideals of Europeans from such economies?
  • You may have to deal with practices that are acceptable in the other person’s society but prejudicial to your own. For example, you may marry into a culture that practices, and sometimes even promote, sex-selective abortion. You will have to decide whether this is something you will do for love, or abandon the relationship altogether because you can’t let go of your deep-seated respect for life.

How to find love in a multi-cultural setting has its own challenges, but when you learn how to live with these challenges and get them to work in your favor, the effort in dating expats and finding a soulmate is all worth it.

You can get more information on cross cultural relationships and finding a soulmate by visiting http://www.manifestingmydestiny.com Be sure to take advantage of the 6 Day Free E-mail Mini-Course and submit your name to be notified of the release of the mini e-book “Help! How Can I Find True Love?”

How to Choose the Right Crossbody Bag

Whether you are constantly on the go and need a bag that can keep your hands free or just want a trendy and stylish bag, getting a cross-body bag can be an ideal option. Not only do cross-body bags score high on practicality, but they can also prove to be great style statements when teamed well with your outfits. Not to mention, these bags do not put extra weight on your shoulders as it distributes the weight more evenly. When you are travelling with your bag, you’ll never feel that you are carrying excess weight. However, while you can find a plethora of stores selling wholesale bags online, choosing the right one can be a daunting task.

In addition, you have to take into account a number of factors before making the final purchase. Read on to find out five tips to choose the right cross-body bag.

1. Size matters-When it comes to choosing the right cross-body bag, make sure you check its size. Furthermore, it should have ample space so that all your important items and documents fit into it. Generally, small bags are not a good choice as you are unable to carry all your things.

2. Style-The way the bag looks when matched with your outfit is a crucial thing. Consecutively, you need to take into consideration what style would perfectly suit your own image and personality. The quality of the item you choose should not be compromised when buying a bag. Select one made from quality as well as durable materials. In addition, be sure to select those with heavy and durable stitching.

3. Price-While cost may be high on your priority list for choosing a bag, make sure your decision is not entirely based on the price alone. However, make sure you compare the price of these bags on different online stores, before making the final purchase.

4. Material-Cross-body bags come in a choice of fabrics so you can choose based on your personal preference. If you are thinking of using the bag for work and home, buying a leather bag will be your best bet, as it is not only durable, but is also a little more sophisticated. You can also choose from a range of other materials from fabrics to synthetics. Furthermore, ensure the choice you make blends in with your wardrobe to create your own unique style moving forward.

5. Colour is key-While purchasing a cross-body bag, it is important to choose one whose colour appeals to you else you may end up not wearing the bag. Whether you go for a leather bag or one made with fabrics and cotton, they all come in different variations of colour and various forms. When buying a bag, consider your wardrobe and go for bags whose colours complement the clothes you have.

Choosing Your New Digital Reader

There are so many eBook readers available now that choosing the right model can be confusing for anybody. Wouldn’t it be easier if you could just buy any model and be done with it? However, we all have different wants and needs so it’s difficult, if not impossible for just one digital reader to address everybody’s needs. That is why, when you are looking to buy a digital reader you should take your time with your selection.

To help you here are some of the things that you need to think about before buying:

Screen Size – the normal screen size for most models is 6 inches. Many of us find this size fine but some of us and especially the elderly who can’t see as well as they used to need larger print when reading normal books therefore they need or feel more comfortable with a larger screen. There are some available up to 11 inches in size. Obviously a larger screen size will mean that the digital reader is more expensive so if you are working to a budget you may have to compromise.

Battery Life – just like any other rechargeable gadget you will want a model that with regular use will last for days rather than hours. As e-book readers are designed for you to be able to have easy access to books while on the go it’s pointless buying one that gets easily drained and especially when you are out and about and not able to charge one up.Battery life should be measured in days so it’s a good idea to go for one that gives you the most juice with a single charge if you know that you are going to need that juice.

Capacity – most of us just read one book at a time but that was before this useful gadget was invented. Nowadays you can have hundreds of books available to read never mind just one or two hard copies. How many books you can have entirely depends upon the capacity of the digital reader of your choice. It’s really a matter of the higher the capacity the more books that you can store. But be warned, as with screen size, a higher capacity e-book reader will be more expensive than one with a lower capacity.

Other Functions – a digital reader is mainly intended to be for reading books, but it is very handy to get one that lets you do various other tasks as well. For example you can get models that connect to the Internet via Wi-Fi so you can still browse or do some work while on the go. Answering emails might be a simple task but being able to do so while out and about is very convenient for a lot of people.

Do Breast Enlargement Creams Work? How to Get Bigger Firmer Breasts Naturally

Most women dream of having beautiful, voluptuous breasts. There is no dearth of breast enhancement products that come in the form of pills, creams etc., Unfortunately, most of them are a complete waste of money. Not only this, they can also produce some rather serious side effects.

Do Breast Enlargement Creams Work?

There are a whole lot of creams that are being promoted as the most effective method to increase your bust line. Whether they work or not depends entirely upon their composition. Some of them contain hormones like estrogen and progesterone. This can do more harm for your body than good. This is because your body might not accept synthetic hormone.

So, it is in your best interest to stay away from products and creams that have synthetic hormone in them.

How to Grow Your Breasts Naturally

One of the most effective ways to make your breasts bigger and firmer naturally is a bust serum. Such a serum is a highly effective and important discovery that has take breast enhancement to an entirely new level.

Such a bust serum is extremely effective and comprises of all natural ingredients. It does not have any synthetic hormone in it which is what makes it completely safe.

The active ingredient in such a serum is Mirofirm which is a an extract of the plant called P.mirfica. It is cultivated in Thailand. This herbs is known to make your milk ducts stronger. Not only this, it also helps stimulate and expand fat tissues in the breast which results in an increase in size.

Such a serum can help increase firmness in your breasts within 7 days. Not just this, women often find an increase of up to a cup size within a few weeks by using this serum. Besides, this is can also help remove wrinkles form your bust area.

Unlike other creams and topical products, it does not leave any residue behind. Not only this, it also has a natural smell that is absolutely unnoticeable. It is also dermatologically tested and does not lead to any sort of irritation etc., It is also free of parabens, additives and preservatives.

No wonder, more and more women are now opting for such a natural product in order to make their breasts grow naturally.

So, if You Want to Get Bigger Breasts, check out the Best Bust Serum so that you can show off your Cleavage with Pride!

Shock and Awe Against HIV

The HIV epidemic has caused some doctors to become more creative in their approaches to fighting the disease. Along with the usual prevention-and-treatment approach, something new has emerged as a strategy for finding a cure for HIV, and it’s due to the Berlin Patient. The story of the Berlin Patient is rather remarkable. An HIV-positive American living in Germany gets a bone marrow transplant to treat his leukemia, which treated not only the leukemia, but also the HIV. In fact, after two successful transplants, the HIV was eradicated from his system entirely. To this day, the Berlin Patient is believed to be the only person who has ever been cured of HIV infection.

While something as complex and risky as a bone marrow transplant isn’t practical for the tens of millions of people worldwide who have HIV, the interest it created has the HIV research community working in earnest to find a cure.

At this point, a functional cure is a more realistic goal. A functional cure is obtained when the viral load is reduced to a point where the immune system can easily handle it and keep it suppressed. Finding a functional cure will reduce the dependence on antiretroviral therapy (ART) drugs or completely eliminate the need for them entirely. Various other types of “cures” were attempted throughout the years, but none of them got close to doing much to eradicate HIV. The “Berlin Patient” bone marrow transplant worked because the bone marrow came from a donor who was genetically resistant to HIV – a very rare genetic mutation.

The HAART approach used highly-active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) to drive the HIV virus down to undetectable levels in the bloodstream, and was thought to be the first step on the path toward a cure, but a major flaw found this to be incorrect. While HAART did effectively fight the active virus, it doesn’t kill the latent virus that resides in the cells. This is where the “shock and awe” approach comes in. Anti-latency drugs are introduced into the system in order to force the HIV virus to activate and attempt to replicate. Once the virus is out in the open, the infected cells die while HAART protects cells that are not yet infected.

More work is to be done on the “shock and awe” approach to see if it can be effective against HIV in the long-term; until then, the Berlin Patient isn’t content with being the only person cured of HIV. Even he wants to see more money put into research toward an HIV cure. With the progress being made in treatments and therapy for HIV-positive patients, the scientific community believes that it’s only a matter of time.

Types of Building Materials

Cement, bricks and tiles are the main building materials used in the construction of buildings. Today, increase in the demand for various building materials have led to many building material manufacturing companies. Many new building materials are environmental hazards, which have become a big concern to all.

Traditionally, the basic types of building materials used for construction were mud, stone and brush. Mud was used for filling the spaces between bricks and acted as a concrete and insulation. Centuries ago, houses were made entirely of dirt and clay. This was followed by the use of rocks (mainly granite) as building material. From the Neolithic period through the medieval age to modern times, granite has been commonly used as a building material. Brush structures were commonly seen in tropical areas and were made entirely from plant parts such as branches, bark, twigs and leaves. These structures were often used by Native Americans as resting places.

Stones and bricks were also common in construction. Different types of bricks have been and are still used for masonry. This includes specially shaped bricks for joints, striking and tooling, as well as glazed or rubbed bricks for decorative purposes.

Thatch is one of the oldest types of building material used for roofing. Another generic building material is wood. Because of the diverse character of different types of wood, it can be used for any type of structure in most climates. Even though wood structures were very common in earlier times, they disappeared with the approach of concrete structures.

Concrete is a composite building material comprised of aggregate and a binder (cement). Concrete finds good use in all types of building construction. Fly ash is a major ingredient in the concrete mix because of its lightweight and high thermal insulation.

More recently, new types of building materials are being used. These include metals (for the structural framework of larger buildings), plastics, asbestos and fabrics. Tar-based waterproof materials, paper linoleum, polyvinyl chloride clay and solvent coatings for inner wall are other building materials.

Business Benefits of Custom Software Development

All businesses and organisations will typically need some form of software during their lifecycle. The types of software utilised by most companies range from applications that will enable better management of key organisational functions – Human Resources, Finances and Accounts, inventory and stock and even running projects, to more specific items of software that have a key purpose such as Content Management Software for use on company websites. Although these software applications can be purchased “off the shelf”, there are many business benefits that can be associated with choosing custom software development.

Custom Software Development is created for you

Developing custom software is a bespoke, made to measure process, which means that any applications and software programmes created as a result of the process will be entirely made for your company and its individual needs and requirements. Basically, a piece of custom made software is flexible and has the potential to fulfil your specifications meaning that it is easy to use and can be deployed throughout your entire organisation. Instead of having to make do with a ready made software programme or application, with customised software you can be sure that what you will receive will be entirely fit for purpose. There are also significant financial benefits that can be associated with custom made software despite it costing a little more to purchase than off the shelf packages. Software applications that have been made for you don’t require any licence fees, so you can distribute them across your entire organisation without needing to pay extra.

Custom Software Developers will work with your Company

When creating software designed for your company, custom software developers will design and code it to integrate properly within your organisation. The software won’t just help you achieve what you need it to achieve, it will be rich in features and tools that will make it usable by the people who will be operating it. With a piece of custom software all the requirements of your company will be considered, and developers will meet these both in the way that they develop the software and the after care that they provide properly. Although some training and support is available with off the shelf software to a certain extent, with custom made software your developers will continue to work with and support your company whether that’s through training staff members in the use of the software or providing maintenance and technical help to remedy any errors that might occur in the software.

Customised Software is Safe and Secure

The ready made software packages available to businesses and organisations today are certainly a lot more secure than the ones that have been developed in previous years, however they don’t compare to the security levels of customised software. Because customised software has been created for your company it will only be usable by individuals in your company. When you purchase custom software you will be given administrator rights to the software ensuring that you can change and alter user profiles and passwords to be in accordance with your own internal data protection policies. Customised software used on the web is also a lot harder to hack than standard, off the shelf software, and you can be sure that a reputable custom software developer will work hard to keep your application or programme and the data it contains as safe and secure as possible.

Customised Software is Adaptable

Ready made software is designed to be adaptable and flexible, meeting your company’s needs and requirements both now and in the future. Even if you need a few different software programmes to accomplish organisational tasks, a custom developer will be able to integrate the different processes that you need into a single, usable application. Custom software is also much more likely to be cross-platform suitable, so you can be sure that when your company goes mobile you have the software that will support it.

Walking The Extra Miles, For You

How deep and meaningful of a connection you’d like to forge with another person is more often than not, entirely up to us. That is, how far are you willing to walk for others? For absolutely nothing in return? Because that’s the basis and foundation of all deep meaningful connections. It’s the spark of the start of a real friendship and a long-lasting relationship when someone does something for you entirely out of goodwill and kindness within their hearts.

Recently, with all my ongoing new projects and campaigns, it really made me carry a deep sense of appreciation and gratitude for the people around me who’s involved one way or another, with them extending their help and expertise in more ways than one. Learning how to walk the extra miles in whatever we do whether it’s for ourselves or others, trains us to perform better in our daily activities. We go into it fully, and we engage with an inclusiveness. Just like our muscles require you to use them often in order to grow strong, build strength, and stamina, the extra miles are the same.

If you’re used to doing things with an attitude of reluctance and resentment, there will be no real substance or concrete evidence of your footprints left on anything you touch. Go all the way out above and beyond, or don’t lift a finger at all. Because how would you like to get to the end of the road, turn back and not see an imprint of the steps you have taken in this journey? You don’t recall where you’ve been, what you’ve done, or the fluttering moments that took your breath away, and made your heart skipped a beat. If every step you took that touched someone’s heart one way or another left a foot print on your path for you to rewind and go through each steps again when you depart this earth to take with you, allowing you to watch it replay on a screen, would you be willing to leave a couple more?

I will never forget Gerald Way’s words I came across a very long time ago when I was younger and it made me sit up and reflect on my own life choices and journey. He said, “One day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it’s worth watching.” I must say, I started out from humble beginnings to be able to have so much contrasts in my life experiences that allowed me to have the opportunity to see it from two different ends of the stick. It made me learn appreciation so much more, when I stop looking at all the things I didn’t have. The more things I appreciated around me, the more I started to have.

I grew up believing that it was circumstances that made us who we are, and it took me a while to learn that it’s not the case at all. We all have a choice. A choice to become who we were meant to become against all odds and share our gifts to anyone who comes in contact with our work, our services, our real human flesh blood and skin self. The journey may not be a short one to get there but it’s a process that we all must go through in order to know what we want. How would you know what you want, if you don’t know what you do not want? Only old habits & beliefs that are not self-serving you in the best way is the worst way, and the only way that is leading you right up to a brick wall where on the other side, it is an “unknown” to you.

You can’t see it so you fear it, and you keep taking steps backwards instead of finding that sledgehammer and start to work on breaking it off bit by bit everyday. Small consistent effort really counts. If you stay true to our heart’s desires and firmly stick to it through and through, you’ll be happy no matter the outcome. Because you’d have fallen in love, and stayed in love throughout the process, and it wouldn’t even matter what happens at the very end. Whatever you do for yourself, whether it’s a fitness routine choice, a diet meal plan, budgeting and expenditure methods, sift through the options and try them all and find one that is truly customized to your liking and pleasing to you and “you” feel good doing it.

It’s the only way that you can start to learn to give your hundred percent undivided attention and have the excess wealth of knowledge or joy to share with people you meet, people you love most. That’s the true value of the extra miles. You can’t do much for others if you don’t make sure you’ve enough for yourself. How do you expect to run an extra 10 miles if the soles of your shoes wear and tear? You either spend the money to buy a new pair you’d come to love, or take good care of them right now so they stay in their optimum good condition to last you a longer run over a longer period of time. Either way, you’ve got to do something about it to ensure the rest of your path is easier for you. Be solution-oriented.

Going the extra miles comes easy when you have practiced and built up your stamina to ensure you have packed enough fuel and energy to sustain your journey. Everything comes down to practice. The only thing you need to practice in life to master anything you care about and want to learn badly is the skill of focus. Your ability to concentrate, and the ability to not take everything so seriously. Especially yourself! Of course that ties in closely with knowing how to have fun in the process to create enjoyment and happiness for you. Give yourself the space you need while doing these and you will find freedom emotionally. You’ll be able to touch people one way or another everywhere you go and leave a part of you with them. Kindness really goes a very long way, along with the extra miles you take.

Tactics Used by Disability Insurance Companies Against Claimants to Deny Claims

To protect their businesses and their shareholders, disability insurance companies have made it hard for the average person to file a claim and obtain the benefits that they signed up to receive. When a person successful files for benefits on a disability insurance policy, it is long-term and very expensive to the companies.

Because of the laws governing disability insurance policies were written, there are no penalties in place when companies deny or delay claims. If you have to fight for your disability benefits and it takes a year, during which time you lose your home and life savings, there is no punishment or penalty to the disability insurance company. If you win in a court case, you will receive what they were supposed to pay you in the first place. The only thing that the insurance company loses is the time of their in-house law firm, while people who are sick or injured can lose much more. That is why it is important to know as much as possible about disability insurance, the process of filing a claim and the process of fighting for a claim to protect yourself.

Insurance companies employ many medical professionals to investigate claims. They have staffs of nurses and doctors who do nothing but read medical records and review diagnostic tests all day long to build cases against claimants. There are many instances that we have seen where the medical reviewer only sees a small part of the person’s medical file – important documents that clearly verify a serious illness are left out. Is this deliberate or just poor record management? It is hard to know – but the bottom line is that disability insurance claimants have to fight to make sure that their complete medical records have been examined.

Insurance companies often use in-house medical staffers to contact treating physicians, review claims and write letters that are not accurate to help build cases against claimants. A typical scenario: the medical staffer calls the doctor’s office, speaks about the claimant, and then the insurance company staffer sends a letter to the doctor’s office confirming the conversation. The problem is, the letter is not entirely accurate and does not reflect the conversation that took place. Some facts are twisted, others are left out entirely. The critical part is this: the letter will contain a statement that says “unless we hear back from you by (a certain date), you accept the statements in the letter as fact.”

Doctors, office managers and their own staffers are busy, and responding to this letter is not their top priority. When no one responds, or when the response comes after the date, the insurance company uses that as an agreement with the contents of the letter, even if the letter is totally inaccurate and contradicts every piece of information in the patient’s medical record.

Today it is inexpensive for insurance companies to use video surveillance to monitor claimant activities. If you have filed a claim and a van or truck shows up on your block that does not seem to have any identifying marks or workers taking out equipment or making a delivery, it is entirely possible that surveillance is taking place. If you have a disability like fibromyalgia, where some days you cannot get out of bed and other days you feel almost normal, the videotape surveillance will only show you on a good day. This can create a difficult situation. If however your medical records reflect the unpredictable nature of your illness, you have a better chance at fighting the challenge to your disability insurance claim.

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