The Scientific Method

From sciencebuddies.org:

The scientific method is a process for experimentation that is used to explore observations and answer questions. Scientists use the scientific method to search for cause and effect relationships in nature. In other words, they design an experiment so that changes to one item cause something else to vary in a predictable way.

The process itself goes like this:

1. Ask a question
2. Do the research
3. Construct your hypothesis
4. Experiment
5. State your conclusion

However, it's not exactly that simple. How do you do research? How do you test your hypothesis? What if your experiment's results don't support your hypothesis, is that OK? There's more reading to do, and these sites will answer those questions and more:

• Sciencebuddies.org - Steps of the Scientific Method
• Brandonbeltz.com - The Scientific Method
• Discovery Education Science Fair Central - Scientific Method
• Biology4kids.com - Reasoning in Science
• Wikipedia - Scientific Method

Entrance Exam Cram: Basic English

Even if you feel comfortable enough about basic English (you've been studying it since elementary school, how hard can it be right?), you'll need to brush up on it again for entrance exam season.

My instinct for studying for exams was to tackle the subjects I have the most trouble with -- science and math, for example. That's a good plan, but don't forget to refresh yourself on the basics. It's your chance now to find out if you need to be corrected, and that's better than finding out on exam day.

• Big Dog's Grammar: A bare bones guide to English
• University of Calgary: Grammar Tutorials
• English Grammar Exercises - There's a lot of material here and it's been designed for ESL (English as a second language) learners. If some of these quizzes are too basic for you, still look at tests such as "Parts of Speech" or "Prepositions."

Entrance Exam Cram: Basic Algebra

Comprehensive exams, in my humble opinion, are the worst. There's nothing like having to remember stuff you studied (and already passed) years ago to make you worry and generally feel miserable. What I should have done, looking back, was take better notes and study to understand rather than just pass. Then maybe I wouldn't have tanked my math tests in college entrance exam season so badly.

I got into a good university eventually, but had to take remedial math. That meant I wasted a perfectly good summer going to school for just one math class. Ah, but I learned my lesson.

If any of you fear going through the same thing, check out these links:

• Math for Morons Like Us: Pre-Algebra Basic Equations - Includes quizzes so you can practice
• Intmath.com: Basic Algebra - Read further to solve verbal problems as well
• AlgeBasics - Multimedia tutorials, from basic algebra to quadratic equations. Best if you have audio!

Sending you positive thoughts for your entrance exam season... you can do it!

College entrance exam review

By now, most Philippine high school students would be on summer vacation. Some of them are coming back in a few weeks for summer school, incoming seniors probably for college entrance exam review in their own schools or tutorial centers.

Even before they start cramming stuff in your brains, you can prepare at your own pace by checking out online reviewers. You can test yourself through the ACT Test Practice Questions page (scroll to the bottom of the page for the links to test questions) -- at least in math, English, and some reading comprehension. These were developed for US students, but at least you can figure out from here what topics give you trouble, and attack them once you start your review.

Dekada '70 resources

I've never read Lualhati Bautista's Dekada '70, a novel about a family's struggles during the martial law regime. Apparently it's required in some schools, but it wasn't in mine.

For the sake of those who have to read it (and maybe some who just want to), here are a few resources:

• Dekada '70 (novel) Wikipedia entry
• Dekada '70 (nobela) Tagalog Wikipedia entry
• Dekada '70 book review at The Edsa Revolution website
• Dekada '70 (film) Wikipedia entry
• "Who's afraid of Lualhati Bautista?" by Abet Zialcita, at Inquirer.net

If you have 100 pesos or so to spare, you can get a copy at your nearest bookstore, because as far as I know it's always in print.

Newton's laws of motion

The three laws of motion as compiled by Sir Isaac Newton:

First law - An object will stay at rest or continue at a constant velocity unless acted upon by an external unbalanced force. (Law of inertia)

Second law - The rate of change of momentum of a body is proportional to the resultant force acting on the body and is in the same direction. (Law of acceleration)

Third law - For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. (Law of reciprocal actions)

Physics is fun, once you get the hang of it.

Youtube video of people having fun with Newton's Laws. (Don't try at home!)

• Newton's laws of motion Wikipedia entry
• Physics Classroom Tutorial
• Newton's laws of motion at Glenn Research Center, NASA site
• Isaac Newton's laws of motion at id.mind.net
• Newton's laws at scienceworld.wolfram.com

Very very basic Afro-Asian Literature resources

A subject called "Afro-Asian Literature" is taught to sophomores as part of the high school curriculum in the Philippines. In my experience, we weren't required to read more than what the textbook (Gems in Afro-Asian Literature) contained. I won't be surprised if that's the case for many schools today still.

While reading selected stories from the Philippines and other countries was fun and enriching, it's hard to understand based on that book alone how diverse Asian literature is, much more if you add African literature.

Here are links to more links... just so you know that English 2 is not the end of it.

• African literature Wikipedia entry
• African literature MSN Encarta entry
• Africanlit.com - Essays on African literature
• "Literature of Asia" Wikipedia entry - links to Arabian lit, Chinese lit, Japanese lit, Indian lit, and others
• Asian Literature Resources compiled by Judith S. Ames

Philippine government

The Philippines is a democratic republic, and its government is made up of three branches:

• Executive - This is the Office of the President (Pangulo), head of state and head of government
• Legislative - Composed of the Senate (Senado) and the House of Representatives (Kapulungan ng mga Kinatawan)
• Judicial - The Supreme Court (Kataastaasang Hukuman)

More on this:

• Basic overview of the Philippine government on gov.ph
• Politics of the Philippines Wikipedia entry
• "Pilipinas - Pambansang pamahalaan" Tagalog Wikipedia entry
• Government page on Pinas.dlsu.edu.ph

Economics resources

Even if you don't intend to pursue a career in the stock market or finance, chances are you'll still want to make money, or start a business, or work for a business... in any case, it's good to be familiar with the way goods and services are produced, distributed and consumed in the Philippines and the world.

For those who come from entrepreneurial families, this awareness may come sooner than third year high school Economics. But for the others, better late than never.

• Economics Wikipedia entry -- go to the bottom of the page for more helpful resources
• Economics Basics at Investopedia.com
• What is a Recession? And other questions at About.com
• Free online Economics courses at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology OCW site

Ibong Adarna links

Ibong Adarna is the enchanted bird from the Philippine korido of the same name. The story itself is an old-fashioned epic starring a sick king and his three sons, searching for a cure in the form of the Ibong Adarna. The bird's songs could either heal people or make them fall asleep (and its droppings turned the sleeping people to stone).

This is required reading for high school freshmen.

• Ibong Adarna English Wikipedia entry
• Ibong Adarna Tagalog Wikipedia entry (quite short, needs some help)
• Illustrated Tagalog komiks Ibong Adarna for download at seasite.niu.edu
• Ibong Adarna study notes at viloria.com
• Ibong Adarna Wikipilipinas entry