Scarlet ibis essay Essays - Style, The Scarlet Ibis, Ibis, Hurst

Scarlet ibis essay Essays - Style, The Scarlet Ibis, Ibis, Hurst Scarlet ibis essay The setting of a story can set the mood for what is happening in the story and keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. In James Hurst?s short story The Scarlet Ibis, he uses the setting to make the reader feel not just read what is happening in the story. Hurst?s eloquent diction tells how much of a safe haven Old Woman Swamp is. The swamp is described as a ?green dimness with palmetto fronds? that ?whisper.? Every time the children are here nothing to their dislike happens. The colors and imagery that the author uses reveals the swamp to be a comforting place. In addition, it brings to mind the thought of a caring mother or female guardian. The calmness and beauty of the swamp reinforces the motives of a supporting, loving person. The author, clearly, wanted to make a point when describing the barn loft. The majority of the items within were a symbol of death, ?it was covered in Paris green sprinkled to kill the rats, and screech owls had built their nest inside it.? There were screech owls, Paris green, a coffin, and it was dark. All of these things symbolize death, and foreshadows what will eventually happen to Doodle. Further, Hurst?s barn of death only causes distress and fear for the boys, ?when he touched the casket he screamed. A screech owl flapped out of the box into our faces, covering us in Paris green.? The death and darkness in the barn loft gives the reader a sense of uncertainty of what will happen next. Hurst?s dreary diction for describing the Horsehead Landing is significant to the ending of the story. When Doodle and the narrator were at the landing last there was a storm brewing as they floated down the creek and it was dark, cold, and mysterious. When Hurst describes how Doodle and the Narrator race the storm after rowing back to the landing it makes it seem as if they are running for there very lives, ?the rain was coming, roaring through the pines, and then like a bursting Roman candle, a gum tree ahead of us was shattered by a bolt of lightning.? Lastly Hurst describes running through the rain at full speed as, ?The rain drops stung my face like nettles, and the wind flared the wet glistening leaves of the boarding trees.? He doesn?t describe using colors in this setting, he instead uses the fear of Doodle and the narrator and the suspense to paint a picture in the readers head of what the boys are going through. Though the lack of information is minimal for this setting it makes the reader create their own image. In conclusion, the settings used in this story compliment the plot. Hurst?s learned diction provides the reader with the perfect mental picture of the story and the way he describes every setting makes the image seen in flawless vision.

Definition and Examples of Indicative Mood in English

Definition and Examples of Indicative Mood in English In traditional English grammar, indicative mood is the  form- or  mood- of the verb used in ordinary statements: stating a fact, expressing an opinion, asking a question. The  majority of English sentences are in the indicative mood.  Also called (primarily in  19th-century grammars) indicative mode. In modern English,  as a result of the  loss of  inflections  (word endings), verbs are no longer marked to indicate mood. As  Lise Fontaine points out in  Analysing English Grammar: A Systemic Functional Introduction  (2013),  The third-person singular  in the indicative mood  [marked by  -s] is the only remaining source of mood indicators. There are three major moods in English: the indicative mood is used to make factual statements or pose questions, the imperative mood to express a request or command, and the (rarely used) subjunctive mood to show a wish, doubt, or anything else contrary to fact. EtymologyFrom the Latin, stating Examples and Observations (Film Noir Edition) The mood of the verb tells us in what manner the verb is communicating the action. When we make basic statements or ask questions, we use the indicative mood, as in I leave at five and Are you taking the car? The indicative mood is the one we use most often.(Ann Batko, When Bad Grammar Happens to Good People. Career Press, 2004)I caught the blackjack right behind my ear. A black pool opened up at my feet. I dived in. It had no bottom.(Dick Powell as Philip Marlowe, Murder, My Sweet, 1944)I dont mind if you dont like my manners, I dont like them myself. They are pretty bad. I grieve over them on long winter evenings.(Humphrey Bogart as Philip Marlowe, The Big Sleep, 1946)Joel Cairo: You always have a very smooth explanation.Sam Spade: What do you want me to do, learn to stutter?(Peter Lorre and Humphrey Bogart as Joel Cairo and Sam Spade, The Maltese Falcon, 1941)There are only three ways to deal with a blackmailer. You can pay him and pay him and pay him until you’re penniless . Or you can call the police yourself and let your secret be known to the world. Or you can kill him.(Edward G. Robinson as Professor Richard Wanley, The Woman in the Window, 1944) Betty Schaefer: Dont you sometimes hate yourself?Joe Gillis: Constantly.(Nancy Olson and William Holden as Betty Schaefer and Joe Gillis, Sunset Boulevard, 1950)She liked me. I could feel that. The way you feel when the cards are falling right for you, with a nice little pile of blue and yellow chips in the middle of the table. Only what I didn’t know then was that I wasn’t playing her. She was playing me, with a deck of marked cards . . ..(Fred MacMurray as Walter Neff, Double Indemnity, 1944)Personally, I’m convinced that alligators have the right idea. They eat their young.(Eve Arden as Ida Corwin, Mildred Pierce, 1945)The Traditional MoodsThe labels indicative, subjunctive, and imperative were applied to verb forms in traditional grammars, such that they recognized indicative verb forms, subjunctive verb forms, and imperative verb forms. Indicative verb forms were said to be true by the speaker (unmodalized statements) . . .. [I]t is better to regard mood as a non-inflectional notion. . . . English principally grammatically implements mood through the use of clause types or modal auxiliary verbs. For example, rather than say that speakers use indicative verb forms to make assertions, we will say that they typically use declarative sentences to do so.(Bas Aarts, Oxford Modern English Grammar. Oxford University Press, 2011) The Indicative and the SubjunctiveHistorically, the verbal category of Mood  was once important in the English language, as it still is today in many European languages. By distinct forms of the verb, older English was able to  discriminate between the Indicative Mood- expressing an event or state as a fact, and the Subjunctive- expressing it as a supposition. . . . Nowadays the Indicative Mood has become all-important, and the Subjunctive Mood is little more than a footnote in the description of the language.(Geoffrey Leech,  Meaning and the English Verb, 3rd ed., 2004; rpt. Routledge, 2013)   Pronunciation: in-DIK-i-tiv mood

Colgate Palmolive Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Colgate Palmolive - Case Study Example Colgate Palmolive principle activities are manufacturing and marketing a variety of different consumer products. The group operates through two segments and sells its products under two of the categories: This report is focused on the use of brands by the said organization and how they successfully manage to market and sell their brands all over the world. How the name of the brand is made How that brand name is retained by the company How the company manages to live up to its customers' expectations What has the company got that its brands enjoy all the trust and confidence of customers in the world Such types of questions are addressed in this report. A detailed analysis of the company products is made and significant efforts have also been made in understanding how the company operates and manages to handle of its business worldwide. After the detailed study of the company's brands and their influence on the markets, some conclusions have been made regarding the study. Entireprocessinvolved in creating a unique name andimagefor aproduct(good orservice) in theconsumers' mind, throughadvertising campaignswith aconsistenttheme. Brandingaimsto establisha significant and differentiated presence in themarketthat attracts and retains loyal customers. As it can be seen from the definition of the branding above th... After the detailed study of the company's brands and their influence on the markets, some conclusions have been made regarding the study. Literature Review Entireprocessinvolved in creating a unique name andimagefor aproduct(good orservice) in theconsumers' mind, throughadvertising campaignswith aconsistenttheme. Brandingaimsto establisha significant and differentiated presence in themarketthat attracts and retains loyal customers. As it can be seen from the definition of the branding above that it is a complete and whole process of creating a unique name and image for a product either goods or services. To whom that image is targeted by the seller is a question great significance and the answer is potential customer. How is that objective achieved is the use of different marketing and advertising tools by the manufacturer and seller of the product. Hence what branding achieves is a significant and differentiated presence in the market that helps to attract potential customers and then retain those customers. Branding is a single major driver in the success of the product when a particular product has got everything it needs to fulfill the needs of users. With famous brands it becomes easier and a bit cheaper to penetrate the market and sell the new product with full hope and confidence. Recent times have seen many companies becoming successful due to their brand names and even selling their products at higher rates than the rates of similar products being sold in the market. Brand Identity Another main feature of this brand game is the brand identity, which helps its consumers to recognize it with its appearance irrespective of the fact that

How to write about africa by Binyavanga Wainaina Essay

How to write about africa by Binyavanga Wainaina - Essay Example Binyavanga elaborates further by citing some cultural practices and traditions in Africa and the animals that inhabit the place. He also talks about the possible characters that may be included in the article on Africa. Among those characters that he mentioned are the Loyal Servant, the Ancient Wise Man, the Modern African and the Starving African (Wainaina 93). Lastly, the author suggests that writers should not forget to include the sunset in Africa. He emphasizes too that overpopulation must also be added in portraying Africa and that AIDS and WAR are the factors that contribute to its depopulation (Wainaina 95). I agree with the author that most articles about Africa touch on the topics that he enumerated. However, I feel that it is also grossly exaggerated which may be partly due to the fact that he and other Africans are severely hurt by the way they are being portrayed by most authors. I appreciate the satirical style that he employed in presenting his arguments. The essay is one whole irony which I think is effective in convincing the readers to agree with the author’s claims. The essay is replete with the various stereotypes which have been and are still ascribed to Africa, which Binyavanga wants to correct through his work. I liked the way the author ended his essay with the phrase, â€Å"Because you care† (Wainaina 95). I think that it evokes a strong message, that is, if a writer cares about Africa, then he should be more objective and truthful and portray Africa not according to the usual stereotype images and false representations. Although indirectly, I think that Binyavanga is implying that if a writer still creates an article about Africa the way he described it, then he may be considered insensitive and

Teen pregnancy Research Paper Essay Example for Free

Teen pregnancy Research Paper Essay Since 1997 the federal government has invested millions of dollars in Abstinence Only Education programs which have been proven to be ineffective programs. Even though abstinence is the best option for teens not to get pregnant, most teens tend to experiment with sex at young ages. Teens naturally have a sense of curiosity about their bodies and the opposite sex, not to mention that their bodies are going through hormonal changes (puberty). After the Obama Administration created a budget for sex education programs, teen pregnancies have been declining further than with just the contraception movement. As Molly Hennessy-Fiske reported in the Los Angeles Times, â€Å"Sex education in schools has helped teens decrease teen pregnancies by 52% in states like California† (LA Times). Not all states are cooperating with teaching this new curriculum to kids, as shown by Dr. Brian Carr who has said about abstinence only programs, â€Å"†¦the birthrate among Texas teens is the 3rd highest in the nation (63.4 per 1,000) with the repeat teen birth rate being the 2nd highest in the nation† (Carr). This topic is talked about in today’s times because the teen pregnancy rate has dropped drastically in the U.S., but there is still a need for it to drop it down even further. I propose that not only sex education should be taught in every state, but should also start to be taught to younger age ranges. In the US there are more teen pregnancies than in any other country. Marjorie Valbrun states, â€Å"Despite the decline, the U.S. teen birth rate is still much higher than in other developed countries, including Canada, where the rate averaged 14.1 per 1,000 in 2002-2011; Germany, where it was 8.9, and Italy, where the rate was 6.8. The US numbers are 31.3 births per 1,000 girls ages 15-19 in 2011† (Valbrun). There has been a decline in the U.S. in teen pregnancies, most of which is a result of contraceptive use. The other big reason there is a drop is because of sex education programs. Advocates of Abstinence Only Education programs argue that their programs are responsible for the recent dramatic decline in teen pregnancy since 1991. As Marcia Clemmitt finds, â€Å"A study showed that improved contraceptive use, to prevent HIV/AIDS, is responsible for 86 percent of the decline in the U.S. adolescent pregnancy rate between 1995 and 2002† (Clemmitt). In 2012,  Ã¢â‚¬Å"There were 29.4 births for every 1,000 adolescent females ages 15-19, or 305,388 babies born to females in this age group† (U.S. Department of Health Human Services). This is the lowest level in teen pregnancies in seven decades for the U.S. See figure below. This information does not tell the whole story in every state though. Carr has found why a state like Texas is on the opposite side of the drop, â€Å"†¦a survey found that a ‘quiet revolution’ was underway in Texas with abstinence-only instruction being replaced by abstinence-plus sex education programs (although abstinence-only programs continue to be the predominant approach in the state)† (Carr). Titania Kumeh writes, â€Å"Unlike in Texas, California’s schools teach comprehensive sex education (29 births per 1,000 teen girls)† (Los Angeles Times, 2013). Prevention works by teaching teens how and why to delay sex and the steps that they need to take if they bec ome sexually active. The program that has been shown to work is sex education. In a survey that my classmates and I conducted for the ACE Program, we found that the public has shown 71% interest for sex education to be introduced to ages 7 to 14. 93% of the surveyed believe that sex education is a need in our classrooms. Sex education is important for helping teens to understand the changes in their bodies and in their relationships before and during the teenage years. Sex education helps teens to make healthy choices about relationships and sex. There is research to prove that comprehensive sex education programs give young people the tools they need to protect themselves from negative sexual health outcomes. Within our survey we found that the people who mainly learn about sex from their friends are more likely to have sex at an earlier age, whereas if people learned from a teacher or a parent they were more likely to wait and also to use contraceptives. Sex education should be started well before the teenage years. Starting with children, parents should have age appropriate discussions with them about love, relationships, values, and physical anatomy. It is more appropriate to be open and honest while talking to children and teens than to keep the information from them. Boys and girls should know what a penis, scrotum, and vagina are without using substitutes like calling them wee-wee or pee-pee.† Parents should not be afraid to answer their kids questions about their bodies or the opposite sex. Withholding the information results in ignorance and, with something as purely natural as sexuality, there is not really a reason not  to teach about it. Parents should answer their kids more in-depth questions when they are asked (i.e. â€Å"Where do babies come from?†) regardless of the age. If the honest answer is good enough, or the kid is a little confused but wanders off satisfied with the answer, which is great. If children continue to ask more questions, the answers should continue to be honest and presented in a way the kid can understand. If parents make sex education an open topic with their children, the kids will feel more comfortable talking and asking questions about sex and their body changes when they turn into teens. If parents discourage talking or answering questions, teenagers will be looking for answers from their friends and the media. In our survey we found, in the filtered information, that teens are twice as likely to have unprotected sex at younger ages when taught by their friends. It is an important factor to make sure that are kids our taught properly to prevent teen pregnancies. Our country can reduce teen pregnancies by requiring sex education programs in schools and making sure that these schools teach them. My team’s research has shown that sex education will work by teaching kids about their bodies, contraception, and making healthy choices. If sex education is started at earlier ages, parents and teens will have a better understanding towards one another and will make healthier choices. I believe that someday, if our country works toward these goals, we all can benefit from the outcomes of fewer teen pregnancies. Works Cited Dr. Brian Carr; http://lubbockonline.com/interact/blog-post/dr-brian-carr/2013- 08-02/blind-facts-sex-education-texas-public-schools. Web. Marjorie Valbrun; Document APA Citation — See Alternate Citation Style Teen sex. (2013, June 15). CQ Researcher. Retrieved from http://0- library.cqpress.com.library.cabrillo.edu/cqresearcher/ . Web. Marcia Clemmitt. (2010, March 26). Teen pregnancy. CQ Researcher, 20, 265- 288. Retrieved from http://0 library.cqpress.com.library.cabrillo.edu/cqresearcher/ Molly Hennessy-Fiske. The Los Angeles Times 2/1/2011. Web. Titania Kumeh. The Los Angeles Times 2013. Web. Advocates for Youth. http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/publications/publications-a-z/409-the-truth-about-abstinence-only-programs. Web. U.S. Department of Health Human Services. http://www.hhs.gov. Web. Graph: Birth rates per 1,000 females ages 15-19, by race/ethnicity, 1990-2012. Source: Hamilton, B. E., Martin, J. A., Ventura, S. J.(2013). Births: Preliminary data for 2012. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. Web

The Band Creed Essay -- Music Christianity Bands Papers

What If The band that comes to my mind when someone mentions abstract lyrics is the modern, popular, yet sophisticated group, Creed. I thoroughly enjoy their music, although not strictly for entertainment purposes. They have extremely creative ways of stating feelings, telling stories, and sharing ideas through the lyrics they produce. Their song, entitled "What If," is an excellent version of poetic writing that exemplifies mixed emotion and portrays an undefined depth in meaning. It is quite possible to interpret this particular song differently according to the listener's point of view and the personal background experiences that may influence their portrayal of the music. However, I see certain parallels to the Bible story of Jesus praying to God on the Mount of Olives. There are several lines that suggest the connotation of how fearful, anguished, and lonely Jesus felt before he was crucified. The very first verse is definitely the context of Jesus' pleading words of prayer to God shortly before he was betrayed and arrested. He was certainly in a state of depression, acutely aware of the fleeting minutes of freedom left for him on earth. The intense dread Jesus felt must have been overwhelming to him as he obediently kneeled in submission to God's will, desperately trying to understand His reasoning. At this particular time in the pre-crucifixion, it is only logical to associate the tremendous burden Jesus was going through with his great frustration of human ignorance and sin. Thus, the meaning of "not finding rhyme in reason, losing sense of time and seasons, and feeling beaten down, by men with no grounds," is explained to clarify the starting point of my interpretation. In the second set of phrases, the first two... ...e words of men who have no grounds I can't sleep beneath the trees of wisdom When your ax has cut the roots that feed them Forked tongues in bitter mouths Can drive a man to bleed from inside out What if you did? What if you lied? What if I avenge? What if eye for an eye? I've seen the wicked fruit of your vine Destroy the man who lacks a strong mind Human pride sings a vengeful song Inspired by the times you've been walked on My stage is shared by many millions Who lift their hands up high because they feel this We are one We are strong The more you hold us down the more we press on What if you did? What if you lied? What if I avenge? What if eye for an eye? I know I can't hold the hate inside my mind 'Cause what consumes your thoughts controls your life So I'll just ask a question What if? What if your words could be judged like a crime?

How We Are Teaching Children to Think Inside the Box Essay

When children come home from school, parents usually sit down with them, go through their homework folders and ask their child, â€Å"so, what did you learn at school today?† Twenty years ago, the child may have commented on what they learned in art, music, social studies or geography. Now, a child will comment only on what they learned in their reading circle or in their math book. The fault for this lies within the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. Standardized testing has turned teachers into test proctors and schools into testing facilities. Students are no longer receiving a broad education that covers many subjects; instead, their learning is streamlined to fit the content that is on the standardized tests. The NCLB Act is not working as it was intended, and as a result the American children are falling even further behind other developed nations. In fact, American students are ranked 19th out of 21 countries in math, 16th in science and last in physics (DeWeese 2). The No Child Left Behind Act needs to be tossed out before we do irreversible damage to the education system. It is not too late – we can turn everything around by getting rid of costly standardized tests, ensure students receive a broad education that includes classes in arts and music, which will better prepare them for higher education, and give control back to the individual states. In 2002, the No Child Left Behind Act was enacted by Congress, which was intended to close the learning gap between Caucasian students and minority students. The NCLB promised to promote accountability amongst teachers and school administrators, as well as assuring that all children would be proficient – according to standards set by the individual states – in reading and math by the end of the 2013-2014 school year (Ravitch 2). In addition, NCLB stated that by the end of the 2005-2006 school-year every classroom in America would have a highly qualified teacher (Paige 2). The most reliable way that the drafters of No Child Left Behind proposed collecting the data that they needed in order to keep track of accountability and proficiency was by mandating that each state issue their  students in grades 3 through 12 a standardized test annually that covers the subjects of reading, writing and math (Beveridge 1). The test that is issued is given to all students, whether they are Caucasian, African American, Hispanic, disabled, etc. and schools are graded based on the proficiency of their students. Each state sets a yearly goal that increases each year based on the mandates of the NCLB Act, in which all students will be 100 percent proficient in those three subjects by the year 2014 (Ravitch 2). On paper, the NCLB Act looked like a blessing to schools that are located in areas of low-income, minority areas and advocates for children with learning disabilities because these tests were meant to highlight the schools that are doing poorly and ensure they receive funding and training in order to turn the scores around (Darling-Hammond 1). In a letter that is addressed to parents on their website, the U.S. Department of Education explains that the NCLB Act provides â€Å"more resources to schools† through funding and â€Å"allows more flexibility† when allocating the funds (3). According to Linda Darling-Hammond, a Professor of Education at Stanford University, â€Å"the funding allocated by NCLB – less than 10 percent of most schools’ budgets – does not meet the needs of the under-resourced schools, where many students currently struggle to learn† (2). Another way schools get their funding is through the taxes that we pay. It makes sense that schools located in an area that has higher income would receive more funds than schools located in a low-income area. What happens is that with the limited funding, schools in low-income areas need to prioritize funding to raise the standardized test scores of their students because once a school fails to show improvement in their standar dized test scores, they are placed on probation the second year and parents are given a choice to leave the failing school, taking their child and the funding attached to that child to a school that is rated better. â€Å"In the third year of a school’s failure, students are entitled to free tutoring after school† according to Diane Ravitch, a research professor of education at New York University (2). The funding provided by NCLB is supposed to help pay for the free tutoring, but, like was stated before, the funding provided is not enough. What happens when a school is mandated by law to provide resources, but it cannot find room in their budget? That’s  right, they cut funding elsewhere. In an article written by Angela Pascopella, the Austin Independent School District superintendent Pascal D. Forgione explains that â€Å"NCLB also requires that schools in need of improvement set aside 10 percent of their local Title 1 funds for professional development †¦ this creates no flexibility in budgeting† (1). When schools need to restructure their budget in order to pay for tutoring and retraining teachers, the arts and music programs are the ones that suffer most. NCLB places so much emphasis on the outcome of the standardized tests. Can you really blame the school districts for re-emphasizing the importance of standardized tests when their funding relies on it? States were put in charge of providing their own assessment tests in order to provide a more focused education to their students and ensure that the students meet the state’s standards of proficiency. Tina Beveridge explains that â€Å"in 2007, the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) cost the state $113 million †¦ [and] many districts eliminated teaching positions as a result, despite the use of stimulus money. As budgets are cut nationwide, the funding for nontested subjects are affected first† (1). The fact that the distribution of funds is based on the outcome of the standardized test scores mea ns that we are blatantly failing the inner-city schools. A school will be placed on probation if they fail just one category ranging from proficiency of Caucasian students all the way down to the proficiency of the students who are just learning the English language. Schools located in higher income areas don’t really have to worry as much about budget cuts because those schools are located in areas that are predominately white and with parents who are active in their children’s education. On the other hand, schools in low income areas have to provide tutoring and other mandated actions in order to improve their proficiency rates, all the while their students are learning in â€Å"crumbling facilities, overcrowded classrooms, out-of-date textbooks, no science labs, no art or music courses and a revolving door of untrained teachers† (Darling-Hammond 2). After a few years of a school not showing improvement through their test scores, their entire teaching staff could be fired. We just saw this happen last year in Providence, Rhode Island. The school board terminated 1,976 teachers because of insufficient results and the need to make budget cuts (Chivvis 1). The turnover rate for  teachers is already extremely high, as much as 50 percent leave within 5 years in urban areas (McKinney et al 1) and the pressure of working in a low-income school district where schools are lacking basic teaching necessities is not all that appealing. The inability of low-income schools to offer teachers incentives because of funding, and with the added stress of job security, it makes one wonder how any highly qualified teachers are in the classroom. On top of that, the curriculum for students has gotten so narrow that it has taken a lot of the creativity and individualization that once attracted the best of the best to the teaching profession. Susan J. Hobart is an example of one of those teachers who used to love doing her job because she was leaving her mark on her students, in a positive way. In Hobart’s article, she tells of a letter she received from one of her students prior to the NCLB Act. The letter explained that Hobart was â€Å"differen t than other teachers, in a good way. [They] didn’t learn just from a textbook; [they] experienced the topics by ‘jumping into the textbook.’ [They] got to construct a rainforest in [their] classroom, have a fancy lunch on the Queen Elizabeth II, and go on a safari through Africa† (3). The student goes on to explain that the style of teaching she experienced during that time is what she hopes she can do when she becomes a teacher too. Unfortunately, that student’s dream will most likely not come true because the fact is that when schools are placed on probation, like Hobart’s school, they â€Å"teach test-taking strategies similar to those taught in Stanley Kaplan prep courses †¦ and spend an inordinate amount of time showing students how to ‘bubble up’† (1). With all the time and energy being placed on teaching children to read and write, you would think that they would be proficient by the time they enroll in college, right? Wrong. â€Å"42 percent of community college freshmen and 20 percent of freshmen in four-year institutions enroll in at least one remedial course †¦ 35 percent were enrolled in math, 23 percent in writing, and 20 percent in reading,† according to the Alliance for Excellent Education (1). Scho ols are so reliant on the standardized tests in order to gauge how students are understanding material that they have slacked-off in other areas like teaching basic study skills and critical thinking skills. When most of these kids graduate from high school and enter into a college setting, especially the ones who need to take remedial courses to catch-up to where  they should be when they graduate, they’re taken completely off guard with the course load and they will either succeed in managing it or struggle for the first few semesters, but the majority will drop out without a degree (Alliance for Excellent Education 1). High school is meant to prepare students for higher education or to enter the workforce, but the government is spending millions of dollars in order to remediate students and doing what high school teachers were meant to do (Alliance for Excellent Education 3). So, who is to blame? The supporters of No Child Left Behind acknowledge that there are some faults to the Act, but those like Kati Haycock believes that â€Å"although NCLB isn’t perfect, the Bush administration and Congress did something important by passing it. They called on educators to embrace a new challenge – not just access for all, but achievement for all †¦ there are no more invisible kids† (1). Supporters feel as though benefits such as holding teachers accountable for all students, including those with disabilities, and weeding out the schools that have a long history of doing poorly outweighs the negatives and that with time, the NCLB Act can be reformed to work as efficiently as it was enacted to work. Ravitch disagrees, stating that â€Å"Washington has neither the knowledge nor the capacity to micromanage the nation’s schools† (3). We have to agree with her as concerned citizens and parents. While the NCLB Act meant well when it was passed, it’s time to acknowledge that the government has spent billions of dollars trying to improve the education of America’s youth, yet 10 years later American students are still falling behind the mark set by other industrialized nations and the 201 3-2014 school year is quickly coming upon us. Not only are we falling behind globally, but minorities are still struggling behind Caucasian students. The gap between Caucasian students and minority students, that was intended to close through the NCLB Act, has remained just as far apart. E.E. Miller Elementary School, located here in Fayetteville, NC, just released their annual report card to parents. The chart below shows the break-down of students who passed both the reading and math tests provided at the end of the 2010-2011 school year. African American children, Hispanic children, and children with disabilities are still lagging far behind their Caucasian peers. African American children passed at 49.4 percent, 25.5 percent of students with disabilities passed and Hispanic children passed at rate of  56.9 percent. Remember that the NCLB expects this school, along with every other school in the Nation, to be at 100 percent proficiency by the end of the 2013-2014 school year. Source: Education First NC School Report Cards, E. E. Miller Elementary: 2010-11 School Year, Public Schools of North Carolina State Board of Education, Web, 26 Oct. 2011. In order to put this chart more in perspective, below is the 3-year trend for E.E. Miller. [pic] Source: Education First NC School Report Cards, E. E. Miller Elementary: 2010-11 School Year, Public Schools of North Carolina State Board of Education, Web, 26 Oct. 2011. While math scores are steadily improving, reading scores (the solid line) are declining. E.E. Miller has been on probation for at least 3 years, having provided tutoring to children who were struggling last year. Even with those efforts, the end of the year test suggests those students are still struggling in reading. These mandates are not working. States are spending millions of dollars per year to fulfill all of the required obligations without any fruition. We need to put education spending back into the hands of the states with more substantial federal funding. The federal government cannot expect every public elementary school, middle school and high school in this nation to fix a problem that has been prevalent for many, many years with this one-size-fits-all approach to learning. It will not happen with No Child Left Behind, and it definitely will not happen by the end of the 2013-2014 school year. We can no longer sit and watch while students in America struggle to compete o n a global level in nearly all subjects. Teachers are not educating our nation’s students to think critically and to form their own ideas or opinions; instead, teachers in failing schools are stuck teaching a curriculum that directly corresponds to what is being tested, and we are failing to prepare them for higher education. The future citizens we are molding will be of no use to society if they cannot think for themselves, which will happen if they remain in the current system. We need to undo this one-size-fits-all curriculum and re-broaden our children’s education to include subjects that will teach them think outside the box. Works Cited Alliance for Excellence in Education. â€Å"Paying Double: Inadequate High Schools and Community College Remediation.† Issue Brief: August (2006). All4Ed.Org. Web. 30 Oct. 2011. Beveridge, Tina. â€Å"No Child Left Behind and Fine Arts Classes.† Arts Education Policy Review 111.1 (2010): 4. MasterFILE Premier. EBSCO. Web. 20 Oct. 2011. Chivvis, Dana. â€Å"Providence, RI, School Board Votes to Lay Off All Teachers.† AOL News (2011). Web. 28 Oct. 2011. Darling-Hammond, Lisa. â€Å"No Child Left Behind is a Bad Law.† Opposing Viewpoints. Web. 14 Oct. 2011. DeWeese, Tom. â€Å"Public Education is Failing.† Opposing Viewpoints. Web. 14 Oct. 2011. Education First NC School Report Cards. â€Å"E. E. Miller Elementary: 2010-11 School Year.† Public Schools of North Carolina State Board of Education. Web. 26 Oct. 2011. McKinney, Sueanne E., et al. â€Å"Addressing Urban High-Poverty School Teacher Attrition by Addressing Urban High-Poverty School Teacher Retention: Why Effective Teachers Persevere.† Educational Research and Review Vol. 3 (1) pp. 001-009 (2007). Academic Journals. Web. 28 Oct. 2011. Paige, Rod. â€Å"No Child Left Behind: A Parent’s Guide.† U.S. Department of Education (2002). PDF File. 28 Oct. 2011. Pascopella, Angela. â€Å"Talking Details on NCLB.† District Administration 43.7 (2007): 22. MasterFILE Premier. EBSCO. Web. 28 Oct. 2011. Ravitch, Diane. â€Å"Time to Kill ‘No Child Left Behind’.† Education Digest 75.1 (2009): 4. MasterFILE Premier. EBSCO. Web. 20 Oct. 2011.

Jane Austen’s Novels Plot-Construction

In contrast to the simplicity of her style, Jane Austen's plots are unexpectedly complex. She is not content to simply draw two or three characters in isolation. She prefers a family, with their many friends and acquaintances and she tries within her limited range to make things as difficult as possible. SETTINGS OF HER NOVELS Jane Austen's field of study is man. She is, therefore, more preoccupied with human nature than nature in the nineteenth century usage of the word. The background and the scenery of the provincial town is rich in its beauty and grandeur. But there is no attempt to look into the spirit of this country. Thus although, she has some sense of locality yet she does not paint an English community like the other writers of her time. She rather avoids those very elements of the population in which the local flavour, the breath of the soil is most pronounced. She is further incapable of evoking a scene or a landscape and cannot conjure up the spirit of Bath as Emile Bronte could conjure up the spirit of the Moorlands or Hardy that of Wessex. All this, one may say, would be fatal to her dramatic quality of construction. In all her novels, we see only a limited range of human society. Most of her characters are the kind of people she knew intimately, the landed gentry, the upper class, the lower edge of the nobility, the lower clergy, the officer corps of the military. Her novels exclude the lower classes-both the industrial masses of the big cities and the agricultural labourers in the countryside. Three or four families in the country village is the very thing to work on. She does not show any of the great agonies or darker side of human experience. There is no hunger, poverty, misery or terrible vices and very little of the spiritual sphere of experience. Nor do we see any political dimension or even discussions regarding major political happenings in any of her novels. Nature too, is rarely described and her characters are usually presented indoors with an occasional expedition or picnic thrown in. According to Andrew H. Wright, the novels of Jane Austen can be considered on three levels of meaning: first, the purely local-illustrative of country life among the upper middle-classes at the end of eighteenth century in Southern England. Second, they can be taken as broad allegories in which Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice and a number of other virtues and defects are set forth in narrative form and commented on in this way. Third is the ironic level whereby the incidents, situations and characters in a novel imply something more than what they seem. PLOT-CONSTRUCTION IN SENSE AND SENSIBILITY It is one of Austen's simplest novels. The story deals with two sisters Elinor -the heroine represents a woman of sense, while Marianne, her foolish foil represents a woman of sensibility. The first volume of the book has a symmetrical pattern and a clear parallel is drawn between the two romances-Edward Ferrars and Elinor, John Willoughby and Marianne. True to Elinor's cool, sensible nature the relationship between Edward Farrar's is conducted on the level of the mind, with both displaying hardly an emotion. The theme of sense is thus exemplified through their relationship. On the other hand Willoughby who enters Marianne's life as a true romantic hero having carried her home when she sprained her ankle, exemplifies the theme of sensibility in his relationship with Marianne. While the moral seems to illustrate the superiority of sense over sensibility there is an ironic twist in the plot whereby Elinor and Marianne virtually interchange their positions PLOT-CONSTRUCTION IN EMMA The plot of Emma can be said to have an ‘inward' and an ‘outward' movement. The inward deal with Emma's self-deception- with what she thinks is happening while the outward deals with what actually is happening and this brings to light her mistakes. It is through a series of humiliations and self reproach that Emma finally awakens to self-knowledge. The reader's enjoyment stems from an awareness that Emma is wrong. From chapter 1 to 15, Emma thinks that Mr. Elton is in love with Harriet only to discover to her horror that Elton loves her. From chapter 18 to 30, Emma thinks herself to be in love with Frank and Jane Fairfax to be associated with Mr. Dixon. From chapter 31 to 46, Emma is convinced that Harriet and Frank Churchill are interested in one another. Towards the end of the novel, from chapter 46, Emma's theories about Frank and Harriet are about Jane Faifax and Dixon are destroyed and she has to face the possibility of Mr. Knightley being in love with Harriet. It is only after Knightley's proposals in the shrubbery that â€Å"what is happening† and â€Å"what Emma thinks is happening† converge and Emma's progress from self-delusion to knowledge is complete. By analyzing the plots of ‘Sense and Sensibility', ‘Emma' and ‘Pride and Prejudice', we observe that Austen's theme-her subject matter revolves round courtship and marriage in each of her novels. By the time we have reached the end of any of her novels, not only the hero and heroine but most of the other people in the story have succeeded in pairing off in marriage. And it is from the courtship of the hero and heroine that the story derives much of their tension. PLOT-CONSTRUCTION IN PRIDE AND PREJUDICE The main plot of Pride and Prejudice presents the story of the misunderstanding, estrangement and union in the lives of two people-Elizabeth and Darcy. The novel begins with the flutter and eager expectation in the Bennet family at the arrival of the young â€Å"single man of large fortune†, Mr. Charles Bingley. The sub-plot of the Jane-Bingley relationship attracts greater interest for some time. They meet at a ball, are attracted towards each other and their intimacy grows through dinner-parties, balls, etc. All this while, however, the events of the main plot also gather interest. Darcy and Elizabeth are present at the same ball. Darcy is looked at with great admiration for about half the evening and is soon ‘discovered to be proud', and when Bingley persuades him to dance with Elizabeth, he says that she is ‘tolerable' but not handsome enough to tempt him. Elizabeth developed ‘no very cordial feelings towards him'. This prejudice forms in the very first m eeting and is intensified by various other factors. Miss Caroline Bingley's designs on Darcy and her efforts to reprobate Elizabeth during her stay at Netherfield are so persistent that inspite of his being attracted by Elizabeth's pair of fine eyes, he realizes that it is dangerous to pay too much attention to Elizabeth and observes a studied reticence. Mrs. Bennet's silly remarks, Mary's all too quick consent to sing at a party, Mr. Collin's sycophancy, Mr. Bennet's want of propriety and Lydia's shallowness—infact everything that the Bennet family did is enough to alienate anybody and Darcy's poor opinion of the whole set urges him to avoid closer connections with Elizabeth. When Elizabeth meets Wickham, his winning manners grow on her good-will, and the altogether false reports of his victimization by Darcy intensify her prejudice far too much. Later, when she naturally suspects that Darcy plays a prominent part in ruining the prospects of her sister's marriage with Bingley, she feels an almost irrevocably strong prejudice a gainst him. From chapter 3 to 33, the prejudice grows in better strength and so when Darcy proposes to her, she bluntly rejects him. In reply to his enquiry about why she refused, she lays the charges at his door without any apology. The first stage in the history of their relationship is convincingly developed. Chapters 35 and 36 mark the climax in this development. Darcy's letter to her marks the beginning of the second stage. Every event occurring subsequent to this helps to reverse Elizabeth's conception of him, undo all the knots of prejudice and reveal the sterling qualities that he possesses. Even at the end of the first stage, his repulsive pride completely dominates all his thought and action, but the citadel staggers at the first rude shock Elizabeth gives him. ‘She showed him how insufficient were all his pretentions to please a woman worthy of being pleased', and even though he was angry at first, he soon realized that the lesson she taught was ‘hard indeed at first but most advantageous'. When they met most unexpectedly at Pemberley, he ‘showed her by every civility in his power that he hoped to obtain her forgiveness and lessen her ill opinion, ‘Darcy's excessive pride is dec reased and Elizabeth becomes proportionately less prejudiced. Many events in the second stage quicken this cleansing process. Even in the offending remarks about her family there is an admission that Elizabeth could inspire in Darcy a strong feeling of love capable of overcoming his strong scruple of family pride; and her vanity is touched. Darcy's narration in the letter makes it clear to her that if he found Jane's behavior ‘without any symptom of peculiar regard for Bingley', it was a pardonable, even justifiable, error of judgment and the motives were certainly unchallengeable. The baselessness of her violent charge of ruining Wickham's career becomes all clear to her. Colonel Fitzwilliam's report about him is also creditable to Darcy. All these events make her conscious that she had acted despicably and that her certainty about her discernment was most unjustifiable. Her visit to Pemberley brings another surprise. His housekeeper, Mrs. Reynold's, is genuinely proud of Darcy, who is ‘the best landlord and the best master', ‘affable to the poor', ‘an entirely good brother': and she is sure to know better. Darcy's unexpected meeting at Pemberley is still more effective: he impresses her aunt and uncle by his excellent manners, and Elizabeth has to admit that her prejudice was ill founded. Finally, Darcy's most invaluable help in the eprisode of Lydia's elopement with Wickham sweeps off all her objections. And so when Darcy's second, and most polite proposal is made, her attitude has changed as much as his. The first minor eprisode is the Jane-Bingley relationship. It can be treated as an independent event, but Jane Austen has woven it well with the main theme. Jane and Elizabeth are sisters who share each other's secrets, hopes and fears and it is the simplest connection. But on the strength of Darcy's regard, Bingley has the firmest reliance, and of his judgment the highest opinion, and so when Darcy suspected that Jane did not love Bingley as fervently as Bingley loved her, and found that her family had all vulgar manners and shallow tastes, he ‘readily engaged in the office of pointing out to him the certain evils of such a choice'. This was one of the very important reasons of Elizabeth's strong prejudice, and thus it is connected with the main theme. The Wickham-Lydia eprisode and the Collins-Charolette relationship is equally well connected with it. While Elizabeth has developed a prejudice against Darcy, she is strongly attracted towards Wickham— and it is very long before she knows what his real character is. One of the two strong charges she levels against Darcy is the ruining of Wickham's prospects. Darcy reveals the truth to her later, but because of her silence on this point, she cannot stop her sister's elopement and the slander on her family. It is this catastrophe, however, that brings Darcy closest to her because it is his love for her that he finds out the fugitives and makes a successful effort to bring about a marriage between Lydia and Wickham, neglecting the thought of the loss to him. Mr. Collins proposes to her, and later marries her best friend Charolette. All the threads are thus connected. Wickham and Charolette also serve as a comment on Elizabeth and Darcy. â€Å"The Darcy-Elizabeth couple is flanked on one side by the unexceptionable Bingley and Jane, it is flanked on the other by Charolette and Wickham†. The last two have the cleverness of the two main characters, but they are time-servers. The structure is therefore, most cleverly unifying. The precision, simplicity and symmetry of ‘Pride and Prejudice' evoke instinctive appreciation. So well it is constructed that the action proceeds logically from exposition, complication and climax to the denouncement and finally the resolution. The sub-plots are also thematically unified. The theme of love and marriage is exemplified through the plot and the sub-plots. Jane Austen uses the dramatic narrative mode and irony so effectively to build her complex plot that it would not be amiss to say that she â€Å"is the most perfect dramatist who never wrote a play†. Furthermore, all Jane Austen plots are characterized by a unity of tone and are compact and well- knit. There are no loose ands anywhere, no event conceived outside the actual plot and nothing usually hampers the progress of the story. JANE AUSTEN'S COMEDY OF MANNERS  IN PRIDE AND PREJUDICE â€Å"The wisest and the best of men-nay, the wisest and best of their actions – may he rendered ridiculous by a person whose first object in life is a joke. â€Å"Certainly†, he replied Elizabeth-â€Å"there are such people, but I hope I am not one of them. I hope I never ridicule that is wiser or good. Follies and nonsense, whims and inconsistencies do divert me, I own, and I laugh at them whenever I can.† This brief dialogue between Darcy and Elizabeth throws distinct light upon Jane Austen's purpose and programme in her novels. For once it be supposed that Miss Bennet's point of view is but a projection of her creator's. Her intention in these novels is to present a comedy of manners – to present the follies and vices of men and to expose them to general ridicule by employing the devices of comedy, parody, burlesque, irony, wit, satire, each one of them as is suitable for the occasion and need. THE UNITY OF TONE Hence, her plots are characterized by a singular unity of tone and she often achieves it by focusing our attention at it from more than one angle. In Pride and Prejudice alone the unity of plot has been achieved from as many as three angles. We can view the novel first, as Elizabeth Bennet sees everything; secondly, by assigning to Elizabeth and Darcy a prominent place into the novel and by centering the higher and nobler comedy around these two figures; and thirdly by making the whole story a study in Pride— pride of place and responsibility in some, pride in the form of social snobbery in others and also either a perverted pride or the lack of pride in the rest. However, the unity is therefore very essential in imparting coherence and shape to her design. Thus, the structure of Jane Austen's novel is perfect and is ideally suited for the material she wanted to embody and the outlook she wished to present.

Allied Invasion of Sicily in World War II

Allied Invasion of Sicily in World War II Conflict: Operation Husky was the Allied landings on Sicily in July 1943.Dates: Allied troops landed on July 9, 1943, and officially secured the island on August 17, 1943.Commanders Armies:Allies (The United States Great Britain)General Dwight D. EisenhowerGeneral Sir Harold AlexanderLieutenant General George S. PattonGeneral Sir Bernard MontgomeryAdmiral Sir Andrew CunninghamVice Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay160,000 troopsAxis (Germany Italy)General Alfredo GuzzoniField Marshall Albert Kesselring405,000 troops Background In January 1943, British and American leaders met at Casablanca to discuss operations for after Axis forces had been driven from North Africa. During the meetings, the British lobbied in favor of invading either Sicily or Sardinia as they believed either could lead to the fall of Benito Mussolinis government as well as could encourage Turkey to join the Allies. Though the American delegation, led by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, was initially reluctant to continue an advance in the Mediterranean, it conceded to British wishes to move forward in the region as both sides concluded that it would not be feasible to conduct landings in France that year and capture of Sicily would reduce Allied shipping losses to Axis aircraft.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Dubbed Operation Husky, General Dwight D. Eisenhower was given overall command with British General Sir Harold Alexander designated as the ground commander. Supporting Alexander would be naval forces led by Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Cunningham and the air forces would be overseen by Air Chief Marshal Arthur Tedder. The principle troops for the assault were the US 7th Army under Lieutenant General George S. Patton and the British Eighth Army under General Sir Bernard Montgomery. The Allied Plan Initial planning for the operation suffered as the commanders involved were still conducting active operations in Tunisia.  In May, Eisenhower finally approved a plan which called for Allied forces to be landed in the southeastern corner of the island.  This would see Pattons 7th Army come ashore in the Gulf of Gela while Montgomerys men landed further east on both sides of Cape Passero. A gap of around 25 miles would initially separate the two beachheads. Once ashore, Alexander intended to consolidate along a line between Licata and Catania before conducting an offensive north to Santo Stefano with the intention of splitting the island in two. Pattons assault would be supported by the US 82nd Airborne Division which would be dropped behind Gela before the landings.   The Campaign On the night of July 9/10, Allied airborne units began landing, while American and British ground forces came ashore three hours later in the Gulf of Gela and south of Syracuse respectively. Difficult weather and organizational miscues hampered both sets of landings. As the defenders had not planned on conducting a pitched battle on the beaches, these issues did not damage the Allies chances for success. The Allied advance initially suffered from a lack of coordination between US and British forces as Montgomery pushed northeast towards the strategic port of Messina and Patton pushed north and west. Visiting the island on July 12, Field Marshall Albert Kesselring concluded that their Italian allies were poorly supporting German forces. As a result, he recommended that reinforcements be sent to Sicily and the western side of the island be abandoned.  German troops were further ordered to delay the Allied advance while a defensive line was prepared in front of Mount Etna.  This was to extend south from the north coast towards Troina before turning east. Pressing up the east coast, Montgomery attacked towards Catania while also pushing through Vizzini in the mountains. In both cases, the British met strong opposition. As Montgomerys army began to get bogged down, Alexander ordered the Americans to shift east and protect the British left flank. Seeking a more important role for his men, Patton sent a reconnaissance in force towards the islands capital, Palermo. When Alexander radioed the Americans to stop their advance, Patton claimed the orders were garbled in transmission and pushed on to take the city. The fall of Palermo helped spur Mussolinis overthrow in Rome. With Patton in position on the north coast, Alexander ordered a two-prong assault on Messina, hoping to take the city before Axis forces could evacuate the island. Driving hard, Patton entered the city on August 17, a few hours after the last Axis troops departed and a few hours before Montgomery. Results In the fighting on Sicily, the Allies suffered 23,934 casualties while Axis forces incurred 29,000 and 140,000 captured.  The fall of Palermo led to the collapse of Benito Mussolinis government in Rome. The successful campaign taught the Allies valuable lessons that were utilized the following year on D-Day.  Allied forces continued their campaign in the Mediterranean in September when landings commenced on the Italian mainland.

Literature Review Gorgeous Guide on Literature Review Writing

Literature Review Gorgeous Guide on Literature Review Writing A literature review might form an important part of a thesis or a dissertation, or might also just be a self-standing review of the literature on a subject. 7  Tips to Write a Literature Review Before going to the tips  lets  make a literature review definition clear. A Literature review is defined as a kind of academic writing that is aimed to demonstrate one’s familiarity with previous work in one’s field of study and the place of own work within the context of this field. A literature review has a number of objectives: Survey of the literature in the specific area Synthesis and summary of the information extracted from that literature Critical analysis of the gathered information by identification of gaps in the knowledge Presentation of the literature in an organized way Where Is a Literature Review Used? The first stage of any given research project is reviewing the field. A literature review might form an important part of a thesis or a dissertation, or might also just be a self-standing review of the literature on a subject. It is often the first stage of a wider research project, done to allow the supervisor to evaluate whether the student is on the right path. It is a compendium and synopsis of a specific field of study and research, permitting anyone reading the paper to determine why you are after this specific research program. Need to write a literature review? The article below will help you: How to Write a Literature Review Literature Review  Outline The structure of a literature review is similar to that of any essay. It should, therefore, have an introduction, main body/supporting paragraphs, and a conclusion. Here are some steps you have to follow in each of these parts. Introduction Give a clear definition of your topic and supply a suitable context for exploring and analyzing the literature. Establish your point of view and list the reasons for reviewing the literature State the spread of your research Explain the sequencing State what is and what isn’t included in your literature review. Body paragraphs Structure the literature in a manner corresponding to common themes Provide correlative insights between the topic of your choice and the wider area of the subject in hand Zoom-in from the wider theme of the reviewed literature to your specific area of interest and research Conclusion Provide a summary of the important points Give evaluation to the present state of that literature Make an identification of major flaws and gaps in the knowledge in hand Give an outline for further study Provide a link between your research and existing knowledge 7  Literature Review Writing Tips TIP 1.  Organize your writing so it is focused around and relating primarily to the thesis of the conducted research. It can help to draw a diagram showing you the related fields and how you can arrange them in correlation to one another, as a preparation for the writing. TIP 2.  Invest in a  well-conducted literature review research. Broaden your horizons, take advice from the librarian and consult your mentor if possible. All these might expand your sources to unexpected and more engaging level. TIP 3.  Combine results into a summary of known and unknown elements. Always remember, it is about showing the ability for critical thinking and identification of issues through literature, rather than a simplistic overview of what’s out there. TIP 4.  Look out for controversial areas in the literature you read. These are the most interesting and need to be pointed out. It is about awakening a relevant discussion and finding the truth through arguing. TIP 5.  Be polite when arguing a point. If you are reading something you disagree with finding the proper words to conduct your point of view without offending the other writer. TIP 6.  Link the elements in a way that makes sense. If you are using various sources to discuss a problem, use linking words to create relations between the sources. TIP 7.  Quote sources properly. If you choose to use a direct quote from someone, make sure you give them the proper credit, otherwise, it might appear as if you are trying to present it as your own. Our writers may help you to write a literature review that uses only current references and utilizes materials from the most esteemed authors in the field. We have the experience and knowledge that will help you through your assignment. All you need to do is to let us know about the details of your task or place an order.

Reflection on Gained Writing Skills Throughout the Course Essay

Reflection on Gained Writing Skills Throughout the Course - Essay Example Since my childhood, I have always had affection towards linguistics. I loved writing differently about topics. I wrote for fun and not specifically following any procedures since I was not addressing an audience. I always preferred writing when I was alone to avoid disturbance and interference. Although I enjoyed writing, I never thought that I was good at it so most of the times I never allowed anyone to read my work. Initially, my writing depicted numerous grammatical errors, wrong formats, redundancy, and lack of logical flow. However, with time and practice, I have perfected my writing. Learning is a process and right now, I am proud of my writings. I am amazed when I look back at what I used to write. I have realized that writing will always be part of me and knowing the fact that it can be a source of income makes it even more interesting. Before writing any given topic, I always go through the topic I intend to write about which helps me to get an idea of what I should write. After getting the concept, I write a rough draft and after that, I get to revise the draft. This helps me to get rid of the simple mistakes in my writing. Finally, I always proofread my work to be sure that my final document is perfect. This routine has really improved my self-esteem as a person since I have realized that everything in life must systematic. This has helped me to be always thorough with what I do since the final product is always what matters. Peer review has really had a positive effect on me as a writer since it always provides me with an opportunity to learn from my peers and get to improve on my weaknesses, it also gives me a chance share my views and experiences to my peers and this has really been motivating.