Reflective Study free essay sample

Reflective writing provides an opportunity to gain further insights from the work through deeper reflection on our own experiences, and through further consideration of other perspectives from people and theory. Through reflection we can deepen the learning from work. ’(Watton P, Collings J) (Branch Paranjape, 2002, p. 1185) states reflective writing is writing which involves Consideration of the larger context, the meaning, and the implications of an experience or action. ‘It is not sufficient simply to have an experience in order to learn. Without reflecting upon this experience it may quickly be forgotten, or its learning potential lost. It is from the feelings and thoughts emerging from this reflection that generalisations or concepts can be generated. And it is generalisations that allow new situations to be tackled effectively. ’ (Gibbs 1988) As a part of my overseas nursing programme, I was given the opportunity to present any topic of my choice on the 19th of July 2012. We will write a custom essay sample on Reflective Study or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I was asked to do a reflective study on my experience doing the presentation. The most commonly used model by health professionals for reflective writing is the Gibbs model. I chose this model to reflect on my presentation. My presentation was on a special program run by my Nursing home for residents with advanced dementia, called ‘Namaste Care’. Gibbs reflective cycle consists of 6steps namely , Description, feeling , evaluation, analysis, conclusion and action plan. It encourages a clear description of the situation, analysis of feelings, evaluation of the experience, analysis to make sense of the experience, conclusion where other options are considered and reflection upon experience to examine what you would do if the situation arose again Gibbs (1988). I chose Gibbs model as this makes us to think through all the phases of an experience or activity. DESCRIPTION The topic I chose ‘Namaste care’ is a programme designed to improve the quality life of residents with advanced dementia. Namaste care programme which is practised at my placement area is being delivered to the residents with advanced dementia for the last one year. It has been found very effective and useful for the residents with dementia. The concept was very interesting and caught my attention on my very first day of placement. As a part of my learning experience I got the opportunity to participate in Namaste care. It gave me an understanding know that there is a spirit that lives in each person irrespective of their physical and mental condition and it is this spirit that we are nurturing through loving touch, meaningful activities and presence of others (Joyce Simmard 2007). As a part of my Overseas Nursing Programme I was asked to present on a topic of my choice. The moment i was told, I exactly knew what i was going to present on. The nursing home i am doing my placement is doing a programme called Namaste Care. It is very fresh topic and undergoing a lot of discussions among health professionals working with dementia patients. And there was a documentary aired on BBC two weeks before I started my placement. It’s such a beautiful and enriching experience, that I was eager to share what I saw and learned at the nursing home. . The most important factor of a successful presentation is selecting a topic that would educate, entertain and motivate the audience (Dlugan 2008). My gut feeling told me that this will be a very interesting topic, as most of my classmates were doing their placements in a nursing home, servicing to dementic residents. I discussed it with my mentor and she was happy that i selected a topic which is new and beneficial to UK health practice. I started gathering all the information required for my presentation through journals, websites, books, and the guidelines given to the nursing home regarding Namaste care. Most of my research came from the book ‘Namaste care’ written by Joyce Simmard. It was very helpful as it directly was written by the founder of Namaste care. I prepared a rough draft of all the information i wanted to talk during my presentation. Now i had to make the presentation intrusting, and the thought of a power point presentation came across. Studies have shown that Power Point presentation may improve student attitudes toward the instructor and class presentation (Nouri H et al 2005). Having done presentation during my Masters made it easy to use the tool. I downloaded appropriate pictures and added them to the slides. ‘Clear pictures multiply the audiences level of understanding of the material presented, and they should be used to reinforce your message, clarify points, and create excitement’ (OSHA 1996). I gathered more information about how to make interesting slides, a slide show by Satyajeet Singh helped me to prepare effective and eye capturing slides. I chose appropriate pictures and applied them in the background. I made sure the fonts were of the appropriate size. Sentences were written clearly and made in bullets, which was short and simple (Singh S). My Next task was to adhere to the time limit given to us, which was 15 minutes per person. I divided the time between introduction, explanation, showing a short video, conclusion and questions. The professional speaker George Torok says rehearsing speech standing on your feet will give confidence (George Torok 2004). George also says that rather than memorising the whole topic, know the topic and make your own points (George Torok 2004). I rehearsed the prepared slides and practiced finishing my presentation within 13 min, leaving 2 minutes for unseen mishaps. On the day of my presentation I reached the college 15 minutes early, giving me time to check if the projector was working fine and to see my presentation on projection. I was a bit nervous, but as I had practiced well it calmed me down to a certain extent. I was able to deliver as i had planned and practiced. My classmates were helpful and did not interrupt unnecessarily, which helped me to finish my presentation within the time limit given to me. My assessor was happy with my presentation and gave me feedback on areas to improve. FEELING My initial fear was presenting within the time frame given to me, as there was so much to talk about and less time. But as i started preparing my rough draft I was able to pick essential points and areas to speak on. My mentor guided me in consising my presentation. Repeated practice helped me to deliver my presentation within the time limit. I was still anxious on the day of my presentation. I came 15minutes before to check the projector and the internet as I had to play a video from the website. Once I had everything checked and i was prepared, my anxious reduced by half. I normally do not have stage fear, by on that day i was a bit nervous as i was going to present on a topic that was new and unknown to everyone. I wanted to deliver the topic to the best of my knowledge. It was a new care approach to me as well, which made me fear the questioning part. But at the end of my presentation i was able to answer all the questions put across. I had an eager and helpful audience which gave me confidence and excitement to carry on . It helped me present and answer to their questions. At the end of presentation I felt relaxed and happy as i was able to deliver as i had planned. EVALUATION This experience gave me confidence to face a group and talk. It taught me time management. My teaching skills were improved giving me a wonderful learning experience. My Knowledge and skills on Namaste care improved and I was able to relate and apply it in my care for dementia patients. Namaste care has different programs for different patient needs, I was able to explain only a part of it as the topic is to vast. This disappointed me; as I wanted make people aware of all the aspects of Namaste Care. ANALYSIS Once I finished my presentation my assessor gave me feedback on the areas that need to be improved. I realised that though I referred many research studies, I failed to include them in slides which was mentioned by assessor as one point to improve. He commented that the introduction was good and the slides were clear and interesting. He also suggested improving the interaction with group. CONCLUSION The presentation was a good experience for me, it improved my teaching skills in a professional manner. My confidence in talking about medical conditions increased; bring out the mentorship and leadership qualities in me. Feedback from my assessor and group was a reward for my hard work and I was extremely delighted to hear positive response from them. ACTION PLAN In future I would like to improve more on my presentation skills. I am confident do any teachings that I need to do as a part of my job role once registered. I will research more on teaching and presentation skills and I will try to make use of every chance that get. I will work on my drawbacks and bring more group interaction next time. REFERENCE 1. Dlugan, A (2008) ‘Speech preparation; selecting a speech topic’, Six minutes Speaking and presentation skills(online) available at http://sixminutes. dlugan. com/speech-preparation-2-select-topic-idea/ [accessed on 05-02-2012] 2. Nouri, H and Shahid, A (2005) ‘The effect of power point presentations on student learning and attitudes’ Global perspective on accounting education’ (online) available at ttp://gpae. bryant. edu/~gpae/vol2 [accessed on 07-02-2012] 3. Oxford brooks university, ‘Using Gibbs: Example of feflective writing in healthcare assignment’ (online) available at http://www. brookes. ac. uk/services/upgrade/a-z/reflective_using_gibbs. html [accessed on 02-02-2012] 4. Simard, J (2007) The End of Life Namaste Care Programme for People w ith Dementia, Health professions press, New York. 5. Singh, S ‘Designing effective powerpoint presentations’ (onlie) available at http://www. slideshare. net/satyajeet_02/how-to-make-effective-presentation [accessed on 07-02-2012] 6. Torok G (2004) Presentation Skills (online) available at http://www. presentation-skills-success. com/ [accessed on 06-02-2012]. 7. Watton, P. ,Collings, J and Moon, J(2001) Reflective writing: Guidence notes for students (online) available at www. learnhighercetl. plymouth. ac. uk [accessed on 05-02-2012] 8. Woods DL, Craven RF and Whitney J, (2005) The effect of therapeutic touch on behavioral symptoms of persons with dementia. (online) available at http://www. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/pubmed/15712768 [accessed on 05-02-2012] ?

Childs Ghost essays

Child's Ghost essays The child inside of todays juveniles is not dead, nor is it a ghost wandering around brutally retaliating against the world. Rather, it is lost, desperately trying to find a home or comfort in something similar. What it finds instead is rage, despair, and violence. The cause of which is the corrupt media and a shabby environment. What is wrong in saying that these young victims are ghosts, however, is that we assume this spirit of childhood is dead; that such allegedly lost souls can not be saved, and can not be once again a happy child. So, where exactly are they finding comfort? In a home where there is no apparent caring parent, the child will find a new sort of family in a group of friends. Depending on the group, children may be joining a gang. This group offers protection, a caring-like environment, often a home, and for the most part a family. As people we all need that feeling of belonging, It is depressing to think of not ever having some one to be there for you, no matter how independent you may be. As surprising as it may seem though, a violent kid may come out of a home of loving parents, yet parents that do not know how to guide or punish their child. It is a little unsettling to walk into a home were the child runs the household, telling the parents what to do and having them oblige every time like servants. We can not blame only the parents though; other factors such as low-income circumstances may drive adolescents to be vicious. Not having money to supply basic needs does make a child sad and ang ry, and still only being children they see nothing wrong in doing what ever it takes to acquire these things. Children are victims of their environment, neglected in some way or the other that has driven them to certain extremes. The very media that bash these children also praise them as heroes. There is virtually no end to the amount bad media that is in, what is now an average of over 900 chan ...

Annotate We Dare Not Postpone Action by CCT Annotated Bibliography

Annotate We Dare Not Postpone Action by CCT - Annotated Bibliography Example onal communions and seven national organizations, including Sojourners—realized that apparently no clergy had ever issued a response to Kings famous letter, even though it was specifically addressed to "fellow clergymen [sic]." In 2013, to mark the 50th anniversary of Kings letter, Christian Churches Together released its thoughtful response, which we excerpt below. —The Editor WE CONFESS. As leaders of churches claimed by more than 100 million Americans; as Catholics, evangelicals, Pentecostals, Orthodox, Historic Protestants, and members of Historic Black denominations; as people of many races and cultures: We call ourselves, our institutions, and our members to repentance. We make this confession before God and offer it to all who have endured racism and injustice both within the church and in society. responsibility to obey the law while neglecting our equal moral obligation to change laws that are unjust in their substance or application. All too often, the political involvement of Christians has been guided by the pursuit of personal or group advantage rather than a biblically grounded moral compass. We confess it is too easy for those of us who are privileged to counsel others simply to "wait"—or to pass judgment that they deserve no better than what they already have. We confess that we are slow to listen and give legitimacy to those whose experience of race relations and social privilege in America is different than our own. We keep the "other" at arms length to avoid hearing the call to sacrifice on their behalf. Our reluctance to embrace our "inescapable network of mutuality" underscores Dr. Kings observation that privileged groups seldom give up their advantages voluntarily. For example, it is difficult to persuade most suburban Christians to demand that they strive for the same quality of education in our cities that they take for granted in their own schools. To the extent that we do not listen in love, our influence in society is limited

Abraham Lincoln View of slavery Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Abraham Lincoln View of slavery - Essay Example Lincoln in his speech in Illinois termed slavery as unjust and morally wrong. He confessed both privately and in public that he hated slavery, even though he was quiet about it for a long time. Lincoln also believed that all people were against slavery, insisted and maintained a view against it. Besides, he never regretted his words either did he take them back because slavery was not right. He also came out clear giving his view that he was not an abolitionist. His problem was the current constitution that never factored in the term slavery all the clauses that gave protection to the institution. He alluded that there was a need to abolish slavery and consider slaves as equal members of the United States. Abraham argued that both the black and white were equal. Therefore, they were entitled to equal opportunities and benefit to improve their lives making slavery was unfair.Therefore, the debate on the issue of slavery was among one of the questions that triggered the civil war both in the Western and Northern states as they fought to protect the union. However, at the same time the South states struggled to gain its independence under its constitution. Conversely, the South agrarian protected their slaves to take care of their large plantations and help in other tasks that they required. During the civil war, more Africans worked in the south offering labor. They contributed significantly to the South economy because they worked and at the same time, they were sold to pay debts.

Witchcraft Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Witchcraft - Essay Example There are various cases in which this supernatural aid is usually invoked, to awaken the compassion of love that are desired, to compass the death of any obnoxious person, to call up a dead person, or to bring calamity upon rivals, enemies and opponents. Witchcraft has been done by numerous people in nearly all the periods of world’s history. The traditional belief is that not only of the dark ages but also the witches and wizards of the post-reformation times were addicted to such practices and they entered into a compact with the Satan, adjured Sacraments and the Christ, observed ‘the witches sabbath’; they paid divine honor to the ‘king of darkness’ and in return they got from him supernatural powers like harming their chosen victims, doing what they desire to, for instance, riding through the air on a broomstick, and willing to perform any service which is needed to fulfill their nefarious purposes. (Thurston, H. 1912) During the Middle Ages and even today at times, witchcraft is performed by witches as an act of healing and curing illnesses. These Witch-healers were at times the only general medical practitioners for people who had no facility of doctors and hospitals and were terribly affected with poverty and diseases. Even the church itself had very less to offer the suffering peasantry yet the Witches healers were even killed as well as accused of helping and healing. A witch-hunter puts it as: â€Å"For this must always be remembered, as a conclusion, that by witches we understand not only those which kill and torment, but all Diviners, Charmers, Jugglers, all Wizards, commonly called wise men and wise women†¦and in the same number we reckon all good witches, which do no hurt but good, which do not spoil and destroy, but save and deliver†¦It were a thousand times better for the land if all Witches, but specially the

History Of African American Music Music Essay

History Of African American Music Music Essay Music can free the human soul and every single person can listen to it. African American music became quickly part of American culture and even if its themes vary, from a pop singer to a rapper, discrimination will always be a theme in African American music; and among this, it had a big influence upon all peoples, including whites in the U.S.A., who started listening to it, loving it and even making it. Music gives you a certain perspective, a way of seeing and feeling things. That was contagious too. By music you can express whatever you want, whatever you feel. African Americans had indeed talent and no white could contest it. They sang about their sad past and many other things, but racism is a topic whereof many contemporary musicians put it in their songs. When slavery was still legal in America, work songs sung by slaves were their only liberation. Later these songs were known as spirituals, religious songs, and we can find their essence in blues and gospel music. Wade in the Water is a very well-known spiritual referring both to the New and the Old Testament. Its verses talk about the escape of the Israelites from Egypt and the chorus renders healing. Many books, among we find Frederick Douglas My Bondage and My Freedom tell us that spirituals, like this one, implied coded messages to help the slaves escape. Teaching him how to escape and leading him to the Underground Railroad are two things they are suspected to transmit. Spirituals like The Gospel Train, The Song of the Free and Following the Drinking Gourd are more related to the Underground Railroad. These were the inspiration of the later development of African American music. At the beginning of the twentieth century, blues and ragtime were very popular. Syncopation, which occurs when the regular flow of rhythm is changed (stressing a beat that normally it would not be stressed), is the hallmark of African American music styles like ragtime, jazz, blues, funk, reggae and other. Scott Joplin became the most famous composer in ragtime through Maple Leaf Rag, his 1899 publication, but also through other ragtime hits. The Blues had a bigger impact upon American culture. The name expresses a state of melancholy, sadness, a gloomy atmosphere and the most used instruments are the harmonica, the guitar, the piano, the saxophone, vocals and the trumpet. Rural blues was different where he developed. In Georgia and the Carolinas were more tuneful than Texas and Mississippi, Blind Boy Fuller being one of the representatives of this style. Texas blues are depicted by high singing and a flexible guitar line, Blind Lemon Jefferson was the most important bluesman in that area. Concerning Mississippi, the Mississippi Delta blues are the most powerful, gifted with a guitar accompaniment of great rhythm and percussion. Charley Patton, Tommy Johnson and Willie Brown are among the ones who define this style. Hart Wand, with Dallas Blues, and W.C. Handy, with The Memphis Blues were the first to publish blues sheets of music in 1912 and the first recording was Crazy Blues performed by Mamie Smith in 1920. In the 1950s the name race records, which was used because of discrimination (music was not separated by its genre, but by the ethnicity of its performer) disappeared and it was replaced with Rhythm and Blues. In that period electric blues also developed in cities such as Chicago, Memphis, Detroit and St. Louis, and in 1948 Chicago was the home of electric blues due to Muddy Waters who released his first popular song I Can t Be Satisfied. The Chicago blues knew a strong influence from the Delta blues because most Mississippi singers came into that part. The Chicago blues scene was very important in that time and Willie Dixon together with B.B. King and Howlin Wolf played an important role on it. Blues had an important influence on many other genres like jazz, rock and roll and even popular music. One of the early country bluesmen, Tom Dorsey became the father of Gospel (music with religious themes) which developed in the 1930s and the influence of which could later be found in the 1950s soul music. Ray Charles and James Brown are two soul singers that used gospel and blues in their work. Soul at its turn influenced funk music which emerged in the 1970s and this type of music could be called the ancestor of hip-hop and contemporary RB. In fact jazz could also be considered an ancestor of hip-hop due to its rapping. Jazz was a very popular genre of music and nowadays it has success only in certain groups of people. The term made reference to the music sung in Chicago in 1915 and it was slang. This kind of music has a vast history and in the same time one that changed the jazz music s style throughout time. Bebop, cool jazz, hard bop, modal jazz, soul jazz, swing and many other types delighted our ears. Louis Armstrong was the most popular jazz singer and the first African American who enjoyed great privileges. By the time racism was in power, Armstrong achieved levels of the American society that no black person could. Whites were fascinated by his talent and forgot all about their racist view, so we might say that we can find that highest power somewhere in music. It is something that one cannot understand, that thing that makes us act involuntarily. This was a great impact upon America s musicians of all sorts. Music changed many things because it was not about race or accusations, music was a bout introducing a state of heart that one, black or white, would feel it immediately. But in its background or even at the surface, songs underlined human identity, racism, poverty, discrimination, slavery and more issues like these which step-by-step, whites started to feel and passed over their stubborn belief that they were the superior race. Whites even adopted the African American music style and released songs that include racism, discrimination and other problems in America. The Apollo Theatre is located in Harlem, New York City, which is a neighborhood with a significant Black history. This theatre was the only place in New York for a long period of time were talented African Americans could find a job. The Apollo gained the public s attention during the Harlem Renaissance and the pre-War World II. Something specific to Apollo was the executioner . Each time the audience did not like the performer, a person with a broom came and swept him off the stage. Its Amateur Night hosted by Ralph Cooper was very important for many artists who wanted to start a career. Due to their appearance at the Apollo, artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Diana Ross, James Brown, The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Sarah Vaughan and many others became legends. In the 70s Black musicians did not have such a great success, but artists like Stevie Wonder, The O Jays, Barry White and Donna Summer managed to capture the attention of the entire American public. In the late 70s tough, a new musical culture appeared that had a very important impact, not only upon American culture, but also upon American mentality, lifestyle, language and behaviour. It was the Hip Hop culture which was not all about music. It could build personality; it could change your mentality and your lifestyle. The four pylons of this culture were MCing, Djing, breaking and graffiti writing. The term is originated from the African American Vernacular English where hip means current or in the known and hop refers to the movement. Hip Hop developed in South Bronx and it was represented through its rebellious and progressive elements. Rapping stands at the base of hip-hop and it is the art of using words to transmit a message during a beat. Rapping was a way of relating urban pr oblems, expressing powerful feelings of discontent and telling stories about anything in life. It was a way to liberate anger, but in the same time it was the voice of African Americans living in the ghetto, talking about street life, misery, money, family etc. To rap is a word used in British English since the sixteenth century and it means to strike , to hit . Many consider hip-hop a horrible genre of music because of the language that it is used and they cannot bear to hear it, so they do not want to listen to the message. Nonetheless, Hip Hop culture crossover and became one of the most popular, especially among young Americans who adopted the slang, the clothing, the inappropriate language and the mentality. At the beginning, hip-hop managed to diminish the rate of violence among inner-city gangs by its street dance and artwork battles. After these became real popular, many teenagers searched for different ways of expressing themselves and in this manner we could say that hip-hop was the motif for which not so many people died, but it did not make violence disappear. [Rap] emerged from the streets of inner-city neighborhoods as a genuine reflection of the hopes, concerns, and aspirations of urban Black youth in this, the last quarter of the 20th century. Rap is essentially a homemade, street-level musical genre . . . Rap lyrics concentrate primarily on the contemporary African American experience. . . Every issue within the Black community is subject to exposition in the rap arena. Hit rap tunes have broached touchy subjects such as sex, sexism, racism, and crime . . . Rap artists, they contend, don t talk that love stuff, but [rather] educate the listeners. (Powell 245) The 80s was the period that defined hip-hop music and made it more complex. Ice-T and Schoolly D introduced one of the most popular subgenres of hip-hop: gangsta rap, which was criticizes for promoting themes such as sex, violence, racism, promiscuity, misogyny, rape, drug dealing and more. The main feature of hip hop is the rebel touch which had a great influence upon America s society. Racism and their wretched past were not forgotten, and rappers made songs that underlined this part. Even if hip-hop is considered to have insulting lyrics, they are much more than that, having an intense meaning which reflects the everyday cultural, social, political and economic status of African Americans. Some of the hip-hop artists who sing about racism are Public Enemy (911 is a Joke, Anti-Nigger Machine, Fear of a Black Planet, Fight the Power), Run DMC (Proud to be Black), Kool G Rap D.J. Polo (Erase Racism), Getto Boys (No Sell Out), 3rd Bass (No Master Plan, No Master Race), Nas (America, Black President, You Can t Stop Us Now), Common feat Will I Am (A Dream) and Tupac (Ghetto Gospel, Changes, White Man s World, Trapped). Hip Hop is nowadays one of the most important labels of American music because it is in the same time a cultural aspect. African American music had a huge success in America and white people liked it so much that they started making jazz, blues, hip hop, gospel, soul and funk. African Americans could not have something against this movement because it would be contradicting their race beliefs, but in a short time they started appreciating the work of whites. Above all this, one thing is for sure: music genres will never die. People will always listen to the songs which they love, even if they are out-of-date and African American music is a part of American music which will never be forgotten. All the artists mentioned since the beginning gained a high respect in America and won awards for their pieces of art. Their contribution to America s culture was clearly seen and they also were a great inspiration for artists who followed them. Songs about slavery, racism, discrimination, fighting and human identity are some of the most important for American culture. Billie Holiday was an African American who inspired and also had an influence upon jazz singers. She was a singer and songwriter with an outstanding voice and style. Strange Fruit was part of her discography, even if it is a song which was performed by many others. This was a poem written by Abel Meeropol in which he underlines his repugnance for American racism, especially the lynching of African Americans. Billie Holiday s song was introduced in 1978 into the Grammy Hall of Fame, even if it was first performed in 1939 and it had its place on the list Songs of the Century. Sam Cooke released A Change is Gonna Come in 1964. He was an American gospel, soul and pop singer who won awards for his work and was voted in 2005 number 12 in Rolling Stone magazine s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. This song is one of the most famous about the Civil Rights Movement. In 1964, another jazz, soul, blues and gospel singer, Nina Simone contributed with three protest songs that emphasized social change: Mississippi Goddam, Four Women, To Be Young, Gifted and Black. These are among the most famous protest songs and self-written pieces. Another famous protest song is War which is very popular in America nowadays due to the fact that is became the soundtrack of the movie Rush Hour. The song is best-known performed by Edwin Starr and it also belongs to the soul genre. Its release in 1970s made War a runaway hit. James Brown captured the public s attention with the funk hit Say It Loud (I m Black and I m Proud) in 1968. The song became one of the most popular Black anthems of the 1960s and emphasized the necessity for black conferring of rights. Stevie Wonder was exactly like his name and in 1973 released Living for the City in which we can observe his dissatisfaction and irritation in the tension and anger incorporated in his voice. The main themes of the song were poverty and racism. Both singers won many awards for their work and were very important figures on America s cultural scene. Besides the entire list of successful African American singers, we have two artists that created a huge sensation: the King of Blues and the King of Pop. The first is B.B. King who recorded in 1983 a compilation which consists of his greatest work in that period and in the same time the themes of the compilation are racism, discrimination and humanity: Why I Sing the Blues. King won fifteen Grammy Awards and many others. He was initiated in 1987 into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Time magazine ranked him in 2009 the third from the ten best guitarists. He and his guitar Lucille are among America s prides. The second one, God rest his soul, was the contemporary African American s impact upon society. The legend, Michael Jackson, along with his songs and a publicized personal life showed the entire world what racism, discrimination and mistreatment meant. Songs like Black or White, They Don t Care about Us, Man in the Mirror and Heal the World were runaway hits since they were released . He won many awards and he was not only appreciated in America, but loved. Both legends bring fire in the hearts of their listeners. Rock and roll bands with different influences, mostly formed of whites, sang also about racism and discrimination. Some songs that emphasized more or less these themes are: The Beauty of Gray by Live, Colored People by Dc Talk, Ebony and Ivory by Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder, Heartspark $ by Everclear and even Have a Nice Day by Bon Jovi. In music African Americans had and still have a huge success, but also in many forms of culture. The National Museum of African Art in Washington, D.C. proves their touch upon American culture. However, music was the one who managed to make them feel free and equal by permitting them to express their true sorrows in a time when direct accusations were condemned. They just needed the talent and few metaphors.

How did Brecht make use of character and audience in order to successfu

Bertolt Brecht was a renowned German theatre practitioner and dramatist whose works are credited as having been at the leading edge of 20th century theatre. Being a socialist-Marxist, Brecht he was deeply concerned with the society in which he lived, and so desired to change the way people both thought and acted towards their fellow man. His concept of the Epic Theatre sought to dramatically change the way in which theatre is to be performed, opposing many of the 19th century dramatic conventions outlined for the ‘well-made play’. Dramatic Theatre is generally thought to be constructed of a number of things; including the use of detailed characters, containing a robust plot, having evolutionary determinism, and progressing with linear development. On the other hand, Brecht’s Epic Theatre focuses on narrative, episodic scenes, curved storylines, and creates a broader picture of the world for the spectator. The primary intention of a ‘well-made play’ is to simply entertain, and as Brecht stated, ‘from the first it has been the theatre’s business to entertain people’ (Brecht, 1964, pg. 180). However, Brecht personally believed that theatre should primarily be a place for learning and social correction – using the stage as a political platform to both inform and inspire its audience members. Although this is not to say that Brecht completely dismissed the notion of having theatrical entertainment, since his plays were also filled with music, comedy and lighting. Thus, theatre should not merely try to represent society – it should attempt to shape it too. The main area that I wish to address is how Brecht made use of both character and audience in an attempt to push forward his own political and moral interests. To do this, I will be l... ...23-31, JSTOR [Online]. Available at: http://www.jstor.org/stable/392365 (Accessed 19/04/2012). Ernst, R. (2005) The Spectator and Not the Actor is the central focus of Brecht’s Stagecraft. Munich: GRIN Publishing GmbH. Kolbe, J. (1954) Portrà ¤t Bertolt Brecht. [electronic print] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bertolt-Brecht.jpg (Accessed 22/04/2012). Morley, M. (1977) Brecht: A Study. New Jersey: Rowman and Littlefield. Needle, J. (1981) Brecht / Jan Needle and Peter Thomson. Oxford: Blackwell. Styan, J. L. (1981) Modern Drama in Theory and Practice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Tatlow, A. and Wong, T. (1982) Brecht and East Asian Theatre: The Proceedings of a Conference on Brecht in East Asian Theatre. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press. Willett, J. (1959) The Theatre of Bertolt Brecht, A Study from Eight Aspects. London: Methuen. How did Brecht make use of character and audience in order to successfu Bertolt Brecht was a renowned German theatre practitioner and dramatist whose works are credited as having been at the leading edge of 20th century theatre. Being a socialist-Marxist, Brecht he was deeply concerned with the society in which he lived, and so desired to change the way people both thought and acted towards their fellow man. His concept of the Epic Theatre sought to dramatically change the way in which theatre is to be performed, opposing many of the 19th century dramatic conventions outlined for the ‘well-made play’. Dramatic Theatre is generally thought to be constructed of a number of things; including the use of detailed characters, containing a robust plot, having evolutionary determinism, and progressing with linear development. On the other hand, Brecht’s Epic Theatre focuses on narrative, episodic scenes, curved storylines, and creates a broader picture of the world for the spectator. The primary intention of a ‘well-made play’ is to simply entertain, and as Brecht stated, ‘from the first it has been the theatre’s business to entertain people’ (Brecht, 1964, pg. 180). However, Brecht personally believed that theatre should primarily be a place for learning and social correction – using the stage as a political platform to both inform and inspire its audience members. Although this is not to say that Brecht completely dismissed the notion of having theatrical entertainment, since his plays were also filled with music, comedy and lighting. Thus, theatre should not merely try to represent society – it should attempt to shape it too. The main area that I wish to address is how Brecht made use of both character and audience in an attempt to push forward his own political and moral interests. To do this, I will be l... ...23-31, JSTOR [Online]. Available at: http://www.jstor.org/stable/392365 (Accessed 19/04/2012). Ernst, R. (2005) The Spectator and Not the Actor is the central focus of Brecht’s Stagecraft. Munich: GRIN Publishing GmbH. Kolbe, J. (1954) Portrà ¤t Bertolt Brecht. [electronic print] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bertolt-Brecht.jpg (Accessed 22/04/2012). Morley, M. (1977) Brecht: A Study. New Jersey: Rowman and Littlefield. Needle, J. (1981) Brecht / Jan Needle and Peter Thomson. Oxford: Blackwell. Styan, J. L. (1981) Modern Drama in Theory and Practice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Tatlow, A. and Wong, T. (1982) Brecht and East Asian Theatre: The Proceedings of a Conference on Brecht in East Asian Theatre. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press. Willett, J. (1959) The Theatre of Bertolt Brecht, A Study from Eight Aspects. London: Methuen.

Telemachus – Good or Bad Brother?

Siblings are the people we practice on, the people who teach us about fairness and cooperation and kindness and caring quite often the hard way. Pamela Dugdale (Blog writer) Would Telemachus be a Good or Bad Brother? Imagine for a moment what would happen if Telemachus, Odysseus’ son, â€Å"The Odyssey† by Homer, had a younger brother or sister. How would his life change if he knew he has somebody to protect? Or if he knew he has somebody to pass the reins of power to? Probably he could be braver by knowing he is a live shield for somebody.On the other hand what would happen with his temperament if he had an older brother or sister? There is a chance he would be mentally weaker. Maybe he would blame his sibling for all of his troubles. In order to find answers to these questions I will be presenting you bare facts from research studies made by different people in different centuries. I am also testing my own experience and ability to understand this precious bond betwee n siblings and family members. I am an older brother to my two younger lovely sisters. While I was growing up I was still the only child, but I was like an older brother to my two dear cousins.Family bond is a special thing. Whenever you speak to your close family member whom you haven’t seen for a while, you are most likely to take his or her words deep into your heart. That’s why silver-eyed Athena uses form of Iphthime, Penelope’s sister, in order to convince Penelope. And I will do my best to describe lonely prince Telemachus’ character and apply it to the whole different environment, which will show the peculiarity of growing up with siblings. Let’s imagine him sharing not only common moment of happiness and joy, but bitter sweet moments of grief and sadness.Depending on what kind of person his sibling would be, Telemachus could possibly show us some of his negative qualities. Because I think Telemachus would be too modest to be in charge of t he family, I feel like his sibling would overpower him. But in some ways better than his father, loving and generous person Telemachus would become a good brother! There is an interesting article I read that I would like to share. It is called â€Å"siblings relationship† and for its most part it is summarizing article that gives a reader a broad view of siblings’ behavior in a family.Here are some interesting moments: â€Å"The earliest research on relationships among siblings developed the common theme that brothers and sisters relate to each other mainly in a rivalrous way, competing for parental attention and status within the family unit. It is true that young siblings frequently fight with each other, putting a strain on the entire family; in fact, family psychologists report that squabbling among siblings is one of the top concerns of their clients†(sibling relationship). It is true that rivalry exist within any family with two and more kids.But scientist s, in their materialistic nature, will always be looking for sources and reasons why it happens. The old opinion is formulated by Alfred Adler in 1959. Adler says, â€Å"that the ‘dethronement’ of the eldest child by the birth of a sibling is a trauma that initiates all sibling rivalry† (sibling relationship). This opinion is pretty narrow. Newer facts that we get fromâ€Å"Some studies show that those siblings who exhibit the most rivalry are also the most likely to cooperate, be affectionate, share, and support each other†(sibling relationship).Meaning it helps kids to develop good qualities such as ability to share, compassion, consideration and patience. My interpretation of it is as follows: if two brothers are fighting over a bicycle and an older brother always gets to ride it and he does it day after day. Until he gets to the point when he starts realizing that he makes his brother sad. This is a moment when older brother’s personality is sta rting to change. Maybe he will not change his behavior right away, because there is usually too much rivalry going on between brothers.So it’s up to older brother to change first, but both of them will carry an understanding of the importance of sharing into adult life. In a similar way siblings learn how to solve relationship problems that may happen in their future. When interviewed one old couple said, â€Å"The Secret of Our 78-Year Marriage? Argue Every Day†(101-Year-Old Married Couple). I would like to come up with an only child in a family study in order to better understand Telemachus.There is a stereotype that children have a better chance to grow into healthy adults if they have siblings. â€Å"The only child is popularly considered to be selfish, lonely, and maladjusted† (Falbo). This opinion was around for more than a hundred of years since the first studies in 1880’s. Nowadays the studies show only child in family usually performs better in s chool and is more likely to achieve expectations of their parents. Don’t get me wrong here; I think siblings gain better qualities in their childhood than only child.When siblings grow up and become adults they tend to be emotionally strong and prepared for relationship issues that are inevitable. On the contrary, the only child is not emotionally prepared and will have expectations of everything and everyone to be near to perfect. The moment something goes wrong it is harder for the only child to accept it and work on that emotional problem. In an article called â€Å"Only child syndrome a myth† the author crashes the myth of the only child not having enough friends.Nonetheless there are some interesting facts in the article. It says, â€Å"A study of kindergarteners, published in 2004 in the Journal of Marriage and Family, found that teachers rated sibling-less children lower on a variety of social skills, including self-control and interpersonal skills† (Sohn ). For a moment imagine this happens in 2004 when there are a lot of pre-school classes for kids and day-care centers, but back on Ithaca years and years ago Telemachus probably had not many kids to play with.Laura Padilla-Walker at Brigham Young University made an interesting research †She recently found that having affectionate siblings helped kids, ages 10 to 14, feel less lonely and depressed and act more generously† (Sohn). It proves the already mentioned statement that siblings are learning how to be generous just by living together. Here is another important statement that she makes,† If parents only have one child, they will just have to work a little harder to give children those opportunities (Laura Padilla-Walker)† (Sohn).I think these words would be true about Penelope working hard to establish good social skills in her son’s mind. I assume that all the credit gets Penelope for growing a fine son like Telemachus, but maybe it happened thank s to Eurycleia’s care and love. Eurycleia is on Odysseus’ nurse. Nonetheless, there is no clear answer in here. Interesting facts were published in North American Journal of Psychology. â€Å"Adult siblings can be essential resource for support, love and friendship (Van Volkom, Machiz and Reich). This many studies supporting my idea that having a sibling is so many ways beneficial. When siblings do not have a good relationship with their parents, they tend to overcompensate by having a supportive relationship with one another. Support and warmth is different between men and women (Van Volkom, Machiz and Reich). This makes me believe that Telemachus would be even closer with his sibling because they both would share the pain of growing up without father. â€Å"Living through traumatic life experiences together makes the sibling bond stronger† (Van Volkom, Machiz and Reich), that would be living in a house that is invaded by suitors in Telemachus' case.The resear chers found out about â€Å"the ‘love and hate' pattern that frequently occurs in the sibling relationship† (Van Volkom, Machiz and Reich). But â€Å"positive outcomes can result from rivalry† such as â€Å"learning how to share and compromise† (Van Volkom, Machiz and Reich). I would like to summarize the whole article. The studies made are showing that â€Å"overall, most participants reported that rivalry peaked in either childhood or adolescense normal), and then declines in adulthood as siblings come back together as friends† (Van Volkom, Machiz and Reich).I think this research is supporting my two previous researches and brings up new facts to think about. There was a moment in The Odyssey that simply shows why it is good to have a sibling in this life. Bright-eyed Athena decided to help Penelope by cheering her up and encouraging her. Athena creates a phantom of Penelope’s sister Iphthime, then phantom enters Penelope’s dream. So Penelope is dreaming, tired of endless crying, and suddenly her beautiful sister, the person she can trust and believe, is in her dream.And so Athena inspires her, â€Å"Your son will still come home – it’s decreet†¦He travels with such an escort, one that other would pray to stand beside them. She has power-Pallas Athena†(4. 907-932). These words spelled from her sister’s lips inspired her like nothing else in the world. Athena reached deep into her heart, bringing love there and flaring a small light of hope into a huge fire of belief. Sometimes it’s good to have somebody to remind you about how beautiful life is and that you are not alone because you have your wonderful brother or sister. Now, imagine Telemachus growing up with his older brother.Finally he has somebody to talk to, but I think Telemachus would be blaming his brother in the same in what he is blaming suitors and gods. Here is what he says to his mother, â€Å"why, mother/wh y deny our devoted bard the chance to entertain us any way the spirit stirs him on? Bards are not to blame – Zeus is to blame. He deals to each to each and every laborer on this earth whatever doom he pleases† (1. 395-403). Maybe he would accuse his older brother of not protecting their mother. It might also happen so he would proceed with Athena’s plan behind his brother’s back.But otherwise, I think Telemachus would die for his brother, here what he says when he is protecting his father,† Ctesippus, you can thank your lucky stars you missed our guest – he ducked your blow, by god! Else I would have planted my sharp spear into your bowels†¦and I’d rather die, yes, better that by far then have to look on at your outrage day by day†(20. 340-354). Telemachus is brave, though he grew up without father or sibling, but I can only imagine how much more courage he would have gained having his older brother by his side. Maybe they wo uld be plotting the same plan on how to get rid of suitors together.Of course, it all depends on what kind of person his brother would be. Just a little different situation would occur if Telemachus suddenly happened to have a younger brother or sister. Definitely, he would not sit around with suitors, as he does day by day. He complains to Athena,†Soon – you wait – they’ll grind me down as well† (1. 293) He would have never said that if he would have clear goal to protect what is precious to him. It’s like a duty of older brother. He would understand he must act in order to save the future of his sibling.I would like to add two more qualities that can be learned being a brother from my own personal experience. I am an older brother to my two sisters five and six years old. Beside that I’m an older cousin to my two other cousins. We were three boys growing up together. Being an older brother is learning how to be patient. I was growing up with only one sister. But even that one was enough. Looking after that small yo-yo takes nerves made of steel. From love the patience is born. And through patience a lot of things can be forgiven. Things like, turning off my computer while I’m playing my favored video game, which my sister enjoyed to do.As for being an older cousin a different lesson is taught. I did hurt my younger cousins and I do pity it a lot by now. I wish I wouldn’t be so harsh older brother as I was. When you have power over others it takes time to understand how to not overuse it. After doing a research and looking into Telemachus’ character I can surely say he would be a great brother. He would team up with his older sibling against suitors. Be it a brother, they would make a plan on how to slaughter suitors. If a sister, they would look for some help outside or maybe in some tricky way would have poisoned them.If a sibling would be a strong person, Telemachus would double his or her qualities making them twice stronger and wiser. If a sibling would be weak person, Telemachus would be ready to take over the responsibilities. In a last situation the sibling having a reckless life would have caused Telemachus into even greater depression. Having a younger sibling would bring great benefits to Telemachus. He would gain qualities like supportiveness, patience and self-confidence. Because he would be in care of somebody he would become more reliable. He would be more responsible for his words and he would support his words with actions.If he had an older sister she would give him a good emotional support. Overall, Telemachus would become a man that is ready to accept and fight off his problems in a manly manner. In general having a sibling is most likely to have a positive effect on one’s personality. This belief is so strong in our society that many couples decide to give birth to a second child. Nowadays studies prove that sibling relationship is not that e asy. Usually there is a lot of rivalry going on between siblings in adolescence, but it mostly results in strengthening the bond between siblings.Other studies are trying to prove that only child is happier and performs better in school, but my opinion is growing up with sibling is a lesson that is priceless in a school called â€Å"life†. I value the sibling’s experience 5 times higher than only child having a happy childhood. So might some of us that grew up as only child have to think to themselves: â€Å"Do I have to catch up with those people who grew up with a sibling†? Works Cited Falbo, Tony â€Å"The One-Child Family in the United States: Research Issues and Results† Studies in Family Planning Vol. 13, No. 6/7 (Jun. – Jul. , 1982), pp. 12-215 Web. 11 of April 2012 Homer. The Odyssey. Trans. Robert Fagles. New York: Penguin Classics, 1996. Print. Senior, Jennifer â€Å"101-Year-Old Married Couple† www. nymag. com (2009): n. page Web. 4 of April 2012 â€Å"Sibling Relationship† , N. A. www. faqs. com (2012): n. page Web. 4 of April 2012 Sohn, Emilie â€Å"Only Child Syndrome a Myth† news. discovery. com (2010): n. page Web. 4 of April 2012 Van Volkom, Michel , Machiz, Carly and Reich, Ashley E. â€Å"Sibling Relationship in College years† North American Journal of Psychology; 2011, Vol. 13 Issue 1, p35-50, 16p, 1 Chart, Web. 11 of April 2012

4 Tips for Stand-Out Carnegie Mellon Essays

4 Tips for Stand-Out Carnegie Mellon Essays SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Carnegie Mellon is ranked among the top 25 universities in the nation, so you’ll need to have an impressive application- with stand-out essays, of course!- in order to get admitted. Applicants must submita total of four Carnegie Mellon essays,three of which comprise the Carnegie Mellon supplement. Keep reading to learn what the current Carnegie Mellon essay prompts are, what topics you could write about, and what qualities make for a great Carnegie Mellon essay. Feature Image: Mathieu Thouvenin/Flickr What Are the Carnegie Mellon Essay Prompts? In addition to thepersonal statement you must write for the Common App (for which you get to select one out of seven possible prompts), Carnegie Mellon requires all applicants to submit three supplemental essays; theseessays make up the Carnegie Mellon Supplement. Applicants are not allowed to submit other supplemental materials with their applications, such as websites, artwork, or resumes. (Note that the only exception to this is ifyou’re applying to a school that requires additional materials, such as the School of Architecture.) Each essay may be up to 300 words long, making them a little shorter than your typical personal statement for college, which is usually around 500-600 words. So what are the Carnegie Mellon essay prompts? Let’s take a look: "When we‘re connected to others, we become better people," said Carnegie Mellon University‘s Randy Pausch, author of The Last Lecture. At Carnegie Mellon you‘ll have the opportunity to collaborate with a diverse community of scholars, artists and innovators. Given the students, faculty, staff and resources that have been available to you as a student, how have you collaborated with others, in or out of the classroom? Or, what lessons have you learned from working with others in the past, that might shape your experience in the future? Most students choose their intended major or area of study based on a passion or inspiration that’s developed over time- what passion or inspiration led you to choose this area of study? Consider your application as a whole. What do you personally want to emphasize about your application for the admission committee’s consideration? Highlight something that’s important to you or something you haven’t had a chance to share. Tell us, don’t show us (no websites please). As you can see, each Carnegie Mellon essay you must write will focus on something different about yourself.Specifically, you must explain the following in your essays: For Essay 1, how you have collaborated with others (on projects) For Essay 2, what you plan to major in and why For Essay 3, something you want to emphasize about yourself How should you write each Carnegie Mellon essay? We give you specific tips next. All Carnegie Mellon Essay Prompts, Analyzed In this section, we’ll go over the three Carnegie Mellon essay prompts in detail, giving you key tips so you can ensure your essays stand out from the rest of the crowd. Carnegie Mellon Essay 1: A Collaborative Experience "When we‘re connected to others, we become better people," said Carnegie Mellon University‘s Randy Pausch, author of The Last Lecture. At Carnegie Mellon you‘ll have the opportunity to collaborate with a diverse community of scholars, artists and innovators. Given the students, faculty, staff and resources that have been available to you as a student, how have you collaborated with others, in or out of the classroom? Or, what lessons have you learned from working with others in the past, that might shape your experience in the future? This first Carnegie Mellon essay prompt might appear complicated, but let’s try to break it down. What is this prompt really asking you to do? The first part of the prompt is explaining Carnegie Mellon’s diversity and ongoing commitment to fostering collaborative environments.Clearly, Carnegie Mellon strongly values teamwork and students' abilities to work well with others in order to produce interesting, successful projects. The second part of the prompt is the question (or rather the questions), which we can divide into three major ideas: Have you ever collaborated with others (such as students, teachers, etc.) on something? What did you learn about yourself from this experience? What kind of role do you think this experience play in your future? The first step to answering this prompt is to come up withone specific experience you want to write about.Here are some examples of potential topics: A group project you did for school, what role you played in that project, and what you gained from the experience. For example, did you delegate roles? Take charge to ensure everything was completed on time? Fix a major problem that almost compromised your project? A team sport you play or used to play. Was there a specific time you led others to success? Or maybe your team struggled to get along and you came up with a solution to get everyone to work together. A volunteer effort you worked on with others.Perhaps you assisted with a winter holiday food drive or raised money for a children's charity. What did this experience teach you about collaboration? A group task you must do for a part-time job. For instance, maybe you work at a video game store and must take turns with your co-workers in stocking new games and helping customers. Has this experience had an effect on how you approach or view teamwork? This is a great essay in which toemphasize your leadership skills if you assumed some sort of leadership role in a group project or activity. If you didn’t take on a leadership role, that’s totally OK- just focus on what role you did play on the team you were part of and explain what this experience taught you about working together to accomplish a shared goal. Another thing to remember is to be as specific as possible.Don’t be afraid to use people’s names and delve into your feelings about the project or activity you did with others. For example, maybe the experience you're writing about was a challenge in the beginning- maybe your group couldn't agree on a science project to do for the school science fair. However, onceyou had everyone write down their project ideas and share them with one another, your group was at last able to decide on a project idea. As a final tip for this essay prompt,be clear about how this experience has affected you and might impact your future (at Carnegie Mellon).Maybe that experience working on the group science project taught you the importance of giving everyone a say in the brainstorming process, so you’ll ensure this happens with any group projects you work on at Carnegie Mellon, too. Carnegie Mellon Essay 2: Your Intended Major Most students choose their intended major or area of study based on a passion or inspiration that’s developed over time- what passion or inspiration led you to choose this area of study? Though it might look a little wordy, all this Carnegie Mellon essay prompt is really asking is, "Why this major?"More specifically,this prompt wants you to relate the intellectual path you've taken by explaining the experiences, people, and/or events that have led you to want to major in this particular field. By far the most effective way to answer this prompt is to tell a compelling story about how you came to be interested in your intended major.Think about the most important moments from your life that showcase your love of what you want to study, and then write about those. For example, say you plan to major in musical composition.You could start off by recounting the first time you tried to write a piece of music on your family’s piano and how hard it was. However, you really enjoyed the process of creating something new. This prompted you toenroll in weekly piano lessons; you also continued to compose piano pieces in your spare time. As a sophomore, you decided to enteryour school’s talent show and ended up winning with a musical piece you’d composed. While you don’t need to stick to chronological order, using this organization ensures your essay is easy to follow and clearly illustrates how you progressed from someone who knew nothing about the field to someone now highly devoted to it. In addition, be sure to focus on not only how you became interested in your major but also how this journey of discovering your passion has affected you and your goals.For example, perhaps you want to major in architecture because you hope to use your skills to encourage eco-friendly living and therefore combat the effects of climate change. It’s also a good idea to mention, explicitly or implicitly, how Carnegie Mellon will help you accomplish your goals in your intended field.You could talk briefly about a particular faculty member in your field whom you hope to work with, an expensive piece of equipment offered at Carnegie Mellon, or specific professional opportunities available to students. Finally, be careful not to exaggerate.Don’t say you suddenly developed an interest in literature after reading The Great Gatsby for English class if you actually loathed the book or had a passion for literature well before then. It’s OK if there wasn't one single moment in your life that made you realize this major was the right one for you.Instead of acting as though some particular incident was more significant than it actually was, just focus on the overall journey you took to get to the point you’re at now- that is, the major you’ve chosen to pursue. What defines you? Carnegie Mellon Essay 3: Something Important About You Consider your application as a whole. What do you personally want to emphasize about your application for the admission committee’s consideration? Highlight something that’s important to you or something you haven’t had a chance to share. Tell us, don’t show us (no websites please). This essay prompt is the most open ended of the three and a great opportunity to really dig into any important attributes of yourself that you feel you didn’t get to write enough about or at all in other parts of your application. Did you write about something in another essay, such as the one you wrote for the Common App, that you wish to talk about more here?Do you want to write about something that’s important to you and that you haven’t had a chance to elaborate on yet? Your topics are pretty endless here- just make sure whatever you write about for this essay is revealing something important that you think the admissions committee should know about you. This could be a specific personality trait- maybe you want to emphasize your leadership skills by talking about your role as team leader at the local youth club- or something about your life that’s had a major impact on how you see yourself and your future. Here are some topics you could write about (but don’t feel limited by these suggestions!): A specific incident that holds importance for you, and what it taught you about your academic and/or professional interests, your goals, your personality, etc. Someone you know who has impacted you in a significant way, and how that person has specifically influenced your interests and/or goals An explanation for something that negatively impacted your grades or another part of your application- for example, perhapsyou spent a lot of time taking care of a sick relative during your sophomore year of high school, which caused your grades to dip slightly A particular interest, passion, hobby, or skill you have, and what you've gained, either intellectually or emotionally, from it Once again,don’t try to write about what you think the CMU admissions committee wants to read- be honest about what’s important to you and why.If you volunteered somewhere a few times but didn’t enjoy it or gain anything valuable from it, do not write about it here! Similarly,don’t be afraid to focus on something seemingly mundane. Just besure you’re using the topic you choose- even if it’s pretty commonplace- to ultimately reveal something important about you. So, no, it'sprobably not a good idea to write about how you spend hours on Instagram every day, since this hobby isn’t really revealing anything significant about you, your goals, or your personal growth. 2 Real Carnegie Mellon Essay Examples + Analysis In order to write a great Carnegie Mellon essay, it helps to see what kinds of essays actually got applicants accepted to this prestigious university. Here, we give youtwo real Carnegie Mellon essay examples we found online and explain what makes them successful. Note: This year’s Carnegie Mellon essay prompts are new, so the following essays are in response to older prompts with different word limits. Despite these differences, being able to see the kinds of stories successful applicants have told should give you a clear sense of what topics, details, and styles might work well for your own Carnegie Mellon admissions essays! Carnegie Mellon Essay Example 1 This first of the two Carnegie Mellon essay examples comes from the college essays website Essays That Worked.The essay is quite long- more than 650 words!- and was written in response to the following (old) supplemental Carnegie Mellon essay prompt: Why Carnegie Mellon University? And now here's the essay: As a child who hid behind her parents and never uttered a word whenever strangers were near, I was no stranger to people deeming me shy. As I got older, however, I found my voice more comfortably through music, through art, and through writing. Playing Mozart’s Violin Concerto in the Kennedy Center, for instance, unleashed a swell of emotions through the intricate art of storytelling with my violin. I was drawn to writing stories and sharing ideas with my peers, starting my editor career in fifth grade. Five years later, I co-founded my high school’s literary magazine, Muses, which provides a platform for all voices while fostering connections among students. I was twelve years old when an HTML class through Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Talented Youth program introduced me to a modern language of communication: computers and the internet. Falling in love with coding and website design, I utilized my newfound knowledge to design a website for my National History Day project, which won the school competition. In high school, I joined programming club, took the rigorous computer science classes, and designed Muses’ website. This year, I created a conceptual online boutique store, which won first place in Maryland Future Business Leader Association’s E-business competitive event. In the summer of 2016, I interned in an NCI melanoma research lab. This experience completely changed how I viewed the importance of technology to modern communication. We had obtained genotypes from thousands of melanoma patients and controls, but a new question arose: how could we extract the useful information from a massive data file, akin to finding a needle in a haystack? Under the guidance of a bioinformatician, I performed an association test between melanoma associated variants and survival outcome to identify the risk loci that might affect patient survival. Catering to the needs of the scientists, I wrote an app by R code that organizes and manages melanoma genotype information; extracting the information of a particular genotype and its association with melanoma was now a couple clicks away. From this work, I learned how to translate large data into solutions, while using the correct data format and data structure. I realized that modern technology not only helps us commu nicate more efficiently, but also provides a system upon which we can solve global problems. With a strong background in computer science and communications, I hope to incorporate both into a future career of building data systems, conducting research, and consulting for organizations that serve underrepresented citizens. One project I want to tackle is the modification of social media algorithms so that media created by minorities and/or for minorities will appear on users’ radars. The algorithm would analyze the user’s demographics and deliver news relevant to those traits, such as discoveries about Asian health issues showing up on Asian users’ feeds. Carnegie Mellon’s encouragement of interdisciplinary studies under the Information Systems major would allow me to accomplish this and so much more. As someone who attacks calculus and creative writing with equal enthusiasm, IS’ objective of providing students with a broad background in the humanities and sciences is very appealing. As someone who learned to work as a team in a research lab , I believe CMU’s emphasis on collaboration and student innovation would push me to further improve my teamwork and problem-solving skills. In particular, I hope to take advantage of CMU’s Technology Consulting in the Global Community program, receiving guidance from both CMU’s renowned faculty and international technology experts. To that end, the Social and Decision Sciences major, my second choice, would also prepare me to utilize similar decision-making and analysis skills to solve social problems. We live in a world where communication through technology connects communities across the globe, more so than ever before. The future of exploration and innovation requires us to develop efficient ways of communication- we need a combination of scientific expertise and knowledge grounded in the humanities to accurately convey ideas, solve problems, and make the planet a better home for us all. An education at Carnegie Mellon would propel me in this endeavor. Here’s why this Carnegie Mellon essay works so well: It has an honest, compelling narrative that flows well. This applicant begins by explaining how they've always been considered shy yet how, through various endeavors in fields such as writing, communication, and technology, they've managed to transcend this assumption. This story is raw and honest, and it highlights the applicant's most notable accomplishments in an appropriate and relevant manner. It’s extremely specific. The applicant uses concrete details to explain their background and why Carnegie Mellon is an ideal fit for their goals and interests. In addition, the essay makes note of specific qualities of CMU, from its "encouragement of interdisciplinary studies" to its Technology Consulting in the Global Community program, giving us a clear indication of why the applicant is so interested in attending this school. Concrete details are essential for a good Carnegie Mellon essay. Carnegie Mellon Essay Example 2 This second Carnegie Mellon essay example comes from the website Free Test Prep (now called BWS Education Consulting) and is, like the essay above, quite long at about 600 words- that’s double the current word limit. It was written in response to the following (old) Carnegie Mellon essay prompt: Please submit a one-page, single-spaced essay that explains why you have chosen Carnegie Mellon and your particular major(s), department(s) or program(s). This essay should include the reasons why you’ve chosen the major(s), any goals or relevant work plans and any other information you would like us to know. If you are applying to more than one college or program, please mention each college or program you are applying to. Because our admission committees review applicants by college and programs, your essay can impact our final decision. Please do not exceed one page for this essay. Here is the essay: What would be best for me? I spent a lot of time trying to find colleges to apply to and Carnegie Mellon made the list. I believe it would be essential for me to attend a research university. I want to be able to know that what I am working on (research, experiments, etc.) is current, ground-breaking, game-changing. I want to feel that what I’m doing matters. I’ve spent years in elementary and middle school only to discover that my achievements (and no, I don’t only mean my perfect attendance awards) did not grandfather in for the rest of my academic life. High school did not care whether I attended elementary regularly or about any of my pre-secondary school achievements. College applications only want to know what I have done throughout these past four years. I feel that Carnegie Mellon will provide me with an environment that will let me grow and change as the world is growing and changing. What I do here will matter and carry on to whatever graduate school I may be at or whatever career path I choose to tread. In the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, one can choose from several Higher Level (HL) courses to fulfill the three required. My campus chose to make English and History mandatory HL’s. I chose to take HL Psychology as my third. This focused two-year class has revealed my interest in psychology as a lifelong study and future career. I have always been interested in human behaviors, how and why people make their decisions, how both internal and external factors can and do influence everyday life. As this class has progressed, I have found myself enjoying these studies more and more. I have been very successful in this class and want to apply the knowledge and skills I have learned to real-world situations. Psychology HL requires students to complete two experiments, one in our junior year and one in our senior year. Additionally, we complete an Internal Assessment (IA) of the experiment done early senior year. My group had to create an experiment based on three past studies and go through the process of analyzing the validity of our results after performing the experiment on student participants. We tested the effect of researcher expectations on participant performance, using the studies of Rosenthal and Jacobson (1966); Stangor, Carr, and Kiang (1998); and Crisson, Seta, and Seta (1989). The objective of this project was to reflect on what we did, how it was done, and what could have been improved on. Although we had to accept our null hypothesis, that researcher expectations had little or no effect on participant performance, we were able to understand what went askew and know what to correct so we could improve the performance, given the opportunity to do it again. I found performi ng the experiments live exciting; I had to be wary of creating bias or unconsciously affecting others. It made me become more analytical; more understanding of the fact that many factors can influence behavior and more understanding of my own role in affecting others. I’m applying to Carnegie Mellon into the Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences. I believe that my two years in HL Psychology have prepared me well for whatever is demanded of me. I hope to take advantage of all the programs available at Dietrich College, such as the HSS Academic Advisory Center and HSS Career Connections. I expect to thrive during these next four years, prepared enough to head on into graduate school for a PhD in Psychology. Here’s why this Carnegie Mellon essay works so well: It’s tightly focused. This essay centers on the applicant's desire to study psychology, a topic that is made clear quickly and acts as the focal point throughout the essay. We learn that the applicant initially developed an interest in psychology through their high school's IB Program and that they intend to eventually get a PhD in the field. It goes into significant detail about a specific incident. In order to showcase their passion for psychology, this applicant wrote a detailed description of an experiment they conducted, what they learned from it, and how this knowledge will allow them to succeed at CMU. 4 Tips for a Great Carnegie Mellon Essay As you now know, you’ll need to write three essays for the Carnegie Mellon supplement.Here are some general tips to keep in mind as you begin to work on each Carnegie Mellon essay. #1: Use Highly Specific Details Don’t rely on catch-all phrases to get your points across in your essays. Instead, try to think of real, concrete examples you can use. Specific details will make each Carnegie Mellon essay you write (and your application as a whole!) stand apart from others; it also proves to the admissions committee that you know what kinds of opportunities are available to you at Carnegie Mellon. #2: Avoid Exaggeration- Be Yourself! Many students think they need to write about topics that sound "impressive," but this isn’t actually what admissions committees want.What they really want is to learn more about who you are, what you sound like naturally (on paper, of course), and what you value in life. This is why it’s so important for you to clearly channel your voice in your writing.For example, it’s OK to tell a joke or focus on a lighthearted topic if you would describe yourself as a comedian. Just make sure that, no matter what kind of topic you choose or how you write,you're ultimately making a bigger, important point about yourself- one that ideally emphasizes essential facets of your personality, your experiences, and/or your ambitions. #3: Don’t Repeat Anything You’ve Written for Your Common App Essay Carnegie Mellon requires all applicants to submit the Common App essay in addition to the three essays described above, so you’ll want to ensurethere’s not too much overlap between them. While it’s OK to elaborate on a specific topic or point that you briefly mentioned in another essay, don’t end up writing about the same experience more than once. The point of these essays is to showcase various aspects of your personality and life, and you won’t succeed if all you’re doing is repeating yourself in each Carnegie Mellon essay! Repetition: good for making pretty patterns, bad for college essays. #4: Edit, Polish, and Proofread Our final tip is to take a lot of time to edit, polish, and proofread each Carnegie Mellon essay you write.Look over each essay multiple times to catch typos and other technical errors, such as grammatical problems, and spelling mistakes. You should also be on the lookout for the following problems: Any inconsistencies in style, tone, voice, tense, etc. Any areas that are unclear, vague, or awkwardly worded or placed Any irrelevant details or descriptions that don’t add anything important Once you've edited and changed your essays a few times, give them to someone you trust, such as a teacher, mentor, or parent, and have that person offer feedback on how you could improve your writing. Here are some key questions to ask this person to think about as they edit your essay: Is the topic/theme effective and appropriate for a college essay? Does the essay sound as though you wrote it (and not someone else)? Does the voice sound like your authentic voice? Does the overall organization make sense? Is there a story, and does it flow well? Does the structure successfully get the main point across? Are the details specific and relevant? With all these tips in mind, you should definitely be able to write a great Carnegie Mellon essay! What’s Next? You'll need to use the Common App if you're applying to Carnegie Mellon. Get tips on how to write a great Common App essay with our expert guide. Thinking of applying to other great schools likePrinceton, Brown, or Columbia? Then be sure to check out our guides to learn how you can write amazing essays for these schools' supplements. Learn more about Carnegie Mellon's admission requirements by visiting its school page in our extensive database. Want to write the perfect college application essay? Get professional help from PrepScholar. Your dedicated PrepScholar Admissions counselor will craft your perfect college essay, from the ground up. We'll learn your background and interests, brainstorm essay topics, and walk you through the essay drafting process, step-by-step. At the end, you'll have a unique essay that you'll proudly submit to your top choice colleges. Don't leave your college application to chance. Find out more about PrepScholar Admissions now:

Secrets of Writing Perfect Personal Essay

Secrets of Writing Perfect Personal Essay Personal Essay Writing Secrets: Reach Your Success with a Perfect Essay Every school arranges numerous classes to help students to learn how to write a proper personal essay. Still, even with many hours spent on explanation and practice, submitting a perfect personal paper is a challenge for most of the students. This type of an essay paper is exceptional since the skills of its proper performing can be used both when applying for a university and when looking for your first job providing a cover letter. Admittedly, it is more important to know how to perform a personal essay once applying at college or university. Moreover, this is the only way to get into your dreamed college or university. Therefore, keep in mind the extreme importance of this kind of academic paper. How to Perform a Remarkable Personal Essay Even if you think there is nothing difficult in submitting a personal essay, be sure you are wrong. Definitely, this kind of essay consists of the same introduction section, body parts, and a conclusion. At the same time, this writing piece requires concise and expert writing style. You need to reveal your thoughts with simple words, but to sound like a real professional at the same time. The primary purpose of a personal essay is to reveal certain scenes from your life in details and make the entire story interesting and attention-grabbing. In your paper, you must show the reader that you are the best candidate among a bunch of other talented students. You need to demonstrate both impressive writing talents and ability to think critically in your paper. You are the one to decide what personal story to tell about in your paper. You can write about some common things, which meant a lot to you like friendship, love, betrayal, hate, rivalry, leadership, competition, etc. There can be mo re and more appropriate topics. The most important is to choose the one you can write about with passion, and impress the readers with your final story. Thus, it is high time to concentrate on the main principles of writing a personal essay. Basics of a Personal Essay Outline When writing an essay outline, make sure to include each and every part of the paper. There is a popular writing formula when you write down five sentences for every part of the paper. Since there are five parts of an essay paper, including an introduction, three main body parts, and a conclusion, this formula is mostly called â€Å"five by five†. It is easy to write a few sentences on every part of the text, and make the outline clear and concise. There is no need to write the entire text at once, first put the main idea into a few sentences. The most attention-grabbing issues to reveal are personal fears, expectations, and your goals in life. People always appreciate stories with personal feelings revealed. To ease the entire process of an essay writing, first, write down a list of the things that inspire you the most. These things can include influential people, memorable dates, challenges, exciting events, and any other important person or occasion. You can look through media or newspapers to find something to inspire you. It is great to use quotes in your essay paper, which can help you to present your ideas in a more literary way. Be very attentive to the citations and the reference list at the end of the paper. The rules of proper citation depend on the exact formatting style you use, such as APA, Harvard, MLA, Chicago, etc. Personal Essay Tips: Proper Essay Structure The proper structure of a personal paper must be always followed in order to submit a perfect writing piece. If you have basic knowledge of writing essays and their structure, it will be easy for you to perform a flawless paper. Personal Essay Introduction Part An introduction is an essential part of every essay paper, which needs to be written with a few attention-grabbing sentences. When performing an introduction, make sure to remember who your main readers are – the college admission officers. You need to be well aware of the way they see the perfect personal essay paper. You must impress and intrigue them from the very first words. You can start your essay with the following hook sentences: Famous Quotes; Statistic and Facts; Allegories and Idioms; Funny Anecdotes; Controversial Questions. Every professional essay contains important background information to welcome the readers and explain them the following ongoing events described. Focus on the main ideas and top characters to make your introduction concise and catchy. Provide a list of arguments and evidence to work with through the entire personal essay paper. The Body Paragraphs Creation It is better to follow a standard essay structure with the three main body parts completed. There is no need to make this part of the text wider. Start the main part with an introductory sentence where write you define the top points of the paper, arguments, and evidence. Be aware that every new paragraph must cover a new idea. Still, make every paragraph clearly connected to the previous sentence. Up to ten lines are optimal for the body paragraph. Remember to discuss every situation allowing the reader to feel the same emotions and understand the way you see the situation. You must provoke sympathy with the proper sharing of feelings and emotions. It is better to tell your story chronologically since it will ease the entire picture for the reader who needs to stay concentrated on the topic you dwell on and never get lost. Tips for Personal Essay Conclusion The last thing you are writing in your paper is conclusion. This is a kind of paper summary made of up to ten sentences, where you sum up the main points of an essay, the results of your analytical thinking, and the importance of the topic for the other people. For a personal essay, it is more preferable to share some insights and certain lessons learned once facing the described events or people. You can also include some forecasts to end your essay paper properly. Secrets to Complete Good Personal Essay Use the following tips and writing secrets to submit a perfect final personal essay. Be honest – tell about the events from your real life; Take time before starting to write the paper; Stick to the writing instructions and paper requirements; Be clear and concise – share your ideas in simple language; Make sure the story you describe is from real life; Always stay positive – outline the current achievements and your personal expectations; Reveal both your good and bad sides. When preparing an essay, make sure to avoid the following things: Make a paper of a standard format. Do not try to exceed the limits. Avoid generalization and too broad concepts. Don’t mention too many details. Do not be afraid to express your personal feelings, fears, and expectations. Where to Get an Example of a Personal Essay It is possible to find examples of a personal essay paper online, that will help you compose your own essay. Be very attentive to the topic you are dealing with in order to provide the best explanation and share your exceptional experience in details. Always work on the issues you have enough knowledge about, and stay clear and concise. If you have no time to complete a perfect personal essay paper, you can order a ready paper online. When assigning an online writer to complete your paper, you can get both a lot of free time and an excellent personal essay completed on time.

Research Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Research Proposal - Essay Example To quit smoking is almost synonymous with ensuring a greener earth to our society, a healthy life for the future generations and a much more peaceful and trouble-free life for the smokers. It has often been found that people smoke out of frustration or a number of other concocted reasons. But the truth is that the addiction increases our vulnerability to all those factors – it exposes us to health as well as mental illness. In fact, it is not only the active smokers who are susceptible to the harms, but the passive smokers too, especially the children who have relatively a much lower immunity power. Smoking seems to be worth quitting from a political aspect as well. Most domestic governments have levy heavy duties on tobacco products. People, who find smoking irresistible, often ignore these facts, when the truth is that they could actually save a lumpsum amount of their money through getting rid of the habit – on the other hand, tobacco tax is considered to be one of the most important sources of government revenues. Dr. Damien De Walque in 2004 found that education had a great impact among the educated youth of the American society about their smoking behaviours. He statistically tested the hypothesis about the effect that education had on the smoking habits of people, on the basis of sample data collected since 1950 and found that the effect to be statistically significant (De Walque, 2004).1 Layte and Whelan in 2006 found that the people belonging to the lower strata of the society, viz., the blue-collar class in North America, were found to be more prone to smoking habits than those belonging to the professional or managerial class. One of the reasons cited behind this behaviour was the impact of education.2 Keeler and Hu in 1998 also found out that formal education had a statistically significant impact on the awareness of the people

The Concepts and, Myths of the Modern World Essay

The Concepts and, Myths of the Modern World - Essay Example The followers were called Rationalists. The Utopians strive to banish from memory the dark struggle against feudalism in pursuit of revolutionary principles, and a new class of the industrial commoner is conceived by the application of the enlightened sciences. The concepts of Degeneration and Regeneration operate on the basis of an assumed mutual-understanding of order and chaos, function and malfunction, the normal and the pathological. It is closely associated to the ethical realm of norms and values. The concrete, spatial transgression of boundaries (between the house, the garden, the street, the country and the city, as well as between inner and outer space) found in the above, often symbolizes a transgression of conventional gender norms. (Buchholz et al, 2002). An in-depth understanding of the above can, it is argued, lead to avoidance of the deficits or malaise (this seems so normal in the dystopian scheme), of the modern world. In ancient civilizations like the Mesopotamian, the 'juridico-discursive' power is entirely at the hands of a 'sovereign authority who exercised absolute control over the population through the threat or open display of violence' (Foucault, 1978). Bentham's concept of 'Panoticon' or the 'Inspection House' symbolizes this authority transferred to buildings in (especially constructed in circular forms) wherein people were to be kept under Surveillance or inspection. This is, particularly applicable to "Penitentiary-Houses, Prisons, Hospitals, Schools, Industrial Houses, Poor-houses, Lazarettos and Mad-houses" (Bentham, 1787). Surveillance, becomes an important tool of the state is but, a sort of mapping of contours, geographies, and finally human beings too. Modern states also used such "thematic mapping technologies", a notable one, being "the cadastral map, which record land ownership and resource characteristics" (Goss, Jon. 1995). Constant surveillance which, when internalized, as in "disciplining the body, takes hold of the mind as well to induce a psychological state of 'conscious and permanent visibility" (Foucault 1977). It then becomes a disciplinary power that is used directly on the body, and collectively, to control social groups. Foucault speaks of the structured ways of knowing and exercising this power, in respect of Body, Power and the Sexuality; Subjectivity, identity and resistance; and Freedom, power and Politics.( Armstrong,2005). Speed: Relationship between new technologies, spaces and new identities. Speed is inversely proportional to the time within which a work is done. It is something that man, by conscious reformation of his techniques, "more conscious that ever of himself and his time in life," (Kudera, 1996) has brought in with the technical revolution. This revolution is evident in the rampant automation of many every-day processes. Asger Jorn(1958), elucidates the process of automation as something that progressive and, "adds more than it replaces or suppresses." The invention of the bi-cycle, can be said as the first step. Constant improvisation lead to rapid industrialization (mass production), the off-shoot of which is the railroad system. The fascination for Speed not only lead to