Genetic experiment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Genetic experiment - Research Paper Example Stem cell research is one of the most hotly debated issue that involved political, social, religious and moral concerns. Stem cell research is one of the most developed genetic experimentation with a wide range of possibilities in the field of biology. There are many possible things that these researches can achieve given if the researches are well grounded, well funded and supported by the society. However, question such as the ethical and moral credibility of the action has surfaced. Stem cell research involves the human embryonic cells. These embryonic cells come from new fertilized eggs that started to divide to form any type of cells in the body. Embryonic cells are the stepping stone to finding out new ways of treating health problems. Transplants have been made easier and effective with the advent of stem cell research. Various stem cell procedures that proved to be effective life saving treatments to various sicknesses such as leukemia, tumors, heart transplants and many more have been developed through the extensive researches of scientist (Basics). The cultured embryonic cells have attached ethical constraints. Embryonic cells are destroyed with the many researches being done by scientists. Subjecting these human embryos into laboratories for experimentation is like killing a human being that is possible to develop maturely. It is unsettling to consider that embryos even if they are still five days old are placed on dishes that will soon die due to failed experiments. On the other hand, scientists and researchers raise various questions related to stem cell research such as: Are human embryos equal with a full grown human? Do the embryos have rights? Does life start at fertilization? Is the destruction of one embryo justifiable when it can provide cure for countless patients? The embryonic cells can either live or die at the dish during experimentation. The government of various countries has been warily affected as funds directed for the research are questioned by their constituents due to the ethical issues attached with the issue. George Bush for example, has supported the stem cell research at the start of his presidential term. But later, he withdrew such funds due to the ethical claims related with the research. Further, President Obama continued the funding during his term showing his support for the advancement of the biotechnological breakthroughs. Political disputes and debates have erupted among different parties exposing their sides on the issue. Policy makers have drafted various laws regarding the research, but restrictions have barricaded the further progress of the researches (â€Å"Stem Cell†). Stem cell research is just one of the many genetic experimentation that evoke reactions from the public. The advent of such researches and other advancement in the field of biotechnological engineering has caused fear to many. One of the most stricken issues is the idea of cloning. As the stem cell research progres sed, other advancement are made possible. Researches has evolved and discovered every now and then. Medical News Today covers the world with breakthroughs, such as: New approach for growing intestinal stem cells Transforming human ES of IPS cells into functional ling epithelial cells New approach for corneal

The Middle East Essay Example for Free

The Middle East Essay Petroleum being one of the most indispensable resources to man is a commodity that is produced in one of the regions in the world characterized by people who sport long beards, dresses for both men and women and a turban. This region is the Middle East which is responsible for producing most of the worlds supply of oil. Therefore, one must be aware of the history and current status of the Middle East because it produces one of the most important fuels that make our life convenient nowadays. The Middle East is a region that includes southwestern Asia and Egypt. Formerly known as the Near East, it is the origin of most of the major religions in the world such as Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. As of 2009, the Middle East has a total population of 202,687,005 comprising around 3% of the total worlds population. Saudi Arabias total of 27,019,731 includes 5,360,526 non-nationals and UAEs total population of 2,602,713 includes 1,576,472 non-nationals making them among those that are highly active in terms of commerce and industry. The population of the Middle East is still expected to grow rapidly because of the young age structure, having one third of its entire population under 15. The fertility of mothers rose from 4. 3 births per woman in 2000 to 7. 2 in 2010. Nearly 60% of the population live in urban areas therefore making the urbanization rate high. Population density varies among countries and Yemen for example has a population density of 34. 2 square meters per person, 10. 2 for Saudi Arabia, and 30. 9 for UAE. Ethnic groups that comprise the Middle East are Persians, Arabs, Turks, Armenians, Jews, and Greeks. Major religion is Islam but other religions are also present such as Christianity, Judaism and Zoroastrianism. Major language being spoken is Arabic followed by Persian and Turkish. The history of the Middle East dates back to the empires of the Byzantines and the Sassanids. The Arabs who were before at competition with each other were bounded by one religion that is Islam. The Arab Islamic group spread to more countries but was eventually repaced by a Turkish Islamic group known as the Ottomans. The Ottoman empire lasted for decades but reached decline when the Europeans took control because of their interest in Middle East lands. To save the empire, the Ottomans collaborated with Germany during WWI but due to the loss they sustained, they were eventually a destroyed empire. The Middle East countries were granted freedom since the 1920s to the 1970s. Monarchs and dictators emerged and ruled the political system of the region. Internal forces affecting politics are instabilities caused by coups, revolutions and civil wars while the external force that affected the politics in the region is the importance placed on them by other super powers such as the United States and other Europen States. The main product that fuels the economy of the Middle East is the oil they produce. 1965-1985 was the period considered as the best in the economy of the region. This was due to a dramatic rise in the prices of oil. Due to this, literacy rates rose, job opportunities grew and the oil-producing countries gave constant aids to non-oil producing countries. Among those that experienced wealth are Saudi Arabia and UAE while Yemen stayed to be among the poorest. However, dramatic as the rise, the decline was equally dramatic because of the fluctuation in oil price from 28$ in 1985 to 10$ in 1986. Currently, the economic future of the Middle East is affected by two forces. Internally, it is the rapid population growth in the region. This will clearly affect the economy because this will cause stresses in resources of the region. Take for example water, since the Middle East is among the water-scarce region in the world. Other aspects to be taken into consideration that will be affected by population growth are food resources, medicine and education. Externally, the factor that would affect the economy of the Middle East is the price of oil in the world market. If there is a rise, then further economic growth will be attained. But if the direction would be a decrease, then it would not be good news for the region. Therefore, alternative sources of income should be exploited. In conclusion, as long as there is a need to fuel the modern technology that man has created, the Middle East will continue to thrive as a region that is rich in cultural heritage as well as a region that is the best resource for oil. Works Cited Shah, Anup. 29 December 2009. â€Å"Middle East†. Global Issues. 5 June 2010 http://www. globalissues. org/issue/103/middle-east

An Assessment of C.K. Wiliams and Ted Hughes Essays -- essays papers

There are few positive views of life to be found in C.K. Williams’ The Vigil. His poetry does not present a necessarily negative life-view, but rather sees the world as most others do. He calls out commonplace people, places, and times in the same manner that most of the rest of us do, despite how dark it may seem. Williams uses a lot of punctuation in his poetry. His sentences, although full of commas and semicolons, flow smoothly from line to line. He uses a lot of clauses and qualifications in his writing. Each stanza remains fresh, never becoming mundane or repetitive. He chooses words carefully, painting pictures with broad, smooth strokes rather than wispy phrases that are hard to follow. In his poem entitled â€Å"Grief†, Williams accurately describes his grief at the loss of a loved one. In Part One, the feeling is heavy and overwhelming. The speaker, (most likely Williams), recalls days of sitting bedside with a slow-dying love. Some writers waste time in getting to the heart of the poem, but Williams wastes none. In the first line, he leaves his readers with no question as to what is going on in the poem. He writes, â€Å"Gone now, after the days of desperate, unconscious gasping, the reflexive / staying alive,† (29). All readers are instantaneously reminded of an experience with watching a loved one pass slowly, perhaps painfully. In Part Two of the poem, Williams questions grief as an emotion. He tries to indicate what exactly the emotion of grief entails, and maybe even what it should be. He comes to the conclusion that grief is not clear-cut, but rather like a roller coaster ride, up and down, coming and going in unexpected waves. Readers can identify with this, as we all know that grief is not an appare... ... Hughes writes, â€Å"†¦ to announce to the world / What Life had made of you† (112). Hughes feels happy at this moment, but he knows that Plath’s happiness is too good to be true, and that it probably won’t last. We all know that it couldn’t, and it didn’t. Both Williams and Hughes present life in a manner that may not be pleasant, but is nonetheless true-to-life. Although Williams’ life-view is a bit dark and dreary, we can all read it and relate it to some aspect of our lives. And although Hughes’ poetry is mostly about his life with Sylvia Plath, we can all read it and relate it to someone what we may know. Williams refuses to find a silver lining in every cloud, and Hughes refuses to see Plath as a woman who could be helped. The reason that both of these poets are successful is that they write about life as it is, rather than what we would all like it to be.

Characterization: Curley’s Wife in Of Mice And Men Essay

With colorful statements like â€Å"She had full, rouged lips and wide-spaced eyes, heavily made up. Her fingernails were red. Her hair hung in little rolled clusters, like sausages. She wore a cotton dress and red mules, on the insteps of which were little bouquets of red ostrich feathers† (John Steinbeck, 31), Curley’s wife is one of the more vividly portrayed characters in Of Mice and Men. Although Steinbeck leaves almost nothing to the imagination about this woman, he chooses to consistently refer to her as ‘Curley’s Wife’ rather than giving her a name or a nickname like he has done with most of the other characters. Through indirect and direct characterization the reader discovers that this woman was not simply a ticket to trouble like the workers on her father-in-law’s ranch believed, but a girl stuck in a life where she didn’t belong. Curley’s wife, who was incredibly lonely, was always ‘heavily made up’ even when she lived on the ranch where George and Lennie worked. Although generally she was thought of as a floozy, her talk with Lennie revealed that she was used to the high life. When her parents forbade her to go into the acting business, as she so wished, she married Curley, the first man who offered her something other than stardom, in order to get away from her overbearing family (Steinbeck, 88). Although because of this decision she was forced to spend her life on a ranch full of underclass workers, she still liked to make herself up to constantly remind herself that she had had the potential to be something better. To her, dressing up and flaunting her stuff was a symbol of status, something to set her apart from the rest of the lower class, which, even today, is not much different. Fashion magazines, television, and the general media still lead the public to believe that style directly connects to the amount of wealth or power someone has. When fashion trends change by the minute, it is generally thought that everything from wealth to sophistication is shown when someone is able to keep up with them (Appendix A). Curley’s wife considered always looking presentable as a constant reminder that she had once been considered good enough to go into the movie business and could have been something much better than the boss’s son’s wife. Another reason Curley’s wife was constantly made up and wondering around the ranch was that she was lonely. With Curley always gone and having nothing in common with her, she had no one to keep her company and was forced to look for attention among the workers, who had long since learned to keep away from the boss’s daughter-in-law. â€Å"‘Funny thing,’ she said. ‘If I catch any one man, and he’s alone, I get along fine with him. But just let two of the guys get together an’ you won’t talk. Jus’ nothing but mad'† (Steinbeck, 77). Although Curley was very over-protective of his wife, he didn’t tend to her needs so she moseyed around looking for something to do or someone to talk to during the day. And even though all she wanted was the attention Curley didn’t give her, the men in the ranch knew that talking to her would only lead to trouble. â€Å"Well, I aint giving you no trouble. Think I don’t like to talk to somebody ever’ once in a while? Think I like to stick around the house alla time?'† Curley’s wife had all the spare time in the world, and spends it making herself look as good as she can (Appendix B) and flaunts her body to anyone who will look. She desperately seeks attention and acknowledgment that she’s still got the looks that attracted all sorts of men to her before. Steinbeck chose not to give Curley’s wife a real name because she was never able to make a name for herself; she was forced into a life where she was confined and unable to pursue her real dreams. She obviously wasn’t happy with her life living inside Curley’s ranch; she wasn’t meant to be the typical woman of that time who stays at home doing the cooking and cleaning for her husband. â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Well, a show came through, an’ I met one of the actors. He says I could go with that show. But my ol’ lady wouldn’ let me. She says because I was on’y fifteen'†(Steinbeck, 88). Curley’s wife desperately tries to show Lennie that she was better than this ranch; that she wasn’t common like the rest of the people there and that it was by fault that she was living where she was now. She needed to leave that ranch and pursue her dreams now that she was old enough to make her own decisions. She needed a ticket out of that city so she could go to Hollywood and make a name for herself (Appendix C). Although Curly’s wife’s character was portrayed completely by John Steinbeck, she was never given a full name because her character isn’t full. She was missing something; she wasn’t in her rightful place. Curley’s wife wasn’t meant to live her life on the ranch, and her character wasn’t completed because of it. Steinbeck showed this the only tangible way he could, with the lack of a name for her. She wasn’t like the rest of the people on the ranch, with a name or nickname; she was referred to as ‘Curley’s Wife’. She stood out by the fact that she was the only woman on the ranch, she was the only one who dressed to impress, and she was the only person without a full name. She didn’t belong and even if she had lived she never would.

Promissory Estoppel Essay

Sometimes an agreement without consideration will be enforced. This happens when a promise which foreseeably induces promisee to act or forebear becomes binding because injustice can only be avoided by enforcement of the promise. Promise A promise is an assurance, in whatever form or expression that a thing will or will not be done. Actual Reliance The promisee must actually and justifiably rely on the promise by the other. Detriment Promisee must have relied on the promise to his detriment. Foreseeable Reliance The promisee’s reliance must be reasonably foreseeable to promisor. Injustice Cannot be Avoided In deciding if injustice can be avoided courts will consider: 1.Availability and adequacy of other remedies, particularly restitution or cancellation. 2.The definite and substantial character of the action or forbearance in relation to remedy sought. 3.Extent to which the action or forbearance corroborates evidence of the making and terms of the promise. 4.Reasonableness of action or forbearance. 5.Extent to which the action or forbearance was foreseeable by promisor.

Free Essays on Circle Stories

Circle Stories â€Å"Circle Stories: A collaborative Project† by Riva Lehrer, is a collection of paintings and stories of artists who have some form of disability. The author, Riva Lehrer is disabled, as shown in her self-portrait. Riva Lehrer compiled this collaboration to give all society a compassionate insight into the lives of disabled people in the arts. Her collection can be evaluated based on the author’s background, and the collaboration between the disabled artist and the author. Riva Lehrer has a very personal interest in â€Å"Circle Stories: A collaborative Project†. In her self-portrait, one can see that she is wearing corrective shoes to fix an orthopedic problem, and her story indicates she has spina bifida. The fact that she herself is disabled does shine an extra light on her work. Riva Lehrer’s goal with her work is to inform with a tone of understanding. If a collection like this was composed from a â€Å"normal person†, I would speculate the underlying tone would be pitiful and patronizing. This idea is evident in the work Diane Arbus, tragically famous (and non-disabled) photographer of, as she calls them, â€Å"freaks†. A freak is generally someone who is abnormal and unlike the rest of normal society. As quoted by Sara Ironman at www.temple.edu/photos, â€Å"Freaks was a thing I photographed a lot. It was one of the first things I photographed and it had a terrific kind of excitement for me.† This statemen t by Diane Arbus indicates little empathy for the people she photographs. Further, the attention to detail in the portraits done by Lehrer illustrates the life of the person painted, unlike the photographs taken by Diane Arbus. Arbus’ photos black and white, as if a dark shadow was cast when the picture was taken. In one Arbus’ photos, there is a teenage unattractive, short couple, standing in a dirty alley behind a dingy gray building. My reaction all of her photos, especially one o... Free Essays on Circle Stories Free Essays on Circle Stories Circle Stories â€Å"Circle Stories: A collaborative Project† by Riva Lehrer, is a collection of paintings and stories of artists who have some form of disability. The author, Riva Lehrer is disabled, as shown in her self-portrait. Riva Lehrer compiled this collaboration to give all society a compassionate insight into the lives of disabled people in the arts. Her collection can be evaluated based on the author’s background, and the collaboration between the disabled artist and the author. Riva Lehrer has a very personal interest in â€Å"Circle Stories: A collaborative Project†. In her self-portrait, one can see that she is wearing corrective shoes to fix an orthopedic problem, and her story indicates she has spina bifida. The fact that she herself is disabled does shine an extra light on her work. Riva Lehrer’s goal with her work is to inform with a tone of understanding. If a collection like this was composed from a â€Å"normal person†, I would speculate the underlying tone would be pitiful and patronizing. This idea is evident in the work Diane Arbus, tragically famous (and non-disabled) photographer of, as she calls them, â€Å"freaks†. A freak is generally someone who is abnormal and unlike the rest of normal society. As quoted by Sara Ironman at www.temple.edu/photos, â€Å"Freaks was a thing I photographed a lot. It was one of the first things I photographed and it had a terrific kind of excitement for me.† This statemen t by Diane Arbus indicates little empathy for the people she photographs. Further, the attention to detail in the portraits done by Lehrer illustrates the life of the person painted, unlike the photographs taken by Diane Arbus. Arbus’ photos black and white, as if a dark shadow was cast when the picture was taken. In one Arbus’ photos, there is a teenage unattractive, short couple, standing in a dirty alley behind a dingy gray building. My reaction all of her photos, especially one o...

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles essays

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles essays Air Power will take a new form in the use of UAVs. They will change lives, save lives, and reduce costs. Airplanes have increasingly become a major part of humanities since the Great War (World War I), being able to go faster than the speed of sound, carry tons of items, they are equipped with major electronic systems, and can perform more acrobatics than the human body can withstand. But one common denominator has stayed the same; it requires a human to control the vehicle in flight causing risks to the pilots and crew. Today, however, technology has advanced to such a state that communicative links are now available around the world, allowing the control of an unmanned aircraft from a base station. A vision is that an operator would first plan the attack on a mission support computer and load the strike profile into the vehicle. During the mission, changes could be data-linked via a secure communications system. Sitting at a control station an operator would be able to coor dinate not just one vehicles action, but those of an entire package of unmanned aircraft. This topic of UAVs has mixed opinions between combat pilots to business executives on their use in the armed forces and use for commercial ventures. The current times show that unmanned aircraft technology is breaking into new frontiers just like when "the Wright Brothers flew their first manned airplane at Kitty Hawk in December of 1903, which only traveled 120 feet, less than half a football field in distance" (Hirsch 376), and now look where society is! UAVs are not new, they have a long history in aviation stretching back to the First World War. They were used in reconnaissance during the Korean War, and then as highly classified special purpose aircraft during the conflict in Southeast Asia. History shows that it usually takes an international incident threatening national security to highlight a military deficiency and to stir a desire for new, innovativ...

Top 10 GRE Test Tips for Improving Your Score

Top 10 GRE Test Tips for Improving Your Score Congrats! You made it through undergrad, and now, youd like to take the GRE and head to graduate school for a few more years of the same. If that describes you, then these GRE test tips are going to come in handy. 8 GRE Hacks for the Verbal Section GRE Test Tips to Live By Answer every question. The GRE is not the time to skip questions youre unsure about. No one cares if you truly dont understand something and have to randomly guess. You arent penalized for guessing on the GRE (unlike the SAT), so its in your best interest to answer every single question offered to you, even the ones you dont like. Be sure of your answers especially when taking the Computer-Adaptive GRE. You cant go back to answer something because the screen will be gone. On the Paper-Based Test, you can skip a question and return to it later if you need to, but on the computerized version, youll simply get a zero if you leave something blank. So make the correct choice the first time around! Use the scratch paper. You will not be allowed to bring paper to the testing center with you, but you will be provided with scratch paper. Use it to help solve math problems, outline your essay for the writing portion or write down formulas or vocabulary words youve memorized before the test. Use a process of elimination. If you can rule out even one wrong answer, youll be in a much better spot for guessing if it comes to that. Instead of looking for the right answer per se, look for the least wrong answer. Most of the time, youll be able to narrow down your choices to two, which obviously gives you much better odds of getting the question right. Spend more time on difficult  questions. Chances are good that youll be taking the computerized version of the GRE, so the scoring is scaled: harder questions equal more points. Even if you miss quite a few easy questions and get a smaller percentage of the harder ones correct, your score will be much better than if you answered all of the easy ones correctly and only answer a few difficult ones right. So plan your time accordingly. This is one of those GRE test tips to memorize. Pace yourself. You may be a dreamer in real life, but taking the GRE is not the right time to wander mentally off into space. Youll only have about o ne minute per question for the verbal section and approximately two minutes per question in the math section. Two minutes may seem like a long time to answer a math question, and it would be for the easy questions, but once youre doing some serious computing, youll realize that the time is whittling away. So dont waste it. Dont second-guess yourself too often. Statistics suggest that your first answer choice is usually correct as long as youve prepared well for the exam and have a solid knowledge base. Do not go back through the test and change your answers on the paper exam unless youve discovered information that leads you to a new conclusion or you realize that you didnt give yourself enough time to thoughtfully consider the question on the first try. Mentally manage your stress. Once youre sitting at the desk or in front of the computer screen, your ability to physically do too much to manage your stress about the GRE and its implications for your future dwindles. So, your best bet is to manage your stress mentally by repeating a positive phrase or envisioning the end result of all your hard work. In the reading comprehension section, read the answers first. Instead of plunging ahead into the text, read what you need to be looking out for. Youll save time and score more points by reading the answe r choices before you read the text. Outline. It may seem like old hat, but you cant disregard the GRE writing section. Before you start writing, make sure you take five minutes to outline what youre going to say first. Your organization and thought process will be much higher if you do. Thats it! These GRE test tips will be sure to help you get that GRE score you want.

Engaging the Bible in a Gendered World Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Engaging the Bible in a Gendered World - Essay Example Yet, the book is interesting, even exalting at times. It can be considered an introductory textbook. It is also a highly regarded work. In fact, various scholars from the field of feminism and women studies use the book to introduce students to the methods, issues, and theoretical frameworks central to the discipline of feminist biblical interpretation. In highly available essays, this unique and precedent making book includes many interesting methods of presenting the information on gender bias in the Bible. These methods and order of presentation of information include the history, achievements, and revolutionary and even radical questions. These questions were thought provoking, as was the entire concept of the text. The questions encompassed both biblical and gender study. These questions included many subjects that force even a skeptical reader to take the concept of gender bias in the bible into careful consideration. These cutting edge questions included science and , violence and the Bible, female biblical God imagery, and sexuality. These were significant aspects to consider especially in the context of the text and its implication. Also significant to the book and its implication is the writer's back ground. ... She is the author of Just Wives Stories of Power and Survival in the Old Testament and Today and Ruth in the esteemed Interpretation commentary series. The contributors to this book are just as important as the message it provides. These contributors include men and women alike. These contributors are feminist, womanist, and pro-feminist biblical interpreters. They include a list of scholars in theology, history and feminist studies. Contributors include Phyllis Bird, Nacy Bowen, Juliana Claassens, Linda Day, Ada Maria Isasi Diaz, Frederick Dobbs-Allsopp, Freda Gardner, Nyasha Junior, Jacqueline Lapsley, Eunny Lee, Patrick Miller, Christie Nueger, Kathleen O'Connor, Dennis Olson, Anna May Say Pa, Carolyn Pressler, J. J. M. Roberts, Kathryn Roberts, Leong Seow, Elizabeth Tanner, and Renita Weems. References Day, Linda, Pressler, Carlyn. Engaging the Bible in a Gendered World: An Intro to Feminist Biblical Interpretation in Honor of Katharine Doob Sakenfeld Westminster / John Knox / 2006 writinghelp-central.com, Book Report Writing Template. 2005. As viewed on the world wide web at UJRL

West Yorkshire Police And A Merger Research Proposal

West Yorkshire Police And A Merger - Research Proposal Example The goal being to incorporate the police together so they would ultimately be together under one unit. The proposal will investigate the issues that would arise for the public sector as a result of the mergers. In addition, the perception of the police regarding the merger will be examined. The purpose of the research on the merger is to investigate and present the action methods that will work best to formulate a decision regarding the merger and reach a conclusion as to the best and most ethical course. There are many fact ors to be taken into consideration regarding a merger.. Included in the Yorkshire Police merger are legal issues, A recent newspaper article re ported on these issues. That the government was being taken to the high court over its plans to merge police forces, while rebel Labour MPs plan to derail the scheme in the Commons. Cleveland police force is to seek a judicial review of the home secretary's plans to merge it with the Durham and Northumbria forces. Guardian Unlimited Guardian News and Media Limited 2007 It further reportd thar While this was going on a group of Labour MPs led by John Grogan intends to sabotage the merger plans when they come through the Commons in the autumn. This twin opposition is John Reid's second major headache since being appointed at the start of the month, following the debacle of the failure to deport released foreign prisoners. The idea of bigger, better resourced, forces came in the wake of criticism of the small Cambridgeshire police force's response to the Soham murders. Guardian Unlimited Guardian News and Media Limited 2007 My research concluded that a go od merger is contingent on good planning and research Law enforcement in the United Kingdom is not the responsibility of one single police service serving the general public; with the exception of various special police forces and of Northern Ireland (which has one unified force, the Police Service of Northern Ireland), police forces are arranged in geographical areas matched to the boundaries of one or more local authorities; in recent years being increasingly described as "territorial police forces". (Baskerville 2004 p 329) In turn, these forces are regulated by the laws of the appropriate country within the UK (administration of police matters is not generally affected by the Government of Wales Act 2006), i.e., Scotland, Northern Ireland, England and Wales. It is common for the territorial police forces in England and Wales to be referred to as "Home Office" police forces, after the government department which exercises control at a national level in England and Wales but this is erroneous as the description can encompass a number of miscellaneous forces subject to some kind of control by the Home Office but which are not the concern of the various Police Acts which control territorial police forces. (Bakersville 2004 p330) In 1981, James Anderton, the then Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police called for 10 regional police forces for England and Wales, one for each of the regions which would be adopted as Government Office Regions in England, and Wales.[2] A 2004 proposal by the Police Superintendents Association for the creation of a single national police force, similar to the Garda Sochna na hireann was rejected by the Association of Chief Police Officers, and the government has thus far agreed.[3] In September 2005, in a report[4] delivered to the then Home Secretary, Charles Clarke, HM Inspectorate of Constabulary suggested that the

Privatisation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Privatisation - Essay Example Changes in ownership are most directly associated with changes in control. (Commission on Public Private Partnerships, 2001) In principle, privatisation programmes involve a fading in control applied by the state and a shift of control to private investors. It is this aspect of privatisation that is the most significant to East European countries that consider the exclusion of state control as a primary goal. Finance Private capital sectors have not been an essential foundation of funding of privatized ventures. Allegations to the effect that public-sector assets were sold too inexpensively are basically pointless. Information Privatisation plans have promoted the particular identification of the public-good aspects of state ventures. Performance has noticeably enhanced where competition has been introduced. The UK privatisation plan often failed to make out opportunities for commencing competition. Stand-in competition through standard comparisons is a poor substitute for actual competition. Nevertheless, even where competition has been restricted or missing there have been momentous enhancements in efficiency. The information expressed by stock-market prices has been significant in observing performance and developing managerial incentives. Control Investment markets have applied diminutive control over privatized organizations either by means of the threat of invasion or insolvency. The power of both nation and trade groups has been considerably shortened by privatisation. The controller has replaced the state as the one most prevailing external framework. Supervisory control is unproductive, unsuccessful, and unreasonably high-priced. More than last ten years the agenda of privatisation in England has transformed both the figure and the... Private capital sectors have not been an essential foundation of funding of privatized ventures. Allegations to the effect that public-sector assets were sold too inexpensively are basically pointless. Privatisation plans have promoted the particular identification of the public-good aspects of state ventures. Performance has noticeably enhanced where competition has been introduced. The UK privatization plan often failed to make out opportunities for commencing competition. Stand-in competition through standard comparisons is a poor substitute for actual competition. Nevertheless, even where competition has been restricted or missing there have been momentous enhancements in efficiency. The information expressed by stock-market prices has been significant in observing performance and developing managerial incentives. Investment markets have applied diminutive control over privatized organizations either by means of the threat of invasion or insolvency. The power of both nation and t rade groups has been considerably shortened by privatization. The controller has replaced the state as the one most prevailing external framework. More than last ten years the agenda of privatization in England has transformed both the figure and the temperament of the public-enterprise division. As the inspirations and incentives of these strategies have been both multiple and changing eventually, a vital concern has associated to the effectiveness of public organizations.

Statement of Goals, Research Interests, and Experiences Personal

Of Goals, Research Interests, and Experiences - Personal Statement Example In the current environment of advancing technology, GIS plays an important role in the development of nations, which is especially true for the UAE, where expertise in this area is the need of the hour. Pursuing a master’s degree in GIS would equip me with the necessary knowledge and skills to help develop various aspects of the UAE, like building infrastructure, developing crime analysis database to reduce crime etc. Bringing this essential knowledge back to my country would enable us to advance and improve our current security systems and the quality of life for citizens in UAE. UMD University is renowned for its value based academic programs that offer opportunities of personal and professional growth. The myriad modules of course curricula are essential ingredients that provide students with a strong learning experience. Moreover, the learning platform offered by the university caters to the needs and requirements of diverse populace thus facilitating greater understanding of cross-cultural values and preparing students to meet the challenges of time. As a foreign student from Abu Dhabi, UAE, the invigorating environment and the academic program of the university not only meet my expectations but also represent my ideals. Participating in the UMD GIS Master program would help me realize my dream of improving the GIS Field in my country. I therefore strongly believe that the state of the art technology and innovative curricula of the UMD university program would help me meet the changing demands of the times, and allow me to make important contributions to my community. It would equip me with excellent academic qualifications and skills that could be judiciously exploited for the advancement of my country. My interest in studying GIS sparked when I was growing up in Abu Dhabi where I used to admire those who supervised construction sites near my home place. It intrigued me how they could go to places that were bare,

Improving Customer Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Improving Customer Relations - Essay Example The convergence age has changed customer preference as smartphones have become a new tool that marketers must emphasize in their marketing plans. The use of marketing can also enhance relationships with stakeholder groups such as customers, suppliers, and the community. I work as a manager of a convenient store. At my job marketing is often used as a tool to increase sales of products. One of my responsibilities as a manager is to handle supplier relations. The suppliers of products provide the store with advertising material and special offers. For example, the cigarette companies give the store special offers to be passed to the customers. I decorated the store with many posters of advertisements that are sold at the establishment. It is my opinion that the advertisements posted around the store influence the buying behavior of the customers. The store does not have a long-term marketing plan. Every trimester I have meetings with the ownership team to discuss among other matters any changes to the marketing strategy of the company. The marketing profession can be very beneficial to society as a whole. One of the most important roles that marketing serves to the public is as a provider of information that can be used to make buying decisions. Smart consumers take advantage of the special offers that marketers advertise to lower their expenditures. Marketers often use the power of the media to support social causes such as hunger, poverty, and human rights. The internet has enhanced the ability of marketers to publish information at low costs. Customers are the most important stakeholder group of a business because their money is used to purchase goods and services from companies. Marketing can be used to improve customer relations. Companies can show their appreciation for customers by sponsoring public social events such as music and art festivals.  

Statement of Goals, Research Interests, and Experiences Personal

Of Goals, Research Interests, and Experiences - Personal Statement Example In the current environment of advancing technology, GIS plays an important role in the development of nations, which is especially true for the UAE, where expertise in this area is the need of the hour. Pursuing a master’s degree in GIS would equip me with the necessary knowledge and skills to help develop various aspects of the UAE, like building infrastructure, developing crime analysis database to reduce crime etc. Bringing this essential knowledge back to my country would enable us to advance and improve our current security systems and the quality of life for citizens in UAE. UMD University is renowned for its value based academic programs that offer opportunities of personal and professional growth. The myriad modules of course curricula are essential ingredients that provide students with a strong learning experience. Moreover, the learning platform offered by the university caters to the needs and requirements of diverse populace thus facilitating greater understanding of cross-cultural values and preparing students to meet the challenges of time. As a foreign student from Abu Dhabi, UAE, the invigorating environment and the academic program of the university not only meet my expectations but also represent my ideals. Participating in the UMD GIS Master program would help me realize my dream of improving the GIS Field in my country. I therefore strongly believe that the state of the art technology and innovative curricula of the UMD university program would help me meet the changing demands of the times, and allow me to make important contributions to my community. It would equip me with excellent academic qualifications and skills that could be judiciously exploited for the advancement of my country. My interest in studying GIS sparked when I was growing up in Abu Dhabi where I used to admire those who supervised construction sites near my home place. It intrigued me how they could go to places that were bare,

Reflective Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Reflective Journal - Essay Example opriate knowledge to gain as there has been increased need to understand how governments align the expectation of the public with regards to healthcare and the ability of such governments to fund these services. With focus on the Australia, it was appreciated that the government, including state and local governments, is the largest sponsor of healthcare services (Armstrong et al., 2007). Out of pocket contributions are also considerable. The private sector contributes minimally to funding for the aged care and health services. In a similar manner, the government largely funds care for the aged, with support from market oriented players, charitable organisations and informal care systems. Therefore, these findings support my earlier postulate that the government largely finances the healthcare services for Australian people. The private sector contributes to a small extent to this course. This indicates how critical healthcare is to the nation that it cannot be risked to the hands of private individuals. However, this could further indicate how great a burden the people of Australia bear in terms of catering for their healthcare and caring for the aged. Whereas it is appreciated that the government is the largest financier of healthcare system, it still sources such funds from the public through taxation. In essence, this means that the people of Australia fund their own healthcare. This gives them the power to demand for better healthcare services including care for the aged. The appreciation of this argument has seen various governments carry out reforms on healthcare management. Such reforms would normally be based on a forecast of future clinical developments. The ‘Tragedy of the Commons’ was a critical analogy to draw example from. This postulated that individual decisions on increasing herds of cattle had common economic cost to the whole community then. As such, individual freedom had communal price to pay, thus the establishment of guidelines to govern

Video games good or bad Essay Example for Free

Video games good or bad Essay Are Video Games Good For You, by Steven Berlin Johnson a author and writer of numerous magazine articles. Johnson has stirred academia and parents alike by professing that video games have a place in education. Johnsons views on video games are so out of the mainstream most people dismissed his assertions without much thought. His ideas seemed to find traction though when he wrote his book on the subject advocating a controversial view point video games are good for you. Johnson makes a simple claim that video games can be beneficial. Is it possible the biggest distracter of teenagers and college students in America, could actually be doing some good? There are numerous studies on video game play and the amount of time people spend on them, especially our youth. Many previous studies do not reflect Johnsons view point. So, are video games educational, or just another distraction to traditional education and parents? Johnson argues that video games not only attract kids through sex and violence. He claims people are drawn to the structure and sense of adventure. Johnson contends that certain parts of the brain are stimulated that actually make you crave conquest. Johnson claims that video games are so complicated, filled with problem solving and realistic scenarios that they must be doing something positive. He asserts that television has some of the same characteristics as video games. The most debased forms of mass diversion video games and violent television dramas and juvenile sitcoms turn out to be nutritional after all, Johnson writes. They offer an increasingly rigorous cognitive workout. Whats more, the mental skills they hone are just as important as the ones exercised by reading books.(pp. 381-394 ). Johnson continues throughout his article to bring scientific data to light on the subject, but it does not convince this writer that video games are good for you. Johnson does not take all the blame on that data because there really isnt much available on the subject. Johnson tries to take liberty with IQ scores on the rise over the last few years but that is a stretch in his attempt link it to video game play. Johnson ignores any data that conflicts with his position, such as better education techniques or more access to information through the use of the internet. Inquiring deeper in the area of study, there seems to be quite a bit of data that Johnson doesnt mention in his article. Studies reveal that there is a great deal of harm caused by extended video game play. Links have been made to aggressive behavior and even physical altercations to video game play. Parents have nothing but complaints about video games. Most parents want their children to play the traditional way, outside. Parents also have a hard time getting children to do anything else when a video game takes over. Johnson himself backs away from his own argument when he makes statements like dont stop reading books or do not depend on video games for your entire education. Johnson has caused me to explore the idea that video games are more than just a distraction, but in the end they are not best way to educate our children-they are a distraction. References Johnson, S. (2012) Why Games Are Good For You, From Inquiry to Academic Writing, pp. 481-494Ã'Ž

Impact of Globalization on the Fashion Industry

Impact of Globalization on the Fashion Industry After 1979 revolution the loose-fitting manteau and black headscarf was obligatory in Iran, still the state dress code was challenged by the women wearing fashionable and colorful coats with head coverings to match. Western fashions and influences are not prohibited in Saudi Arabia, but sometimes accustomed to meet Islamic standards. In a similar trend, Elle magazine recently launched its Middle Eastern version, featuring glossy pages of women in conservative clothing and a mixture of Eastern and Western fashions. Since the 1980s and the growth of the global economy, there has been massive growth in what Joanne Eicher has termed world fashion (p. 300). At the start of the twenty-first century, the preferred garments of young people of both sexes from around the world tend to be jeans, sweatshirts, T-shirts, and sneakers. These clothes are also international icons of American culture. The global young wear the same clothing, a phenomenon made possible by the exploitative mechanisms of the globalization of clothing manufacture, distribution, and retailing and by new technologies, global commodity advertising of branded leisure clothing, and the cultural and political domination of the United States. The reasons for wearing such clothing vary, but these clothes signify youth, modernity, and an eagerness to belong to the newly globalized capitalist world. In the period from 1964 to 1970, styles of dress worn by young women in Britain were the most famous visible representation of the teenage revolution and of the cutting edge of cultural modernity. Miniskirts exposed thighs to public view for the first time in European-American fashion history. These changes were rooted in the major social and cultural upheavals of the late 1950s, generated, as Tony Bennett explains, by a watershed around which a series of significant before and after contrasts can be drawn (p. 7). Young, radical film-makers, painters, writers, photographers, and designers then successfully challenged the British establishments hold on cultural power. Many who came from working-class backgrounds were helped into university and art-school education by postwar state grants to cover fees and living costs. The London couture trade ignored these developments, maintaining their prewar function of creating elegant clothing for the annual high society calendar. The fashionable age in 1955 was around thirty-five but could easily be fifty-five if a woman kept a slim figure. By 1965 the fashionable age was sixteen, a near twenty-year drop in ten years. Dress Globalization Of Fashion Due to globalization the companies are adapting the new initiatives for their production, manufacturing. To get the competitive advantage in the industry fashion houses are now outsourcing from some countries world country where the labor cost is too low. Furthermore, the designers of the international brands are constantly in search of the new design to create new customers and to be ahead in the competition within the industry. The existing mode influencing customization or modification in the costume is fashion. The Asian style has been characterized by the freedom from change which was followed by the Roman and Greek for centuries. It is believed that the fashion in dress started off in Europe on 14th century. The styles were defined by the prominent personages and the monarchs spread through descriptions in letters, in costume, exchange of fashion doll, by travelers. In 1586, first fashion magazine was produced in Frankfurt. Then in 1830 the Godeys Ladys Book produced in United States was popular for decades. The only influential designer in costume at that period was Rose Bertin, milliner and dressmaker to Marie Antoinette. In Paris-the leading arbiter of fashion since the Renaissance-the fading influence of celebrities was coincident with the rise of designer-dressmakers in the mid-19th cent. Paris haute couture has remained preeminent in setting fashions for womens dress. Designers such as Charles Frederick Worth, Coco Chanel, Lucien Lelong, Elsa Schiaparelli, Cristà ³bal Balenciaga, Christian Dior, and Yves Saint Laurent have had fashion houses in Paris. In the latter part of the 20th cent. such American designers as Norman Norell, Mainbocher, James Galanos, Bill Blass, and Pauline Trigà ¨re competed successfully with Parisian designers. London, in the early 19th cent., became the center for mens fashions under the leadership of Regency dandies such as Beau Brummell. In the mid-1960s, London was again for a time the center of fashion influence. The 1970s and 80s saw the beginning of more divergent trends in fashion. This was the result of the increasing popularity of ready-to-wear collections by major designers, which made fashionable label-conscious dressing possible for the middle class. Ethnic-inspired looks and the punk style enjoyed a period of popularity. Successful clothing designers such as Ralph Lauren, Georgio Armani, Gianni Versace, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Rei Kawakubo, and Geoffrey Beene widened their design horizons, licensed their names, and put their distinctive marks on objects ranging from furniture to cars, fabric, and perfumes. The look of luxuriance that emerged in the 1980s was countered in the 1990s with the production of classic understated clothes. Fashions are adapted for mass production by the garment industries of New York, Los Angeles, and other cities. Influence of faster and effective communication In the age of globalization the producers of cloths and marketing manager of different brands are now able to communicate their new design, trend and brand faster than ever. The internet has successfully established a new communication channel along with different innovative tools. The international marketers are now influencing the ultimate consumers using the celebrities as brand ambassadors helping them to add value to the promoted brand to influence the target market. The innovative ideas, promotional mix, including event management and thousands of media channels are employed to establish the brand and to capture a position in the target audience. Branding, Brand Positioning The significance of clothing goes beyond what we wear. A pair of blue jeans is not just a pair of blue jeans. The brand is often just as or more important as the article of clothing. Brand recognition is a crucial factor in the world of fashion, especially for younger generations. Faedda asserts that for young people jeans have become a tool of social and political protest, of adherence and membership, symbol and emblem; for stylists jeans have become a trendy casual product, a refined prà ªt a porter article or quite a high fashion creation. To establish their brand the global designers are always aware of promoting their brands through every possible way. They use the celebrities, rock stars, artist, players to influence their fans as they can easily influence their fans. For instance, lately the Emporio Armani has successfully managed to come in to contract with Christiano Ronaldo the footballer. Influence of Cultural Globalization Now the world is experiencing the presence of the BigMacs from Viena to Sydney, people are wearing clothes from the Benetton, working on the IBM computers, talking about the human rights and watching CNN or MTV. But their presence indicates that the worlds is experiencing mostly western flavor due to the globalization. Globalization has increased the ratio of migration, FDI, franchising, joint venture allies, merger and acquisition process which in turn increase the competition along with the efficiency. To get the competitive advantages the companies are now following outsourcing to become more cost effective. All these initiatives allow cultural blending across the nations as it requires people from different country to communicate interact with each other. Furthermore the internet allows us to get any sort of information instantly. The instant access easily transfer the fashion, culture and other cultural parameters offering more uniform genre of taste and preference. Conclusion The competitions forces some of the companies to come along with the innovative approach in their promotional strategies to attract their potential customers compare to the industry rivals. Fashion is a modern European occurrence, which is inseparable from capitalism in Europe. It is the progress of the bourgeois 19th century and the industrial revolution. Fashion can only flourish and become a mass event in an industrialized society with developed technology, sound aesthetic taste and uniqueness, as well as wealth. Because fashion is the opulence one must be able to pay for. Due to globalization people with common taste are able to communicate and can find out their favorite fashion which are getting more uniform day by day.

Aristophanes the Comic Writer Essay -- essays research papers

Aristophanes Aristophanes was a comic writer who lived between 450 and 385 BC and composed about forty plays in his lifetime. His plays were all comedies, which usually addressed very serious political and social issues in a direct and crude manner, which, like much of today's comedy, is what made them funny for the audience to watch and appreciate. Many of the comedies would even go as far as mocking members of the audience or making personal attacks upon contemporary political personalities. Aristophanes’ â€Å"Lysistrata† is no exception to this crude comedy, ridiculing what he thinks is the absurdity of the Peloponnesian War. The comedy is a brilliantly constructed piece with an extremely profound underlying message encouraging a Panhellenic society. He does not see the point of the battles within the country and wishes a unification of the city-states. Therefore through his work he wishes to enlighten the people of Greece. In order to understand the meaning behind Aristophanes’ play, some background history of the events leading up to the war is needed. There are three important occurrences, which ultimately led to the outbreak. It all started when Epidamnus (a colony of Corcyra) became involved in a political struggle. Democratic factions had taken control of the colony’s government and forced the aristocrats out of power. In retaliation for this action the aristocrats joined with barbaric forces and attacked the city and its surrounding areas. Seeking help, the colony sent a request to Corcyra, its motherland, for military intervention. Corcyra however refused to help the Epidamnians in their political struggle, and so the colony went to the city-state of Corinth for assistance. Being itself distantly related to the people of this colony, the Corinthians sent ships to suppress the violence. This move greatly displeased the Corcyraeans who saw the Corinthians as interfering with their af fairs. So in turn, they sent their own ships to intercept the Corinthians. To counter the Corinthian action, the Corcyraeans made an alliance with Athens (who had a very bitter relationship with Corinth). Acting according to a duty to protect the Epidamnians and possibly just to stand up to the Athenians, the Corinthian fleet attacked the Corcyraeans anyway. The resulting engagement was won decisively by Corcyraeans because of the Athenian support. This act further embitte... ...hough some of the women were weakened, it was the support of others that helped them overcome their cravings. This gives us a reference to the good that comes out of a united group.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Aristophanes using more comical examples putting light on the stupidities of this war. In a scene involving Myrrhine and her husband, Myrrhine puts her husband through torture†¦ â€Å"I’m dead: the woman’s worn me all away. She’s gone and left me with an anguished pulse. What shall I put thee in (O woe!) Since into something thou must go, Poor little lad†¦ he pines and peeks. Our lovely girl has proved a curse.† (Lysistrata, P. 319) This is all a comical twist, which appeals to the audience. Whether they realize it or not, they are being exposed to the faults of the war. Aristophanes is able to get his message across to a lot of people and in turn the word is spread.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Aristophanes’ play serves a greater purpose than a mere comical work. He addresses his views on the Peloponnesian War. He expresses his resentment of the war and pokes fun at how illogical it truly is. Through this comedy he is able to reach the public crowd and spread his views.

Confessions of a Female Chauvinist Sow Essay

Anne Roiphe’s â€Å"Confessions of a Female Chauvinist Sow† first appeared in the magazine New York in 1972. In this essay Roiphe aims to convince her readers that women must put faith in the idea that they are equal to men, not superior. â€Å"Women who want equality must be prepared to give it and believe in it . . . .† Personal anecdotes, contrast, and comparison are techniques Roiphe skillfully uses to create a strong, convincing essay. Roiphe begins her essay with a personal anecdote describing the â€Å"horrifying† realization that she married a man exactly like her father. This technique immediately establishes the essay as informal and personal. It is a great way to capture the reader’s interest. Also, this particular anecdote is used as background information for the first point Roiphe makes in the following paragraph—that â€Å". . . people . . . have at one time or another been fouled up by their childhood experiences. † Another anecdote in the essay explains how Roiphe’s mother used to give Roiphe â€Å"mad money† before going on dates. â€Å"My mother and I knew young men were apt to drink too much . . . † and â€Å"mad money was for getting home on your own, no matter what form of insanity your date happened to evidence. † Anecdotes such as this are entertaining and tend to lighten the mood of the essay. Also, it is quite easy for readers to relate to personal experience. Another function of anecdotes in this essay is to substantiate and support main ideas. At the end of one paragraph Roiphe states, â€Å"The hidden anti-male feelings, a result of the old system, will foul us up if they are allowed to persist. † This is directly followed by the anecdote explaining the necessity for â€Å"mad money†Ã¢â‚¬â€that men are untrustworthy, inconsiderate beasts. The anecdote clearly provides evidence and support for the fact that women have anti-male feelings. Shortly after capturing the reader’s interest with the introductory anecdote, Roiphe begins using contrast. The numerous examples of contrast throughout the essay portray men and women as being drastically different, especially morally. Boys are thought to be incapable of engaging in â€Å". . . easy companionship . . . † as girls are able to do, and men are generally believed to be â€Å". . . less moral . . . † than women. â€Å"Everyone assumes a mother will not let her child starve, yet it is necessary to legislate that a father must not do so. † Roiphe uses contrast to illustrate the common anti-male attitudes women have, and in doing so, makes it obvious that women feel superior to men. This exactly, Roiphe points out, is the barrier to equality between men and women. It is clear to the reader that equality between the sexes will never exist as long as women continue to feel superior to men. The contrasts also function to support points Roiphe makes later concerning the similarities between men and women. About midway through the essay, Roiphe makes a transition from contrast to comparison. She begins focusing on the idea that women are actually quite similar to men. She bluntly states, â€Å"Intellectually I know that’s ridiculous . . . † to assume â€Å". . . that women given power would not create wars. † She admits, â€Å"Aggression is not . . . a male-sex-linked characteristic . . . .† Comparisons such as these smoothly lead Roiphe into making one of her strongest comparisons—that â€Å". . . us laughing at them, us feeling superior to them, us ridiculing them behind their backs . . . † is â€Å". . . inescapably female chauvinist sowness. † These comparisons, particularly the last one, are shocking and cause the reader to reflect on previous ideas in the essay. Roiphe’s statement, â€Å". . . what they have done to us, and of course they have, and they did and they are . . . ,† momentarily makes readers believe that men are mainly to blame for the inequality between the sexes. However, through effective comparison Roiphe leads her readers to logically infer that women must also be responsible for the inequality between men and women. It then becomes clear to the reader that the â€Å". . . secret sense of superiority . . . † women feel is what makes them equally as chauvinistic as men. More important than the functions of the techniques she uses independently is how Roiphe uses them together. For example, had she bluntly stated early in her essay that women are â€Å"female chauvinist sows,† without preceding it with contrast, a quite different effect would have been created. Her readers, particularly the women, would have undoubtedly been offended. This approach would certainly have prevented the essay from being convincing. It is obvious that Roiphe purposely used the techniques in a planned way. This allowed her to create a specifically designed essay that was beneficial in helping her present her ideas.

The Millers Prologue And Tale Analysis English Literature Essay

Geoffrey Chaucer was a mediaeval author and regarded as the greatest of Middle English authors. Born in London, Chaucer was the boy of a affluent merchandiser who sent him to be trained at a baronial family. There he was educated and began to take journeys along with the male monarch for concern. Chaucer was a really busy man of affairs, and in his trim clip he would compose. He wrote The Canterbury Tales, during the fourteenth-century, a fabliau, which was about a group of people stating their narratives on a pilgrim's journey to the Canterbury Cathedral. The Miller ‘s tale mirrors today ‘s stand-up comedy modus operandis as evident in the Miller ‘s usage of timing, sarcasm, and personal narratives to state his narrative. † A TheA Millers Tale started by speech production of John, a carpenter, and an older gentleman, and his immature married woman, Alison, an 18 twelvemonth old adolescent. He loved her more than he loved himself. John was described as being covetous, because of her age, thereby maintaining her caged. In actuality, he was good hearted and really naA?ve. He was a typical older adult male that merely wanted to work hard and love his married woman. Alison was described as â€Å" wild and immature, with a slender, graceful organic structure † . Today there are older work forces that marry younger adult females, but normally non at such a immature age. John loved his married woman more than himself and most work forces today, who are attracted to immature adult females, are really in love and naA?ve every bit good. Alison was in love with a immature adult male that happened to be her and her hubby ‘s roomie. She was n't in love with John, yet she knew that he would make anything fo r her. At such a immature age, it sounds like she wanted what adult females in today ‘s society, would name a â€Å" sugar dada † , person to give her nutrient, shelter, money and demo her echt love. Nicholas was a clerk, and he was besides John and Alison ‘s roomie. He was immature, wild and a con-artist. He was besides, in love with Alison. Although he ne'er truly described her as did the other characters, the Miller made it evident of his fondness for her. His function in today ‘s society could be compared to a wild college pupil at an Ivy League university. He did n't mind a challenge and finally played the biggest function in the Tale because he plotted a fast one in order to pass clip with the adult female that he loved. He could read people good because he conjured up a program that worked ab initio, to flim-flam John so that he could pass the dark with Alison. He pretended that something was incorrect with him and being naA?ve, John believed him. He spoke about a major inundation and had John hanging bathing tubs. They all got in the bath until John had fallen asleep in the bath, so Alison and Nicholas snuck off to be together. While I do n't cognize anyone in today ‘s society that would travel this far, the play with Nicholas and Alison reminded me of a daytime soap opera sing they would crouch so low as to do up this narrative, and prosecute sexual brushs in Alison ‘s hubbies sleeping room. The last character in the narrative, Absolom, was besides a clerk and in love with Alison. Absolom was â€Å" reasonably and homosexual † , and day-dreamed about Alison. He described her as â€Å" spare, and so sweetly lecherous † . Like John, he was infatuated by Alison. Alison mentioned that â€Å" Absolom is populating in a bubble. He has nil but a laugh for all his problem. † It appeared that he did n't hold a hint about adult females and had ne'er dated before, but was happy merely being allowed to talk to Alison and lavish her with vocals, money and gifts. Today, there are many immature work forces like Absolom, who in secret loves a beautiful adult female but think they have no existent opportunity on holding her so, settle on woolgathering alternatively. The sarcasm of this character is that he was so clueless that he ended up blowing the screen of Nicholas and Alison ‘s love matter by firing Nicholas ‘s butt. I would state that things like th is as it relates to today ‘s society, happens when there is a sloppy deceiver, sloppy things come to visible radiation! Although there was no moral to the narrative, throughout the narrative, each character could be compared to in some facet, with people in today ‘s society. I believe the writer ran across aliens during his travel, and to maintain himself entertained, found ways to compose about these different people and utilize it for his ain ego pleasance. Possibly his occupation was so serious that he had to do visible radiation of any given state of affairs. The writer could hold really good encountered most of these people throughout his life. We will ne'er cognize what his logical thinking was, but it ‘s astonishing to see that people today are still like they were in some facet to the people in the in-between ages. The writer used timing, sarcasm, and personal narratives to maintain people interested, yet it is so closely related to today ‘s society.

Elc1013 Unit 1

ELC1013 English for University Studies Unit 1 – Achieving an Academic Writing Style (IEEE / Vancouver) Unit 1 Achieving an Academic Writing Style Learning Outcomes By the end of this unit, you should be able to: †¢ †¢ use appropriate language to demonstrate academic style in writing express ideas and views in tentative rather than assertive language where appropriate Introduction This unit is divided into three sections providing reference and practice material on various aspects of academic writing style. Section 1 Features of academic writing style Section 2 Improving the style of your writing Section 3 Hedging in academic writingReferencing note: This unit uses IEEE referencing style for all in-text referencing. Pre-Unit 1 IndiWork Activities Go to eLearn (http://elearn. elc. polyu. edu. hk/) and complete the Pre-Unit 1 IndiWork Activities. IndiWork 1 Academic Style Go to eLearn and complete the What is Academic Style? Activity. Section 1 The features of academic writing style What do you think are the differences between the essays that you wrote at secondary school and the essays that you will need to write at university? Make sure you think about style* when considering these differences. Style often refers to level of formality. For example when writing to a friend you would use an informal style.  © English Language Centre, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University 1 ELC1013 English for University Studies Unit 1 – Achieving an Academic Writing Style (IEEE / Vancouver) Activity 1 Reading How do the language choices in this first essay draft below create a non-academic / inappropriate style? Read the passage and identify (highlight / circle) the style problems. Note down your ideas at the end of the passage. Be prepared to share your observations with the rest of the class.How often do PolyU students use English outside the classroom? Because many people think PolyU students don’t use English much outside of class, I wanted to find out the answer to this question so I decided to do a survey. I worked out a questionnaire and then handed it out to lots of students from eight 5 departments. The students filled in the questionnaire and then gave it back to me. I did the survey in April 2011. A total of 707 students took part in the survey, which is a really huge sample. In fact, this is the biggest survey of its kind ever done in Hong Kong which is terrific!And when I got the questionnaires back, I looked closely at the data and put it into a number of figures. Grandparents Parents Domestic helper Social functions Brothers / sisters Situations Private tutors Restaurants / bars PolyU friends Part-time jobs Relatives Non- PolyU friends Overseas holidays 0 0. 5 1 1. 05 1. 32 1. 69 1. 95 1. 95 1. 99 2. 11 2. 12 2. 4 2. 45 2. 55 2. 72 1. 5 Mean 2 2. 5 3 Figure 1: Speaking in English outside university 10 The first area I’d like to look at is speaking in English. Basically, what I wanted to know was how ofte n students speak English outside the classroom.The questionnaire asked the students to say how often they use English when they talk to friends, parents etc. When they filled in the questionnaire, the students had to circle a number from 1 (never) to 6 (very often). If they circled 15 the numbers 1-3, it means that they don’t use English very much. If they circled the numbers 4-6, it means that they use English fairly often. As you can see, I’ve put all the data about speaking in English in Figure 1. Let’s now talk about the data in Figure 1. First and foremost, it’s crystal clear that students don’t have many opportunities to speak English outside the 20 classroom.You can tell this because all the means are under 3. 00. Clearly, PolyU students don’t have any need to speak to parents etc. in English. This is undoubtedly because their family members are Cantonese speakers.  © English Language Centre, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University 2 E LC1013 English for University Studies Unit 1 – Achieving an Academic Writing Style (IEEE / Vancouver) Obviously, there’s no point in speaking English when everyone can speak C a n t o n e s e . A s yo u c a n s e e , Po l y U s t u d e n t s n e v e r s p e a k t o t h e i r 25 grandparents in English.This is not surprising because, as we all know, old people in Hong Kong can’t speak English. That’s because the education system wasn’t very good in the past. But, you can see that there are a few situations (overseas holidays and so on) where students do get a golden opportunity to use their English, even though this is not really very often. In a 30 nutshell, then, the data in Figure 1 prove that PolyU students don’t speak English much outside the classroom. Note down the style problems you found in the box below. For each problem you identify, write an appropriate solution.Problem (inappropriate language) Solution (appropriate language) 1. 2 . 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.  © English Language Centre, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University 3 ELC1013 English for University Studies Unit 1 – Achieving an Academic Writing Style (IEEE / Vancouver) Section 2 Improving the style of your writing In this section you will learn how to improve the style of your academic writing. Read through the following twelve subheadings and complete Activities 2 to 7. 1. Avoid informal verbs Use formal (i. e. ingle-word verbs) such as examine rather than phrasal / multi-word verbs such as look at. This report looks at ? [examines] ? the problem of juvenile delinquency. Hong Kong has got over ? [recovered from] ? the latest recession. University-linked companies have not taken off ? [been successful]? in recent years. Activity 2a Formal verbs Fill in the blanks with five of the following formal verbs. Make sure that you put the verbs into the correct form / tense. discover conduct fluctuate establish devi se increase investigate assist reduce discuss ) The team (came up with) _____________________ an imaginative solution to the problem. b) In this essay, I will (talk about) _____________________ the issue of genetic engineering. c) The study was (carried out) _____________________ between May and July 2012. d) A research associate was appointed to (help out) __________________ with the analysis of the data. e) Researchers (found out) __________________that the chiller was the source of the problem. Activity 2b Formal verbs With a partner, write five sentences using the unused formal verbs from Activity 2a. )†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ b)†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ c)†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ d)†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ e)†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦  © English Language Centre, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University 4 ELC1013 English for University Studies Unit 1 – Achieving an Academic Writing Style (IEEE / Vancouver) 2. Avoid Colloquial expressions Avoid informal or colloquial expressions such as a lot of in your written assignments. ? a lot of research ? a great deal of / a considerable amount of lots of studies ? numerous / a large number of / myriad / a plethora of a really interesting study ? very / extremely / particularly a bit disappointing ? somewhat / rather / fairly it is a must ? essential / necessary / crucial / vital 3. Avoid Cliches Cliches are expressions that have become overused. The expressions below are dull and unoriginal. In addition, the meaning of some cliches, such as ‘in a nut shell’, may not be clear to a global audience as the words and meaning may not be closely related.Avoid using them in your written work. ? ? ? hot topic heated debate last but not least every coin has two sides all in all as we all know first and foremost crystal clear golden opportunity In a nutshell†¦ financial tsunami a double-edged sword 4. Avoid vague, everyday language Avoid common, informal everyday words. Use more precise words instead. Adjectives Pollution has been a big ? [major] ? problem in Hong Kong in the past thirty years. The facilities in the lecture theatre are bad ? [inadequate]?. The students felt she was a good ? [organised / enthusiastic] ? instructor. Verbs Bonny got ? [obtained] ? er degree from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Chan [1] says ? [comments] ? that the English standard of students is improving. Others This issue has raised the attention of everyone ? [the public]. ? There are many things ? [elements] ? to a successful presentation. 5. Be objective As well as being impersonal, academic writing should be as objective as possible. Subjective and strongly emotional language should be avoided. Do not use words such as: fantastic, wonderful, lovely, absolutely, totally, terrific, excellent! Objectivity can also be boosted through hedging techniques (see section 3). English Language Centre, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University 5 ELC1013 English for University Studies Unit 1 – Achieving an Academic Writing Style (IEEE / Vancouver) Activity 3 Academic style Change the underlined words in the following sentences to improve the style. a) The student did a presentation last week. c) The results of the survey were shockingly bad! e) Freedom of the Internet is a double edged sword. 6. Avoid Repetition Repeating the same words and phrases in your written assessments may make your work appear boring and unsophisticated to the reader.To make your writing more interesting, use appropriate synonyms. For example: findings inquiry ? ? results investigation appear argue ? ? seem contend b) It is a good essay. d) It was a poor presentation. f) The analysts obtained a lot of data. Tip: When using Microsoft Word, if you right click on a word it will give you a list of synonyms that you could use. Note that not all the words will be suitable to use in a particular sentence, so you should ensure that the alternative language choices convey the meaning you intend to express. Academic writing should be easy to follow. 7.Avoid contractions Avoid using contractions such as it’s and they’re in academic writing. won’t ? will not don’t ? do not I’ve ? I have It’s ? [It is] ? widely acknowledged that English plays an important role in Hong Kong’s business sector. 8. Avoid personal references Avoid directly referring to yourself as ‘I’ or ‘we’, or to the reader as ‘you’. Academic writers generally avoid using the personal pronoun ‘I’ because it makes their work seem too subjective. You can see the findings in Table 1. ? I have presented the findings in Table 1. ? As you can see, the findings are in Table 1. We can see the findings in Table 1. ? The findings are presented in Table 1. ? The passive voice is useful for this and achieves a more impersonal, action-focused style appropriate for academic writing.  © English Language Centre, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University 6 ELC1013 English for University Studies Unit 1 – Achieving an Academic Writing Style (IEEE / Vancouver) 9. Avoid informal sentence starters Starting sentences with And, Because, or But is considered poor style in academic writing. Use a more formal alternative instead. For example: And ? In addition, Apart from But ?However, Because ? Due to, This is because 10. Avoid rhetorical questions Avoid using rhetorical questions as they can make your writing appear unsophisticated. In my report, I will answer the following question: What are the causes of stress? ? This report examines the causes of stress. ? Whether exams cause stress is examined in this report. ? The above analysis concludes the first part of my essay regarding the problems of teenage drug abuse. Now, how about the solutions? ? The next part of my essay examines some solutions to teenage drug abuse. ? Activity 4 Academic styleImprove the style of the following sentences. a) Has China been af fected by the financial tsunami? She’d appear to be managing quite nicely. b) And it’s high time we started to think about the wealth gap. c) Some business leaders make some bad business decisions. 11. Avoid ‘Run-on’ expressions Limit the use of ‘run-on’ expressions such as etc. and and so on in academic writing. Use the term such as to inform the reader that not all possible examples are given. Professionals often need to write reports, memos etc. at work. ? Professionals often need to write documents such as reports and memos at work. ? 12.Use positive forms Avoid informal negative forms such as not much and not many. Use the positive (without ‘not’) forms little and few. Not much ? [Little] ? research has been conducted into job stress in universities. Not many ? [Few] ? studies have investigated Hong Kong society in the 19th century.  © English Language Centre, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University 7 ELC1013 English for Unive rsity Studies Unit 1 – Achieving an Academic Writing Style (IEEE / Vancouver) Activity 5 Academic style There are style errors in the sentence below. Identify the error and change the language to improve the style of the sentences.Then match the error to the style issues in the box below. Most sentences have more than one problem. emotional / subjective colloquial expressions vague/everyday cliche contraction / negativity personal reference sentence starter a) The problem of air pollution has become more and more serious in recent years. b) In the past decade, a lot of research has been done into indoor air quality. c) The results let everyone see that the quality of service in Hong Kong restaurants is bad. d) Hong Kong companies value employees who have good communication skills. ) And language policy in secondary schools has been a hot topic for many years. f) We all know that students learn better when they are taught in their mother tongue. g) The students didn’t e ncounter many problems finding good data for their project. h) Ensuring a big sample of subjects for a questionnaire survey is a must. i) j) Researchers got their data by doing telephone interviews. Tong’s [2] interpretation of the data is totally wrong.  © English Language Centre, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University 8 ELC1013 English for University Studies Unit 1 – Achieving an Academic Writing Style (IEEE / Vancouver) Activity 6 ReadingThe following essay is a more appropriately written academic essay than the draft analysed in Activity 1. Discuss with a partner the ways in which this passage is more academically appropriate than the earlier Activity 1 version. Students’ use of English outside university (A) This essay investigates the perceived problem of Hong Kong students’ lack of English use outside university. The data reported below were derived from a questionnaire survey of a substantial sample of first-year undergraduates from eight departme nts at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. (B) The survey was conducted between 12 and 23 April 2011.The subjects completed the questionnaire during their English for University Studies classes under the supervision of a research assistant. A total of 1,283 questionnaires were distributed and 707 correctly completed copies were returned and subsequently analysed. The questionnaire required the respondents to indicate the frequency with which they speak, listen, read and write in English outside the formal setting of the English-medium classroom. (C) The first section of the questionnaire asked the subjects to indicate on a six-point scale how often they speak in English in a range of nonacademic situations.On the evidence of the findings presented in Figure 1, it would appear that tertiary students in Hong Kong generally have little need to speak in English outside the classroom. (D) The evidence suggests that undergraduates rarely communicate with their parents or grandparents in English. This finding is perhaps not surprising as census data indicate that the overwhelming majority of people in Hong Kong speak Cantonese [1]. In the intimate family domain, young people understandably have little need or desire to speak English, apart from special circumstances such as preparing for English language examinations. E) The results indicate that the situation in which tertiary students use English least is in interactions with their grandparents. When interpreting this finding, it is worth noting that recent surveys have revealed that English is less widely known among Hong Kong people in their sixties and seventies than among those in the 4060 and 20-40 age groups [2]. This largely stems from the fact that the provision of Englishmedium secondary education was limited in the 1940s and 1950s [3]. The majority of citizens in the 60-70 age group are likely to have received only a Chinese-medium primary education [4]. F) While the data in Figure 1 suggest that tertia ry students tend not to speak English very frequently outside class, there are apparently several situations where spoken English has some degree of importance in the subjects’ lives. As might be expected, the situation where the subjects need to speak the language most is on overseas holidays. As Cantonese is not widely spoken outside China, it is perhaps understandable that students need to communicate in English on trips to Europe, North America and other parts of Asia. (G) As noted above, students rarely talk to their immediate family members in English.However, it is interesting that some of the subjects apparently have some need to communicate with their relatives in English. One possible factor behind the use of English in this situation is that their relatives live in an Englishspeaking country. In the case of younger relatives (e. g. cousins), it is possible that they have no knowledge of Cantonese, while older relatives (e. g. uncles, aunts) may feel more comfortabl e using their adopted language.  © English Language Centre, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University 9 ELC1013 English for University Studies Unit 1 – Achieving an Academic Writing Style (IEEE / Vancouver) Activity 7Improving academic style Use the academic writing advice above to complete the following exercises. 1. Skim through the Activity 6 essay and find formal verbs with similar meanings to the following informal phrasal verbs. The paragraph is given in brackets to help you. filled in (B) handed out (B) ____________________ ____________________ looks into (A) ____________________ found out (E) ____________________ 2. Find words in the Activity 6 passage which have similar meanings to the following vague, everyday words: done (B) ____________________ later (B) ____________________ big (A) ____________________ got (A) ____________________ . To avoid repeating the words students and findings, the writer uses a number of synonyms. List the synonyms used. students: findings: _ __________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ 4. How does the writer avoid using informal negative forms? Underline one example in the passage in Paragraph D. 5. The draft that you read in Activity 1 included the following inappropriate sentences: This is not surprising because, as we all know, old people in Hong Kong can’t speak English.That’s because the education system wasn’t very good in the past. How does the writer revise this part of the report? ‘Li Wei falls to Hong Kong’ reproduced with kind permission of Li Wei  © English Language Centre, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University 10 ELC1013 English for University Studies Unit 1 – Achieving an Academic Writing Style (IEEE / Vancouver) Activity 8 Writing This activity gives you the chance to apply the features of academic writing style covered so far. By being able to write in an appropriate academi c style, you will be more able to successfully complete assignments at university.Situation For a course that you have been doing at university, you have been researching whether the consumption of organic produce can affect the health of a population. You are also interested in whether a subject’s positive opinion of their well being* has an effect on their general level of health. The area that you are investigating for an assignment is whether Hong Kong subjects also feel better about themselves after consuming organic produce. In Table 1 below, the results of two surveys are presented.First, a large scale survey was conducted by Wallace and Welbeck [1] among 4619 students in the UK about consumption of organic produce and self health ratings. The questions were adapted by your group to survey 89 students in the Polytechnic University. In the survey, subjects were asked to say whether they felt the following illnesses would increase or decrease on a scale from 0 (increase a great deal) to 3 (no effect) to 6 (decrease a great deal) after the consumption of organic produce. XuanXuan 13’ reproduced with kind permission of Li Wei *Note: â€Å"well being† describes the state of feeling healthy and happyIn pairs, discuss the data in Table 1. How would you explain the findings? When you have completed your discussion, write a short text of 3 or 4 paragraphs in which you describe and discuss the data. Table 1: Reduction and increase of illnesses after consumption of organic produce Features Headaches Colds Coughs Aches and pains Skin complaints UK students 4. 9 3. 1 2. 2 4. 5 3. 4 Polytechnic University students 5. 5 4. 1 5. 4 3. 2 4. 5 Source: Figures for UK students from Wallace and Welbeck [1]  © English Language Centre, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University 11 ELC1013 English for University StudiesUnit 1 – Achieving an Academic Writing Style (IEEE / Vancouver) Section 3 Hedging in academic writing One of the main problems in the Act ivity 1 text is the writer’s use of assertive (overly strong or sure) language when discussing the data. Examples of assertive language are highlighted below. Let’s now talk about the data in Figure 1. First and foremost, it’s crystal clear that students don’t have many opportunities to speak English outside the classroom. You can tell this because all the means are under 3. 00. Clearly, PolyU students don’t have any need to speak to parents, etc. n English. This is undoubtedly because their family members are Cantonese speakers. Obviously, there’s no point in speaking English when everyone can speak Cantonese. As you can see, PolyU students never speak to their grandparents in English. This is not surprising because, as we all know, old people in Hong Kong can’t speak English. That’s because the education system wasn’t very good in the past. You can see, though, that there are a few situations (overseas holidays and so on) where students do get a golden opportunity to use their English, even though this is not really very often.In a nutshell, then, the data in Figure 1 prove that PolyU students don’t speak English much outside the classroom. Expressing opinions or making claims in overly strong language leaves you open to attack by critical readers. Such statements will often be doubted by readers thereby reducing your power and authority as a writer. A reader who does not believe a writer will rarely read on. To avoid such a situation, when stating ideas or discussing data you should use tentative rather than assertive language. You should avoid expressions such as: clearly ndoubtedly obviously definitely without a doubt there is no doubt that certainly absolutely Be very careful about using words like always (very common in Chinese), never, every and all because these suggest absolute certainty, which is inappropriate, and often incorrect, in many situations. Compare the following sentenc es: 1. The Hong Kong economy will grow next year. (Too strong! The writer is open to criticism if the Hong Kong economy does not grow next year) 2. The Hong Kong economy might grow next year. (Ok. The writer is hedging by using the modal verb ‘might’) 3.Some economists believe the Hong Kong economy will grow next year. (Ok. The doubt is transferred to a third party (economists). This means that the readers' confidence in you is not reduced) Techniques used in the sentences two and three above are known as hedging.  © English Language Centre, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University 12 ELC1013 English for University Studies Unit 1 – Achieving an Academic Writing Style (IEEE / Vancouver) Hedging Techniques Activity 6 illustrated a number of hedging techniques. These are summarised below: 1.Use hedging verbs The following ‘hedging’ verbs are often used in academic writing: suggest indicate estimate imply The results indicate that the situation in which te rtiary students use English least is in interactions with their grandparents. The verbs appear and seem are used to ‘distance’ the writer from the findings (and therefore avoid making a strong claim and be subject to criticism from readers). On the evidence of the findings presented in Figure 1, it would appear that tertiary students in Hong Kong generally have little need to speak in English outside the classroom.Note that the writer also ‘protects’ himself / herself by using the phrase on the evidence of. The following expressions are used in a similar way: according to, on the basis of, based on. 2. Use modal verbs Another way of appearing ‘confidently uncertain’ is to use modal verbs such as may, might and could. In the case of younger relatives, it is possible that they have no knowledge of Cantonese, while older relatives may feel more comfortable using their adopted language. 3. Use adverbs The following adverbs are often used when a wri ter wishes to express caution. robably apparently possibly seemingly perhaps presumably arguably conceivably This finding is perhaps not surprising as census data indicate that the overwhelming majority of people in Hong Kong speak Cantonese [1]. 4. Use adjectives Another technique is to use an adjective. probable possible arguable unlikely likely One possible factor behind the use of English in this situation is that their relatives live in an English-speaking country.  © English Language Centre, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University 13 ELC1013 English for University Studies Unit 1 – Achieving an Academic Writing Style (IEEE / Vancouver) 5.Use nouns The following nouns are often used to hedge:: probability possibility evidence likelihood indication The evidence suggests that undergraduates rarely communicate with their parents or grandparents in English. 6. Softening generalisations There are several ways in which you can soften and hedge a generalisation. (i) Use the verb tend or the noun (have / be a) tendency (to). While the data in Figure 1 suggest that tertiary students tend not to speak English very frequently outside class, there are apparently several situations where spoken English has some degree of importance in the subjects’ lives. ii) Use an adverb such as: generally predominantly largely mainly primarily usually for the most part to a great extent This largely stems from the fact that the provision of English-medium secondary education was limited in the 1940s and 1950s [3]. (iii) Use a hedging expression such as most or the majority of. The majority of citizens in the 60-70 age group are likely to have received only a Chinesemedium primary education [4]. (iv) Identify exceptions by using expressions such as except for or with the exception of.In the intimate family domain, young people understandably have little need or desire to speak English, except for special circumstances such as preparing for English language examinations. 7. Avoid negative words You should also avoid direct, negative words such as lies, cheat, false, rubbish, cheap, useless and worst. Try to use cautious, indirect language when expressing negative ideas. Without a doubt, the worst aspect of Dr Wong’s teaching is the lack of feedback. ? Giving feedback is perhaps the least successful aspect of Dr Wong’s teaching.?The president told lies to the media during his rubbish handling of the crisis. ? The president may have misled the media during the less than satisfactory handling of the crisis. ?  © English Language Centre, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University 14 ELC1013 English for University Studies Unit 1 – Achieving an Academic Writing Style (IEEE / Vancouver) Activity 9 Hedging Choose the most appropriate option below. a) Everybody knows / It is generally accepted that all / the majority of English people always / often fail to learn any language other than their own. ) Perhaps / clearly the world will / is like ly to face major / total environmental destruction in the next fifty years. c) Without a doubt / It is widely believed that assertive writing is never / unlikely to be positively regarded by most / all readers. Activities 10a and 10b gives you an opportunity to practise the hedging techniques outlined in Section 3. By being able to use hedging techniques while writing in an appropriate academic style, you will more be able to successfully complete assignments at university. Activity 10a WritingIn 2011, the English Language Centre of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University surveyed 978 Form 7 school leavers about their preferences when studying in higher education. A summary of the results is presented below. Table 1: First Choice of University Hong Kong University The Chinese University of Hong Kong Hong Kong University of Science and Technology The Hong Kong Polytechnic University City University of Hong Kong Hong Kong Baptist University The Open University of Hong Kong Lingnan Univer sity Hong Kong Shue Yan University 21% 17% 15% 14% 11% 11% 8% 7% 4% A pause for humanity 3’ reproduced with kind permission of Li Wei Read what the writer said about the reason why Hong Kong University and Chinese University were the most favoured. Note the underlined language. The survey results indicate that the preferred universities were Hong Kong University and Chinese University. A probable reason for this is their long history, and the preference of employers for employees who graduate from these institutions. Write two or three paragraphs giving possible reasons for the ranking of the other universities. Use the hedging techniques from Section 3. English Language Centre, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University 15 ELC1013 English for University Studies Unit 1 – Achieving an Academic Writing Style (IEEE / Vancouver) Activity 10b Writing The school leavers were asked a similar question regarding their first choice of course when applying for University. Examine Table 2 below giving the results, and write two more paragraphs providing some possible explanations. Table 2: First choice of course when applying for University Engineering Law Nursing and Health Sciences Design Business Computing Textiles Construction Logistics Others 15% 4% 8% 12% 20% 15% 4% 7% 16% 5%Further Learning Materials Besides IndiWork, you are also strongly encouraged to complete the Further Learning Materials found at the end of each unit. By doing so, so will be able to perform better in this subject’s assessments. Go to eLearn (http://elearn. elc. polyu. edu. hk/) to complete the following activities. 1. Unit 1 Review of learning 2. Unit 1 Further Learning Materials  © English Language Centre, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University 16