Research Paper on Philosophy of Writing Essay Example

Research Paper on Philosophy of Writing Essay Elements of Writing Philosophy Introduction Writing is traditionally considered to be a very important part of the learning process since with poor writing skills students can hardly achieve positive results in their learning. At the same time, the teaching of writing skills is often accompanied by numerous difficulties that make the entire learning process less effective than it could potentially be. In spite of the fact that writing is an essential component of learning process that has been practiced almost from the beginning of teaching, there are still a lot of arguments concerning really effective methods of teaching which could be really successful and provide students with sufficient knowledge and skills that could make their writing good and corresponding to their level of development. Also, it is worthy of mention the fact that educators are often focused on the search for effective methods of teaching writing, and naturally they fail to succeed in their work since it is necessary to view writing at large. What is meant here is the necessity to view writing not as a separate activity students have to learn but as a part of the educational process at large that implies that teachers should understand the essence of the writing process and conditions on which writing skills could be developed the most effective as well as the impact of students background on their learning, especially in relation to their writing skills. In such a way, it is necessary to view the writing in the cultural context, analyze its correlation to reading as an essential element that contributes to successful teaching writing and find out some perspective approaches to teaching writing skills. Beliefs concerning writing We will write a custom essay sample on Research Paper on Philosophy of Writing specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Research Paper on Philosophy of Writing specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Research Paper on Philosophy of Writing specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer However, first of all, it is necessary to dwell upon the basic views on writing and traditional beliefs that educators have concerning writing. Naturally, the development of educational doctrines concerning teaching writing skills resulted in the spread of various beliefs which are not always supported by evidence or which turn to be just a kind if myths than real facts. First of all, it should be said that probably one of the most widely spread beliefs concerning writing is the idea that writing is social and, therefore, is best taught in collaborative and communal settings (Kirby et al. 2004). At this point, it is necessary to agree that writing is social but on the other hand it is also necessary to underline the fact that the practical realization of the idea of creation a collaborative and communal setting does not increase the effectiveness of the learning process. Specialists (Kirby et al. 2004) underline that while realizing the collaborative strategy teachers need to encourage student cooperation and their group work that often results in the wasting of time on activities that are not directly related to the teaching writing. To put it more precisely, teachers often need to spend â€Å"more time on crowd control and playing the group cop† (Kirby et al. 2004:4). Obviously, such a belief and its practical implementation turn to be not very effective. Consequently, this approach cannot be fully applied to teaching writing skills, even though such a belief is widely spread among many educators. Furthermore, when educators discuss the problem of teaching writing skills they often argue that coached practice is essential (Kirby et al. 2004). This belief implies that writing should be an interactive process while often it is a one-sided activity when student writes and, in response, just receive some comments from teachers. Instead, teachers should assist their students and show the ways to improve their writing, encourage them to write better and give them advice that can help them become good writers. At the same time, many teachers face a serious problem in teaching writing skills just at the beginning of their work with students. In fact, teachers often cannot define what they should start with. In this respect, specialists (Kirby et al. 2004) recommend starting with fluency. This means that teachers should prepare their students to their writing though easing into new, unfamiliar forms (Kirby et al. 2004). In other words, students should get acquainted with new forms and then start practicing their writing skills and get ready to experiment with their writing. As students progress in their writing, the teaching grows more and more complicated. However, many educators tend to focus on teaching parts while they do not help students to learn writing at large as a whole, while the whole is, beyond doubt, more important than the sum of parts (Kirby et al. 2004). In fact, it is probably the most difficult thing about teaching writing – to teach students to unite all their knowledge about writing into the whole that is one of the major goals of teaching writing skills. If teachers succeed in it, students will make considerable progress, but it is necessary to remember that the growth of students’ skills should be supported by an adequate and objective assessment that can stimulate their work and encourage them to write more (Kirby et al. 2004). Obviously, the beliefs mentioned above are just the basic concepts that may be crucial for successful teaching of writing skills but anyway they need to be realized in practice first to become effective. The correlation between reading and writing Obviously, students need to have a lot of examples of good writing to achieve fluency in their writing skills. In this respect, it is necessary to pay particular attention to reading which should be viewed as an essential component of teaching writing skills. In this respect, it is worthy of mention that Linda Rief underlines that â€Å"we have forgotten that a person can read without writing, but cannot write without reading† (2003:10). In such a way, teachers should start teaching writing skills from the improvement of students reading proficiency. Even though it sounds a bit paradoxical but the benefits of such approach are evident. In fact, through reading, students learn various styles, forms, and structures of writing. They get acquainted with the ready-made models of writing which they can amply use in their further learning of writing skills. It is quite possible to apply the reading material as a model for students writing. In such a way, the desirable fluency of students writing may be achieved due to their reading experience. At the same time, reading also helps students to avoid numerous mistakes they can make in their writing since they can learn from reading the correct grammatical and stylistic forms which they use as samples in their writing. Coaching writing As students acquire their basic knowledge about writing mainly from reading, it is possible to improve their fluency through stimulation of their writing. At this stage, it is possible to start to implement various methods targeting at the improvement and enlargement of students’ writing skills and abilities. In this respect, it is possible to recommend implementing coaching writing developed by William Strong (2001). In spite the fact that this approach is often criticized, it can be quite effective and contribute to the positive development of students’ writing skills. Naturally, it is possible to argue that coaching writing tends, in a way, to some drilling but at the same time this approach may be quite interesting for students. In this respect, Strong underlines that he uses sentence combining, which is the basis of his approach, â€Å"to make good sentences, not long ones† (2001:16). This is one of the major principles of this approach since the quality should dominate over quantity. Furthermore, Strong argues that sentence combining â€Å"builds fluency and prompts students to write more varied, syntactically mature sentences† (2001:23). At the same time Strong is conscious of the possible negative impact of pure drilling, this is why he warns that it is necessary to focus on â€Å"ways of working smarter, not harder – and thus reducing the risk of burnout in teaching† (2001:7). In such a way, this approach may be viewed as another step in the increasing students’ fluency in writing which may harmoniously accomplish their skills and experience acquired from reading. Writing as a writer Naturally, the fluency is important in teaching writing skills, but students need to learn new skills to keep progressing in their writing. This means that they need to become more proficient in their writing that implies the acquisition of new, more profound knowledge of language and writing. What is probably even more important is the practical implementation of students’ knowledge and skills. In fact, Tom Romano underlines that â€Å"learning to use language, to discover and communicate ideas is essential for making sense of our experience – our academic experience, our personal experience† (1987:7). At the same time, the profound understanding of language and the view on writing from the position of a writer should be mutual, i.e., on the part of both students and teachers. In this respect, Romano states that â€Å"sensitive, knowledgeable teachers who know writing from inside are invaluable† (1987:7). Obviously, if teachers can perfectly understand what writing is, then they can convey all the nuances of the writing process to their students. They should be able to make their students be a writer, to think like a writer and, what is more, students should â€Å"think about their thinking† (Strong 2001:186). In such a way, students acquire essential experience and can improve their writing skills, while teachers can teach their students to view the language and to write as the whole, as the system uniting all their knowledge about its parts. Writing in cultural context At the same time, at the upper stages of the development of students writing skills, teachers face another challenge – they need to take into consideration the cultural context and background of their students. It is not a secret that students from different cultural experience may have different writing skills. In fact, this difference may be not so obvious at first stages of teaching writing skills when elementary skills are needed but, as the learning process grows more and more complicated, the language proficiency may be crucial. Naturally, the cultural background plays an extremely important role since the language proficiency may vary considerably in different socio-cultural groups. In this respect, it is possible to refer to Mike Rose’s â€Å"Lives on the Boundary† (1989), where the author depicts representatives of different socio-cultural groups whose writing skills are quite poor because they originate from immigrants families and, therefore, their language proficiency is poor. Nevertheless, the author reveals the fact that regardless the initial difference students can achieve positive results in the acquisition of new writing skills. At the same time, students from different cultural background inevitably influence each other since â€Å"education is one culture embracing another† (Rose 1989:27). Conclusion Thus, teaching writing skills is a very complicated process. This process should start with the development of students fluency and, in this respect, reading and coaching teaching may be quite helpful. At the same time, to achieve proficiency, students should acquire profound knowledge about language and writing process as the whole, and the role of teachers is to convey this information from the position of writers who understand how the writing process occurs and what it includes. Finally, it is necessary to take into consideration the socio-cultural context in teaching students since they may have a different level of skills and knowledge.

I Make My Own Rules Essays - African-American Culture, Free Essays

I Make My Own Rules Essays - African-American Culture, Free Essays "I Make My Own Rules" LL Cool J's autobiography "I Make My Own Rules" is a very well written book. I liked the way he got into detail about his childhood. He had a very interesting childhood. The way he explains the good and the bad of his hip-hop life is also interesting. It is also very interesting how he tells how he went from a bad sinful child to a nice spiritual man. The way LL tells about his childhood is interesting. The way he tells about it is not that interesting, yet his childhood is very interesting. For instance in the story he tells about as a child how he tried to run away from his father Roscoe (his abusive step father), and got a very bad beating, He goes into detail about how Roscoe would beat him and neglect him. He also tells about how when he was older how Roscoes' abusive behavior rubbed off on him. He would beat kids up for no reason, just like Roscoe. The way he tells about this is scary and sad. I loved these parts of the story because they open your eyes to child abuse and show you that it does exist. The way he explains his hip-hop life is very interesting/funny. For example he tells about how his accountants would take money from him by telling him to take a cheaper deal and then charging him for a more expensive deal and pocketing the difference. Since he didn't finish his education he didn't know what to do therefore he just went along with what was going on. In the long run he looked back and figured out he lost more than 20,000 dollars. He also explains going on tour and some of the stuff they would do. "Sometimes my friends would put itching powder in my bed and look at scratching and bust up laughing (pg.140)" said LL. He said that on the whole the hip-hop life was the life for him, even after all the drama unfolded. As a beginner in the hip-hop industry he was a very vulnerable young man. He easily got caught up in the sex and money (he never did drugs because he never liked them). He would do all kind of things that many would not approve of. He would have many different women at one time, he would buy many frivolous things, and he would cheat on his wife (it was only one time for a week though). He also then explains how when he got older he completely turned his life around. He met a friend named Charles. He taught him how to communicate with the spiritual side of life. It was from there that he turned his life around, he went back to school, and he stayed faithful to his wife, and had three loving kids. "If said if it weren't for Charles my life would have ever been the same," said LL. The book was a very good way to get across the point that if you want to get in the hip hop industry you must really want to do well. I highly enjoyed the book. It was a very funny book at times and a very sad book at times. I would highly recommend this book to a lot of people.

Why the Water in a Nuclear Reactor Glows Blue

Why the Water in a Nuclear Reactor Glows Blue In science fiction movies, nuclear reactors and nuclear materials always glow. While movies use special effects, the glow is based on scientific fact. For example, the water surrounding nuclear reactors actually does glow bright blue! How does it work? Its due to the phenomenon called Cherenkov Radiation. Cherenkov Radiation Definition What is Cherenkov radiation? Essentially, its like a sonic boom, except with light instead of sound. Cherenkov radiation is defined as the electromagnetic radiation emitted when a charged particle moves through a dielectric medium faster than the velocity of light in the medium. The effect is also called Vavilov-Cherenkov radiation or Cerenkov radiation. Its named after Soviet physicist Pavel Alekseyevich Cherenkov, who received the 1958 Nobel Prize in Physics, together with Ilya Frank and Igor Tamm, for experimental confirmation of the effect. Cherenkov had first noticed the effect in 1934, when a bottle of water exposed to radiation glowed with blue light. Although not observed until the 20th century and not explained until Einstein proposed his theory of special relativity, Cherenkov radiation had been predicted by English polymath Oliver Heaviside as theoretically possible in 1888. How Cherenkov Radiation Works The speed of light in a vacuum in a constant (c), yet the speed at which light travels through a medium is less than c, so its possible for particles to travel through the medium faster than light, yet still slower than the speed of light. Usually, the particle in question is an electron. When an energetic electron passes through a dielectric medium, the electromagnetic field is disrupted and electrically polarized. The medium can only react so quickly, though, so there is a disturbance or coherent shockwave left in the wake of the particle. One interesting feature of Cherenkov radiation is that its mostly in the ultraviolet spectrum, not bright blue, yet it forms a continuous spectrum (unlike emission spectra, which have spectral peaks). Why Water in a Nuclear Reactor Is Blue As Cherenkov radiation passes through the water, the charged particles travel faster than light can through that medium. So, the light you see has a higher frequency (or shorter wavelength) than the usual wavelength. Because there is more light with a short wavelength, the light appears blue. But, why is there any light at all? Its because the fast-moving charged particle excites the electrons of the water molecules. These electrons absorb energy and release it as photons (light) as they return to equilibrium. Ordinarily, some of these photons would cancel each other out (destructive interference), so you wouldnt see a glow. But, when the particle travels faster than light can travel through the water, the shock wave produces constructive interference that you see as a glow. Use of Cherenkov Radiation Cherenkov radiation is good for more than just making your water glow blue in a nuclear lab. In a pool-type reactor, the amount of blue glow can be used to gauge the radioactivity of spent fuel rods. The radiation is used in particle physics experiments to help identify the nature of the particles being examined. It is used in medical imaging and to label and trace biological molecules to better understand chemical pathways. Cherenkov radiation is produced when cosmic rays and charged particles interact with the Earths atmosphere, so detectors are used to measure these phenomena, to detect neutrinos, and to study gamma-ray-emitting astronomical objects, such as supernova remnants. Fun Facts About Cherenkov Radiation Cherenkov radiation can occur in a vacuum, not just in a medium like water. In a vacuum, the phase velocity of a wave decreases, yet the charged particle velocity remains closer to (yet less than) the speed of light. This has a practical application, as it is used to produce high power microwaves.If relativistic charged particles strike the vitreous humor of the human eye, flashes of Cherenkov radiation may be seen. This can occur from exposure to cosmic rays or in a nuclear criticality accident.

Investigate whether some vocabulary learning strategies are superior Outline

Investigate whether some vocabulary learning strategies are superior to other - Outline Example Environmental factors may involve the host culture and output opportunities. Therefore, the effectiveness of the diverse strategies of learning vocabularies is dependent on the factors. There is no superior strategy of learning vocabularies in a second language because they depend on the personal, task and environmental factors. There have been diverse sets of professionals who take interest in the strategies of learning vocabulary of a second language. The professionals who conducted research under the subject entailed linguists, psychologists, sociologists, and language teachers (Meara,109, 1997). In their studies they established outstanding facts in regard to the strategies of vocabulary attainment. Studies show that there are diverse strategies of vocabulary attainment in a second language. The diverse strategies of vocabulary attainment in a second language entail dictionary use, guessing, and rote rehearsal (Cohen, 76, 2001). A learner may use either strategy for the maximization of new vocabulary in a second language. Guessing as a strategy towards vocabulary attainment in a second language is common in learning processes (McCarthy, 102, 1990). The first language is majorly developed through multiple exposures to vocabularies. It does not develop as a result of direct instruction (Ellis, 125, 1997). Therefore, second language development would as well follow the trial and error approach. Depending on personal factors such as prior familiarity and generality, this would be an ideal strategy (Wenden, 578, 1987). Self-efficacy as a personal factor would enhance this strategy (Flavell, 910, 1979). Simplicity of the language as a task factor would as well enhance the learning process. Therefore, an individual lacking the factors would not qualify this as an ideal strategy of vocabulary attainment. Dictionary use and rote rehearsal would as well be effective dependent of the personal, environmental and task factors (McCarthy, 104, 1990). Personal

Gathering Resources Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Gathering Resources - Assignment Example According to Ungar (2011), there are seven main categories of resources that after examining status of their clients, counselors can employ in a counseling session. The seven resources include power and control, social justice, cohesion, cultural adherence, identity, relationships and access to material resources. In the case of Robinson family encompassing a mother, 14 years old boy, 11 years old girl and 3 months old infant that is victim to domestic violence, the most basic resources are access to material resources and relationships. According to Ungar (2011), material resources fundamental in counseling include financial, educational resources, employment opportunities, access to food, shelter, clothing and medical services. In the case of the Robinson family including a mother, a 14 years old boy, 11 years old girl and 3 months old infant not all the material resources will be necessary and urgent. The most important material resources for the family include shelter, financial and educational resources, medical resources, and food and clothing resources. Employment opportunities will still be irrelevant to the family at least during the early periods of counseling. Assuming that the whole family is healthy from any pathological infection or physical injury, the most important resource for all will be food. Food will have to precede all other resources so to energize the family and enable them survive during search for shelter and clothing that will have to follow immediately. Shelter and clothing will help in providing warmth to the bodies of the family as well as creating comfort while waiting for the next actions. In case that the abuse resulted to physical injuries or that one of the members contracted pathological disease, medical resources would accompany food. The nature of priority here is to rescue life and enhance safety of

Grapes Of Wrath :: essays research papers

Released from an Oklahoma state prison after serving four years of a manslaughter conviction, Tom Joad makes his way back to his family’s farm amid the desolation of the Dust Bowl. He meets Jim Casy, a former preacher who gave up his calling out of a belief that all life is holy, and that simply being among the people as an equal is a sacred endeavor. Jim accompanies Tom to his home; when they find it deserted, fronted by withered crops, they travel to Tom’s Uncle John’s house, where they find the Joads preparing for a long trip to California in search of work. Large California landowners have poster announcement for employment throughout western Oklahoma, and Ma and Pa Joad have decided to move their family their; evicted from their farm by the bank that owned it, they feel as though they have no choice.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The journey to California in a rickety used truck is long and arduous, and results in the deaths of both Tom’s grandparents. Traveling along Highway 66, which is clogged with cars making the same trip to California for the same reasons, the Joads meet the Wilsons, a couple plagued with car trouble whom Ma Joad invites to travel with the family. Sairy Wilson is sick with cancer, and, near the California border, is unable to continue on the journey.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As the Joads near California, they hear ominous rumors of overcrowded camps and an overflowing labor market; one migrant tells Pa Joad that twenty thousand people show up for every eight hundred jobs, and that his own children starved to death in California. But the Joads press on, and eventually reach their destination. They move from camp to camp to squalid camp, looking in vain for work, struggling to find food, and struggling to hold the family together. Tom’s younger sister Rose of Sharon is pregnant and fearful that her child will be born deformed or even dead; eventually, her husband Connie abandons the family.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The environment in California is hostile in the extreme: the camps are overcrowded and full of starving migrants, the locals are fearful and angry at the flood of newcomers, whom they derisively label â€Å"Oakies,† prices are skyrocketing and work is almost impossible to find; when there is work, it never pays enough to keep food on the table. The large landowners do everything in their power to keep the migrants as poor and dependent as they can.

Analysis of the Nature and Culture Division

The advances in the understanding of nature in terms of scientific knowledge has been tremendous especially since the mid-1950’s with the discovery of the DNA structure, which precipitated more advances in molecular biology, genetics, and biochemistry.   However, in the end of the 20th century until now, our modern society has seen more and more debates about how nature has been altered and/or destroyed by our progress in technology, in particular biotechnology.Yet, one may wonder if the debate over technological progress affecting nature or more specifically, natural laws that govern our existence, does reflect a cultural bias in the general comprehension of technological progress in our society.   Consequently, three questions may be asked to completely analyze the problem.   First, is there a nature/culture problem to be discussed?   Second, if there is, how has it affected our global society with respect to a cultural shift caused by particular developments in scie nce and technology and when?   If there is a global effect, is there a tangible effect on our personal life?   This paper will deal with each of these questions.The amazing characteristics that humans possess, is to learn from previous generations, to improve upon their work, and to establish a momentum to human life and culture that has taken our civilization from cave art to quantum physics, and into the space age.   In addition, other scientific advances bring about technological progress in our direct environment and society, more so than being in space.   Even more so has biotechnology been altering the nature of our humanity, not only in terms of ‘programmed’ physical changes based on scientific discoveries, but also in terms of environmental changes.Unfortunately, people’s understanding of what science is capable of either to benefit our society or destroy it, has been undermined since the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century.   How do we kn ow that?   Simply consider the history of our society until now with the debate over cloning and stem-cell research that have come under fire in our western part of the world.   In both cases, a further division has taken place within the world scientific community.   Some countries allow the research whereas others do not.   Consequently, what can we draw from this chiasm, is it due to a cultural difference?   If it is, then do we really understand what the meaning of culture is?   If we do, can we reconcile differences?Raymond Williams tells us that there is a great difficulty in even defining the concept of culture. (Williams, ) Is it a division of the whole into parts (the individual) like Latour claims or a whole global entity like Tarde thinks? (Latour, Social in Question)   Furthermore, Williams is not even sure himself of what nature really means.   On page 78, he does tell us that there is a general confusion or disparity of what different people mean by nat ure.   Is it either the nature of man (biology), the natural nature of our environment, or both?   Latour seems to agree with Williams that there is a problem of defining the context of nature and culture.   Latour uses the illustration of one simple event like using an aerosol can after which people are taken on a journey to Antarctica, to touring scientific labs across the world, and the chemistry of inert gases. (p. 2 Crisis) (Latour, )This implies that the complexity of the division is based not only on the science of the natural environment, but also first on how people are affected by the effects of the ozone problem, and second how different people or the world as a single cultural phenomenon perceive the problem.   The conclusion is that the division exists but its very existence is very confusing to any person from any part of the world or the whole world, perhaps minus the scientists.   Rabinow’s expose supports this idea of confusion when she claims using Michel Foucault’s and Gilles Deleuze’s arguments that there has been a shift caused by this division, particularly on how we as a species comprehend ourselves and our environment.   Specifically, on p. 91, she states:â€Å"In the modern form, finitude establishes a field of life, labor, and language  within which Man appears as a distinctive being who is both the subject and object of his own understanding, but an understanding that is never complete because of its very structure.† (Rabinow, )Toxen is convinced that this magnitude of this shift has actually been more like a revolution with respect to science and technology in our society. (Toxen, 1983) On p.1, he emphasizes that there is a total reshaping of â€Å"industries, companies, universities, and laboratories to sustain the present mode of production.†Ã‚   He adds that the cause of this shift seems to be linked to a push for biotechnological advances, especially in our time (he wrote this art icle in 1983).So, how do this shift and the nature/culture division affect our own existence?   Callon speaks of auto engineers in France becoming sociologists in order to manufacture the first electric car.   As a consequence, engineers define what society will be like and how it will be changed because of the introduction of such a new mode of transportation.   Their resulting conclusions motivate their work while reshaping our ideas or shall we say our cultural acceptance. (Callon, )   In the same vein, biotechnology has been hailed as the only way to remedy problems that our society faces.   For example, Lappe and Collins cite the example of how biotechnology is supposed to solve world hunger but people are starving more than ever. (Lappe-Collins, )An illustration of this idea is cited by Pollan with Monsanto genetically engineering a bug-killer potato that may be hazardous to our health so we would not be able to eat it anyway! (Pollan, ).   In the context of ecolog y, Schwartz and Thompson speak of â€Å"Nature benign gives us global equilibrium.† (Schwartz, Thompson, 1990) This idea implies that science and technology cannot help the way that is propounded.   The reason is simple: there is not enough comprehension of us as individuals and as a civilization (culture) to solve the mostly self-inflicted obstacles encountered with our nature as a species as well as our environment (nature).In conclusion, there is a real doubt whether science and technology can help our society.   Since there is a fuzzy picture of how we understand the division between culture and nature, science and technology cannot claim that they understand what shapes our society for the better while they certainly do not understand how they can shape society for the worst.ReferencesCallon, ?. (Year?). Engineers as sociologists. Publication? 210- 216.Lappe, ?, Collins, ?. (Year?). World hunger: twelve myths.   Publication? 48-66.Latour, B. Joyce, P. (editor). (Ye ar?). The social in question. New bearings on history and the Social Sciences. London: Routledge.   (year?). Crisis. Publication? 2-12.Pollan, M. (date and year?). Playing God in my garden. The New York Times. 1-12.Rabinow, P. (Year?) Artificiality and enlightenment: from sociobiology to biosociality. Publication? 91-110.Schwartz, M., Thompson, M. (1990). Divided we stand: redefining politics, technology, and social choice.   London: Harvester & Wheatsheaf.Toxen, L. (1983). The life industry in gene business: who should control biotechnology? London: Association Books.Williams, R. (Year?). Title? Publication? 68-84.