Characteristics of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance essays

Characteristics of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance essays The Middle Ages covers roughly a thousand years, from approximately 400 to 1500 and the term generally refers to the changes that the European society experienced during these years. Many agree that there was not just one medieval civilization, but many. These civilizations are related to each other in some ways, but they also have their own distinct characteristics that set them apart from each other. Historians generally agree that the Renaissance lasted approximately two centuries, beginning with the mid-1300s and lasting until the1600s. Each era has defining characteristics that that can be recognized through literature. The Middle Ages represents a variety of literature. Literature about kings flourished at this time. During this time, the heroic idea included an aristocratic king. Literature of this time reflects an interesting aspect, which is that by dying gloriously, one might achieve immortality. (Abrams 3) Beowulf is one epic that has survived through the centuries. Another great epic that has survived is Alexander the Great. The literature of the Middle Ages touched practically every aspect of life and thought. The Middle Ages, Barzun asserts, was not one, but many ages. They are generally divided into two different periods of literary historythe Old English and the Middle English. It is this variety that proved to inspire the Renaissance. (Lucas 156) An interesting aspect of the Middle Ages is the focus on courtly love. Courtly love is a "state of being like no other- -out of bounds in relation to society and yet in many ways conventional" (Barzun 233). This type of writing is called courtly because it revolves The Middle Ages also contributed a great variety of poetry. Abrams suggests that Christian ideals influenced how things were recorded and this might also explain why some secular literature did not survive. Abrams refers to Beowulf as the ...

The Global Impacts of the Black Death

The Global Impacts of the Black Death The Black Death was one of the worst pandemics in human history. In the 14th century, at least 75 million people on three continents perished due to the painful, highly contagious disease. Originating from fleas on rodents in China, the â€Å"Great Pestilence† spread westward and spared few regions. In Europe’s cities, hundreds died daily and their bodies were usually thrown into mass graves. The plague devastated towns, rural communities, families, and religious institutions. Following centuries of a rise in population, the world’s population experienced a catastrophic reduction and would not be replenished for more than one hundred years. Origins and Path of the Black Death Silk Road Science of the Black Death Types and Symptoms of the Plague Death Toll Estimates of the Black Death Unexpected Economic Benefit of the Black Death Cultural and Social Beliefs and Changes of the Black Death Jews Protestantism Scourge Spread Across the World The Black Death of the 14th century was a tremendous interrupter of worldwide population growth. The bubonic plague still exists, although it can now be treated with antibiotics. Fleas and their unknowing human carriers traveled across a hemisphere and infected one person after another. Survivors of this swift menace seized the opportunities that arose from altered social and economic structures. Although humanity will never know the exact death toll, researchers will continue to study the epidemiology and history of the plague to ensure that this horror never happens again.

Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 27

Philosophy - Essay Example However, scientists throughout the history have argued about the existence of free will. They describe the hidden and uncontrollable factors responsible for human actions. Therefore, genuine freewill has no veracity, as one’s actions are pre-determined by the controlling factors. Scientists believe that behavioral patterns depict the existence of controlling factors which are unconsciously and consciously present in the society. This scientific notion indicates that most actions of a human are subconsciously rooted or extracted from the previously observed patterns of behavior. Thus, this makes humans unaware of the cause of their actions. In addition to it, scientists object to the invisible forces of motivation. They determine them as visible sources which humans can see to an extent that they recognize their source of inspiration for any action, which consequently determines their predictable course of action. The idea of invisible forces inspiring humans for voluntary actions serves only to justify oneself incase of resorting to it (Caruso, 2012). Determinism has established a theory that human actions are a result of old patterns of behavior and are based on former experience of events. Thus, it excludes the freewill concept and is based on metaphysical theory that any uncaused incident is impossible. Free will describes one’s course of action as a choice or decision and determinism describes the happening of an event as an expected outcome based on former experience and hence choice is not in the control of the agents due to the law of nature. Therefore, the above theory negates the responsibility of one’s action onto him. If the theory is true then every action of a human being is necessitated by events, which are fixed in pattern even before the existence of the agent. If this theory is accepted wholly then all the actions come under the category of determinism, which leaves one with the absence of

Globalization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Globalization - Essay Example There is virtually no area of business that is not opportunistic for globalization if the organisation is focused on finding new market opportunities, identifying opportunities for exportation, and strengthening global business relationships with foreign organisations. Consumer behaviour characteristics, related to a variety of products produced both domestically and internationally, also play a role in defining globalization. These are cultural elements that are driven by social characteristics and the economic status of a region. As the need for raw products continues to grow, new procurement avenues and education regarding manufacturing drives globalization efforts. New trade agreements support globalization as businesses spread their knowledge in the form of acquisitions, mergers and other business partnerships in order to enhance competitiveness. By most practical definitions, globalization is taking a self-sustaining industry and extending it beyond borders to improve the socia l well-being of local and foreign citizens and improving the infrastructure that drives business activities in a variety of segments. Four drivers of globalization in Belgium One aspect associated with Belgium that drives globalization efforts is the local cultural dimensions that exist as related to business practices and social identity. Belgium, under Hofstede’s model of cultural practices, maintains a culture that is risk averse, known under this model as uncertainty avoidance. Belgium business leaders demand its internal political structure that drives the hierarchy to consist of clear choices with a strong rationale, expects senior leadership to produce detailed plans before launching any effort linked to finance, and develop contingency plans in the event of potential failure (Donnison, 2008). The Uncertainty Avoidance Index consists of Belgium business cultures that have little tolerance for ambiguity and demand a very rigid structure in most business objectives. This risk-averse culture drives globalization in a way that is unique from other countries with less uncertainty avoidance. Rather than extended business into multiple foreign markets, Belgium demands its partnerships to include very detailed schematics and plans before making an investment decision. Belgium businesses would rather maintain control over its organisational principles and financial decision-making, therefore it allows much more foreign direct investment directly into the country rather than seeking expansion to foreign territories. As one example, Belgium’s culture dictates a need for domestic controls, therefore when new business acquisitions or mergers are necessary in order to achieve higher profitability or improve domestic production capabilities, Belgium will seek out partners to bring their own knowledge and skills directly into the country. This has provided many opportunities for investors in a multitude of industries to enter the Belgium consumer and indu strial markets, without Belgium having to sacrifice its long-standing social and business principles. This has opened new market opportunities for foreign countries to expand their marketing and sales presence, along with industrial exports, thus improving supply chain, expanding international knowledge in management and technology, and

A Rhetorical Analysis Paper Essay Example for Free

A Rhetorical Analysis Paper Essay DR. Michael Hawes gave an informative speech on Economics, politics, pipelines and the election: as well as Canada-US relations in an increasingly complex world. He used a PowerPoint to portray his ideas and talked about topics such as roots of Canadian foreign policy, the rising impact of the U.S, free trade and North American integration, and diversification. His speech wasn’t that interesting to younger adult’s such as me because he talked a lot about politics but he was very funny keeping me entertained which is always a plus. He established a clear central thesis, although he said â€Å"this is my central thesis† and established his main points. He transitioned into each point individually and took time to explain each concept it took a long time but he didn’t shy away from all the details. Dr. Michael Hawes speech was credible because he is a professor of political science, a tireless advocate of international education, and a proud alumnus of the fullbright program. He assumed the leadership of Fulbright Canada in September of 2001 and has had the privilege of directing the program through some very exciting times. He is Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation for Educational Exchange between Canada and the United States of America, Executive Director of the Canada U.S. Fulbright Program, and Executive Director of the Killam Fellowships Program. Under his direction Fulbright Canada has witnessed dramatic growth in its programs and in the number of students and scholars that the program supports. DR. Michael Hawes appealed to the audience because he took his time to explain he concept he was talking about with full detail. He used statistics sparingly but with great effect because they were such interesting statistics. He was funny and made the audience laugh several times during his speech. He used a PowerPoint as a visual aid to we could clearly see the trends he was talking about and to see things visually which is always a plus. He appealed to me as a very funny but profession man who wasn’t just some stiff figure who made me fall to sleep. His body got pretty dull during the end though after the talk of politics and relations though. DR. Michael Hawes appealed to my emotions as well as the other audience members I believe because of his style. He didn’t stand at the podium and talk he actually came down at one point and still talked to us. He gave real and true eye contact. He showed passion and enthusiasm for the topics he was talking about and answered peoples questions at the end he didn’t understand one of the questions and you could tell but he still gave a pretty good answer to whatever he though the question was. In conclusion Dr. Michael Hawes I believe was a very good speaker one thing I didn’t like though was the PowerPoint and how he had to look at it to explain some of the concepts because it cut his connection with the audience. I left feeling good about the speech I just saw though maybe just a little bit tired though because it was long. I did learn a lot though from his presentation which was really nice, I also wanted to read up more about what he was talking and learn more about the topics he talked about after I got back to my dorm.

Ugliness and Beauty in Alice Walkers Color Purple Essay -- Color Purp

Ugliness and Beauty in Walker's The Color Purple  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   When I finished The Color Purple, I cried. I was deeply touched by the story and all of the issues that it addressed. One interrelated theme that reiterates throughout the novel is that of ugliness and beauty. Celie represents ugliness, and Shug Avery illustrates beauty. The most prominent way that the struggle between ugliness and beauty presents itself in the novel is through Albert, Celie's forced husband, and Shug's long-time lover.    The characters of Celie and Shug are compared and contrasted throughout the novel, and the reason why Albert, for the majority of the novel, treats the two of them so differently is because of the way they look. Albert not only hates, but beats Celie because she is ugly and she is not Shug. "He beat me [Celie] when you not here, I say. Who do, she [Shug] say, Albert? Mr. _____, I say. . . . What he beat you for? she ast. For being me and not you" (79). Albert loves Shug because she is beautiful. In addition, Alice Walker "views Albert's love of Shug, in spite of her color and his father's protestations, as a sign of psychic health and, more specifically, a sign of self-love" (Winchell 98). However, this "self-love" that Albert supposedly possesses is only extended to Shug, not to Celie. This is because Shug is the epitome of society's patriarchal definition of a feminine woman. She has perfect flawless skin, hair that is never out of place, a voluptuous and sensuous (non-fat) body, a nd the fashionable clothes and accessories of a model. On first meeting Shug Celie describes, "and she dress to kill. She got on a red wool dress and chestful of black beads. A shiny black hat with what look like chickinhawk feathers curve down... ...Louis Gates, Jr. and K. A. Appiah. New York: Amistad Press, Inc., 1993. Johnson, Yvonne. The Voices of African American Women. New York: Peter Lang Publishing, Inc., 1998. Smith, Pamela A. "Green Lap, Brown Embrace, Blue Body: The Ecospirituality of Alice Walker." April Cross Currents 2000 (1999): 18 p. Online. Internet. 30 Nov. 1999. Available: http://www.aril.org.smith2.htm. Walker, Alice. The Color Purple. New York: Pocket Books, 1982. Walker, Alice. "A South Without Myths." Sojourners Magazine Online (Dec. 1994 - Jan. 1995): 2 p. Online. Internet. 30 Nov. 1999. Available: http://www.sojourners.com/soj9412/ 941213.html. Waxman, Barbara Frey. "Dancing out of form, dancing into self: genre and metaphor in Marshall, Shange, and Walker." Melus 19.3 (Fall 1994): 1-16. Winchell, Donna Haisty. Alice Walker. New York: Twayne Publishers, 1992.

Gender in Arcadia and the Importance of Being Ernest

Compare and contrast how Wilde and Stoppard portray the women in ‘Arcadia’ and ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’, in light of the opinion that the sexes compliment each other in ‘Arcadia’ whereas, the women dominate the men in ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’. The female characters in both ‘Arcadia’ and ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ have significant roles and have a certain amount of control in their relationships. However, in ‘the importance of being earnest’ the women dominate the men and exert their power without the male characters knowing it.In ‘The Importance of Being Earnest', Jack and Algernon are the main male characters. They have encounters with Gwendolen, Lady Bracknell and Cecily. These characters are rather unusual ladies for the time period, and their behaviour is not what was considered to be of a typical Victorian lady; however they still try to uphold a sophisticate d and polite manner. One particular part which shows this very well, is a scene between Cecily and Gwendolen.When the women think they are both engaged to the same man, they use their actions to show their anger and dislike towards each other, rather than words. For example, when Cecily asks Gwendolen if she would like sugar in her tea, Gwendolen replies with ‘No, thank you. Sugar is not fashionable any more’, after hearing this Cecily puts four lumps of sugar into Gwendolen’s tea. This blatant ignoring of a request was not morally right for a lady to do in this era, and Cecily uses it to insult Gwendolen.By doing this, Cecily upholds her civil conduct but still manages to display her resentment for Gwendolen. In contrast to this, in ‘Arcadia’ when Hannah and Chloe are talking about Bernard and Gus, they state how they feel and what they are thinking very clearly through words. ‘I’m just trying to fix you up, Hannah’, Chloe is say ing quite plainly that she is trying to get Hannah with Bernard, whereas if this was said in the same time period as ‘The Importance of Being Earnest' then it would have been said in a much less direct way.Another situation that shows how women overpower men in ‘The Importance of Being Earnest' is when Jack proposes to Gwendolen. Gwendolen uses her girlish charms to persuade jack to do as she says. When Jack says that he doesn’t care much for the name Ernest, Gwendolen uses flirtatious comments to make Jack agree that Ernest is a ‘divine name’, and consequently Jack decides to be christened as soon as possible under the name of Ernest.In comparison to this, Hannah and Bernard argue in ‘Arcadia’ and Bernard does not agree with everything Hannah says and voices his own opinion instead. ‘It’s not going to jump out at you like ‘Lord Byron remarked wittily at breakfast! ’ the way Bernard supports himself is quite unli ke the way the men in ‘The Importance of Being Earnest' agree with everything the women say and do not stress their own thoughts. Lady Bracknell is both a portrayal of a typical Victorian lady, but also has modern manners about her.She knows her place and thinks the way an upper class, well spoken and married woman would behave in those days. However, Lady Bracknell also presents another side to her, where she controls her husband and close males relatives. By using her authority, wealth and social class, she manipulates the men around her to think as she does and conform to her ideas of a suitable man. ‘Mr Worthing! Rise from this semi- recumbent posture. It is most indecorous.He tries to rise; Gwendolen restrains him’ the idea that a woman tells Jack to do something, and he tries to do so, but is prevented by another woman, shows just how different ‘The Importance of Being Earnest' is different to ‘Arcadia’, because the women tend to try to im press and fit in with the males desires in ‘Arcadia’ . ‘Arcadia’ shows a very different relationship between the sexes, as they praise each other’s good findings but also insult and tease incorrect ones. The relationship between Septimus and Thomasina,

A Day Without Media Essay

In the book â€Å"Amusing Ourselves to Death† the idea that immersion in what we love will lead to our end is presented and analyzed. After reading this book I took it upon myself, as part of a class assignment, to go 24 hours without media. Initially I believed that this would be an easy task but found that as a whole we are surrounded by media in every instance of our lives. From car rides, to simply walking around my house I had to be observant to avoid media that would reset my 24 hour time frame. In Postman’s book, â€Å"Amusing Ourselves to Death†, he reflects on how the television brings families to the same room but creates separation between them. In my time without media I spent two meals with my family (a lunch and dinner). At both of these gatherings my family talked much more than we usually did. While watching television we would â€Å"shush† each other to hear the show, but without it we discussed school, politics, and controversies such as legalizing weed. Looking back at this I see Postman’s point. We become so focused on the story folding out in front of us that we block out each other in the process. I also noticed the same effect when I was driving with my grandfather that night. He needed to deliver a present to family and I needed driving hours, so I drove the hour and a half drive. I wasn’t allowed to touch the radio because of my media break so we talked for that time. I found out that my close grandfather, whom I see five times a week, has severe ankle problem and was going to get treatment later that week. I like to think I’m close to my family, but this occurring without me even knowing about it struck a chord in me. How much do we really know about our loved ones? What simply hasn’t come up because we spend our time learning about the new celebrity fads or who wore what where? As I’m sitting here listening to the radio while writing this I have to reflect on Postman’s thoughts of how intertwined our world is with media. As he put it, President Taft wouldn’t have been voted into office in today’s world because less people would vote for someone that overweight. By this Postman means to point out how media has touch our lives. Not being able to use my cell phone to call people or watch the news on television, shrunk my  world to what I could see, hear, and touch around me. I spent most of my time in my room reading books to pass the time, and when I did leave my room I only saw my family room, kitchen, and a little outside. We rely on television, radio, and other media to bring us information. But, what is never a given is that the information sources we depend on aren’t biased. When opinions disguised as â€Å"facts† are viewed without any analysis and taken at face value, we are only creating sue do opinions that aren’t even ours. This influence in our lives not only emphasizes rifts in ideals, but also can give groups the power to falsify information and mislead others. Maybe we are not simply â€Å"Amusing Ourselves to Death† but Amusing Ourselves to the Death of Ourselves. When I was in middle school up till eighth grade I had a friend who used to watch BBC all the time as a child. I remember asking him about his speech patterns, and him telling me that he even used to have a British accent! I can also relate to these thoughts. When I was smaller I used to speak using syntax that wasn’t very normal. This was because I used to be very sheltered and not get out much. Sesame Street was one of my favorites as a child. Communication skills have to be developed like anything else, with practice. When I wasn’t exposed to people talking casually, I developed a way of speaking that didn’t fit with the people around me. This is a prime example of Postman’s point. We as a new generation can’t communicate like we should be able to. Technology has stripped us of that. When most kids get don’t know what to say next in a situation, the check their phones. This is a good example of our reliance on media and technology and show s our subconscious dependence on these devices. When you turn to your television tonight who or what do you see? What do you learn? What human interaction do you participate in? Postman mentions in his book how through television we learn to interact with people. But, these people we learn how to interact with don’t act like real humans do. They are actors, their body movements and word phrasing has been planned out and set step by step for them. This means that those actors we learn to interact with, and habits we gain don’t help us to talk to people face to face. While  breaking from media I thought about this at a point. In summary I believe the time I spent without media allowed me to see through Postman’s lens. The thought that the media we love so dearly is slowly destroying us may seem preposterous at first, but when further analyzed has ground to stand on. We gain social skills, news, opinions, bias, and a central meeting place for a family from media. Are these good or bad? Does this media influence our life to the point that it is the main factor we all cling to? We have to guard ourselves against the negative effects of this technology so we are not used. That doesn’t mean we cut ourselves off from it completely. If we do that than we are shrinking our world view to that which we can see ourselves. Like everything else in life we must take new media in proportion, with a clear mind. If so we may be able to avoid â€Å"Amusing Ourselves to Death†.

Shortening or Apocopation of Spanish Words

Shortening or Apocopation of Spanish Words In Spanish, there are just over a dozen  words that are shortened in certain sentence formations through what is known in linguistics as  apocope or apocopation. Apocopation is the  loss  of one or more sounds from the end of a word. The Rule With Singular Masculine Nouns The most common of these by far is uno, the number one, which is usually translated as a or an. It is shortened to un when it comes before a singular masculine noun: un muchacho,  a boy, but, it does retain the final vowel sound when in the feminine form,  una muchacha,  a girl. Here are other adjectives that are shortened when they precede a singular masculine noun. All but the last one, postrero, are very common. Word/Meaning Example Translation alguno "some" algà ºn lugar some place bueno "good" el buen samaritano the good Samaritan malo "bad" este mal hombre this bad man ninguno "no," "not one" ningà ºn perro no dog uno "one" un muchacho a boy primero "first" primer encuentro first encounter tercero "third" Tercer Mundo Third World postrero "last" mi postrer adià ³s my last goodbye For all the adjectives listed above, the usual form is retained when the words are followed by a feminine or plural noun. Examples include  algunos libros, which means  some books, and  tercera mujer, which means third woman. Five Other Common Words That Get Shortened There are five other common words that undergo apocopation: grande, meaning great; cualquiera,  meaning whatever; ciento, meaning one hundred santo, meaning Saint; and tanto, meaning so much. Grande The singular grande is shortened to gran before a noun in both the masculine and feminine. In that position, it usually means great. For an example look at  un gran momento, which means,  a great moment and  la gran explosià ³n, which means,  the great explosion. There is a case when  grande is not apocopated, and that is when it follows  ms. Examples include  el ms grande escape, meaning  the greatest escape, or  el ms grande americano, the greatest American. Cualquiera When used as an adjective, cualquiera, meaning  any in the sense of whatever, drops the -a before a noun whether masculine or feminine. Take at look at the following examples,  cualquier navegador, meaning  any browser, or  cualquier nivel, meaning  whatever level. Ciento The word for one hundred is shortened before a noun or when used as part of a number that it multiplies, for example,  cien dà ³lares, which means, 100 dollars, and  cien millones, which means,  100 million. The exception is that ciento  is not shortened within a number, for example, the number 112, would be spelled out and pronounced as  ciento doce. Santo The title for a saint is shortened before the names of most males, such as San Diego or San Francisco. To avoid awkward pronunciations, the long form Santo is retained if the following name begins with Do- or To-, such as in Santo Domingo or Santo Toms. Tanto The adjective tanto, meaning, so much, gets shortened to tan when it is used as an adverb. When it becomes an adverb, its translation becomes so. For example, Tengo tanto dinero que no sà © quà © hacer con à ©l, which translates to, I have so much money I dont know what to do with it. An example of tanto being shortened and used as an adverb can be found in the following sentences, Rita es tan alta como Marà ­a, meaning Rita is as tall as Marà ­a, or Rita habla tan rpido como Marà ­a, meaning, Rita talks as fast as Marà ­a. Contrasting Apocopation in English and Spanish Although apocopes exist in Spanish and English, the terms is applied differently in the two languages. Apocopation in English is also called ends of apocopes include auto clipped from automobile and gym shortened from gymnasium. The same thing is sometimes done in Spanish- for example, one word for a bicycle, bici, is a shortened form of bicicleta. But such clipping isnt as common in Spanish and isnt typically given any particular grammatical name. Evidence of apocopation be seen in old spellings of words such as olde for olde, which used to be pronounced with a final vowel sounds. In modern spoken English, apocopation can be seen in words that end ing -ing, where the final sound is often shorted to -in without affecting the spelling. Key Takeaways Through a process known as apocopation, Spanish has 13 words (12 of them common) that are shortened before certain other words. The shortened word is known as an apocope.The most common apocopation is that of uno (one, a, or an), which it comes before a singular masculine noun.The term apocopation is used differently in English and Spanish grammar.

Four Powerful Ways to Bring Your Writing Goals Closer

Four Powerful Ways to Bring Your Writing Goals Closer Four Powerful Ways to Bring Your Writing Goals Closer Four Powerful Ways to Bring Your Writing Goals Closer By Ali Hale Do you wish you could get further with your writing? Perhaps you want to: Finally finish that novel that you started ten years ago Improve your spelling and grammar Make money from your writing Have a popular blog with lots of readers Publish a non-fiction book to support your business or something else entirely. Whatever your writing goal is, follow these four steps and you’ll find yourself making much faster progress. #1: Write More Frequently You don’t have to write every day, but you do need to write regularly. Be honest: how often do you write? If it’s less than twice a week, you’ll probably find yourself struggling to make any meaningful progress. The great thing about writing frequently is that small steps really do add up. For instance: If you write 500 words three times a week, you’ll have 78,000 words after a year. That’s a whole novel. If you write two blog posts every week, you’ll have 104 blog posts after a year. If you write just 200 words every single day (about two paragraphs), you’ll have 73,000 words after a year. That’s enough for three non-fiction ebooks. Do it: Decide on a time and place for your writing. Aim for at least two sessions per week, and a total of 1,500 words every week. #2: Edit After You Write There are two traps that writers fall into with editing, and both cause problems: Editing while writing Not editing at all If you edit while you write, you’ll struggle to get anywhere. You’ll write a paragraph or two and immediately delete them because you think they aren’t good enough. It’s much more efficient to simply write until you’ve finished the article, chapter or scene that you’re working on. You can edit later. If you don’t edit at all, your work won’t be as good as it could be. Nobody can write a perfect first draft. Your writing might need just a quick polish, or it might need a radical overhaul: either way, editing is essential – after you’ve written. Do it: Next time you write, don’t stop to edit. Keep moving forwards. When you do finish, print your work out and read it through on paper: this makes it easier to spot mistakes and things that you want to change. #3: Learn New Techniques Whatever type of writing you do, there’ll always be something new to learn. Great writers aren’t born that way: they become great through conscious practice and through deliberately developing their craft. There are all sorts of things you can learn, either from books or from taking a writing course. For instance: Freelancers: How to write great sales copy for clients Novelists: How to write dialogue Bloggers: How to write guest posts to bring in more readers Poets: How to use different formal structures Do it: Pick ONE new writing skill that you want to gain, in order to take your writing further. Look for a book or course that could help you. You’ll need to set aside time to learn and time to put what you learn into practice. #4: Get Help and Support Writing can feel like a very lonely activity at times – but it doesn’t have to be that way. Help and support from other writers will make a huge difference to your chances of success: it’s much easier to write regularly when you’re part of a supportive community. Your local area may well have a writers’ group that meets regularly: try looking for adverts in your library or in bookstores, or search on Meetup.com. If there isn’t a group nearby, how about starting one yourself? If it’s not easy for you to meet up face-to-face with other writers, you can find hundreds of different writing communities online. As well as giving you the opportunity to ask advice and share tips with other members, these also often allow you to share your writing and get feedback. Do it: Look for a writers’ group locally or online, and consider joining. If you’re not sure about joining a formal group, try searching for other writers on Twitter. Ali Luke is a writer and writing coach, and has just launched a new community and teaching site, WritersHuddle.com. The doors are open until 31st January. Inside, you’ll find mini-courses to help you learn new skills, forums where you can interact with other members, and lots of other goodies too. Make sure to check it out. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Freelance Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Types of RhymeCapitalization Rules for the Names of GamesA "Diploma" is not a "Degree"

What is the relationship between text messaging and literacy Research Paper

What is the relationship between text messaging and literacy - Research Paper Example t the exposure to text messaging and their counterparts who do not have access to SMS might be contributing, positively, to the literacy skills development among 9 to 10-year-old-children (Wood 35). Furthermore, past studies analyzed by Verheijen report a positive correlation between the use of SMS and literacy levels among users (Verheijen 588). Belying the findings of these studies, however, is the viewpoint among older generation researchers and academicians that text messaging has negative correlations to improving learning skills among users. They argue that text messaging has contributed detrimental implications on learners as opposed to its emphasized importance by recent researchers. They present counterarguments justifying their disapproval of the importance of text messaging on learning. They cite the negative implications of technology on learners as justification to their opposing viewpoints to the debate while attributing the effect of text messaging. Text messaging affe cts literacy positively by encouraging open discussions and communication. Although older generation researchers and academicians argue that technological developments in communication have detrimental implications on the youth and future generations, it is justifiable that text messaging has a positive influence on literacy levels by encouraging communication and open discussion. Worldwide text messaging is a popular activity and the number of text messages sent continues to enlarge. In Wood’s analysis of the situation, he says, â€Å"texting supports spelling development amongst children because they get to understand abbreviations and the words they represent†. The use of the texting abbreviations leads to phonological awareness and processing and this result to spelling. On the other hand, not all the children who are good in spelling are capable of using creative ‘textisms’. Thus, rehearsal of such creative text slangs and the words they represent is a beneficial skill. If