The Process And Problems Of Land Clearing Environmental Sciences Essay

The Process And Problems Of Land Clearing Environmental Sciences Essay Land clearing is an activity of chopping down trees, stumps, and other obstacles from an area as required to increase the size of the crop producing land base of an existing farm, to obtain logs or for urbanization. Australia native forests cover about 164 millions hectares which is about 21% of the continent (WWF 2007). Therefore, 50-100 plant and animal species are disappearing. Australia has the fifth rate of land clearing and clears more bush each year than poverty-stricken countries. It can be said that the number one threat to the survival of plants and animals in Australia is the large scale clearing of mature bushland. Biology A forest is an area with a high density of trees. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) defines forest as a land with trees cover the area of more than 0.5 hectare. 5 metres is the minimum height the trees should be able to reach at maturity in situ (FAO 2006). Forests are further subdivided into cultivated area and natural forests. Natural forests are forests composed mainly of original trees and not deliberately planted. The forest floor is frequently covered with decaying leaves, twigs, and other detritus where recycling occurs. Herbaceous plants such as grasses and ferns blanket the herb layer and get less. Shrub layer is categorized as woody vegetation that grows rather close to the ground. Small immature trees and trees that are shorter than the main canopy level of the tree predominant the understory of forest which give shelter for numerous animals. Canopy is where the most of the forests trees meet and form a thick layer and lastly emergents layers are trees that crown s emerge above the canopy (Klappenbach 2007). Reasons the lands are cleared Some native vegetation communities in the Southwest Australia region has been cleared, basically for food production upwards of 90%. Most landowners are economically stressed to put more land more intensively. In Tasmania, over 100000 hectares of native forest across public and land have been converted to plantation during the last 10 years (WWF 2007). Another constant pressure on Australiaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s forests is livestock grazing and also fires. The international timber trade is currently the major reason of global forest destruction that contains the highest levels of biodiversity (WWF 1997). Areas of high biodiversity is likely to contain the oldest, thus in many case the largest and most commercially valuable, trees. The global timber trade tend to get appealed to forest with high biodiversity and exploit it. The conversion of non-forest lands from forest areas for settlement and agriculture is lead by rapid population and housing area developments together with urbanizati on. More people need more timber to construct houses, malls and business centres. This takes a great loss of forest lands for harvesting forest products. Besides, road constructions through the forest make the rainforest accessible for transportation and movement of timber produced from the forest. Moreover, large hydroelectric projects have led to widespread forest loss. This is due to large areas of the forest are flooded to construct dams. Effects of land clearing One of the bad impacts of land clearing is the greenhouse effect. The burning and degeneration of cleared vegetation, and the subsequent oil emissions causcausedhe greenhouse effect. from the entire transport sector every cleared vegetation, e Australiaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s total carbon dioxide emissions produced to be and the subsequent oil emissions. over 13%. This equals to emissions from the entire transport sector in Australia. Over 5 million honeyeaters, parrots, robins and other land birds are killed every year as a result of land clearing. Nearly half mammal species, including wallabies, wombats and bandicoots, are either threatened with extinction or extinct because of land clearing. Australia has lost more mammals and plants to extinction than any other country and has more endangered animals than 98% of the worlds countries (Bush Heritage Australia 2002). A report (The University of Queensland 2007) showed that 150 years of land clearing added significantly to the drying an d warming of eastern Australia. Mean summer rainfall declined by between 4% and 12% in eastern Australia, and by 4% and 8% in southwest Western Australia. Runoff rapidly flows into rivers when forest cover is lost, thus rising river levels and subjecting downstream areas to flooding. During the dry season, such areas can likely to have long droughts that last for months which disturb river navigation, wreak destruction on crops, and disrupt industrial operations. 5.0 Solutions It would be ideal to replant the cleared lands quickly so as to avoid soil erosion and soil saliently instead of clearing large areas of land all at one time and leaving the soil open to the elements, to help maintain natural habitats. Sustainable Commercial Logging Options is an effort to control logging to ensure it is done in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way by authorising logging at a minimal rate. Government also has to stricken laws so that cutting trees in forest becomes a major crime. Besides its flow may be reversed, it will also lead to deforestation being controlled in a major way. All cities have to be managed properly, have enough green cover and new trees have to be planted where ever possible. Other solution is by establishing Good Wood. Good Wood is timber harvested from well managed forests or plantations or reused, recycled or salvaged wood. It allows consumers to continue using wood products without causing forest destruction (Greenpeace Good Wood Gui de 2009). Moreover, the development of a comprehensive, adequate and representative (CAR) system of reserves for Australias forests has been advocated by Australias National Forest Policy Statement. The aims of the national CAR reserve system are to safeguard old-growth, biodiversity, wilderness and other natural and cultural values of the forests (Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) 2003). 6.0 Conclusion Land clearing can lead to the destruction of natural habitat and extinction and various climate problems. The developers have to balance out between suburbanization and environments. Everyone plays an important role on this planet to save the environment from being destroyed.

Different Approaches To Psychology And Christianity Theology Religion Essay

Different Approaches To Psychology And Christianity Theology Religion Essay Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity, written by David N. Entwistle, is a thorough examination regarding the integration of psychology and theology, in which both attempt to understand human nature. Integration is described as a thing that we discover when we are uncovering the fundamental unity that God created, as well as something we do as we create ways of thinking about, combining, and applying psychological and theological truths (Entwistle, 2004, p. 19). An individuals worldview is ones life perspective, which filters their reality. Both the psychologist and the theologian bring their worldviews and presuppositions into their separate methodologies and goals. The authors theocentric model unites theology and psychology, as both have similar concepts that derive from Gods created world. In order to attain a holistic perspective of human nature, both are necessary (Entwistle, 2004). Before psychology was classified as a science, it had deep roots in philosophy and religion, though it was not successful in dealing with serious psychological disorders (Entwistle, 2004, p. 44). During this time the church leaders were deemed the spiritual physicians, caring for the souls of men. (Entwistle, 2004, pp. 44-45). The church leaders were involuntarily pushed into the back shadows with the rise of psychology, when curiosity began to embark upon the unconscious of man, moving psychology from examining the sensory systems of man to examining the mental processes of man (Entwistle, 2004, p. 49). Integration needs to recognize and discern the unity of all truth, that is that all truth is Gods truth, wherever it may be found. A comprehensive integration will involve, according to the allies paradigm, a holistic perspective on how human beings live, learn, think, feel, believe, and relate to each other and to god (Etwistle, 2004, p. 239). The book of Gods word (scripture) and the book of Gods works (creation) never conflict, but the interpretations of man may be inconsistent at times (Entwistle, 2004, p. 262). Human nature is complex and multifaceted. Psychology and theology must be integrated because human beings are integrated in themselves. It is erroneous to build truth upon just a few strands of the whole tapestry, lest we lose sight of the entire being. Integration must consist of the faith reading of both books, examining with careful exegesis and hermeneutics, and re-evaluating psychological reasoning, data and theories. We must learn to be comfortable with the fact that there will be some level of uncertainty and ambiguity we will always have to live with (Entwistle, 2004, pp. 273-274). Concrete Response My husband and I were pastoral leaders in a church where anything outside of the church was not considered ministry. We were told that God wanted us to work in full time ministry, which meant working full time with no steady pay. I didnt have any formal training in the bible nor in counseling, yet I preached and counseled. Everything was by faith, with the false belief that all knowledge and healing exclusively comes through the Spirit of the Lord. All of the teaching and counsel given stemmed from the leaders hurts and experiences. This was of no benefit to the parishioners, especially to those who had genuine mental health issues. My husband and I eventually moved away to another state. Whenever I tried to give counsel, I found that religious people either felt they did not need it, or believed I was somehow not spiritual enough. I also found that nonreligious people tended to be disinterested in hearing anything about God. Every time I opened my mouth, I seemed to find my foot in it. Five years after we left that church I enrolled in Liberty University to continue my education in psychology, still deeply struggling with my anti-psychology beliefs. I finally choose to go into professional counseling. I desired to be equipped and effective in counseling. Over the years I have come to know Christians who have had real psychological issues, but they only sought out Christian counsel. Most still have those issues today, still hiding behind religion. Reflection With the integration of theology and psychology, are we attempting to create a separate Christian psychology? If so, would this Christian psychology be less effective for those who are not Christians, or do we require conversion before they are able to partake of Gods wisdom? If so, are we withholding the very grace and graciousness of God, forgetting that fact that His sun rises on the evil as well as the good (Mat. 5:45). I also wonder if integration is realistically possible with all the various perspectives underneath the umbrella of Christian theology. Christianity has numerous opposing theories and conclusions, similar to secular psychology. I dont believe full integration will ever be possible, but I am confident that Spirit filled Christians have the power and ability to discern and act in such a way to work towards the healing and wholeness of each client. Entwistle was very constructive in stating the importance and possibility of integration (in which I disagree). He outlined various historical as well as contemporary viewpoints concerning integration, giving his opinion on which ones promote a holistic perspective. He also suggested several useful methods of integration. Although Entwistle acknowledged the metaphysical work of the Holy Spirit in integration, I was disappointed that he didnt make this a significant theme. I find it is important to integrate, yet believe that full integration may be impossible. I would have also liked to have read more about the pitfalls of being unequipped in ministry when dealing with mental health issues. Action Given that each human being is complex, counseling can be problematic. A holistic approach is the only way one can tap into the inner intricacies of man. I would plead with every Christian counselor to continuously examine their hearts. Due to the nature of our society and culture today, I would suggest they carefully consider every aspect of their client (body, soul and spirit). If not, they may do more harm than good. I am determined to work out my biases, as well as my resistance to change from anti-psychological thinking. I will continue to strive to gather all truth, which is Gods truth, from every relevant discipline. My main goal as a counselor is to be equipped and ready to pull out the most effective treatment from my relentless inner-integration. I believe every effective Christian counselor must be filled with the knowledge of Gods will in all wisdom as well as spiritual understanding (Col 1:9-17), so to bring forth instruction with zeal and fullness from his or her inner storehouse. This will ensure the impartation of both fresh wisdom and ancient wisdom (Mat 13:52 KJV; Wordstrudy). For one without the other stands deficient.

Calixta As the Ideal Woman of the 1800s in At The Cadian Ball by Kate

Calixta As the Ideal Woman of the 1800's in At The Cadian Ball by Kate Chopin â€Å"Calixta would be there†¦ That little Spanish vixen.† No matter what the age, there are certain types of women who seem to capture the attention of every man in the room. In the story At the ‘Cadian Ball by Kate Chopin, the protagonist Calixta is precisely that kind of a girl. She is an atypical female of her time. The ideal woman of the late 1800’s was demure, prim and restrained. She was the paragon of prudery, modesty personified. Then there was Calixta. Calixta was everything that the idealized ‘Madonna’ of her time was not. She was boldly flirtatious, impulsive, sensuous and altogether outrageous. For all these anomalous characteristics, she is admired in a fashion. Especially since society of the time is rather homogenous and has strict guidelines for behavior. The heavy racial preconceptions of the times are also evident in this story. The only reason Calixta’s scandalous behavior is tolerated by the community is in her ethnicity. Even so, the men do not seem to mind her behavior much. The women on the other hand did not always approve. â€Å"Bon chien tient de race† She was dismissed often leniently since her mother was Spanish. It did not matter that Calixta had never been to Cuba. The fact that Spanish blood flowed through her veins was enough for the people to automatically assume she was indecent. Perhaps Calixta was influenced by these preconceived expectations. Yet despite her shocking behavior, her indecency was innocent, and deliberate at the same time. Her taunts towards Bobinot, â€Å"Mais, w’at’s the matta? Standin’ plante la like ole ma’ame Tina’s cow in the bog you!† was deliberately provocative, however it came naturally to her. Since ... ...ixta is no exception. Alcee is intriguing for her; therefore, she pursues him, with harmless trifling and suggestions. She does not feel quite right unless there is someone admiring her, since Alcee is obviously not going to do that, she decides Bobinot is better than nothing is. Calixta’s conduct directly reflects her purposes. Despite the fact that she is distinctive in personality and manner she ends up marrying Bobinot. In essence, she does what all the women do, albeit in a different manner. She does take initiative in proposing marriage. However, the point is that she gets married. In the end, regardless of her outrageously coquettish behavior, she is like all other women and want what they have; the stability and love. Thus, she marries Bobinot whom she knows loves her. Unconventional conduct notwithstanding she conforms in a fashion and obeys the rules.

I Disagree with Nietzsche, We Should Embrace Life, Not Destroy It Essay

I Disagree with Nietzsche, We Should Embrace Life, Not Destroy It Admittedly, the philosophy of the late nineteenth century German Friederich Nietzsche had a profound impact on my world view. I concur with his belief that humans should occupy themselves with living in the reality that is, and not to be preoccupied with fantastic illusions of working towards a great afterlife. Granted, I am still very young, but from what I can see, humans have no universal nature nor do any set of underlying human morals dictate what is right and wrong. And as much as people would like to believe, unfortunately, we do not have free will. Every action carries the weight of a punishment or reward, so in essence, people do things either in fear or in hope of attaining one of these outcomes, therefore, humans do not have free will. So, then what is the meaning of life? To live each day as if it is heaven itself is all anyone can really do; accepting and embracing the reality of your life is the source of meaning. Whether God exists or not is irrelevant, the only th ing that is within the control of humans is the power to embrace life. As 1950’s Beat poet Allen Ginsburg stressed, people should be concerned with "living in and inhabiting the human form." Living means to not let outside forces take away your pursuit of life, once this thirst for life is taken, you are simply existing, waiting to die. To understand this position on life, take the following hypothetical situation. A woman has a terminal disease; in one year she will be dead. But she does have two options, she can simply live out the year in a hospital bed, weak and sickly from her disease, and die in one year. Or, the alternative choice is that she can take a pill which will... ...e. Because what we choose in life determines the degree to which we live. And at the very core of every person lies the drive to live. As humans with a high degree of cognitive intelligence, we are a part of nature, not above it; our high intellect should serve as a tool to understand this fact. To Nietzsche, humans must destroy everything, so that a new and more pure humanity centered on life can rise. I do agree that we must abandon the traditional illusions that have prevented humans from embracing life, but living in pursuit of destruction is not necessarily the answer. I believe that we must not let human made and human imposed notions of right or wrong control how we live, but living for the sake of destruction is not living. We must live to find an inner and individual satisfaction. Therefore, all life choices should be made with the intent of embracing life.

How Act 2, Scene 1 of Romeo and Juliet May Have Been Staged Essay

Open in London in 1599, William Shakespeare’s Globe theatre grew to be recognized as the most popular playhouse in the region and home to some of the greatest players in England. The King’s Men, previously the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, were a playing company for whom Shakespeare was a member of for most of his career. They frequently performed in the Globe and staged many of Shakespeare’s works. Nevertheless, the lack of stagecraft information provided from these XVI century texts has made it hard to interpret how Shakespeare originally intended his plays to be performed in the Globe. In particular, the famous tragedy of Romeo and Juliet suggests that there are many alternative staging options for each scene. However, from a close reading of the play-text as a manual for performance, it is possible to describe how the play may have been staged, specifically in Act 2, Scene 1, by analysing elements such as the acting measures, the costume d esign and the stage setting. To commence, in the Elizabethan and Jacobean period, there were many important rules in regards to acting that players had to consider when performing in the Globe theatre. When Shakespeare wrote his plays, he included as many female characters as he did male characters. Nonetheless, the traditions and values of the Renaissance did not allow women to act or become actors, due to the fact that it was considered immoral for a woman to be on stage. At the time, they had no social status other than their association with their husbands or fathers. Moreover, actors were considered to have a low social status, thus it was considered improper and socially unacceptable for a woman to become a performer. Instead of editing all of Shakespeare’s texts to adher... ...e theatre’s unique structure. Works Cited Adams Novak, Elaine. Staging Shakespearean Theatre. Cincinnati: Betterway Books, 2000. Print. Hodges, C. Walters. The Globe Restored: A Study of the Elizabethan Theatre. London: Oxford University Press, 1968. Print. Leed, Drea. â€Å"Elizabethan Make-up.† Elizabethan Costuming Page. 2010. Web. 10 December 2013. Smith, Irwin. Shakespeare’s Globe Playhouse. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1956. Print. Staging Shakespeare. Seminars on Production Problems. New York: Garland Publishing Inc., 1990. Print. The Arden Shakespeare. Shakespeare’s Theatres and the Effects of Performance. London: Arden Shakespeare, 2013. Print. The Oxford Shakespeare. Romeo and Juliet. New York: Oxford University Press Inc., 2000. Print. The Signet Classic Shakespeare. Hamlet. New York: New American Library, 1998. Print.

Tips on Writing Statement of Purpose for Graduate School

Tips on Writing Statement of Purpose and Personal Statement Essays for Graduate School and Fellowship Applications Examine samples written by other students. The Undergraduate Research Programs office on the 4th floor of Sweet Hall has a binder with sample statements of purpose for a wide variety of fields. You cannot take the binder out of the office, but there are comfortable chairs and you can read through the binder there. One thing you will notice: every student has a different history, different strengths and weaknesses, so there is no one way to write this type of essay. Arrange for individual editorial consultation.After you have absorbed the tips suggested here and you have developed some kind of draft, send an email to Renee Courey at [email  protected] edu with a Word attachment of your draft (with your name on it) along with days and times that you’re available, and either she or another associate will set up an appointment. Avoid doing this at the last minute. T he schedule may be booked, and very often essays need to be re-conceived or there are other major revisions. So, when you make an appointment, allow for plenty of time for follow-up meetings. You can also set up an appointment at the Stanford Writing Center – check with SWC on how to do this.Personal statements and statements of purpose are perhaps the most important parts of applications. There is little you can do to change your GPA or your curriculum vitae (the academic version of a resume), but these statements can be written in many different ways, emphasizing different aspects of your interests, goals, personality, and style. They present the unique qualities that make you the candidate that a committee wants to select, and a good statement of purpose can also affect those professors who will write letters of recommendation for you.Consequently, you need to pay particular attention to their composition. Admissions and approval committees have been known to accept candid ates with uneven academic records or reject otherwise excellent candidates on the basis of these statements. Essays for law school and medical school applications have their own unique characteristics. While many of the tips outlined here are useful for these essays, the demands of graduate school and fellowship essays are different. Law school and medical school essays are closer to the type of essay you wrote for undergraduate admissions.Admissions committees are not that interested in how much you know about law or medicine, since they don’t expect you to know very much, and research, while important to write about, is not as crucial as for graduate programs. For law, you are expected to demonstrate that you can reason and write, and that you have some kind of intellectual capacity and drive and a sense of human connections, and that you are motivated to become a lawyer. For medicine, you are expected to recount any experience with medicine (such as shadowing doctors), tha t you have compassion, in addition to demonstrating that you can reason and write.Again, the tips here are primarily directed at graduate school and fellowship essays, and if you are interested in these professional schools you can extrapolate from these suggestions – and consult with the appropriate staff at UAP. Read the description of the essay carefully, and make sure that you answer the question in the way that it is worded. Pay attention to the word length indicated in the instruction and do not exceed it. These essays are usually very short, and you need to be concise and strategic about which interests or goals you decide to highlight.Do not try to â€Å"fudge† the prompt: answer the question as stated (although most will simply say something like â€Å"Write a short statement of purpose†). Some fellowship applications may require a personal statement that addresses concerns of the fellowship. For example, the Udall asks for an essay responding to Sen. U dall's speeches and writings concerning the environment, the Soros seeks a personal account of what it means to be a New American and how the Constitution and Bill of Rights affect your life, and the Truman asks a series of interlocking questions.Such essays call upon all your critical capacities to present an analysis, opinion or personal reflection, and they are similar to other essays you have written in college. Statements of purpose are required of all fellowship and graduate school applications. These essays require you to describe clearly your interests, your proposed intellectual projects leading towards major research or dissertation, as well as your plans for the future. They are the committee's introduction to you as a scholar and potential colleague.A statement of purpose or interest is very different than the personal essay you wrote for undergraduate applications. It is NOT a general biographical sketch, nor is it primarily a personal reflection upon your decisions to enter a field, nor does it focus on your extracurricular activities (unless those activities pertain to your scholarly interests). You will not be asked something like â€Å"View a photograph and describe it. † Being a scholar, researcher or teacher will demand your best communication skills, so your essay should reassure the committee that you can communicate effectively and with a deep understanding of your field.You should write in a personable manner but this is somewhat different than writing a personal essay for undergraduate admissions. Keep in mind that you are writing to a particular audience, usually of faculty in your field (unlike your undergraduate admissions essay, which was directed to a general admissions committee). In other words, if you are applying for a chemistry PhD program, you will be addressing fellow chemists, for history, fellow historians, etc. If you are applying to an interdisciplinary program (e. g. History of Consciousness at Santa Cruz), your audience is a diverse group of scholars (literature, history, philosophy, etc. ) all united by a similar concern. If you are applying to a fellowship, your audience is liable to be more general or interdisciplinary. Be prepared to produce many drafts. These essays are among the most difficult pieces of writing you may do related to graduate school (other than your dissertation and your first job letter) because you must make so many strategic decisions on how to present yourself in such a short amount of space.Allow yourself a lot of time for drafts, and do not get frustrated because of the many times you will need to rewrite. Making multiple revisions is an inevitable part of the process. Show your drafts to faculty members, particularly those writing letters of recommendation, fellow students, and others. Accept criticisms with as little defensiveness as possible. On occasion you will get conflicting opinions on the presentation of your ideas and you will have to decide which dire ction to take.If you have a leading faculty mentor, you may defer to his or her opinion over others. The â€Å"trick† of this essay is to transform supplication into conversation, to change begging into exchange. Readers want to get a feeling of your intellect, and in a successful essay they will want to continue the discussion you’ve initiated, which they can only do if they admit you into their program. They will want you to be a part of their community of scholars because you have something to offer. They ask: â€Å"Would I be interested in talking to this student about her research over lunch? Concentrate on demonstrating what you know about your field and what you hope to accomplish in graduate school and even beyond. Is there a particular area of the field that you find interesting? What do you hope to contribute to the field? Avoid digressions. Demonstrate your knowledge of the field by making appropriate references to leading scholars, major writers, and curre nt debates or concerns, employing appropriate technical terminology. Avoid jargon that you believe is fashionable in order to appear flashy: most committees can tell superficial use of buzz words.You usually do not need to explain concepts in depth, since admission committees are usually already familiar with the field (although brief explanations for a more general reader may be necessary for fellowship applications). If you do write about an aspect of the field that may be somewhat unusual or controversial, your ability to briefly explain technical or theoretical aspects is a crucial component of how your essay is judged. You are not simply offering a summary of a field, so your ability to present your own arguments demonstrates how creatively you engage the entire field.Make concrete references to the program you are applying to and to the faculty you would like to study with. However, make sure these references are sufficiently broad so that you do not sound as if you want to st udy with just one person or have an excessively narrow interest in the field. You may not realize it, but that one person you want to study with may be on sabbatical for two years. Very often, the question is not whether or not you are capable, but whether or not you are a good â€Å"fit. So, don’t make your interest with the program so narrow as to allow any excuse for an awkward fit. Investigate the program – review their web site, talk to graduate students, visit in person, if you can – to discover its focus, how graduate students are involved in research, its â€Å"politics† vis-a-vis the field. Do not inadvertently position yourself on one or other side of a controversy within the department or field. Often, the discussion of the particular program is at the very end of the essay (which allows you to simply place the appropriate paragraph for each school).This is a regular convention of this genre, everyone expects it, and you do not need to worry b ecause you too write your essay this way. However, you can write it differently: references to a particular program can be woven into the body of the text, as well. This is far more difficult – and requires an original essay for each school – but it can be very effective. While you should discuss the particular area of your field from which you may develop a dissertation topic, do not present an overly detailed proposal of your anticipated dissertation.Most young scholars do not have their dissertation topics determined yet, and admission committees anticipate that. Many committees will regard a detailed description of a dissertation topic with suspicion, even deciding that a young scholar who has so determined his or her topic without advanced work is not open-minded enough to other influences in the field. One of the pleasures faculty have is in molding their graduate students. If you seem to have a closed mind, they may find this unappealing. However, if you do have areas of interest, you should explain them – just refrain from writing a detailed proposal.You are fashioning a â€Å"fictional† version of yourself. While your account is always based on truth, you have a great deal of freedom in constructing the image of who you are. You decide what goes in and what does not, and in what order. The notion that you are writing fiction can allow you some distance; the idea that this is â€Å"fiction† can free you up to be more creative and less uncomfortable that you are â€Å"baring your soul. † However you construct yourself, never lie. Not only is lying wrong, but lies are usually easily detected and self-defeating.Construct coherence. No matter how different your intellectual or other relevant experiences may be, seek out some way to bring everything together as a coherent whole. This is tricky and difficult – but everything can be described as part of one sort of process or development or another; there are a lways underlying connections. Trying to determine these questions is an excellent topic for brainstorming with other people who can see you more clearly because they have more distance. Techniques for writing drafts.There are many ways to open your essay, many choices on the order in which to present your involvement in the field, many different aspects of your academic career to highlight. However, many people get hung up on producing an exciting opening. In your initial drafting process, experiment with presenting yourself and highlighting your interests in many different ways before settling on which approach is most compelling. One technique is to write separate, independent paragraphs or groups of sentences describing different aspects of your work (such as your research projects) or experiences without worrying about how they connect or flow.At least in this way you can begin to articulate the important elements of your essay and you have material to work with. You can experim ent by avoiding any opening and writing the body of your essay; or you can experiment with trying to write one short paragraph that concisely says everything. Be playful in your experiments before you settle on one approach. Openings. Openings tend to get people hung up. Everyone wants to make a good, first impression. But, often, once someone sets upon an opening, it tends to shape the rhetorical flow of the rest of the essay, even distorting the essay.One suggestion is NOT to have an opening but simply to start – avoid the high-stake gambit altogether. An opening that uses an anecdote about your interest in the field is very popular. It can be very effective, and it’s a common way that people can express their interests. But it’s so popular that it may come across as trite, unless it is a very powerful, appropriate anecdote, and it must be short. (Often, people need to write an anecdote in order to get themselves going, and when the anecdote is done, take a lo ok at what happens next: that may, in fact, be your opening. Opening with a personal narrative (e. g. , how I became passionate about this subject) can be effective, but, again, this approach is very popular and even overdone (â€Å"When I was six I was hit on the head at the playground, and ever since then I’ve wanted to be a neuroscientist†). If you do use personal narrative, make it very brief and to the point. Don’t spend half your essay relating a story. Another popular approach is to present a chronology of your development. While a chronological account may be tempting – and may be necessary for you to do at an early stage of writing – it is a fairly ow-level rhetorical mode. Another possibility is to open with at the most sophisticated level of your development, such as the advanced research or honors thesis you are currently completing, and then describe how you got to that point in the field. Often, an analysis of some aspect of your rese arch interest or of your own development can provide you with a way to discuss your overall development. Present your interests according to an underlying theme, framing idea or argument that then draws from the history of your involvement to illustrate your idea.No matter how different your activities may be, you can draw a coherent picture of your development. At first you may not think that climbing Mount Everest connects readily to a doctorate in mechanical engineering or medieval studies – but if presented the right way, it could. Don’t reject any experience out of hand. And don’t leave out things which you think are obvious. For example, your honors thesis or research may show up on your c/v, but you give the meaning or â€Å"spin† to that reality in your essay.Do not present a complete list of courses in the field you have taken or an undifferentiated, comprehensive description of your interest. You will need to make strategic decisions on how you present your interest, deciding what is primary, secondary, etc. , and making such decisions may be difficult, even painful. You will have a transcript in your application, so you don’t need lists that don’t â€Å"spin† explanations. Address any anomalies in your transcript. If you have any lapses, unusual low grades, withdrawals or anything else that seems strange, explain them in as non-defensive a way as possible.For example, the fact that the first two years of college you were a mediocre student until you discovered your intellectual passion or you withdrew from classes one quarter because of illness or family problems. If you spent time in jail or joined a guerrilla army, you need to figure out how to explain your history. In many respects, you do not need to explain everything – and some things may be none of an admissions committee’s business – but you do need to say something. If you do not explain the situation, your readers will i nvent explanations for themselves – and their fantasies will probably be far worse than the reality.Avoid excessive, unreasonable enthusiasm. Extreme effusion backfires. For example, statements such as â€Å"I love 19th century British literature so much that I feel that I live in the 19th century† or â€Å"I AM Nietzsche† or â€Å"I live and breathe sea urchins† suggest possible psychosis, not reasonable enthusiasm. For the most part, exclamation points should be avoided. Check your writing style for unconscious attempts at forced sincerity or authenticity. This is a form of â€Å"begging† and it’s tough to spot, since you often don’t see if for yourself.For example, check to see if your adjectives are excessive (â€Å"I took an amazing/astounding/awesome class†). Often, no adjective is fine or a more restrained one has a better effect. Review â€Å"triples† or â€Å"doubles† to see if they are indeed necessary a nd reveal important information. For example, if the flow of rhetoric has you saying â€Å"I am dedicated, hard working, and committed,† you should note that dedicated and committed are almost identical and the repetition has the effect of undermining your sincerity. The reader gets a subliminal message flashing of â€Å"Baloney! Don’t follow rhetorical flow; follow the logic of your underlying coherence. Be conscious of inflammatory or biased language. You may hold strong opinions about the field or be motivated by particular causes. Do not mask your opinions, but be aware of presenting yourself in a tactful, judicious fashion. You can express various views in such a way as to present yourself as having an opinion yet remaining open-minded. You want to avoid coming across as an extremist or as a crank that cannot enter a dialogue with others. No jokes.Humor and sarcasm depend upon a shared field of reference – and you have no idea if you and your readers have such a mutual understanding. Most of the time, self-deprecating humor comes across as simply deprecating yourself, and sarcasm can easily be misunderstood. One student who spent ten years working as a writer for situation comedies refrained from using humor: if she refrained – and she knows the business – you can too. This doesn’t mean that you should be leaden or dull, but avoid jokes or smirks or a wise-guy tone. Do not write what you think the committee wants to read.Be yourself. Often, applicants believe they should write according to some image of proper â€Å"academic† seriousness or style. Your personal style and passion should shine through the essay. Although this is a formal essay and you should avoid slang or overly casual constructions, its tone should be engaging, even personable (though not personal). Poofread the essay, roofpread the essay, prufreed the essay. Have your friends proofread it. While this is not a grammar test, excessive typos and other mechanical errors indicate poor work habits and do not make a good impression.Most admissions committees allow one typo (such as â€Å"to† for â€Å"too†), but when the typos start adding up you’re sending a bad message. After all this advice and warning, keep in mind that this is actually an exciting process. Perhaps for the first time in years you are attempting to present a coherent intellectual portrait of yourself. In the process you may actually gain a clearer vision of your interests and goals – and feel even more confident that graduate study is the direction you want to go. Contact the URP office for editorial review.We will be glad to review your essay at any stage of the process. As you can tell, this is more than a narrowly defined writing process, so we may ask you questions about your interests, your academic career, and other pursuits to see if additional experiences should be included. We’re not trying to be nosey, but st udents often leave out aspects of themselves that they think are obvious or not important when in fact they are very valuable. Adapted from original text by Hilton Obenzinger  © Copyright 2005 Stanford University.

Comparative Study Between Ulysess and My Last Duchess Essay

Have a little read: †¦ Comparing ‘Ulysses’ by Lord Tennyson and ‘My Last Duchess’ by Robert Browning. â€Å"Ulysses† was written by Lord Tennyson and is a poem about a mythical Greek character and is a dramatic monologue. Another poem that is a dramatic monologue is â€Å"My Last Duchess†, by Robert Browning. Both poems are similar, for example they are both structured similarly, and are both different, one difference being their subject. In this essay I will compare the two poems, focusing on form, and how language helps to build up subject matter. Ulysses is a Greek mythical character, and was famous for being a pirate, ransacking villages and being a warrior. In Greek literature, Ulysses just seemed to disappear after he got home, and Tennyson decided to write about Ulysses and his thoughts after ‘retiring’ from fighting. The poem is written in verse, and seems to be either a dramatic monologue or monologue interior. It is hard to know which one, as a dramatic monologue must have a listener (other than the audience. Ulysses is talking to someone, his dead soldiers, but as they are deceased it is difficult to decide if they count as a listener to the poem. My Last Duchess† by Robert Browning was written in the same era as â€Å"Ulysses† and is written in Verse. This poem is different to â€Å"Ulysses† as this poem is about a fictional character which is created by Browning. This is a Dramatic Monologue, as the duke (the character created by Browning) is talking to the servant of the father of a possible bride. To create the effect of speech, Browning uses Iambic Pentameter, which helps to imitate the rhythm of conversational speech, and enjambment frequently. The use of language to present the subject matter is important for both poets. In Ulysses, the poet builds up a picture of the characters inactiveness by using words such as â€Å"still†, â€Å"dull† and â€Å"pause†. These adjectives create an understanding of what life is like for Ulysses, and this is then contrasted with words of his past such as â€Å"roaming†, â€Å"ringing† and â€Å"windy†. These words create a contrast between the activeness of the past, and the stillness of the present. This helps the reader imagine what life was like for the character when he was young.