The Mixed Blessing of Online Research

The Mixed Blessing of Online Research The Mixed Blessing of Online Research The Mixed Blessing of Online Research By Mark Nichol A recent report about the pluses and perils of online searching by students has lessons for all writers, regardless of age, who use the Internet for research. A survey found that though most schoolteachers believe that digital search technology is beneficial, it also encourages more superficial searching, and that conundrum applies to the populace in general and to writers in particular. Writers, like students, are more self-reliant than ever about obtaining information. Although reference librarians are still available to help them search for publications or other resources, and online portals to research materials abound, writers are likely to seek out the documents and other media themselves using computers and other digital devices rather than resorting to a visit to the library. Meanwhile, larger publications that once employed their own reference staff, realizing that workers can easily do research on their own, have long since eliminated such positions. The result is that many digital explorers seek out information randomly, often relying on the first return for a search result rather than the best, or at best one or more selections among several high-ranking responses that may not be the most authoritative. Just as students frequently no longer engage in satisfying their intellectual curiosity, opting instead for a quick fix, writers seeking source material to develop an article or an essay or a report, or a fiction or nonfiction book, are likely to miss out on nuances or fail to realize that a resource they’re relying on is of questionable validity or is controversial. For students and writers alike, the faster pace of their daily responsibilities, the increased pressure to produce, and heavier workloads exacerbate the problem. So, as with any endeavor that suddenly seems easier than it used to, writers seeking information online must do so with caution, lest they become overconfident or otherwise careless. Here are seven tips for conducting online research: 1. Become familiar with established authoritative online sources pertinent to your profession or area of interest. 2. Research alternatives to Google that may be more specific to your needs. 3. Brainstorm and use multiple keywords to conduct a thorough search. 4. Bookmark and/or record helpful portals and sites. 5. Use Wikipedia, but only as a portal to other resources. 6. Be alert for subjective content, conflicts of interest, and propaganda when you’re seeking impartial information. 7. Be skeptical about poll and survey results and reader reviews. 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:When to Use â€Å"That,† â€Å"Which,† and â€Å"Who†26 Feel-Good WordsIf I Was vs. If I Were

EC Employment Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

EC Employment Law - Essay Example Under the preamble of the World Health organization to which all Member States belong, â€Å"health is defined as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being that does not consist only in the absence of illness or infirmity.† Although the intent of the law is good, there have been many debates regarding the effectiveness of its implementation. Most of these arguments and debates hinges on the fact that there is no rules or uniform application and interpretations of the law and that each State is given the right to set their own standards as to the number of hours work. Note that under Working Time Directive, there are only two provisions, which are mandated to be adopted uniformly throughout the union. These provisions are the Article 4 which provides for a rest break period after six consecutive hours’ of work, and 11 hours daily with a maximum 14 days reference period and Article 7 which provides for a minimum of four weeks paid annual leave with no option of foregoing thereof, nor carrying over of pay in exchange for the leave. Even so, Article 7 is often a subject of controversies in some States as there are sectors or class of employees, which are not covered by this provision. The question no w lies on whether or not the Working Time Directive is capable of fulfilling the Community’s social policy objective and whether or not there is a need for a more intensive harmonization of the implementation thereof.

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 3

Rhetorical Analysis - Essay Example In her article backed up by frequent rhetoric, Laura Tyson points out how the assumptions made by pro-profit advocates fail to account for the environmental context and their stakeholders, including customers, society, and shareholders. As such greater social responsibility and concern is beneficial for organizations, if anything, because social well-being correlates to empowered consumers, ethical employees, effective governments, and sound social infrastructure. The article highlights many organizations such as Apple that have made efforts in order to enhance workplace conditions for their global employees in an effort to put their image in a positive light and thus increase sales by maintaining goodwill (Tyson, 2013). Therefore, the article mainly aims to point out that social responsibility is not reducing the competitiveness of organizations but is actually doing the opposite by providing them with a competitive advantage. The article by Laura Tyson (2013) is an argument against profit maximization as opposed to social responsibility. Laura Tyson has therefore adopted rhetorical strategies in order to communicate her point persuasively. These specifically include the usage of ethos and logos frequently as compared to emotional rhetoric characterized by pathos. The argument is geared towards proving the point that profit maximization is not the sole purpose of capitalistic organizations but organizations also have obligations towards their stakeholders, including customers, shareholders, and society. Laura Tyson first highlighted the stance held by Milton Friedman and Robert Simons before proceeding to present an argument against their case. Laura Tyson has regularly backed up her claims by citing empirical studies that support her claims. Hence the usage of rhetorical strategies is evident in Tyson’s argument as she has tried to make a case against profit maximization by organizations. Laura Tyson

Observations of an Apple Essay Example for Free

Observations of an Apple Essay The assignment was to observe a fruit or vegetable for at least an hour. I thought it was crazy and pointless but not so ridiculous that I would not do it and earn a bad grade. Before I started, I read Samuel Scudder’s essay â€Å"Learning to See† where he talks about having to do a similar type of assignment but with a fish. He eventually became engrossed in the fish and so I became determined that I was going to try to find all I possibly could about my apple in the hour that I had. With this in mind, I chose an apple from my bowl of fruit and prepared for what I thought would be a tedious sixty minutes. I grabbed some paper and a pen, turned on some music, and began the observation process. I started just by writing everything I could see on the outside of the apple. The skin of the apple had many different shades of red as well as a yellow patch on one side. It was covered in dark red stripes that looked like quick paint strokes from a tiny paintbrush. Little white and yellow dots gave it the appearance of a speckled egg. I then noticed the apple’s shape as well as the lumps, dents, and scratches on its skin. It was slightly cold to the touch, as well as smooth and dry. I was tempted to go ahead and cut the apple open but I wanted to make sure I had written down all the small details that would normally go completely unnoticed. After I was sure I had noted as much as I could about the outside, I sliced the apple in half horizontally to observe the inside. When it is cut horizontally, the little pit where the seeds are kept is in the shape of a star and feels like thin cardboard. There were five seeds, all dark brown and shaped like a raindrop. The flesh was softer on its own without the protection of the skin and almost mushy. When I looked even closer, it seemed that the flesh of the apple was made up of tiny crystals that glistened in the light because of the juice and its cream coloring. The inside was even colder since it was wet. The sweet smell of the apple grew stronger and I finally gave in and took a bite. I wrote about the crunchiness, how crisp it was, how my teeth left their impression in the apple, how the skin ripped when it was bitten, and how  juicy it was. I decided to check the time at that point and was extremely surprised that I had only fifteen minutes left to finish up my notes. So I decided to get a little more creative with what I did to the apple. I began dissecting pieces of it, cutting little spots in half, finding the veins and what seemed to be roots of the apple. I even noticed how it stained the paper towel it sat on when I cut it. Soon I realized I had just a few minutes left and so to finish it all off, I decided to see what would happen when the apple, or what was left of it, would do when thrown hard against the pavement. I quickly ran outside and excitedly hurled the apple at the ground. I was pleased to watch it break apart and splatter all over the sidewalk and even into the snow. I walked back inside and was surprised at how excited and enthusiastic I had become by going through this sort of experiment. I did not expect that sort of reaction to come from me especially when my first thoughts had been that I would end up hating this assignment and giving up on it. I never would have believed someone if they had told me that I would one day spend an hour observing an apple, and in the end, find that I had actually enjoyed it.

Windmill Energy is not an Acceptable Energy Source Replacement for Cali

Windmill Energy is not an Acceptable Energy Source Replacement for California Abstract Windmill energy is an old form of energy that is now being modernized to generate electricity in our society today. The big question is whether or not it is a feasible replacement of energy for California. Through research it has been concluded that energy for California cannot be produced only by windmill energy. It can produce about 50% of California’s energy. All aspects including, location, cost, and environment are important to how much energy is produced. Introduction From past to current situations, the United States has had to rely more and more on foreign countries to retrieve an efficient amount of fossil fuel. During these times, the production of nuclear energy had come to a halt and foreign energy was used. In 2000- 2001, California went into an energy crisis where there was an increase in the cost of gas and numerous blackouts. There were no longer any low-priced energy sources. Currently, gas prices have been soaring and it is not expected that they will reduce. Due to these circumstances, California has been in need of a more efficient energy source, outside of oil. For current times, an efficient energy source for California can be windmill energy because of its low-cost, California’s enormous coastal areas and locations, and environmental issues. Wind power has been a part of our lives longer than we have thought. â€Å"The Egyptians are believed to be the first to make practical use of wind power. Around 2800 Wind Energy 3 BC†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Park, 1981, p.13). Today, wind power can be used to heat up homes, produce electricity, and pump water. Windmills can be made by putting together old car generators. In the past, farmers would use ... ...m/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2001/02/27/MN200385.DTL Wolff, W. & Brabant, E.J. (1984). Your Wind Driven Generator. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold Company. Wind and Hydropower Technologies Program. U.S. Department of Energy. Retrieved August 3, 2006 Wind Energy 8 http://www.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/windpoweringamerica/astate_template.asp?stateab=ca (1996-2005) Part 5- The Future of Wind Power. Illustrated History of Wind Power Development. Retrieved August 3, 2006 from http://www.telosnet.com/wind/future.html Saum, S.B. (2005, November) Power Hunting. California Alumni. Retreived August 3, 2006 http://www.alumni.berkeley.edu/Alumni/Cal_Monthly/November_2005/Power_hunting.asp (2006, July). Watts Up? Schwarzenegger Weathers Perfect Energy Storm, Barely. Politics Central http://politicscentral.com/2006/07/29/watts_up_schwarzenegger_weathe.php

Mood Swings Essay

Have you ever felt that feeling when you hate every single thing around you? Or the feeling that even someone breathing can annoy you? And lets not forget that feeling when you’re just sad and you just feel so empty, for no apparent reason? Well, being a girl it kind of comes naturally being hormonal and all at that certain time every month and no it doesn’t immediately mean that were bipolar. But, not only girls experience these kinds of hormonal activities even boys do. Studies show that everyone can experience mood swings due to the daily factors in our lives like stress, for girls PMS, sometimes even the food we eat, sudden changes and many other factors. Needless to say mood swings cannot be avoided yet it can be coped with. 1. Make sure you get enough sleep. A recent study by the U.S. Mental Health Association and the Better Sleep Council identified a relationship between positive moods and sleeping between 6 and 8 hours a night. Regular bedtimes were also important. 2. Keep your bedroom as dark as possible as this stimulates production of melatonin. (Low melatonin levels are linked with depression.) 3. Make sure you have a diet that supports brain health. For example, the following nutrients have been shown to promote more stable moods: B-complex vitamins, vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, zinc and fatty acids. Also, rapid changes in blood sugar can also precipitate changes in mood, so watch your consumption of refined sugar products, and make sur e you eat lots of complex carbohydrates. 4. Try some natural remedies. Chamomile, lemon balm or valerian root tea are recommended for helping with anxiety. St. John’s wort is said to soothe the mind and relieve irritability. In terms of homeopathic remedies, lycopodium is believed to help with anger, and feelings of agitation; tarentula hispanica is used for mania; and chaste berry, red raspberry, black cohosh and sarsaparilla may help with female hormonal mood swings. 5. Include some regular exercise in your daily schedules. This releases endorphins, the feel good hormones. It also helps with insomnia. 6. Try and identify coping mechanisms that can ward off or soothe fluctuations in mood. Also, keeping a journal of negative triggers can help you interrupt a pattern early on, and work on strategies for coping with these triggers. I have yet to try these remedies because at the point where I experience a lot of stress and don’t get enough sleep and of course PMS, I can honestly say that I am a very moody person and well to avoid arguments and false misconceptions I will definitely try the remedies I stated earlier.

Stereotypes and Stereotyping Essay - 1000 Words

Racial Labeling and Stereotypes I distinctly remember my first encounter with the mysterious box, I slumped in my desk, sullenly listening to wiry little Mrs. Force, my third grade teacher, read the long, meticulous list of dos and donts that always accompany standardized tests. The new box blended in quietly with the others at first: name, address, social security number. Yet there it was, the box marked race in vile green capital letters. Below were choices, concise words to supposedly sum up an important aspect of ones self. Black, White, Hispanic, Asian, American Indian, or other I read to myself. Later, of course, as test writers struggled painstakingly to be politically correct, the options changed. The choices became†¦show more content†¦Was this other thing some mystical secret revealed to one only when he or she crossed the threshold into the adult world? I would not accept my teachers opinion without proof. Several hours later, after completing well over a hundred bubbles worth of reading, math, social studies, and science, I surreptitiously erased Mrs. Forces handiwork and recolored the other bubble with gusto. In the decade since my first encounter with racial labeling, it has continued to amaze me that anyone is able to classify themselves or others in the arbitrary terms that modern society has set. I am quite unable and unwilling to do so for perfectly legitimate reasons. Genealogy is a favorite hobby of mine. Many branches of my family are traced back ten or more generations to just three European countries. This means little to me, however, because it is the branches that are missing, the nameless, faceless, raceless ancestors, that keep me filling in other time after time. My second and more damning reason revolves around the sheer biological absurdity of defining race in the terms of society and dictionaries. Related individuals who share physical characteristics such as skin color do not constitute a race. True races, meaning populations with unique combinations of inherited traits, are extremely rare in our world of eclectic migrants. Many people who appear to share traits actuall y evolved separately and adapted to similar environmental conditions.Show MoreRelatedStereotyping : Stereotypes And Stereotyping1494 Words   |  6 PagesStereotyping In Education Stereotyping is when you treat people unfairly just because they have characteristics of a certain group (Merriam Webster Dictionary). In education stereotyping is something you come in touch with every single day, it is so common we don’t even know it is happening. In everyday life Stereotypes are used, they are directed towards ethnicity, gender, and education. â€Å"In ethnicity, we have the ideas that each race is a certain way† (Aronson. The impact of stereotypes). 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It has been proven that the instant we meet someone or the first few moments of encountering a new personRead MoreMedia And Stereotyping On Gender Stereotypes1395 Words   |  6 Pagesportrayals of women in these ads were never seen by any of the informants as sexist or inappropriate, contrary to the researcher s own introspection. Dominant Culture Stereotyping on Pinterest | Gender Stereotypes ... It was about time someone addressed the phrase â€Å"like a girl†. It’s full of negativity and perpetuates the stereotype that the way women do things is inferior to the way men do them. So, hold high the foam finger of feminism for this advert that was screened in the Super Bowl, for tacklingRead MoreGender Stereotyping And Gender Stereotypes848 Words   |  4 PagesGender stereotyping is one of the most controversial topics in the field of education. 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