No Heroes, No Villains Essay - 1182 Words

No heroes, no villains Shelby DiRoma Monroe Community College No heroes, no villains On June 28, 1972, James Richardson awaiting the subway train which would take him to work. He was stopped and ordered to â€Å"put up your hands, and get against the wall†. These directions were given by an off duty Transit Authority patrolman named John Skagen. Skagen’s actions seem unprovoked and unnecessary. After a short tussle the two men exchanged shots and Richardson fled the scene on foot. Two other officers that were on the main street above the subway station were made aware of what was transpiring below and rushed to the scene. As they approached the entrance of the station, Richardson who was fleeing the scene ran directly into one of the†¦show more content†¦Richardson’s trial was delayed for twenty seven months before finally beginning in Sept. 1974. The trial was long and was delayed numerous times due to Kunstler’s busy schedule with other demanding trial cases. The delays were also part of Kunstler’s defense strategy. There was an abundance of evidence shown throughout the trial among which was the ballistics test. These test showed that of the five shots that Skagen endured only two were from Richardson’s gun. After a yearlong trial the prosecutor and the defense gave their summations and the jury deliberated. The deliberation took several days. In the end Richardson was convicted with three of the original seven charges; manslaughter in the second degree, possessing a weapon as a felony, and criminal possessing of stolen property in the third degree. The judge sentenced Richardson to a term no more than ten years for the conviction of manslaughter in the second degree. No more than seven years for the conviction of felony possession of a weapon. The criminal possession of stolen property was unconditiona lly discharged and the sentences were to be served concurrently. Kunstler appealed this sentenced and Richardson was allowed to stay out of jail on bail. On April 13, 1976 the Appellate Division reversed the manslaughter conviction and the felony gun conviction. The case was sent back to the original court and Richardson was resentenced to three yearsShow MoreRelatedHeroes or Villains? - The Taliban1464 Words   |  6 PagesWhat is a hero? What is a villain? Although definitions vary within our global society, it is generally accepted that a hero is selfless, humble, and moral and has integrity, while a villain is corrupt or evil, incapable of feeling guilt or compassion and is guilty of committing heinous crimes. 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This is caused by the fact that individuals within society has a different criteria of deciding what is â€Å"good† and what is â€Å"evil†. As a result their minds are structured through pure bias. The so called â€Å"heroes† or â€Å"villains† are all just dependent on

Inventors of the Spark Plug

Internal combustion engines need three things to run: spark, fuel, and compression. The spark comes from the spark plug.  Spark plugs consist of a metal threaded shell, a porcelain insulator, and a central electrode, which may contain a resistor. According to Britannica a spark plug or sparking plug is, a device that fits into the cylinder head of an internal-combustion engine and carries two electrodes separated by an air gap, across which current from a high-tension ignition system discharges, to form a spark for igniting the fuel. Edmond Berger Some historians have reported that Edmond Berger invented an early spark plug on February 2, 1839. However, Edmond Berger did not patent his invention. Spark plugs are used in  internal combustion engines  and in 1839 these engines were in the early days of experimentation. Therefore, Edmund Bergers spark plug, if it did exist, would have had to have been very experimental in nature as well or perhaps the date was a mistake. Jean Joseph Étienne Lenoir ​​ This Belgian engineer developed the first commercially successful internal combustion engine in 1858. He is credited for developing the spark ignition system, which is described in US Patent #345596. Oliver Lodge Oliver Lodge invented the electric spark ignition (the Lodge Igniter) for the  internal combustion engine. Two of his sons developed his ideas and founded the Lodge Plug Company. Oliver Lodge is better known for his pioneering work in radio and was the first man to transmit a message by wireless.   Albert Champion During the early 1900s, France was the dominant manufacturer of spark plugs. Frenchman, Albert Champion was a bicycle and motorcycle racer who immigrated to the United States in 1889 to race. As a sideline, Champion manufactured and sold spark plugs to support himself. In 1904, Champion moved to Flint, Michigan where he started the Champion Ignition Company for the manufacturing of spark plugs. He later lost control of his company and in 1908 started the AC Spark Plug Company with backing from Buick Motor Co. AC presumably stood for Albert Champion. His AC spark plugs were used in aviation, notably for the trans-Atlantic flights of Charles Lindbergh  and Amelia Earhart. They also were used in the Apollo rocket stages. You may think the current-day Champion company that produces spark plugs was named after Albert Champion, but it was not. It was a completely different company that produced decorative tile in the 1920s. Spark plugs use ceramics as insulators, and Champion started producing spark plugs in their ceramic kilns. Demand grew so they switched completely to producing spark plugs in 1933. By this time, the AC Spark Plug Company had been bought by GM Corp. GM Corp was not allowed to continue using the Champion name as the original investors in Champion Ignition Company set up Champion Spark Plug Company as competition. Years later, United Delco and the AC Spark Plug Division of General Motors combined to become AC-Delco. In this way, the Champion name lives on in two different spark plug brands.

Information And Learning Experience Amassed During My 6...

1. Introduction 1.1 Purpose The purpose of this interim report is to reflect on the knowledge and learning experience amassed during my 6 months of internship at KPMG Services Private Limited (KPMG) as a Management Intern. It aims to provide a clearer understanding of the operational processes of the company and department which I have been assigned to. It also seeks to update my NP supervisor on how I have been coping and contributing as an intern at KPMG beyond the scope of modules learned in school. 1.2 Scope 1.2.1 Overview of Company and Department The report would begin with a brief inception to KPMG’s principal activities, main revenues, locations and major clients. An organisational chart is appended to supplement the elaboration of KPMG’s structure. Next, the report would provide knowledge to readers about Middle Market, the department I am assigned to. Additionally, with the aid of a department chart, I will be concentrating on the key functions and illustrate how my department plays a role in supporting the business. 1.2.2 Job Scope In this segment, a synopsis of my role in the Middle Market department will be presented. I will then further explain about how (insert flowchart task) contributes to the functions of the department. Through the use of the workflow diagram appended, readers would be able to better understand the process of (insert flowchart task). 1.2.3 Learning Experiences Additionally, the report will exemplify on the key learning experiences

Dorothea Lynde Dix free essay sample

An Amazing woman Ladies and gentlemen, it is indeed an honor and a privilege for me to have the opportunity to honor one of the most amazing women of the 19th century: Throated Lynda Dixie. From her humble beginnings in a pine shack in Maine where she suffered emotional and physical abuse at the hands of her father, Throated worked to educate herself in the sciences, literature and divinity. After leaving home at age 12, she began teaching while still a teenager.She began her lifes work of reform and social change by convincing her grandmother to establish a charity school for poor children on he grounds Of the Dixie family home in Boston. Throated also had several books published during this period one of which has had 60 different editions in the United States. Dry. William E. Changing, a Lacertian minister, taught a faith of love and social conscience. Through her friendship with Dry. We will write a custom essay sample on Dorothea Lynde Dix or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Changing, Dixie was inspired to develop her own personal mission of faith through works which ultimately led to her self-financed career in social reform.Throated suffered a complete mental and physical breakdown in 1836. While recovering at the English country estate of Mr.. Mrs.. William Rotenone, Throated became acquainted with Dry. Samuel Take whose Quaker father had established York Retreat, Englands most progressive asylum for the insane. The Takes believed that mental illness could be subdued, even cured, if the patients were treated with kindness and respect. York Retreats philosophy and values formed the basis of Dies crusade for the mentally ill.With an inheritance from her grandmother, savings from teaching and royalties from her books, Throated was financially secure. She traveled extensively searching for a career. While teaching a Sunday School class at the East Cambridge House of Corrections, she was shocked to find that the mentally ill were housed in the same facilities as criminals. And, she was appalled at the conditions in which both groups were kept. She had found her career and her cause. Traveling over 60,000 miles surveying thousands of institutions and meeting over 9,000 mentally ill or physically handicapped people, Throated kept detailed notes.These notes served as the basis for her Memorials carefully written, lengthy reports telling of the horrific conditions she had found in her travels: mentally ill patients caged, beaten, chained, deprived of fresh air and sunlight, poorly fed, given no medical care, lithely and lying in their own excrement. These Memorials were presented to legislatures beginning in Massachusetts. Through her tireless efforts, many new hospitals for the mentally ill were established or existing institutions were expanded and reformed.Throated didnt stop with state governments. Her Memorial to the Congress of the United States sought to have millions of acres of land set aside for a perpetual fund for the care of the indigent insane. After years of effort, a bill was passed by both houses of Congress but vetoed by President Pierce. Going to Europe, Throated continued her campaign for mental health form. In 1861 , with the outbreak of the Civil War, Throated went to Washington, DC and campaigned for the establishment of a nurses corps to serve on the battlefield.Named the Superintendent of the United States Army Nurses Corps (one of the first women to receive such a high government appointment), Throated brought her inexhaustible zeal and sense of mission to this Herculean task. She held this post until the end of the war in 1866. Returning to her campaign for mental health reform, Throated finally retired to an apartment at the New Jersey State Hospital in Trenton, an institution he had long called her first-born child in 1881. Throated, you are one off kind.

How well does Shell fulfil the needs of its stakeholders Essay Example

How well does Shell fulfil the needs of its stakeholders Essay A stakeholder is any individual or group which has a stake in a company. They therefore include the employees, suppliers, creditors, customers, shareholders and local communities that are affected by the actions of the business. I will be investigating whether Shell is able to fulfil all the needs of it stakeholders, by using secondary data collected from the company website and newspaper articles, in order to evaluate whether Shell has adopted either the stakeholder concept or the shareholder concept, and from this I will evaluate whether there are any conflicts between the stakeholders of Shell. If a business adopts the shareholders concept, this means that the main and sole objective of the business is to maximise the value of the company, so in practice the management tries to make the shareholders as much profit as possible. Therefore any decisions that the management makes is in the interests of the stakeholders, which means that the business avoids conflicting objectives. The advantages of this are that, in the short term, the business may be able to improve its short term profitability, as they do not make any philanthropic donations, or spend money trying to satisfy any stakeholders. The stakeholder concept has more objectives than just making the shareholders as much profit as possible, although this still remains one of the goals of the business, and the business attempts to fulfil the needs of all groups and individuals who are connected to the business. More and more businesses are adopting this concept, because it can improve a business reputation, and therefore give it a competitive advantage and can also attract socially responsible investors. However, problems can arise when the views of one stakeholder clash with the views of another. Royal Dutch Shell (or Shell) is a multinational group of energy and petrochemical companies, which has bases in over 130 countries and more than 108,000 employees. It describes itself as a company that operates in environmentally and socially responsible ways, safely and profitably, however its competitive advantage is in its innovative methods of exploration and production of chemicals, as its reputation is still being built, due to a lot of controversy that has surrounded Shell for decades. We will write a custom essay sample on How well does Shell fulfil the needs of its stakeholders specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on How well does Shell fulfil the needs of its stakeholders specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on How well does Shell fulfil the needs of its stakeholders specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Shell wants to be seen as a socially responsible business that takes into account all the needs of its stakeholders, for example by looking for alternative sources of energy to replace finite resources, such as petrol. It is one of the biggest private sector organisations in the world, and in terms of operating profit, in 2006 it was the third most profitable company according to newspaper report, after making just over $26 million dollars after taxation. It 5 Year Financial Summary also shows that its income before taxation has increased every year from 2002 to 2006, and in fact has increased by over 155% in the past five years. This shows that investors are happy, because they are being rewarded for their investment by gaining a substantial profit, which has grown largely due to rocketing oil and fuel prices. Shells record profits were largely due to record oil prices, especially in petrol, where the price topped a dollar barrel. Furthermore, the growth of production in Nigeria has helped to increase profits of the largest European oil company. In fact Shell was one of the only major oil companies to turn a profit in the 2nd quarter of 2007 (April to June), after a fall in profits was expected due to a 2% decrease in production. Furthermore, earnings per share have increased by over 168% in the past 5 years, which shows that the value of their investment is improving continuously. However, the controversy surrounding Shell often leads to a fall in share prices, for example when Shell overstated its oil reserves by 20%, which caused investor anger, and a lot of selling of shares, which decreased the companies market value by $15 billion. A record profit is good news for employees, as if the company is growing, and then there is more money to explore for oil and gas, which means that their jobs are more secure. An example is Shells i 350 million investment programme for investments in Scotland, which it says will safeguard 300 jobs and create 100 new contractor jobs. Furthermore, Shell tried to address it social Royal Dutch Shells website says it recognises that employees are also a valuable stakeholder in the company and that their opinions are of the utmost importance, so it has a very democratic style in that it tries to listen to all employees and discuss are held before decisions are made, as they believe that that this management style is the best fit for their company. Shell published a document in 2000 called People and Principles, in which it emphasised how its beliefs in being a socially responsible company, which attracted a lot of graduates into the company. However, since then Shell has gained a lot of bad publicity, especially as they are often in trouble over employee safety, such as their operations in the North Sea of the coast of Scotland, where lapses in safety procedures have caused a variety of complaints to be made. Concerns have been raised by unions about the decrease in key personnel since Shell announced the sale of the instillations, which could leave staff unable to manage in the case of an emergency. Another example is the danger faced by their workers in Nigeria, due to pipeline explosions and the kidnap of oil workers in the Delta region. Fears have grown among employees and this in turn affects Shells share prices, which is bad news for investors as well. Despite the fact that Shell claims to get their resources in the most environmentally responsible way, they are often at loggerheads with another stakeholders, the environmentalists, because although Shell has more than one objective, the environmentalists only have one, to protect the environment, and Shell continues to be heavily criticised for its environmental record. An example of this is in late July this year; Shell announced that they were to begin drilling for oil in the arctic, off the shore off Alaska, America. Environmentalists believe that the impact of drilling on the wildlife (such as bowhead whales) would be catastrophic; however Shell (and its shareholders) opposed this. Furthermore, Russia has threatened to revoke Shells license for the development of oil and gas skills, due to what they believe to be Shells inability to address the safety concerns surrounding their Sakhalin project. Added to this, the Argentine government ordered Shell to shut down one of its refineries in Buenos Aires, as they discovered that the site didnt have the correct environmental permits and had failed to conduct the necessary impact studies. Action was taken after government inspections uncovered soil pollution and the Argentine government also accused Shell of illegally taking water from a local estuary. On all occasions, Royal Dutch Shell has fiercely defended itself, however the frequency of the allegations has damaged the reputation Shell has tried to build, as an ethically responsible company, and further disillusioned environmentalists about how socially responsible Shell is. Overall, I believe that for such a competitive industry such as energy and chemicals, and with such a large company such as Shell, it is inevitable that there will be some clashes between stakeholders (such as the environmentalists and the stakeholders), because they all have different aims. I also believe that is impossible for Shell to fulfil all the needs of its stakeholders, because clashes between stakeholders means Shell often has to side with one or a group of stakeholders, which at the moment seems to be the shareholders. I believe Shell must do more to prove that it is a socially responsible company, in order to satisfy the needs of more of its stakeholders, for example doing more to address safety concerns and increasing the investment in local communities in the countries where it explores for oil and gas, and increasing the amount of money it puts into making its process as environmentally friendly as possible. Although, initially this would cost some money, the shareholders would eventually see a return in the longer term, because the benefits of building a reputation as a socially responsible company would attract a lot of new customers. Furthermore, it would attract the best graduates to the company, and would mean fewer disputes with local communities and governments, which would not only save money but also benefit Shells reputation.

3 Key Tips for How to Write an Argumentative Essay

3 Key Tips for How to Write an Argumentative Essay SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If there’s one writing skill you need to have in your toolkit for standardized tests, AP exams, and college-level writing, it’s the ability to make a persuasive argument. Effectively arguing for a position on a topic or issue isn’t just for the debate team- it’s for anyone who wants to ace the essay portion of an exam or make As in college courses. To give you everything you need to know about how to write an argumentative essay, we’re going to answer the following questions for you: What is an argumentative essay? How should an argumentative essay be structured? How do I write a strong argument? What’s an example of a strong argumentative essay? What are the top takeaways for writing argumentative papers? By the end of this article, you’ll be prepped and ready to write a great argumentative essay yourself! Now, let’s break this down. What Is an Argumentative Essay? An argumentative essay is a type of writing that presents the writer’s position or stance on a specific topic and uses evidence to support that position. The goal of an argumentative essay is to convince your reader that your position is logical, ethical, and, ultimately, right. In argumentative essays, writers accomplish this by writing: A clear, persuasive thesis statement in the introduction paragraph Body paragraphs that use evidence and explanations to support the thesis statement A paragraph addressing opposing positions on the topic- when appropriate A conclusion that gives the audience something meaningful to think about. Introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion: these are the main sections of an argumentative essay. Those probably sound familiar. Where does arguing come into all of this, though? It’s not like you’re having a shouting match with your little brother across the dinner table. You’re just writing words down on a page! ...or are you? Even though writing papers can feel like a lonely process, one of the most important things you can do to be successful in argumentative writing is to think about your argument as participating in a larger conversation. For one thing, you’re going to be responding to the ideas of others as you write your argument. And when you’re done writing, someone- a teacher, a professor, or exam scorer- is going to be reading and evaluating your argument. If you want to make a strong argument on any topic, you have to get informed about what’s already been said on that topic. That includes researching the different views and positions, figuring out what evidence has been produced, and learning the history of the topic. That means- you guessed it!- argumentative essays almost always require you to incorporate outside sources into your writing. Argumentative essays are unique(just like this umbrella)...which means you need to use specific techniques to write them! What Makes Argumentative Essays Unique? Argumentative essays are different from other types of essays for one main reason: in an argumentative essay, you decide what the argument will be. Some types of essays, like summaries or syntheses, don’t want you to show your stance on the topic- they want you to remain unbiased and neutral. In argumentative essays, you’re presenting your point of view as the writer and, sometimes, choosing the topic you’ll be arguing about. You just want to make sure that that point of view comes across as informed, well-reasoned, and persuasive. Another thing about argumentative essays: they’re often longer than other types of essays. Why, you ask? Because it takes time to develop an effective argument. If your argument is going to be persuasive to readers, you have to address multiple points that support your argument, acknowledge counterpoints, and provide enough evidence and explanations to convince your reader that your points are valid. Our 3 Best Tips for Picking a Great Argumentative Topic The first step to writing an argumentative essay deciding what to write about! Choosing a topic for your argumentative essay might seem daunting, though. It can feel like you could make an argument about anything under the sun. For example, you could write an argumentative essay about how cats are way cooler than dogs, right? It’s not quite that simple. Here are some strategies for choosing a topic that serves as a solid foundation for a strong argument. Choose a Topic That Can Be Supported With Evidence First, you want to make sure the topic you choose allows you to make a claim that can be supported by evidence that’s considered credible and appropriate for the subject matter...and, unfortunately, your personal opinions or that Buzzfeed quiz you took last week don’t quite make the cut. Some topics- like whether cats or dogs are cooler- can generate heated arguments, but at the end of the day, any argument you make on that topic is just going to be a matter of opinion. You have to pick a topic that allows you to take a position that can be supported by actual, researched evidence. (Quick note: you could write an argumentative paper over the general idea that dogs are better than cats- or visa versa!- if you’re a) more specific and b) choose an idea that has some scientific research behind it. For example, a strong argumentative topic could be proving that dogs make better assistance animals than cats do.) You also don’t want to make an argument about a topic that’s already a proven fact, like that drinking water is good for you. While some people might dislike the taste of water, there is an overwhelming body of evidence that proves- beyond the shadow of a doubt- that drinking water is a key part of good health. To avoid choosing a topic that’s either unprovable or already proven, try brainstorming some issues that have recently been discussed in the news, that you’ve seen people debating on social media, or that affect your local community. If you explore those outlets for potential topics, you’ll likely stumble upon something that piques your audience’s interest as well. Choose a Topic That You Find Interesting Topics that have local, national, or global relevance often also resonate with us on a personal level. Consider choosing a topic that holds a connection between something you know or care about and something that is relevant to the rest of society. These don’t have to be super serious issues, but they should be topics that are timely and significant. For example, if you are a huge football fan, a great argumentative topic for you might be arguing whether football leagues need to do more to prevent concussions. Is this as â€Å"important† an issue as climate change? No, but it’s still a timely topic that affects many people. And not only is this a great argumentative topic: you also get to write about one of your passions! Ultimately, if you’re working with a topic you enjoy, you’ll have more to say- and probably write a better essay. Choose a Topic That Doesn’t Get You Too Heated Another word of caution on choosing a topic for an argumentative paper: while it can be effective to choose a topic that matters to you personally, you also want to make sure you’re choosing a topic that you can keep your cool over. You’ve got to be able to stay unemotional, interpret the evidence persuasively, and, when appropriate, discuss opposing points of view without getting too salty. In some situations, choosing a topic for your argumentative paper won’t be an issue at all: the test or exam will choose it for you. In that case, you’ve got to do the best you can with what you’re given. In the next sections, we’re going to break down how to write any argumentative essay- regardless of whether you get to choose your own topic or have one assigned to you! Our expert tips and tricks will make sure that you’re knocking your paper out of the park. Think of your thesis as the trunk of a tree. Its job is to support your arguments- which are like the branches. The Thesis: The Argumentative Essay’s Backbone You’ve chosen a topic or, more likely, read the exam question telling you to defend, challenge, or qualify a claim on an assigned topic. What do you do now? You establish your position on the topic by writing a killer thesis statement! The thesis statement, sometimes just called â€Å"the thesis,† is the backbone of your argument, the north star that keeps you oriented as you develop your main points, the- well, you get the idea. In more concrete terms, a thesis statement conveys your point of view on your topic, usually in one sentence toward the end of your introduction paragraph. It’s very important that you state your point of view in your thesis statement in an argumentative way- in other words, it should state a point of view that is debatable. And since your thesis statement is going to present your argument on the topic, it’s the thing that you’ll spend the rest of your argumentative paper defending. That’s where persuasion comes in. Your thesis statement tells your reader what your argument is, then the rest of your essay shows and explains why your argument is logical. Why does an argumentative essay need a thesis, though? Well, the thesis statement- the sentence with your main claim- is actually the entire point of an argumentative essay. If you don’t clearly state an arguable claim at the beginning of your paper, then it’s not an argumentative essay. No thesis statement = no argumentative essay. Got it? Other types of essays that you’re familiar with might simply use a thesis statement to forecast what the rest of the essay is going to discuss or to communicate what the topic is. That’s not the case here. If your thesis statement doesn’t make a claim or establish your position, you’ll need to go back to the drawing board. Example Thesis Statements Here are a couple of examples of thesis statements that aren’t argumentative and thesis statements that are argumentative The sky is blue. The thesis statement above conveys a fact, not a claim, so it’s not argumentative. To keep the sky blue, governments must pass clean air legislation and regulate emissions. The second example states a position on a topic. What’s the topic in that second sentence? The best way to keep the sky blue. And what position is being conveyed? That the best way to keep the sky blue is by passing clean air legislation and regulating emissions. Some people would probably respond to that thesis statement with gusto: â€Å"No! Governments should not pass clean air legislation and regulate emissions! That infringes on my right to pollute the earth!† And there you have it: a thesis statement that presents a clear, debatable position on a topic. Here’s one more set of thesis statement examples, just to throw in a little variety: Spirituality and otherworldliness characterize A$AP Rocky’s portrayals of urban life and the American Dream in his rap songs and music videos. The statement above is another example that isn’t argumentative, but you could write a really interesting analytical essay with that thesis statement. Long live A$AP! Now here’s another one that is argumentative: To give students an understanding of the role of the American Dream in contemporary life, teachers should incorporate pop culture, like the music of A$AP Rocky, into their lessons and curriculum. The argument in this one? Teachers should incorporate more relevant pop culture texts into their curriculum. This thesis statement also gives a specific reason for making the argument above: To give students an understanding of the role of the American Dream in contemporary life. If you can let your reader know why you’re making your argument in your thesis statement, it will help them understand your argument better. An actual image of you killing your argumentative essay prompts after reading this article! Breaking Down the Sections of An Argumentative Essay Now that you know how to pick a topic for an argumentative essay and how to make a strong claim on your topic in a thesis statement, you’re ready to think about writing the other sections of an argumentative essay. These are the parts that will flesh out your argument and support the claim you made in your thesis statement. Like other types of essays, argumentative essays typically have three main sections: the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. Within those sections, there are some key elements that a reader- and especially an exam scorer or professor- is always going to expect you to include. Let’s look at a quick outline of those three sections with their essential pieces here: Introduction paragraph with a thesis statement (which we just talked about) New paragraph that starts with a topic sentence presenting Argumentative Point #1 Support Point #1 with evidence Explain/interpret the evidence with your own, original commentary (AKA, the fun part!) New paragraph that starts with a topic sentence presenting Argumentative Point #2 Support Point #2 with evidence Explain/interpret the evidence with your own, original commentary New paragraph that starts with a topic sentence presenting Argumentative Point #3 Support Point #3 with evidence Explain/interpret the evidence with your own, original commentary New paragraph addressing opposing viewpoints (more on this later!) Concluding paragraph Now, there are some key concepts in those sections that you’ve got to understand if you’re going to master how to write an argumentative essay. To make the most of the body section, you have to know how to support your claim (your thesis statement), what evidence and explanations are and when you should use them, and how and when to address opposing viewpoints. To finish strong, you’ve got to have a strategy for writing a stellar conclusion. This probably feels like a big deal! The body and conclusion make up most of the essay, right? Let’s get down to it, then. How to Write a Strong Argument Once you have your topic and thesis, you’re ready for the hard part: actually writing your argument. If you make strategic choices- like the ones we’re about to talk about- writing a strong argumentative essay won’t feel so difficult. There are three main areas where you want to focus your energy as you develop a strategy for how to write an argumentative essay: supporting your claim- your thesis statement- in your essay, addressing other viewpoints on your topic, and writing a solid conclusion. If you put thought and effort into these three things, you’re much more likely to write an argumentative essay that’s engaging, persuasive, and memorable...aka A+ material. Focus Area 1: Supporting Your Claim With Evidence and Explanations So you’ve chosen your topic, decided what your position will be, and written a thesis statement. But like we see in comment threads across the Internet, if you make a claim and don’t back it up with evidence, what do people say? â€Å"Where’s your proof?† â€Å"Show me the facts!† â€Å"Do you have any evidence to support that claim?† Of course you’ve done your research like we talked about. Supporting your claim in your thesis statement is where that research comes in handy. You can’t just use your research to state the facts, though. Remember your reader? They’re going to expect you to do some of the dirty work of interpreting the evidence for them. That’s why it’s important to know the difference between evidence and explanations, and how and when to use both in your argumentative essay. What Evidence Is and When You Should Use It Evidence can be material from any authoritative and credible outside source that supports your position on your topic. In some cases, evidence can come in the form of photos, video footage, or audio recordings. In other cases, you might be pulling reasons, facts, or statistics from news media articles, public policy, or scholarly books or journals. There are some clues you can look for that indicate whether or not a source is credible, such as whether: The website where you found the source ends in .edu, .gov, or .org The source was published by a university press The source was published in a peer-reviewed journal The authors did extensive research to support the claims they make in the source This is just a short list of some of the clues that a source is likely a credible one, but just because a source was published by a prestigious press or the authors all have PhDs doesn’t necessarily mean it is the best piece of evidence for you to use to support your argument. In addition to evaluating the source’s credibility, you’ve got to consider what types of evidence might come across as most persuasive in the context of the argument you’re making and who your readers are. In other words, stepping back and getting a bird’s eye view of the entire context of your argumentative paper is key to choosing evidence that will strengthen your argument. On some exams, like the AP exams, you may be given pretty strict parameters for what evidence to use and how to use it. You might be given six short readings that all address the same topic, have 15 minutes to read them, then be required to pull material from a minimum of three of the short readings to support your claim in an argumentative essay. When the sources are handed to you like that, be sure to take notes that will help you pick out evidence as you read. Highlight, underline, put checkmarks in the margins of your exam . . . do whatever you need to do to begin identifying the material that you find most helpful or relevant. Those highlights and check marks might just turn into your quotes, paraphrases, or summaries of evidence in your completed exam essay. What Explanations Are and When You Should Use Them Now you know that taking a strategic mindset toward evidence and explanations is critical to grasping how to write an argumentative essay. Unfortunately, evidence doesn’t speak for itself. While it may be obvious to you, the researcher and writer, how the pieces of evidence you’ve included are relevant to your audience, it might not be as obvious to your reader. That’s where explanations- or analysis, or interpretations- come in. You never want to just stick some quotes from an article into your paragraph and call it a day. You do want to interpret the evidence you’ve included to show your reader how that evidence supports your claim. Now, that doesn’t mean you’re going to be saying, â€Å"This piece of evidence supports my argument because...†. Instead, you want to comment on the evidence in a way that helps your reader see how it supports the position you stated in your thesis. We’ll talk more about how to do this when we show you an example of a strong body paragraph from an argumentative essay here in a bit. Understanding how to incorporate evidence and explanations to your advantage is really important. Here’s why: when you’re writing an argumentative essay, particularly on standardized tests or the AP exam, the exam scorers can’t penalize you for the position you take. Instead, their evaluation is going to focus on the way you incorporated evidence and explained it in your essay. Focus Area 2: How- and When- to Address Other Viewpoints Why would we be making arguments at all if there weren’t multiple views out there on a given topic? As you do research and consider the background surrounding your topic, you’ll probably come across arguments that stand in direct opposition to your position. Oftentimes, teachers will ask you to â€Å"address the opposition† in your argumentative essay. What does that mean, though, to â€Å"address the opposition?† Opposing viewpoints function kind of like an elephant in the room. Your audience knows they’re there. In fact, your audience might even buy into an opposing viewpoint and be waiting for you to show them why your viewpoint is better. If you don’t, it means that you’ll have a hard time convincing your audience to buy your argument. Addressing the opposition is a balancing act: you don’t want to undermine your own argument, but you don’t want to dismiss the validity of opposing viewpoints out-of-hand or ignore them altogether, which can also undermine your argument. This isn’t the only acceptable approach, but it’s common practice to wait to address the opposition until close to the end of an argumentative essay. But why? Well, waiting to present an opposing viewpoint until after you’ve thoroughly supported your own argument is strategic. You aren’t going to go into great detail discussing the opposing viewpoint: you’re going to explain what that viewpoint is fairly, but you’re also going to point out what’s wrong with it. It can also be effective to read the opposition through the lens of your own argument and the evidence you’ve used to support it. If the evidence you’ve already included supports your argument, it probably doesn’t support the opposing viewpoint. Without being too obvious, it might be worth pointing this out when you address the opposition. Great conclusions get your readers to check the "I Agree" box on your entire essay. Focus Area #3: Writing the Conclusion It’s common to conclude an argumentative essay by reiterating the thesis statement in some way, either by reminding the reader what the overarching argument was in the first place or by reviewing the main points and evidence that you covered. You don’t just want to restate your thesis statement and review your main points and call it a day, though. So much has happened since you stated your thesis in the introduction! And why waste a whole paragraph- the very last thing your audience is going to read- on just repeating yourself? Here’s an approach to the conclusion that can give your audience a fresh perspective on your argument: reinterpret your thesis statement for them in light of all the evidence and explanations you’ve provided. Think about how your readers might read your thesis statement in a new light now that they’ve heard your whole argument out. That’s what you want to leave your audience with as you conclude your argumentative paper: a brief explanation of why all that arguing mattered in the first place. If you can give your audience something to continue pondering after they’ve read your argument, that’s even better. One thing you want to avoid in your conclusion, though: presenting new supporting points or new evidence. That can just be confusing for your reader. Stick to telling your reader why the argument you’ve already made matters, and your argument will stick with your reader. A Strong Argumentative Essay: Examples For some aspiring argumentative essay writers, showing is better than telling. To show rather than tell you what makes a strong argumentative essay, we’ve provided three examples of possible body paragraphs for an argumentative essay below. Think of these example paragraphs as taking on the form of the â€Å"Argumentative Point #1 → Evidence - Explanation - Repeat† process we talked through earlier. It’s always nice to be able to compare examples, so we’ve included three paragraphs from an argumentative paper ranging from poor (or needs a lot of improvement, if you’re feeling generous), to better, to best. All of the exampleparagraphs are for an essay with this thesis statement: Thesis Statement: In order to most effectively protect user data and combat the spread of disinformation, the U.S. government should implement more stringent regulations of Facebook and other social media outlets. As you read the examples, think about what makes them different, and what makes the â€Å"best† paragraph more effective than the â€Å"better† and â€Å"poor† paragraphs. Here we go: A Poor Argument Example Body Paragraph: Data mining has affected a lot of people in recent years. Facebook has 2.23 billion users from around the world, and though it would take a huge amount of time and effort to make sure a company as big as Facebook was complying with privacy regulations in countries across the globe, adopting a common framework for privacy regulation in more countries would be the first step. In fact, Mark Zuckerberg himself supports adopting a global framework for privacy and data protection, which would protect more users than before. What’s Wrong With This Example? First, let’s look at the thesis statement. Ask yourself: does this make a claim that some people might agree with, but others might disagree with? The answer is yes. Some people probably think that Facebook should be regulated, while others might believe that’s too much government intervention. Also, there are definitely good, reliable sources out there that will help this writer prove their argument. So this paper is off to a strong start! Unfortunately, this writer doesn’t do a great job proving their thesis in their body paragraph. First, the topic sentence- aka the first sentence of the paragraph- doesn’t make a point that directly supports the position stated in the thesis. We’re trying to argue that government regulation will help protect user data and combat the spread of misinformation, remember? The topic sentence should make a point that gets right at that, instead of throwing out a random fact about data mining. Second, because the topic sentence isn’t focused on making a clear point, the rest of the paragraph doesn’t have much relevant information, and it fails to provide credible evidence that supports the claim made in the thesis statement. For example, it would be a great idea to include exactly what Mark Zuckerberg said! So while there’s definitely some relevant information in this paragraph, it needs to be presented with more evidence. A Better Argument Example Body Paragraph: Over the past several years, one of the biggest consequences of the lack of regulation of social media platforms has been the mining of Facebook user data, which has been exposed by the news media and the U.S. government. Investigations by the Federal Trade Commission (F.T.C.) have shown that Facebook allowed its data-sharing partners to mine user data without disclosing this information to Facebook users. Specifically, Facebook allowed Cambridge Analytica, a political data firm, to gather the personal information of tens of millions of people- information the firm then used to aid a particular 2016 presidential campaign. In the future, increased government regulation of Facebook’s data sharing partnerships could prevent such things from happening. What’s Wrong With This Example? This paragraph is a bit better than the first one, but it still needs some work. The topic sentence is a bit too long, and it doesn’t make a point that clearly supports the position laid out in the thesis statement. The reader already knows that mining user data is a big issue, so the topic sentence would be a great place to make a point about why more stringent government regulations would most effectively protect user data. There’s also a problem with how the evidence is incorporated in this example. While there is some relevant, persuasive evidence included in this paragraph, there’s no explanation of why or how it is relevant. Remember, you can’t assume that your evidence speaks for itself: you have to interpret its relevance for your reader. That means including at least a sentence that tells your reader why the evidence you’ve chosen proves your argument. A Best- But Not Perfect!- Argument Example Body Paragraph: Though Facebook claims to be implementing company policies that will protect user data and stop the spread of misinformation, its attempts have been unsuccessful compared to those made by the federal government. When PricewaterhouseCoopers conducted a Federal Trade Commission-mandated assessment of Facebook’s partnerships with Microsoft and the makers of the Blackberry handset in 2013, the team found limited evidence that Facebook had monitored or even checked that its partners had complied with Facebook’s existing data use policies. In fact, Facebook’s own auditors confirmed the PricewaterhouseCoopers findings, despite the fact that Facebook claimed that the company was making greater attempts to safeguard users’ personal information. In contrast, bills written by Congress have been more successful in changing Facebook’s practices than Facebook’s own company policies have. According to The Washington Post, The Honest Ads Act of 2017 â€Å"created public demand for transparency and changed how social media companies disclose online political advertising.† These policy efforts, though thus far unsuccessful in passing legislation, have nevertheless pushed social media companies to change some of their practices by sparking public outrage and negative media attention. Why This Example Is The Best This paragraph isn’t perfect, but it is the most effective at doing some of the things that you want to do when you write an argumentative essay. First, the topic sentences get to the point . . . and it’s a point that supports and explains the claim made in the thesis statement! It gives a clear reason why our claim in favor of more stringent government regulations is a good claim: because Facebook has failed to self-regulate its practices. This paragraph also provides strong evidence and specific examples that support the point made in the topic sentence. The evidence presented shows specific instances in which Facebook has failed to self-regulate, and other examples where the federal government has successfully influenced regulation of Facebook’s practices for the better. Perhaps most importantly, though, this writer explains why the evidence is important. The bold sentence in the example is where the writer links the evidence back to their opinion. In this case, they explain that the pressure from Federal Trade Commission and Congress- and the threat of regulation- have helped change Facebook for the better. Why point out that this isn’t a perfect paragraph, though? Because you won’t be writing perfect paragraphs when you’re taking timed exams either. But get this: you don’t have to write perfect paragraphs to make a good score on AP exams or even on an essay you write for class. Like in this example paragraph, you just have to effectively develop your position by appropriately and convincingly relying on evidence from good sources. Top 3 Takeaways For Writing Argumentative Essays This is all great information, right? If (when) you have to write an argumentative essay, you’ll be ready. But when in doubt, remember these three things about how to write an argumentative essay, and you’ll emerge victorious: Takeaway #1: Read Closely and Carefully This tip applies to every aspect of writing an argumentative essay. From making sure you’re addressing your prompt, to really digging into your sources, to proofreading your final paper...you’ll need to actively and pay attention! This is especially true if you’re writing on the clock, like during an AP exam. Takeaway #2: Make Your Argument the Focus of the Essay Define your position clearly in your thesis statement and stick to that position! The thesis is the backbone of your paper, and every paragraph should help prove your thesis in one way or another. But sometimes you get to the end of your essay and realize that you’ve gotten off topic, or that your thesis doesn’t quite fit. Don’t worry- if that happens, you can always rewrite your thesis to fit your paper! Takeaway #3: Use Sources to Develop Your Argument- and Explain Them Nothing is as powerful as good, strong evidence. First, make sure you’re finding credible sources that support your argument. Then you can paraphrase, briefly summarize, or quote from your sources as you incorporate them into your paragraphs. But remember the most important part: you have to explain why you’ve chosen that evidence and why it proves your thesis. What's Next? Once you’re comfortable with how to write an argumentative essay, it’s time to learn some more advanced tips and tricks for putting together a killer argument. Keep in mind that argumentative essays are just one type of essay you might encounter. 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Performance enhancing drugs in sports (which ones athletes use and the Research Paper

Performance enhancing drugs in sports (which ones athletes use and the benefits and possible side effects of using them) - Research Paper Example Some of them accept athletes as roll models in their life. This is a competitive world and the competition is spread in almost all sectors. By all means, sport is an important part of the competence. For surviving and winning in the competence at the sports field athletes want to maintain and boost their performance more and more. For this reason they always seek the methods for enhancing their performance in competitions and consider drug as the suitable stimuli for achieving their aims. Athletes prefer different types of performance enhancing drugs like anabolic steroids. There are certain reasons behind the use of drugs by athletes. In the book, Drugs in sports, David R. Mottram reveals many important factors related to the use of drugs in sports. In this book he denominates four reasons for the use of drugs in sports. They are listed below. Performance maintenance: - As part of the treatments which occurs at the time of their practicing or some other situation they forced to take treatments. At this time the medicines they took for the sports injuries many include drugs. From the above mentioned four points it is clear that athletes use drugs for improving their performance. Some of the important factors regarding the performance enhancing drugs in sports are discussed below. Almost all kinds of drugs preferred by the athletes contain substances which help the improvement of their athletic performance. It is not a new phenomenon; in the historical period itself athletes prefer drugs for their performance enrichment. It is not limited to one or two types. The most commonly preferred drug types are steroids and amphetamines and health supplements. First two types come under controlled substances, that is its production and distribution are controlled by the legal authority. One of the major reasons for this strict controlling is its high possibility of abuse especially by the athletes and trainers. Health supplements are