Definition and Examples of Language Standardization

Definition and Examples of Language Standardization Language standardization is the process by which conventional forms of a language are established and maintained. Standardization may occur as a natural development of a language in a speech community or as an effort by members of a community to impose one dialect or variety as a standard. The term re-standardization refers to the ways in which a language may be reshaped by its speakers and writers. Observation The interaction of power, language, and reflections on language inextricably bound up with one another in human history, largely defines language standardization. Is Standardization Necessary? English, of course, developed a standard variety by relatively natural means, over the centuries, out of a kind of consensus, due to various social factors. For many newer countries, though, the development of a standard language has had to take place fairly rapidly, and government intervention has therefore been necessary. Standardization, it is argued, is necessary in order to facilitate communications, to make possible the establishment of an agreed orthography, and to provide a uniform form for school books. (It is, of course, an open question as to how much, if any, standardization is really required. It can be argued quite reasonably that there is no real point in standardizing to the extent where, as is often the case in English-speaking communities, children spend many hours learning to spell in an exactly uniform manner, where any spelling mistake is the subject of opprobrium or ridicule, and where derivations from the standard are interpreted as incontrovertible evidence of ignorance.) An Example of Standardization and Divergence: Latin For one important example of the push/pull between divergence and standardizationand between vernacular language and writingIll summarize the Literacy Story... about Charlemagne, Alcuin, and Latin. Latin didnt diverge much till the end of the Roman empire in the fifth century, but then as it lived on as the spoken language throughout Europe, it began to diverge somewhat into multiple Latins. But when Charlemagne conquered his huge kingdom in 800, he brought in Alcuin from England. Alcuin brought in good Latin because it came from books; it didnt have all the problems that came from a language being spoken as a native tongue. Charlemagne mandated it for his whole empire. The Creation and Enforcement of Language Standards ï » ¿Standardization is concerned with linguistic forms (corpus planning, i.e. selection and codification) as well as the social and communicative functions of language (status planning, i.e. implementation and elaboration). In addition, standard languages are also discursive projects, and standardization processes are typically accompanied by the development of specific discourse practices. These discourses emphasize the desirability of uniformity and correctness in language use, the primacy of writing and the very idea of a national language as the only legitimate language of the speech community... Sources John E. Joseph, 1987; quoted by Darren Paffey in Globalizing Standard Spanish.  Language Ideologies and Media Discourse: Texts, Practices, Politics, ed. by Sally Johnson and Tommaso M. Milani. Continuum, 2010 Peter Trudgill,  Sociolinguistics: An Introduction to Language and Society, 4th ed. Penguin, 2000 (Peter Elbow,  Vernacular Eloquence: What Speech Can Bring to Writing. Oxford University Press, 2012 Ana Deumert,  Language  Standardization, and Language Change: The Dynamics of Cape Dutch. John Benjamins, 2004

The Beginning of the American Civil War

The Beginning of the American Civil War On February 4, 1861, delegates from the seven seceded states (South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas) met in Montgomery, AL and formed the Confederate States of America. Working through the month, they produced the Confederate States Constitution which was adopted on March 11. This document mirrored the US Constitution in many ways, but provided for the explicit protection of slavery as well as espoused a stronger philosophy of states rights. To lead the new government, the convention selected Jefferson Davis of Mississippi as president and Alexander Stephens of Georgia as vice president. Davis, a Mexican-American War veteran, had previously served as a US Senator and Secretary of War under President Franklin Pierce. Moving quickly, Davis called for 100,000 volunteers to defend the Confederacy and directed that federal property in the seceded states immediately be seized. Lincoln and the South At his inauguration on March 4, 1861, Abraham Lincoln stated that the US Constitution was a binding contract and that the Southern states secession had no legal basis. Continuing, he said that he had no intention of ending slavery where it already existed and did not plan on invading the South.  Additionally, he commented that he would take no action that would give the South justification for armed rebellion, but would be willing to use force to retain possession of federal installations in the seceded states. As of April 1861, the US only retained control of a few forts in the South: Fort Pickens at Pensacola, FL and Fort Sumter in Charleston, SC as well as Fort Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas and Fort Zachary Taylor at Key West, FL. Attempts to Relieve Fort Sumter Shortly after South Carolina seceded, the commander of the Charleston harbor defenses, Major Robert Anderson of the 1st US Artillery Regiment, moved his men from Fort Moultrie to the nearly-complete Fort Sumter, located on a sandbar in the middle of the harbor. A favorite of general in chief General Winfield Scott, Anderson was considered an able officer and capable of negotiating the increasing tensions in Charleston. Under increasingly siege-like conditions through early 1861, that included South Carolina picket boats observing the Union troops, Andersons men worked to complete construction on the fort and emplace guns in its batteries. After refusing requests from the South Carolina government to vacate the fort, Anderson and the eighty-five men of his garrison settled in to await relief and resupply. In January 1861, President Buchanan attempted to resupply the fort, however, the supply ship, Star of the West, was driven away by guns manned by cadets from the Citadel. First Shot Fired During Attack on Fort Sumter During March 1861, a debate raged in the Confederate government regarding how forceful they should be in trying to take possession of Forts Sumter and Pickens. Davis, like Lincoln, did not wish to anger the border states by appearing as the aggressor. With supplies low, Lincoln informed the governor of South Carolina, Francis W. Pickens, that he intended to have the fort re-provisioned, but promised that no additional men or munitions would be sent. He did stipulate that should the relief expedition be attacked, efforts would be made to fully reinforce the garrison. This news was passed to Davis in Montgomery, where the decision was made to compel the forts surrender before Lincolns ships arrived. This duty fell to Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard who had been given command of the siege by Davis. Ironically, Beauregard had previously been a protà ©gà © of Anderson. On April 11, Beauregard sent an aide to demand the forts surrender. Anderson refused and further discussions after midnight failed to resolve the situation. At 4:30 am on April 12, a single mortar round burst over Fort Sumter signaling the other harbor forts to open fire. Anderson did not reply until 7:00 AM when Captain Abner Doubleday fired the first shot for the Union. Short on food and ammunition, Anderson sought to protect his men and limit their exposure to danger. As a result, he only permitted them to use the forts lower, casemated guns which were not positioned to effectively damage the other forts in the harbor. Bombarded through the day and night, Fort Sumters officers quarters caught fire and its main flag pole was toppled. After a 34-hour bombardment, and with his ammunition almost exhausted, Anderson elected t o surrender the fort. Lincolns Call for Volunteers Further Secession In response to the attack on Fort Sumter, Lincoln issued a call for 75,000 90-day volunteers to put the rebellion down and ordered the US Navy to blockade Southern ports. While the Northern states readily sent troops, those states in the upper South hesitated. Unwilling to fight fellow Southerners, the states of Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina opted to secede and joined the Confederacy. In response, the capital was moved from Montgomery to Richmond, VA. On April 19, 1861, the first Union troops arrived in Baltimore, MD on their way to Washington. While marching from one train station to another they were attacked by a pro-Southern mob. In the riot that ensued twelve civilians and four soldiers were killed. To pacify the city, protect Washington, and ensure that Maryland remained in the Union, Lincoln declared martial law in the state and sent troops. The Anaconda Plan Created by Mexican-American War hero and commanding general of the US Army Winfield Scott, the Anaconda Plan was designed to end the conflict as quickly and bloodlessly as possible. Scott called for the blockade of Southern ports and capture of the vital Mississippi River to split the Confederacy in two, as well as advised against a direct attack on Richmond. This approach was mocked by the press and public which believed that a rapid march against the Confederate capital would lead Southern resistance to collapse. Despite this ridicule, as the war unfolded over the next four years, many elements of the plan were implemented and ultimately led the Union to victory. The First Battle of Bull Run (Manassas) As troops gathered in Washington, Lincoln appointed Brig. Gen. Irvin McDowell to organize them into the Army of Northeastern Virginia. Though concerned about his mens inexperience, McDowell was forced to advance south in July due to growing political pressure and the impending expiration of the volunteers enlistments. Moving with 28,500 men, McDowell planned to attack a 21,900-man Confederate army under Beauregard near Manassas Junction. This was to be supported by Maj. Gen. Robert Patterson who was to march against an 8,900-man Confederate force commanded by Gen. Joseph Johnston in the western part of the state. As McDowell approached Beauregards position, he looked for a way to outflank his opponent. This led to a skirmish at Blackburns Ford on July 18. To the west, Patterson had failed to pin down Johnstons men, allowing them to board trains and move east to reinforce Beauregard. On July 21, McDowell moved forward and attacked Beauregard. His troops succeeded in breaking the Confederate line and forcing them to fall back on their reserves. Rallying around Brig. Gen. Thomas J. Jacksons Virginia Brigade, the Confederates stopped the retreat and, with the addition of fresh troops, turned the tide of the battle, routing McDowells army and forcing them to flee back to Washington. Casualties for the battle were 2,896 (460 killed, 1,124 wounded, 1,312 captured) for the Union and 982 (387 killed, 1,582 wounded, 13 missing) for the Confederates.

Royal Chocolate Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Royal Chocolate - Essay Example The inventory management system is required to be automated to make it more efficient and effective, so that reordering can be done at lower levels, thus saving cost of ordering and the inventory carrying costs. To satisfy the requirements of quick and fast communication, the company needs to upgrade its obsolete machines. As the company has purchased 10 new desktops, 5 of these should be provided to the 5 people working in the office. These people do not require notebooks since they do not move along often. The remaining 5 desktops should be installed at the plant site, so that plant management and employees can have access to the company's network. In order to produce reliable and accurate office documents quickly and efficiently, and to extract the full potential of office automation software, the company should purchase enterprise wide licenses of the latest Microsoft Office 2007 suite; which contains MS Word for documents generation and reporting, MS Excel for financial spreadsheets and numerical analysis, MS Power Point for presentation development, and MS Outlook to support emails. Royal Chocolates has a high volume of inter-office correspondence (assumption). An intranet email facility can eliminate most paper based communication. The system will provide instantaneous delivery, significantly reducing the time and manual record keeping overhead costs. The company is recommended to implement Exchange Server 2003 for better management of email system. One of the newly acquired servers should be used as email server. Appropriate software should be installed that include not only the exchange server software, but also email clients like MS Outlook, antivirus software and others. Intranet and Extranet To provide the necessary infrastructure for internal office correspondence, and email facility, the company should implement an intranet for communication between people in the office, and between office and plant. In addition, extranet needs to be developed to communicate with vendors and suppliers. The development of intranets and extranets is a part of e-business which can be said to include e-service, the provision of services and tasks online (Nelson, 2001). The extranet will allow the company to establish a VPN (Virtual Private Network) with the vendors, who

Long day's journey into night Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Long day's journey into night - Essay Example The writer depicts a family that is in jeopardy in all spheres and only has themselves to blame for the problems they are facing. The play, however, does not cover well the theme of gender. The writer has not used the characters effectively to cover this theme. It presents a family of three men and one woman who is the mother of the family. The play did not do well in including one woman in the play. It makes Mary oblivious of most of the things that happen in the family. When she comes home from the hospital, Tyrone receives her at the door with an embrace. Mary hears a cough from the other room, and she concludes that Edmund is having mere cold (O’Neill &King, 15). Tyrone nods in agreement with her conclusion but the actual problem is Tuberculosis. The other members of the family deny Mary access to information about the health of her son. Therefore, the writer has failed in the gender balance in the whole play. The play also fails in addressing the space for women in the characters. In act three, Mary and Cathleen come from the store, where they went to purchase morphine. They come home, and Mary is lonely because there is no company. She even stops Cathleen from going to prepare dinner because she does not want to be alone (O’Neill &King, 112). Mary also goes to get her drugs without the knowledge of the rest of the family. This is because the society views women as a group that should not find themselves in Mary’s condition. The boys on the other hand are alcoholics; they take alcohol and go home drunk just like James. This society denies the women the chance to make mistakes that happen but it is comfortable if men make the same mistakes. The issue of gender roles also is not addressed in a manner that presents the contemporary world. In the play, Cathleen prepares the meals of the family. This character eliminates the men from such roles, and this contradicts the actual

Decision Analysis Essay Example for Free

Decision Analysis Essay Finally, some typical problem classes are examined and some requirements for prototypical structures are discussed. An introduction to problem structuring Decision analysis can be divided into four steps: structuring the problem; formulating inference and preference models; eliciting probabilities and utilities; and exploring the numerical model results. Prac* This research was supported by a grant from the Department of Defense and was monitored by the Engineering Psychology Programs of the Office of Naval Research, under contract While writing this paper, the author discussed the problem of structuring extensively with Helmut Jungermann. The present version owes much to his thought. Please don’t take footnote 3 too seriously. It is part of a footnote war between Ralph Keeney and me. ** Presently with the Social Science Research Institute, University of Southern California, University Park, Los Angeles, CA 90007, (213) 741-6955. 12 D. von Winterfeldt /Structuring decision problems titioners of decision analysis generally agree that structuring is the most important and difficult step of the analysis. Yet, until recently, decision analytic research has all but ignored structuring, concentrating instead on questions of modeling and elicitation. As a result, structuring was, and to some extent still is, considered the ‘art’ part of decision analysis. This paper examines some attempts to turn this art into a science. Trees are the most common decision analytic structures. Decision trees, for example, represent the sequential aspects of a decision problem (see Raiffa 1968; Brown et al. 1974). Other examples are goal trees for the representations of values (Keeney and Raiffa 1976) and event trees for the representation f inferential problem aspects (Kelly and Barclay 1973). In fact, trees so much dominate decision analytic structures that structuring is often considered synonymous to building a tree.

A Comparison of the Grendel of Beowulf and Gardners Grendel :: comparison compare contrast essays

A Comparison of the Grendel of Beowulf and Gardner's Grendel The novel Grendel by John Gardner portrays a significantly different picture of Grendel than the epic poem Beowulf paints. Grendel is a non-human being who posses human qualities. In either story it is not specified what type of being Grendel is, nor does it tell of what exactly Grendel looks like. The only idea the reader has of the sight of Grendel is the small hints either author gives. We know he stands on two feet as humans do, we know he is covered in hair, and we know he is monstrous. Although there are many significant differences between the two stories there is one idea that stands out the most when I read Grendel. That idea is in the poem Beowulf, Grendel is portrayed a large animalistic beast. This gives the reader the feeling that Grendel is solely driven by his animal instincts and does not posses the same thought processes as humans do. For example the line "the monster stepped on the bright paved floor, crazed with evil anger; from his strange eyes an ugly light shone out like fire" (Beowulf line 725), proves this point. In the novel however this point lacks development. Rather Grendel is portrayed as a confused creature passing through life looking for answers. Surprisingly Grendel walks the forest in harmony with the animals. He does not act like the blood hungry beast he is seen as in Beowulf. In the novel -- Grendel is walking the forest and comes across a doe. He notices that the doe is staring in fright and suddenly runs away. One would assume from the ideas hinted in Beowulf that Grendel would have attacked the deer. However Grendel appears upset with the deer's actions. He says; " Blind Prejudice" (Gardner 7) "Ah, the unfairness of everything, I say and shake my head. It is a matter of fact that I have never killed a deer in all my life, and never will." (Gardner 8) Grendel is a confused creature. Since he walks alone he has more than enough time to think about his life. He always used to ask his mother " why are we here" (Gardner 11) the only way he realized the truth was from

CMOS memory Essay

1. Search the internet for information on â€Å"CMOS memory† and answer the following questions: How has CMOS memory changed over the years? Has the size of the CMOS memory increased, decreased, or stayed the same? CMOS memory was originally used in the early days to store semi-permanent data stored in chips. The speeds have increased and the noise has been reduced it also went from analog to digital. With technological advancement over the years, it now uses flash memory, which is a form of EEPROM instead of chips. The size of the CMOS memory changes on how it is set. It either can be added or reduced from the computer. However, these changes cause the computer to report a memory size mismatch. The size of the CMOS memory has also pretty much stayed the same because there is no need to increase the size. There was never any need to store more than 512 bytes in the memory as it holds the absolute basic boot settings for the system. The typical size is still 512 bytes currently . 2. Determine if the CMOS still utilizes RAM, requiring a battery on the motherboard, or has evolved into using EEPROM. There are still CMOS that use a battery on the mother board but EEPROM is more popular today. CMOS has since evolved from using a RAM to using EEPROM. It’s a long name for a small chip that holds bits of data code that can be rewritten and erased by an electrical charge, one byte at a time. Its data cannot be selectively rewritten; the entire chip must be erased and rewritten to update its contents.

Lack Of Interested In Sports Essay

Many of my schoolmates are not interested in sports. I had carried out a survey on the reasons for their lack of interest. The reasons that causes students not to be interested in sports comes from themselves, parents and facilities. Firstly, the attitude of students for sports was wasting their time. They feel that time is money, so they use their time to study. They think that studying is important than sports and study ensures their future. This causes them to have lack of time for sports. Parents are also the reason why students lack of interest in sports. Parents emphasize on their child’s academic performance only. So, they sign up tuition classes such as English tuition class, Chemistry tuition class and so on for their children to improve their children’s academic performance. The last reason that I learnt from survey is facilities. Some students are interested in sports but there are insufficient sports equipment for them. The sport equipments like basketball, football, and so on are not enough for those students. Besides, the poor condition of field and courts in schools cause students to dislike sports because the field will become muddy when it is raining. These are a few suggestions which can be adopt to overcome the above issues. First and foremost, the school authorities should emphasize the importance of sports in school. The students must know that sports keep their bodies as fit as a fiddle. Besides, dialogue sessions should be conducted with parents to inform them the vital role of sport in helping to create a well-rounded student. As we know, sport is essential for health. As the saying goes, â€Å"Prevention is better than cure†. Therefore, we should always exercise to prevent us from diseases. Moreover, the sport facilities in school must be improved too. Nowadays, our school lack of sports equipments for students to use during physical  education. This causes them to lose interest in sports but put all their effort in their academic performances. School authorities should employ qualified trainers to improve the students’ skills in sports. A good trainer may further increase the students’ curiosity in sports. Students can learn many essential values through sports. Furthermore, more competitions in sports should be organized in our school too. For example, badminton and basketball matches can be held in schools for those who are interested in the games. Plus, those who excel in competitions should be rewarded with attractive prizes to encourage them. I hope the authorities can consider the suggestions that I had stated. I believe that the above ways can help the school attain their goal of creating interest and encouraging student participation in sports. Reported by, Joanne

Daniel Websters Seventh of March Speech

Daniel Websters Seventh of March Speech As the United States struggled with the deeply divisive issue of slavery a decade before the Civil War, public attention in early 1850 was directed to Capitol Hill. And  Daniel Webster, widely regarded as the nations greatest orator, delivered one of the most controversial Senate speeches in history. Websters speech was widely anticipated and was a major news event. Crowds flocked to the Capitol and packed the galleries, and his words traveled quickly by telegraph to all regions of the country. Websters words, in what became famous as the Seventh of March Speech, provoked instant and extreme reactions. People who had admired him for years suddenly denounced him as a traitor. And those who had been suspicious of him for years praised him. The speech led to the Compromise of 1850 and helped to hold off open warfare over slavery. But it came at a cost to Websters popularity. Background of Websters Speech In 1850, the United States seemed to be splitting apart. Things seemed to be going well in some regards: the country had concluded the Mexican War, a hero of that war, Zachary Taylor, was in the White House, and newly acquired territories meant the country reached from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The nations nagging problem, of course, was slavery. There was a strong sentiment in the North against allowing slavery to spread to new territories and new states. In the South, that concept was deeply offensive. The dispute played out in the U.S. Senate. Three legends would be the major players:  Henry Clay of Kentucky would represent the West;  John C. Calhoun of South Carolina represented the South;  and Webster of Massachusetts would speak for the North. In early March, John C. Calhoun, too frail to speak for himself, had a colleague read a speech in which he denounced the North. Webster would respond. Websters Words In the days before Websters speech, rumors circulated that he would oppose any sort of compromise with the South. A New England newspaper, the Vermont Watchman and State Journal, published a dispatch credited to the Washington correspondent of a Philadelphia newspaper. After asserting that Webster would never compromise, the news item lavishly praised the speech Webster had not yet delivered: But Mr. Webster will make a powerful Union speech, one which will be a model of eloquence, and the memory of which will be cherished long after the orators bones shall have mingled with the kindred of his native soil. It will rival Washingtons farewell address, and be an admonition to both sections of the country to fulfill, through union, the great mission of the American people. On the afternoon of March 7, 1850, crowds struggled to get into the Capitol to hear what Webster would say.  In a packed Senate chamber, Webster rose to his feet and gave one of the most dramatic speeches of his long political career. I speak today for the preservation of the Union, Webster said near the beginning of his three-hour oration. The Seventh of March Speech  is now considered a classic example of American political oratory. But at the time it deeply offended many in the North. Webster endorsed one of the most hated provisions of the compromise bills in Congress, the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850. And for that, he would face withering criticism. Public Reaction On the day after Websters speech a leading newspaper in the North, the New York Tribune, published a brutal editorial. The speech, it said, was unworthy of its author. The Tribune asserted what many in the North felt. It was simply immoral to compromise with slave states to the extent of requiring citizens to become involved in capturing fugitive slaves: The position that Northern States and their Citizens are morally bound to recapture fugitive Slaves may be good for a lawyer, but is  not good for a Man. The provision is on the face of the Constitution. True, but that does not make it the duty of Mr. Webster nor any other human being, when a panting fugitive presents himself at  his door begging for shelter and the means of escape, to arrest and bind him and hand him over to the pursuers who are hot upon his trail. Near the end of the editorial, the Tribune stated: We cannot be converted into Slave-catchers, nor  can Slave-catchers operate freely among us. An abolitionist newspaper in Ohio, the Anti-Slavery Bugle, blasted Webster. Quoting the noted abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison, it referred to him as the Colossal Coward. Some northerners, especially business people who preferred tranquility between the regions of the nation, did welcome Websters appeal for compromise. The speech was printed in many newspapers and was even sold in pamphlet form. Weeks after the speech, the Vermont Watchman and State Journal, the newspaper which had predicted that Webster would deliver a classic speech, published what amounted to a scorecard of editorial reactions. It began: As to Mr. Websters speech: it has been better praised by his enemies and better condemned by his friends than any speech ever before made by any statesman of his standing. The Watchman and State Journal noted that some northern papers praised the speech, yet many denounced it. And in the South, the reactions were considerably more favorable. In the end, the Compromise of 1850, including the Fugitive Slave Act, became law. And the Union wouldnt split until a decade later when the slave states seceded.

Distinctive Features of a Reflection Essay, Definition of a Reflective Essay

Distinctive Features of a Reflection Essay, Definition of a Reflective Essay How to Write a Reflective Essay Reflective essay  by definition is a kind of writing that requires the author to inform the reader about his or her attitude, idea or impression regarding a given topic. Alternatively, writing reflective essays is meant to help its author describe how a certain event, person or experience has impacted him or her; or to describe the process of his or her personal growth during an academic course or some other significant experience (this can be a journey, an important class etc). For example, you may be required to write about a person who has had a significant impact on your life or career – it can be your teacher, your parents or your friend. In this case, you will be writing to describe this person and explain how he or she has affected you and how your personality changed as a result. Distinctive Features of a Reflective Essay Reflecting the author’s inner world, relating feelings and emotions pertaining to the described events and experiences are the most important features of a reflective essay. As a matter of fact, the essay has received its name because its main purpose is to reflect the author’s personality. Very often this type of essay is mistakenly understood as informative essay and students merely give an account of events or experiences. A simple enumeration of facts doesn’t make the essay reflective; in order to become one, it has to reflect the author’s inner world in relation to the described events. Let’s take a look at a quick example. Let’s imagine you have visited Tibet last summer. In an informative essay, you would inform your reader how you prepared, how you got there, what means of transport you used etc. In a reflective essay, you would tell your reader how you got interested in going there, what feelings you experienced during your visit and how it affected you as a personality. In the first case you enumerate events one by one; in the second case, you share your thoughts and feelings with your reader. This is what makes a reflective essay different from other essay types. Educational Purpose This type of essay is normally assigned during high school and college years with the purpose of giving students the opportunity to analyze their own experiences and skills. In this case, the object of analysis is students themselves; this essay type allows them to contemplate about things they might have been taking for granted. Another case when this type of essay can be assigned is when there is a need to better understand the personality of the interviewee. Reflective essays are also written while applying for college. The high number of college applicants makes competition incredibly tough; as a result, college admission officers require prospective students to write such essays – only thus can they pick out best candidates. They are looking at a number of things, including maturity, learning skills as well as the ability to analyze and think critically etc. The need to do reflective writing arises in everyday life too; therefore developing this skill is critical. Reflective Essay Outline In its basic form, a reflective essay will take the common essay structure: Introduction: This section should be the shortest; usually only one paragraph that establishes the frame of your personal reflection in a clear and concise manner. This is often achieved using reflective statements, then pointed sentences that describe the key ideas of reflective essay. For example, â€Å"the structure instilled in me by my baseball coaches has made me more organized and focused throughout my academic career†, or â€Å"I believe my membership on the school debate team has been the single largest contributor to my research skills today.† Body: The body paragraphs are where you can be more creative with your space and structure. Some reflection papers resemble narratives in which the writer tells their story from the perspective of how their experiences have impacted their personal growth and development. In the body of the essay, it is important to use descriptive language to differentiate between simply a retelling of key events and a rich narrative that exhibits true personal reflection. Conclusion:  In your conclusion, typically another single paragraph, you should avoid simply restating the reflective statements used in the introduction. Instead, remind your reader of the links between your experiences and the impacts these experiences have had on your development in the areas targeted, whether you’re focusing on growth academically, professionally or otherwise. More about essay structure: How to Write a Well-Structured Essay Language and Tone A reflective essay is supposed to reveal your thoughts, feelings, and emotions. It requires your presence in the text of the paper. The use of personal ‘I’ in this type of paper is ok. You can also use other personal pronouns like ‘we’, ‘you’, ‘they’ etc. This will make your essay more personal. Most other essay types require objectivity and impersonality; however, this is not the case. Referencing is not needed in 9 cases out of 10; however, some reflective essays will require you to back up your claims by making a reference to a reputable source of information. Be prepared to run a background research to back up your claims and read instructions carefully. Choosing a Topic Deciding on a topic for your reflection paper can be difficult, and ultimately the topic must be based on what experiences in your life you think will best exhibit your growth in the way you intend to present it in your personal reflection. With that in mind, here are some ideas to get you started. These topic suggestions are separated into categories from easy, marked by simpler topics that can be developed in a shorter period of time or space, to difficult, which contain more complex themes and must be described in a longer and more drawn out format. Reflective Essay Topics Easy reflective essay topics: 1. A happy event from childhood or another time, and how it has affected your life. 2. An early memory, positive or negative that impacted the way you have grown up. 3. An event, like a celebration or holiday that has led to changes in the way you think or behave over time. 4. A new person in your life; what was your first impression and how did meeting them affect the way you have developed as a person? 5. Lessons learned through experiences in school Medium reflective essay topics: 1. A first job or internship; think about skills you learned and relationships you made and how they have impacted your life. 2. A complex relationship or first love; new emotions and experiences are often the catalysts for personal development and change. 3. Any experience that leads to self-improvement, from a mental, physical or emotional standpoint. 4. A family vacation or other family experience that led to self-discovery or change in your interaction with your family members. 5. The death of a close family member or friend and how it has affected you over time. Difficult reflective essay topics:   1. The first experience with a group of people different than you, and how gaining understanding led to a personal change. 2. An experience in which you feared for your own safety and how overcoming or surviving the event changed you. 3. A great accomplishment, such as athletic or academic excellence, and the personal steps necessary to accomplish it. 4. A lifelong regret that has affected your actions and attitude since the event. It is important to remember: while these suggestions are for varying levels of complexity, any topic can be described with more or less depth to fit the requirements of your unique personal reflection. Reflective Essay Format Depending on your school, subject, and even essay topic, you might be required to format your writing in accordance with different standards. Most typical referencing styles are MLA and APA. These referencing styles tend to evolve over time, so be sure to consult respective manuals for updates. We hope you find these tips useful when working on your project.   Our professional team of writers knows perfectly what it takes to write a perfect reflective essay. 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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research task Paper

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander task - Research Paper Example The colonial rule developed new laws that segregated the minority groups from other Australians. Children were forced to abandon their culture and were subject to both physical and sexual abuse. In brief, the colonial period was a suffering period for the Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders and this had long-term impacts for this minority group. The colonial period contributed to the disorientation of the Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders. During the pre-colonial period, this group was diverse and comprised of over 1 million people. A large number of this population died during the colonial rule and there was a significant reduction of the population. In the 2001 census, the population of the aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders was 458, 000 people, contributing to 2.4% of the total population in Australia (Garvey et al., 2011). Besides, their displacement during the colonial period made them lose their original habitats. Currently, they reside in the New South Wales and Queensland with scanty of land to settle in (Rose, 2000). A close evaluation indicates that the population of the Aboriginal people is growing at a slow rate, a fact related to the nature of the problems that they face today. In the post-colonial period, the discrimination of the Aboriginal and Torres Straight Island people is a common feature. The end of the colonial period was expected to be end of the suffering of the indigenous people. However, it is clear that the Europeans had already created a social difference between the people and the spirit of racism was already high. The Australian government was slow to enact social justice and hence the Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander remained the weak race (Heffernan, Andersen & Kinner, 2009). They were discriminated by the other Australian races in all social spheres, which resulted to creation of enmity between the two