Daily life in the medieval Islamic world

Daily life in the medieval Islamic world The Islamic life during the medieval period was characterized by historical and cultural events explaining the role of various individuals in the families. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Daily life in the medieval Islamic world specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Islam refers to giving up and surrendering to God, it is a religion based on individual relationship with God (Allah) and is guarded by Sharia Law which is a comprehensive system covering relationship between human being and their creator or with other people in a society and a nation at large (Lindsay, 2005). It is divided into two categories namely: Devotional Law dealing with issues that bring individuals close to God (Allah) while Transactional Law regulates human activities in world in regard to the relationships between individual in the society (Lindsay, 2005). Thesis statement, â€Å"life in the Medieval Islamic world is characterized by several tra ditions that determine the role of an individual in the Islamic society†. Medieval period is the time when the world noted heightened interest in arts and history which were passed through to the middle age (Cook, 2003). The period noted the emergence of the Sufi tradition during the 4th century AD, which reflects the inner mystical practice emphasizes on specific spiritual guidelines to ensure closer relations between men and God and recognizes Mohammad as the chief prophet (Lindsay, 2005). Sufis believe in God responsible for all creation in the world with most important rituals being zikr in which members appreciate God through mediation, chants and movement as a way of communicating their problems (Cook, 2003).Advertising Looking for essay on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Similarities between Sharia Law and Sufism Both Sharia and Sufism recognize Mohammad as a prophet of God through w hom all forms of communication to Allah are channeled according to the teachings derived from Holly Quran (Lindsay, 2005). Secondly, both traditions belief in one God the creator of man and the universe hence paying allegiance through fasting, praying and assisting the needy (Cook, 2003). Similarly, in both cases, the wrath of God is felt for failure to abide by the rules in the Holly Quran which are the fabric holding the community together, failure to participate in activities directed by the traditions leads to punishment from God (Cook, 2003). However, the two traditions conflicts on areas such as: the Sharia Law relies on two categories that deals with different situations in life as it involves, Transactional Law or Devotional Law regulating the relationship between man and God and with fellow humans in the society while Sufi relies on a single law that regulates the relationship between man and God(Lindsay, 2005). In addition ,Sharia law is expressed through five necessities regulating, reason, property ownership and honor each of which is protected by legislative reference while Sufi relies majorly on strong self conviction with God(Cook, 2003). Sunni and Shi i tradition Sunni tradition developed during the last quarter of the 4th century, it refers to statements, series of action or tactics that are approved as a reflection for peace and draws its origin from the prophetic era of the Islamic faith giving explanations to ambiguous clauses in the Islamic law (Cook, 2003). It explains the issues not tackled in the Quran for example, the potion of a grandmother’s share on inheritance stating â€Å"the Prophet of peace ruled the grandmother to acquire one sixth of the estate as inheritance â€Å"a statement not included in the Sharia Law (Lindsay, 2005). Sunni is a subsidiary for Quran and gives specific explanations into the relationship between man and his creator and with the society at large. Advertising We will write a custom essay s ample on Daily life in the medieval Islamic world specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In addition, the 5th century AD witnessed the development of Shi i tradition that accepted â€Å"Ali ibn Abi-Talib†, Mohammad’s son-in-law as the Prophet’s legitimate successor similarly, its believers believed in twelve lines of inheritance after the Prophet (Cook, 2003).The two traditions are similar in that both recognizes one superhuman creator, God (Allah). Roles and status of men and women in the family and society The emergence of the various traditions during the medieval period introduced complete change in the Islamic life in regard to Islamic laws. The laws and penal codes give men the highest status in the society and consider women as subordinate in societal affairs. According to the Islamic traditions, despite the teachings on equality of sexes before God, women enjoy lower status than men with fewer rights and responsibilit ies, for example, men are mandated to owning all the family financial and economic resources while women are required to consult their husbands or male guardians on administering these assets (Lindsay, 2005). Similarly, women have no powers to choose their own place of residence and the husband while men have both moral and religious duty to punish their wives for disobedience (Cook, 2003). Moreover, men enjoy the first priority on inheritance ,for example, a son inherits property equivalent to that of two daughters (Cook, 2003). The roles and status of the dhimmi populations in the Islamic world During the 6th century AD, Islam was entrenched in the desert of Saudi Arabia when the prophet turned against the Jews at the oasis of Khaybar leading to the death of many Jews and Christians of Saudi Arabia who were force to submit to Muslim laws hence become dhimmi population in Saudi Arabia (Lindsay, 2005). Dhimmi population are people of non-Muslim origin who accepts to be governed by S haria Laws and enjoy the right of residence in exchange for taxes levied on them (Lindsay, 2005).Advertising Looking for essay on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Under sharia law, the status was initially accorded to Jews, Christians and Sabians living in Islamic nations but latter extended to Hindus and Serbians, they are entitled to fewer legal right than indigenous Muslims in these areas (Cook, 2003). They are granted rights such as consumption of pork and alcohol that is illegal to Muslims and are also allowed to get â€Å"blood money† the amount paid for the death caused by another in countries such as Saudi Arabia (Lindsay, 2005). In conclusion, the developments which occurred during the medieval period improved the Islamic and religion by emphasizing on Sharia Law which gives high status to men in all activities in the society the religion has developed over along period of time resulting to strong system of laws able to withstand legal changes in the world (Lindsay, 2005). The laws control every aspect of life resulting unity of all citizens in different parts of the world. Reference List Cook, M. (2003).Forbidding wrong in I slam: An introduction. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Lindsay, J. (2005). Daily life in the medieval Islamic world. New York: Oxford University Press.

Running Errands and Doing Chores

Running Errands and Doing Chores Running Errands and Doing Chores Running Errands and Doing Chores By Maeve Maddox An English teacher from the Philippines wants to know the difference between errands and chores. The word errand is most commonly used in the sense of a short journey taken to perform some necessary duty. Some examples of errands are: taking or fetching clothes from the cleaners; taking mail to the post office; filling the car with fuel, taking sacks of leaves to the compost center, etc. The word errand comes from Old English à ¦rende message, mission. The message was usually carried by a servant or low-ranking soldier. Errand still has the connotation of something of minor importance that can be carried out by anyone. An employee might complain of being an errand boy if all hes allowed to do is unimportant work. The expression to go on a fools errand means to set out to accomplish something that turns out to be impossible to accomplish. Similar to going on fools errand is going on a wild goose chase. A chore can be simply a necessary domestic task such as vacuuming or taking out the garbage, or it can be used in the sense of a really tiresome, time-consuming task. Here are some examples from the internet of the two meanings of chore. Chore as household responsibilities Lets face it sometimes, doing your chores can be a drag! Doing household chores does not have to be boring or a waste of time. If you dont have time to go to the gym and workout or stay at home and lift weights, you can combine muscle building with doing household chores. There are many ways to save time doing your daily chores. You can make life easier by staying ahead on things instead of procrastinating. Daily chores include laundry, dishes, sweep, vacuum and mopping. Even washing up your sinks in your kitchen and bathrooms. Chore as an onerous task That sure was a chore trying over and over to get you all the actual link. Washing my toddlers hair was a choremoving around causing shampoo and water in eyes and earswhich drove her crazy. Combined with more explosions than the bombing of Iraq with Michael Bays patented swooping camera shots, the film was a chore to watch from beginning to end. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How to Format a UK Business LetterDisappointed + PrepositionWhen to use "an"

Importance of Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Importance of Education - Essay Example Through their individual stories, Rodriguez and Rose confess how they manage to relieve themselves of discomfort in learning and struggle forward with passionate heart for studies the moment they came across instructors and academic settings which have altogether brought their mood to relish the learning experience. Both Rose and Rodriguez give account to how education has gradually shaped their immature attitude to adopt scholastic behavior upon deriving inspiration from educators who serve as their key models in the course of establishing the right habit and fascination to study. In the light of understanding â€Å"The Achievement of Desire†, Rodriguez attempts to make central the theme of invoking a comparative perception between his education at school and the degree of parental intervention that he expects to coincide with it. Rodriguez expresses that their family belongs to a working class and it is the state of his original culture and economy as being of Mexican descen t that prevents him at first to study English. However, since he becomes subjected to an interactive classroom environment facilitated by an articulate instructor, he gets accustomed to English as the medium of instruction and further loves reading to the extent that he locks himself away from all external cares at home. Apparently, the more that Rodriguez gets deeply engaged with curricular activities at school, the more that his parents get less involved in constituting his academic foundation despite the fact that he acquires a growing appreciation for the subjects. Because Rodriguez has found an ample sense of fulfillment in books and intellectual discourse in his class with an encouraging teacher, he comes to the realization that the lack of education of his hard-working parents forms a potential ground why whatever he learns at home occurs to have insignificant worth. As a consequence, he ends up with a student character who greatly looks up to the teaching figure of the forma l institution yet feels indifferent in communicating with his mother and his father, feeling embarrassed that they have not reached the same level of education that could have made his parents a non-academic community capable of enhancing his confidence over academic needs. On the other hand, one comprehends Rose in â€Å"I Just Wanna Be Average† as he acknowledges his confusion with the educational process of the vocational track and observes how other students like him are merely taking chances in passing their subjects, knowing that such status merely earns them an opportunity of landing a job with some economy of average value. Rose mentions particular names of batch-mates and faculty staff like Ted Richard, Dave Snyder, Ken Harvey, Brother Slattery, and Brother Clint with brief information in the process of his observation to determine how the system of education works and finds out that it is rather useless to study courses such as mathematics and physical science when students have very low inclination to these areas of learning especially if they cannot seem to designate connection of these subjects to the practical aspect of living. It turns out that unlike Rodriguez, Rose does not hold his parents accountable for the path he takes in education though they seem to have exhibited negligible attention on this matter for Rose admits in the story that they themselves fall short in

Letters of credit have been described '' as the lifeblood of Essay

Letters of credit have been described '' as the lifeblood of international commerce'' . ( Kerr L J in R D Harbottle ( Mercant - Essay Example They are Open Account, Bill of Exchange, Documentary Bill and Letter of Credit.1 Open Account is a type of practice whereby contracting parties agree on payment of cash against order. This means the importer has to make advance payment along with his order. The risk for the importer is at a maximum. On the other hand, exporter assumes equal risk if he agrees to ship the goods and receive payment at a later date on or after delivery. Secondly, bill of exchange is an arrangement by which the exporter obtains an undertaking that the importer shall pay the value of goods received after a certain period from the date of supply, delivery or against despatch as the case may be. This is a negotiable instrument just as a cheque or promissory note and it is governed by the Bills of Exchange Act 1882. In case of default by the importer in payment, the exporter acquires legal rights to proceed against the importer. This arrangement is safer than an open account type of payments. The third type o f payment Documentary bill refers to Bill of Exchange accompanied by the bill of lading which is document of title to goods. The Bill of exchange drawn by the exporter along with the bill of lading for the goods shipped is accepted by the importer for payment as per the negotiated terms as to whether it is payable at sight or after a period of say 30 to 90 days. These three types of payment do not guarantee payment or shipment (in case of advance payment by the importer) to the respective party. The last of the above said types is the letter of credit. This form of payment removes difficulties encountered by the parties in the first three types of payment. The letter of credit has therefore been regarded as life blood of business as rightly said by Kerr L.J.2 This type of payment wherein third parties step in to guarantee payment thus lubricating the wheels of commerce is however not without problems that would affect the interests of either party.3 This paper discusses the importan ce of letter of credit as the lifeblood of international commerce in the following pages. Letter of Credit The letter of credit opened by a bank on behalf of an importer guarantees payment to the exporter in a foreign country through his nominated bank. Thus, the importer’s bank after satisfying with the credentials of the importer who may be its long standing client and taking necessary precautions to collect payment from its client, sends an irrevocable letter of credit as per the terms and conditions agreed upon between the importer and the exporter to the exporter’s bank. The exporter’s bank in turn forwards the letter of credit to the exporter and intimates the fact to the importer’s bank. The exporter ensures the compliance of stipulated terms and conditions and ships the goods to the importer. The bill of lading which evidences the shipment of goods and becomes the document of title to goods, is submitted to the exporter’s bank along with ot her documents such as invoice, certificate of insurance, certificate of origin etc and the bank is instructed to collect payment for the goods shipped against delivery of the said documents to the importer’

Thomas and Frost Essay Example for Free

Thomas and Frost Essay Thomas and Frost both write about the experience of unexpected joy. In Edward Thomas’ â€Å"Adlestrop† and Robert Frosts’ â€Å"The Tuft of Flowers† we read about the speakers experiences of unexpected joy through the poet’s aspects of imagery, form, language and tone of each of their poems. In Frosts’ poem â€Å"The Tuft of Flowers† the speaker, at first, is musing on the separateness of mankind and the workers. Whilst he muses this he is led by a butterfly to gaze upon a tuft of flowers that has been left by the mower he had been following and the speaker is touched by the appreciation of beauty and feels a sense of togetherness looking at the flowers, banishing his loneliness and isolation which is shown at the beginning of the poem â€Å"And I must be, as he had been – alone†, bringing him his experience of unexpected joy. However, in Thomas’ â€Å"Adlestrop† the speakers experience comes from when he hears a blackbird singing and from his views on the surrounding field s and is about the beauty of nature. Throughout the structure of Frosts’ â€Å"The Tuft of Flowers† we see a transformation in the speakers’ attitude from universal isolation to universal togetherness. He says â€Å"†¦I must be, as he had been – alone† the word â€Å"alone† shows loneliness and isolation which at the end is transformed to the joyful statement â€Å"Men work together† showing the speakers view of universal togetherness. Frost uses heroic couplets to show the epic scope of the speaker’s experience of unexpected joy and shows the poems emphasis on harmony and clarity, whereas in Thomas’ â€Å"Adlestrop† his rhyming ABCB conveys the speakers attempt to order his recollection of his unexpected joy. The first half of â€Å"Adlestop† has a lot of punctuation, dashes â€Å"Yes I remember Adlestrop-† and full stops â€Å"unwontedly. It was late June.† showing a fractured structure and his memory of the experience is n ot very clear, however in the second half of the poem there is less punctuation showing his recollection of the experience is becoming clearer. â€Å"Adlestrop† beings as though it is answering a question â€Å"Yes, I remember Adlestrop† and the speaker is recalling his experience and he reminisces about it whereas in â€Å"The Tuft of Flowers† no question has been asked it is more the speaker’s thoughts. In Frost’s â€Å"The Tuft of Flowers† the metaphor â€Å"leaping of bloom† gives an idea of inspiration and the transcendental idea of the speaker’s joyful sense of togetherness with nature. Frost also uses imagery throughout his poem. There is an image of isolation and loneliness at the beginning of the poem, â€Å"alone†, which allows the transformation of  the speaker’s attitude that enables him to experience the unexpected sense of joy. Another example of imagery used by Frost is the image of the butterfly as an agent of change, bringing the speaker towards the tuft of flowers â€Å"he turned first and led my eye to look†, also towards this e xperience of unexpected joy. Imagery is also used by Thomas in his poem â€Å"Adlestrop†, there is a contrast in the images of bareness and isolation at the start of the poem â€Å"No one†, and the picture of song â€Å"blackbird sang† and plentitude â€Å"all the birds† at the end of the poem. Thomas also uses repetition and lists to convey the experience of joy â€Å"willows, willow-herbs, and grass and meadowsweet, and haycocks† the repetition of the word â€Å"and† indicates the speaker’s unmediated joy in nature.

Free College Admissions Essays: English and American Literature :: College Admissions Essays

I Wish to Study English and American Literature Having majored in literary studies (world literature) as an undergraduate, I would now like to concentrate on English and American literature. I am especially interested in nineteenth-century literature, women's literature, Anglo-Saxon poetry, and folklore and folk literature. My personal literary projects have involved some combination of these subjects. For the oral section of my comprehensive exams, I specialized in nineteenth century novels by and about women. The relation ship between "high" and folk literature became the subject for my honors essay, which examined Toni Morrison's use of classical, biblical, African, and Afro-American folk tradition in her novel. I plan to work further on this essay, treating Morrison's other novels and perhaps preparing a paper suitable for publication. In my studies toward a doctoral degree, I hope to examine more closely the relationship between high and folk literature. My junior year and private studies of Anglo-Saxon language and literature have caused me to consider the question of where the divisions between folklore, folk literature, and high literature lie. Should I attend your school, I would like to resume my studies of Anglo-Saxon poetry, with special attention to its folk elements. Writing poetry also figures prominently in my academic and professional goals. I have just begun submitting to the smaller journals with some success and am gradually building a working manuscript for a collection. The dominant theme of this collection relies on poems that draw from classical, biblical, and folk traditions, as well as everyday experience, in order to celebrate the process of giving and taking life, whether literal or figurative. My poetry draws from and influences my academic studies. Much of what I read and study finds a place in my creative work as subject. At the same time, I study the art of literature by taking part in the creative process, experimenting with the tools used by other authors in the past. In terms of a career, I see myself teaching literature, writing criticism, and going into editing or publishing poetry. Doctoral studies would be valuable to me in several ways. First, your teaching assistant ship program would provide me with the practical teaching experience I am eager to acquire.

Reflective Writing on Marketing Essay

During your time at university you will spend a lot of your time thinking – thinking about what people have said, your reading, your own thinking and how your thinking has changed. The thinking process involves two aspects: reflective thinking and critical thinking. Rather than being two separate processes they are closely connected. (Brookfield 1987) Reflective thinking Reflection is a form of personal response to experiences, situations, events or new information. It is a ‘processing’ phase where thinking and learning take place. There is neither a right nor wrong way of reflective thinking; there are just questions to explore. The reflective thinking process starts with you. Before you can begin to assess the words and ideas of others, you need to pause and identify and examine your own thoughts. This involves revisiting your prior experience and knowledge of the topic you are exploring. It also involves considering how and why you think the way you do. The examination of your beliefs, values, attitudes and assumptions forms the foundation of your understanding. Reflective thinking demands that you recognise that you bring valuable knowledge to every experience. It helps you therefore to recognise and clarify the important connections between what you already know and what you are learning. It is a way of helping you to become an acti ve, aware and critical learner. What is Reflective writing? Reflective writing is: * Your response to experiences, opinions, events or new information * Your response to thoughts and feelings * A way of thinking to explore your learning * An opportunity to gain self-knowledge * A way to achieve clarity and better understanding of what you are learning * A chance to develop and reinforce writing skills * A way of making meaning out of what you study Reflective writing is not: * Just conveying information, instruction or argument * Pure description, though there may be descriptive elements * Straightforward decision or judgement (e.g. about whether something is right or wrong, good or bad) * Simple problem-solving * A summary of unit notes * A standard university essay Why you are asked to do this type of assignment * To make connections The idea behind reflective writing is that what you learn at university builds on your prior knowledge, whether it is formal (education) or informal (gained through experience). Reflective writing helps you develop and clarify the connections between what you already know and what you are learning, between theory and practice and between what you are doing and how and why you do it. * To examine your learning processes Reflective writing encourages you to consider and comment on your learning experiences – not only WHAT you’ve learned, but HOW you did so. * To clarify what you are learning Reflecting helps you to clarify what you have studied, integrate new knowledge with previous knowledge, and identify the questions you have and what you have yet to learn. * To reflect on mistakes and successes Reflecting on mistakes can help you avoid repeating them. At the same time, reflecting on your discoveries helps identify successful principles to use again. * To become an active and aware learner * To become a reflective practitioner once you graduate and begin your professional life How to write reflectively What to discuss * Your perceptions of the course and the content. * Experiences, ideas and observations you have had, and how they relate to the course or topic. * What you found confusing, inspiring, difficult, interesting and why. * Questions you have and conclusions you have drawn. * How you solved a problem, reached a conclusion, found an answer or reached a point of understanding. * Possibilities, speculations, hypotheses or solutions. * Alternative interpretations or different perspectives on what you have read or done in your course. * How new ideas challenge what you already know. * What you need to explore next in terms of thoughts and actions. * Comparisons and connections between what you are learning and: * Your prior knowledge and experience; * Your prior assumptions and preconceptions; * What you know from other courses, units or disciplines. Writing style As it concerns your thoughts, reflective writing is mostly subjective. Therefore, in addition to being reflective and logical, you can be personal, hypothetical, critical and creative. You can comment based on your experience, rather than limiting yourself to academic evidence. * Reflective writing is an activity that includes description (what, when, who) and analysis (how, why, what if). It is an explorative tool often resulting in more questions than answers. * Use full sentences and complete paragraphs. * You can usually use personal pronouns like ‘I’, ‘my’ or ‘we’. * Keep colloquial language to a minimum (e.g. stuff, guys) * A reflective task may allow you to use different modes of writing and language: * Descriptive (outlining how something is or how something was done) * Explanatory (explaining why or how it is like that) * Expressive (I think, I feel, I believe) Tips for your reflective writing process 1. Think of interaction, event or episode you experienced that can be connected to the topic. 2. Describe what happened. 3. What was your role? 4. What feelings and perceptions surround the experience? 5. How would you explain the situation to someone else? 6. What might this experience mean in the context of your course? 7. What other perspectives, theories or concepts could be applied to the situation? References Brookfield, S 1987, Developing critical thinkers: challenging adults to explore alternative ways of thinking and acting, Open University Press, Milton Keynes. Acknowledgement: The preceding material was adapted from The Learning Centre, The University of NSW. Used by permission. Additional notes: Steps for writing a reflective paper: 1.Start your self-reflection paper with an introductory paragraph. This introduction should help set the stage for the reader and should contain the main point of the paper. This would be a good paragraph in which to include information about how the subject and the material impacted your life, whether it reinforced your current views or caused you to change your way of thinking. 2.Write a paragraph or two about the impact the lecturer, classroom/tutorial discussions or the textbook material had on you during the course. Describe emotions you felt you felt or changes you experienced in your personal life due to the topic or the subject. If your opinions on different subjects changed due to these factors be sure to provide your previous opinion and explain why you changed your stance. If your opinions did not change, explain why. 3.Describe a moment during the class that was the most eye-opening for you. One example would be if during a lecture/tutorial the lecturer/tutor used a specific story or analogy to help explain the material that made the lesson really clear for you. Reflect on how you felt when you finally understood the lesson and how that lesson might have impacted the way you think. 4.Write a paragraph explaining how the information from the subject has impacted the way you will think, act and feel in the future long after the semester is over. You may want to include how this subject has changed how you approach other subjects in your degree or life in general. 5.Give feedback in your paper and share your opinions and ideas about how the subject can be improved. Share what you liked about the subject and what material helped you learn the most. Finish the paper by writing a conclusion that summarizes the main points of the paper. This is just one way of structuring reflective writing. Whichever approach to reflection you use try to bear in mind the following key points: * Reflection is an exploration and an explanation of events – not just a description of them. * Genuinely reflective writing often involves ‘revealing’ anxieties, errors and weaknesses, as well as strengths and successes. This is fine (in fact it’s often essential), as long as you show some understanding of possible causes, and explain how you plan to improve. * It is normally necessary to select just the most significant parts of the event or idea on which you are reflecting. If you try to tell ‘the whole story’ you will likely use up your words on description rather than interpretation. * It is often useful to ‘reflect forward’ to the future as well as ‘reflecting back’ on the past. Vocabulary aid (adapted from University of Portsmouth, Dept for Curriculum and Quality Enhancem ent) The following are just a few suggestions for words and phrases that might be useful in reflective writing. Obviously, using these words and phrases will not in itself make you a good reflective writer. 1.Description There is no suggestion of specific vocabulary for any descriptive elements of your reflective writing because the range of possible events, ideas or objects on which you may be reflecting on is so great. However, if you are describing an idea, for example a theory or model, it is usually best to use the present tense e.g. ‘Buyer behaviour theory recognises†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (not ‘recognised’). Events, of course, are nearly always described in the past tense. 2.Interpretation | | {aspect(s){elements(s){experience(s){issue(s)Idea(s)| Was (were)| For me, the [most]| {meaningful{significant{important{relevant{useful| | | | | learning| {arose from†¦{happened when†¦{resulted from†¦| Previously,}At the time,}At first}Initially,}Subsequently,}Later,}| I| {thought (did not think)†¦{felt (did not feel)†¦{knew (did not know)†¦{noticed (did not notice)†¦{questioned (did not question)†¦{realised (did not realise)†¦| | [Alternatively,][Equally,]| This| {might be{is perhaps{could be{is probably| {because of†¦{due to†¦{explained by†¦{related to†¦| | This| {is similar to†¦{is unlike†¦| because| | [Un]like†¦| this| {reveals†¦{demonstrates†¦| 3.Outcome Having| {read†¦{experienced†¦{applied†¦{discussed†¦{analysed†¦{learned†¦| I now| {feel†¦{think†¦{realise†¦{wonder†¦{question†¦{know†¦| | [Additionally,]}[Furthermore,]}[Most importantly,]}| I have learned that†¦| | I have significantly} slightly}However, I have not [sufficiently]}| {developed{improved| {my skills in†¦{my understanding of†¦{my knowledge of†¦{my ability to†¦| | | This means that†¦This makes me feel†¦| | | This knowledge {isThis understanding {could beThis skill {will be| {essential{important{useful| {to me as a learner [because†¦]{to me as a practitioner [because†¦]| | Because I| {did not†¦{have not yet†¦{am not yet certain about†¦{am not yet confident about†¦{do not yet know†¦{do not yet understand†¦| I will now need to†¦| | | As a next step, I need to†¦| | | More on Reflection What is reflection? A simple definition of reflection can be ‘consciously thinking about and analysing what you are doing and what you have done; thinking about what and how you have learnt. There is a lot of theory behind reflection that can be very complex. Most of the theory relates to seeing reflection as part of the cycle of learning (Figure 1). Initially students focus on knowledge, comprehension and application of subject matter. These three levels of learning are the easiest especially if the application is in a limited context e.g. worded problems from a text book. For higher levels of learning (application of knowledge in real world problems) you must be able to analyse, synthesise and evaluate as shown in Table 1. Reflection is a key part of moving into these higher levels of learning. Figure 1. Leaning cycle and examples of each phase Table 1 Six levels of learning Increasing Difficulty| Process| Explanation| | Knowledge| Recognition and recall of information and facts – describing events| | Comprehension| Interprets, translates or summarises given information – demonstrating understanding of events| | Application| Uses information in a situation different from original learning context -| | Analysis| Separates wholes into parts until relationships are clear – breaks down experiences| | Synthesis| Combines elements to form new entity from the original one – draws on experience and other evidence to suggest new insights| | Evaluation| Involves acts of decision making, or judging based on criteria or rationale – makes judgements about| Why reflect – what are the benefits to the student? Learning is both an active and a reflective process. If you look at the learning cycle in Figure 1 you can see that reflection or thinking about what you have done and how and why you did it, form an integral part of learning. Because learning is often subconscious, we don’t realise that we have gained new knowledge or understanding until we stop to contemplate a particular activity. Reflection then, is a way for critical analysis, problem solving, synthesis of opposing ideas, evaluation, identifying patterns and creating meaning. Reflection will help you reach the higher levels of learning. Most students are focused on the lower levels of learning. â€Å"What do I have to know and demonstrate to pass the exam?† This is a very short-sighted approach to your time at university. You will not be able to remember all the facts and knowledge you have learnt in subjects unless you can fully understand, analyse and evaluate them. As you progress through your degree you will continually need information and knowledge from other subjects and this knowledge will build on previous knowledge. You must be able to attain the higher levels of learning in order to be successful in your degree and later in your professional life. Your learning and the need to learn will not stop with the end of your university degree. Most aspects of learning are common to all disciplines but sometimes there are different emphasises on certain learning skills. For example, generally speaking at university more emphasis is placed on the understanding of the methodology and the processes of problem solving. In this context, reflection will help you to detach yourself from the facts and put them into a larger context. Higher level courses at university as a business student bring a closer interaction between academic work and practical experience. Reflective practice here is critical in providing opportunities to identify areas for improvement and evaluation of the overall outcome including your decision making processes. Reflection can help bridge the gap between theory and practice and will enable you to understand your own thinking and learning. Another benefit is that it encourages you to look beyond your academic accomplishment and recognise the depth and range of other transferable skills. University is more than learning about facts and figures, it is a life experience. You will not learn everything that you need in your professional life at university. Your learning will be life long, so take some time to think about what skills you bring with you to university and what you learn along the way. How do I ‘reflect’? Reflection does not mean that you sit in the lotus position, humming meditative chants. Reflection can be active and need not take away from your ‘study time’. It is an important tool that can be used in all your university and professional work. Opportunities for reflection should occur before, during and after activities. That way you can take note of your learning starting point, assess your progress through the project and critically evaluate your learning at the end of the activity. Look critically at what you have done, what you’re team did and what the outcomes were. You need to ask yourself the why, how and what type of questions. Introducing Reflection Reflection is an important part of your learning whether you do it consciously or not. But what exactly is it? An excellent description of reflection can be found in the Harry Potter novel ‘ The Goblet of Fire’. In the paragraph below Dumbledore, the chief wizard and head teacher, is talking to Harry about having excess thoughts! ‘Harry stared at the stone basin. The contents had returned to their original, silvery white state, swirling and rippling beneath his gaze. â€Å"What is it?† Harry asked shakily. â€Å"This? It is called a Pensieve,† said Dumbledore. â€Å"I sometimes find, and I am sure you know the feeling, that I simply have too many thoughts and memories crammed into my mind.† â€Å"Err,† said Harry who couldn’t truthfully say that he had ever felt anything of the sort. â€Å"At these times† said Dumbledore, indicating the stone basin, â€Å"I use the Penseive. One simply siphons the excess thoughts from one’s mind, pours them into a basin, and examines them at one’s leisure. It becomes easier to spot patterns and links, you understand, when they are in this form.’ (Rowling 2000) During the semester and in your reflective writing we are asking you to think about the process you have been through, how these events affected your behaviour, to think about what you have learnt, and to evaluate your performance. By writing these things down it will give you the opportunity to clarify your thoughts and to spot the patterns and links. Reflective writing examples As an example, look at the following two critiques – one is a better example than the other! [King (2002) Development of Student Skills In Reflective Writing, p 16, http://www.csd.uwa.edu.au/iced2002/publication/Terry_King.pdf ] 1.I woke up late because my alarm didn’t ring. My own fault, but there you are. By the time I had finished my breakfast (my usual bowl of cornflakes, and a cup of black coffee with three sugars), I had missed my bus (that’s the number 9a, picked up at the bus stop outside Halfords), which had left on time (just for a change).So I got to University, and by the time I had found the right room, I was over 30 minutes late for the OOPR2 Exam. Unfortunately, the invigilator wouldn’t let me take the exam because it was â€Å"against University regulations†. Didn’t he realise how important it was for me to pass that exam? My overall grade depends on it, and now I stand to have a resit in September when I wanted to have my holiday in Ibiza.| 2.I was over 30 minutes late for my exam, which meant I was not allowed to sit it. This will have repercussions on my degree mark, and on my holiday plans. This is the first time I have actually missed an exam, but not t he first time I’ve actually been late to exams and important interviews. I have learned that:†¢ I need to improve my time-keeping for critical events†¢ The University has strict rules governing late arrivals at exams†¢ I need to be better preparedThe reasons that I arrived late were:†¢ My alarm clock didn’t ring because I forgot to reset its time after daylight saving on Saturday night (although I had reset all the other clocks in the house).†¢ I totally rely on the alarm clock ringing – I have no back-up system†¢ I rely on my bus – a break down or it leaving early would also cause me to be late†¢ I did not know in which room the exam was; if I had, I would still have been a few minutes late, but at least I could have sat the exam.In order to improve the situation for next year, I plan to:†¢ Have a process to check all the clocks in the house when the clocks are due to change†¢ Make sure I have a back-up alarm system (using my digital watch) for all days when it’s important to get up early†¢ On exam day, aim to catch the earlier bus †¦ its only 20 minutes earlier.†¢ Possibly consider missing breakfast, and buying a sandwich on the way from the bus to the exam room. I do believe that a good breakfast is important though!†¢ Make sure I know the correct room well in advance of the exam, by checking each room number when I first get the timetable.I suspect I need to reflect more on my priorities – this degree is really very important to me.|

Since human individuals

Psychology has made great strides in the development of principles and methods and the discovery of facts which find useful application in various aspects of everyday life. The objectives of psychology are : (1) to understand human behavior; (2) to predict human behavior by means of observation and experiment; (3) to influence or alter the behavior of he individual or group in desirable ways so that he can achieve the goal he desires (McLeod, 1998). Psychology is the scientific of human behavior and mental processes; a study which is of considerable interest to almost all people.In the pursuit of this study is the important feature of understanding the goals or objectives. To describe, explain and predict behavior and if possible control or modify it, are the main objectives of this scientific discipline. These objectives confine as well as broaden student’s approach towards a deeper perspective of the field in the sense that he/she will have a grasp on the variety of subject matters that psychology provides, the advances or breakthroughs it has attained, its inadequacies and shortcomings, as well as forthcoming challenges the discipline faces.Since human individuals are complex and changing, the study is fascinating yet possesses a certain degree of difficulty. Fascinating because it explores all the facets of being human and possessing a certain degree of difficulty because of its multifarious sub-disciplines. Behavior is described and analyzed (McLeod, 1998). On this basis, an attempt to predict behavior is possible, and although this may not thoroughly and completely be accomplished in some endeavours, the basic understanding then is that there are certain expectations concerning how any person would act or decide upon things that are within his conscious awareness.Psychology is of great importance to man since psychological problems are common to group relations, in whatever framework a person or group of individuals come from (McLeod, 1998). The wo rk of a counsellor is a privilege since the counselee or client will be unfolding his life and makes himself vulnerable to a stranger. It is not an easy choice to make hence, all the training and knowledge would be indispensable to help the client reveal and trust himself to another. Counselling is not a very easy job.But it can be facilitated well when there is a clear vision of what and how it unfolds in the relationship that is established with the client (Nelson-Jones, 1988). A healthy personality does not mean it does not have any difficulties at all. It means that a person has the capabilities to withstand any turmoil or stress that come his way. He has learned the skills to make him adjust to the internal and external stresses; minimizing conflicts from within and without but in a healthy and normal functioning way.Personal growth occurs in the context of self-insights; insights concerning the workings of one’s mind in relation to the structures and stimuli around the person. The self-insight is very significant and crucial to the client for him to be able to work well with those who are there to assist in his recovery and eventual personal growth (Smith, 1999, 2004; Rogers, 1980). The important thing is that of flexibility and resiliency on the counselor’s part when to apply or implement the theory (i. e., person-centred in this case) in the context of the client. It starts with the identification of specific problems and especially the root causes (Lishman, 1994). When this is confidently achieved, the therapist is actually midway to attaining his/her goals which includes not only the relief of the symptoms that the sufferer is currently experiencing but especially the reduction of the occurrence if not altogether eliminated. The specific treatment goals are likewise essential and it helps in the remaining aspects or levels of the process.The diagnostic part by itself in most cases is considered therapeutic since many clients have experi enced immediate relief. In addition, another important ingredient in the process is to identify effective reinforcers which help people in crisis for instance or those in acute and chronic mental and emotional anguish to sustain their plan for change and control of their disorders. Helping the client set up a kind of self-help management program is a very effective strategy to pursue within the relationship (Smith 1997, 2004). Nature of the therapeutic approachWithin the person-centred approach human nature is understood as that of the individual possessing to the innate capacity of man towards growth, health and fulfilment which means that man is basically good and equipped to face many obstacles in life. Client-centred therapy avoids the imposition of goals on the patient or client during therapy. It is the client who takes the lead in the session and of the conversation. It is the job of the therapist to create the conditions conducive to the client’s positive judgment of those experiences that are intrinsically satisfying to the client.The ‘goal’ then is to reach the point where the client desires to be a good and â€Å"civilized person. † Unconditional positive regard enhances this atmosphere however, and although the goal may be difficult to achieve, unconditional positive regard eventually, according to Rogers, encourages even the â€Å"`unbehaved† to conform or even transform (Corey, 2004; Smith, 1999, 2004; Rogers, 1980). Anchored on Carl Rogers’ theory on the person-centered approach of understanding behavior and applying such an understanding to the â€Å"healing† process, the concept of congruence is among the highlights of this renowned theorist’s perspective.It is understood as a concept which usually starts or initiated by the therapist or practitioner and modelled to the client whereby the former displays more of the real person that he/she is and reducing denial of the real struggles or fe elings that tend to be kept inside (Smith, 1997; Rogers, 1951; Smith, 1999, 2004; Rogers, 1980). In the process, the client learns to unveil the real self rather than assume a facade which not only masks the real problems, make the therapeutic relationship increasingly difficult (Rogers, 1959).Rogers probably in his long years of exposure to different clients or patients, found commonality in his interactions that help facilitate better recovery and congruence as modelled by a therapist eventually gained its place in his approach. Application or Action Point: Case study: â€Å"Mrs. Todd was admitted to an elder care home following the death of her husband and at the request of her daughter, aged 70, who could no longer manage. Six months after admission Mrs Todd refused to get out of bed for a week, saying that there was no point.During the sensitive questioning by the residential social worker revealed that Mrs Todd had never come to terms with the loss of her husband. On top of t his she had been unable to put into words her grief, plus the perception that she had lost control independence, despite high-quality care in the home, had resulted in confused thinking, distortion of grief and withdrawal. † There are some â€Å"steps† that had been coined by Rogers to put the theory in â€Å"action, so to speak. However, it is imperative that the progression of the helping relationship is not forced or hurried.The goal in this case is for Mrs, Todd to be â€Å"influenced† by the counsellor’s sense of optimism which means that these positive characteristics must somehow rob off on the client. Roger’s understanding is that helping someone can only be most effective when the person is encouraged or has moved on from a state of despondency to vitality regardless of her/his circumstances. This is the primary reason that Roger’s extensive discussion also revolves around the congruent self (Smith, 1999, 2004; Rogers, 1980).One imp ortant aspect of the person-centred approach is the empathy that should be exhibited by the counsellor/therapist. Carl Rogers (Smith, 1999, 2004; Rogers, 1980) initiated the model with the premise that within each person is the capacity to eventually surpass any obstacle with the help and support of critical people. The unconditional positive regard which when cultivated by a therapist is believed to be very crucial to the recovery and healing of the patient.There is curative value to the skills which, importantly, shall comprise the approach that the therapist takes in the course of their healing relationship. In the case of Mrs. Todd whose state of discouragement and grief had not been overcome will be a point of reference for the counselling setting. The person centred therapist is a believer that when given time, a patient-listening-ear and other skills, help for Mrs. Todd is to tap the inner strength that she possesses can be had.The goals of therapy include the readjustment of a person’s understanding of himself, becoming aware of the discrepancies of his real experiences and real self versus the projection of other’s viewpoints and rubbing these onto him, thereby affecting the person of the right attitude and perspective of what life is truly all about (Smith, 1999, 2004; Rogers, 1980). Because the emphasis is on the uniqueness of the individual, it goes beyond the mere acceptance of the real worth of the self. It also accepts that there are realities in life that need to be accepted but the individual must transcend above these unwelcoming encounters.The importance is to accept as well that one’s choices and decisions are important and the person must accept his responsibility of the consequences of his actions (Smith, 1999, 2004; Rogers, 1980). One important aspect of the person centered approach is the empathy that should be exhibited by the counsellor/therapist. Carl Rogers initiated the model with the premise that within each p erson is the capacity to eventually surpass any obstacle with the help and support of critical people. The unconditional positive regard which when cultivated by a therapist is believed to be very crucial to the recovery and healing of the patient.There is curative value to the skills which, importantly, shall comprise the approach that the therapist takes in the course of their healing relationship (Smith, 1999, 2004; Rogers, 1980). The therapeutic nature of the person centred therapy to help this person get the insights, not only to the death and the sense of loneliness and seemingly abandoned feelings at this point in her life, but especially to the fact that other lives are affected as well is not easy as it may seem when one uses this approach. Mrs. Todd must wade through her confusions, her feelings of despondency and the sense of hopelessness.What is actually happening when there is a gradual realization of these issues and the hope that the future may hold for her, is that t he practitioner is more than a crutch and a pole that pulls the patient. The therapist with or without the conscious awareness of the patient is her source of strength and resolve to weather the seemingly heavy burden ahead of her. That is why for many, this approach has become widely used; it is to an extent a very successful model in the field of psychotherapy (Smith, 1999, 2004; Rogers, 1980).The client or person-centred therapy is persuaded that a person is only understood from the point of view of his or her own perception and emotionality or feelings, also known as the phenomenological world. It takes time to be able for the therapist to look into how Mrs. Todd, in this particular case, experience events not just at the events that Mrs. Todd is experiencing; i. e. , her problems and her seemingly hopeless outlook. Mrs. Todd‘s phenomenological world is a major determinant of behavior and what makes Mrs. Todd’s unique from other patients (Smith, 1999, 2004; Rogers, 1980)The person-centred therapeutic goals attempt to empower the patients or clients to increasingly be made aware and accepting of the real self’s true beliefs and worth and condition the person to realize these –worth and self-acceptance within the therapeutic relationship. The management then is not impossible but neither is this easy. Specifically, the counselee or patient must want to heal or believe that there is going to be curative effects in the process. It presupposes that he/she must learn to trust the therapist in his/her capabilities as well in leading or facilitating the changes or modifications.It is very much essential that (in the perspective of a cognitive-behaviourist) that the client understands ownership to the deeds and choices in thought patterns he/she made are crucial to the recurring or occurring condition that s/he experiences (Smith, 1999, 2004; Rogers, 1980)). Moreover, the identification of specific treatments or interventions according to the diagnosed issue will be accommodated and implemented based on the chosen treatment modalities fit with the therapeutic approach utilized.Another contention of this approach is that the therapist should never attempt to manipulate the circumstances for Mrs. Todd. What is important is that Mrs. Todd should create conditions that will empower her to make decisions of her own. The premise of this approach lies in the belief that when a person like Mrs. Todd is no longer concerned with the evaluations, preferences and demands that others make upon her, she will then be released to spur on and live according to the expected innate tendency to self-actualize or reach her potential self.Many of those who use this approach however, do not usually strictly use the pattern that Rogers indicated in his model. In this case, a counsellor’s personality and disposition must merge well with this approach. This is because, the skills needed are at times individual in nature; the crucial a spect then is how some of the strategies must be patient to put up plain unconditional positive regard (Smith, 1999, 2004; Rogers, 1980). There is no hundred percent guarantee that Mrs.Todd will be able to fully heal in every aspect of her struggling life. Her problems can be real as she has to cope with the loss that can no longer be restored. So much so that it is not easy in the individualistic society that America is and become confined in a home or institution whose caregivers may be distant. When a therapist pursues the client with tenacious determination to enable and empower the patient, it is not impossible that the likes of Mrs. Todd will have her life back and find meaning even in the twilight of her years.Conclusions It is always worthwhile to spend ample time thinking and studying the many-faceted dimensions of human persona, from physical to moral and psychological areas among others. It has contributed a lot to my personal understanding of self-awareness and the devel opment of the consciousness and sensitivity of what other humans like me are going through. It caters to a deeper understanding as well as acceptance of people’s frailties, and also their strengths. ~Nature and Importance of therapyBehavior is described and analyzed. On this basis, an attempt to predict behavior is possible, and although this may not thoroughly and completely be accomplished in some endeavours, the basic understanding then is that there are certain expectations concerning how any person would act or decide upon things that are within his conscious awareness Psychology is of great importance to man since psychological problems are common to group relations, in whatever framework a person or group of individuals come from.Although an immediate relief is very helpful, this may not always be the case in most illnesses. The goal as mentioned is to provide long-term reduction of the symptoms and the occurrence of the disease altogether if possible. The management t hen is not impossible but neither is this easy. Specifically, the counselee or patient must want to heal or believe that there is going to be curative effects in the process. It presupposes that he/she must learn to trust the therapist in his/her capabilities as well in leading or facilitating the changes or modifications.It is very much essential that (in the perspective of a cognitive-behaviourist) that the client understands ownership to the deeds and choices in thought patterns he/she made are crucial to the recurring or occurring condition that s/he experiences (Seden, 1995). ~Promoting therapy Psychotherapists believe that therapy contributes a lot to the improvement of the psychological condition of the client (Seden, 1995). Therapy can come in many varied forms and the use of these or any of these has been proven to be of vital significance to clients from various walks of life and with myriads of problems or mental and emotional challenges.Therapy may be long-termed analyti cal experiences or encounters or brief problem-oriented treatment/intervention. Whatever the case, these consultations and in-depth interactions and activities between a practitioner therapist and the client in most cases, are beneficial (Burnard, 1992, 1994). The relationship here is that the therapist and client relate in a cordial and friendly manner and the therapist propels the conversation in an energized tone (Hough, 2002). This sets the pace for the client to talk about themselves, how the feel about anything and everything surrounding their lives.More to that, this intricate relationship and dialogue with the therapist assist the client to hear themselves and how they experience themselves, how the therapist experiences them, how they experience the therapist as an individual and friend and so on Smith, 1999, 2004; Rogers, 1980) Needless to say this kind of therapy can be very tricky to use especially in the case of two opposite sex. It may yield a counter transference and the therapeutic distance. This may impede on the effectiveness of the therapy.It is therefore important that the therapist be very self aware of himself and objective through out the whole process of therapy. He should be in close monitoring of the evolution of the relationship with the client and on the look out for potential obstruction or abuse of power during the sessions of therapy (Smith, 1999, 2004; Rogers, 1980). This is not only a requirement in gestalt psychotherapy but basically in all psychotherapies. It is required by law that the therapist should always keep a therapeutic distance from the client because a breach in observing that distance is tantamount to abuse.This is because in therapy the client is usually vulnerable to the therapist and may feel pressured to please the authority (therapist) although in the real situation, this would be atrocious. This means that if not in the jurisdiction to the therapist to choose for the client what is morally right or wrong sin ce the foundational basic of this therapy is that the client is responsible and is capable of charting his/her own course and behavior. Basically, in this therapy it is not about the ‘should’ and ‘should nots’ so to speak since this impedes on spontaneity and the integration of wholesome self awareness (Brearley, 1996).Reference:Burnard, P. (1994) 2nd ed Counselling Skills for Health Professionals. London: Chapman & Hall. Burnard, P. (1992) Effective Communication Skills for Health Professionals. London: Chapman & Hall. Brearley, J. (1996) Counselling And Social Work. Buckingham: OU Press. Hough, M. (2002) A practical Approach to Counselling, 2nd edn. London: Prentice Hall. Lishman, J. (1994) Communication in Social Work. Macmillan. McLeod, J. (1998). Introduction to Counselling. Buckingham: OU Press. (Chpt 1) Nelson-Jones, R. (1988) Practical Counselling and Helping Skills (4th Ed).London Cassel Rogers, Carl . R. 1951. Client-Centred Counselling, Boston: H oughton-Mifflin. Rogers, Carl . R. 1959. A theory of therapy, personality and interpersonal relationships, as developed in the client-centered framework. In S. Koch (ed. ). Psychology: A study of science. (pp. 184-256). N. Y. : McGraw Hill. Smith, M. K. (1997, 2004) ‘Carl Rogers and informal education', the Encyclopaedia of informal education. [www. infed. org/thinkers/et-rogers. htm. Seden, J. (1999). Counselling Skills in Social Work Practice. Buckingham: OU Press.

Little Shop of Horrors Review essays

Little Shop of Horrors Review essays On the evening of Saturday, April 27, 2002, I saw Little Shop of Horrors preformed at the Lyric Opera Theatre. The level of humor and spunk the musical play maintained throughout the whole performance was extraordinary. My favorite aspects of the night were the drama the accompaniment in the songs (both instrumental and voice) created and the changing dynamics. The accompaniment during all of the songs was amazing. During Da-Doo in Act I, Seymour (our main character) introduces Audrey II (the plant) in a talky-singy Recitative-type song that was like a monologue for Seymour with the Ronnettes accompanying him with the phrase Da-Doo (which was like an ostinato.) Seymour puts the Audrey II in the store window while narrating the song and talking about when he found her after the total eclipse and all the while, the Ronnettes are responding Da-Doo which created full cadences that allowed Seymour to thicken the plot for the audience. The general effect was that of humor (in the story) and suspense because I wanted to see what was going to happen; I knew something was coming but what? Directly following this, in Grow For Me and Somewhere Thats Green, the piano accompaniment and text painting was fun and full of emotion that made me connect with Seymours innocence (how was he to know that the plant was tricking him?) and Audreys pain (her a busive boyfriend). Seymour gives Audrey II drops of blood to make it grow and when each drop goes down, the sounds reminded me of droplets of water. It was a lot like rain which was a symbol of the drama that would come (rain symbolized dreary things for me) and gave me a feeling of anxiety. The musical and vocal accompaniment wasnt anything special to the uneducated ear but to me, it foreshadowed events that would change the lives of the characters. The revealing dynamics in all of the songs were intriguin...

Definition and Examples of Prepositional Phrases

Definition and Examples of Prepositional Phrases In English grammar, a  prepositional phrase is a group of words made up of a preposition (such as to, with, or across), its object (a noun or pronoun), and any of the objects modifiers (an article and/or an adjective). It is only a portion of a sentence and cannot stand on its own as a complete thought. Prepositional phrases often tell where something happened, when it happened, or specify which one. Because of these functions, theyre often essential to understanding a sentence. Key Takeaways: Prepositional Phrases Prepositional phrases are groups of words starting with a preposition.Prepositional phrases often function as modifiers, describing nouns and verbs.Phrases cant stand alone. A prepositional phrase wont contain the subject of a sentence. Types of Prepositional Phrases Prepositional phrases can modify nouns, verbs, phrases, and complete clauses. Prepositional phrases can also be embedded inside other prepositional phrases. Modifying Nouns: Adjectival Phrases When something modifies a noun or pronoun, its an adjective, so when a phrase does it, its an adjectival phrase. These types of phrases often specify which person or thing (what kind, whose). In context, they make clear a distinction between several possibilities. Sheila is the runner with the fastest time. Its likely there are other runners who are slower, as the sentence is specifying who is the fastest. The phrase is modifying (describing) the noun runner. Adjectival phrases come directly after the noun they modify. The boy with her is her son. The phrase with her is specifying a certain boy; its an adjectival phrase. There could be other boys, but the one with her is the one thats being described. The boy is a noun phrase, so the prepositional phrase is an adjective. If we want to make the boy even more specific, wed further qualify it with an embedded phrase. The boy with her on the tricycle is her son. Presumably, theres a boy with her thats not her son, so the sentence is specifying which boy with her is her son. Modifying Verbs: Adverbial Phrases Adverbs modify verbs, and sometimes the adverb is an entire adverbial phrase. These phrases often describe when, where, why, or how something happened or to what extent. This course is the most difficult in the state. The prepositional phrase specifies where. There might be other courses that are more difficult in other states, but this one is the most difficult here. Lets say its just one difficult course of several in the state, i.e., This course is among the most difficult in the state. The among phrase is an adjectival phrase modifying (describing) the course, and the final phrase remains adverbial, still telling where. She ran the marathon with pride on Saturday. The first prepositional phrase specifies how she ran (a verb), and the second specifies when. Both are adverbial phrases. List of Prepositions Here are some of the most commonly used prepositions in English. Be aware that just because a word in a sentence is on this list doesnt mean that its being used as a preposition in any particular context. Many of these words can also be other parts of speech, such as adverbs or subordinating conjunctions.   aboutbehindexceptoutsideabovebelowforoveracrossbeneathfrompastafterbesideinthroughagainstbetweeninsidetoalongbeyondintounderamongbynearuntilarounddespiteofupatdownoffwithbeforeduringonwithout   Preposition, Conjunction, or Adverb? To tell if a word is a preposition, look to see if it has an object. If theres a clause following it, youre likely dealing with a conjunction. If its at the end of a clause instead of the beginning (or the end of a sentence), its likely an adverb. After In this example, there is no object following after, and the word introduces a clause, so its clear that after is a conjunction: After we ate, we went to the theater.In this example, there is an object following after, which means it is used as a preposition: After lunch, we went to the game. Before In this example, there is an object following before, which means it is used as a preposition: Youve put the cart before the horse.In this example, there is no object following before; it is being used as an adverb: Ive heard that somewhere before.In this example, there is no object following before and the word introduces a clause, so its clear that before is a conjunction: Come over before you leave. Out In this example, there is an object following out, which means it is used as a preposition:  The cat followed the child out the door.In this example, there is no object following out; it is being used as an adverb:  Would you like to go out for lunch? When these words are part of a verb phrase, theyre adverbs. You check out, look up, and call off something, so these words might appear to be prepositions with objects. But they cant be split off from their verbs. He checked out the book. Out the book is not a prepositional phrase, as you dont go out a book. Examining Your Writing If your writing often contains really long sentences, look at prepositional phrases as a place to cut the chaff or reorganize when revising. Too many of them in a sentence can make it difficult to understand if the sentence gets over 25–30 words or so, depending on how far apart the subject is from its verb. This issue can often be fixed by splitting a long sentence into two or three shorter sentences or moving the verb closer to its subject.

Construction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Construction - Essay Example The bridge is designed to carry pedestrians, livestock and vehicles. Short and medium spans are preferred to for this structure. Material commonly used for this type of bridge is wood planks. The bridge is fixed and does not allow any movement. Burr Arch Truss is composed of an arch and several kingpost truss design, fitting well for covered bridges. In the design, the arch bears all loads subjected to the bridge as the truss increases rigidity of the bridge. Although the kingpost can bear all loads, the design improves even balance of dynamic loads traversing the bridge in the span. The design offers a stable structure that supports greater loads than an arch or a truss alone. The truss supports are pinned at the left end while the right end is roller supported. The arch is fixed at both ends making the structure immobile. There are two models of Burr-arch truss; flexible and rigid. The flexible model works on the assumption of pin connections at brace and post ends. Its chords and arch are continuous, with fixed joints. For the rigid model, all joints are fixed. Load limitation of the structure is 44kN. Loads are applied at the midspan of lower chord and transferred to the quarter points of the truss (Journal of Bridge Engineering