Thursday, March 12, 2020

22 Must-Read Science Fiction Novels For Aspiring Sci-Fi Authors

22 Must-Read Science Fiction Novels For Aspiring Sci-Fi Authors Science fiction is a genre that has evolved in unpredictable and exciting ways. From The Burroughsian Period (named after Edgar Rice Burroughs and beginning in 1901) to todays bestsellers, the genre has moved from hard science to Space Age exploration to a new interest in self-actualization, the dark side of technology, and what it means to be human.If youre an aspiring science fiction writer, here are some novels- both newly published and classic- that you should add to your reading list. In them, youll discover how the genre has evolved and where it is heading, both of which will be invaluable to your writing and planning.Below are some must-read science fiction novels for aspiring sci-fi writers. Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.Newly publishedInfinite Detail by Tim Maughan (March 5, 2019)Infinite Detail is a fast-pasted thriller in which an act of cyberterrorism creates a techno-apocalypse and the Internet crashes, shutting everything as we know it down. Seeking answers for how to live , lost, unplugged souls head to the Croft, an area of Bristol where people who have already unplugged live. The Croft is a digital no-mans-land, without surveillance and Big Data dependence. As a center of creative counterculture, a young woman there named Mary claims she has found other ways of connecting with others without the use of technology. Its the end of the world as we know it, but does the world fare better after the Internets demise?Finder by Suzanne Palmer (April 2, 2019)Finder is an action-packed science fiction caper story that won a Hugo Award and is the debut novel from Suzanne Palmer. Its protagonist is Fergus Ferguson, interstellar repo man and professional finder (a name he prefers to con artist or thief). His latest job entails finding the spacecraft Venetias Sword and stealing it back from an ex-nobleman turned power-hungry trade boss. He finds the ship in the farthest corner of space, in a deep space colon called Cernee. There, he learns that the enemy of my e nemy is my friend, and must navigate a field of space mines, a small army of hostile mercenaries, and an alien species he once through to be only myth. He thought it would be a simple job- like the others- but its becoming more apparent that it isnt.The Gone World by Tom Sweterlitsch (February 6, 2018)Advertised as Inception meets True Detective, The Gone World follows a NCIS special agent on a murder case that involves the fate of mankind. When tasked with uncovering the truth of the murder of a Navy SEAL and the disappearance of his family, Shannon Moss learns that the missing SEAL was an astronaut aboard the spaceship U.S.S. Libra- a ship assumed lost to the currents of Deep Time. In her search, she encounters Terminus, a mysterious world-destroying event discovered by a top-secret team of government time travelers.In her search for the SEALs missing teenage daughter, Moss travels to the future to explore possible versions of what might be in order to solve the present-day case. There, she witnesses the cataclysmic end of humanity itself and is left to determine how to stop it.The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal (July 3, 2018)In this alternate history science fiction story, The Calculating Stars imagines an alternate history in which a meteorite falls to Earth in 1952, destroying much of the East Coast, including Washington, D.C. Following the event, space exploration becomes a necessity, as the Earth heads at breakneck speed toward becoming uninhabitable due to the events impact on the planets climate. Enter mathematician and World War II pilot Elma York, who sets her sight on flying into the stars to search for humanitys next great hope.Winner 2018 Nebula for Best Novel, Hugo Finalist for Best Novel, 2019 Campbell Memorial Award Finalist, and 2019 Locus Finalist for Best Science Fiction Novel- The Calculating Stars has a long list of accolades and spots on bestselling lists since it was published in 2018.Emily Eternal by M.G. Wheaton (April 23, 2019)Emily Eternal is about Emily, is an A.I. designed by scientists to help people cope with trauma. She has been designed to solve advanced mathematical problems and unlock the deepest secrets of the human mind, including its capacity for empathy. Her work and purpose take on a deeper meaning when it is discovered that the sun will explode 5 billion years before it was originally expected.With the human race at an existential crossroads, she does the unthinkable and determines a way to solve the problem. However, not everyone trusts her intentions, so her servers are destroyed, leaving Emily and her friends with limited hope- but hope nonetheless- that they can race against time and save humanity.Famous Men who Never Lived by K. Chess (March 5, 2019)Noted as a Most Anticipated Book of 2019 at The Verge, Barnes Noble Sci-Fi Fantasy Blog, and more, K. Chesss debut novel, Famous Men Who Never Lived gives readers a glimpse of an alternate history in which nuclear war sends 156,000 r efugees into modern-day New York City. Among them is Hel, a doctor who has difficulty adapting to the new reality shes facing, so she creates a museum to preserve the memories and stories that would otherwise be forever lost. In the midst of her work to preserve her lost past, she faces anti-immigrant attitudes and hostility. Then, when the only copy of a science fiction story from her world, The Pyronauts, goes missing, she is forced to face what has been lost and determine just how far she should go to recover it.Within a world that is foreign to her, and as she seeks to assimilate while grieving what has been lost, Hels character offers a fresh perspective on what it means to be an immigrant facing the end of ones culture. In this important debut novel, readers will find parallels with todays news in a world that is both different and familiar.Vigilance by Robert Jackson Bennett (January 29, 2019)Robert Jackson Bennetts Vigilance takes readers on a dark and twisting ride in what can only be classified as a science fiction action parable of an America that has accepted gun violence as the norm. Its satire at its best and spins the idea of Hunger Games in an even darker direction.Set in 2030, the story follows the life of executive producer John McDean, who produces Vigilance, a reality game show designed to ensure American citizens remain alert and vigilant to all threats, both foreign and domestic. In the reality game environment, an active shooter is introduced to public spaces and prize money is given to anyone who is armed and ready to take down the shooter. Then, McDean ends up on the other side of the camera, and his whole reasoning for the show is seen through new eyes.Much like the worlds depicted in the stories, the science fiction genre has evolved significantly, from the classics to modern bestsellers. Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.The Classics1984 by George OrwellNominated as one of Americas best-loved novels by PBSs The Great American Read, 1984 is a chilling, dystopian tale that will ring strangely familiar in modern times, despite having been written in 1948. It is the story of Winston Smith, who works for the Ministry of Truth and lives in one of the three totalitarian super-states that rule the world. At first, Winston does what hes told and tows the Party line; however, he begins to see through the lies built around government surveillance, controlled narrative, and serious loss of civil rights. Meanwhile, Big Brother is always watching, so he must hide the fact that he is beginning to think for himself.From revised dictionaries attempting to control human thought through language, to the concept of using perpetual war to keep citizens in their place, this story has become a manual of sorts for describing the course of modern political movements getting dangerously close to the dystopian world that Orwell foretold.Altered Carbon by Richard K. MorganAlthough written in 2003, Altered Carbon has already found its place amon g the classics and has been reimagined into a popular Netflix series, created by Laeta Kalogridis. It shows a world in the 25th century, where humankind lives throughout the galaxy and is monitored by the U.N. There is also an expensive procedure available where one can store his or her consciousness in a cortical stack at the base of the brain, which can then be downloaded into a new body (called a sleeve), thus escaping death itself.The main character is ex-U.N. envoy Takeshi Kovacs, who has been dispatched 180 light-years from his home into another body living in Bay City, in what was once San Francisco. In the shady underbelly of the city, in a decidedly cyberpunk world, he discovers how existence can be bought and sold as he attempts to solve a rich mans murder.Brave New World by Aldous HuxleyWritten in the 1930s and influenced by political fascism, Aldous Huxleys Brave New World offers dystopian world that is both prophetic and terrifying. While addressing 21st-century issues such as the domination of mass-entertainment, technology, medicine and pharmaceuticals, and elitism, it offers a glimpse into a future world where humans are genetically bred and indoctrinated into castes chosen for them before birth by an authoritarian government.With heavy references to Shakespeares work, it is sometimes a biting criticism on capitalism, and often a glimpse of the potential horrors that come with the power of genetic engineering getting into the wrong hands. Its a must-read for anyone wanting to see how modern political movements can inspire classic science fiction bestsellers.A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter MillerFirst published in 1959, A Canticle for Leibowitz is a post-apocalyptic science fiction novel depicting a planet ravaged by nuclear war razed the Earth, as its survivors return to a type of dark age where science is hated and books are destroyed. In this setting, a small order of Catholic monks seeks to fight against the ignorance and barbarism that n ow faces humanity. Having won the 1961 Hugo Award for best science fiction novel, it explores the themes of religion and church versus state in a world where civilization has severely decayed.The Children of Men by P. D. JamesAlso released as in a film adaptation, The Children of Men is a dystopian novel published in 1992 set in a time of mass infertility. The story takes place in the United Kingdom, which is under autocratic rule, and explores themes of human frailty in a narrative voice that alternates between first and third person points of view.While the beginning is set in the year 2021, the narrator reveals events that occurred in 1995, which is referred to as Year Omega, where the sperm count of males fell to zero and a feminist civil war broke out, threatening the mass extinction of humanity. There is an elite class known as the Omegas, who are young and the last-born humans on earth, but they are both spoiled and violent. They treat their elders, the non-Omegas, with conte mpt, and live in a world where newborn animals are treated like infants, dressed in infant clothing, and pushed around in strollers.Theo, the protagonist, who is known as a dissident, encounters a revolutionary group known as The Five Fishes, who task him with helping to protect a woman who is an anomaly because she is pregnant. Beautifully written with poignant characterization, Children of Men explores themes of politics and power in times when the fate of humanity is grim.Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. DickFirst published in 1968 and the inspiration for the 1982 film Blade Runner, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is set in a post-apocalyptic San Francisco, where nuclear global war has severely damaged the planet and humanitys way of life. Those who are able have already fled the planet, ravaged by war and pollution, and those who remain exist in a world that is nearly uninhabitable.The protagonist, Rick Deckard, is one of the not-so-fortunate. He makes his living as a government-sanctioned bounty hunter destroying renegade androids, which have been built in the dearth of living creatures (along with realistic animals). The androids are so life-like and sophisticated, that they are indistinguishable from real humans, prompting the Earths government to distrust them. However, Ricks interaction with one android in particular forces him to question what it means to be a human.Dune by Frank HerbertPublished in 1965, Frank Herberts Dune tied with Roger Zelaznys This Immortal for the Hugo Award in 1966 and won the inaugural Nebula Award for Best Novel. It imagines a feudal interstellar society of planetary fiefs controlled by noble houses and tells the story Paul Atreides, whose family are stewards of the planet Arrakis.Despite the planet being a desert wasteland that is mostly inhospitable, it is the only source of mà ©lange, commonly known as the spice- a drug that enhances mental abilities and can extend life. With themes of politics, re ligion, ecology, and technology, Dune explores common topics within a very uncommon place and is often considered to be one of the best and imaginative science fiction books ever written.Foundation by Isaac AsimovFirst published in 1951 and nominated as one of Americas best-loved novels by PBSs The Great American Read, Foundation contains five interrelated short stories and is often considered to be one of the most important works in hard science fiction. Within the five stories- The Psychohistorians, The Encyclopedists, The Mayors, The Traders, and The Merchant Princes- Asimov reimagines the fall of the Roman Empire taking place on a galactic scale. With themes focusing on economics and history, and a notoriously tough read, it is considered to be one of Asimovs best works.Frankenstein by Mary ShelleyPublished in 1823, Frankenstein is one of the earliest examples of science fiction and allegedly was written in a contest of sorts among some of the literary greats of the Romantic per iod to see who could write the most horrific tale. Considered to be a classic in Gothic and Romantic literature, it tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, whose efforts to cheat death lead him to the creation of monstrosities. Its narrative framework consists of letters written by Captain Robert Walton, who details the events taking place at an unspecified time in the 18th century and the story, as told to him by Victor Frankenstein himself.The Handmaids Tale by Margaret AtwoodOriginally published in 1985, The Handmaids Tale is a dystopian novel written by Canadian author Margaret Atwood. It won the 1985 Governor Generals Award and the first Arthur C. Clarke Award in 1987, and was nominated for the 1986 Nebula Award, the 1986 Booker Prize, and the 1987 Prometheus Award. It has also been adapted into a film, an opera, and a TV series on Hulu.Set in the near future the Republic of Gilead, a fundamentalist theocratic state with a low birth rate, the men in charge enslave fertile women known as handmaids and force them to have their children. As a seminal work of feminist literature, it explores the subjugation of women in a patriarchal society, and is told through the point of view of Offred, a handmaid for a Commander who is suspected to be infertile.The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas AdamsPublished in 1979, The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy follows the misadventures of the last surviving man, Arthur Dent, after the Earth has been destroyed by a Vogon constructor fleet to make way for a hyperspace bypass. It was first broadcast as a radio series on BBC radio in 1978, and later became known as a trilogy in five parts.The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy is absurdist, bombastic, and a lot of fun. It is a wildly imaginative adventure building off multiple science fiction tropes, but retains enough cynicism to be appreciated as a work that is much deeper than it initially appears on the surface. Simply put, it is a must-read for any science fiction ent husiast, and has been adapted into comic books and stage shows, and earned Douglas Adams a spot as Guest of Honour at the 1979 World Science Fiction Convention, held in Brighton, England.Neuromancer by William GibsonPublished in 1984, Neuromancer, one of the best-known works in the cyberpunk subgenre of science fiction, was written by American-Canadian writer William Gibson as his debut novel. It was the first novel to win the Nebula Award, the Philip K. Dick Award, and the Hugo Award.Its protagonist is Henry Case, a washed-up computer hacker and hustler surviving in the dystopian underworld of Chiba City, Japan. The story imagines a world where hackers and cyborgs work together to against massive, nefarious corporations, and is a must-read for fans of the more recent Ready Player One.Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt VonnegutPublished in 1969, Slaughterhouse-Five is a novel containing equal amounts of science fiction and anti-war sentiment. Its protagonist is Billy Pilgrim, a soldier who has become unstuck in time, and bounces back and forth in a nonlinear fashion on his personal timeline in a time-traveling narrative that explores the horrors of war through an unreliable narrator. Billy believes he was held in an alien zoo on the fictional planet Tralfamadore as he experiences post-traumatic stress disorder from his experiences as a soldier. With extensive use of irony, black humor, and didacticism, Vonneguts signature simplistic style of writing makes Slaughterhouse-Five one of his best-loved works.Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. HeinleinWritten in 1961, Stranger in a Strange Land is speculative fiction set in a post-Third World War United States, where organized religions control politics. It tells the story of Valentine Michael Smith, a human who was born on the planet Mars and raised by Martians, only to come to Earth as a young adult. He must learn what it means to be a man, while simultaneously teaching Earthlings about Martian concepts such as grokk ing and water-sharing.It won the 1962 Hugo Award for Best Novel and the 1987 Prometheus Hall of Fame Award.The War of the Worlds by H. G. WellsPublished in 1898 and first serialized in 1897 by Pearsons Magazine in the UK and by Cosmopolitan magazine in the US, The War of the Worlds is a classic tale of alien invasion. As one of the earliest stories depicting conflict between humanity and an extraterrestrial race, it is told via first-person narration by an unknown protagonist living in Surrey, and his younger brother living in London as Martians invade the Southern part of England.The War of the Worlds is a seminal work in the science fiction classic canon, and has been reimagined for feature films, radio, comic books, a television series, and sequels or parallel stories written by other authors.

Tuesday, February 25, 2020

History 101 Constitution Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

History 101 Constitution Assignment - Essay Example Before the approval and implementation of the new US Constitution, the existing 13 member colonies used the Articles of Confederation established and ratified in 1787, by Second Continental Congress as a guide in governing the union (Bederman 89). The national government that operated under the Articles of Confederation proved too weak and therefore could not effectively handle and regulate the numerous conflicts emerging between the states. Therefore, some of the leaders proposed for a new instrument of government to replace the weak one. Due to the emergent weaknesses, the purpose of the Philadelphia Convention was to rectify the weaknesses witnessed in the Articles that had existed even before the conclusion of the American Revolutionary War. Even though the aim of the Convention was to rectify the Articles, some of the leaders in attendance, Alexander Hamilton and James Madison, coming from New York and Virginia respectively, intended to create a new government rather than rectify the existing one (Whittington 119). The two leaders came together and vigorously campaigned for the new Constitution. According to them, improved stability of the Union government was necessary in order to protect commerce and property. Being federalist, they vigorously campaigned for a very powerful central government with a large republic to control factions. According to Hamilton, the common people are ignorant and thus, incapable of rul ing themselves (Education Portal 1). Therefore, he asserted that the only people to rule should be the elites. Consequently, since the common people cannot rule, Hamilton proposed of unequal voting qualifications between the elites and common people. Thus, elites need to be accorded higher voting qualifications compared to the common people. However, Thomason Jefferson championed for states? rights as well as the trueness of democratic principles. Unlike Hamilton and his group, Jefferson believed in the capacity of the common man to rule or self-govern (Education Portal 1). Due to this, he supported lowering of voting qualifications of the elite in order to march those of the elite in society. It is therefore true that some leaders wanted a new system of government in order to address several issues related to governing. 2.Using citations from the Constitution, identify and explain the structure and function of the three Branches of government. Is this more in line with â€Å"Hamil tonian† or â€Å"Jeffersonian† political philosophy? The American Constitution is considered the oldest constitution in the world, and which exists in the contemporary world. Since its adoption and inception on September 17, 1787, it has guided and created governmental institutions within America as well as contributed to the political stability, economic freedom, social progress, and individual freedom in USA for over 200 years (Amar 70). It forms the main instrument of the U.S government as well as the supreme law within America. Its simplicity and flexibility has made it a model for other constitutions in the world. Constitution was established in the 18 century to guide 4 million people. However, after undergoing 27 amendments, the constitution currently serves over 260 million people in 50 different states within the U.S. Since the U.S Constitution forms the central instrument of the government, it provides direction on how the country is governed. It outlines the structure and functions of the three branches of the U.S Government; The Executive Branch; The Judicial

Saturday, February 8, 2020

MKTG216 - Consumer Demographics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

MKTG216 - Consumer Demographics - Essay Example al., 2011). Based on the demographic perception, certain age groups decipher different choices than others. In addition to this, their choices of product are also influenced by cultural diversity. The buying behaviour of consumers is also mostly influenced by the income factor. Illustratively, luxurious products are preferred by people who have higher income than those who have lower income levels (Afzal & Pakistan, 2013). In order to justify the stated notions or speculations, the paper analyses the changes in household mortgage expenditure distributions and inequalities in Leichhardt and Fairfield from 2006 to 2011. The paper also aims to elaborate the distribution of household mortgage repayment differences in between the mentioned years. The Gini coefficients of the two cities, Leichhardt and Fairfield, have thus been analysed to measure inequality in the distribution of household mortgage expenditure. The Gini coefficient is used as a statistical measure associated with the income of a family that covers wages, salaries, income from properties, dividends, royalties and other sources of household incomes. The income earned by individuals is arranged according to certain ranking patterns and cumulative percentages of household are derived from it. Income and wealth are different from each perspective where income is defined as the total availability of monetary funds in the present situation whereas wealth refers to savings or other capital assets collected with the aim of future expenditure. Therefore, in a particular time period, the inequality in income would not affect the wealth distribution spontaneously within a demographic area. On the other hand, it is likely that a country with equal allocation of income has immeasurable inequality of wealth distribution. Contextually, Gini coefficient is important for the

Wednesday, January 29, 2020

A Historical Perspective on Reading Research and Practice Essay Example for Free

A Historical Perspective on Reading Research and Practice Essay This article has responded to both internal and external forces resulting from gradual and dramatic transitions based on historical perspectives. This has permitted a reasonable reflection and a sense of wisdom that is susceptible to loss when one engages in it. The underlying reason is the critical dimension to the present day events and issues analysis resulting from the broadened reading culture. In the late 20th century, reading became a recognized study field with systematic research programs aiming at ascertaining its fundamental nature and its acquisition process. This resulted from the confluence of social, educational, political and economic factors. Quantitative and qualitative changes in U. S. public schools’ systems after the World War II provided favorable environment for the reading transitions. Reading processes and skills were broken down into constituent parts which were practiced and reinforced in a systematic and orderly manner during classroom sections. Reading became a conditioned behavior based on certain environmental contingencies. Individuals positively responded to learning from repeated and controlled stimulation from the environment. This stimulus-response relationship was accompanied by rewards and punishments led to the habituation of the reading act (Alexander Fox, 2004). Therefore, academic learning involved identification of the preferred behaviors prerequisites and training. This aimed at untangling the chained links in reading so as to train the learner in each component skill. In addition, material effectiveness was structured and controlled in the delivery of environmental stimulation and practice opportunities. Emphasis on studying observable behavior focused on reading as a perceptual activity which included identification of visual signals and validating diagnostic instruments and remedial techniques. However, alternative human learning theories which focused on perceptual process as a whole still operated on underground which examined that reading is per introspection rather than through behavior. Human beings could make a coherent sense out of the perceptional data through whole-word recognition, context comprehension and word identification thus considering reading as a unique human activity owning definitive characteristics. Increased interest in internal mental structures and processes ignited by the advancements in neurology and artificial intelligence has caused transformations in the learning institutions. Moreover, the dissatisfaction with behaviorism as an explanatory system caused changes. The article points that present institutions should conceptualize learning as a natural process rather than conditioning and that language should be developed through a meaningful use. Also learning to read should be viewed as an inherent ability rather than a reflective action with laborious skill acquisition. As a result, reading research unified the literacy field through language arts. Learning to read became a matter of arriving at a facility due to the understanding quest within a language-rich environment. The growing attention to the structure and processes of the human mind and increased federal funding by the Unites States led to creation of research centers caused another theoretical transformation. These new researchers explained human language as an interaction between symbol system and mind. Learning as a natural metaphor was replaced with a mechanistic information processing metaphor. Text-based as a form of learning, involved knowledge which was organized and stored within the individual mind (Alexander Fox, 2004). In addition, Knowledge base was depicted as powerful, persuasive, individualistic and modifiable since it was linked to the individual’s perspectives on what they had read, their interpretation and recall out of the written text. The information processing of this period resulted in cognition-related constructs which strengthened the aforementioned characteristics of knowledge. Furthermore, it focused on the individual mind. This was because the computer-based guiding had little considerations of socio-cultural influences in processing linguistic information. To add on, the research studies stressed on individualistic interpretations of written text and exhibited that the knowledge of the students could be greatly modified through training, direct intervention and/or overt instructions. Other contributors of improved text comprehension were instructional environments and pedagogical techniques. In view of any reading approach, there must be a shift away from the neurological argument to much concern for naturalism in the materials and procedures used to teach reading. Moreover, they should create unity within the language arts. The cognitive psychology gave a new viewpoint for literacy and educational researchers. It studied literacy with naturally occurring texts in natural settings with holistic and aesthetic school of thought. It aimed creating a mutual understanding arising in the social interaction of individuals in particular contexts at a time (Alexander Fox, 2004). The dominant perspective was learning being a socio-cultural collaborative experience and the learner being a member of the learning community. Reform on modern schools  Present day schools should anticipate for motivation in the form of readers’ achievement of goals, interest and involvement in the learning experience with change in perception of texts, reader and reading. This can be achieved due to the introduction of the hypermedia and hypertext forms of learning which has increased the attention in classroom discourse thus improving the students’ academic. Effective orientation has to be done so as to capture the complexity of reading and recognize the changing nature of reading as the reader engages in a range of reading-related, goal-directed activities. With the dichotomization of reading into learning to read and reading to learn, it has led to integrated and developmental learning perspective. Engaged learning has led to the acknowledgement of the fact that reading extends to the texts students come across daily such as nonlinear, interactive, dynamic and visually complex materials transmitted using audiovisual media. Current learning institutions should learn about the potentials of alternatives nonlinear media and examine how pedagogical techniques and learning environments can be adapted to aid readers from struggling with traditional texts. Students should be encouraged to participate in meaningful and goal-directed text-based learning. Moreover, attention should be drawn to create a personally and socially valuable body of knowledge. Strategies are put in place to promote reflection, choice and deliberate execution on the learner’s part which actively engages the leaner thus developing the reading perspective. To be complete, readers, and learners should focus on demonstrating fluency in reading and other basic linguistic skills. Workable solutions  Some of workable solutions would include provision of personally relevant texts, both traditional and alternative that will promote deeper and wider student engagement in their learning. Putting in place technological advancements capable of transforming learning and teaching through production of proliferated information sources and different text types can also be productive. Involving high-stakes testing and efforts to institute national standards have hastened the students’ learning since they prescribe the content and skills learners should have acquired at various institutional levels. Investments in basic reading skills and components in special education institutions have helped struggling readers since researchers have greatly supported. Changes which might improve things One of major consideration that should be put in place is recognition of the fact that reading is invariably physiological, psychological and sociological thus an integrated orientation is a prerequisite. Therefore physical, visual, and neurological stimuli to the learning processes should also be employed. In addition, every reading process needs to enhance the psychological interpretation, storage and retrieval of text, goals formulation and expression of interests. Sociologically, a reading culture that focuses in intra-individual and inter-individual communication through linguistic media that are socio-culturally influenced can also play a big role in changing the existing education. Lastly, a fine-grained reading view that incorporate brain structures and mental activities of an individual and social behavior have to be integrated meaningfully throughout these orientations.

Tuesday, January 21, 2020

Unjust Classification of Literature :: essays research papers

The Unjust Classification of Literature   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The content of literature has been criticized and classified throughout history. Occasionally, stories become known as immoral literature in the eyes of society. This can be damaging both to sales of the book and the reputation of the author. Kate Chopin wrote two stories that are examples of literature deemed immoral by society. â€Å"The storm† and â€Å"The Story of an Hour† were written and the end of the nineteenth century. A time without many liberal opinions towards literature, as well as civil rights. Often critics judge a piece of literature only on the literal meaning of the phrases inside, while ignoring the actual message from the author. Chopin’s two stories were criticized for the impression she gave of woman’s attitudes towards their husbands and marriage. Although her stories seem to contain women that do not respect marriage, the women actually have total love and respect for their husbands The misinterpretation of stor ies leads to the unjust classification of literature as immoral.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The story of an Hour† and â€Å"The Storm† have different plots, but both convey a similar message from Chopin. â€Å"The Story of an Hour† was written about a wife ,Mrs. Mallard, who receives the sad news of her husbands death. She is flushed with conflicting emotions of sadness from the death, but also joy for the freedom from marriage that his death brings. A twist in the story takes place when she is confronted with her still living husband and she dies from the shock. Chopin wrote of a woman so caught up in married life, she forgot all of the liberties that she had sacrificed for the marriage. â€Å"The storm† tells of another wife, Calixta, living what was a normal life for a woman in the late nineteenth century. While her husband and son are kept inside a store by a passing storm, Calixta is greeted unexpectedly by an old boyfriend, Alcee. Spending time with Alcee releases feelings from Calixta that had been building up thr oughout her marriage. Calixta and Alcee give in to temptation, but never lose their sight of love for their families. Both stories suggest women in marriages sometimes feel imprisoned by the relationship and seek an outlet for their emotions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Marriage is a sacred bond and should always be honored. Infidelity is the worst act that can be perpetrated on a significant other. The wife, Calixta, betrayed her family and the church by cheating on them.

Monday, January 13, 2020

Reaction Paper to a Motivation Article

REACTION PAPER Topic: â€Å"INCENTIVES ARE NOT THE SAME AS MOTIVATORS†Mr. Clayton Christensen, a renowned author in the field of management, wrote an article entitled â€Å"INCENTIVES ARE NOT THE SAME AS MOTIVATORS†. He enlightens his readers on the difference between incentives and motivators. He was born on April 16, 1952 at Salt Lake City, Utah (USA). Besides being a teacher and a consultant, he is also famous in writing articles about innovator’s dilemma. This article was published by Carmen Nobel last June 4, 2012.Some people may say that â€Å"incentives† and â€Å"motivators† are synonymous to each other, but they are different in a major way. Incentives are somewhat like â€Å"prizes† set for the persons who did something beneficial. Meaning, people will do their best to get the prize. Whereas for motivators, it is somewhat like â€Å"encouragements† to persuade people to do their best to enhance their own skills. It is more la sting and holistic. â€Å"Do this and you’ll get that,† These are the words that we always hear from our parents.This is also a very common and popular phrase in companies. Some corporations rely on some sort of incentive programs, wherein there will always be â€Å"fabulous prizes† if the company’s productivity improves. Henry L. Gantt, contributor to Scientific Management, had designed a program wherein every worker who finished a day’s assigned work load would win a 50? bonus for that day. Because of this, of course, we can conclude that all workers labored to win the prize.But behind all these incentives, do all workers really have passion for their work? In my personal experience, when I was young, I also did the household chores because of incentives – washing dishes for new toys, clothes, and other things; cleaning the house for cell phone load; and many more. But after some time, I realized that without any incentives, I am not motiv ated to perform those tasks. Motivations came when I realized that upon completion of the assigned tasks, I can enjoy and benefit from it.I can feel and enjoy the fruits of my labor. In conclusion, I agree with the author that motivations are better than incentives. If you would look at it carefully, if the incentive program will to be used, people will only do their job because of that â€Å"something† that will be given afterwards. However, if the motivation program will to be introduced instead, it would inspire people to do their best at all times, in order for them to be proud, and contented with what they have done, and with what they have achieved.

Sunday, January 5, 2020

Are Video Games Changing Us - 1388 Words

Are video games changing us? In 2008, 97% of twelve to seventeen year olds in America played video games, thus fueling the domestic video games by $11.7 million. Ten out of the top twenty best-selling video games contain violence. Many of these violent video games have been accused of incidents that include crime, bullying, and behavior problems. As the popularity of violent video games increase, more people become victims of behavior problems such as depression, aggressiveness, and addiction. Although video games were intentionally created for entertainment purposes, through studies and experiments it has been established that they are factors of behavior problems because of the active interaction people demonstrate while playing video†¦show more content†¦The more violent video games that young adults play, the more they develop personalities which reflect risk taking, rebelliousness, and risky behavior. This type of behavior change in adolescents can lead to destructive habits such as excessive drink ing, dangerous smoking, and reckless driving; which not only affects them, but can also cause harm to the people around them. In the second experiment, participants were told to play certain violent video games and after they were done they had to create a hot sauce for a taster who did not particularly like spicy food. The participants who played the more competitive video games, prepared a spicier hot sauce than whose who played lesser competitive games. This experiment proved that competiveness may be the main video game characteristic that influences aggression (Adachi). Through this experiment, competitiveness proves to be a great factor in the relation of violent video games with aggressive behavior, which strengthens the idea that violent video games promote behavior changes. In the third experiment operated by the American Psychological Association, participants were exposed to media content of risk taking such as extreme sports, and non-risk taking content. Afterwards, the researchers measured how willing participants were to engage in risky behavior. The results of this experiment proved that video games that glorify risk wereShow MoreRelatedEnvironmental Scanning of Nintendo662 Words   |  3 Pagesenvironment. This consists of broad environmental factors that have an impact on the organization. The PESTEL framework helps us to identify the future trends which might impinge on Nintendo and therefore identify the key drivers of change. On the other hand the five forces framework helps to understand how the competitive dynamics within and around the video game industry are changing. PESTEL Framework: This categorizes environmental influences into six main types: political, economic, social, technologicalRead MoreThe True Behavior Of Violent Video Game Players1305 Words   |  6 Pages2015 The True Behavior of Violent Video Game Players In October 1958, a Physicist named William Higinbotham successfully created the first interactive computer software purely for entertainment; a simple idea of two panels bouncing a dot between one another. This was later rebranded as the famous title Pong, the original that Higinbotham created was generated on an oscilloscope, which is a small computer designed to test electrical equipment. Today, video games are huge in terms of consumer acceptanceRead MoreInformative Speech Evolution of Video Games Essay945 Words   |  4 Pagesworld of video games. Ever since then technology has grown incredibly now making a fun hobby out of it that people can really enjoy. 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