Prep101 - Free Writing Sample Feedback (summer 2011)

[bored]

New technologies often hide problems that are only revealed later.

 

Describe a specific situation in which the benefits of a new technology might not hide later problems. Discuss what you think determines when the benefits of a new technology outweigh potential problems.

 

In the field of medicine, new technology in the form of new treatment and new drugs come and go. In ancient times, Ethyl Ether was used for anesthesia purposes. This worked well by allowing doctors to sedate their patients while they perform the surgery. However, it was later found that this drug had unwanted side effects. The symptoms came up afew years later in the patient, and for that reason the chemical was allowed to stay in the civilization. Many modern drugs and treatment are also undergoing the same process. They at first work well but a little while later, sometimes even as long as 10 year, the side effects show up. These drugs and treatments are an example of the technology that at first seems great ends up being the very thing that kills the patient.

 

Often times though, the side effects of a technology can be avoided. Albert Einstine once said that "If I knew my discovery would be used for mass destruction, then I would have never discovered it". The discovery of nuclear power was an influential in the advancing of our civilization. The discovery provides power, very cheap power that the civilization needs, but it also provides knowledge to make weapons of mass destruction. Though there are problems such as an immature country gaining possession of such a power, the greater good outweighs the potential problems that nuclear power can provide us. These problems have yet to come up. There are always rumours of countries such as North Korea and Iran gaining such potential power, but the government of the world believes that this potential problem is not enough of a reason to stop making nuclear power. The reason for this is that these governments of the world believe that it is impossible for countries like Iran and North Korea to gain the material necessary for production of nuclear weapons. The governments have placed enough barriers so that the materials needed to make weapons will never come to these countries.

 

In the case of the nuclear weapons, the governments have taken enough action to ensure that an immature country such as Iran or North Korea will never gain the material necessary for a nuclear weapon. In the case of Ethyl Ether, however, research was not conducted to check it side effects. It was only used right away because it got the job done. Drug companies if place enough time and research they would see that which drugs are harmful and which aren't. It is reported that 90% of the drugs that are now banned but once were not are banned only because more research went into them to show the harmful side effects. Therefore, the potential problems of all technology can be easily observable if only enough time is spent to do the research. Drug companies however do not conduct time to research and release drugs too early, causing eventual outbreak of problems from the drug.

 

The ENd

 

Just a question. The prompt seems to be worded in a weird fashion in my opinion..

 

New technologies often hide problems that are only revealed later.

 

Describe a specific situation in which the benefits of a new technology might not hide later problems. Discuss what you think determines when the benefits of a new technology outweigh potential problems.

 

 

Question #1: in the refutation paragraph we are asked to talk about when a new technology might not hide potential problems.. (which is same as saying when a new technology would not have later potential problems, right?)

and than in the resolution we are asked to talk about When the benefits of the technology outweigh the harmful problems.. don't you think the refutation paragraph should be "describe a specific situation in which the benifits of a new technology might outweigh the problem"?

Or

the resolution paragraph should be about "when does the technology hide its potential problems and when it does not"

 

Just curiosity as I am having a hard time understand this prompt.. Am I just having a hard time because I haven't identified the word 'technology' properly?

 

Question #2

In the resolution paragraph, Is it possible to simply disagree with what they are saying? as done in my paragraph, just talk about how only one of the stories are true, and the other is false. so --> given that enough time is done to research the new technology. Thus, new technology will never have potential problems given that enough time goes to research that technology.

 

thanks a lot!

[peppermint5039]

Thanks again for the help Anita - your feedback is greatly appreciated!

 

New technologies often hide problems that are only revealed later.

 

Describe a specific situation in which the benefits of a new technology might not hide later problems. Discuss what you think determines when the benefits of a new technology outweigh potential problems.

 

Technology is the application of knowledge to practical applications and the development of tools that aim to make tasks more efficient. In this case, technology can be defined as the creation of a compound or tool that is used to make daily life easier. However, in addition to convenience, advancements in technologies may also be accompanied by hidden problems. In most cases, the newest technologies are not always the best understood ones due to their novelty. When chluoroflurocarbons (CFCs) were first introduced as a refrigerant, it was seen as a powerful improvement for refrigeration due to its low toxicity to humans. CFCs were used for decades without any knowledge of negative consequences until Sherry Rowland and Mario Molino discovered the destructive effects of CFCs on the Earth's ozone layer. By degrading ozone, CFCs have contributed to serious problems such as global warming and its effects were not apparent during the first few decades of its usage.

 

Nevertheless, the flaws that accompany some new technologies are not always hidden. Hybrid cars were designed to reduce fuel consumption by utilizing an electric motor in conjunction with a combustion engine. Due to the fact that hybrid cars are based upon the combination of older technologies, its problems are better understood and can be anticipated based on past experiences. The battery of hybrid cars, for example, is nickel-based; these batteries have been used in cars in the past and its danger as a carcinogen has been well-researched. In this sense, the problems that accompany hybrid cars are more apparent due to a greater understanding of its mechanisms.

 

Whether or not new technologies can hide problems is highly circumstantial. If the mechanisms that govern new technologies are not well-understood, it is likely for the technology to contain hidden problems. This is apparent with CFCs; as a chemical compound, scientists did not know the extent of its reactivity with other compounds and the negative implications it had on the environment were not apparent. As a result, the destruction of the ozone layer was an unexpected problem that remained unknown for years. However, when the mechanisms of a technology are well-researched, the chances of a having unforeseen problems are much slimmer. Hybrid cars are the result of the combination of older technologies that have existed for many years and due to this reason, its problems can be better predicted.

[anon1234]

Hi again Anita, thank you so much for your feedback on my last essay and thank you for looking at this one as well.

 

New technologies often hide problems that are only revealed later.

Describe a specific situation in which the benefits of a new technology might not hide later problems. Discuss what you think determines when the benefits of a new technology outweigh potential problems.

 

Every age has a defining characteristic, and it likely that our present will be considered by future generations to be a time of great technological advancements. New technologies can range from providing energy to an entire city, to providing energy to a pacemaker in a patient's heart; the number of innovative discoveries in the field of technology are truly impressive. However, as new technology is revealed and older technology is tested and tried repeatedly by a growing number of eager consumers, we come to realize that technologies may initially seem like completely beneficial aids, but only when they are in use for an extended period of time do we realize the unfathomable negative impacts they may have. When cell phones were introduced to the world, this fabulous creation was considered truly breakthrough, and it changed the way our world operates on a daily basis. However, only after several decades of use has it been determined via research that excessive use of cell phones can increase risk for cancer. When cell phones initially grew in popularity, and even until recently, it was not known that use of this technology could potentially pose such serious health risks to users.

 

However, there can be situations in which a new technology does not hide later problems, because this technology may simply be an alteration of an already existing technology. An example of this is water filtration systems; in the developed world, such systems have existed for decades and have been proven to be very beneficial to the public. Since no adverse health risks have been revealed due to this technology even after decades of use, it can be safely assumed that this is a safe technology. A newly developed technology which is a spinoff from this older technology, involves the use of portable water filration systems which function to clean dirty muddy water, and can be installed simply with the use of a bucket and an easy to use kit which can fit into a small pouch. This technology has proven to be revolutionary because it has been very useful in providing clean water to communities where no water filtration systems or sewage systems exist, such as in slums in impoverished countries. The availability of clean water to such communities is extremely beneficial and problems due to such a simple yet effective technology (such as installation difficulties) are almost negligible.

 

Minor or major problems can exist with every new technology. Some technologies may have very negligible problems, or they may provide aid to people which is so innovative and original that it far outweighs any problems that could arise. That is, if a technology is providing a life saving or life altering service to an individual or a community, such a benefit far outweighs any potential minor problems that can be caused by that technology. Inexpensive yet effective water filtration pumps which can transform muddy water into clean drinking water and can operate without electricity in a village and save lives due to reduced spread of disease, are an example of such a technology. However, if a technology is providing benefits which are not life-altering and alternative options exist, then the potential problems due to such a technology may outweigh the benefits. Most cell phone calls can be replaced with e-mails, or other forms of communication, and although cell phones are useful in an emergency, since using a cell phone is not something necessary for survival, the potential health risks outweigh any benefits which may be derived from extensive use.

[Que]

Thank you very much!

 

New technologies often hide problems that are only revealed later.

 

Describe a specific situation in which the benefits of a new technology might not hide later problems. Discuss what you think determines when the benefits of a new technology outweigh potential problems.

 

Today's technologically advanced society is evolving at a rapid pace to supply its inhabitants with new ammenities that lead to a more comfortable, convenient lifestyle. However, in the race to develop products tailored to benefit people's lives, the impact of the new technologies is often not fully tested or understood. The advent of automobile industry is a classic example of the the benefits of a technology eclpising its potential problems. In the mid 20th century, more and more people found themselves travelling via automobiles. Cars were a more convenient and quicker mode of transportation. However, the environmental impact car exhaust emission would have was never anticipated. The rise in greenhouse gases leading to global warming was eventually revealed to the public. In this case, the car companies were focused on making profit and for a long time even denied the impact car emission have on the environment despite contrary evidence from the scientific community. They were driven by greed and not by a sense of social responsibility.

 

On the other hand, when technologies are developed with altruistic goals in mind, problems tend not to surface in the future. This is because people who create these new products put their focus on a holistic approach to improving the world at large and not solely on profit. Recently, some schools in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) have incorporated PEBBLES into their classrooms. PEBBLES is a new technology developed for students who miss class due to long-term stay in a hospital. A PEBBLES robot is placed in the student's classroom and transmits its learning environment to the student via a camera. The student is able to control the robot and essentially "interact" with other students and the teacher via the robot. PEBBLES has obtained great results, including increased student engagement and continued learning away from school. The developers of PEBBLES had altruistic goals in mind when constructing the robot and hoped to improve hospitalized children's learning experience. Such a technology often does not mask problems since careful inspection of the potential impact of PEBBLES were examined before its implementation.

 

Ultimately, whether technologies hide problems or not depends on the primary motive behind its development. If the technology was created for monetary gain, such as the case of automobiles, developers and sellers are not driven by a sense of social responsibility and would not be keen to unveil any potential problems the product possesses. Yet, if a technology is developed with an altruistic goal in mind, it is more likely that it would be scrutinized more carefully for potentially negative impacts on society.

[antithesis]

New technologies often hide problems that are only revealed later.

 

Often times when new technologies are developed, a great deal of hype and excitement clouds over potential problems that may be created by this new advancement. When what seems to be a novel discovery has been made, no matter what field, be it science, medicine, or computers, people want to focus on the positive aspects because it usually appears to be something that will make their lives better. People usually don't want to think of the negative aspects that may come with a new technology. Then once it is actually put into practical use, people begin to see the problems surface. For example, there was a great deal of excitement created when the Liberation Therapy was revealed as a cure for multiple sclerosis. People were overjoyed that a cure had finally been found for this terrible disease, even though there was not a great deal of information actually available on the procedure. Not to mention that it had only been tested on a very small sample size. As people began finding doctors who would perform this therapy and going to have it done, the problems began to reveal themselves. For some, it did not help and for others it was even fatal. Therefore, not very much was known about this new technology, and for that reason as time passed, problems were uncovered.

 

However, there are times when the benefits of a new technology might not hide later problems. As technology has progressed, so have many operations performed in hospitals. An example of this is laser surgery to remove the gallbladder. This procedure has become increasingly simplified with laser surgery, What used to require a much more complicated process, now just requires a small incision with a laser, no scalpels needed. In this situation, the benefits far outweigh any problems that may be revealed. This surgery has been made faster, safer and simpler. It has been tested on large sample sizes and any problems that may surface are isolated to specific situations.

 

Therefore what determines when the benefits of a new technology outweigh potential problems. The answer is that, if the new technology has been researched and adequately tested the benefits outweigh the potential problems. The example above regarding the MS Liberation Therapy, demonstrates a new technology that has not been tested diligently enough. A larger sample size should have been tested and the procedure should have been examined more closely, to help reveal problems that could have been addressed before the benefits were revealed as a cure for multiple sclerosis. However in the example regarding the removal of a gallbladder through laser surgery, this procedure has been well researched and diligently tested, so any forseeable issues could be addressed and fixed. Therefore any problems that can occur, are more specific to certain situations and can be dealt with accordingly. The benefits of faster and safer surgery far outweigh any problems that could occur in isolated situations.

[sm1234]

Thanks a lot Anita!

 

 

New Technologies often hide problems that are only revealed later

 

Technology has been increasing at a faster than ever witnessed before, with new gadgets, machines etc emerging at a relatively faster rate. Technology is a term used to describe an entity that is created with the means of computers or specialized gadgets and is mostly created to assist daily tasks such as creation of a cell phone is a step above the landline phones, and enables us to communicate anywhere without the requirement of wires. Wireless internet, advancements in surgical procedures using advanced machines are also examples of new technologies that have emerged in the recent years. Due to this ‘technological age’, new products are constantly saturating the market. Companies hopes of becoming involved in this tech savvy age, is causing the production of new technology on a rapid pace without adequate research put into it side-effects. Side-effects from the use of technology, a device not functioning adequately are some of the problems that the companies hide at the time of launching the products, and are only revealed later. Such an example can be seen with the use of cell phones. The ease and easy access of cell phones allowed a major portion of the population to experience this new piece of technology; which was definitely an improvement from the landline phones. However, only recently have the side – effects of using cell phones have been made public. Side – effects such as effects of the electromagnetic waves on the heart, brain etc were initially hidden as this technology was initially launched.

 

Nevertheless, it can also be argued that new technology arriving in the market, has been thoroughly researched and therefore does not hide any potential problems. For example, the use of advanced devices, recent technology has enables scientists to grow stem cells harvested from embryos in petri-dishes. These stem cells have the potential to cure certain chronic illnesses and therefore carry the possibility of increasing the life expectancy of an individual living with a chronic disease such as diabetes. Since stem cells are the precursors of cells, they can be utilised to differentiate into for instance, cells that synthesise insulin, thus providing hope to curing diabetes to some extent.

 

In this age of computers and access to impeccable knowledge, growth of new technologies in the market is bound to happen and will continue to happen. However, not all new technologies hide problems only to be revealed later. The type of technology has a big factor in this issue. For technologies such as cell phones which can be utilized by everyone and have no regulations on their production, are bound to have problems. However, technology such as stem cell research is a highly regulated practice and the recipients of this technology are very limited, thus forcing the scientist to research and fix all potential problems that could arise later.

 

 

ps: I ran out of time, so couldn't proof read it

[sticky1]

Hi Anita . Can you provide me some feedback on my essay please?

 

Successful politicians are motivated more by practical considerations than by moral values.

Write a unified essay in which you perform the following tasks. Explain what you think the above statement means. Describe a specific situation in which successful politicians might be motivated more by moral values than by practical considerations. Discuss what you think determines whether successful

politicians are motivated more by practical concerns or by moral values.

 

Politicians are elected representative in public office. The role of politicians is to present the needs of the majority to the government. Politicians’ goal is to stay in office as long as possible. Therefore, their goal is to please their consitutents by listening to them and giving them what they need. This may include making decisions based on moral values and practical considerations. The majority of the constituents may request a decision that a politician may view as against their moral values or practically impossible.

 

Moral values of a politician may guide their decision making process that affects the lives of many people that elected them. France’s President Sarkozy made the decision of calling upon the United Nations on drawing a resolution on intervening in Libya where Colonel Muhamed Gadafi was using force against his own people. Although the economy of France was struggling from the global economic recession, moral values were more important than practical consideration. The economic recession hit France hard, however ignoring the genocide that colonel Gadaffi was carrying out against his own people was morally wrong. Therefore, France with the help of the United Nations intervened with air strikes on Gadaffi’s forces preventing attacks of Gadafi’s forces on civilians.

 

The practical considerations are carefully thought when politicians make decisions that effects the lives of the people that elected them in office. Harper rejected the Koyoto agreement of setting limits for Canada to reduce greenhouse gas emissions because of the decline in economy that would cause. Stephen Harper refused to agree to such low levels of greenhouse gases because the country’s economy was in middle of a recession and further changes would destabilized the economy. This would lead to people losing jobs and the quality of living would therefore go down. Stephen Harper agreed to reduce a fraction of greenhouse gases that was set out by the Koyoto agreement because it was practically impossible to do so without destabilizing the economy leading to high rate of unemployment.

 

When the safety and survivability of people are in question, politicians are motivated more by moral values than practical considerations. However, when the safety of people are not at stake politicians carefully think about practical considerations which may have negative effects. France’s president Sarkozy took military intervention in Libya because his moral values dictated that a human genocide should have higher value than practical considerations of going to war in the middle of economic recession. Harper refused to destabilize the economy leading to high unemployment rate by setting low limits to greenhouse emissions. Harper understood the fact that it was practically impossible to agree to the greenhouse limits in such a short period of time without effecting the economy negatively.

[anitarama]

Score: 5/6

 

Task 1 (Supporting): This is an excellent example and explanation as well as introduction to relevant terms.

 

Task 2 (Refuting): Another well-explained example.

 

Task 3 (Resolution): Remember to explicitly tie your examples back in with your resolution.

 

New technologies often hide problems that are only revealed later.

 

Describe a specific situation in which the benefits of a new technology might not hide later problems. Discuss what you think determines when the benefits of a new technology outweigh potential problems.

 

Innovation is the process with which people come up with inventions that aim to solve the issues concerning humanity. As a society, we have come to accumulate problems that we must solve by coming up with new methods to correct them. Solutions to these problems may only be superficial because people may be only aware of the benefits without realizing the costs of a new technology. One such example is the use of burning fossil fuels to power automotive vehicles. Although the internal combustion engine solved the problem of transportation for the bulk of the population, it created new whole new set of issues. At first, the public quickly adopted the automobile powered by gasoline because it allowed them to move more freely, but most people did not realize that the cars were polluting the environment. They were disillusioned by the benefits that the gasoline burning cars were bringing that they were blind to the environmental problems that the cars were causing. Therefore, automobiles created new problems that were hidden from the public until the costs became noticeable.

 

On the other hand, there are technologies that do more good than harm overall and we are fully aware about the problems beforehand. Take, for example, the X-ray that is used in the dentist's office. A routine check up at the dentist's office involves taking X-ray images of one's teeth to assess their health. It can be used to detect the improper growth of wisdom teeth and prevent future pain by extracting them before they grow out of alignment. At the same time, people are aware of the problems that X-rays and actively work to mitigate them. X-rays produce radiation that may harm our bodies. The dentist's office makes their customers wear lead aprons to protect their bodies of radiation because they know that X-rays can be harmful and work towards to minimize the risks of damage.

 

Therefore, the ultimate determinant of whether or not technologies hide problems is if people address both the benefits and risks that they bring. If people focus on only on the benefits of a new technology, then they may be too caught up with enjoying it without realizing that the costs are hurting them. Conversely, if people adequately inform themselves of both sides and actively work towards addressing all aspects, then they can harness the new technology with maximum benefits with minimized costs. It may be tempting to be blissfully ignorant of the costs, but remaining unaware of the costs only delays the inevitability that they will ultimately harm the users.

[anitarama]

Score: 5/6

 

Task 1 (Supporting): Very good introduction and strong example.

 

Task 2 (Refuting): Well-explained and very fitting example.

 

Task 3 (Resolution): Your resolution criteria seems too similar to the prompt itself and does not bring much new information to light.

 

New technologies often hide problems that are only revealed later.

 

Describe a specific situation in which the benefits of a new technology might not hide later problems. Discuss what you think determines when the benefits of a new technology outweigh potential problems.

 

In today's world, the technological advancements are close to astronomical. Technology pertains to the area of machines and equipment that allows humans to accomplish various tasks more efficiently and quickly. A prime example of a relatively innovative technology is the advent of credit cards in the consumer market. The widespread use of credit cards has allowed consumers to purchase items without having to worry about withdrawing or carrying large sums of cash, personal cheques etc. It has also allowed purchasers to buy products virtually, which would not have been possible twenty years ago. Credit cards, have therefore allowed the consumer market to expand and increased the purchasing capability of consumers. However, upon its introduction in the general market, no one anticipated the widespread incidence of fraud related to credit cards. For years, credit cards companies have struggled with identity theft and credit card fraud and are continually introducing security measures such as chip technology, pin authorization etc. However, the incidence credit card fraud is on the rise and despite its numerous benefits, the drawbacks are costing consumers and companies enormously.

 

On the positive side, however, not all advances in technology are smeared with unforeseen drawbacks. With the advent of the digital camera came the enormous benefit of sharing photos 'digitally'. Unlike the old era when pictures were taken to be developed to a professional photographer, people now have the pictures they take within seconds. Before, people worried whether or not they captured the 'priceless moment' correctly but now, people can view their pictures and delete the ones they don't approve of. Such a technology given allowed people to save money on printing all the photographs they took, storing them and ensuring they are safe for generations. However, with the digital cameras, one can save thousands of pictures on a single DVD and not have to worry about losing or destroying precious memories in the form of photo albums. Thus, the emergence of digital cameras has truly revolutionized the the ordinary individuals' ability to capture photos of day and day and has eased the ability to store and protect precious memories in the form of photographs.

 

Therefore, the defining factor of whether the potential benefits of a new technology outweigh the potential problems is whether the problems cause more harm than the benefits the technology brings. In the case of credit cards, the benefit of increasing the consumer's ability to purchase goods is indeed of great value. However, the level of personal distress, economic turmoil and hardship that the resultant credit card fraud brings about does not outweigh the benefit. Individuals who suffer from credit card fraud are at a risk of being subject to a negative credit rating, which can affect their borrowing power from banks and other institutions. Such negative outcome does not allow outweigh the benefit. On the other hand, the power of being able to access one's digital pictures instantaneously, store them without too much space requirement and save money on printing pictures definitely is a technological advancement with little adverse effects.

[sticky1]

Thank you!!!

A person’s first priority in life should be financial security.

Write a unified essay in which you perform the following tasks. Explain what you think the above statement means. Describe a specific situation in which a person’s first priority in life might not be financial security. Discuss what you think determines whether or not a person’s first priority in life should be financial security.

 

Financial security can be defined as the ability to meet one’s basic needs of living such as food, shelter, and clothing into the future. Financial security may have a different meaning to different people. One person may view financial security as being able to afford to travel the world, live in million dollar mansion and drive a Ferrari. Another person may view financial security as having enough money to provide a roof over the head for their family, provide food, and other basics necessities of life. People priorities financial security different depending on their upbringing and social circle.

 

The priority of a person in life may not be financial security. Princess of Protugal, Mary-Chaex Duboi, gave her fortune worth billions of dollars away to charity and family in order to marry the love of her life, Frank Debjak who worked a low paying job as a librarian. Princess Mary-Chaex could not legally marry Frank Debjak without giving away her fortune because of her family ties. Princess Mary-Chaex priority in life was love life and not her financial security. Her children were busy raising their own families, and since her husband died she did not have anyone to feel close to. Her wealth did not provide her with a good sense of security but the man who she fell in love gave her a better sense of security.

 

The priority of a college student in the process of developing their career is financial security. Micheal Tremble at the Kingston College gave up his dream of becoming a basketball player for the purpose of pursuing his passion in medicine. Micheal Tremble wanted to have a stable career that would provide a stable job with financial security. As a result he gave his chance of trying out for Toronto Raptors because of his acceptance to medical school.

 

Whether a person’s first priority in life is financial security depends on the time of their age. If the person is young looking to develop their career as in the case of Micheal Tremble, then financial security is the first priority. If a person is in the old age and does not require financial security then they may choose someone to pass their time with instead of fortune. People in old age may prioritize companionship, love and friendship higher than financial security. Their time is limited and therefore, their priority is to spend the time with the people they love.

[anitarama]

Score: 5.5/6

 

Task 1 (Supporting): Excellent introduction and supporting example.

 

Task 2 (Refuting): Another very well-explained example.

 

Task 3 (Resolution): Strong Resolution Paragraph.

 

Technology, the products of human intelligence that allowed our species to succeed in dominating the planet, encompasses simple machines from thousands of years ago to complex electronics in the modern day. Their primary goal is to make our lives easier; however, the very innovations that were designed to benefit us may reveal problems. At first, they may seem to be a blessing to humankind. But in time, some technologies reveal darker natures that may threaten to be the very means of our destruction. They may cause problems that have a detrimental effect on human life. Consider the significant advances in the development of the automobile in the past few decades. Cars are a convienent form of transportation that quickly became a necessity. They enabled the transport of goods and services in the form of workers, increased the motility of everyday citizens, among other benefits. The booming automobile industry meant that an increasingly large number of vehicles entered the roads each day. This lead to an awareness of environmental concerns. Smog and air pollution, which were of minimal impact when vehicles were a luxury owned by the minority of wealthy aristocrats, became a concern. Pollution was blamed for diseases such as lung cancer, asthma, and eczema. The health of the general population was affected, not to mention the traffic accidents that occur daily. Despite the freedom that cars provided their users with, their dangerous aspect lead to calls for less technologically advanced alternatives, such as biking.

 

Although the development of automobiles later revealed concerning issues that were not apparent at first, technologies that have a more electronic basis may be less problematic in the long run. Wikipedia is an online encyclopedia that offers free and widely available information to people all around the world. Individuals can get involved by contributing information in their area of expertise. Wikipedia has proven itself to be a supreme resource, with a minimal startup cost, in comparison to Encyclopedia Britiannica which was costly to create, yet less interactive and popular. As the website grew in popularity, there were concerns about the manipulation of sensitive information, such as about political subjects or intensely debated topics such as abortion. There were also simple pranksters who could,

with a simple click or two, proudly announce that the Earth was the biggest planet in the universe. This problem was resolved with the addition of a feature that enabled controversial pages to become “locked” in order to prevent incorrect information. Wikipedia was then able to continue reaching the lives of millions with mostly accurate information, and continue to help with research and lead to innovation. Its problems were quickly overcome and continued to allowed the technology to benefit people.

 

The benefits of a new technology can certainly be impressive, however the severity of their problems depend on whether the technology is electronically based or not. Automobiles, even in the 21st century, still run on gasoline, and have a negative physical impact on humans as well as the visible environment. More recent advances in technology have been of an electronic form, such as the online encyclopedia Wikipedia. Its problems are of more of a legal matter, surrounding theological debates and political rivalry. Thus, its problems can be easily resolved without dire consequences. Technology can help humankind succeed, whether by increasing the movement of physical bodies or the movement of ideas and knowledge. Whenever a new technology is promoted as life-changing, people should be cautious of problems that may appear later down the road, before they truly embrace its benefits.

[anitarama]

Thank you!!!

A person’s first priority in life should be financial security.

Write a unified essay in which you perform the following tasks. Explain what you think the above statement means. Describe a specific situation in which a person’s first priority in life might not be financial security. Discuss what you think determines whether or not a person’s first priority in life should be financial security.

 

Hi there. Just a reminder that I only mark essays based on the prompt currently posted. There will be a new prompt posted in a bit which you can write an essay for and I will provide feedback.

[anitarama]

Score: 4.5/6

 

Task 1 (Supporting): You briefly touched on the negative aspects at the end of the paragraph. Try to explore that more in future essays to strengthen your argument.

 

Task 2 (Refuting): Good example, which once again could have been expanded upon a little more, specifically perhaps by introducing the idea of medicines a bit earlier in the paragraph.

 

Task 3 (Resolution): Interesting and well-explained resolution criteria.

 

New technologies often hide problems that are only revealed later.

 

The rate of development of new technologies has been increasing exponentially since the Industrial Revolution. While steam engines brought goods and trades, then telegraphs conveyed messages accross the country instantly, technologies have always been ebraced with vigour by the current generation, but for some reason, always feared, or at least accepted with hesitance, by the past generations. Is this because they've seen what new technology can bring in the years to follow? Take, for example, the deeming of the children of the 1990's as the Net Generation is an interesting, but seemingly universally agreed-upon, choice. While earlier generations were scourned for allowing children to be "raised by the television set," this parenting blunder seems insignificant compared to the children of our newest generation being raised by the Internet. Chock full of a wider variety of negative influences than you could count, the Internet has come to be a thing to be feared by parents. That wasn't, of course, the way it began. This revolution in communication, along with free information for all, was a marvel of the human race. No one expected it to explode into what it is today. Unfortunately, with all of the good that the Internet brough to society, it seems to have had just as much negative influence. From internet gambling to sex offenders in chat rooms, it's become a dangerous place.

 

Conversely, it cannot be ignored that new technologies have made changes that have saved us as a human race. As a species, we are not the strongest or fastest, but with the use of tools we've survived. We're the "R and D" species. Instead of leaving the weak behind, we've created new medicines and procedures that save millions of lives every day. Our life expectancy has increased dramatically in such a short time, and that is largely, if not almost solely, due to technology. Drugs like penicillin alone have made such a drastic change in our everyday lives.

 

Drug development is a carefully monitored process now. From the first sign that a substance may have cancer-killing properties, it can take ten years or more for the drug to be commercially available. This is because we know, from past experience, how serious the problems that new technologies bring can be. To avoid the problems of new technologies being revealed later, it's necessary that extensive testing is done and controlled trials are performed. This doesn't apply only to medicine; it applies to all new technologies. Those that forego this testing stage are likely to ultimately fail, and may even cause great harm in the process. From new printer technology to new paint ingredients, the proper testing must take place so that new technologies don't reveal their problems later. When this is done, then the new technology can be assessed, by the company, government, and public, to determine whether the risks discovered are worth the benefit. Many factors need to be taken into account, including the health benefits and risks, the social impact and the environmental impact. If the benefits may save lives, then the risks can be higher, but if the benefits are only superficial than we simply can't afford to tolerate some risks.

[sticky1]

Hi there. Just a reminder that I only mark essays based on the prompt currently posted. There will be a new prompt posted in a bit which you can write an essay for and I will provide feedback.

 

Sorry I thought you can post your own prompt. I will write an essay on your prompt as well.

Would you still be able to read my essay and tell me what you think? I would really appreciated!

[anitarama]

Score: 5/6

 

Task 1 (Supporting): Great example and introduction.

 

Task 2 (Refuting): Another solid example.

 

Task 3 (Resolution): Strong Resolution Paragraph.

 

New technologies often hide problems that are only revealed later.

 

Describe a specific situation in which the benefits of a new technology might not hide later problems. Discuss what you think determines when the benefits of a new technology outweigh potential problems.

 

Humans are continuously searching for ways to improve life. Technological advancements are innovations that serve the purpose of betterment of the human experience and enhance our race. There are certain downsides, however. Certain technologies that have been invented provide initial desired results, but pose various problems that are evident in the future. Consider, for example, the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. On April 6th and 9th, USA dropped atomic bombs in the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, respectively. The bombing was aimed to stop World War II on the Pacific front with the Japanese. The initial results claimed the lives of tens of thousands of Japanese civilians that prompted the Japanese government to agree to surrender in the coming weeks. Years after the bombing, however, the radioactive effects of the bombing are still evident in the massive areas of land that are inhabitable, the increased risk of cancer in the survivors, and other long term radioactive effects. Therefore, certain inventions, such as the atomic bomb, do not demonstrate their negative until many years later.

 

There are also cases, however, where new technologies do not conceal any problems that are shown in the future. Consider, for example, the invention of the wheel. The wheel was invented many decades ago and still used in almost every corner of the world in one shape or form. It has provided us today with the means of transportation. There are no problems or hidden negative effects of the wheel that were brought to light in the later years. Therefore, there are inventions that do not pose hidden negative aspects that are revealed in the future.

 

So what determines whether a new technology will have negative effects that are revealed in the future? It is the intent with which the technology was created. If the technology is created with the intent to harm others, like in the case of the atomic bomb, the new technology will contain negative effects that displayed in the future. However, technologies that are created with the intent of helping the human civilization, as is in the case of the wheel, the said technology will pose no problems in the future.

[anitarama]

Score: 5/6

 

Task 1 (Supporting): Good example, maybe a further explanation of the specific side effects would strengthen this paragraph.

 

Task 2 (Refuting): Though the example you have chosen for your Refuting Paragraph is not necessarily the strongest one, as nuclear power could easily be used as a supporting argument, you have explained it clearly and fit it into the backbone of your essay.

 

Task 3 (Resolution): Your resolution criteria was good and well-explained.

 

Miscellaneous: I completely agree about what the Resolution Paragraph should be, it should define a criteria that separates when the prompt is true and when it is not. I believe that is exactly what the final line "Discuss what you think determines when the benefits of a new technology outweigh potential problems." is asking you to do. What determines when the prompt is true and when it is not true. I think that you are correct in saying that the wording could have been better, but if you continually follow the outline that all essays prompts follow you will always be on the right track.

 

Time given to research or explore potential risks of a technology I would say does count as a resolution criteria, and so that is fine.

 

New technologies often hide problems that are only revealed later.

 

Describe a specific situation in which the benefits of a new technology might not hide later problems. Discuss what you think determines when the benefits of a new technology outweigh potential problems.

 

In the field of medicine, new technology in the form of new treatment and new drugs come and go. In ancient times, Ethyl Ether was used for anesthesia purposes. This worked well by allowing doctors to sedate their patients while they perform the surgery. However, it was later found that this drug had unwanted side effects. The symptoms came up afew years later in the patient, and for that reason the chemical was allowed to stay in the civilization. Many modern drugs and treatment are also undergoing the same process. They at first work well but a little while later, sometimes even as long as 10 year, the side effects show up. These drugs and treatments are an example of the technology that at first seems great ends up being the very thing that kills the patient.

 

Often times though, the side effects of a technology can be avoided. Albert Einstine once said that "If I knew my discovery would be used for mass destruction, then I would have never discovered it". The discovery of nuclear power was an influential in the advancing of our civilization. The discovery provides power, very cheap power that the civilization needs, but it also provides knowledge to make weapons of mass destruction. Though there are problems such as an immature country gaining possession of such a power, the greater good outweighs the potential problems that nuclear power can provide us. These problems have yet to come up. There are always rumours of countries such as North Korea and Iran gaining such potential power, but the government of the world believes that this potential problem is not enough of a reason to stop making nuclear power. The reason for this is that these governments of the world believe that it is impossible for countries like Iran and North Korea to gain the material necessary for production of nuclear weapons. The governments have placed enough barriers so that the materials needed to make weapons will never come to these countries.

 

In the case of the nuclear weapons, the governments have taken enough action to ensure that an immature country such as Iran or North Korea will never gain the material necessary for a nuclear weapon. In the case of Ethyl Ether, however, research was not conducted to check it side effects. It was only used right away because it got the job done. Drug companies if place enough time and research they would see that which drugs are harmful and which aren't. It is reported that 90% of the drugs that are now banned but once were not are banned only because more research went into them to show the harmful side effects. Therefore, the potential problems of all technology can be easily observable if only enough time is spent to do the research. Drug companies however do not conduct time to research and release drugs too early, causing eventual outbreak of problems from the drug.

[anitarama]

Score: 5.5/6

 

Task 1 (Supporting): Great introduction and example.

 

Task 2 (Refuting): Another well-explained example.

 

Task 3 (Resolution): Solid resolution criteria and explanation.

 

New technologies often hide problems that are only revealed later.

 

Describe a specific situation in which the benefits of a new technology might not hide later problems. Discuss what you think determines when the benefits of a new technology outweigh potential problems.

 

Technology is the application of knowledge to practical applications and the development of tools that aim to make tasks more efficient. In this case, technology can be defined as the creation of a compound or tool that is used to make daily life easier. However, in addition to convenience, advancements in technologies may also be accompanied by hidden problems. In most cases, the newest technologies are not always the best understood ones due to their novelty. When chluoroflurocarbons (CFCs) were first introduced as a refrigerant, it was seen as a powerful improvement for refrigeration due to its low toxicity to humans. CFCs were used for decades without any knowledge of negative consequences until Sherry Rowland and Mario Molino discovered the destructive effects of CFCs on the Earth's ozone layer. By degrading ozone, CFCs have contributed to serious problems such as global warming and its effects were not apparent during the first few decades of its usage.

 

Nevertheless, the flaws that accompany some new technologies are not always hidden. Hybrid cars were designed to reduce fuel consumption by utilizing an electric motor in conjunction with a combustion engine. Due to the fact that hybrid cars are based upon the combination of older technologies, its problems are better understood and can be anticipated based on past experiences. The battery of hybrid cars, for example, is nickel-based; these batteries have been used in cars in the past and its danger as a carcinogen has been well-researched. In this sense, the problems that accompany hybrid cars are more apparent due to a greater understanding of its mechanisms.

 

Whether or not new technologies can hide problems is highly circumstantial. If the mechanisms that govern new technologies are not well-understood, it is likely for the technology to contain hidden problems. This is apparent with CFCs; as a chemical compound, scientists did not know the extent of its reactivity with other compounds and the negative implications it had on the environment were not apparent. As a result, the destruction of the ozone layer was an unexpected problem that remained unknown for years. However, when the mechanisms of a technology are well-researched, the chances of a having unforeseen problems are much slimmer. Hybrid cars are the result of the combination of older technologies that have existed for many years and due to this reason, its problems can be better predicted.

[anitarama]

Score: 5.5/6

 

Task 1 (Supporting): Great introduction and supporting example.

 

Task 2 (Refuting): Very thoroughly explained refuting argument.

 

Task 3 (Resolution): Strong Resolution Paragraph.

 

New technologies often hide problems that are only revealed later.

Describe a specific situation in which the benefits of a new technology might not hide later problems. Discuss what you think determines when the benefits of a new technology outweigh potential problems.

 

Every age has a defining characteristic, and it likely that our present will be considered by future generations to be a time of great technological advancements. New technologies can range from providing energy to an entire city, to providing energy to a pacemaker in a patient's heart; the number of innovative discoveries in the field of technology are truly impressive. However, as new technology is revealed and older technology is tested and tried repeatedly by a growing number of eager consumers, we come to realize that technologies may initially seem like completely beneficial aids, but only when they are in use for an extended period of time do we realize the unfathomable negative impacts they may have. When cell phones were introduced to the world, this fabulous creation was considered truly breakthrough, and it changed the way our world operates on a daily basis. However, only after several decades of use has it been determined via research that excessive use of cell phones can increase risk for cancer. When cell phones initially grew in popularity, and even until recently, it was not known that use of this technology could potentially pose such serious health risks to users.

 

However, there can be situations in which a new technology does not hide later problems, because this technology may simply be an alteration of an already existing technology. An example of this is water filtration systems; in the developed world, such systems have existed for decades and have been proven to be very beneficial to the public. Since no adverse health risks have been revealed due to this technology even after decades of use, it can be safely assumed that this is a safe technology. A newly developed technology which is a spinoff from this older technology, involves the use of portable water filration systems which function to clean dirty muddy water, and can be installed simply with the use of a bucket and an easy to use kit which can fit into a small pouch. This technology has proven to be revolutionary because it has been very useful in providing clean water to communities where no water filtration systems or sewage systems exist, such as in slums in impoverished countries. The availability of clean water to such communities is extremely beneficial and problems due to such a simple yet effective technology (such as installation difficulties) are almost negligible.

 

Minor or major problems can exist with every new technology. Some technologies may have very negligible problems, or they may provide aid to people which is so innovative and original that it far outweighs any problems that could arise. That is, if a technology is providing a life saving or life altering service to an individual or a community, such a benefit far outweighs any potential minor problems that can be caused by that technology. Inexpensive yet effective water filtration pumps which can transform muddy water into clean drinking water and can operate without electricity in a village and save lives due to reduced spread of disease, are an example of such a technology. However, if a technology is providing benefits which are not life-altering and alternative options exist, then the potential problems due to such a technology may outweigh the benefits. Most cell phone calls can be replaced with e-mails, or other forms of communication, and although cell phones are useful in an emergency, since using a cell phone is not something necessary for survival, the potential health risks outweigh any benefits which may be derived from extensive use.

[anitarama]

Score: 5/6

 

Task 1 (Supporting): Solid Supporting Paragraph.

 

Task 2 (Refuting): Very interesting example (I had never heard of PEBBLES before, it sounds great ) and well-explained to fit your refuting argument.

 

Task 3 (Resolution): Good resolution criteria. Always remember to bring your Resolution Paragraph back to the two examples you have introduced to make sure they fit your criteria explicitly.

 

New technologies often hide problems that are only revealed later.

 

Describe a specific situation in which the benefits of a new technology might not hide later problems. Discuss what you think determines when the benefits of a new technology outweigh potential problems.

 

Today's technologically advanced society is evolving at a rapid pace to supply its inhabitants with new ammenities that lead to a more comfortable, convenient lifestyle. However, in the race to develop products tailored to benefit people's lives, the impact of the new technologies is often not fully tested or understood. The advent of automobile industry is a classic example of the the benefits of a technology eclpising its potential problems. In the mid 20th century, more and more people found themselves travelling via automobiles. Cars were a more convenient and quicker mode of transportation. However, the environmental impact car exhaust emission would have was never anticipated. The rise in greenhouse gases leading to global warming was eventually revealed to the public. In this case, the car companies were focused on making profit and for a long time even denied the impact car emission have on the environment despite contrary evidence from the scientific community. They were driven by greed and not by a sense of social responsibility.

 

On the other hand, when technologies are developed with altruistic goals in mind, problems tend not to surface in the future. This is because people who create these new products put their focus on a holistic approach to improving the world at large and not solely on profit. Recently, some schools in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) have incorporated PEBBLES into their classrooms. PEBBLES is a new technology developed for students who miss class due to long-term stay in a hospital. A PEBBLES robot is placed in the student's classroom and transmits its learning environment to the student via a camera. The student is able to control the robot and essentially "interact" with other students and the teacher via the robot. PEBBLES has obtained great results, including increased student engagement and continued learning away from school. The developers of PEBBLES had altruistic goals in mind when constructing the robot and hoped to improve hospitalized children's learning experience. Such a technology often does not mask problems since careful inspection of the potential impact of PEBBLES were examined before its implementation.

 

Ultimately, whether technologies hide problems or not depends on the primary motive behind its development. If the technology was created for monetary gain, such as the case of automobiles, developers and sellers are not driven by a sense of social responsibility and would not be keen to unveil any potential problems the product possesses. Yet, if a technology is developed with an altruistic goal in mind, it is more likely that it would be scrutinized more carefully for potentially negative impacts on society.

[anitarama]

Score: 4.5/6

 

Task 1 (Supporting): Very good introduction. Try to introduce your specific example a little bit earlier in the paragraph to provide more detailed impact.

 

Task 2 (Refuting): This was your weakest paragraph as the example was not explained as well in terms of the prompt. You explored the idea of what benefits stem cells can create but you need to also explain the lack of harm, especially since you are comparing it directly to harmful effects of cell phones later on.

 

Task 3 (Resolution): Your resolution criteria is good and well-explained.

 

New Technologies often hide problems that are only revealed later

 

Technology has been increasing at a faster than ever witnessed before, with new gadgets, machines etc emerging at a relatively faster rate. Technology is a term used to describe an entity that is created with the means of computers or specialized gadgets and is mostly created to assist daily tasks such as creation of a cell phone is a step above the landline phones, and enables us to communicate anywhere without the requirement of wires. Wireless internet, advancements in surgical procedures using advanced machines are also examples of new technologies that have emerged in the recent years. Due to this ‘technological age’, new products are constantly saturating the market. Companies hopes of becoming involved in this tech savvy age, is causing the production of new technology on a rapid pace without adequate research put into it side-effects. Side-effects from the use of technology, a device not functioning adequately are some of the problems that the companies hide at the time of launching the products, and are only revealed later. Such an example can be seen with the use of cell phones. The ease and easy access of cell phones allowed a major portion of the population to experience this new piece of technology; which was definitely an improvement from the landline phones. However, only recently have the side – effects of using cell phones have been made public. Side – effects such as effects of the electromagnetic waves on the heart, brain etc were initially hidden as this technology was initially launched.

 

Nevertheless, it can also be argued that new technology arriving in the market, has been thoroughly researched and therefore does not hide any potential problems. For example, the use of advanced devices, recent technology has enables scientists to grow stem cells harvested from embryos in petri-dishes. These stem cells have the potential to cure certain chronic illnesses and therefore carry the possibility of increasing the life expectancy of an individual living with a chronic disease such as diabetes. Since stem cells are the precursors of cells, they can be utilised to differentiate into for instance, cells that synthesise insulin, thus providing hope to curing diabetes to some extent.

 

In this age of computers and access to impeccable knowledge, growth of new technologies in the market is bound to happen and will continue to happen. However, not all new technologies hide problems only to be revealed later. The type of technology has a big factor in this issue. For technologies such as cell phones which can be utilized by everyone and have no regulations on their production, are bound to have problems. However, technology such as stem cell research is a highly regulated practice and the recipients of this technology are very limited, thus forcing the scientist to research and fix all potential problems that could arise later.

[anitarama]

ATTENTION: My last day of providing feedback on essays is August 31st. Please be mindful of this in the coming week. Thank you.

 

 

 

A student's academic success depends more on hard work than on intelligence.

 

Describe a specific situation in which a student's academic success might depend more on intelligence than on hard work. Discuss what you think determines whether a student's academic success depends more on hard work or on intelligence.

 

Instructions

In 30 minutes, write an essay for the prompt and instructions above and post your essay in this thread.

 

Use the Notepad accessory on your computer so word processing functions are turned off.

 

Note: Do not read other essays replying to this prompt on the Forum until after you have written and submitted your own essay.

 

Scorer

Anita Ramakrishna is a medical student at McMaster University

 

Deadline

11:59pm Wednesday August 31.

 

After this point, no new prompts will be posted. Thank you very much and I hope that Prep101's service has been useful to you this summer.

[anon1234]

Hi Anita, thanks again for the feedback on the last essay; I really appreciate all the help and it's very kind of you to be doing this for free Thank you!

 

 

A student's academic success depends more on hard work than on intelligence.

 

Describe a specific situation in which a student's academic success might depend more on intelligence than on hard work. Discuss what you think determines whether a student's academic success depends more on hard work or on intelligence.

 

 

From a young age, schools and parents work hard to teach young minds that hard work is the means of gaining success in life. Formal education is encouraged to provide a stable environment for a child to learn, and to compete in, to prove himself or herself worthy of admission to a prestigious college and a successful career later on. Hard work and intelligence then, become predictors of a student's ultimate prize, which is most often a well respected and highly paid job. Assessments are the measure of a student's academic competence; while in some subjects, an individual can derive patterns and connections simply through logic and due to their intelligence, there are other areas of study which require hard work more than intelligence.

 

For instance, students who learn to sculpt beautiful statues or use a chisel to carve into stone and create timeless masterpieces, do depend on their intelligence to a certain degree, to discern what looks appropriate and proportional, but even more imperative to their success is their technique and the hard work they put into perfecting their techniques. No matter how intelligent a sculptor, if he does not work hard to learn specific techniques, which can only be learned through repeated trials, practice and hard work, his work would be sub par when compared to another student who worked extremely hard at perfecting the appearance of his work. Visualizationof the statute or work of art may depend more heavily on intelligence and creativity, but actually creating the work of art which one has seen in one's mind's eye depends more heavily on how much time and effort a student invests into the piece. Natural talent cannot replace or compete with significant hard work.

 

However, there are also subjects in which hard work cannot help a student more than intelligence. For instance, many tests, such as IQ tests or the DAT test which is an admissions test written by students applying to dental schools, test visual and spatial recognition. This is a skill which can be practiced and improved, however, often such questions are testing a student's intelligence and ability to recognize specific angles and visually twist and shift shapes in their mind. To excel in such a test, intelligence is required more than hard work because no matter how much hard work a student may invest into practising, they may still never catch up to a student who is naturally better at such tasks. Such is the nature of the test, and why it is most likely used to screen students, because although not completely accurate, it is a good indicator of intelligence.

 

Therefore, hard work is always important for a student to succeed in life and gain goals which have been set, however, whether one requires hard work or intelligence to a greater degree depends on the type of academic pursuits. If a student wishes to succeed in a field which requires the perfection of hands on techniques, such as sculpting, or even painting etc. then the student must rely more on their hard work to keep practicing techniques to bring their imagination to life. Often, intelligence cannot be translated into success without hard work in such academic fields; many artists who we judge as being mediocre today, may have been pioneers and visionaries, but due to lack of hard work, their work cannot match with that of someone who invested weeks and perhaps even years into technique. On the other hand, there are subjects in which hard work may have a limited impact, but intelligence is required more to succeed. Tasks which test a students spatial memory or ability to recognize angles and shapes, require a student to use their intelligence to succeed. While it is true that a student may practice such recognition tasks and attempt to improve through hard work, such tests are often designed to sceen out those who had low baseline scores and made minor improvements (and hard work often only leads to slight changes in this case) vs. those that naturally had high scores. In conclusion, hard work can help us to succeed in life, and is essential in most cases, but intelligence also plays an important role in determining out future. To which degree intelligence matters, depends on the type of academic field a student chooses, as different areas place different emphasis on intelligence vs. hard work.

 

PS: I am wondering if writing my first example about sculptors just the way I did would be enough to achieve the highest score, or if I should mention specific artists? I did have a couple in mind, but wanted to see what my score would be if I cannot come up with a name for a task for some reason. Is it generally better to give a specific example no matter what? Thanks!

[gotlactose]

A student's academic success depends more on hard work than on intelligence.

 

Describe a specific situation in which a student's academic success might depend more on intelligence than on hard work. Discuss what you think determines whether a student's academic success depends more on hard work or on intelligence.

 

In today's society, the first couple decades of a person's life in marked by proceeding further along stages of institutionalized education. To gain access to the next stage, one must demonstrate proficient understanding of material that has been taught. Mastery of the subjects is often proved through examinations. A good score means the student has learned the material well and can succeed in moving onto the next stage of his education. To do well on the test, the student needs to adequately study the material that will be tested. A good example of this is the Medical College Admissions Test, or the MCAT. This test challenges its test takers by asking questions about content that must be studied beforehand. Natural intelligence would not be sufficient to answer them. The test taker must have put in a large amount of hard work before taking the test to sufficiently review the material and commit it to memory. Therefore, the students who take the MCAT are at a point in their lives when they dedicate large amounts of time and effort to show their mastery of concepts.

 

While the students who take the MCAT has set aside adequate enough time to demonstrate their knowledge, younger students have not had the opportunity to show off their knowledge in the same way. Kindergarteners are typically five year old students who have just entered into the world of institutionalized education. Since they have not yet been accustomed to the rigors of studying for exams, their natural intelligence is what shows off their competence. Since they are only beginning their first year of school, kindergarteners have not had the time to study any subjects. Therefore, at their young age, these students demonstrate their ability to go onto the first grade more with their intelligence rather than studying the material that their kindergarten teachers have taught them.

 

Ultimately, the age of the student determines if hard work takes precedence in predicting their success. When the student is at an age when they are expected to know certain subjects, then they have to put in the hard work to commit that material to memory. No amount of natural intelligence will allow them to spontaneously perform well on content based exams. On the other hand, if the student of interest is at a young age when it would be impractical to demand him to memorize subject content, then he will be assessed more so on his natural intelligence.

 

 

Thank you Anita, for all of the work you put into grading our essays.

[pantheraonca]

In today's society, children are taught from a very young age the importance of academic success. Often, academic success is correlated with success in later life, and so deemed highly desirable. In the early years of a child's life, academic success can be equated to getting good marks. As the student progresses through the education system, the definition of academic success may broaden to include the ability to put learned material into practice. As such, a student's academic success may depend more on the amount of hard work they put in than on the level of intelligence. Consider the example of a student training to be a mechanic. The student may be able very intelligent and, and he may be able to master the theoretical concepts of his subject, such as how automobiles work, but if he is unable to put these concepts into practice and actually perform the duties required of a mechanic, then his learning would seem to be for nothing. However, with hard work and practice, he could learn to apply the skills to practical situations, and thus gain academic success through his hard work. In this case, hard work would pave the way for his academic success.

 

On the other hand, there are cases when a student's academic success may depend more on intelligence than on hard work. When the student is studying a topic with a lot of abstract ideas, such as in a subject like quantum physics, the student has to be able to understand the concepts and make connections. If the ideas elude the student, then simply working hard may not be enough to drill the ideas home. A certain level of intelligence is required to be able to understand abstract theories that cannot be compensated for by sheer perseverance.

 

Thus, it is apparent that in some cases, academic success can be achieved through hard work, whereas in some cases, intelligence is the key factor. It would seem that the whether or not a student's academic success depends more on hard work or intelligence may be determined by the program of study. If the student is studying something technical that requires a lot of hands-on practice, such as a mechanic, or culinary arts, then hard work is the key. However, in cases where the program of study involves the comprehension of abstract ideas, then the student's academic success may depend more on intelligence.

 

 

Thanks Anita !

[terra]

Thanks Anita for your amazing service. It is greatly appreciated.

I have a question: On the MCAT, are there functions such as copy/paste on the word processor?

 

“I’m not smart enough!” is a common excuse that students proclaim in frustration after less than satisfactory results on an assignment. They may blame their inadequacy on their parent’s genetics, while ignoring the shameful fact that they were out partying while ignoring the looming assignment deadline, leading to late-night cramming sessions. Are certain people born with an unfair advantage of being smarter, and some people have no choice but to work harder? This controversy is shown in the varying degrees of academic success of students, which is the ability to acquire high-ranking grades that would lead to successful career opportunities. This can be achieved by two routes: hard work, defined as the number or hours put into studying, or intelligence, which involves the brain’s ability to synthesize information into creative ideas, going beyond simple rote memorization. If the student is a maths or sciences student, they must study for final examinations. It may require a considerable amount of time to study all the material, but as long as the student was willing to devote countless hours of study to reading all the lecture material, take legible notes, and spend hours at the lab conducting experiments, then he will most likely do well on the test. Putting effort into practice questions and example problems, covering every possibility, and poring his soul into textbooks until he sees numbers in his sleep will enable him to regurgitate his knowledge onto the exam until he achieves an acceptable grade. In the maths and sciences, academic success comes from blood, sweat, and tears, as exams can only test on material that was taught.

 

Although hard work is a powerful strategy for excelling in the maths of sciences, a different approach is required in subject areas where innovation is key, such as in the liberal arts. The comtempory art movement is governed by creativity; the masterful skills of historical painters have been replaced by the development of the camera. Art programs, such as Arts York of Unionville High School, promote new ideas and individuality. Replicating another artist’s work for a student project would not be an option due to copyright issues. Students can gain inspiration from other famous artists such as Ernesto Neto, or Yoko Ono, but cannot just copy them. Thus, new ideas must be created through intelligence and the student cannot simply replicate gained knowledge from textbooks. Memorization and hours spent studying would be next to useless for application in this field, thus a student must rely on his own intelligence to be creative.

 

Natural-born intelligence and solid work are both important factors for a student in the 21st century. Which factor prevails is determined by the subject of enrollment of the student; the sciences and maths require hard work, whereas the arts require intelligence. As shown in the example of the science student, the tests given are either multiple choice or short answer tests that require the replication of studied material from textbooks and lectures, requiring a large amount of dedication to actual study time. However, art students do not benefit similarly from this strategy as they instead require intelligence to create innovative art projects that cannot be a simple copy of someone else’s ideas. This debate of hard work versus intelligence serves its function as a derivative of the nature versus nurture debate. Students should be aware that, just as both our nature and nurturing contribute to our personalities, in order to excel academically as a well-rounded student, both hard work and intelligence are crucial. Integrating the best of both abilities will give a student an advantage in any subject of study.