Prep101 - Free Writing Sample Feedback **New Thread**

[Neuro_07]

A country must use its natural resources in a way agreeable to all its citizens.

 

Thanks a lot Raymond.

 

Natural resources are components of the environment that are used by the mankind to fulfill their basic needs for survival or to build tools to improve quality of their life. Some resources are ubiquitous and are found everywhere in the world. However, some resources are found only in specific countries and thus, need to be imported by other countries. It is the duty of the government to ensure protection of its scarce resources and employ them in ways that are agreeable to the citizens of the country. For instance, China restricted the export of its raw earth minerals in 2008, which has led to a dispute with USA and other countries. China has rich reserves of raw earth minerals and had been selling these precious non-renewable natural resources to foreign countries at unreasonable prices, which fetched a lot of scrutiny from the local media and the public. As a result, in order to protect its resources and sustain the earth industry for the future of the country and its citizens, China put a cap on its exports. This demonstrates that it is important for a nation to use its natural resources in a way that lies in the welfare and agreement of its own citizens.

 

However, it must be noticed that it may not always be feasible for a country to utilize its resources in accord with the public demand. The “Sardar Sarovar” dam that is being built on Narmada River in India has faced immense opposition from the local public and media. The hydroelectric project requires relocation of thousands of people living in the vicinity of the dam and thus, has been subject to severe criticism by the affected people. However, due to its enormous potential to provide employment, water and electricity to millions of people, government has decided to continue the project despite of the disagreement of local people. In this case, the government’s decision to use the natural resource – water – in a way that is not agreeable by all its citizens is justified because of the huge benefits of the project that outweigh the cost of relocation of several thousand people.

 

Hence, whether a country should use its natural resources in a way that satisfies all its citizens or not depends on whether the progress and welfare of the country lies in agreeing with people or disagreeing with them. As exhibited by China’s restriction of its exports of raw earth minerals, a government should follow public’s demand if it serves the purpose of preserving and utilizing country’s natural resources in a way that promotes its growth. However, sometimes a government has to go against the will of the public in order to ensure effective use of natural resources to benefit the country in the long run. The Indian government’s decision to pursue a project in the face of opposition seems valid because of the project’s potential to contribute to the country’s economy and prosperity. In conclusion, a government’s primary objective should be to employ the natural resources of the country in a way that benefit the country and its people.

[RaymondPrep101]

Prompt 22 blue181

 

Nowadays, for a business to become and remain successful, it must not only have innovative products, but attention to detail as well. This attention to detail can many times prevent unexpected issues from arising. However, some companies still choose to ignore certain details, a mistake which could lead to unexpected business problems. For example, in 2010 Toyota issued a recall for several million of their vehicles after receiving complaints about sticking accelerator pedals. Although the company later admitted they knew about potential problems with the accelerators even during their assembly, they claimed that the issues were not enough to warrant a recall. However, if Toyota had paid more attention to detail and inspected the accelerators more closely before putting them on the market, the company would not have had to go through the embarrassment of publicly admitting an issue that may have cost several people their lives. So in this case, more attention to detail could have prevented the problems and questions that Toyota had to face with regards to its image and safety standards.

Solid. However, stating that Toyota knew about the possibility of the problem undermines the unexpected element of the prompt. A bit more elaboration would have also been desirable.

 

However, sometimes even the utmost attention to detail cannot prevent unexpected business problems. Steve Jobs’ eye for detail is one of his best known qualities; however, for NeXT inc. – the company he founded in between his time with Apple, even his attention to detail could not prevent the problems that eventually led the company to failure. Jobs’ vision for NeXT was to create a top level desktop computer for students with the newest, state-of-the-art technology. Even though the computer itself was a high quality machine, it still failed to thrive on the market because it was simply far too expensive for its target market of students to afford. In this case, no amount of attention paid to the detail and quality of the product itself could have prevented the failure, because there just was not a market suitable for it at the time.

This is not really convincing. How could the fact that it is too expensive to have a market be missed? This is not really paying attention to detail.

 

Overall, whether or not attention to detail might prevent unexpected problems depends on if the problems are related to the quality of the product itself, or if they are related to other issues of the market. For Toyota, their lack of attention to detail compromised the quality of their product, which caused them issues with recalls, and questions regarding their safety standards. Their problem may have been prevented if they had been more careful with inspecting the faulty accelerator pedals before putting them out on the market. However, if the problems have to do with other factors of the market, such as choosing the wrong target audience in Steve Jobs’ case, then even attention to detail and creating a high quality product cannot really prevent unexpected issues from arising.

Good.

 

Overall Mark: 4/6 (Corresponds to approximately a P )

Breakdown (out of 6):

Addresses tasks: 4 Supporting task is adequately addressed. Refuting task is somewhat addressed. Resolution task is well addressed.

Depth: 4

Focus and coherence: 4.5

Grammar and vocabulary: 4.5

[RaymondPrep101]

Prompt 22 loopas

 

From a young age we are taught to pay attention to details; with activities like building puzzles and 'I spy with my little eye' our teachers instill in us a keen sense of detail. Interesting opening. I like the creativity. Though these games and actvities often seem trivial, they play a major role in creating successful business people. Businesses thrive on detail-oriented individuals who can forecast and thereby circumvent unexpected problems. For instance, in December 2011, a fire in AMRI Hospital, one of India's highest ranked medical facilities, took the lives of the over 80 patients and staff members. The fire department released a statement, in which the cause of the fire was said to be trash and combustible materials which were kept in a basement with no sprinklers. A few months prior to the accident, inspectors outlined these hazards in a document and warned hospital officials to carefully read the document. Hospital officials however, did not pay attention to details written in the document as they considered it to be a mere formality. Had hospital officials paid attention to details in the document and removed the dangerous items, they would have been able to avoid the fire and thereby save 80 lives.

This example is very well explained. However, this discussion is not very convincing from the unexpected problem point of view. They were warned about the problem so it could not have been unexpected.

 

Sometimes, however, attention to detail cannot prevent unexpected problems. For example, the Tato Nano, the cheapest car in the world, was marketed as 'the arrival of safety for the working class of India,' bringing to light the horrific pedestrian accidents that take place in India due to dreadful traffic laws and corrupt traffic police officers. Ironically, this car which was assembled on the basis of detail, because of the tight budget and the small size of the car, resulted in a number of deaths as it spontaneously burst into flames. In this case, paying attention to detail did not avoid this problem.

This is not as well written as the previous paragraph and it is also not convincing. How could a problem like the car spontaneously bursting into flames be missed if the company did indeed pay attention to detail?

 

Paying attention to detail might prevent unexpected problems if people are restless and impatient, and have overlooked important documents as was the case in the AMRI fire. If, however, all documents have been carefully looked at and analysed then paying further attention to details will not prevent problems as in the case of the Tata Nano.

Your resolution is insufficient. Your resolution principle is too narrow and lacks depth. The discussion here is so short that no strong argument can be put forward.

 

I feel that there is a time rationing issue here. Your essay starts off strong and creative and then degrades as it progresses.

 

Overall Mark: 2.5/6 (Corresponds to approximately a M )

Breakdown (out of 6):

Addresses tasks: 2.5 Supporting task is adequately addressed. Refuting task is weakly addressed. Resolution task is weakly addressed.

Depth: 2

Focus and coherence: 3

Grammar and vocabulary: 4

[RaymondPrep101]

Prompt 22 sixstar

Preventing unexpected problems is an important goal of all businesses. One way to prevent unexpected problems is to pay attention to detail. For instance, the toy company Fischer Price spends a significant amount of time and money on product testing. One of the most important types of product testing that a toy company will undertake is product safety testing. With product safety testing, paying attention to detail is of utmost importance. By throughly analyzing the safety details of a new toy, Fischer Price can avoid unexpected problems, that could result in costly product recalls.

This works. However, it is too general. More depth would help to improve it.

 

However, paying attention to detail doesn't always prevent unexpected problems. In businesses that deal with food sale and production, for instance, strict government regulations attempt to prevent food contamination and the spread of food-bourne illnesses. In the late 2000's, McDoanld's Canada had to cease the sale of all products that contained tomatoes or lettuce due to a recall of those products from a farm in the United States. Due to this, McDonald's Canada undoubtedly lost money from the loss of sales of some of their products. In this case, while all the McDonald's Resturants in Canada paid significant attention to detail of their own food safety protocol, they still encountered a issue with their final product due to issues that were beyond their control. This problem was a result of an accidental contamination that occured at a farm that wasn't owned or operated directly by McDonald's Canada. As such, no matter how much detail was paid to the food handling requirements by McDonald's Canada, this unexpected problem still occurred.

Excellent.

 

It would seem that paying attention to detail can prevent unexpected problems as long as the details are within the business's direct control. This is a bit too obvious and could be expressed in a way that has more depth. By focusing their efforts on testing the safety of the toys that they produce, Fischer Price hopes to prevent unexpected safety issues and costly product recalls. On the other hand, even though McDonald's Canada paid great attention to their food safety and handling procedures, they were not able to prevent unexpected problems that arose due to factors that were beyond their direct business control. As such, in this interconnected society, where more and more companies are outsourcing various aspects of their production to other businesses, paying attention to detail can only go so far in preventing unexpected problems.

Solid.

 

Your refuting and resolution paragraphs further accentuate the lack of depth in your supporting paragraph.

 

Overall Mark: 4.5/6 (Corresponds to approximately a Q)

Breakdown (out of 6):

Addresses tasks: 4.5 Supporting task is somewhat addressed. Refuting task is completely addressed. Resolution task is well addressed.

Depth: 4

Focus and coherence: 4.5

Grammar and vocabulary: 4

[RaymondPrep101]

Television has more influence on people than books do.

 

Describe a specific situation in which books have more influence on people than television does. Discuss what you think determines whether or not television has more influence on people than books do.

 

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.

 

Deadline

11:59pm Wednesday, June 6.

 

Essays posted after the deadline will not be scored but a new Prompt will be posted on Thursday, June 7.

[Chronograph]

Prompt 24

 

Television has more influence on people than books do.

 

Describe a specific situation in which books have more influence on people than television does. Discuss what you think determines whether or not television has more influence on people than books do.

 

-----------

The medium of conveying and reaching the general public has evolved from pictography, text, and voice to the current medium which is a merged chimera of all forms. This chimera is better known as the television. The television was invented in the early 20th century, and it was only during the 21st century when most homeownwers had a set of their own in their living rooms. In today's world, news are broadcasted within minutes of occurance and are viewed by millions of viewers live. Such a feat in technology allows the general public to always be briefed about the happenings of their neighborhoods, cities, states, and countries all over the world, which allows vieweres to act accordingly and have an influence in their nation. In April of 2012, Judge Moriati from Texas wanted to set an example of a student who has missed six days of school in one month so he decided to sentence the female student to 24 hours in jail with a fine of $100 USD. Despite being an honor student, and financially supporting two siblings with 2 jobs, the judge has tampered her future with a record. It didn't take long for the news to reach the world via television. The world was emotionally torn when her side of the story was revealed, and individuals of various countries donated money and signed a petition in her behalf to have the charge reversed. It only took 2 days before the charges were dropped and over 100,000USD was raised to help the young student with her struggles. It clearly observable the spell of influence the world was under once the news spread virally on their TVs.

 

Before televisions were widely adopted, many have relied on books and other written texts for source of knowledge and awareness. Despite the age of the book era, many still rely on books for source of knowledge and inspiration from historical events. The content that is available on TVs only amounts to a fraction of that available in books. When one wants more detail on a subject area, he or she cannot simply flip to a different station hoping for more insight. When the Royal Society of Science was still in its young developing stage, mainly notarized scientists were capable of publishing their findings due to their exposure to knowledge and financial stability. A book binder who specialized in binding pages together for publishers took the opportunity to read the submitted books before he had to return them. With a growing fascination in the field of lenses, the young book binder developed a microscope which he later submitted to the Royal Society of Science and was given credit for inventing one of the first microscopes.

 

From the aforementioned examples, it is evident that both mediums of communication and content can influence its audience depending on the subject of the content. When it comes current news in any subject area, TVs have a greater influence on its viewers as it is frequently covered on many TV stations and can localize the news to its appropriate audience. Books are equally influential when the subject of inquiry requires a greater depth and specialization of the topic.

[waldosa]

Television has more influence on people than books do.

 

The popular culture of our times tends to exhibit itself in many ways - with television and books being prominent examples. One notices, however, that television sometimes exerts a greater influence on the general populace than do books of learning or literature. Some of the staple pop culture items in our world today are reality shows on TV, for example. These shows, like "Jersey Shore", serialize the everyday lives of a glamorous group of friends. They are paid to live a lifestyle of excess and exuberance, and people watch this show, perhaps out of a desire to live like them. This desire carried through the medium of television often exhibits itself in real life. For example, Snookie, a prominent character on the show, was paid more than a Nobel Prize winner in Literature to be a speaker at a university convocation in 2011. These occasions are important rites of passages for the students and the fact that they entrust the principal speaker's responsibilities with Snookie over a Nobel laureate in Literature tells us that Jersey Shore, a TV show, has had more influence on them than the many books they came across in their university careers.

 

This is not always the case, because often books can be of greater influence than TV shows. In a series of interviews called "The Pleasure of Finding Things Out", Richard Feynman said that one of the greatest influences on his life were some calculus and physics books he borrowed from the library when he was still in high school. This was at a young age, when people are more susceptible to watching TV and being influenced by it, than books. This desire for a knowledge of the world around him continued well into his adulthood and into a career as a famous popularizer of science, as well as one of the greatest physicists the world has seen. The fact that some books influenced this young boy beyond any TV shows of his age shows a prominent example where books had a greater influence on a future scientist than did television.

 

In the same interview previously discussed, Dr. Feynman brought up the importance of a vivid imagination in reading. Books tend to require one to imagine the scenarios in the eye of their mind, and as such requires an imagination more vivid than that which is required by superficial television shows. In TV shows, one needs no imagination to enjoy the presentation, whereas books require the reader to imagine the situations presented on their own. Thus, whether TV or books yield the greater pleasure depends on the vividness of the consumer's imagination. A TV show like Jersey Shore requires little imagination because all the characters and plot points are acted out in front of the viewer, and for someone with a comparatively limited imagination, this may understandably be of great pleasure. However, someone with a more vivid imagination may be able to appreciate not only literature, but the music of the spheres in physics, the spatial concepts of calculus, and the beauty of reading, as the young Richard Feynman did.

 

Thanks Raymond!

[JB.]

Prompt 24 This is my first writing sample, so I really look forward to your feedback. Thank you!

 

Television encourages viewers to be passive. The latest technology of surround sound, high definition screens and three dimentional viewing, feeds the the disengaged tv "watcher". In contrast to the fast paced mode of television viewing where the viewer is encouraged to take every thought at face value, reading a book is much the same as taking a walk in nature- it requires a keen eye and a discerning mind. Since reading is self-directed, there is always time to re-read a difficult paragraph and time for a reader to pause and collect one's thoughts when considering an opposing viewpoint.

 

While television may have more influence on people who rely on it for different forms of instant gratification, books have more influence on people wishing to consider an idea from multiple angles. While a thirty minute television show may dedicate ten to fifteen minutes of time to commercials, books do not have the pressure of these time contstraints. As such, they are often good sources to weigh opposing viewpoints and explore complex ideas that would not be possible to be touched on in a thirty minute televison show.

 

Education, ability to analyze information and age are often contributing factors in determing the influence television has on its viewer. Education and analysis tend to go hand in hand, as a large part of education is learning techniques to analyze information. The ability to analyze information is also considered part of higher order thinking. People who do not have the capacity to analyze information may tend to gravitate toward simple media that does not encourage analysis of information. Age also plays a role in determining the influence of television. Young children are easily swayed by the things they see and hear. They too have not yet learned how to analyze information. This is often compounded by the fact that they are able to watch and comprehend television, far before they are ever able to comprehend the written word.

[kpm]

Television has more influence on people than books do.

 

Parents often complain that their children watch too much television and do not read enough books. However, television seems to appeal to everyone, not only children, with its fast-paced images and the lack of mental energy required to passively sit and watch a program. With its strong appeal, television has the ability to influence a wide range of viewers in a short amount of time. For example, anti-smoking campaigns on television have been quite successful in reducing smoking across North America. This is largely because of the repetitive quality of television in that a viewer may see the anti-smoking message up to four times during a one-hour television program. The ability to show gruesome images and heart-felt testimonials from people adversely affected by smoking only adds to the influence of television in this case. Textbooks about the risks associated with smoking reach a much smaller audience and exert much less influence on readers than the anti-smoking campaigns on television. This is because, after reading about the adverse effects of smoking, a reader can easily move onto something else and essentially forget about smoking and its effects.

 

However, sometimes books can have more influence on people than television. For example, textbooks that deal with complicated subjects exert more influence on the reader than a short television program on the subject would exert on the viewer. One cannot hope to master an in-depth subject such as philosophy or understand complicated physics equations just by watching television. These subjects require the active engagement of the reader with the subject matter, rather than the passive viewing of a short program or of a sequence of repetitive messages in campaigns or advertising.

 

Therefore, whether television or books have more influence depends on the type of message that is being communicated to the people. When the message is straightforward and requires convincing, as in the anti-smoking campaigns, television may have more influence than books because it has the ability to present a repetitive message and broadcast heart-felt testimonials. On the other hand, when a subject is relatively complicated and requires the ability to refer back to the material in order to effectively influence the reader, books may have more influence than a television program. This is because television, with its time constrictions, cannot convey complexities in detail. In general, most people are influenced by a combination of both books and television, depending on the subject matter.

 

Thanks a lot, Raymond!

[chenoa]

Thank you for this service! This is my first attempt at writing a response, I'm writing this summer and unfortunately WS has been neglected for far to long . . .

 

 

Television has more influence on people than books do.

 

Describe a specific situation in which books have more influence on people than television does. Discuss what you think determines whether or not television has more influence on people than books do.

 

In today’s “plugged in” North American society, television is a constant source of information. In inundates us with facts (think “24/7 news coverage) and advertisements (which may be overt or covert). It has the power to influence our decisions concerning what we choose to eat, buy, or wear. This is clear from the billions of dollars spent each yea crafting television advertisements. Savvy companies and businesspeople know that effective, well-timed advertising can influence more consumers to purchase their product. Who cannot picture the logo that accompanies the words “Just do it,” and who doesn’t have some inkling that cute, fluffy polar bears are somehow associated with Coca-Cola? Certainly, television is a medium that has great influence on North American behavior and culture.

 

However, television is not the only medium with some degree of power over us.

The “classics,” such as ****ens, Austen, Hemingway and Verne- are remembered and studied to this day. The lessons about humanity gleaned from Frankenstein, and the truths about love learned from, say, Pride and Prejudice - these are ideas that exist in our collective consciousness and that have shaped the foundations of how we think. Although books may not hold as much sway over what we choose to wear or eat, they guide our thinking on a deeper level.

 

When looking at the influence of television and books, it is clear that both media

can affect our thoughts and even our actions. Books have been around longer and therefore have shaped our collective consciousness and ideas about the basic truths of the universe. On the other hand, television, a powerful medium in itself, exerts more influence in terms of our decisions as modern consumers.

[Guest ST6nq]

Television has more influence on people than books do.

 

Describe a specific situation in which books have more influence on people than television does. Discuss what you think determines whether or not television has more influence on people than books do.

 

 

Television is ubiquitous in many modern day households, and its influence far reaching and powerful. When movies that strike an emotional chord in people are broadcasted on television, it has the potential to incite acts of greatness, or even acts of unspeakable evil. For example, there is strong evidence which suggests that the perpetrators of the Columbine High School Massacre of 1999 were able to devise such elaborate plans for murdering those who bullied them as a result of drawing inspiration from the gory movie “Natural Born Killers”. This movie was shown on television periodically, and the perpetrators commonly referenced it in their diaries and personal notes since they were able to connect so easily to the themes of murder and violence as seen in the movie, and this stirred up their imagination to the point that they felt confident enough to carry out a premeditated armed attack on their high school. Clearly, the ease with which the perpetrators had access to a television which indiscriminately showed violent movies played a role in influencing their mindset and planning process prior to their attack. It is this widespread availability of televisions which makes everyone in developed nations which advanced technology vulnerable to the inescapable influence of television.

 

Conversely, in underdeveloped regions of the world where people lack access to an abundance of televisions, books will usurp the role of televisions in terms of their influence on peoples’ lives. For instance, in remote areas in Saudia Arabia, where al-Qaeda formulated its plan to hijack airplanes and attack the World Trade Centre towers on September 11, 2001, televisions were scarce. This scarcity of televisions was necessary in order to exclude the possibility of external influences from shaping the opinions of terrorists training in these facilities. Instead, the terrorists had infinite access to a copy of the religious doctrine (the Quran) which they study in order to guide their inner motivations, serving as a source of profound influence over them. Here, the lack of access to television created the environment necessary whereby there was a reliance on a single book-the Quran-which had such an enormous influence on the terrorists training at these facilities that they devoted themselves completely to a self-proclaimed religious cause, which lead to the devastating attacks on American soil.

 

Therefore, whether or not television has a greater influence on people than books is dependent on the relative abundance of televisions in certain geographic regions. In many parts of the United States where televisions are commonly found in every household, the perpetrators of the Columbine High School massacre had ready access to violent movies which formed a component of the impetus they felt to engage in a murderous rampage in their high school, and there has been evidence in brought in court to show that this is in fact the case. Conversely, in regions which lack televisions, either due to poverty or the conscious exclusion of television as is the case with al-Qaeda’s training facilities in Saudi Arabia, the terrorists were reliant upon the Quran for moral guidance, and this undoubtedly played an important role in their steadfast devotion to commit heinous attacks against America. Overall, the influence of television and books on peoples’ lives is fundamentally due to the abundance of televisions, but the power of both instruments of information dissemination must never be underestimated, for the consequences in so doing could be severe.

[kylamonkey]

Television has more influence on people than books do

 

Television (TV) can exert an enormous influence on people. The media often decries dramatic violence shown on TV as being an influence on people to inflict real-life violence on others. In any case, the vast majority of TV viewing is oriented towards the quick, forgettable, fast-paced lifestyle that many people today live, and the influence, in most cases, on daily lives is similarly short-lasted. Some people might be drawn to the drama on TV because they are bored by their own lives, seeing their day-to-day normal lifestyle as boring. A danger can come when they try to inject more drama into their real-life interactions, encouraged by what is seen on TV. An extreme example might be found, again, in violence. A spur-of-the-moment act of violence can have profound effects on many lives, and if it can be shown to link back to TV violence, whether shown on the news or in dramatic shows, then TV does indeed affect lives in a very profound way.

 

There are many cases, however, where books have a profound influence on a person. A recent revitalization of book clubs has introduced literature to a whole new group of readers. Oprah Winfrey has used her influence to start books clubs al over North America. Books can take hours, days, or even months to read, but unlike many 30-minute TV programs, can continue to exert their influence even when the reader is not reading. For books to exert any influence, however, the reader must have the motivation to read in the first place. Some books can cause a person to change their life in ways that TV never can- for example, the highly popular self-help book "The Secret". This book is a manifesto for positive thinking and encourages the reader to change their life for the better. One would be hard-pressed to find a TV show with as much influence over lives than books of that sort.

 

Whether television or books have more influence on a person depends on the person themselves, and the myriad of factors that make that person unique. Factors such as age, education level, and the type of leisure time the person prefers influence whether a person chooses the long-term pleasure of a book, or the shorter and easier satisfaction of TV. Of course, even Oprah's book club, referenced above, only attained its popularity due to being promoted by a TV show! However, the short-term "fix" that TV can offer is not always long-lasting, with the content of the TV program often being forgotten shortly after it's over. The influence of books can be much longer lasting, and ultimately exert a greater influence on an individual's life, as long as the person is motivated to read.

[chris67]

It is undeniable that modern society is more fast paced than ever before: we are constantly pressured to finish tasks as fast and efficiently as possible. This kind of lifestyle has led people to favour television shows and films over written material, thus increasing the opportunity for visual media to affect people's opinions and actions. In 2002, a book called "The Truth Behind 9/11" was published. It called into question the events leading up to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and implied that some blame may be placed on the Bush government for not acting to prevent the attacks. The book was not marketed at all, and received little public attention. In 2004 famed filmaker Michael Moore released a film titled "Fahrenheit 9/11", which brought up many of the same ideas as the aforementioned book. It became a blockbuster hit, and the subject of much public debate and controversy.

 

However, it is still possible for books to influence people on a large scale. Before Dr. Atkins published his bestselling book "The Atkins Diet", he appeared on several daytime talk shows that focus on nutrition to discuss the benefits of low carb diets such as his own. His television appearances did little to spread his nutritional viewpoints. It wasn't until he put his thoughts together in a book and released it as "the secret to weight loss" that his ideas became part of mainstream beliefs about weightloss. His book became a bestseller, and his diet was followed by millions of people worldwide.

 

Ultimately, what determines whether television and visual media will be able to influence people more than a book is the audience that is reached. If many people are able to view the show or movie, then it has the potential to be influencial. Fahrenheit 9/11 was shown in theatres worldwide, and many audiences were exposed to its ideas. However, if a television program is available to only a small and specific audience, then it is unlikely that it will be able to exert a large influence on people. When Dr. Atkins appeared on daytime nutritional talk shows his audience consisted mostly of the unemployed who already had some interest in nutrition, which represents a relatively small portion of the population. By releasing a book, he made his views available to everyone who had access to a bookstore.

[DaKirbster]

Television has more influence on people than books do.

 

Describe a specific situation in which books have more influence on people than television does. Discuss what you think determines whether or not television has more influence on people than books do.

 

 

------------

 

 

People are naturally influenced by their environment and the activities in which they engage. Since the beginning of modern civilization, reading books has been a widespread activity among citizens. Similarly, since the invention of the television, watching television everyday has become a norm for many people. Television has become more popular than books, and along with that, it has a larger influence on people. Most people rely on television for entertainment and information. It connects them to fellow television-watchers and to their surroundings through news and media outlets. People will often reflect what they see on television into their daily lives. For example, Jersey Shore is a popular television series among youths and young adults. The series' viewers often reference the show and attempt to emulate the characters. Many people dress, talk, act, and have even come to think like the characters on the show. Some attempt to adopt the pseudonyms of the characters as well. Jersey Shore's popularity has resulted in it having a large impact on people, arguably much more than any modern book.

 

However, there are some cases whereby books have more influence on people than television does. This is often the case when the book was popularized in a time before the television was invented, or if it has had a significant historical impact. The Holy Bible, for example, is a book that has had a large influence on all of mankind. It has started religions, sparked wars, and guided the lives of many of its readers and followers. It is thousands of years old and yet even today it holds a great impact on the lives of many people around the world. Clearly, it has had a larger influence on people than any television show ever made, and likely always will.

 

What determines whether or not television has more influence on people than books do depends on whether the book was popular before the invention of the television. Jersey Shore has gained popularity among people today in a time where television shows are very widespread, accessible, and easy to watch; few modern books have had a similar influence on people. The Bible, on the other hand, was popular thousands of years ago before the invention of the television, and had a huge impact on the world. As such, its contents continue to be influential today - to interested readers and curious historians alike. There are old books - considered classics - that continue to be influential today despite the popularity of television. Perhaps one day, when some sort of super-television is invented, today's popular television shows will be studied for the influence they had on society.

[souljaboy]

Television has more influence on people than books do.

 

Describe a specific situation in which books have more influence on people than television does. Discuss what you think determines whether or not television has more influence on people than books do.

 

In today's world, most of the information we receive come from either the internet or television. Unsurprisingly, television usually has a much more profound influence on the general public that normal books because of our vast exposure to it. Television provides a medium where information is conveyed in visual form where it is much more vivid that text in a book. According to scientific studies, humans have a much stronger reaction to something they see graphically and hear directly as opposed to reading about in words. The majority of a U.S. presidential candidate's campaign fund is spent on television commercials to promote themselves because it is proven to have the greatest influence on the eventual result of an election. It is the greatest way for them to leave a lasting image in someone's mind, which is why it has the most profound effect.

 

Even though television has a much more significant impact on us nowadays, many books that has been passed along throughout history still remains very much influencial. The bible is a book that has been around for centuries and shapes the life of millions of people. Because of the its history and its importance in the largest religion worldwide, the bible has tremendous influence in people's lives and even countries. Many people have made dramatic changes to their lives simply by reading the bible. Remorseless criminals have completely changed their ways by reading the bible. Countries such as the United States have many laws that can be traced back to the bible and Christianity. The bible may just be a book, but it is capable of influencing people in such a dramatic way that television can never do.

 

Television is the by far more influencial than most books in our lives because of its visual impact, but some important historical books can have a much greater effect that television because of their significance. Someone can read a book to form an opinion, but the book can only use words to pass along its influence. When the person see something from television, it can completely changes their opinion because of the more powerful visual impact on our brains, which affects us more more than words do. However, the person can still have fundamental principles from the bible that they believe completely and television can never change their opinion. Only a few books, such as the bible and quran, have this impact on many people but the impact is greater than television can ever achieve.

[sharpshooter]

Prompt 24 Sharpshooter

 

Television has a major impact on people; it affects peoples choices and how they interact with others. Usually, television influences people more than books do. In one of the episodes of ‘The Office,’ a television comedy series, Jim said “It smells like up dog in here.” Then another character, Dwight, asked “What is up dog?” and Jim replied back “Nothing much. What is up with you?” After this episode, people at my school started to use Jim’s line from the show to humour themselves and others. Even my cousin asked me this question. I went along with the joke and I still found it funny since he laughed in a funny manner after replying to my question. The novels and textbooks we read for school did not really affect our behavior as much as television did since we often just memorized the material, regurgitated it on an exam, and then forgot the material after a couple of day. Furthermore, even my cousins in grade school often say “That is what she said,” which I believe is something they should not be saying at that age due saying’s sexual reference. This made me realize television is often more powerful than books at influencing others.

 

However, television does not always have more influence on people than books do. For example, the book ‘Doing Right’ has more influence on many medical school applicants than television does. Even the promotional video for University of Western Ontario’s medical school interview made a reference to the book. This book was written by a family physician, who explains ethical principles, such as the principle of beneficence, which asks the question “what can be done to help the patient?” He also discusses ethical scenarios, including abortion, reproductive technology, euthanasia, and end of life treatment. One of the case scenarios discusses a patient who believes in Jehovah’s witness and refuses to do a blood transfusion to save his life. In such a case, the medical doctor would have to respect the patient’s decision in refusing the blood transfusion since patients have a right to refuse treatment in Canada. If a medical school applicant does not read this book prior to an interview, he would probably say he would do the blood transfusion because he wants to save the patient’s life. However, doing the blood transfusion would be unethical in such a case. Thus, many applicants read the book, which highly influences their approach to answering ethical questions during medical school interviews.

 

Therefore, what determines whether television has more influence on people than books do depends if the influence pertains to morals or ethical decision making. If the influence is not in regard to morals or ethical-making, then television has more influence. For example, ‘The Office’ has more influence on students that their textbooks and novels they read for school. However, when the influence is in regard to morals or ethical decision making, books have more influence on people than books do. For instance, the book ‘Doing Right’ influences medical school applicants than any television show, even ‘House, which is medical drama series.

 

Thanks!

[blue181]

Thanks Raymond!

 

Television has more influence on people than books do.

 

Television has been around for a relatively short time compared to books, but by accessing the power of moving image and sound, its programs already can have more influence than books – especially when it comes to the general public. Through accessing more than one sense, a television program can convey a sense of reality to the portrayed subject better than the still print of a book. This sense of immediacy allows people to connect more easily with the program’s message, thus possibly influencing their interpretations and decisions about the subject. For example, many charities like World Vision have television commercials to try and convince viewers to sponsor a child in need. The video footage often details the hardships some of the children in developing countries face. Seeing their poor living conditions, malnourished bodies, and even hearing them talk about difficulties they deal with on a daily basis may help viewers really connect and understand the gravity of their situation. In this case, a print advertisement or a book written about those same children will probably not be as effective as the commercial at influencing viewers to donate, because television gives the audience a seemingly more direct connection to those children than a book could.

 

However, sometimes books can still be more influential than television programs. For example, many academic subject matters are published in print. The scientific community communicates through the publication of papers in journals. Once a researcher discovers something they believe to be novel, they publish their findings in a journal. Other researchers in the same field can then read about those findings which may influence the direction of their own work. Particularly revolutionary works like Darwin’s The Origin of Species can go on to influence how generations of scientists study evolutionary biology. In fact, Darwin is hailed as the “Father of Evolution” just because he was able to publish his theory of natural selection first, even though another scientist, Alfred Wallace, thought of the same theory independently at the same time; this difference shows just how influential a publication can be. Television programs are not really capable, nor are they appropriate for relating the kind of in depth scientific material presented in scientific books or journals, so books, in this case, can be more influential than television.

 

Overall, whether or not television has more influence on people than books depends on where the influence is sought to be exerted. If the goal is to influence many members of the general public, then television can probably be more effective than books because it is a more engaging media that sways the public’s opinion through the use of sound and visuals. Many charities use this advantage to create convincing commercials that urge viewers to donate. However, if the goal is to influence a more specific audience with more in depth information, television may not be the most efficient way to communicate such complex material, as it is used more often as a way to present simplified concepts suitable for the general public. For that reason, printed journals and books have far more influence on the scientific community than television programs can.

[RaymondPrep101]

Prompt 22 Enviro_4_Medschool

 

Africa is unique in that the middle part of Africa tends to be quite poor and the extreme Northern and Southern portions tend to have more wealth. One distinguishing characteristic between the central parts and the extremes word choice is the dependence on natural resource extraction for economic growth. Oil companies were supposed to pay Royalties to land owners but because of the tribal nature in much of central Africa the wealth was instead concentrated in the hands of tribal leaders. In fact, some would argue that having natural resources for these countries resulted in a decline in standard of living because of this refusal to transfer wealth while uprooting ordinary citizens. In contrast, Norway has one of the wealthiest per capita standards and have striven to create a more egalitarian society. The royalties from oil extraction in the north sea have been used to generate a substantial heritage fund. Moreover, this investment has payed for social institutions within Norway which further "incentivises" people to support natural resource extraction because their standard of living is amongst the highest int he world. Hence, when looking at the differences in the way central Africa has developed its resources over Norway, the contribution Norway has given to its people suggests that natural resource development should benefit the citizens of the country and nations should develope natural resources in a way that is agreeable to its citizens.

This is excellent. However, you should only have one supporting example rather than two. Only one is required and having two may seem better but it actually significantly complicates your resolution paragraph.

 

However, within countries there may be different subsets of citizens with different priorities or practises. In North America, there are numerous Aboriginal treaties where aboriginals belong to the country but are also distinct as citizens. In Canada there is a distinction between Aboriginal Law and Constitutional Law. Aboriginal Law considers serious alterations to natural landscapes as an affront to the principles of harmony with nature. Any decision regarding natural resource extraction requires Elder leader consent. If Canada forced natural resource extraction by using a claim like eniment domain, especially in highly contested areas like British Columbia, this may not agree with the principles of First Nations who would approve a more harmonious relationship with nature. In the case of British Columbia if the Federal Government forces development on aboriginal lands it may have to do so by force which would not be agreeable to the inhabitants of first nations. However, they could attempt to justify this by arguing for the greater good of the country and how the wealth generated would be beneficial to the country as a whole which could in turn help First Nations.

This example could work but is not explained in a way that addresses the writing task. Only the last sentence is actually on point and relevant. The rest of it is factual without developing a clear argument.

 

Even if First Nations culturally may be opposed to natural resource development, there are still ways of getting them to agree by providing incentives such as ownership in projects and job development. Why is this in your resolution paragraph? However, what is an important principle in natural resource development is that land owners and other stakeholders have a sense of inclusion in their development. That way they can work with companies to arrive at resolutions that benefit all stakeholders and also feel a sense of ownership that would act as an incentive to have successful development. Africa's resource extraction tends to be harmful not just environmentally but socially because of the tendency to exclude landowners in the process and concentrate wealth with tribal leaders. Perhaps if tribal leaders had done what the oil royalties were meant to do, the citizens could be more agreeable about development. Norway can be considered successful because oil development has amassed wealth in the country which has allowed its citizens to enjoy numerous social benefits. Moreover, by providing incentives back to the citizens, and a sense of inclusion, it is more likely that sustainable development options will be developed that most citizens find agreeable.

This does not address the resolution task. I would recommend familiarizing yourself with the requirements of the resolution paragraph. I also recommend following the standard template/format for the resolution paragraph.

 

Your supporting paragraph was excellent and then the essay started to lose focus and get off track.

 

I recommend starting with the basics. Your arguments in the refuting and resolution paragraphs are not on target and are not addressing the writing tasks.

 

Overall Mark: 2.5/6 (Corresponds to approximately a M )

Breakdown (out of 6):

Addresses tasks: 2.5 Supporting task is completely addressed. Refuting task is weakly addressed. Resolution task is not addressed.

Depth: 3

Focus and coherence: 2.5

Grammar and vocabulary: 4.5

[RaymondPrep101]

Prompt 22 perspectives

 

The citizens of a country are those with special privileges due to having met special criteria warranting citizenship. This is an awkward definition. A country therefore will try to do what is right for its citizens and this includes allocating resources in a way that will please its citizens. This means that however the natural resources are decided to be used, the citizens will agree to that usage ??. For example, lumber is an abundant natural resource found in Canada, and the lumber industry is a major source of revenue and economic growth. The citizens of Canada can agree to the allocation of lumber in exports because this creates numerous jobs for Canadian citizens, as well as a source of revenue for the country, indirectly leading to economic growth. Citizens will not disagree to this allocation because Canadian citizens are harmed in the process. ??

There are a few sentences that are confusing in terms of their idea. You have the basics of an example here. However, you should elaborate upon your points. The explanation here needs improvement.

However, there are also situations where a country will be justified in allocating the use of their natural resources in a way that does not sit well with their citizens. Good. For instance, space exploration requires the usage of extensive natural resources and citizens may not agree to this allocation due to a lack of foreseeable benefit. The NASA space program has been met with great disagreement from the citizens of the United States as they did not see how this will benefit them. However, the United States of America continued with this program even though it incurred many set-backs and high costs of natural resources because the pursuit of knowledge and understanding was something the country knew had to be explored. The potential from the NASA program can be put into context by Neil Armstrong: “that’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”

This is much better. This example could be excellent. The second half of the argument needs improvement. You need to explain further why the space program was still justifiable despite its high costs and despite objections from citizens. Knowledge is one benefit. What are some other benefits?

 

Whether or not a country’s natural resources should be allocated in a way agreeable to its citizens is contingent on the aims of the usage of the material. This is vague and ambiguous. Certain scenarios will call on a country to do what is best for the well-being of the entire world, and not just their own citizens. From the previously mentioned lumber example, the usage is not for any great innovation for the benefit of mankind. Lumber is used for the production of small household projects such as sheds, tree houses, and small wooden crafts. This usage may be highly satisfying for the household, but the aggregate usage will not make a big difference for humanity. However, in the exploration of space, gallons of oil, metals, and other natural resources are spent for the greater good of mankind. Although this does not benefit the country immediately, the aim and purpose of the allocation is for something greater than the individuals of a nation. A country’s limited natural resources are a scarce commodity, and their allocation is contingent on this key factor of what the end objectives to the resource are.

The idea here is a bit weak. I get what you are trying to say but it is not expressed in a convincing manner.

 

Overall Mark: 3/6 (Corresponds to approximately a N )

Breakdown (out of 6):

Addresses tasks: 3 Supporting task is weakly addressed. Refuting task is adequately addressed. Resolution task is somewhat addressed.

Depth: 3

Focus and coherence: 3.5

Grammar and vocabulary: 4

[RaymondPrep101]

Prompt 23 sixstar

 

In a democratic society, the government answers to it's citizens. As the citizens of a country provide a signficant amount of tax revenue for the government, and thus provides some of the funds used to invest in projects, such as natural resource development, it can be argued that a country should use its natural resources in a way that is agreeable to all its citizens. For instance, the oil sands industry in Canada serves as a significant source of revenue for the government. When a petroleum company intends to start extracting oil from a particular area, significant public consultation and public health testing must be held in order to gauge the impact that the proposed oil sands will have on the surronding communities. When public health was at risk due to the presence of a number of oil sands developments and their tailing ponds, such as in Fort Chipewyan in the early 2000s, the government responded to the public outcry over the health impacts of the tailing ponds and had to invest a significant amount of time and effort into investigating these health issues and imposing strict health regulations on current and future oil sands developments. In this case, the government acted in a way that would be agreeable to all its citizens by controlling oil sands development and imposing tighter health regulations in an effort to protect public health and well being.

Excellent.

However, a country may sometimes justifiably use its natural resources in a way that is not agreeable to all its citizens. This past spring in Canada, the leader of the Official Opposition, Thomas Mulcair, made the claim that the growing oil sands industry in Western Canada was one of the main factors leading to an inflated value of the Canadian dollar. In turn, Mulcair claimed that this overinflated Canadian dollar led to a decrease in the number of manufacturing jobs in Eastern Canada, due to the increased cost of exporting goods. This claim seemingly divided the country, as the booming oil sands industry in Western Canada was being accused of the crashing manfacturing industry in Eastern Canada. However, the ruling Conservative Party of Canada disagreed with those claims and openly stated that they still consider the development of the oil sands industry an important priority for Canada. In this case, the Conservatives made decisions about the usage of Canda's natural resources in a way that was not agreeable to all its citizens.

This is okay. More emphasis needs to be placed on why the government is still justified in using natural resources in a way that is disagreeable.

However, there is a bigger problem here. By using oil sands for both of your examples, it is impossible to create a strong contrast in your resolution paragraph. You should not use the same example for both supporting and refuting paragraphs.

 

It would seem that whether or not a country should use its natural resources in a way agreeable to all its citizens, would depend on the proiorties of the ruling party. This is vague and ambiguous. In the case of Fort Chipewyan and the surrounding communities, the government invested significant time and effort into managing the oil sands development when public health was at risk. As such, they acted in a way that would be agreeable to all citizens, as the health and well being of it's citizens was a prioirty of the ruling party. However, in the case of Thomas Mulcair's cliams about the impact of oil sands development on different parts of the country, the government acted in way that they felt would provide the greatest benefit to the country, even though not all of the citizens were in agreement. In this case, the finanical proirties of the ruling party superceded public opinion, and thus the government acted in a way that was not agreeable to all its citizens.

Just as expected you cannot create a strong contrast because you use the same example in both cases.

 

Overall Mark: 3.5/6 (Corresponds to approximately an O)

Breakdown (out of 6):

Addresses tasks: 3.5 Supporting task is completely addressed. Refuting task is somewhat addressed. Resolution task is weakly addressed.

Depth: 3

Focus and coherence: 3

Grammar and vocabulary: 4.5

[Enviro_4_Medschool]

Some of the most memorable moments in contemporary life have been captured by video and broadcasted on televisions. The manner in which these images have been portrayed have been significant in altering the course of policies and ways people have viewed certain events. It is because of the influence of a memorable televised images on widespread societal thought that has led some to theorize that television has more influence than books. When students protested in Tienanmen square, the footage captured profoundly changed the way the West viewed China. Prior to Tienanmen square there was the belief that China had largely abandoned the Great leap forward and was moving towards a more liberal and progressive society. The famous footage of a student in front of a tank showed just how non-existent democracy and liberalism was in China. This led to television having a significant influence on how people and politicians viewed China in ways that books written on the subject could have never influenced in such a rapid and memorable fashion.

 

However, books have held an appeal in influencing people on a personal belief level by establishing an ideology. The Quran has been vague about the way people should govern themselves but has influenced the way people conduct their daily lives. The Ayatollah Omani was the first to introduce the Burka on the interpretation of a passage about the appropriate clothing on woman and their role in sexuality. This interpretation from the book has influenced the way woman now dress and the manner in which they direct themselves in the middle east, but even there has been no interpretation by him they still would have individually found a way to meet the requirements about appropriate coverage. The influence of the Quran on people surpasses the influence from television because it largely is a personal interpretation that no visual image could replace. Moreover, Muslims do not believe in having visual images for any portrayal by Allah so one must be capable of reading to interpret and be influenced by the Quran.

 

Television and books influence people in different ways and scopes with television generally having, immediate, macroscale societal/political influences and books tending to focus on ideology have individual personal influences -- although mass personal interpretation of a book may also have macroscale effects -- especially in realms where there is no visual substitute. Television has been able to create immediate and widespread influences on how people view political events as in the case of Tienanmen square which was not only memorable but changed the way people perceived China. The Quran has influenced the way an entire region of the world conducts their lifestyle but is largely centered around a personal belief about the individual activities and has no visual substitute to influence thought. However, regardless of societal or individual we are all influenced by visual televised images and ideological influences that are best portrayed in books.

[Enviro_4_Medschool]

Thanks Raymond!

[loopas]

Thanks Raymond!

 

With children watching over 55 hours of television per week, television has a huge influence on their thoughts and actions. Television does not only affect the members of the so-called 'new generation', older people are also hooked on television with enticing afternoon soap operas making them hold on to the edge of their seats, while they wait to see whose child the female protagonist is carrying. Though television is a much newer medium of communication than books, it often has more influence on people than do books. This may be because people relate better to things when they are given a visual representation. In television, there is no ambiguity but in books, everything is left up to the imagination of the reader. For example, federal agencies often broadcast public service messages which bring to light issues like smoking and driving under influence. These advertisements often presented by people of authority or those whose lives have directly been touched by terrifying cases of such issues. For example, the Ontario government sponsors an advertisement in which a middle aged woman is shown talking about the adverse effects of smoking and how it has affected her lifestyle. At the end of the advertisement, she shows a picture of her lungs and compares them to the lungs of a person who has never smoked. This visual has a lot of influence on people and has proved as a deterrent to those who smoke.

 

In some cases, however, books prove to be more influential than television. Books use a didactic approach which is why they are sometimes considered to be more credible than television. For example, new drugs are often advertised on television but people do not go to the doctor right away and ask them to prescribe that drug; they do their own research by reading literature which outlines the specifics of the drug. Books are able to convey more information and each person is able to read at his/her own pace. Books are also more influential than television when people are looking for information on a certain topic; in this situation, people can not simply flip through the television channels hoping to find a program that is giving information about that specific topic whereas books are easily accessible at any time of the day.

 

What determines whether television or books have more influence on people is the type of information that is to be conveyed. When a large amount of information has to be conveyed, books are more influential because people can read them at their own pace whereas television is more influential when a convincing message in which a visual is needed has to be sent. Books should not be taken granted for in this modern age when television seems to be the main medium of communication because they are still invaluable to society.

[Elham]

Does anyone know what the newest prompt is and when is the deadline?

 

Thank you in advance.

[Up2Date]

Television has more influence on people than books do.

 

Describe a specific situation in which books have more influence on people than television does. Discuss what you think determines whether or not television has more influence on people than books do.

Adolf Hitler once said, “If you tell a big enough lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed”. Hitler was well-known for his passionate speeches which were broadcast over T.V during the Second World War. He often blamed Jews, gays, lesbians, the mentally ill, and other minorities for the economic and social problems of Germany. He began and ended speeches with proclamations of hate and that as the leader of Germany, his duty to the German people was to destroy these “infectious rats” from the society. The television was an important and influential technique in spreading Hitler’s propaganda because reached millions of people through a variety of different outlets including, television ads, the news and various talk shows. The Germans were bombarded with messages of hate and eventually, he was able to rally public support for his agenda. Therefore, during the Second World War and the years leading up to the war, Hitler was able to rally public support by using the television and exposing millions of Germans to his propaganda.

Although television is very influential, there are instances in which books can have a direct influence on public opinion. For instance, the Times listed George Orwell’s Animal Farm in their top 100 most influential books of all time. This satirical novel is a criticism of communist Russia during Stalin’s rule. The story revolves around a group of animals who have resisted the rule of mankind and instead have devised their own form of self-governance. It depicts a utopia that is destroyed by corruption and greed. This novel had a dramatic impact on the public’s perception of WW2; as a result, it was banned in Florida in 1987. Thus, George Orwell’s “Animal Farm” played an important role in the public’s impression of Stalin and the events of the Second World War.

Therefore, it is evidence that television can greatly impact the public opinion. During WW2, Hitler was able to rally public support by using television ads, speeches and talk shows to spread his message of hate. On the other hand, books can also influence the public’s perception of events. For instance, the portrayal of Stalin and the Second World War in Orwell’s “Animal Farm” was so influential that it was banned in Florida in 1987. Therefore, television can influence people during times of war while books can influence the public’s perception of history post-war.

 

THANK YOU