Theatre Research Paper Sample Essay Example

Theatre Research Paper Sample Essay Introduction Traditionally, a theatre has always played an essential role in the life of human society. It was one of the most popular arts, and it remains quite favorite for many people in different countries, regardless a tremendous technological progress the humankind has made in recent years that seemed to put the theatre under a threat of gradual degradation. Nevertheless, the theatre as an art is still popular and keeps progressing in many countries of the world. In this respect, it is particularly important that the theatre keeps progressing in the UK, the motherland of one of the most outstanding play writers of the world and undoubtedly the best English speaking play writers, William Shakespeare. It is particularly noteworthy that the theatre has been recognized as a national treasure of the United Kingdom that found its reflection in the creation of the Royal National Theatre of London, one of the most important cultural institutions of the kingdom and probably of Europe and even the world. In fact, it is very important that the theatre has received the status of the Royal National Theatre because it underlines its significance for the whole nation. This is why it is necessary to trace the history of creation and development of the Royal National Theatre and its current position, perspectives, and the role of British society. The history of the creation of the Royal National Theatre Speaking about the Royal National Theatre of London, it is primarily necessary to dwell upon the history of its creation because it is very important to realize what was the reason for the creation of the theatre and what was the initial goal of its creators. This will obviously provide ample opportunities for better understanding the nature and the role of the theatre for British society. We will write a custom essay sample on Theatre Research Paper Sample specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Theatre Research Paper Sample specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Theatre Research Paper Sample specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer In this respect, it should be said that physically the Royal National Theatre is a relatively new formation because of its historical accounts a bit more than forty years since the date of its foundation. It should be pointed out that the idea of the creation of the Royal National Theatre was not new and it appeared not fort but much more years ago. In fact, it is estimated that the idea of the creation of the National Theatre originates from late 19the century, but it is hardly possible to define a precise date when this idea had been shaped and had got started to develop. Nonetheless, it is possible to refer to William Archer and H. Granville Barker who in the early 20th century, to put it more precisely in 1904, in their Preface to a National Theatre underlined that â€Å"†¦ the National Theatre must be its advertisement – must impose itself on public notice, not by posters and column advertisements in the newspapers, but by the very fact of its ample, dignified, and liberal existence† (1907). They defined its basic goals as follows: â€Å"It must bulk large in the social and intellectual life of London†¦ It must not even have an air of appealing to especially literary and cultured class. It must be visibly and unmistakably a popular institution, making a large appeal to the whole community†¦ It will be seen that the theatre we propose would be a National Theatre in this sense, that it would be from the first conditionally – and, in the event of success, would become absolutely – the property of the nationà ¢â‚¬  (Archer and Barker 1907, p.5). It is obvious that the National Theatre was initially viewed as the theatre for large masses of people, as a popular theatre that would be accessible and understandable for all; that would attract people to the art and spread the culture into masses. In fact, it is possible to estimate that the Royal National Theatre was thought of as a theatre that could be a cultural core of the nation. Gradually, these ideas were developing and eventually they had been realized on October 22, 1963, when the National Theatre headed by Laurence Olivier started its work with the opening night of Hamlet starring Peter O’Toole. This date is traditionally considered to be the date of the foundation of the National Theatre of London, which was later attributed as the Royal National Theatre of London in 1988. The main events in the history of the Royal National Theatre Since the date of its foundation, the Royal National Theatre has faced some peaks and troughs, but the theatre is still accessible and may be proud of its history. In this respect, it worth to mention that despite its relatively short history, starting with 1963, there have been produced over 600 plays, and nowadays there are over 1,000 performances a year, given by a company of 150 actors to over 600,000 of people (Callow 1997). It is quite remarkable that the Royal National Theatre started in premises at the Old Vic and it did not have a new building as well as it did not receive a new building as it had been initially promised. In fact, the National Theatre did not have a permanent home until 1976, when Denys Lasun’s National Theatre building was opened (Callow 1997). Probably, the latter fact was also a result of the change of the director because in 1973 Peter Hall â€Å"took over the dictatorship† (Cohen and Smith 1997, p.301) in the National Theatre. It is under his run the National Theatre of London, and in 1976-1977 the Theatre opened its new buildings in the South bank of the Thames. And only more than a decade ago, in 1988 the National Theatre got a new name. This year the name of the company was changed to the Royal National Theatre of London (Callow 1997). But it is not only the name that was changed but so was the director. As a result, in 1988 Richard Eyre took over as a director of the Royal National Theatre. He was later succeeded by Trevor Nunn in 1997 and Nicholas Hytner in 2003. Nowadays, the Royal National Theatre â€Å"engages many of England’s talented actors, directors, and designers to produce its repertory of classics and modern plays† (Hunkin 2004, p.106). Among its most successful performances that made the Royal National Theatres of London recognizable all over the world may be named Cats, Les Miserable and many others.Nonetheless, it still worth to mention that the problem with the permanent home the theatre lacked at the beginning of its existence, was not the only problem the Royal National Theatre faced. There were also problems concerning the popularity of the theatre and sometimes the lack of innovations that often put the theatre into crises that marked the change of its directors. Not surprisingly that the recent years were marked by often changes of the Theatre’s directors compared to the past years. Nicholas Hytner as an Artistic Director of the Royal National Theatre It should be said that the appointment of Nicholas Hytner as an Artistic Director of the Royal National Theatre was the result of the stagnation of the theatre and the obvious necessity of changes that were vitally important for further development of the theatre. At the same time, Nicholas Hytner was perceived in different ways as a director of the Royal National Theatre of London. Nonetheless, it is necessary to underline that he realised his mission and the role of the theatre for British society. For instance, at the beginning of his work in the Royal National Theatre, he emphasized that â€Å"it is a great time to be a national theatre and to rise to the challenge to living up to our name. We want to tell the stories that chart the way the nation is changing. We want to bring front-line reports from new communities and generations, and we want to see the present redefined in the context of the past† (Hunkin 2004, p.59). In such a way it seems that he understands the challenges the theatre faces in the current situation. As a result, he initially planned to adopt the theatre to the current needs of the society that was changing. It is an undeniable fact that nowadays, British society is getting to be more heterogeneous, more diverse, and it tends to be rather multicultural that the theatre should take into consideration. On assessing the role of Nicholas Hytner for the Royal National Theatre and its progress, it is necessary to point out that his work is highly controversial. On the one hand, he tends to be innovative and appeals to use new original forms but, on the other hand, his policy is considered to be too radical that often leads to conflicts and even the protest of some part of the audience. To better understand such a situation and the position and policy of Nicholas Hytner, it is necessary to draw some examples and basic concepts of his policy. For instance, Nicholas Hytner underlines the importance of the theatre at large and the Royal National Theatre in particular as educational tools that should be accessible for British children, which as he states ‘are robbed.’ In other words, the new director of the Royal National Theatre estimates that â€Å"a cultural apartheid is being created in which children from state schools are missing out on theatre and art† (Hunkin 2004, p.152). In this respect, it should be said that, to a certain extent, he is right because children from state schools are deprived of a possibility to get acquainted with art and theatre because of the lack of funding. As a result, the â€Å"pillars of British culture† (Hunkin 2004, p.166) remain a kind of terra incognita for the vast majority of British children. However, on the other hand, what would the British children, which Nicholas Hytner cares so much about, see in the Royal National Theatre headed by this Artistic Director? One of the basic concepts of his policy is the idea that the theatre should be offensive since, according to him, â€Å"the Western theatre was invented in Athens precisely to put on stage feelings that were too dangerous to experience in real life† (Hunkin 2004, p.218). Not surprisingly that he considers that offense in a way is a part of the theatre. As a result, it is possible to speak that such a concept seems to be too radical for the director of the Royal National Theatre of London and in such a context the recent protests of the Sikh community eventually resulting in the closure of a play are quite logical and demonstrate the degree of radicalism in the policy of the new Artistic Director. The predecessors of Nicholas Hytner and difference in their policy However, despite certain radicalism that seems to be typical for the policy of Nicholas Hytner, he is a successor of the policy started by his predecessors. In fact, his primary motivating factor is the necessity to sustain the development of the theatre and keep its popularity among people. In other words, the Royal National Theatre should progress and remain close to ordinary British people, understandable and interesting for them. Not surprisingly that â€Å"Hytner’s approach to the theatre will not be seen like a million miles away from that of his predecessors† (Hunkin 2004, p.322). Nonetheless, there are some differences if not in the policy then, at least in the objectives Nicholas Hytner faces compared with his predecessors. For instance, it is not a secret that Trevor Nunn, the producer of famous Cats and Les Miserable, â€Å"became the centre of controversy for his decision to stage so-called extravagant, commercial production in the theatre† (Hunkin 2004, p..325) while one of the main tasks of Nicholas Hytner’s policy is to prevent the Royal National Theatre of London from commercialisation and the increase of the role of commercial productions. By the way, business productions have always been used by the directors of the Royal National Theatre to make this institution more financially independent and stable. And this is probably the main difference between Nicholas Hytner’s strategic goals and his predecessors. The role of the Royal National Theatre for British cultural life Apparently, it is difficult to underestimate the part of the Royal National Theatre in the life of British society. It is even possible to estimate that the theatre is a cornerstone of the cultural life of the British society because it sustains the uniqueness of the national theatre, art, and culture at large. Naturally, nowadays the Royal National Theatre has to overcome the resistance that the new pop culture poses before traditional British theatrical art. In fact, it is hardly possible to deny that the contemporary society is characterized by an extremely high level of consumerism that affects the attitude of people to the theatre and art at large. In such a situation the Royal National Theatre of London seems to be a rare exception from general rules of the consumer society which appreciate primarily the artistic success and not commercial one. Furthermore, nowadays British society and the Royal National Theatre face new challenges such as the spread of new cultures in the UK resulting from an increasing number of immigrants from different countries of the world. As a result, the UK becomes an unprecedentedly multicultural nation where different culture should live in harmony, and in such a situation the role of the Royal National Theatre is hardly possible to underestimate since art has power to unite people, regardless their ethnic or racial differences, social status, educational level, etc. My mission statement for the Royal National Theatre Taking into account what has been just mentioned above, it is possible to define the perspectives and the primary goals the Royal National Theatre should achieve in the nearest future. If I managed to gain such a public and national recognition that I could become the Artistic Director of the Royal National Theatre of London I Would primarily define the primary objectives, which should correspond to the current social and cultural changes that take place in the British society. In this respect, I believe that one of the main goals of the Royal National Theatre is to sustain its basic principles, according to which the theatre serves to the interest of ordinary people and it should involve possibly larger audience in order to promote art both classical and modern, make it more accessible for people without changing its cultural value. In other words, it is necessary to develop traditions of British theatre as a branch of art and the Royal National Theatre should be a kind of a beacon for the broad audience and for other shows that are currently too commercialized. At the same time, it seems to be inevitable that in perspective the Royal National Theatre would absorb rich traditions of other cultures that are currently growing in power in the UK, such as Indian for instance, and eventually, the theatre would contribute to the harmonization of the new multicultural society using art.

Sample of Simple Speech Essay

Sample of Simple Speech EssayAs the oldest and still the most widely used writing form, essay writing is as old as humanity itself. That is the reason why we find so many variations in writing a sample of simple speech essay. Whether your topic is the celebration of Easter or just your personal and family life, you can be sure that you will find one kind of essay that fits all your needs.Let us take a look at some typical traits that we will encounter in a basic speech essay. The first of these traits is the fact that a sample of simple speech has no fixed point and will incorporate many different genres and methods of speech.A sample of simple speech also allows for the flexibility of style. It does not dictate a way of speaking. This means that you can make it sound as formal as possible and as informal as you want to make it. A good example is the use of formal speech pauses.If you want to throw in a little ornament of style and try to make it seem more formal than it really is, t here is a nice example for you here. The pause can be shortened into just a couple of seconds, giving the impression that you have a much bigger pause than you actually do. With this method, it is not necessary to write a formal introduction because the introduction only serves as a reminder of the reason of writing the essay in the first place.This is also applicable to any important point you want to highlight. You can simply write down the part of speech that will provide the emphasis for the whole essay.Also, the use of short and concise sentences is always useful. You can even work on making these short sentences sound more formal and be able to combine both of them into a more complex statement.Lastly, a sample of simple speech essay will definitely include a rhetorical question. The rhetorical question will give the essay its punch. You can also write short essays that are as long as you like.The main thing you should keep in mind when writing an essay is to write in a manner that will provide you with an insight into the real life of the person who is the subject of the essay. It will reveal everything you need to know about that person. You will also be able to describe your own experiences.

How to Write an A+ Argumentative Essay

How to Write an A+ Argumentative Essay SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips You'll no doubt have to write a number of argumentative essays in both high school and college, but what, exactly, is an argumentative essay and how do you write the best one possible? Let's take a look. A great argumentative essay always combines the same basic elements: approaching an argument from a rational perspective, researching sources, supporting your claims using facts rather than opinion, and articulating your reasoning into the most cogent and reasoned points. Argumentative essays are great building blocks for all sorts of research and rhetoric, so your teachers will expect you to master the technique before long. But if this sounds daunting, never fear! We’ll show how an argumentative essay differs from other kinds of papers, how to research and write them, how to pick an argumentative essay topic, and where to find example essays. So let's get started. What Is an Argumentative Essay? How Is it Different from Other Kinds of Essays? There are two basic requirements for any and all essays: to state a claim (a thesis statement) and to support that claim with evidence. Though every essay is founded on these two ideas, there are several different types of essays, differentiated by the style of the writing, how the writer presents the thesis, and the types of evidence used to support the thesis statement. Essays can be roughly divided into four different types: #1: Argumentative#2: Persuasive#3: Expository#4: Analytical So let’s look at each type and what the differences are between them before we focus the rest of our time to argumentative essays. Argumentative Essay Argumentative essays are what this article is all about, so let's talk about them first. An argumentative essay attempts to convince a reader to agree with a particular argument (the writer's thesis statement). The writer takes a firm stand one way or another on a topic and then uses hard evidence to support that stance. An argumentative essay seeks to prove to the reader that one argument- the writer's argument- is the factually and logically correct one. This means that an argumentative essay must use only evidence-based support to back up a claim, rather than emotional or philosophical reasoning (which is often allowed in other types of essays). Thus, an argumentative essay has a burden of substantiated proof and sources, whereas some other types of essays (namely persuasive essays) do not. You can write an argumentative essay on any topic, so long as there's room for argument. Generally, you can use the same topics for both a persuasive essay or an argumentative one, so long as you support the argumentative essay with hard evidence. Example topics of an argumentative essay: â€Å"Should farmers be allowed to shoot wolves if those wolves injure or kill farm animals?† â€Å"Should the drinking age be lowered in the United States?† â€Å"Are alternatives to democracy effective and/or feasible to implement?† The next three types of essays are not argumentative essays, but you may have written them in school. We're going to cover them so you know what not to do for your argumentative essay. Persuasive Essay Persuasive essays are similar to argumentative essays, so it can be easy to get them confused. But knowing what makes an argumentative essay different than a persuasive essay can often mean the difference between an excellent grade and an average one. Persuasive essays seek to persuade a reader to agree with the point of view of the writer, whether that point of view is based on factual evidence or not. The writer has much more flexibility in the evidence they can use, with the ability to use moral, cultural, or opinion-based reasoning as well as factual reasoning to persuade the reader to agree the writer’s side of a given issue. Instead of being forced to use â€Å"pure† reason as one would in an argumentative essay, the writer of a persuasive essay can manipulate or appeal to the reader’s emotions. So long as the writer attempts to steer the readers into agreeing with the thesis statement, the writer doesn’t necessarily need hard evidence in favor of the argument. Often, you can use the same topics for both a persuasive essay or an argumentative one- the difference is all in the approach and the evidence you present. Example topics of a persuasive essay: â€Å"Should children be responsible for their parents’ debts?† â€Å"Should cheating on a test be automatic grounds for expulsion?† â€Å"How much should sports leagues be held accountable for player injuries and the long-term consequences of those injuries?† Expository Essay An expository essay is typically a short essay in which the writer explains an idea, issue, or theme, or discusses the history of a person, place, or idea. This is typically a fact-forward essay with little argument or opinion one way or the other. Example topics of an expository essay: â€Å"The History of the Philadelphia Liberty Bell† â€Å"The Reasons I Always Wanted to be a Doctor† â€Å"The Meaning Behind the Colloquialism ‘People in Glass Houses Shouldn’t Throw Stones’† Analytical Essay An analytical essay seeks to delve into the deeper meaning of a text or work of art, or unpack a complicated idea. These kinds of essays closely interpret a source and look into its meaning by analyzing it at both a macro and micro level. This type of analysis can be augmented by historical context or other expert or widely-regarded opinions on the subject, but is mainly supported directly through the original source (the piece or art or text being analyzed). Example topics of an analytical essay: â€Å"Victory Gin in Place of Water: The Symbolism Behind Gin as the Only Potable Substance in George Orwell's 1984† â€Å"Amarna Period Art: The Meaning Behind the Shift from Rigid to Fluid Poses† â€Å"Adultery During WWII, as Told Through a Series of Letters to and from Soldiers† There are many different types of essay and, over time, you'll be able to master them all. A Typical Argumentative Essay Assignment The average argumentative essay is between three to five pages, and will require at least three or four separate sources with which to back your claims. As for the essay topic, you'll most often be asked to write an argumentative essay in an English class on a â€Å"general† topic of your choice, ranging the gamut from science, to history, to literature. But while the topics of an argumentative essay can span several different fields, the structure of an argumentative essay is always the same: you must support a claim- a claim that can reasonably have multiple sides- using multiple sources and using a standard essay format (which we'll talk about later on). This is why many argumentative essay topics begin with the word â€Å"should,† as in: â€Å"Should all students be required to learn chemistry in high school?† â€Å"Should children be required to learn a second language?† â€Å"Should schools or governments be allowed to ban books?† These topics all have at least two sides of the argument: Yes or no. And you must support the side you choose with evidence as to why your side is the correct one. But there are also plenty of other ways to frame an argumentative essay as well: â€Å"Does using social media do more to benefit or harm people?† â€Å"Does the legal status of artwork or its creators- graffiti and vandalism, pirated media, a creator who’s in jail- have an impact on the art itself?† â€Å"Is or should anyone ever be ‘above the law?’† Though these are worded differently than the first three, you're still essentially forced to pick between two sides of an issue: yes or no, for or against, benefit or detriment. Though your argument might not fall entirely into one side of the divide or another- for instance, you could claim that social media has positively impacted some aspects of modern life while being a detriment to others- your essay should still support one side of the argument above all. Your final stance would be that overall, social media is beneficial or overall, social media is harmful. If your argument is one that is mostly text-based or backed by a single source (e.g., â€Å"How does Salinger show that Holden Caulfield is an unreliable narrator?† or â€Å"Does Gatsby personify the American Dream?†), then it’s an analytical essay, rather than an argumentative essay. An argumentative essay will always be focused on more general topics so that you can use multiple sources to back up your claims. Good Argumentative Essay Topics So you know the basic idea behind an argumentative essay, but what topic should you write about? Again, almost always, you'll be asked to write an argumentative essay on a free topic of your choice, or you'll be asked to select between a few given topics. If you're given complete free reign of topics, then it'll be up to you to find an essay topic that no only appeals to you, but that you can turn into an A+ argumentative essay. What makes a â€Å"good† argumentative essay topic depends on both the subject matter and your personal interest- it can be hard to give your best effort on something that bores you to tears! But it can also be near impossible to write an argumentative essay on a topic that has no room for debate. As we said earlier, a good argumentative essay topic will be one that has the potential to reasonably go in at least two directions- for or against, yes or no, and why. For example, it’s pretty hard to write an argumentative essay on whether or not people should be allowed to murder one another- not a whole lot of debate there for most people!- but writing an essay for or against the death penalty has a lot more wiggle room for evidence and argument. A good topic is also one that can be substantiated through hard evidence and relevant sources. So be sure to pick a topic that other people have studied (or at least studied elements of) so that you can use their data in your argument. For example, if you’re arguing that it should be mandatory for all middle school children to play a sport, you might have to apply smaller scientific data points to the larger picture you're trying to justify. There are probably several studies you could cite on the benefits of physical activity and the positive effect structure and teamwork has on young minds, but there's probably no study you could use where a group of scientists put all middle-schoolers in one jurisdiction into a mandatory sports program (since that’s probably never happened). So long as your evidence is relevant to your point and you can extrapolate from it to form a larger whole, you can use it as a part of your resource material. And if you need ideas on where to get started, or just want to see sample argumentative essay topics, then check out these links for hundreds of potential argumentative essay topics. 101 Persuasive (or Argumentative) Essay and Speech Topics 301 Prompts for Argumentative Writing Top 50 Ideas for Argumentative/Persuasive Essay Writing [Note: some of these say "persuasive essay topics," but just remember that the same topic can often be used for both a persuasive essay and an argumentative essay; the difference is in your writing style and the evidence you use to support your claims.] KO! Find that one argumentative essay topic you can absolutely conquer. Argumentative Essay Format Argumentative Essays are composed of four main elements: A position (your argument) Your reasons Supporting evidence for those reasons (from reliable sources) Counterargument(s) (possible opposing arguments and reasons why those arguments are incorrect) If you’re familiar with essay writing in general, then you’re also probably familiar with the five paragraph essay structure. This structure is a simple tool to show how one outlines an essay and breaks it down into its component parts, although it can be expanded into as many paragraphs as you want beyond the core five. The standard argumentative essay is often 3-5 pages, which will usually mean a lot more than five paragraphs, but your overall structure will look the same as a much shorter essay. An argumentative essay at its simplest structure will look like: Paragraph 1: Intro Set up the story/problem/issue Thesis/claim Paragraph 2: Support Reason #1 claim is correct Supporting evidence with sources Paragraph 3: Support Reason #2 claim is correct Supporting evidence with sources Paragraph 4: Counterargument Explanation of argument for the other side Refutation of opposing argument with supporting evidence Paragraph 5: Conclusion Re-state claim Sum up reasons and support of claim from the essay to prove claim is correct Now let’s unpack each of these paragraph types to see how they work (with examples!), what goes into them, and why. Paragraph 1- Set Up and Claim Your first task is to introduce the reader to the topic at hand so they’ll be prepared for your claim. Give a little background information, set the scene, and give the reader some stakes so that they care about the issue you're going to discuss. Next, you absolutely must have a position on an argument and make that position clear to the readers. It’s not an argumentative essay unless you’re arguing for a specific claim, and this claim will be your thesis statement. Your thesis CANNOT be a mere statement of fact (e.g., â€Å"Washington DC is the capital of the United States†). Your thesis must instead be an opinion which can be backed up with evidence and has the potential to be argued against (e.g., â€Å"New York should be the capital of the United States†). Paragraphs 2 and 3- Your Evidence These are your body paragraphs in which you give the reasons why your argument is the best one and back up this reasoning with concrete evidence. The argument supporting the thesis of an argumentative essay should be one that can be supported by facts and evidence, rather than personal opinion or cultural or religious mores. For example, if you’re arguing that New York should be the new capital of the US, you would have to back up that fact by discussing the factual contrasts between New York and DC in terms of location, population, revenue, and laws. You would then have to talk about the precedents for what makes for a good capital city and why New York fits the bill more than DC does. Your argument can’t simply be that a lot of people think New York is the best city ever and that you agree. In addition to using concrete evidence, you always want to keep the tone of your essay passionate, but impersonal. Even though you’re writing your argument from a single opinion, don’t use first person language- â€Å"I think,† â€Å"I feel,† â€Å"I believe,†- to present your claims. Doing so is repetitive, since by writing the essay you’re already telling the audience what you feel, and using first person language weakens your writing voice. For example, â€Å"I think that Washington DC is no longer suited to be the capital city of the United States.† Versus, â€Å"Washington DC is no longer suited to be the capital city of the United States.† The second statement sounds far stronger and more analytical. Paragraph 4- Argument for the Other Side and Refutation Even without a counter argument, you can make a pretty persuasive claim, but a counterargument will round out your essay into one that is much more persuasive and substantial. By anticipating an argument against your claim and taking the initiative to counter it, you’re allowing yourself to get ahead of the game. This way, you show that you’ve given great thought to all sides of the issue before choosing your position, and you demonstrate in multiple ways how yours is the more reasoned and supported side. Paragraph 5- Conclusion This paragraph is where you re-state your argument and summarize why it’s the best claim. Briefly touch on your supporting evidence and voila! A finished argumentative essay. Your essay should have just as awesome a skeleton as this plesiosaur does. (In other words: a ridiculously awesome skeleton) Argumentative Essay Example: 5-Paragraph Style It always helps to have an example to learn from. I've written a full 5-paragraph argumentative essay here. Look at how I state my thesis in paragraph 1, give supporting evidence in paragraphs 2 and 3, address a counterargument in paragraph 4, and conclude in paragraph 5. Topic: Is it possible to maintain conflicting loyalties? Paragraph 1 It is almost impossible to go through life without encountering a situation where your loyalties to different people or causes come into conflict with each other. Maybe you have a loving relationship with your sister, but she disagrees with your decision to join the army, or you find yourself torn between your cultural beliefs and your scientific ones. These conflicting loyalties can often be maintained for a time, but as examples from both history and psychological theory illustrate, sooner or later, people have to make a choice between competing loyalties, as no one can maintain a conflicting loyalty or belief system forever. The first two sentences set the scene and give some hypothetical examples and stakes for the reader to care about. The third sentence finishes off the intro with the thesis statement, making very clear how the author stands on the issue ("people have to make a choice between competing loyalties, as no one can maintain a conflicting loyalty or belief system forever.") Paragraphs 2 and 3 Psychological theory states that human beings are not equipped to maintain conflicting loyalties indefinitely and that attempting to do so leads to a state called â€Å"cognitive dissonance.† Cognitive dissonance theory is the psychological idea that people undergo tremendous mental stress or anxiety when holding contradictory beliefs, values, or loyalties (Festinger, 1957). Even if human beings initially hold a conflicting loyalty, they will do their best to find a mental equilibrium by making a choice between those loyalties- stay stalwart to a belief system or change their beliefs. One of the earliest formal examples of cognitive dissonance theory comes from Leon Festinger’s When Prophesy Fails. Members of an apocalyptic cult are told that the end of the world will occur on a specific date and that they alone will be spared the Earth’s destruction. When that day comes and goes with no apocalypse, the cult members face a cognitive dissonance between what they s ee and what they’ve been led to believe (Festinger, 1956). Some choose to believe that the cult's beliefs are still correct, but that the Earth was simply spared from destruction by mercy, while others choose to believe that they were lied to and that the cult was fraudulent all along. Both beliefs cannot be correct at the same time, and so the cult members are forced to make their choice. But even when conflicting loyalties can lead to potentially physical, rather than just mental, consequences, people will always make a choice to fall on one side or other of a dividing line. Take, for instance, Nicolaus Copernicus, a man born and raised in Catholic Poland (and educated in Catholic Italy). Though the Catholic church dictated specific scientific teachings, Copernicus' loyalty to his own observations and scientific evidence won out over his loyalty to his country’s government and belief system. When he published his heliocentric model of the solar systemin opposition to the geocentric model that had been widely accepted for hundreds of years (Hannam, 2011) Copernicus was making a choice between his loyalties. In an attempt to maintain his fealty both to the established system and to what he believed, he sat on his findings for a number of years (Fantoli, 1994). But, ultimately, Copernicus made the choice to side with his beliefs and observations above all and pub lished his work for the world to see (even though, in doing so, he risked both his reputation and personal freedoms). These two paragraphs provide the reasons why the author supports the main argument and uses substantiated sources to back those reasons. The paragraph on cognitive dissonance theory gives both broad supporting evidence and more narrow, detailed supporting evidence to show why the thesis statement is correct not just anecdotally but also scientifically and psychologically. First, we see why people in general have a difficult time accepting conflicting loyalties and desires and then how this applies to individuals through the example of the cult members from the Dr. Festinger's research. The next paragraph continues to use more detailed examples from history to provide further evidence of why the thesis that people cannot indefinitely maintain conflicting loyalties is true. Paragraph 4 Some will claim that it is possible to maintain conflicting beliefs or loyalties permanently, but this is often more a matter of people deluding themselves and still making a choice for one side or the other, rather than truly maintaining loyalty to both sides equally. For example, Lancelot du Lac typifies a person who claims to maintain a balanced loyalty between to two parties, but his attempt to do so fails (as all attempts to permanently maintain conflicting loyalties must). Lancelot tells himself and others that he is equally devoted to both King Arthur and his court and to being Queen Guinevere’s knight (Malory, 2008). But he can neither be in two places at once to protect both the king and queen, nor can he help but let his romantic feelings for the queen to interfere with his duties to the king and the kingdom. Ultimately, he and Queen Guinevere give into their feelings for one another and Lancelot- though he denies it- chooses his loyalty to her over his loyalty to Ar thur. This decision plunges the kingdom into a civil war, ages Lancelot prematurely, and ultimately leads to Camelot’s ruin (Raabe, 1987). Though Lancelot claimed to have been loyal to both the king and the queen, this loyalty was ultimately in conflict, and he could not maintain it. Here we have the acknowledgement of a potential counter-argument and the evidence as to why it isn't true. The argument is that some people (or literary characters) have asserted that they give equal weight to their conflicting loyalties. The refutation is that, though some may claim to be able to maintain conflicting loyalties, they're either lying to others or deceiving themselves. The paragraph shows why this is true by providing an example of this in action. Paragraph 5 Whether it be through literature or history, time and time again, people demonstrate the challenges of trying to manage conflicting loyalties and the inevitable consequences of doing so. Though belief systems are malleable and will often change over time, it is not possible to maintain two mutually exclusive loyalties or beliefs at once. In the end, people always make a choice, and loyalty for one party or one side of an issue will always trump loyalty to the other. The concluding paragraph summarizes the essay, touches on the evidence presented, and re-states the thesis statement. How to Write an Argumentative Essay: 8 Steps Writing the best argumentative essay is all about the preparation, so let's talk steps: #1: Preliminary Research If you have the option to pick your own argumentative essay topic (which you most likely will), then choose one or two topics you find the most intriguing or that you have a vested interest in and do some preliminary research on both sides of the debate. Do an open internet search just to see what the general chatter is on the topic and what the research trends are. Did your preliminary reading influence you to pick a side or change your side? Without diving into all the scholarly articles at length, do you believe there’s enough evidence to support your claim? Have there been scientific studies? Experiments? Does a noted scholar in the field agree with you? If not, you may need to pick another topic or side of the argument to support. #2: Pick Your Side and Form Your Thesis Now's the time to pick the side of the argument you feel you can support the best and summarize your main point into your thesis statement. Your thesis will be the basis of your entire essay, so make sure you know which side you’re on, that you’ve stated it clearly, and that you stick by your argument throughout the entire essay. #3: Heavy-Duty Research Time You’ve taken a gander at what the internet at large has to say on your argument, but now’s the time to actually read those sources and take notes. Check scholarly journals online at Google Scholar, the Directory of Open Access Journals, or JStor. You can also search individual university or school libraries and websites to see what kinds of academic articles you can access for free. Keep track of your important quotes and page numbers and put them somewhere that’s easy to find later. And don’t forget to check your school or local libraries as well! #4: Outline Follow the five-paragraph outline structure from the previous section. Fill in your topic, your reasons, and your supporting evidence into each of the categories. Before you begin to flesh out the essay, take a look at what you’ve got. Is your thesis statement in the first paragraph? Is it clear? Is your argument logical? Does your supporting evidence support your reasoning? By outlining your essay, you streamline your process and take care of any logic gaps before you dive headfirst into the writing. This will save you a lot of grief later on if you need to change your sources or your structure, so don’t get too trigger-happy and skip this step. #5: Draft Now that you’ve laid out exactly what you’ll need for your essay and where, it’s time to fill in all the gaps by writing it out. Take it one step at a time and expand your ideas into complete sentences and substantiated claims. It may feel daunting to turn an outline into a complete draft, but just remember that you’ve already laid out all the groundwork; now you’re just filling in the gaps. #6: Edit If you have the time before deadline, give yourself a day or two (or even just an hour!) away from your essay. Looking it over with fresh eyes will allow you to see errors, both minor and major, that you likely would have missed had you tried to edit when it was still raw. Take a first pass over the entire essay and try your best to ignore any minor spelling or grammar mistakes- you’re just looking at the big picture right now. Does it make sense as a whole? Did the essay succeed in making an argument and backing that argument up logically? (Do you feel persuaded?) If not, go back and make notes so that you can fix it for your final draft. Once you’ve made your revisions to the overall structure, mark all your small errors and grammar problems so you can fix them in the next draft. #7: Final Draft Use the notes you made on the rough draft and go in and hack and smooth away until you’re satisfied with the final result. A checklist for your final draft: Formatting is correct according to your teacher’s standards No errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation Essay is the right length and size for the assignment The argument is present, consistent, and concise Each reason is supported by relevant evidence The essay makes sense overall #8: Celebrate! Once you’ve brought that final draft to a perfect polish and turned in your assignment, you’re done! Go you! Be prepared and â™ ª you'll never go hungry again â™ ª, *cough*, or struggle with your argumentative essay-writing again. (Walt Disney Studios) Good Examples of Argumentative Essays Online Theory is all well and good, but examples are key. Just to get you started on what a fully-fleshed out argumentative essay looks like, let's see some examples in action. Check out these two argumentative essay examples on the use of landmines and freons (and note the excellent use of concrete sources to back up their arguments!). The Use of Landmines A Shattered Sky The Take-Aways: Keys to Writing an Argumentative Essay At first, writing an argumentative essay may seem like a monstrous hurdle to overcome, but with the proper preparation and understanding, you'll be able to knock yours out of the park. Remember the differences between a persuasive essay and an argumentative one, make sure your thesis is clear, and double-check that your supporting evidence is both relevant to your point and well-sourced. Pick your topic, do your research, make your outline, and fill in the gaps. Before you know it, you'll have yourself an A+ argumentative essay there, my friend.

Robert Gould Shaw Led Unions First Black Regiment

Robert Gould Shaw Led Unions First Black Regiment The son of prominent Boston abolitionists, Robert Gould Shaw was born October 10, 1837, to Francis and Sara Shaw. The heir to a large fortune, Francis Shaw advocated for a variety of causes and Robert was raised in an environment that included notable personalities such as William Lloyd Garrison, Charles Sumner, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Ralph Waldo Emerson. In 1846, the family moved to Staten Island, NY and, despite being Unitarian, Robert  enrolled in St. Johns College Roman Catholic School. Five years later, the Shaws traveled to Europe and Robert continued his studies abroad. Education and First Job Returning home in 1855, he enrolled at Harvard the following year. After three years of university, Shaw withdrew from Harvard in order to take a position in his uncles, Henry P. Sturgis, mercantile firm in New York. Though he was fond of the city, he found that he was ill-suited for business. While his interest in his work waned, he developed a passion for politics. A supporter of Abraham Lincoln, Shaw hoped that the ensuing secession crisis would see the Southern states brought back by force or cut loose from the United States. Early Civil War With the secession crisis peaking, Shaw enlisted in the 7th New York State Militia with the hope that he would see action if war broke out. Following the attack on Fort Sumter, the 7th NYS responded to Lincolns call for 75,000 volunteers to put down the rebellion. Traveling to Washington, the regiment was quartered in the Capitol. While in the city, Shaw had the opportunity to meet both Secretary of State William Seward and President Lincoln. As the 7th NYS was only a short-term regiment, Shaw, who wished to remain in the service, applied for a permanent commission in a Massachusetts regiment. On May 11, 1861, his request was granted and he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 2nd Massachusetts Infantry. Returning north, Shaw joined the regiment at Camp Andrew in West Roxbury for training. In July, the regiment was sent to Martinsburg, VA, and soon joined Major General Nathaniel Banks corps. Over the next year, Shaw served in western Maryland and Virginia, with the regiment taking part in attempts to stop Major General Thomas Stonewall Jacksons campaign in the Shenandoah Valley. During the First Battle of Winchester, Shaw luckily avoided being wounded when a bullet hit his pocket watch. A short time later, Shaw was offered a position on Brigadier General George H. Gordons staff which he accepted. After taking part in the Battle of Cedar Mountain on August 9, 1862, Shaw was promoted to captain. While the 2nd Massachusetts brigade was present at the Battle of Second Manassas later that month, it was held in reserve and did not see action. On September 17, Gordons brigade saw heavy combat in the East Woods during the Battle of Antietam. The 54th Massachusetts Regiment On February 2, 1863, Shaws father received a letter from Massachusetts governor John A. Andrew offering Robert command of the first black regiment raised in the North, the 54th Massachusetts. Francis traveled to Virginia and presented the offer to his son. While initially reluctant, Robert was ultimately persuaded by his family to accept. Arriving in Boston on February 15, Shaw began recruiting in earnest. Assisted by Lt. Colonel Norwood Hallowell, the regiment began training at Camp Meigs. Though originally skeptical about the fighting qualities of the regiment, the mens dedication and devotion impressed him. Officially promoted to colonel on April 17, 1863, Shaw married his sweetheart Anna Kneeland Haggerty in New York on May 2. On May 28, the regiment marched through Boston, to the cheers of a massive crowd, and began their voyage south. Arriving at Hilton Head, SC on June 3, the regiment began service in Major General David Hunters Department of the South. A week after landing, the 54th took part in Colonel James Montgomerys attack on Darien, GA. The raid angered Shaw as Montgomery ordered the town looted and burned. Unwilling to take part, Shaw and the 54th largely stood and watched as events unfolded. Angered by Montgomerys actions, Shaw wrote to Gov. Andrew and the adjutant general of the department. On June 30, Shaw learned that his troops were to be paid less than white soldiers. Displeased by this, Shaw inspired his men to boycott their pay until the situation was resolved (it took 18 months). Following Shaws letters of complaint regarding the Darien raid, Hunter was relieved and replaced with Major General Quincy Gillmore. Seeking to attack Charleston, Gillmore began operations against Morris Island. These initially went well, however the 54th was excluded much to Shaws chagrin. Finally on July 16, the 54th saw action on nearby James Island when it aided in repulsing a Confederate attack. The regiment fought well and proved that black soldiers were the equals of whites. Following this action, Gillmore planned an attack on Fort Wagner on Morris Island. The honor of the lead position in the assault was given to the 54th. On the evening of July 18, believing that he would not survive the attack, Shaw sought out Edward L. Pierce, a reporter with the New York Daily Tribune, and gave him several letters and personal papers. He then returned to the regiment which was formed up for the assault. Marching over open beach, the 54th came under heavy fire from the Confederate defenders as it approached the fort. With the regiment wavering, Shaw sprung to the front yelling Forward 54th! and led his men as they charged. Surging through ditch surrounding the fort, the 54th scaled the walls. Reaching the top of the parapet, Shaw stood and waved his men forward. As he urged them on he was shot through the heart and killed. Despite the regiments valor the attack was repulsed with the 54th suffering 272 casualties (45% of its total strength). Angered by the use of black soldiers, the Confederates stripped Shaws body and buried it with his men, believing that it would humiliate his memory. After attempts by Gillmore to recover Shaws body failed, Francis Shaw asked him to stop, believing his son would prefer to rest with his men.

The ethical issues associated with conservatism Essay

The ethical issues associated with conservatism - Essay Example A person may not automatically hate the past and may wish for the technical progress for the people’s good. However, he normally tends to have a discrimination against the conservative attitude. The reason behind this may be the fact that he tends to get impacted by the acquisitive thesis which states that conserving is detrimental to the changing life and this may lead to immobility. It can be stated that the conservatives are supposed to consider preserving their social privilege, no matter how small it is. Further, in an attempt of preserving the question to be addressed if the object to be preserved is worthy of preserving then it goes by default (Burckhardt, â€Å"What is Conservatism†). More precisely the term ‘conservatism’ can be explained as the political philosophy favoring the traditions in the light of exterior factor of change. It can be useful in situation when deep-seated social change is triggered. It is a well known fact that distinct cultures have distinct values and as a result the different goals are pursued by the conservatives of different cultures. The components of numerous ideologies and philosophies are integrated by different forms of the conservatism, and thus the conservatism has an impact upon them. There are numerous types of conservatism approaches. They are cultural conservatism, social conservatism, religious conservatism, paleo-conservatism, fiscal conservatism, neo-conservatism and bio-conservatism. Among them social conservatism is taken for the purpose of the study (Philosophy basics, â€Å"Introduction†). ... Ethical Issues Related to Social Conservatism After having understood the meaning of the conservatism, it would be prudent to comprehend the term social conservatism and the ethical issues surrounding it. With the assistance of the laws and regulations the social conservative tries to preserve the traditional morality as well as the social ethnicity. It is believed by the social conservatives that the intervention of the government is not the problem, however liberal use of the government may assist in maintaining order and thus increasing morality in the society. This can be considered as one of the pros of the social conservatives. However, the social conservatives may also tend to be the weakest when they are considered along the gamut of the economic conservatism since it tends to counter the free trade, immigration and others. There are various other social issues. When the business houses tend to focus only on profit making without paying due attention towards the society then it can be considered as one of the ethical issues related to social conservatism. This may lead to gain of one group while loss for the other (Azari, R., â€Å"Current security management & ethical issues of information technology†). It is worth while to be mentioned that the social conservatives’ intention may tend to be good and pure as that of the liberals who have their own collectivism and social programs. However, the fact is that the social conservatives don’t inject their own ideas rather try to introduce various bills and legislations that tend to achieve the opposite of what the social conservatives had intended to achieve. The government, instead of acting as a symbol of hope tries to inject a dose of immorality into the society. This tends to change with the

Does a nurse with a BSN make a difference in patient outcomes Essay

Does a nurse with a BSN make a difference in patient outcomes - Essay Example In this paper I will be answering the question of whether nurses with BSN make a positive difference in patient outcomes. Research by a different organization and scholars converges at the conclusion that competency, knowledge and application of specific skills significantly depends on educational attainment. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, nurses with BSN degrees are better placed to effectively meet the demands and expectations of the modern society. Nurses with BSN have a good training and as such develop strong critical thinking skills, leadership abilities, capacities to manage cases and promote healthcare outcomes. These nurses have a strong foundation that enables them to effectively work in both outpatient and inpatient settings without little challenge. It is for such unique and beneficial capabilities that baccalaureate prepared nurses are highly regarded and associated with promoting positive patient outcomes. It has been identified in the past few years that the level of education really makes a great difference in the way nursing is practiced. The BSN program covers content taught at both diploma and associate degree as well as providing students with a deeper understanding of the entire nursing profession. It covers research, leadership in nursing, physical sciences, social sciences and public health among many other courses. This broader coverage prepares the student nurses in a manner that allows them to understand the different issues impacting on patients and influencing healthcare provision. An inverse relationship has been demonstrated to exist between the number of BSN nurses and patient mortality when in hospitals; mortality decreases with increase in number of BSN nurses (Kimberly, 2009). Education for the nurse has also association with the safety of patients as well as quality of healthcare offered. Education provides the necessary theoretical as well as practical

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Over the years, our accounting system has evolved from the tedious task of manual accounting to the ease of computerized accounting systems and programs. Computerized accounting has brought about a more efficient way of setting up and maintaining a company’s financial records. In previous years accountants would spend copious amounts of time manually recording business transactions through journalizing, posting to ledgers and mathematically checking each journal and ledger for errors. This process was necessary in order to compile data needed to produce financial reports and statements. The number of manual entries were so numerous that the margin of error was significantly increased. Simple mistakes, such as transposing a number or incorrectly recording a transaction in the wrong column could create a ripple effect of errors throughout each journal, ledger, or report issued for that period. The process of tracking one simple sales transaction was incredible compared to today’s accounting software. Manually, the transaction might begin with an invoice or sales receipt which beg...