Reflective Letter free essay sample

Reflective Letter English 101/Section 19/Fall 2013 The University of Arizona December 9, 2013 Dear Ms. O’Neill, Before taking English 101A, I was not confident in my writing ability. I never was able to wrap my head around what I was supposed to do and often wrote off topic. I would spend too much time looking at the screen thinking of what to write. My essays often turned out to be a summary; this was reoccurring. I feel that this class strongly helped me develop some standard and basic skills for writing an essay. The amount of time we spent breaking down each of the three essays was very helpful for me. It helped me really realize that I need to get into deeper thought to correctly analyze the text and put it on paper. I have obtained the knowledge from learning in the classroom that acquiring the ability to thoroughly analyze, make points for my body paragraphs, create a thesis, etc. We will write a custom essay sample on Reflective Letter or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page , is much simpler than I made it for myself prior. I now realize that I overthought too much while writing essays. I used to try to perfect every sentence as I wrote or typed. I found myself using so much time doing this. I found that just writing my ideas and thoughts down first, while ignoring diction, punctuation, and the flow of the sentences, and revising after made for a much more efficient and successful process. My experience in this class has really opened my eyes to realize that essay writing is a much simpler process than I thought it to be. Going back to revise my Essay 2 assignment, I noticed many of my sentences were dry and not very deep. I felt that my analysis part of my essay was very weak. I also failed to connect each of my body paragraphs to my thesis and idea of the author’s main point. Rather than revising my essay, I felt I would be better off re-writing the entire essay with a fresh start. First, I reread the poem and went into a deeper thought about my interpretation of the poem hoping that this procedure would improve my writing process; I was right. I feel that I acquired a better understanding of the poem and the author’s meaning. Secondly, I changed and improved my thesis so that it offers a debatable claim about the meaning of the text. My thesis now reads: â€Å"In â€Å"Charlie Howard’s Descent, Mark Doty argues and exposes the great harms that are caused by bullying and rejecting an individual particularly because of his or her sexual orientation using sensory description, diction, metaphor, and enjambment to touch the reader and explicitly describe the scene at which Charlie Howard was murdered† (Deffley 1). This new thesis makes it easier to connect my body paragraphs and points to my thesis. I feel that my new thesis helped build a more effective argument. The difference in both effort and ability to better analyze and connect to the text made my essay much stronger than before. After taking this course, I am more confident in my writing. I feel like I know what I need to do to correctly follow the prompt/criteria. Before, I would have difficulty sticking to the main idea. I would drift off topic and my essay would be very broad and far from the point. My connection to literature was severed, but through all of the assigned readings and short writing assignments, I was able to find the connection. I truly believe that the short writings are highly responsible for my improvements. It was overwhelming to me to have to write a multi-page essay. I would not know where to begin. The short writing assignments helped me analyze texts without a required page length. With this lack of pressure, I was able to think freely and go on and on. Throughout the semester, I found my short writing assignments to get longer and longer. I really was able to deeper analyze the texts on my own! I realized it was much simpler than I had thought it to be. I am very confident that my analytical skills improved throughout this semester and I believe that a barrier has been broken and that my writing skills will surely take off and continue to progress to where I would like them to be. I feel that my analytical skills and understanding of texts have greatly improved throughout this semester. I still do not feel fully comfortable writing, but I do feel that I have overcome some of my biggest writing obstacles that were holding me back from being successful and satisfied in my writing. I was surprised as to the amount of improvement I saw and felt in my writing and feel that I am ready to take it to the next level. That being said, I have not reached my full potential as a writer, but now have the faith in myself that I will reach it with more practice. I believe that reading will help me better connect with literature and help me better familiarize my writing. I am looking forward to seeing how I will continue to improve next semester in English 102. Sincerely,

Thanksgiving Lesson Plan Acrostic Poem

Thanksgiving Lesson Plan Acrostic Poem Are you in need of a quick and easy Thanksgiving lesson plan to share with your students in the week before Thanksgiving? Consider practicing acrostic poetry with your students. Acrostic poetry is great for building vocabulary and exercising creativity.   An acrostic poem uses the letters in a word to begin each line of the poem. All of the lines of the poem relate to or somehow describe the main topic word. Here are a few quick tips to consider. Model the format of acrostic poems with your students. Work together to write a collective acrostic poem on the whiteboard. You can use the sample below.Give your students a Thanksgiving-related word so that they can write their own acrostic poem. Consider: gratitude, thank you, Thanksgiving, thankful, blessings, or grateful. Discuss the meaning of these words and the true meaning of the Thanksgiving holiday.Give your students time to write their acrostic poems. Circulate and offer guidance as needed. Offer help but do not give students any phrases or sentences; let them do that on their own.If you have time, allow the students to illustrate their poems. This project makes a great bulletin board display for November, especially if you do it early in the month! Your students can even give their gratitude poems to family members as a creative way of saying thank you for all they do. Sample Thanksgiving Acrostic Poem Here are a few samples of Thanksgiving acrostic poems. Sample number three is written for someone. Sample No. 1 G - Giving me tasty food to eatR - Reading to me before I go to bedA - Always working hard for our familyT - Treating me sweetlyI - I appreciate you!T - Tucking me into bed at nightU - Understanding me when Im upsetD - Doing the right thingsE - Excellent parents! Sample No. 2 T - urkey time (I love the white meat!)H - oping the weather will stay coolA - untie’s pumpkin pie is my favoriteN -   ine plates around the family dinner tableK - eeping family traditions aliveS - tuffing my tummy with my nanas super stuffingG - iving thanks for my family and friendsI - nviting our elderly neighbors over so they won’t be lonelyV   - egetables that I love are corn and beansI - think I am about to burst from all of the foodN - aps for the babies, grandparents, and all of us!G - ames and laughter throughout the day! Sample No. 3 T - Thank you for alwaysU - Understanding. Thank you for alwaysR - Remembering to beK - Kind, helpful, generous, nice, and respectful ofE - Each other. That is why I am so happy and thankful everyY - Year for everything that you do for me.

What to Know About Zeta Potential

What to Know About Zeta Potential The zeta potential (ÃŽ ¶-potential) is the potential difference across phase boundaries between solids and liquids. Its a measure of the electrical charge of particles are that are suspended in liquid. Since zeta potential is not equal to the electric surface potential in a double layer or to the Stern potential, it is often the only value that can be used to describe double-layer properties of a colloidal dispersion. Zeta potential, also known as electrokinetic potential, is measured in millivolts (mV). In colloids, zeta potential is the electric potential difference across the ionic layer around a charged colloid ion. Put another way; its the potential in the interface double layer at the slipping plane. Typically, the higher the zeta-potential, the more stable the colloid. Zeta potential that is less negative than -15 mV typically represents the beginnings of agglomeration of particles. When the zeta-potential equals zero, the colloid will precipitate into a solid. Measuring Zeta Potential Zeta potential cannot be directly measured. It is calculated from theoretical models or estimated experimentally, often based on electrophoretic mobility. Basically, to determine zeta potential, one tracks that rate at which a charged particle moves in response to an electric field. Particles that possess a zeta potential will migrate toward the opposite-charged electrode. The rate of migration is proportional to zeta potential. Velocity typically is measured using a Laser Doppler Anemometer. The calculation is based on a theory described in 1903 by Marian Smoluchowski. Smoluchowskis theory is valid for any concentration or shape of dispersed particles. However, it assumes a sufficiently thin double layer, and it ignores any contribution of surface conductivity. Newer theories are used to perform electroacoustic and electrokinetic analyses under these conditions. There is a device called a zeta meter its expensive, but a trained operator can interpret the estimated values that it produces. Zeta meters typically rely on one of two electroacoustic effects: electric sonic amplitude and colloid vibration current. The advantage of using an electroacoustic method to characterize zeta potential is that the sample does not need to be diluted. Applications of Zeta Potential Since the physical properties of suspensions and colloids largely depend on the properties of the particle-liquid interface, knowing the zeta potential has practical applications. Zeta Potential Measurements are used to Prepare colloidal dispersions for cosmetics, inks, dyes, foams, and other chemicalsDestroy undesirable colloidal dispersions during water and sewage treatment, preparation of beer and wine, and dispersing aerosol productsReduce cost of additives by calculating the minimum amount needed to achieve the desired effect, such as the amount of flocculant added to water during water treatmentIncorporate colloidal dispersion during manufacturing, as in cements, pottery, coatings, etc.Utilize desirable properties of colloids, which include capillary action and detergency. Properties may be applied for mineral flotation, impurity absorption, separating petroleum from reservoir rock, wetting phenomena, and electrophoretic deposition of paints or coatingsMicroelectrophoresis to characterize blood, bacteria, and other biological surfacesCharacterize the properties of clay-water systemsMany other uses in mineral processing, ceramics manufacturing, electronics manufacturing, pharmaceutical producti on, etc. References American Filtration and Separations Society, What Is Zeta Potential? Brookhaven Instruments, Zeta Potential Applications. Colloidal Dynamics, Electroacoustic Tutorials, The Zeta Potential (1999). M. von Smoluchowski, Bull. Int. Acad. Sci. Cracovie, 184 (1903). Dukhin, S.S. and Semenikhin, N.M. Koll. Zhur., 32, 366 (1970).

Lurking in the shadows Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Lurking in the shadows - Essay Example So I try to put them at ease. I uncross my legs slowly so as not to draw their attention. I steady the rocking chair and I become very still. I am as still as a thousand year old stone; stiller, in all reality. I relax and then adjust my vision. I breathe softly, in measured breaths, and study these fascinating creatures anew. The distance is not close; indeed, there is an open field over which I must peer before reaching the edge of the wooded field where the doe keeps her fawn close by her side. The wheat in the open field rolls as the wind passes by, and the wooded field is studded with oak and pine. The fawn blends at times with the yellow of the wheat field and the brown of the woods. The fawn is at one moment visible and then nearly imperceptible; it is the down, with a darker brown color, that allows me to keep focused most precisely. The trees are crowded closely together, a shadow almost when compared with the brightly rolling yellow field of wheat, and the deer are perceptible only in their occasional movements.

Defensive Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Defensive Communication - Essay Example By examining these forms of messages in the context of interpersonal communication, I shall reaffirm previous research findings that defensive communication results in 'losses in efficiency in communication' (Gibb 14). The strategy of defensive communication has various tactics and in the limited space afforded by this paper I will separately analyse in the following order only control messages, dogmatic messages, messages of indifference, and messages of superiority. Control messages predominantly operate as imperatives, commands, and instructions. Control messages therefore imply authority, that is, the 'right to give orders or make decisions' (Lewis). Authority, however, implies varying degrees of power. 'A power relation is a causal relation between the preferences of an actor regarding an outcome and the outcome itself' (Pettigrew 188). For example, a police officer has authority to issue commands and power to enforce those commands. In contrast, a teacher has authority to issue commands and instruction but less power to enforce those commands. Parents like teachers have authority and a limited degree of power. What is more, as the context of one's communication becomes more personal authority and power wan, so that no real power relations exist between friends. For instance, in intimate relations defensive communication can occur when 'individuals are sensitive about their own flaws as well as the flaws of others close to them' (Becker, Ell evold and Stamp 95). Complicating the matter is that not all communication is verbal - body language for instance. So that, without explicit messages or in fact any intent, one may communicate irritation or annoyance. Furthermore, control is not simply the directing of action; 'information may become an instrument for advancing, attacking, or defending status' (Burns and Stalker cited in Pettigrew 189). For example, one may use control messages to avoid a topic of discussion, as in family secrets (see for example Caughlin et al.). Dogmatic messages fall within the compass of defensive communication by virtue of the denotation of dogma; 'a doctrine or code of beliefs accepted as authoritative' (Lewis). In contrast to control messages, that expose authority and power, dogmatic messages expose censorship. Defensive communication in general, and dogmatic messages in particular, involve 'a self-perceived flaw that an individual refuses to admit to another person' (Becker, Halbesleben and O'Hair 144). Resisting the model of a dialogue (Pope 173), dogmatic messages rely on the monologue. For, 'every word is directed towards an answer and cannot escape the profound influence of the answering word that it anticipates' (Bakhtin cited in Pope 235). We may think of a dialogue as the collaboration between people to come to a mutual understanding. Yet in contrast, dogmatic messages attempt to curtail the give-and-take of communication. Such messages contain a deep irony; for, despite the effort to avoid a topic or point via an assertion of strength, the effort itself communicates a defensive attitude grounded on weakness. Dogmatic messages, therefore, undermine any authority or power asserted by a conversational partner. Furthermore, because a dogmatic message

Extraction of Impacted Mandibular Third Molars

Extraction of Impacted Mandibular Third Molars INTRODUCTION The extraction of impacted mandibular third molars is a common  procedure in oral and maxillofacial surgery. The reasons for extracting  these teeth include acute or chronic pericoronitis, presence of cysts or a  tumour, periodontal problems and presence of a carious lesion on the  second or third mandibular molar. In some cases, extraction is performed  in preparation for orthodontic treatment or orthognathic surgery  In most cases, the removal of third molars will lead to a significant degree  of tissue trauma that causes an inflammatory reaction. Thus, the patient  develops the common postoperative symptoms and signs of pain, facial  swelling, dysfunction, and limited mouth opening (trismus). The pain is typically brief and will peak in intensity in the  early postoperative period.The facial swelling and trismus will reach their  characteristic maximum 48 to 72 hours after surgery. Those symptoms are  major disadvantage and affect the patients quality of life. The  inflammatory process is necessary if healing of traumatic tissue has to  occur, but often excessive inflammation lead to unnecessary pain, trismus  and swelling. The impact of these symptoms affect the quality of life in the  days following surgery. Injured tissues immediately release local inflammatory mediators, like histamine, that produce vasodilatation leading to extravasations resulting in edema and sensitize the peripheral noci-receptors resulting in hyperalgesia. Although these inflammatory mediators are released immediately after the trauma, these symptoms are not observed immediate after the surgery but rather begin gradually, peaking 1 3 days after the surgery. Pain has been an indispensible part of all surgical procedures and minor oral surgical procedures are not an exclusion. Through ages mankind has been in constant quest for various methods to control pain . The specificity theory proposed in 17th century by Descartes R explains pain as the activity of highly specific peripheral nerve endings that receive sensory information from the environment, which is then transmitted by nerve fibres through the spinal cord to the pain centre, or the pineal body, in the forebrain. However it is merely a biological explanation and does not address the multidimensional, complex process of pain as we understand today.1 Various factors contribute to determine the intensity of post-operative complications such as host defense mechanism, type of healing, duration of the procedure, 4-8extent of reflection of the mucoperiosteal flap, types of flaps, bone removal, need for tooth sectioning, 5and experience of the surgeon.9,10 To increase patients satisfaction after third molar surgery it will be necessary to avoid the inconvenience associated with tooth extraction and minimize the subsequent side effects. Methods to reduce the side effects is to prescribe medications such as corticosteriods , non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs , a combination of corticosteroids and non-steroidal anti- inflammatory drugs or enzyme preparation. Synthetic inflammation inhibitors which are active at certain points during the course of the inflammatory reactions are available. They are sometimes associated with undesirable side effects such as insomnia, depression, systemic fungal infection, increased calcium excretion, gastrointestinal irritation, visual complaints, fever and fatigue. These inflammation inhibitors are divided mainly into two groups: Steroids, i.e., cortisone and its derivatives, and the Non-Steroids, which are usually salicylic acid derivatives such as butazolidine, indomethacin and others. The side effects of prolonged corticosteroids use are well known, and are fundamentally dependent upon the dose employed and the duration of treatment. These effects include peptic ulcer, immune suppression, water and electrolyte balance metabolic effects, muscle atrophy, osteoporosis, increased fatty tissue (full moon facial appearance), Cushing syndrome, avascular osteonecrosis, lessened resistance to infection, hirsutism, amenorrhea, acne, hyperglycemia or hypertension. Systemic glucocorticoids , which are frequently used as anti-inflammatory agents, are well-known to inhibit wound repair via global anti-inflammatory effects and suppression of cellular wound responses, including fibroblast proliferation and collagen synthesis. Systemic steroids cause wounds to heal with incomplete granulation tissue and reduced wound contraction. Glucocorticoids also inhibit production of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1), a key transcriptional factor in healing wounds Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) have been used since many years for their analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. Although these drugs have been proven efficient in management of post operative pain, adverse effects and associated morbidity pose a serious problem. It has long been known that NSAID may have a range of side effects, of which the commonest are gastrointestinal.5 Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen are widely used for the treatment of inflammation and rheumatoid arthritis and for pain management. Low-dosage aspirin, due to its anti-platelet function, is commonly used as a preventive therapeutic for cardiovascular disease, but not as an anti-inflammatory drug. In contrast to chemical inhibitors of inflammation such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), enzyme preparations support and accelerate the natural inflammatory process without contributing to pain, redness and swelling. This is accomplished by helping degrade and remove plasma proteins and fibrin that invade the interstitial space within tissues at the site of inflammation. Improved microcirculation and removal of inflammatory products results in an analgesic effect and complaint relief. Proteolytic systemic enzymes (proteases), such as those found in bromelain, papain and pancreatin, cleave protein compounds by hydrolysis. That is, they split their substrate by incorporating water. These enzymes are absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract into the bloodstream and travel to specific sites where they break down cell debris, fibrin and toxins. They also stimulate phagocytosis within the immune system and accelerate elimination by way of the lymphatic system and blood vessels. This translates into improved circulation and reduced inflammation. Proteolytic enzymes, which when taken with a meal is used to help digest food. Proteolytic enzymes are known as systemic enzyme supplements and are taken on an empty stomach, 45 minutes to one hour before meals or 3 hours after a meal, to digest proteinaceous or fibrous waste material throughout the body including the outer coating of bacteria, necrotic tissue and immune complexes. The only negative effects are for people with rare cases of protein allergies. Purpose of this randomized , single blind study is to compare the efficacy of proteolytic enzyme such as bromelain , trypsin and rutoside as an alternative to corticosteroids in pre and post- operative swelling , pain and trismus after removal of third molar.

Metal Lab Essay

Data Analysis: 1. What was the temperature change for the water in the calorimeter (ΔTwater)? 3 °C 2. What was the temperature change for the metal sample (ΔTmetal)? Assume the intial temperature of the metal was the same as the temperature of the water it was boiled in. 70 °C 3. What was the specific heat of water in J/g °C? 4.186 J/g °C 4. Using the following equation, your answers to questions 1-3, and your data table, determine the specific heat of the metal sample you tested. 5. Identify you metal using the list of specific heat values provided. The metal that was identified was Zinc. 6. Calculate the percent error in the specific heat value that you determined experimentally. Conclusion: The purpose of this experiment was to determine the identity of a mystery metal by finding the specific heat of the metal and comparing it to a list of specific heat values for different metals. Before beginning the lab and during the lab, the mass of the metal sample and water sample was taken. This information was later used to help determine the specific heat of the mystery metal. The temperature of the boiling water, the temperature of the water in the calorimeter without the metal, and the temperature of the water and metal in the calorimeter were also collected to help determine the mystery metal. After this, the temperature changes for the water in the calorimeter and the metal sample were collected. After all the data was gathered, an equation was used to find the specific heat of the mystery metal and determine its true identity. The calculated specific heat of the metal was 0.231 J/g °C. Even though this was close to the specific heat of Cadmium, the actual metal was Zinc , which had a specific heat of 0.390 J/g °C. The purpose of the lab was met, but not very well. There was a percent error of 40%, which is ridiculously high. Many things could’ve gone wrong in the lab such as reading the thermometer wrong, miscalculating the specific heat of the â€Å"mystery† metal, or not following the procedure. One thing that could’ve gone wrong is the possibility of reading the thermometer wrong. Reading the thermometer wrong could’ve resulted in the failure of the entire lab. Another possible error was miscalculating the specific heat. This is very plausible and easy to achieve. It is no surprise if it happened during the lab. One final error could’ve been not following the procedure. Not following the procedure could’ve easily messed up the entire lab. Following directions is a very crucial part of any lab. Despite these errors, there are ways to fix them. One solution is to use a digital thermometer instead. This would eliminate the possibility of reading the thermometer wrong. Another solution is to explain the equation more clearly. Making the equation as clear as possible to anyone who may use it could definitely almost completely erase the misunderstanding of an equation. One last solution is to read the procedure thoroughly multiple times before starting the lab. This would ensure that no direction has been skipped or skimmed, and the lab will run smoothly.