49 Commonly Misused Words and Phrases

Have you ever wondered if youre using the right word? Like it sounds like the right thing to say in an essay, but you arent quite sure. Surprisingly enough, we misuse a lot more words than we think, and its definitely hurting how your writing is coming across.Weve put together this list to help you get avoid some of the more common mistakes.Many of the words and expressions here listed are not so much bad English as bad style, the commonplaces of careless writing. As illustrated under  Feature, the proper correction is likely to be not the replacement of one word or set of words by another, but the replacement of vague generality by definite statement.Heres our list of 49 commonly misused words and phrases and what you can do instead:1. All right.  Idiomatic in familiar speech as a detached phrase in the sense, Agreed, or Go ahead. In other uses better avoided. Always written as two words.2. As good or better than.  Expressions of this type should be corrected by rearranging th e sentence.My opinion is as good or better than his.My opinion is as good as his, or better (if not better).3. As to whether.  Whether  is sufficient.4. Bid.  Takes the infinitive without to. The past tense is bade.5. Case.  The  Concise Oxford Dictionary  begins its definition of this word: instance of a things occurring; usual state of affairs. In these two senses, the word is usually unnecessary.In many cases, the rooms were poorly ventilated.Many of the rooms were poorly ventilated.It has rarely been the case that any mistake has been made.Few mistakes have been made.See Wood,  Suggestions to Authors, pp. 68-71, and Quiller-Couch,  The Art of Writing, pp. 103-106.6. Certainly.  Used indiscriminately by some speakers, much as others use  very, to intensify any and every statement. A mannerism of this kind, bad in speech, is even worse in writing.7. Character.  Often simply redundant, used from a mere habit of wordiness.Acts of a hostile characterHostile acts 8. Claim, vb.  With object-noun, means  lay claim to. May be used with a dependent clause if this sense is clearly involved: He claimed that he was the sole surviving heir.  (But even here, claimed to be would be better.)  Not to be used as a substitute for  declare, maintain, or  charge.9. Compare.  To  compare to  is to point out or imply resemblances, between objects regarded as essentially of different order; to  compare with  is mainly to point out differences, between objects regarded as essentially of the same order. Thus life has been compared to a pilgrimage, to a drama, to a battle; Congress may be compared with the British Parliament. Paris has been compared to ancient Athens; it may be compared with modern London.10. Clever.  This word has been greatly overused; it is best restricted to ingenuity displayed in small matters.11. Consider.  Not followed by as when it means, believe to be. I consider him thoroughly competent. Compare, The lecturer c onsidered Cromwell first as soldier and second as administrator, where considered means examined or discussed.12. Dependable.  A needless substitute for  reliable, trustworthy.13. Due to.  Incorrectly used for  through, because of, or  owing to, in adverbial phrases: He lost the first game, due to carelessness. In correct use related as predicate or as modifier to a particular noun: This invention is due to Edison; losses due to preventable fires.14. Effect.  As noun, means  result; as verb, means  to bring about, accomplish  (not to be confused with affect, which means to influence).As noun, often loosely used in perfunctory writing about fashions, music, painting, and other arts: an Oriental effect; effects in pale green; very delicate effects; broad effects; subtle effects; a charming effect was produced by. The writer who has a definite meaning to express will not take refuge in such vagueness.15. Etc.  Not to be used of persons. Equivalent to  and the rest , and so forth, and hence not to be used if one of these would be insufficient, that is, if the reader would be left in doubt as to any important particulars. Least open to objection when it represents the last terms of a list already given in full, or immaterial words at the end of a quotation.At the end of a list introduced  by such as, for example, or any similar expression,  etc.  is incorrect.16. Fact.  Use this word only of matters of a kind capable of direct verification, not of matters of judgment. That a particular event happened on a given date, that lead melts at a certain temperature, are facts. But such conclusions as that Napoleon was the greatest of modern generals, or that the climate of California is delightful, however incontestable they may be, are not properly facts.17. Factor.  A hackneyed word; the expressions of which it forms part can usually be replaced by something more direct and idiomatic.His superior training was the great factor in his winning the match.He won the match by being better trained.Heavy artillery is becoming an increasingly important factor in deciding battles.Heavy artillery is playing a larger and larger part in deciding battles.18. Feature.  Another hackneyed word; like  factor  it usually adds nothing to the sentence in which it occurs.A feature of the entertainment especially worthy of mention was the singing of Miss A.(Better use the same number of words to tell what Miss A. sang, or if the programme has already been given, to tell something of how she sang.)As a verb, in the advertising sense  of offer as a special attraction,  to be avoided.19. Fix.  Colloquial in America for  arrange, prepare, mend. In writing restrict it to its literary senses,  fasten, make firm or immovable, etc.(Many of the words and expressions here listed are not so much bad English as bad style, the commonplaces of careless writing. As illustrated under Feature, the proper correction is likely to be not the re placement of one word or set of words by another, but the replacement of vague generality by definite statement.)20. He is a man who.  A common type of redundant expression.He is a man who is very ambitious.He is very ambitious.Spain is a country which I have always wanted to visit.I have always wanted to visit Spain.21. However.  In the meaning  nevertheless, not to come first in its sentence or clause.The roads were almost impassable. However, we at last succeeded in reaching camp.The roads were almost impassable. At last, however, we succeeded in reaching camp.When however comes first, it means  in whatever way  or  to whatever extent.However you advise him, he will probably do as he thinks best.However discouraging the prospect, he never lost heart.22. Kind of.  Not to be used as a substitute for  rather  (before adjectives and verbs), or except in familiar style, for  something like  (before nouns). Restrict it to its literal sense: Amber is a kind of foss il resin; I dislike that kind of notoriety. The same holds true of sort of.23. Less.  Should not be misused for  fewer.He had less men than in the previous campaign.He had fewer men than in the previous campaign.Less  refers to quantity,  fewer  to number. His troubles are less than mine means His troubles are not so great as mine. His troubles are fewer than mine means His troubles are not so numerous as mine. It is, however, correct to say, The signers of the petition were less than a hundred, where the round number, a hundred, is something like a collective noun, and less is thought of as meaning a less quantity or amount.24. Line, along these lines.  Line  in the sense of  course of procedure, conduct, thought,  is allowable, but has been so much overworked, particularly in the phrase  along these lines, that a writer who aims at freshness or originality had better discard it entirely.Mr. B. also spoke along the same lines.Mr. B. also spoke, to the same effec t.He is studying along the line of French literature.He is studying French literature.25. Literal, literally.  Often incorrectly used in support of exaggeration or violent metaphor.A literal flood of abuseA flood of abuseLiterally dead with fatigueAlmost dead with fatigue (dead tired)26. Lose out.  Meant to be more emphatic than  lose, but actually less so, because of its commonness. The same holds true of  try out, win out, sign up, register up. With a number of verbs,  out  and  up  form idiomatic combinations:  find out, run out, turn out, cheer up, dry up, make up, and others, each distinguishable in meaning from the simple verb.  Lose out  is not.27. Most.  Not to be used for  almost.Most everybodyAlmost everybodyMost all the timeAlmost all the time(Many of the words and expressions here listed are not so much bad English as bad style, the commonplaces of careless writing. As illustrated under Feature, the proper correction is likely to be not the repl acement of one word or set of words by another, but the replacement of vague generality by definite statement.)28. Nature.  Often simply redundant, used like  character.Acts of a hostile natureHostile actsOften vaguely used in such expressions as a lover of nature; poems about nature. Unless more specific statements follow, the reader cannot tell whether the poems have to do with natural scenery, rural life, the sunset, the untracked wilderness, or the habits of squirrels.29. Near by.  Adverbial phrase, not yet fully accepted as good English, though the analogy of  close by  and  hard by  seems to justify it.  Near, or  near at hand, is as good, if not better.Not to be used as an adjective; use  neighboring.30. Oftentimes, ofttimes.  Archaic forms, no longer in good use. The modern word is  often.31. One hundred and one.  Retain the and in this and similar expressions, in accordance with the unvarying usage of English prose from Old English times.32. One of the most.  Avoid beginning essays or paragraphs with this formula, as, One of the most interesting developments of modern science is, etc.; Switzerland is one of the most interesting countries of Europe. There is nothing wrong in this; it is simply threadbare and forcible-feeble.33. People.  The people  is a political term, not to be confused with  the public. From the people comes political support or opposition; from the public comes artistic appreciation or commercial patronage.The word  people  is not to be used with words of number, in place of  persons. If of six people five went away, how many people would be left?34. Phase.  Means a stage of transition or development: the phases of the moon; the last phase. Not to be used for  aspect  or  topic.Another phase of the subjectAnother point (another question)35. Possess.  Not to be used as a mere substitute for  have  or  own.He possessed great courage.He had great courage (was very brave).He was th e fortunate possessor ofHe owned36. Respective, respectively.  These words may usually be omitted with advantage.Works of fiction are listed under the names of their respective authors.Works of fiction are listed under the names of their authors.The one mile and two mile runs were won by Jones and Cummings respectively.The one mile and two mile runs were won by Jones and by Cummings.In some kinds of formal writing, as in geometrical proofs, it may be necessary to use  respectively, but it should not appear in writing on ordinary subjects.37. So.  Avoid, in writing, the use of so as an intensifier: so good; so warm; so delightful.38. Sort of.  See under  Kind of.39. State.  Not to be used as a mere substitute for say, remark. Restrict it to the sense of  express full or clearly, as, He refused to state his objections.40. Student body.  A needless and awkward expression, meaning no more than the simple word  students.A member of the student bodyA studentPopular with the student bodyLiked by the studentsThe student body passed resolutions.The students passed resolutions.41. System.  Frequently used without need.Dayton has adopted the commission system of government.Dayton has adopted government by commission.The dormitory systemDormitories(Many of the words and expressions here listed are not so much bad English as bad style, the commonplaces of careless writing. As illustrated under Feature, the proper correction is likely to be not the replacement of one word or set of words by another, but the replacement of vague generality by definite statement.)42. Thanking you in advance.  This sounds as if the writer meant, It will not be worth my while to write to you again. Simply write, Thanking you, and if the favor which you have requested is granted, write a letter of acknowledgment.43. They.  A common inaccuracy is the use of the plural pronoun when the antecedent is a distributive expression such as  each, each one, everybody, every one, many a man,  which, though implying more than one person, requires the pronoun to be in the singular. Similar to this, but with even less justification, is the use of the plural pronoun with the antecedent  anybody, any one, somebody, some one, the intention being either to avoid the awkward he or she, or to avoid committing oneself to either. Some bashful speakers even say, A friend of mine told me that they, etc.Use  he  with all the above words, unless the antecedent is or must be feminine.44. Very.  Use this word sparingly. Where emphasis is necessary, use words strong in themselves.45. Viewpoint.  Write  point of view, but do not misuse this, as many do, for  view  or  opinion.46. While.  Avoid the indiscriminate use of this word for  and, but, and  although. Many writers use it frequently as a substitute for  and  or  but, either from a mere desire to vary the connective, or from uncertainty which of the two connectives is the more appropriate. In this use it is best replaced by a semicolon.The office and salesrooms are on the ground floor, while the rest of the building is devoted to manufacturing.The office and salesrooms are on the ground floor; the rest of the building is devoted to manufacturing.Its use as a virtual equivalent of  although  is allowable in sentences where this leads to no ambiguity or absurdity.While I admire his energy, I wish it were employed in a better cause.This is entirely correct, as shown by the paraphrase,I admire his energy; at the same time I wish it were employed in a better cause.Compare:While the temperature reaches 90 or 95 degrees in the daytime, the nights are often chilly.Although the temperature reaches 90 or 95 degrees in the daytime, the nights are often chilly.The paraphrase,The temperature reaches 90 or 95 degrees in the daytime; at the same time the nights are often chilly,shows why the use of  while  is incorrect.In general, the writer will do well to use  while  o nly with strict literalness, in the sense of  during the time that.47. Whom.  Often incorrectly used for  who  before  he said  or similar expressions, when it is really the subject of a following verb.His brother, whom he said would send him the moneyHis brother, who he said would send him the moneyThe man whom he thought was his friendThe man who (that) he thought was his friend (whom he thought his friend)48. Worth while.  Overworked as a term of vague approval and  (with not)  of disapproval. Strictly applicable only to actions: Is it worth while to telegraph?His books are not worth while.His books are not worth reading (not worth ones while to read; do not repay reading).The use of  worth while  before a noun  (a worth while story)  is indefensible.49. Would.  A conditional statement in the first person requires  should, not  would.I should not have succeeded without his help.The equivalent of  shall  in indirect quotation after a verb in the past tense is  should, not  would.He predicted that before long we should have a great surprise.To express habitual or repeated action, the past tense, without  would, is usually sufficient, and from its brevity, more emphatic.Once a year he would visit the old mansion.Once a year he visited the old mansion.

Free Essays on Restoration Review “The Last Supper“

Restoration Drama In my opinion the restoration of the â€Å"Last Supper† by Leonardo De Vinci was necessary to salvage at least part of Leonardo’s original work. I have always appreciated the character that years of patina add to furniture and probably would have appreciated the same in the â€Å"Last Supper†. If I were to have seen it prior to it’s restoration and was unaware of all the previous attempts I would have felt they should have left it alone and would have thought the restoration was too much. Keeping in mind that Barcilon did uncover some of Leonardo’s original work was worth the restoration. I do however believe that the retouching should have been done in the same mediums as the original works and a protective coating adhered for future preservation.... Free Essays on Restoration Review â€Å"The Last Supperâ€Å" Free Essays on Restoration Review â€Å"The Last Supperâ€Å" Restoration Drama In my opinion the restoration of the â€Å"Last Supper† by Leonardo De Vinci was necessary to salvage at least part of Leonardo’s original work. I have always appreciated the character that years of patina add to furniture and probably would have appreciated the same in the â€Å"Last Supper†. If I were to have seen it prior to it’s restoration and was unaware of all the previous attempts I would have felt they should have left it alone and would have thought the restoration was too much. Keeping in mind that Barcilon did uncover some of Leonardo’s original work was worth the restoration. I do however believe that the retouching should have been done in the same mediums as the original works and a protective coating adhered for future preservation....

Case study in business competitve strategy Essay

Case study in business competitve strategy - Essay Example The main problem was the hygiene factor that the plant lacked in and CFIA recommended shutting down the plant in Winnipeg for the purpose of deep cleaning and revised cleaning protocols (Ewing, 2006). The external constraints in this case are that after the news became prominent in the media and newspapers, the customers were reluctant to buy their products. The Company CEO however assured the mass that the health and safety of the million Canadian families are their responsibility and they will take care of it. But few internal constraints made it difficult for the company to improve its grounded image before the customers. One of the employee of another plant of Oaktree Mills tweeted confidential news on social networking site. The female employee did not limit herself to the leakage of the confidential news of the company only but also blamed the company for using unsafe practices for processing of meat. She even informed the mass by tweeting not to trust the company and their pro ducts and to beware of the company’s false assurance. The Director of Communications and the Human Resource Head of Oaktree Mills are shocked to see the deed of the employee. The problem that was faced by the company was mainly because it did not have any social media policy. As the company did not have the policy thus they could not take any step against the female employee. The CEO of the company has the least to do other than ordering the director and human resource head to look after the situation seriously and take appropriate steps for handling the situations (Ewing, 2006). Situation analysis Oaktree Mills is a family owned large meat processing company based in Calgary and the processing firms are in Winnipeg, Montreal and Toronto. The company is famous for the product quality it serves to its customers. It has created good relation with their employees and concentrates highly on the retention of the employees, when other companies go for layoffs. It has also undertake n corporate social responsibility activities, so as to take care of the environment it works in and also their neighbours. Recently, the uninterrupted business faced a serious situation, which harmed the image of the company. About 13 peoples in Saskatchewan were hospitalized after being affected from salmonella poisoning. The situation was noticed by Canadian Public Health Authority, who informed the matter to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). CFIA investigated the matter and found that the illness was due to consumption of the sandwich meats. They identified the fact that the methods that are undertaken by the Winnipeg processing plant are not adequate for the hygiene factor that a processing plant should possess. The agency reported that the two industrial meat grinders are not clean and thus it processed the meats in an unhygienic manner. The agency even recommended the company to shut down the plant in Winnipeg for deep cleaning and for revising the cleaning protocols . Oaktree declared the suspension of operation of the plant and assured full cooperation with CFIA. Thus, 1.2 million kilogram of processed meat products was recalled. The Director of Communication, Ashok Fraser worked together with the senior management for controlling the situation and informed the public to avoid causing panic

Writer's choice Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Writer's choice - Coursework Example ons, she also advocates for teamwork that is the reason she makes sure that I go with her to the meeting and more so she acts to the interest of the company. In our meeting, Curt becomes too rigid to listen to our suggestions, he only want us to consider his suggestions. Such rigidity makes the two come into a clear misunderstanding and makes them seem like they do not like each other. Therefore, the meeting later turns to be very competitive as Felicia also on the other side stops to listen to Curt and instead tries to have the last word on every topic. Such an incidence makes me worry losing the best and very important client of our company. Therefore, I recommend that in the near future during such meetings with Midcontinent Midstream, the company should appoint another person to represent us in place of Felicia since she does not come to a common understanding with Curt. Curt also should be more considerate of

Fitness Industry Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Fitness Industry - Assignment Example Approximately 78% out of the total population of 4.6 million belong to the 15-64 years old age bracket which represents the target market of the fitness club of Global PLC Ventures. Another 20% of the total population is below 15 years old. These two population segments comprise the future consumers of the new fitness centres in Dubai. The extremely robust private sector growth has created the need for new workers. Dubai had received US $32 trillion dollars in foreign direct investment that had funded the construction of new office buildings, residential towers and condominium residences in 2007 and 2008. These new businesses require many new workers. The labour force has increased to 4% per annum as new companies and enterprises open next year. Expatriate workers have been hired to work in new companies. Dubai has a very young and growing population: 47% of its population are below 15 years old. This fast-growing young population and the business executives are the target market of the Fitness business of Global PLC Ventures for its health and fitness business.Dubai has an open policy towards foreign businesses. It allows 100% foreign ownership and offers tax breaks to foreign companies. The most interesting development of Dubai is the three man-made islands: The Palm Islands, The s The Palm Dubai and The Palms. The project is being handled by Al Nakheel Properties. This property development will establish new residential, leisure, and entertainment areas. The two man-made artificial palm tree-shaped resort islands established Dubai's position as a top tourist destination in the Middle East. The Palm Islands is now... This paper approves that nutrition, exercise and a healthy lifestyle are becoming achievable goals with the establishment of fitness clubs in various parts of the world. Most of the fitness clubs offer state-of-the-art exercise equipment, individualized personal fitness training, group classes and nutrition advice. Indeed, the fitness industry is an emerging sector which can capture a wide and affluent clientele in carefully chosen business sites of Global PLC Ventures. The company must choose very interesting locations such as developed economies which guarantee growth and profitability for its fitness operations. This essay makes a cocnclusion that in terms of the bargaining power of buyers, it will be low since most of the consumers get high salaries as executives and employees of government firms and government controlled corporations. There are also many citizens who are working in multinational corporations as key executives. Public and private corporations give very high compensation and benefits packages for the citizens. Hence, the possibility of establishing fitness centres is nil for Brunei and Dubai citizens and residents as they do not have the appropriate technical training and business knowledge pertinent to management of a fitness business. In terms of the bargaining power of suppliers, it will be low because the fitness gym business is highly capital intensive due to high rental costs, high human resource costs and high maintenance costs of the equipment. A regular supplier of gym equipment cannot just easily venture into the fitness gym business; he must have a high capital.

Von Economo Neurons and Self-Awareness

Von Economo Neurons and Self-Awareness Joshua McCosker Von Economo neurons (VENs) are large bipolar neurons found in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), frontoinsular cortex (FI) and dorsolateral prefrontal area (DLPA) in the brains of humans, and to a lesser extent, the great apes, several cetaceans and elephants. It is believed that they arose independently within these species due to evolutionary pressure that required the rapid transmission and cognitive processing of social information in animals with large highly convoluted brains and complex social behaviours (Hakeem et al., 2009). Research has suggestedsuggests that the evolution of these neurons underlie the emergence of intuition, higher emotional cognitive functions and self-referential processes. This suggests an intriguing connection with the subjective conscious experience and self-conscious awareness (Critchley Seth, 2012). To investigate this connection between VENs and self-awareness it is necessary to examine the known behavioural functions of the ACC and FI, along w ith the evolution of these structures and the integration with this novel class of neuron. Furthermore, the higher social functions attributed to VENs and how these are related to awareness of consciousness self will be discussed in light of research that shows a correlation between the degeneration of VENs in several neuro-psychiatric disorders that leads to devastating deficits in conscious awareness and social skills (Butti, Santos, Uppal, Hof, 2013). The ACC and FI are found in the paralimbic cortex (also known as mesocortex) of the mammalian brain and represents a relatively ancient region that has recently gone through a period of evolutionary adaptive changes in humans and is directly connected to limbic structures while providing a transition to higher neocortical regions (Brà ¼ne et al., 2010; William W. Seeley et al., 2006). These paralimbic structures show increased connectivity with the hippocampus, amygdala, orbitofrontal cortex and septum; the septum is involved in social memory and the development of trust in humans (Allman, Tetreault, Hakeem, Park, 2011). It is hypothesised that this enhanced connectivity is mediated by VENs that project from the FI and ACC to these structures providing functional integration with of somatosensory input and higher cognitive emotional processes leading to the emergence of intuition, social and self-awareness and the ability to empathise (Allman, Tetreault, Hakeem, Manaye, et al., 201 1; Allman, Tetreault, Hakeem, Park, 2011). AIC as the input sensory region and ACC as the output control region (Craig, 2009; W. W. Seeley et al., 2007). The evolutionary expansion of the cerebral cortex gave rise to the neocortex in mammals leading to a volumetric increase in humans of several-hundred times over that of lower primates (Nimchinsky et al., 1999). However, the types of neurons found within the brain have remained relatively constant (Nimchinsky et al., 1999; William W. Seeley et al., 2006). In 1926 Constantin Von Economo first described the cortical distribution and morphology of a novel class of neuron as being spindle like in form and of unusual length (Butti et al., 2013).. Von Economo neurons are large bipolar projection neurons that are relatively recent on the evolutionary path (Allman, Watson, Tetreault, Hakeem, 2005). They have large axons that bidirectionally connect the ACC to the FI and in turn to other structures of the brain between the limbic cortex and neocortex; suggesting a role in the rapid transmission of sensory information between these structures. Although VENs have been found in the FI and ACC of species other than great apes and homonids the cells are not found in the concentrated clusters that have been described in higher primates (Bauernfeind et al., 2013). It is interesting to note that volumetric studies have shown that the evolutionary expansion in size of the FI in primates is disproportionately greater to overall brain expansion by 36% and the total volume of the FI is about 4 times larger in humans compared to that of the chimpanzee (Bauernfeind et al., 2013). Furthermore, it is known that the vast majority of VENs develop during the first 8 months of life (Allman et al., 2010) . and this coincides with the emergence of stranger anxiety, separation anxiety and increased verbal skills (Hoffnung et al., 2013). These studies support the suggestion that the FI and ACC are intricately involved in enhancing social behaviours through the utilization of subjective emotional states in applying empathy toward others. ReseachResearch hasis showning a relationship between complex social and emotional processes and the advanced cognitive abilities that underlie the ability of self-recognition (Hunter, 2010). The mirror self-recognition test is used to assess self-awareness in animals and was developed by Gordon G. Gallup (1970) during his work with chimpanzees and self-recognition. In humans the ability to recognise the ‘self’ in a mirror image develops between the ages of 18 and 24 months and this coincides with the development of other indicators of social and self-awareness such as the ability to empathise (Hunter, 2010). As previously mentioned there is a rapid development of VENs during the first year of life and this development continues to age 4 when VEN numbers align to those of adult (Allman et al., 2010). The hypothesised role of VENs in higher cognitive functions and self-conscious awareness is supported by research that has shown the involvement of VENs in the pathogenesis of a number of neuropsychiatric and behavioural conditions that are characterised by deficits in emotional and social functioning, the ability to empathise, impairment of affective language and alterations in conscious awareness (Kaufman et al., 2008). Stereological research suggests that these conditions may be due to the failure of VENs to develop normally or the degeneration of these cells within the ACC and FI (Allman et al., 2005; Butti et al., 2013). This is evident in frontotemporal dementia (FTD) where patients present with a severe reduction in social judgement, empathy and the ability to self-monitor leading to sociopathic behaviour (William W. Seeley et al., 2006). In a study conducted by William W. Seeley et al. (2006) it was shown that FTD is characterised by early injury to the ACC and FI involving e arly, severe and selective VENs loss of 74% compared to controls. Similarly, patients with early onset schizophrenia are characterised by a reduced volume of the ACC showing a significant reduction in the density of VENs (Allman et al., 2010; Brà ¼ne et al., 2010). People with schizophrenia show a broad range of impaired social skills characterised by severe disturbance of cognitive processes and self-conscious awareness giving rise to symptoms that include delusions, hallucinations, disorganised thought and speech, disorganised and catatonic behaviour, poverty of speech and lack of, or inappropriate, responses to socio-emotional cues (Nolen-hoeksema, 2007). Recent research has suggested a connection between these VENs containing areas, self-referential processes and the subjective conscious experience of awareness (Allman et al., 2005; Craig, 2009; William W. Seeley et al., 2006). The evolutionary motivation underlying these adaptations may well have been due to the rise of species living in complex social groups that required the rapid intuitive assessment of social interactions and the ability to differentiate between the needs of oneself and those of others and this may have led to the ability to empathise with the emotional state and needs of individuals within the social structure (Allman et al., 2010; Allman, Tetreault, Hakeem, Park, 2011; Hakeem et al., 2009). We shall consider a model of consciousness where the FI serves to integrate bottom-up interoceptive sensory information with top-down predictions and modulations from higher level prefrontal cortical areas and the ACC generating a state of awareness (Gu, Hof, Friston, Fan , 2013). It is hypothesised that VENs mediate a rapid bidirectional feedback between the integration of sensory information in the AIC and the adaptive behavioral responses mediated by the ACC (Allman et al., 2005). Interoception is the integration of somatosensory information leading to a sense of the physiological state of the body, giving rise to a cortical image or representation of self (Craig, 2002, 2009). In humans the interoceptive network is mediated via afferent spinothalamic neurons projecting to the ventromedial nucleus which is significantly larger in humans than other primates; non-primates are unable to experience body feelings in the same manner as humans do due to the lack of the specific afferent spinothalamocortical pathway involved in â€Å"direct interoceptive representation† (Craig, 2002). This homeostatic information is relayed to the anterior insular cortex where there is a re-representation of this interoceptive cortical image and the ACC is involved in the active modulation of the feeling represented by this image in response to cognitive assessment from the orbitofrontal cortex (Allman et al., 2005; Craig, 2002, 2009; William W. Seeley et al., 2006)(Craig, 2002, 2009; Seeley, 2006; Allman, 2005). It is also worth noting that this top-down cognitive assessment could involve conscious internal dialog and suggests the co-evolution of language and consciousness and that we are conscious in a human sense because we have language. Language is not only used for external communication but internally as parts of our thought processes defining our current mental state and by extension is a defining the broader and more complex brain state (Arbib, 2001). The above research shows that VENs are intricately involved in the convergence of somatosensory information via a highly evolved thalamacortical pathway to the paralimbic structure of the AIC in which emerges an integrated cortical image. Bidirectional signaling between between the AIC, ACC and multiple areas of the brain is mediate via VENs and is a contiual feedback loop that assesses and updates this cortical self-image utilising contextual cues derived from the environment and past experiences accessed from long term memory via hippocampal projections. The AIC cortical self-representation is modulated with emotional context and predictive behavioural responses. References Allman, J. M., Tetreault, N. A., Hakeem, A. Y., Manaye, K. F., Semendeferi, K., Erwin, J. M., . . . Hof, P. R. (2010). The von Economo neurons in frontoinsular and anterior cingulate cortex in great apes and humans. Brain Structure and Function, 214(5-6), 495-517. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00429-010-0254-0 Allman, J. M., Tetreault, N. A., Hakeem, A. Y., Manaye, K. F., Semendeferi, K., Erwin, J. M., . . . Hof, P. R. (2011). The von Economo neurons in the frontoinsular and anterior cingulate cortex. Ann N Y Acad Sci, 1225(1), 59-71. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2011.06011.x Allman, J. M., Tetreault, N. A., Hakeem, A. Y., Park, S. (2011). The von economo neurons in apes and humans. American Journal of Human Biology, 23(1), 5-21. doi: 10.1002/ajhb.21136 Allman, J. M., Watson, K. K., Tetreault, N. A., Hakeem, A. Y. (2005). Intuition and autism: a possible role for Von Economo neurons. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 9(8), 367-373. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2005.06.008 Arbib, M. A. (2001). Co-Evolution of Human Consciousness and Language. Ann N Y Acad Sci, 929(1), 195-220. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2001.tb05717.x Bauernfeind, A. L., de Sousa, A. A., Avasthi, T., Dobson, S. D., Raghanti, M. A., Lewandowski, A. H., . . . Sherwood, C. C. (2013). A volumetric comparison of the insular cortex and its subregions in primates. Journal of Human Evolution, 64(4), 263-279. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2012.12.003 Brà ¼ne, M., Schà ¶bel, A., Karau, R., Benali, A., Faustmann, P. M., Juckel, G., Petrasch-parwez, E. (2010). Von Economo neuron density in the anterior cingulate cortex is reduced in early onset schizophrenia. Acta Neuropathologica, 119(6), 771-778. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00401-010-0673-2 Butti, C., Santos, M., Uppal, N., Hof, P. R. (2013). Von Economo neurons: Clinical and evolutionary perspectives. Cortex, 49(1), 312-326. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2011.10.004 Craig, A. D. (2002). How do you feel? Interoception: the sense of the physiological condition of the body. Nat Rev Neurosci, 3(8), 655-666. Craig, A. D. (2009). How do you feel now? The anterior insula and human awareness. Nature Reviews. Neuroscience, 10(1), 59-70. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nrn2555 Critchley, H., Seth, A. (2012). Will Studies of Macaque Insula Reveal the Neural Mechanisms of Self-Awareness? Neuron, 74(3), 423-426. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2012.04.012 Gordon G. Gallup, Jr. (1970). Chimpanzees: Self-Recognition. Science, 167(3914), 86-87. doi: 10.2307/1728199 Gu, X., Hof, P. R., Friston, K. J., Fan, J. (2013). Anterior insular cortex and emotional awareness. Journal of Comparative Neurology, 521(15), 3371-3388. doi: 10.1002/cne.23368 Hakeem, A. Y., Sherwood, C. C., Bonar, C. J., Butti, C., Hof, P. R., Allman, J. M. (2009). Von Economo Neurons in the Elephant Brain. The Anatomical Record: Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology, 292(2), 242-248. doi: 10.1002/ar.20829 Hoffnung, M., Hoffnung, R. J., Seifert, K. L., Smith, R. B., Hine, A., Ward, L., PauseÃÅ' , C. (2013). Lifespan development : a chronological approach (Second Australasian Edition ed.): Milton, Qld. John Wiley and Sons Australia. Hunter, P. (2010). The basis of morality. EMBO Reports, 11(3), 166-169. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/embor.2010.19 Kaufman, J., Paul, L., Manaye, K., Granstedt, A., Hof, P., Hakeem, A., Allman, J. (2008). Selective reduction of Von Economo neuron number in agenesis of the corpus callosum. Acta Neuropathologica, 116(5), 479-489. doi: 10.1007/s00401-008-0434-7 Nimchinsky, E. A., Gilissen, E., Allman, J. M., Perl, D. P., Erwin, J. M., Hof, P. R. (1999). A neuronal morphologic type unique to humans and great apes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 96(9), 5268-5273. Nolen-hoeksema, S. (2007). Abnormal psychology (E. Barrosse Ed.  ¤4th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. Seeley, W. W., Carlin, D. A., Allman, J. M., Macedo, M. N., Bush, C., Miller, B. L., DeArmond, S. J. (2006). Early frontotemporal dementia targets neurons unique to apes and humans. Ann Neurol, 60(6), 660-667. doi: 10.1002/ana.21055 Seeley, W. W., Menon, V., Schatzberg, A. F., Keller, J., Glover, G. H., Kenna, H., . . . Greicius, M. D. (2007). Dissociable intrinsic connectivity networks for salience processing and executive control. J Neurosci, 27(9), 2349-2356. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5587-06.2007

Sylvia Plaths Mirror Essay -- Papers Sylvia Plath Poem Poetry Essays

Sylvia Plath's Mirror Sylvia Plath's "Mirror" offers a unique perspective on the attitudes of aging. "Mirror" displays tremendous insight and objectivity into the natural human behavior of growing older. Plath is able to emphasize the loneliness, hope, despair, and insecurity that awaits us through mankind's incessant addiction with reflection. "Mirror" expresses the problems associated with aging through terse comparisons between reality and desire. Plathe's strength of "Mirror" lies in its ability to establish a solid comparison among appearance and human emotions between the first and second stanzas. At first "Mirror" introduces reflection as a precise and accurate force through utilizing the first person perspective of a mirror: "I am silver and exact. I have no preconceptions. Whatever I see I swallow immediately Just as it is, unmisted by love or dislike. I am not cruel, only truthful.." (Plathe lines 1-4) This example can then be viewed symbolically of appearance especially concerning "love or dislike". In that people never hate nor adore their features but merely accept that what they see is what defines them. This faith is reinforced by the quality and type of reflection because it is originating from a mirror which is suppose to be exact, honest, and universal for all. Plathe understanding these principles describes the reflection process by instilling this object with living characteristics such as thought, sight, and a lifestyle: "Most of the time I meditate on the opposite wall. It is pink with speckles. I have looked at it so long I think it is part of my heartà ¢? ¦Faces and darkness separate us over and over." (Pl... ... that not only destroys our reflection but also ones sense of identity, purpose, and confidence. The critical comparisons found in Sylvia Plath's "mirror" portray a distinctive attitude towards aging. Through contrasting the two separate stanzas the messages of desire, reality, individuality, fear, and insecurity are all demonstrated. Once the essence of Plathe's attitude is unlocked in "mirror" the emotion behind the writing is seen as the motivation for a tone that displays intense longing or weariness towards life. This becomes epitomized throughout Plathe's presentation as it utilizes age as a catalyst for the deterioration of the human spirit. Works Cited: Plath, Sylvia. ?Mirror.? The Language of Literature: American Literature. Eds. Arthur N. Applebee et al. Evanston: McDougal Littel, 1997. 252.

A dollar a day language analysis Essay

Recently, in the Daily Telegraph Angus McDonald wrote an opinion piece about how Indian children are being exploited for cheap labour and how the government is not dealing with the problem as Angus believes they are accountable for the responsibility. This issue has recently blown up in the media, due to the recent information about the average day of a child labour living in India. Angus McDonald uses emotive language, logical evidence, case studies , appeals to a sense of justice and a photograph, along with an alarmist tone to convey the message that the government need to step up and stop child labour. Angus McDonald uses emotive language to make the reader empathise with the child labourers. McDonald uses a highly descriptive language to convey how Manu (the featured child labourer) lives his life and uses this to create a symbol or generalisation that all Indian Child labourers spend their days the same as Manu. The writer also uses emotive language in conjunction with a highly descriptive writing style to show the vast span between Manu and his products. Angus uses his emotive language to forward the premise of hypocrisy between that of Manu, an underpaid child labourer, and the expensive garments he makes. This makes the reader feel sincere empathy for Manu and all child labourers like him. This empathy that we feel while reading Manu’s story makes us yearn for a better future for Manu. This is the point in the article that Angus mentions how the police are combating the situation. McDonald mentions that they are trying but they are only getting â€Å"the tip of the iceberg†. This phrase makes us believe the government is not doing enough to help Manu and the rest of the child labourers, and therefore directly links to McDonald’s contention about how Indian child labourers are being exploited and government is not doing enough to stop this crime against humanity. The use of logical evidence and case studies within Angus McDonald’s â€Å"A Dollar a Day† essay, provokes the reader into believing that Angus McDonald is highly educated on the matter and that we should agree with him. The use of his case study of Manu gives the issue a small scope on the problem but  as we read through the article, Angus McDonald zooms out and looks at the broader topic. This small scope case study shows us the problem at its roots, then when Angus zooms out and shows us the broader issue of the government not controlling child labour problems efficiently, we feel informed of the matter and connecting to the whole issue because of this case study. The alarmist tone pulls information together nicely with the case study as it gives a real sense of urgency to the issue and this makes the reader side with the writer almost instantly. Angus McDonald uses logical evidence and case studies to push forward that Indian child labourers are being exploited an d the government need to be doing more to help. The writer uses the appeal to sense of justice language device, to arouse anger at the people taking advantage of these children and to make the reader feel as though the Justice Department of India are doing an inadequate job. Angus McDonald goes out of his way to make the criminals mentioned in his article look even worse then what they are. He uses the criminal’s mistreatment of the children to evoke a sense of injustice in the reader by writing sentences such as â€Å"a life of servitude† and â€Å"[a child’s] living nightmare†. These phrases make the reader feel great anger towards the criminals, but just as the readers are most enraged Angus McDonald turns the tables and explains that the criminals are bad but it’s the Justice Departments lack of input that has caused this problem to be so severe. This turns the reader’s anger towards the Justice Department and therefore siding with Angus McDonald’s contention. The writer’ s use of sense of justice helps him manipulate the reader into believing the government should be doing more to stop Indian child labour. Presented to us first in this issue is the picture of a child we are led to believe is Manu. This picture gives a face to our case study. This gives impact to the reader as now we have a much more emotional connection to Manu. This image is linked to the first couple of paragraphs where Manu’s life is described. Once again this makes the issue seem more real and makes the article more impacting. The actual picture is well done as it gives a good contrast between the blue garment and the dirty workshop and the poor  child. It shows the actual society contrast between Manu and the people who buy his clothes. The image is also sloped downwards as though we are looking down upon Manu, meaning pity or guilt. The image used in this piece is a strong device to link the issue to a visual and give it depth into the life of Manu. Throughout Angus McDonald’s piece he explains that Indian children are being exploited as child labour and the government is not doing enough to stop the issue. Angus McDonald uses emotive language, case studies, logical evidence, appeal to a sense of justice and an image to reinforce his opinion that to help children in India the government must do more.

buy custom Military Medical Crimes essay

buy custom Military Medical Crimes essay In the medical field, white-collar crime may include pharmaceutical executives untruly advertising that a vaccine can prevent certain infections which in real sense it does not. According to this video the Pentagon arranged for the United States troops in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Korea to receive anthrax vaccines by force (Lordblackhawk1000, 2008). The soldiers were denied the right to refuse deadly vaccines as they were threatened by the Pentagon. This was after the forewarnings that were issued by a number of heroic and patriotic individuals to military and government officials. It was kind of a plan between the Department of defense and pharmaceutical executives who knew that there would be an increased demand for the anthrax vaccine as their plan goes through. Increased demand always leads to increase in the price of goods or services and this is what thepharmaceutical company was targeting. This therefore qualifies to be a white-collar crime. After this arrangement, there was mass vaccination of the United States troops which risked the lives of many soldiers as the live anthrax bacteria was injected into their blood stream (Lordblackhawk1000, 2008). The soldiers should have the right to refuse what is unfavorable to their health. They should not be forced to be injected with a very expensive deadly vaccine for experimental purposes. Air force pilots decided to quit their profession rather than accept the deadly vaccine into their bodies. A caring United States Government, which is truly interested in the safety and health of Americans, would be ensuring that there is progress in public health and educational policies regarding chemical and biological attack preparedness (Pontell Geis, 2007)). It is very contrary when such critical advice and policy is entirely left to independent, usually ill-trained individuals at best. Such individuals convince the government with the aim of selling their fake product at a high price. The government should be aware of such white-collar criminals for the safety of citizens (Lordblackhawk1000, 2008). White-collar criminals always use a convincing language and can do a fatal harm which cannot be realized until very late (Benson Simpson, 2009). The forewarnings of the heroic and patriotic individuals to military and government officials are fallaciously accepted by the government without further investigation. This includes forcing the troops to be injected with a deadly vaccine. The soldiers should be allowed the right to reject the vaccines once they realize the consequences. Buy custom Military Medical Crimes essay

Alias grace dreams essays

Alias grace dreams essays I finished reading Alias Grace a couple of nights ago. I think one of the quotes from the blurb on the back read something like surely, this is as far as a novel can go and I think I agree. Not so much with the plot, which is still brilliant and involving, but by the sheer amount of technical skill Atwood demonstrates. Youll find a number of different writing methods styles that lesser novels pick one of and use all the way through like poetry, letters from characters to other characters and extracts from other (real life) texts of Grace Marks murder trial. What makes it all so impressive is that in one chapter you could be reading straight from the mind of Grace herself and then the next a number of letters from Dr. Simon Jordan (her fledgling psychologist) addressed to his mother, and it all seamlessly connects while feeling relevant to the story. And the story is an interesting one. I have the feeling I wouldve appreciated more if I had heard of Grace Marks or knew a little bit about the case before reading. Theres a sense that Atwood is writing for people who might have wondered about Grace Marks past and needed someone imaginative to fill in the gaps for them. But Atwood still does an excellent job of catering for the ignorant. Alias Grace is also a book that needs to be read all at once in a fairly short period of time; just to process all the information and keep events straight in your mind. My casual reading habits werent much help with that. But either way, like I said before, the book did what I wanted it to do: prove to me that Margaret Atwood is a bloody good writer. I think I now appreciate The Handmaids Tale a little more because it. Sigmund Freud (18561939) is universally considered the father of psychoanalysis, and many date the birth of psychoanalytic theory from the 1899 publication of The Interpretation of Dream...

Are We Too Dependent on Computers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Are We Too Dependent on Computers - Essay Example In this debate, I will argue that we are too dependent on computers. Progress is a natural aspect of humanity. People often seek new ideas, concepts and theories to support changing needs. In addition, the human capacity to think differentiates us from animals and drives us to want bigger, better, or more efficient tools to facilitate the execution of tasks. Computers are an example of a tool invented to make it easier to perform duties in an efficient and convenient manner. In spite of their contribution to human development, computers have also robbed us of certain aspects of our humanity, especially our social element. Human beings are naturally social; we always seek others for company and support in every possible way. However, computers are taking and have been taking this attribute away from us since they were invented. Today, it is common to see people using computers to perform everything, even tasks that can be carried out without technological assistance. In school, students are using calculators, which are minicomputers, to perform computations even when they do not really need to. It is also common to see people flashing out their gadgets at social gatherings and immersing themselves in online forums when they should be socializing with others. Smartphones, which are basically computers in their own right, and laptops, are now present in every corner of our lives. We have placed these devices on such a high pedestal that we view them as viable alternatives to other people.  

How successful was the strategic bombing of Germany in the Second Essay

How successful was the strategic bombing of Germany in the Second World War On what criteria do you base your assessment - Essay Example The Germans sought to forego the horrors that dominated trench warfare by technically re-engineering the way in which soldiers met with enemy combatants on the battlefield. However, the Germans were not unique in such an alternate approach as the Allies sought to find a way to avoid a protracted ground battle that would likely see both sides grind to a halt and re-invoke the painful lessons and memories of trench warfare during the Second World War. As a means to avert this, the Allies opted for a litany of approaches; however, for the purposes of this brief research, the one that will be focused upon with the most depth will be that of the CBO (Combined Bomber Offensive) which aimed to bring about the combined destruction of German industry, economics, and moral by providing a steady stream of aerial bombardment to Germany throughout much of the latter part of World War II. Though this aerial bombardment has come to be collectively recognized as a key determinant with respect to the Allied victory, this analysis will attempt to define the campaign, categorize its intended and realized goals, and attempt to draw a level of meaning upon overall effectiveness based upon these prior definitions. Thought it would be foolish to claim that the importance of aerial bombardment was determined as a useful means by the Allies completely of their own volition and in a type of vacuum as it were, it would also foolish to fail to consider the means by which the German aerial bombardment of Britain had a profound effect in guiding and directing the way the Allies thought concerning such a tactic (Childers 2005, p. 79). As night after night for nearly an entire year, the cities and infrastructure of Britain was tormented by nearly incessant German aerial bombardment during the Battle of Britain, it is without question that the formulation of what would become CBO took careful note of the means by which such a form of warfare affected the populace, the moral, and was a useful, albeit costly mechanism, whereby the Allies could seek to leverage an advantage over Germany while at the same time seeking to undermine the nation economically, morally, and industrially (Parramore 2012, p. 75). Similarly, before delving into the overall effectiveness of such a strategy in bringing about the end to the war, one must also consider the fact that after the Battle of Britain was all but decided, the strength and potency of the German Luftwaffe had been so seriously degraded that it no longer had the capability to successfully counter the streams of lumbering bombers that pummeled its cities with tonne after tonne of payload. Likewise, the fact that the Luftwaffe was not only degraded from losses from the Battle of Britain but also from the fact that Operation Barbarossa had already begun in the East ensured that a supreme lack of equipment and support for air defense of the homeland was something that was all but assured (Gentile 1997, p. 53). Approaching the issue fro m this light, it is easy to understand why the Allies used this opportunity to leverage the seemingly inexhaustible production strength that the United States was able to supply Great Britain as fighter blames and bombers were replaced on the front lines at a rate greater than the Luftwaffe and supporting aerial defense ground forces could bring them