Writing Successful Introductory Paragraphs Essays - Writing

Writing Successful Introductory Paragraphs In the most abstract sense, the function of an introductory paragraph is to move the reader from the world of daily life into the textual and analytical space of an essay. In a more concrete sense, an introduction performs three essential functions: 1) it clearly and specifically states the topic or question that you will address in your essay; 2) it motivates topic or question that the essay will examine; and 3) it states, clearly and directly, your position on this topic or question (i.e. your thesis). Conceptual Components Persona - While reading your introduction, your reader will begin to make assumptions about you as an author. Be sure to project yourself as a thoughtful, knowledgeable, and nonbiased writer capable of dealing effectively with the complexities and nuances of your topic. Your introduction should set the tone that will remain consistent throughout your essay. In addition to emphasizing the uniqueness of your approach to your subject matter, you should seek to draw your reader into your essay with the gracefulness of your prose and the rational demeanor you project as a writer. Contextualization - In addition to stating the topic and scope of your analysis, your introduction should provide your readers with any background or context necessary to understand how your argument fits into the larger discourse on the subject. The details you use to orient your reader with your topic should be woven throughout the structural components of your introduction listed below. Structural Components Opener - In addition to grabbing the reader's attention, the opening sentence of an essay sets up the structure of the introductory paragraph. You want to create movement among your ideas, which is best done by moving either from the particular to the general or from the general to the particular. Essays which move from the particular to the general often begin with an anecdote, quotation, fact, or detail from the text that can be used to introduce readers to the larger issues the essay will address. Introductions that move from the general to the particular-typically referred to as the funnel structure-often begin with a wider view of the topic that will be used to establish a context for the more localized argument that the author will present. Topic or Purpose - The introductory paragraph must leave the reader with a clear understanding of the specific subject area that your essay will investigate. Defining your essay's scope in this way often requires distinguishing your specific focus from the larger discourse on your topic. Though this is not always essential, many essays include a purpose statement that tells the reader directly: "this paper examines..." or "the aim of this essay is to..." Motive - The motive is a specific sentence, usually near the middle of your introduction, that clarifies for the reader why your thesis is interesting, non-obvious, and/or contestable. In essence, your motive answers the question "so what?" that a reader might ask of your thesis. Because they show that the truth about a subject is not as clear as it might seem, motive statements often employ terms of reversal-"yet," "but," "however," &c.-that reflect a departure from the obvious. Thesis Statement - The thesis statement is the central claim your essay will make about your chosen topic. Since the topic area must first be described and motivated, the thesis statement is usually placed near the end of the introduction. Roadmap - Though this is often unnecessary in shorter papers, essays that are long (7+ pages) or especially complex are often easier for the reader to understand if the author offers some preview of the essay's structure at the beginning of the paper. In especially long essays (20+ pages), this outline of the essay's structure may demand a paragraph of its own (usually the second paragraph).

Campbell Soup Co. Essays - Management, American Brands, Free Essays

Campbell Soup Co. Essays - Management, American Brands, Free Essays Campbell Soup Co. 1. Company Overview Founded in 1869, Campbell Soup Company is one of the leaders in manufacturing from frozen dinners to retail garden centers. However Soup has been its core business. Some major brands of Campbell Soup Co. include Flagship red-and-white canned soup, Prego Spaghetti sauces, Godiva Chocolates, Pepperidge Farm baked goods, V8, etc. In addition, since 1980, Campbell Soup Co. has undergone three different strategies under thee different CEOs who brought their own agenda in order to build value for the company and its shareholders. For example, under Gordon McGoverns leadership (1980-1989), Campbells strategic focus was on developing and introducing new products and expansion of the business portfolio through acquisitions. Under David Johnson (1990 1997), The companies focus shifted to increasing sales growth, increase market share present), Campbells strategy focus continued to increase sales growth, increase market share & share holder value, but focus was shifted more towards profitable b usinesses with the highest growth potential and divestations of non strategic businesses 2. Problems / Strategic Issues Since 1980, Campbells corporate strategy and the companys business structure have undergone three significant changes. Each strategy was implemented under the leadership of three different CEOs: 1. 1980 1989, Gordon Morrison: o Expansion through acquisitions and development of new products. 2. 1990 1997, David Johnson: o Increase sales growth, increase market share & share holder value. 3. 1997 Present, Dale Morison: o Continue to increase sales growth, market share & share holder value. Campbells corporate strategy, under Gordon McGovern was expansion & development of new products to capitalize on consumer trends & improve operating efficiency. But this strategy turned out to be inefficient, as Campbells managers got too deeply involved in new-product development and neglected the performance of their existing products. In addition the expansion strategy led to unsuccessful diversification of Campbells business into industries that they had no expertise or competitive advantage. As a result, the companys cost of production went up and profit was reduced. Under David Johnson, the company restructured the business line and implemented a new corporate strategy. The new strategy was to eliminate unprofitable products and business units, improve communication and technology sharing between business units, and focus more on global marketing in order to increase sales growth, market share and shareholder value. This new strategy helped to increase operating margin and profits for the company. Some businesses were also able to improve their performances under Davids strategy. However, the company encountered some setbacks with its global marketing strategy. For example, the European market was harder than expected to penetrate for such products as Campbells soups. The company failed to detect that aggressive advertisement was needed to introduce The Soup products in Europe that caused sales to drop in those markets. When Dale Morison took over Campbell Soup as CEO, His goal was to enhance David Johnsons plan. He also restructured the companys business line structure further more and planned to Continue to increase sales growth, increase market share

Body Image And Its Effects On Society

Media affects body image Body image is an idiosyncratic picture of one 's own physical appearance established both by self-observation and by observing the reactions of others. Whether it may be a magazine cover, commercial or the internet, the media 's false portrayal of perfection greatly impacts children and young adults. The media glorifies models and celebrities as figures of a higher standard, as icons of beauty and youth. Media features female models with tall, slender body types and male†¦ Body image has a large impact in society, and not only affects women but affects men as well. The ideal body image is often enforced by media and it affects how we view ourselves. Many individuals are unhappy with their own body and feel uncomfortable in their own skin due to misrepresentations of beautiy in the media. In the bodybuilding community, males are constantly dissatisfied with how they view themselves. They do not feel like they are strong, big, or manly enough and therefore try to change†¦ is media use and body image. Individuals spend hours using or watching media. I personally spend almost 3-4 hours on social media or watching media. With its growing influence media has the opportunity to influence individuals of all age groups. Whether it be with their political choices, or their aspirations in life. With its growing impact it is necessary to examine, does media affect body image? After reviewing articles, I can come to the conclusion that media affects body image more negatively†¦ The â€Å"Ideal† Body Type for Men and Women. Society has created expectations that seem unobtainable to people. For example, women are supposed to be curvy, but not too curvy, have a thigh gap, and a chest, but not too big of a chest. Men are supposed to have cut abs, bulging biceps, and chiseled features. As a result, culture’s body image expectations have had several effects on the modern men and women including but not limited to: body comparison, body shamming, eating disorders, depression†¦ this research, the researchers wanted to find out if body image self-discrepancy is really a mediator in the process of social comparison from the exposure to the thin-ideal body by the media, together with the bad effects of such comparison. The participants were exposed with advertisements that consist either with thin-ideal women or without thin women. The researchers found out that the exposure to thin-ideal advertisement induced women’s body dissatisfaction, dropped their self-esteem, produced†¦ eaten. Society needs to regulate advertising, images and videos that feature people with unique physiques edited to perfection in order to decrease the amount of eating disorders. The impact the media has on body image is huge. The media bombards society with images of men and women with perfect bodies, which affect people both mentally and physically. These photos of supermodels and actors are now accessible more than ever due to technology becoming a huge part of people’s everyday life. Society spends†¦ Introduction There has been a dramatic shift, within the last couple of decades, on how women perceive their body. Unfortunately this shift has been significantly negative in nature. Women in today’s society are more dissatisfied with their bodies than ever before. The main culprit, which has driven this downward trend, is mass media. Mass media is very much a double-edged sword. On one hand, it has increased global connectivity and has allowed for the perpetuation of information in a very fast†¦ hand is how does social media influence our behavior and is this positive or negative. One area of controversy is social media’s effect on body image. Our culture has set unrealistic standards of how people should look. This has left a precedent specifically for women and has adhered to the development of confidence. Body dysphoria arises from these standards set by society. Such influences have caused eating disorders because of the competition to be the skinniest. Models are sizes double zero and†¦ Media’s effect on Body Image Doesn’t everyone want to have a body like Jennifer Lopez, Mila Kunis or Emma Watson? These are attractions in today’s media, which have an impact on how we look at our body and view ourself. The topic I have chosen is about the effect of media on our body image. I have chosen this topic because it is very important to analyze the impact of media in our daily lives and whether that impact is positive or negative. With respect to research, media negatively impacts the way†¦ â€Å"The human body is the best work of art† –Jess C. Scott Nearly every person in America has something about themselves that they don’t like. Whether it’s their smile, their legs, or the way they look in a swimsuit. A person has no trouble overlooking what’s beautiful about them and solely focusing on their flaws. Body image issues have been around for centuries. Women have tried altering their bodies in order to become ‘beautiful’, and most of the time those procedures are in no way healthy. Many†¦

Relaxation and Learning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Relaxation and Learning - Essay Example It is in these instances when learning a lesson or analyzing data from work necessitates the conditioning of a calm, open mind. There is thus nothing like getting one’s self into a relaxed, tranquil disposition in order to make the most out of a learning or thinking activity. Coming from a particularly taxing workday and before tackling the books for the next day’s lesson, I look forward to a warm soak in the tub. The lukewarm water and moisturizing suds not only wash off the day’s dirt and grime, but also its worries and consternations. A good 15 minute soak, coupled with measured deep breathing, feels like what a baby probably feels while it is in its mother’s womb; warm, secure, floating in perfect quietude. And maybe, some soft music and the scent of aromatic candles are welcome additions to soothe the other senses. At least three days in the week, I don running shoes and take a morning jog around the neighbourhood or in the park. There is nothing like the rhythmic pounding of concrete and a cool evening (or morning) breeze on your face as you savor the sights, sounds and smells of the neighbourhood/park. Running, for some reason or another, helps you sort your thoughts and think through problems, so that after a good run the world seems right again. At times when soaking in the tub or jogging in the park are not just practicable, I find that creating a mental picture or remembering an inspirational line helps put things in perspective and prepares me for heightened concentration. My favourite mental picture is that of gently rolling waves lapping the shore of a beach deserted but for a few people: white sand, blue sea, reclining chair, tall glass of iced tea in hand. This technique is useful for minute-long â€Å"mental vacations† to quickly get one into the proper mental frame for learning. Even during the process of learning, there is sometimes need to resort to quick calming techniques especially

Philosophy Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Philosophy - Coursework Example According to him, he had no malicious intent in instilling these thoughts of his and was only accused of having such due to the ignorance and envy of certain individuals. His point was that his ideas and actions should not be misconstrued as inappropriate but considered and respected. Analyzing deeper, one can see that the Apology was less concerned with forwarding any philosophical school of thoughts. Rather, it provides a portrait of an ideal philosopher. Socrates wanted the people to know, whether directly or indirectly, that the philosopher is an individual who uses reason and whose ideas are not bounded by theological or social restrictions. The philosopher challenges current thinking by carefully dissecting prevailing thoughts through the scalpel of logic and reason. He challenges them to go beyond the pretensions and restrictions of current human knowledge. Socrates, in spite of his discernible wisdom, confesses his own ignorance and in doing so, makes us realize that we should not be afraid to confess our own ignorance. Only by using so can we truly release our limited reasoning from the shackles of pretensions, obscurities and false

St. Johns Wort and Depression :: Psychology Health Essays

St. John's Wort and Depression What is St. John's Wort? St. John's Wort scientifically known as Hypericum Perforatum, an herbal remedy generally used to treat depression, is making a rise throughout Europe and the United States. St. John's Wort is a perennial plant that produces abundant yellow flowers and grows naturally throughout much of the world, including specifically in northern California, southern Oregon, and Colorado. It usually flowers on â€Å"sunlight hills and forest edges† during the summer, between June and August. It was named after St. John the Baptist and is often harvested and in full bloom around St. John's Day, June 24. History of St. John's Wort St. John’s Wort has been in use for about 2400 years and has been utilized for many different purposes throughout history. Some of these less modern uses have been nerve tonic, painkiller, including effectiveness for relieving arthritis pain and menstrual cramping, and relief for gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea, nausea, and more serious problems like ulcers. Now it is becoming more common as a remedy for depression and anxiety but is simultaneously being tested as a possible type of assistance for AIDS patients because it appears to help the immune system combat viruses. St. John's Wort as an antidepressant One out of every 20 Americans will become depressed this year. This is obviously a very major and serious problem. St. John’s Wort’s main ingredient, hypericin, is what appears to help alleviate mild to moderate depression, although not much is known about whether or not it proves helpful in severe depression. Hypericin is the red pigment of the plant and it seems to inhibit monoamine oxidase (MAO) and the breakdown of the brain’s neurotransmitters and is also a SRI, serotonin reuptake inhibitor. However, according to Jean Carper in Miracle Cures, â€Å"recent research finds hypericin less potent an antidepressant than the whole plant extract itself, suggesting the herb’s complex mixture of chemicals, including xanthones and flavonoids, also are critical in the plant’s pharmacological benefits†. St. John’s Wort is becoming increasingly popular mostly due to the lack of side effects. Other prescription antidepressants such as Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil often produce effects like weight loss, sexual dysfunction, and insomnia. In a controlled study of St. John’s Wort, only 2. St. John's Wort and Depression :: Psychology Health Essays St. John's Wort and Depression What is St. John's Wort? St. John's Wort scientifically known as Hypericum Perforatum, an herbal remedy generally used to treat depression, is making a rise throughout Europe and the United States. St. John's Wort is a perennial plant that produces abundant yellow flowers and grows naturally throughout much of the world, including specifically in northern California, southern Oregon, and Colorado. It usually flowers on â€Å"sunlight hills and forest edges† during the summer, between June and August. It was named after St. John the Baptist and is often harvested and in full bloom around St. John's Day, June 24. History of St. John's Wort St. John’s Wort has been in use for about 2400 years and has been utilized for many different purposes throughout history. Some of these less modern uses have been nerve tonic, painkiller, including effectiveness for relieving arthritis pain and menstrual cramping, and relief for gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea, nausea, and more serious problems like ulcers. Now it is becoming more common as a remedy for depression and anxiety but is simultaneously being tested as a possible type of assistance for AIDS patients because it appears to help the immune system combat viruses. St. John's Wort as an antidepressant One out of every 20 Americans will become depressed this year. This is obviously a very major and serious problem. St. John’s Wort’s main ingredient, hypericin, is what appears to help alleviate mild to moderate depression, although not much is known about whether or not it proves helpful in severe depression. Hypericin is the red pigment of the plant and it seems to inhibit monoamine oxidase (MAO) and the breakdown of the brain’s neurotransmitters and is also a SRI, serotonin reuptake inhibitor. However, according to Jean Carper in Miracle Cures, â€Å"recent research finds hypericin less potent an antidepressant than the whole plant extract itself, suggesting the herb’s complex mixture of chemicals, including xanthones and flavonoids, also are critical in the plant’s pharmacological benefits†. St. John’s Wort is becoming increasingly popular mostly due to the lack of side effects. Other prescription antidepressants such as Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil often produce effects like weight loss, sexual dysfunction, and insomnia. In a controlled study of St. John’s Wort, only 2.

Education For Life Essay

Education For LifeThe basic purpose of a liberal arts education is to liberate the human being to exercise his or her potential to the fullest. Liberal arts plays an important role in developing individuals and the world. When students attend liberal art colleges, they will understand the essence of humanity and will learn to shape and develop personal values. For a person to develop, he needs to understand the essence of humanity. When you attend college, your view on the meaning of life changes. You live for your minds and spirits and not just for the security of material wealth (Urbanek). You start to do things related to your work as this is your interest. This will make you care less about material wealth and you will focus more on the benefit of the world than the benefit of yourself. Liberal arts means arts of freedom. People learn about things that interest them. This makes the experience of learning better. Students will recognize the value of material things for what they are (Urbanek). They will start challenging tasks of design where they would learn how to translate ideas into actions. They will get to know the depth, flexibility and openness of their thinking and will also be able to recognize the importance of their thinking. Taking these ideas into consideration, I can say that liberal arts teaches people global responsibility, social awareness and self development, which is the essence of humanity. Thus, when the essence of humanity is known, then only a person will be able to acquire personal values. The value of liberal arts was appreciated by the students in older times but contemporary students do not share the same sentiment. In 1900, 70 percent of college students in US attended liberal arts colleges but today fewer that 5 percent do. The idea has taken hold by educators that todays youth are more materialistic, less idealistic and more self interested than their predecessors (Richard). In 1997, Yankelovitch survey focused on high school students and their parents, found that 85 percent of the high school students and 74 percent of their parents stated that the goal of college is to get a practical education and to secure a job. Furthermore, only 14 percent of the students and 27percent of their parents were even familiar with what a liberal art education is. Todays students tend to be career oriented, impatient and focused in material rewards (Kahn). People do not know that liberal arts can offer a clearer understanding that work embodies the values of courage, honour and responsibility. Liberal art colleges expose you to a variety of academic disciplines and an excellent background for future work. The education gives you the ability to adapt to a changing environment, communicate effectively, think critically and solve complex problems, which can prove very useful in everyday lives. As you acquire personal values throughout your college years, it is important to learn how to shape these values. I believe that the central purpose of liberal arts education is to shape the values of people. The impact of liberal arts education on student value change is conclusive in determining whether higher education is effective in achieving this central purpose. According to a survey conducted at the University of California at Los Angeles, 8 out of 10 academics said they were spiritual, and 64 percent called themselves religious. More than half of the faculty members said that it was important to enhance undergraduates’ self-understanding and to develop their moral character and values. I think liberal arts is a great way to teach people their spiritual and moral responsibilities towards the community and world itself. Humanitarian values are defined by acceptance of value equivalency between ones own loyalties and those of all other individuals and groups, as well as respecting the rights of others to freely express similar claims and loyalties without infringement (Hollway). Values serve as guiding principles in the life of a person or other social entity and thus, it is important for people to learn how to shape these values. Values are described as serving the interests of some social entity, motivating action, giving direction, and having emotional intensity (Hollway). Therefore, these values are needed for the development of individuals. When individuals possess these values, they will be able to use them in their society. Employers around the world are looking for people who possess these values and have the ability to use them. Hence, liberal arts students will satisfy these employers. These students will also find opportunities to learn more as their primary goal is not material wealth. This will help countries to better their economy. These values will benefit the students themselves as well as the world. Once a person understands the essence of humanity and learns to shape and develop values, he will be able to make changes to the world. Liberal arts students have the skills to become valuable community members. They make decisions, solve problems and communicate the solutions to others. Liberal arts prepares these students to be successful throughout their life. WORKS CITEDUrbanek, Jennifer. The EBSCOhost. 28 Oct. 2007 Kahn, Beverly. Co-opting The Market Place. Journal of Higher Education: p. 19. EBSCOhost. 28 Oct. 2007 Richard, M. The Practical Path, Too, Can Be High-Minded. Chronicle of Higher Education: p. 11. EBSCOhost. 28 Oct. 2007 Hollway, Michael. A Comparison of the Impact of 2 Liberal Arts. Journal of General Education: p. 237. EBSCOhost. 28 Oct. 2007.