Undergraduate / MIT Essay - Fun Activity [11]

I started figure skating aged five. From the moment I first laced-up my skates, clung to the wall of the rink, and stumbled along the perimeter, the experience has thrilled me. Over the years, my abilities have expanded but I still get the same thrill as I did that very first time on ice; in the seconds when I am spinning, or jumping through the air, the feeling of suspension between time and space fills me. Figure skating is an exhilarating sport; it has taught me balance, not only on the ice, but also in life, between tension and relaxation.

100 Words exactly...

lovely piece of writing by the way. Well done!

Essays / Best way to practice writing essays... [5]

Hi Joshua

I live in the UK and hold an honours degree in History. Essay writing was at the core of my degree programme and we received some simple but great advice.

Imagine you have to answer this question:

Should the law be able to punish us for not wearing safety belts when riding in a car?

You may know nothing about this... it doesn't matter. Follow these rules.

1) You should always write your introduction last!!!! Your introduction should be a brief summary of what the question means, and how you are going to explore the issue. This is much easier to do if you have done your research and writing first!

2) What is the question really asking?

3) What is the purpose of each paragraph you have written?

To find out what is really being asked I re-write the question a few times in my own words, this helps me to understand what I need to find out. We could re-write this question as:

Why should people be forced to wear safety belts?

OR

Do the government have the right to tell us to wear safety belts?

OR

Can the Law force us to wear safety belts?

A good essay looks at both sides of an argument. You could list all the good reasons for wearing safety belts and include a paragraph covering this. (e.g. Saves lives, reduces healthcare costs, no point in dying pointlessly etc!)

You could look at all the reasons why we shouldn't have to wear safety belts. (What if you were pregnant? Have had surgery on your abdoment? What if you just don't want to, it's your life?)

You can then look at the issue of punishment. If you agree that people should wear safety belts then what punishment is appropriate? This would be another paragraph.

To take this to a higher level you would need to try and think 'Three Dimensionally.' Simply outlining the facts of the argument and then concluding which one you think is more convincing (as listed above) would be enough for a C grade.

However, to get the A grade you would need to explore the higher argument that the question hints at? SHOULD, the law be able to punish us? This would invite a moral debate on the role of government in our lives. Can such a law be enforced. Is this law a good use of police time?

Before answering any question try and figure out what the 'higher' question is by reading between the lines. Take as much time as you like and practice this over and over again.

Finally, make sure that every paragraph in an essay tries to prove or disprove a point. If the paragraph doesn't do this then you don't need it!

Try thinking about these questions below; look beyond the title to figure out what is really being asked. Feel free to contact me if you want to have a go at thinking about these and would like some feedback.

Do kids today watch too much T.V?

Do Nuclear Weapons make the world safer?

Is racism still a problem in the USA?

Should drugs be legalised?

Essays / Legalizing Drugs, A fear of, Major decision - Cause-Effect Essay [3]

A great post by Sean, covering all the main points. You could also consider what is meant by the term 'Legalise.'

Would this mean that currently restricted substances would be 'freely' available from licensed vendors, in the same way that alcohol and cigarettes are sold?

Alternatively, legalize could mean to permit controlled use of certain drugs in accordance with a treatment programme as supervised by a physician.

In the Uk there is currently a small scale trial where heroin is being supplied by the state to addicts as part of a drug treatment plan. This is technically small scale legalisation, however people like myself, who don't have an addiction to heroin, can not purchase the drugs.

The preliminary findings of this study have shown a significant reduction in drug related crime (typically burglary, auto theft, shoplifting etc) and have also helped heroin addicts to rehabilitate by gradual dose reduction. If you search on news.bbc.co.uk you may be able to find some more information on this.

Current law enforcement policy on drugs in both the US and the UK focuses on restricting the supply of narcotics, both coming in to the country and at a street level. This has the effect of pushing up street prices of drugs and reducing drug purity (as dealers will add other substances to the drugs to make the weight up.)

The knock on effect of this is that addicts have to then commit more crime, to raise more money, to fund their habits. Partial legalisation (as in the UK example) for the most harmful drugs, heroin, crack, crystal meth etc, could well reduce crime and improve rehab rates, without the negative effect on public health that would be encountered if drugs were wholly de-regulated and legalised.

In short, the answer to the question on the effects of legalization, will naturally depend on the definition of legalization that you choose to work with.