Be Sure to Dot Your is!

Be Sure to Dot Your is! Be Sure to Dot Your is! Be Sure to Dot Your is! By Maeve Maddox A reader asks: What is the correct way to write, there are three twos in the English language. The short answer is: There are three twos in the English language. A more thorough answer requires a look at 1. the rule for forming the plural of letters, acronyms, symbols, and words regarded as words, and 2. the intended meaning of this particular sentence. 1. How to form the plural of letters, numerals, symbols, and words used as words The Walsh Plain English handbook (widely used in American schools from 1939 into the 1970s) gave this rule: Form the plurals of letters, symbols, figures, and words regarded as words by adding s, or sometimes just s: Ex. Dot your is, cross your ts, and make your 3s (or 3s) plainer. You have too many ands (or ands) in this sentence. In 2009, the Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL), an excellent and authoritative guide to written English, gives this rule: The plurals of single capital letters, acronyms, and Arabic numerals (1,2,3,) take an -s WITHOUT an apostrophe: Z (the capital letter Z)Zs UPC (Universal Product Code)UPCs ATM (Automatic Teller Machine)ATMs GUI (Graphical User Interface)GUIs 3 (the Arabic numeral 3)3s The OWL handout Forming plurals of lowercase letters carries this notation: Apostrophes are used to form plurals of letters that appear in lowercase; here the rule appears to be more typographical than grammatical, e.g. three ps versus three ps. To form the plural of a lowercase letter, place s after the letter. There is no need for apostrophes indicating a plural on capitalized letters, numbers, and symbols (though keep in mind that some editors, teachers, and professors still prefer them). My take on the use of the apostrophe to form any kind of plural is avoid doing it if you can make your meaning clear in any other way. Using s to form the plural of symbols feeds the uncertainities of young writers who imagine that the apostrophe is the sign of the plural and write such things as The dogs ran in the park. Or The dogs ran in the park. Ive had students so mesmerized by the apostrophe that they wrote his as his and goes as goes. Because of such experiences I balk at forming any kind of plural with s. In most cases no confusion results from adding a plain s to a numeral: His 3s look like 8s. Or to an acronym: All the ATMs had been vandalized. Adding s to a letter is tricky, as in the title of this post. The intended plural is looks like the verb is. Capitalizing the letter can help, but not in every case. Ex. Take more care in forming your As, Ts, and Is. My solution is to resort to quotation marks: Take more care in forming your as, ts, and is. Im not entirely happy with my solution, but I prefer it to using the apostrophe to form a plural. 2. The sentence There are three twos in the English language. Spoken, the sentence is a great way for a teacher to introduce the three English words that are pronounced [tu:]: to, two, and too. Attempting to put the sentence into written form, however, presents problems. For one thing, it spoils the pun. For another, theres only one two in English. Link to Owl Writing Lab Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:What is the Difference Between "These" and "Those"?35 Genres and Other Varieties of FictionWords That Begin with Q

Anthropology En Route Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Anthropology En Route - Essay Example Spaces like the university are therefore designed to accommodate the needs of the local population accordingly. The university appears to be a conglomerate of literally thousands of students from different cultures, religions and countries. I see students discussing things while they are walking through the corridors of the university. The expressions include a multitude of media through which communication takes effect. From the use of hand gestures and body language to the application of modern technologies like cell phones and internet – communication is an ongoing process during any interaction between students and their teachers. The university spaces are of special interest to me. It appears that the floor plan of the university is based on the concept of specialization and specialized areas dedicated to the expected activities that go on in institutions like this are indicative of the fact that much foreseeing has been going on when it was designed. Dedicated areas for teaching, meetings, presentations, dining, libraries, media library, play grounds and examination halls are all reflective of the diverse needs of humans to achieve the objective of education. A very important part of the university is its students. Keeping in view the federal nature of our university it is apparent why it attracts so many foreign students. For me the most interesting phenomenon is the mode of communication that exists between these foreign students. Whenever I see them talking, there is a lot that their body language and gestures express; as compared to their words. Though English is the medium to connect them; yet their level of expertise of the language alters the way they react and reciprocate to each other's messages. Details Of all the objects observed, two objects that appeal to me include; The communication between students who speak different languages; and University as a space of education and its operation Communication is a vital part of our day-to-day interactions. Generally considered to be divided into the verbal and non-verbal forms; there are a number of other attributes which do not follow the normal communicative patterns. Of my interest is the communication between students of different cultures and how they perceive each other's thoughts. It is quite often evident that whenever two student with different languages start to interact, the start often includes gestures which are indicative of greetings. Japanese students on our campus would bend forward during the start of communication, Chinese would shake their head a little while bending a bit, Asians would either shake hand like the Westerners or avoid shaking hands if those who are meeting are of opposite sexes etc. If they happen to be from different countries, the most prominent observation is that linguistic clues are replaced by hand gestures or body movements. The choice of words becomes a challenge to express the concept in its simplest form. It is very common tha t under such circumstances, both the parties start to speak simultaneously, expecting the other to listen or at least understand what is being explained by hand movements. The concept of directions is often expressed by

Nanotechnology Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Nanotechnology - Term Paper Example On the other hand, Eric Drexler, the founder of Foresight Nanotech Institute introduced to the world the term â€Å"nanotechnology in 1986, and used it to describe the bottom up approach. In contrary to Taniguchi, Drexler looked at nanotechnology from the perspective of a physicist. He referred to nanotechnology as a large scale mechanosynthesis that is founded on the positional control of molecules that are chemically reactive. The founders of nanotechnology anticipate that, in the future, the term will probably include building mechanisms and machines with nano-scale dimensions, also referred to as the Molecular Nanotechnology (MNT) (Cutcliffe 81). According to McGinn (2010), nanotechnology has emerged due to the advent of modern technological trends used for creating more comfort for the mankind. This technology will totally refurbish the way in which electronic and digital devices operate (McGinn 116). The concept of nanotechnology is based on further reduction of the size of tr ansistors and that of electronic circuitry that would enable working at the molecular level. Its implementation would not be limited to the field of technology and science, rather medicine, construction and other sciences would equally benefit from it (Ghattas 271). Nanotechnology is being made into it to introduce and transfer it from laboratory to markets due to its productivity; this has caught attention worldwide research as well as investment. Nanotechnology has gathered a lot of attention across the world, and rapid investments are being made into it. Some of the likely benefits include; the reduction in size, the speed of processing, capability to access further small elements and running the electronic circuits, processors, machines at a more brisk pace (Cutcliffe 90). The problem to be addressed in the proposed study is since 2000, the U.S. Government has spent more than $15.6 billion in advancing the nanotechnology industry; however, research is not progressing at an effec tive and efficient rate because a roadmap for nanotechnology research to move technology from the laboratory into the marketplace has not been established (Waldron 6292). From FY2001 through FY2012, the federal government invested in nanoscale science, engineering, and technology through the U.S. National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI). Because of this focus and these investments, the U.S. has emerged as a global leader in nanotechnology. Further, nanotechnology is multiplying its applicability exponentially (Roberts, 2011). However, competition for global leadership in nanotechnology is escalating as nations and organizations worldwide increase investments in nanotechnology implementation (Waldron 6293). Maintaining U.S. leadership poses a technical, economic, and policy challenge for effective technology transfer to the private sector. Continued lack of attention to this concern will make it difficult for the U.S. to maintain its leadership role in the commercialization of nanote chnology. While the future of nanotechnology is promising and shows remarkable profitability for private industry, it is still a new practical science, and consequently it can be a high-risk and unpredictable commercial endeavor (Waldron, 6294). After 12 years and over $15 billion in research funds, the applications of nanotechnology appears to advance rapidly in research, yet slowly to being put in commercial practice in the United States (Holley 9). The idea of nanotechnology has

Memory Essay Example for Free

Memory Essay 1. What is primary memory? What are the characteristics of primary memory? It has long been noted that it is possible to hold some information in mind for a brief period of time. In the late 1950s, researchers began to think that such brief memories might be supported by the primary memory. The three characteristics of primary memory are: forgetting (caused by both interference and decay); the format in which the information is coded (in terms of sound, visual appearance, and meaning); and the amount of information that can be held, or capacity (which depends on the type of information). Much (but not all) of the forgetting from primary memory occurs due to interference. Proactive interference occurs when older learning interferes with new learning. In retroactive interference, later learning interferes with earlier learning.   It appears that material can be coded in primary memory in at least three ways: visuospatially, acoustically (in terms of sound), and semantically (in terms of meaning). There is also evidence for a primary memory component that can store tactile memories—that is, how things feel on the skin—but not much research has been directed toward that representation (Harris, Miniussi, Harris, Diamond, 2002; Romo Salinas, 2003). Around the turn of the 20th century, researchers began to use the digit span task to measure the capacity of primary memory. 2. What is the process of memory from perception to retrieval? What happens when the process is compromised? The perception of primary memory occurs in manifold ways. Much of it consists of our knowledge of what words mean, about the ways they are related to one another and the rules of communication and thinking. This kind of memory, which makes use of language possible, is semantic memory; while primary memory can also consist of episodic memory which is organized with respect to when certain events happened in our lives. It is a record of what happened to us and does not lend itself to drawing of inferences. The storing of primary memory occurs in various ways. One of them is organizing and arranging the input so that it fits into existing long-term memory categories, grouping in some logical memory, or arranging in some other way that makes â€Å"sense†. The organizational encoding may be inherent in the input itself or it may be supplied by individuals as they learn and remember new things. Imagery also plays an important role in storing of information into memory. One explanation for the importance of stimulus imagery in learning and storing information to memory, is that a concrete stimulus (one, for which, imagery is readily evoked in mind) provides a conceptual peg on which responses can be hung. During encoding, the to-be-remembered information, especially if it is a complex life event or something you have read, is modified. Certain details are accentuated, the material me be simplified; which is called constructive processes. One important constructive process is encoding only the gist or meaning of complex information such as what we have read in a newspaper, magazine, or book. 3. Is it possible for memory retrieval to be unreliable? Why or why not? What factors may affect the reliability of ones memory? Successful retrieval of a memory depends largely on the cues available at the time of retrieval. But sometimes, when cues will not help; the memory is simply lost. The idea that memories simply fade away with time corresponds to our everyday experience, but it is difficult to prove. It is more certain that new things you learn can interfere with things that you already know, thereby causing forgetting. The idea that memories simply fade away with time corresponds to our everyday experience, but it is difficult to prove. It is more certain that new things you learn can interfere with things that you already know, thereby causing forgetting. Forgetting can occur because (a) you don’t have the right cue for retrieval, (b) the association between the cue and the target memory is compromised in some way, or (c) the target memory itself is lost. There is some evidence supporting each mechanism. We briefly consider the possibility that some memories are never lost.

Sherlock Holmes - I am lost without my Boswell. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. :: English Literature

Sherlock Holmes - I am lost without my Boswell. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Sherlock Holmes- I am lost without my Boswell. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was born in Edinburgh in 1859, and had a good education. He received a tax demand a year after he married which prompted him to try to earn some extra money. At first he tried to get short stories published in the cheaper magazines of the time, but with no success. His big break came when Lippincott's Magazine, in the USA, offered Doyle an advance to write another Holmes and Watson story. His success continued, and he was knighted in 1902. He continued writing until he died in 1930. The three Sir Arthur Conan Doyle detective stories I have studied are: 'The Speckled Band', 'Scandal in Bohemia', and 'The Copper Beaches'. I am going to talk about the relationship between Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. Holmes is the hero of the stories; he is a very clever detective who is exceptionally particular to detail. His powers of detection are breathtaking and he loves an intellectual challenge. He is usually calm and controlled, his behaviour is often eccentric and, emotionally he comes across as cold, detached and aloof. His romantic life is never referred to yet his admiration for Watson is clearly genuine. Despite his faults, he is also honorable and very brave. Watson is the narrator of the stories. He tells the story but is not as clever as Holmes, and he often fails to understand the significance of certain events and often misses what Holmes can see as a clue to the mystery. He is faithful companion to Holmes. Uncomplicated and trustworthy, Watson is portrayed as being slow and dimwitted, when compared to Holmes, a perfect ally to Holmes' acute intellect. The Speckled Band, is, in my opinion, the best out of these three stories. It is the most exciting and I think Holmes enjoys the case because of the intellectual challenge. It involves the Roylott family who lived at Stoke Moran. Helen Stoner consults Holmes when her sister dies in suspicious circumstances. At the beginning of this story, Miss. Stoner comes to see Holmes about the case, and accepts the Watson is Holmes' sidekick, 'This is my intimate friend and associate, Dr. Watson, before whom you can speak as freely as before myself.' This also happens in The Copper Beaches. When Miss. Hunter writes a letter to Holmes stating that 'I am very anxious to consult you'. From the start of this particular story you can see that Watson is hard working, and has a willingness to help Holmes in any way possible.

The Morality of Zoos

The word zoo is a fairly broad term. Zoos are most commonly thought of as an attraction rather than a means for education. More importantly, they are rarely associated with the survival of the human race. While zoos are a form of entertainment for the public and a taxable industry for the government; most of them do in fact research the animals they have in their captivity. This research can be beneficial and life saving for humans and if it were not for this testing, we would not have many key vaccines that we have today. For the sake of this paper the term zoo can be applied to all animals in captivity.This includes those for entertainment, medical testing, and rehabilitation/protection. Tom Reagan wrote on if zoos are morally defensible, but included all of the previously listed forms of captivity under the title of â€Å"zoo†. He argues that zoos are immoral because of rights based principles; however, he fails to see the implications of assuming that animals have equal ri ghts to humans. Although his conclusion is false, it is morally wrong and unnecessary to keep an animal in captivity purely for public amusement and financial gain. Reagan presents two views in proving the immorality of zoos.First is the utilitarian standpoint which claims that the suffering of animals being in captivity far outweighs the suffering of humans had the animals not been in captivity. The second view is the rights based principle, which is that animals have rights and should not be in captivity. He sides with the latter of the two theories, deciding that the utilitarian view fails to asses all of the components of human suffering without zoos. He claims that animals morally have rights to freedom and respect thus making it immoral for humans to take this away from them.The real hitch in his theory though, is how he proposes the moral rights of animals. He claims that they have rights because of their awareness to their existence and therefore knowledge of suffering and p leasure. However, although animals are aware, they are not conscious of cause and effect. They don’t see the morality behind suffering, they just instinctually avoid it. To ascertain that they have the same rationalization powers as humans do on deciding if their actions are causing pleasure or pain, is to give their awareness too much credit.A good paper to prove this point, is Carl Cohen’s Do Animals Have Rights? In it he responds to Regan’s theory that animals have rights. Cohen decides that Regan’s biggest error is associating two different versions of the broadly used term â€Å"inherent value† to formulate his conclusion. Regan claims that because animals have inherent value they are moral agents and should not be used in a fashion that makes them less important than humans. However, Cohen says that just because they have inherent value it does not mean they are moral beings.Surely because they feel pain it is immoral to cause them to suffer needlessly but this does not give them the same rights as humans. Animals live in an amoral world without respect or knowledge of other living thing’s rights. Since they are unaware of morals and rights, it seems absurd to hold them to the same moral standard as humans. It would appear then that when deciding on the moral legitimacy of zoos, it would be correct to separate human rights from the natural laws that animals live by. The natural world is based on survival.Animals kill other animals to survive and out of instinct. House cats torture their prey before killing it, and bears eat their prey alive. Animals act without the knowledge of other living beings having a right to life because it is not a matter of rationalization for them. They do not see the suffering of other animals as a moral issue because they are incapable of grasping such a concept. Because we as humans do have the ability to rationalize we also have the responsibility to avoid causing harm and suffering to other living things.However, humans need to survive too, and if it means keeping animals for medical testing then this should not be looked at any differently than a wolf attacking a human so as to not starve. Animals already use other animals as tools for survival; and if this is the case as it is in medical testing, then captivity should be allowed. Same goes for animal rehabilitation and protection from extinction. Although wildlife preserves are more ideal for most animals in this case, even a small enclosure zoo could be in that particular animal’s best interest concerning its health.Small enclosures and preserves can also give humans lots on insight into the daily routines of animals so as to better protect them from extinction. What is inhumane and immoral however, is using zoos for monetary gain and personal entertainment. Through evolution some animals have become accustomed to human interaction and unnatural surroundings. Those that are not, however, should not be put in captivity for no reason. That’s why we have house pets.

Reflections on Society in Literary Works - 865 Words

In Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s I Only Came to Use the Phone and William Golding’s Lord of the Flies characters experience dehumanization through isolation from society. While some might believe that Marquez and Golding use the trapped characters’ actions to criticize society, it they are actually doing the opposite. All immoral behavior done by characters in these literary works are done in the absence of society, showing that the authors are actually portraying society as the stabilizing element of our morality, and the structure of our humanization. Without society, for characters like Maria, Jack, Roger and Ralph, the essence of humanity is lost and the line between man and beast blurred. In the beginning of both stories there is still a great presence of society. In Lord of the Flies, directly after the plane crash the boys set up a mini society on the island. The vote for a leader and choose Ralph, much like we do in society today. The text even states that à ¢â‚¬Å"This toy of voting was almost as pleasing as the conch.† (Golding, 22) This of course shows how the boys crave and choose structure and civility over chaos and anarchy†¦ at first. Voting is something that we do in a democratic society and the conch itself is a symbol of democracy and order. Both of these things please the boys, which demonstrate that the structure of society is keeping them human and civilized. In the beginning of I Only Came to Use the Phone the main character, Maria is torn away from societyShow MoreRelatedGender Inequalities in Victorian England: Robert Browning’s Porphyria’s Lover984 Words   |  4 Pageswe will delve into the fascinating world of classic Victorian literature. Under the microscope is canonized poet, the late Robert Browning. Browning’s poetry was a reflection of his life and times living in Victorian England. 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