How to write an essay

Import author: Rshokair

In order to write an effective essay there are several steps that need to be followed. An essay can have many purposes, but the structure of it is the same no matter what. Either way your essay will have the same basic format.

The first step in writing an essay is to research and study about the topic you are given. If the topic is not assigned then you need to think about what you are expected write about. There are many ways of collecting information about any specific topic such as Internet and books.

After choosing your topic and learning about it, organizing your information is your next step. The purpose of using a diagram or an outline or even a map is to help you study your topic in a structured way. By that time, you will have an idea about how your thesis statement will look.

Your third step is to write your thesis statement using the information you have. The thesis statement tells the reader what the essay will be about, and what you, as the author will want them to know.

After you’ve got the thesis statement ready, you began to write your introduction paragraph. It includes the thesis statement and what the essay will generally be about.

The topic you have chosen must now be explained and described in your body paragraphs. Each main idea that you have in your diagram or outline will become one of the body paragraphs. If you had three or four main ideas that support your thesis statement, you will have three or four body paragraphs.

Your next step is to construct your final paragraph. The conclusion brings closure to the reader and sums up your points. The conclusion needs three or four strong sentences that simply review the main points.

And now you have your essay written in a well-structured manner. But your final step is to re-read your essay and to have someone edit it for you for you. Believe me, if you follow the simple steps, you will find that the essay will almost write itself.

By: Rozan Shokair
Date: September, 30, 2011

Creative common images for capital punishment

Contributed by Mohammed El Sheikh

Interior Designing

Import author: salem almuhairbi

Although working in a much different career, I adore designing the interiors of houses. The current house that I am residing in has been designed and decorated by me. I am not ‘blowing my own horn’ by stating that I am really good at it, but I have received numerous compliments from friends and family.

Objectively, it may seem an easy task, but in reality it requires a lot of effort and creativity. There are a few steps that you need to take to have a great looking room. The first step is to analyze the room and decide what kind of room it should be. Then, we decide what color walls we need. This is a very important decision since the wall plays a great role in creating the needed ambiance in the room. Subsequently, we decide what kind and color of furniture we would like – and can accommodate – in the room; this step is normally carried out on paper to avoid problems from surfacing in the future. Next, we decide what kind of electrical appliances we require in the room, such as television, computer, and so on. Then, we call the decorators to come in and paint the house and fix the tiles, after which we go shopping for matching color furniture and appliances.

Normally, it takes about one week to have the whole room ready but if more time is invested then a room can be ready within a day or two. Interior designing may often be regarded as a less manly task, but to me the feeling of satisfaction upon the completion of the room is ecstatic.

Swimming and its benefits.

Import author: Alaaoflayyan

I agree with the sport magazine which stated that swimming is more useful than jogging. However swimming is good for the whole body. Each person moves all his/her body parts; it is like an exercise for the whole body. Plus, the swimmer is having fun and training at the same time and do not forget the feeling while being inside the water, which gives the person coolness free of sweating and hotness. On the other hand, jogging is more tiring and it has no fun in it, the person just jogs back and forth and that’s it. To me, people who want to exercise, have fun, and benefit from the exercise, go swimming. Swimming is good for everyone: children, girls, boys, old men and old women. So, people who want to help their body, they should swim and enjoy the benefits of swimming.

Is the death penalty effective?

Contributed by Mohammed El Sheikh

Is the death penalty effective or merely just an empty threat? Would it lower the crime rate? Can capital punishment help stop crimes like murder, rape, and theft just to name a few? Well these are all good questions; however 88% of criminologists do not believe the death penalty is an effective deterrent.

First of all, let’s define the death penalty or capital punishment for a better understanding on the topic. Capital punishment is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence, usually for murder, but it differs from one country to another. The death penalty is still practiced today by many countries such as the US, the majority of the Middle East, Saudi Arabia being the most common, and countries in Asia and Africa. Meanwhile other countries have abolished the death penalty for all crimes completely like Canada, Australia, and the majority of European nations.

Each government has it’s own method of executions. For example, Saudi Arabia usually beheads people in public, and Iran hangs their wrong-doers, while the US usually uses more humane methods such as the electric chair and lethal injections that are painless and put a person to sleep before killing them. A good example of this is the case of Ronnie Lee Gardner, an American criminal who received the death penalty for murder in 1985, and was executed by firing squad by the state of Utah in 2010. Gardner spent 25 years, more than half his life, on death row.

 So with all the above mentioned is the death penalty an effective deterrent? Some researchers say politicians support the death penalty in order to appear tough on crime. Others say that the death penalty is actually very effective and and puts a kind of fear in criminals’ hearts.

Both for those who support the death penalty and those who don’t, Gardner’s case is an example of its ineffectiveness. If he’d been sentenced to life without parole or if his sentence had been carried out in a timely manner, the state could have avoided the majority of legal actions and the associated expenses. Likewise, regardless of the outcome, Gardner’s fate would have been sealed, and both he and his family and his victims’ families could have moved on. Instead, the matter remained unresolved for twenty-five years.

I believe that the death penalty is ineffective, however this does not mean that it shouldn’t be put into action. I support the death penalty. I have no personal moral objections to taking the life of someone who “intentionally” took the life of an innocent person. Frankly, I think considering the humanity of a means of execution is a non-issue. Did the murderer consider his victim’s comfort? However, I think it’s a travesty that judges and juries are able to sentence defendants to die, yet the state or government is unable to carry those sentences out in a timely manner. If the death penalty is merely an empty threat, it’s no longer a deterrent, nor is it humane. People should know that their actions always have consequences, and sometimes those consequences could be death.

The adventure of living abroad

Living abroad could be an interesting experience considering the cultural and environmental factors. First of all, one of the advantages I can cite living abroad is that it represents a new challenge in one’s life because we acquire a sense of responsibility; moreover, we face new prerogatives and we learn how to count on ourselves only.

On the other hand, integration could be difficult because of many reasons such as loneliness, homesickness, and failure to adapt to the new cultural environment. Living in one’s own country presents advantages like being with one’s family, living in a familiar atmosphere and because many things are easier in terms of accessibility. In contrast, this prevents people from making changes in their lives and discovering new opportunities. In fact, in my opinion, living abroad is part of university of life, and teaches us what is around us which is as important as what we have in our country.

Mehdi FASSI FEHRI

1525

Comparing Nokia and Samsung

Contributed by Mohamed Al Romaithi

     In my opinion when you want to compare two things you must consider the advantages and disadvantages of both so you can decide which one is better. For example, if you are going to buy a mobile phone and you wish to compare between Nokia and Samsung, in this case you should compare things like battery life, price, signal and weight. When we compare the two we find that in battery life the Nokia battery life is better than Samsung. The Nokia battery can be used35 hours and Samsung 27 hours. Regarding price, the Samsung is 20% more expensive than the Nokia, but the Nokia is better than Samsung in its signal because the Nokia company covers all UAE for signal. Moreover, the Nokia weighs more than Samsung . Considering all of these points, the Nokia has more advantages, so I will go to buy a Nokia phone.

Exercise and Healthy Lifestyle

Import author: salem almuhairbi           

              Many people nowadays are aware that exercise and work out could lead to a healthy lifestyle. Exercise is important for developing and maintaining physical fitness. It also can help you maintain a healthy weight, muscle strength and build, and strengthen the immune system. Exercise could improve the mental health of a person by preventing depression, and help to maintain positive self-esteem. Health care providers often promote exercise for the benefits that it provides.

          

Physical activity can help prevent wide range of health problems, including stroke and certain types of cancer. Doing exercise frequently helps prevent or treat serious life-threatening conditions such as high blood pressure, obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and depression. Moreover, exercise helps to reduce levels of cholesterol, which causes many health problems.

One of the benefits of exercise is to prevent being over-weight or maintain good healthy weight. People who engage in frequent physical activity burn calories. The more physical activity they do the more calories they burn. Doing exercise doesn’t just mean going to the gym and practising there, it could be doing physical activities such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator.

Exercise also helps to maintain mental health and self-esteem. Physical activity stimulates various brain chemicals that may leave a person feeling happier and more relaxed. Moreover, people could feel better about their appearance and  gain confidence which improves their self-esteem.  

People could benefit a lot from doing exercise such as preventing health problems and being over-weight. So I think people should do exercise more often so they have a healthier life-style.

City which never sleeps

Import author: butti

Bangkok is the capital of Thailand, the land of smiles. It is really an amazing place where you can find history combined with the new western life style in a very contradictory way. I have been to Bangkok 7 times. In each visit I discovered a lot of new places and not only that I also got to know new people. But the thing I hate the most in Bangkok is the traffic jams, although I don’t drive.

Let me tell you or describe for you things you can do and enjoy there and which you must try. First of all you should visit the floating market, the golden temple and the very amazing historical fantasy show called Siam Narmiet. You can  also enjoy a traditional Thai massage which relaxes body, soul and mind. I hope you have enjoyed this brief description of a city which I have fallen in love with.

Are grades an obstacle for learning?

Contributed by Mohammed El Sheikh

Are grades an obstacle to learning? If so, how can this issue be solved? A lot of students nowadays struggle with their school work and assignments, because they feel the pressure from their parents and instructors to get the highest grades. Believe it or not, but fear of low grades is the single strongest inhibitor of learning. A lot of students nowadays never really actually learn anything from school, because students just memorize information instead of understanding, while some may resort to cheating, which can have devastating consequences — others might not do the work at all. Grading systems dehumanize students,and discourage learning in my mind.

For example, let’s just say I am taking a course in history. During class I become very interested in the topics such as the holocaust and the world wars. However, at the end of the semester, my grade won’t reflect my interest in history, and the pressure to earn a grade will have taken time from the thing in which I actually had an interest. In this case, it seems “earning a grade” is a burden on whatever it is I actually want to learn. The difference between wanting to learn a topic and being coerced to do so cannot be overstated. Then again, having no grading system can lead to students not wanting to learn at all and having no interest in the subject whatsoever, because in the students mind, as long as they won’t be graded they wouldn’t really care.
 
So how can grades and learning coexist together? Well, I believe that students shouldn’t be pressured into getting high grades, as this will have no outcome at all for most students. Rather they should let students immerse themselves in the topics discussed in class. In this way students have an interest in class and learn much more without even realizing it. Grades should also be present, but only for finals and research essays.