Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Joseph Campbell’s analysis of Myth Essay

What is a myth? This question-and the vast concepts that go along with it-doesn’t come up very often, if at all. Perhaps this is due to the fact that myths are not popularly observed in depth; therefore, the answer to such a simply-put, yet broad question usually doesn’t exceed a standard myth’s generalities. Most people will conclude that a myth is fiction and neglect to realize that the overall definition goes far beyond that. According to Joseph Campbell, neither a myth nor the hero’s story from within the myth is manufactured by its author; moreover, a myth is a collective and unconscious exploitation of the mind in which it dwells. It thrives off of representations and ideas from within the mind of the author, who unconsciously desires such happenings in reality. Campbell’s reference to the unconscious is similar to that of Sigmond Freud’s, who has referred to the unconscious time and time again. He stated that the unconscious is what our memory cannot retain; for instance, they are things we dream of, or memories that we may forget. With that in mind, the myth comes into play. Campbell states that myths are primarily based on the hero and his journey. He goes on to say that the hero’s journey consists of three parts: his retreat from the world, trials and victories he makes along the way, and his return. Some may disagree with this idea, convinced that Campbell holds the belief that all myths are the same. However, that disagreement is a mere misunderstanding of Campbell’s explanation, which is not that myths are exactly alike, but that their general construction follows the same idea. Even with that clarification, still, some may wonder if there is true evidence that myths solely rely on the journey. Without a doubt, any myth could promptly defend Campbell’s theory, but two that most prominently demonstrate the truth behind his perception are the stories Ramayana and Yeelen. As Campbell concludes, the journey of a hero begins with his first mission: retreating from the world. When Campbell says this, he means that this is the phase where the hero begins to put emphasis on his internal motives instead of his external motives. Rama’s retreat begins in in Ramayana when he is banished from the kingdom by his stepmother. Rama is the oldest of his siblings, so he is destined to become king once his father’s reign comes to  an end. However, Rama’s stepmother does not accept this unwritten rule; she wants to see her son, Bharata, (one of Rama’s brothers) take the throne. She recalls that prior to coming upon this desire, the king promised to grant her two wishes in her lifetime. Consequently, she demands the king to banish Rama from the throne, and then declares that Bharta will take over, as she had desired. Since Rama becomes banished, he leaves the kingdom without question and right then and there, his journey begins. In Yeelen, Niankoro is portrayed as a young and powerful man. Nevertheless, he is still cursed by his evil father, who is able to reach out to him with help from prayers to the gods. Niankoro’s mother does not like that his father has this ability, so in order to make it more difficult for them to come into contact, she sends Niankoro to his uncle’s to escape. Niankoro’s escape from his father (which is condoned by his mother) is defined as his retreat from the world, whereas Rama’s retreat is the consequence of banishment from his father, who could not deny the desires of his stepmother. Although the reasons for each of their retreats is different, it is notable that in both, their mothers play key roles. The third part of the journey is when the hero returns, but this part of the journey, as Campbell explains, doesn’t hold very high significance. Even so, the second and third part of the journey have a tendency to go hand in hand, which is why Ramayana and Yeelen are better explained with both pieces in alignment. The third piece of the journey has a lot to do with the hero’s grapple with the place of all humans in the universe, as it is better known as the hero’s spiritual reality. In both stories, the idea of â€Å"return† correlates with the stronger morale each hero develops due to a significant event that takes place along each of their separate journeys. Rama’s spiritual reality comes about after the second part of his journey. Things become climatic when Rama’s wife, Sita, is taken in by the hands of a demon. Sita goes with Rama on his journey in the first place because she sees her accompaniment as a stepping stone to achieving her dharma. With that in mind, Rama allows Sita to come with him. When Rama faces the devastation of losing Sita, he realizes his own dharma, which is to his life and those that are close to him. He shows this by doing everything in his power to save his wife from the demon. Eventually, Hanumen, a monkey god, saves Sita. The fact that Sita saw her dharma as an important aspect of life strongly influences the way Rama begins to see his own. Although he was banished, Rama’s absence from the kingdom helps him find his moral strength, especially when he has Sita by his side. This incident shows Rama that his power is influenced by his response to the things happening around him, as well as how he treats those he values. In Yeelen, there is stress put upon corruption in relation to power, which is blatantly stressed in the second part of Niankoro’s journey. In this portion of the story, Nianankoro goes through a series of trials and tribulations. In doing so, he comes to the aid of many; for instance, he uses his special powers to help a tribe in need of defense from warriors, and he even cures the king’s youngest wife of infertility. At the same time, he faces internal struggles, with the most conspicuous one being the affair he has with the king’s wife. However, a light shines through this unethical act; with the internal knowledge Niankoro builds from it, he ultimately finds his morals and thus, he becomes remorseful of his actions. Mainly, the story shows Nianankoro’s relentless struggle to witness (and take part in) a corrupt society, which results in knowledge for everyone, even himself. It is clear that both Ramayana and Yeelen fully support Campbell’s theory, and with that, they show that each piece of the journey is fundamental to the understanding of the final outcome of the hero. Both myths explain the major theme of spiritual reality, and how each hero realizes that their priority is their morale. The importance of morals and values is not only demonstrated in these two myths, but these two in particular elaborately display the truth behind Campbell’s ideas. To conclude, Campbell’s description of the myth focuses on the three part journey, but leaves readers to dig in and find their own understanding of where the journey leads. Surprisingly enough, a myth is like a map of a hero, and the journey usually ends at a door of internal inquisition. Is that a coincidence? Perhaps yet another journey is necessary to find the answer.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

The Experts Guide to the AP Chemistry Exam

The Expert's Guide to the AP Chemistry Exam SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips AP Chemistry is a challenging subject, and many students feel nervous about taking on the exam at the end of the school year. But if you have a sense of what to expect on the AP Chemistry test well in advance, you'll be able to prepare appropriately for it. In this guide, I'll lay out the structure and content of the AP Chemistry exam, give you examples of different types of questions you'll see on it, and tell you how to study effectively for it! How Is the AP Chemistry Exam Structured? Like other AP tests, the AP Chemistry exam has two sections: a multiple-choice section and a free-response section. On both sections, you will have access to a periodic table of the elements as well as a chart listing any formulas and constants you might need for your calculations. The Multiple-Choice Section Here is a brief overview of the multiple-choice section on AP Chemistry: Number of Questions: 60 questions with four answer choices each Time: One hour and 30 minutes Scoring: Worth 50% of your total AP Chemistry score Calculator Use: Prohibited Be aware that some of these questions will exist as a part of question groups (which consist of a few questions that ask about one set of data), whereas others will stand on their own. The Free-Response Section Next up, here is an overview of the free-response section on AP Chemistry: Number of Questions: Four short-response questions and three long-response questions Time: One hour and 45 minutes Scoring: Worth 50% of your total AP Chemistry score Calculator Use: Allowed Question Topics Finally, here are the main topics you'll be tested on with the AP Chemistry exam: Experimental design Analyzing data and identifying patterns or explaining phenomena Creating or analyzing atomic and molecular views to explain observations Articulating and then translating between representations of data Following logical/analytical pathways to solve a problem The entire AP Chemistry exam is three hours and 15 minutes long. This year, the test will be administered on Thursday, May 7, 2020, at 8 am. You'll probably have to wake up at least this early on the day of the AP Chem test. Also, this corded monstrosity is what people used to set alarms before smartphones. Horrifying, I know. How Is the AP Chemistry Exam Scored? As mentioned above, the multiple-choice and free-response sections are each worth 50% of your total score. No points are taken off for incorrect answers on either section (i.e., there is no guessing penalty). To calculate your raw multiple-choice score, add up all of your correct answers. This means you can earn a maximum of 60 points on the multiple-choice section. While the free-response section is a little more complicated, you should be able to figure out how many points you’ve earned if you have scoring guidelines. Short-response questions are worth 4 points, and long-response questions are worth 10 points, meaning you can earn a maximum of 46 points on this section. Next, convert these raw scores into numbers out of 50 so that they each make up half your final raw score. Say you got 40 out of 60 multiple-choice questions correct. You would convert this score to the equivalent fraction of 33 out of 50. Then, if you got 30 out of 46 points on the free-response section, you would convert that score to the equivalent fraction of 32 out of 50 points. Finally, add the two scores out of 50 together to get your final raw score out of 100. You can use the conversion chart below to estimate how your raw score might translate to an AP score (on a scale of 1-5). In this case, your raw score of 65 would be right in the middle of the 4 range. We can’t be absolutely sure that these raw score ranges will correlate exactly with these AP scores because the curve is slightly different every year. If you find you’re close to the bottom of your goal score range in practice testing, don't get complacent! You should probably put in a little more studying so you can feel more secure. Raw Score AP Score Percentage of Students Earning Each Score (2017) 72-100 5 10.1% 58-71 4 16.2% 42-57 3 26.1% 27-41 2 26.2% 0-26 1 21.4% Source: The College Board What Do You Need to Know for the AP Chemistry Test? The AP Chemistry test centers around six major themes, or big ideas, which encompass all the topics covered in the AP Chemistry course. I list them here to give you an overview of what kinds of ideas you should be familiar with before taking the test. Big Idea 1: Chemical Elements and Matter The chemical elements are fundamental building materials of matter, and all matter can be understood in terms of arrangement of atoms. These atoms retain their identities in chemical reactions. In terms of specific topics, here's what this idea covers: Compounds in atomic molecular theory Using mass data to identify the composition or identity of a chemical substance Units in chemistry: particles vs. moles vs. mass vs. volume Electrons (distribution in atoms and ions, energy levels, Coulomb’s Law, classic shell model vs. quantum mechanical model) Structure of the periodic table Mass spectrometry Spectroscopy/light absorption and chemical composition of a solution The Law of Conservation of Mass Gravimetric analysis and titration Dude, I'm telling you, this is what everything looks like if you zoom in far enough. Big Idea 2: Chemical and Physical Properties of Materials With this big idea, both the chemical and physical properties of materials can be explained by the structure and arrangement of atoms, ions, or molecules and the forces between them. This idea covers the following topics: Molecular structure and its connection to a substance’s properties Phase changes (solids, liquids, gases) Chromatography Interactions between solutes and solvents London dispersion forces Polarity of atoms and molecules Coulomb’s law and the interactions of ions Chemical bonds and why certain atoms form certain types of bonds Bond polarity Properties of metallic elements Lewis diagrams and VSEPR Properties of ionic solids Properties of metal alloys Metallic bonding and the electron sea model Properties of covalent solids Properties of molecular solids Salt: what a square. Big Idea 3: Changes in Matter Changes in matter involve the rearrangement and/or reorganization of atoms and/or the transfer of electrons. Specifically, this big idea encompasses the following topics: Writing balanced chemical equations Stoichiometric calculations to predict outcome of reactions Bronsted-Lowry acids and bases Redox reactions Difference between physical change, chemical change, or ambiguous change Galvanic or electrolytic reactions Half-cell reactions/potentials and Faraday’s laws Matter is always making changes to be its best self. Good for it. Big Idea 4: Rates of Chemical Reactions With this idea, rates of chemical reactions are determined by details of the molecular collisions. Here are some important topics included in this idea: Factors that impact rates of chemical reactions (temperature, concentration, surface area) Calculating rate of a zeroth-, first-, or second-order reaction How half-life relates to rate constant in a first-order reaction Rate law and molecular collisions Catalysts and their impact on chemical reactions Molecular collisions are a lot like car collisions except smaller! Aren't you glad I'm here to enlighten you? Big Idea 5: The Laws of Thermodynamics It's important to know that the laws of thermodynamics describe the essential role of energy and explain and predict the direction of changes in matter. These laws encompass the following topics: Thermal energy transfer Relating the magnitudes of energy changes in two interacting systems (direction of energy flow, type of energy) How energy changes relate to heat capacity, enthalpy of fusion, enthalpy of reaction, PV work Calorimetry Enthalpy of reactions and connection to chemical bonds Noncovalent interactions between molecules Whether reactions are thermodynamically favored or not Gibbs free energy calculations Le Chatelier’s principle Equilibrium constants This is a star, or, more scientifically, "a crazy-hot ball 'o energy." Big Idea 6: Bonds and Intermolecular Attractions Any bond or intermolecular attraction that can be formed can be broken. These two processes are in a dynamic competition, sensitive to initial conditions and external perturbations. This big idea covers the following topics: How changes to chemical reactions affect Q and K Relative rates of forward and reverse reactions Equilibrium constant (K) and how to calculate it Calculating equilibrium conditions of a system Direction of the shift resulting from stresses placed on a system at chemical equilibrium Design a set of conditions that will optimize a certain reaction outcome The distinction between strong and weak acid solutions with similar pH values Interpreting titration data to determine the concentration of the titrant/pKa/pKb Calculating the pH of a solution and its makeup Acid/base reactions Buffer solutions - design, identification, reactions Labile protons and how they affect pH Solubility of salts and Ksp Equilibrium constant in terms of ââ€" ³G ° and RT Join these kooky characters in the new hit dramedy Bonds: They're Stuck Together. Oh man, you've never seen chemistry like this before. Will they? Won't they? Who cares? Sample AP Chemistry Questions + Explanations Here are examples of each type of question you'll see on the AP Chemistry test. I’ll also walk you through the answers to give you an idea of how to approach and solve them. Sample Multiple-Choice Question Many questions on the AP Chemistry exam ask you to make predictions about chemical properties or reactions based on data like this. In this case, the answer is A. The coulombic attractions are weaker in NaCl than they are in NaF because the ionic radius of F- is smaller than that of Cl-. The attraction between molecules will be greater in NaF, and the bonds will be harder to break. Sample Short Free-Response Question In this question, part a requires an understanding of why or why not reactions might occur between molecules. First, you need to explain how collision energy affects whether two molecules will react with each other. Only collisions with enough energy to overcome the activation energy barrier (typically represented by the variable Ea) will reach the transition state and break the F-F bond. Next, you need to identify one other factor besides collision energy that influences the likelihood of a reaction between two colliding molecules. You could say that in order for a collision to be successful, the molecules must have the correct orientation. You would need to mention the specific bonds being formed and broken. Only molecules with the correct orientation can start to form the N-F bond and break the F-F bond. The molecules have to contact each other in very specific places for the transition to take place. Part b is about rate laws, and the first part is pretty straightforward. You have a 50/50 chance of circling the right one even if you have no idea what the answer is. For the record, it's the second option, rate = k[NO2][F2]. You then need to explain why you made your choice to get the last point on this question. The second rate law is the correct answer because Step I is the slower, rate-determining step in the reaction mechanism. Step I is an elementary reaction, so its rate law comes from the stoichiometry of the reaction molecules, NO2 and F2. Sample Long Free-Response Question In part a of this question, you’re asked to write two net-ionic equations. Writing balanced equations based on experimental scenarios is an important skill for the test. For part i, the neutralization reaction is H+ + OH- = H2O (liquid). For part ii, the precipitation reaction is Ba2+ + SO42- = BaSO4 (solid). In part b, you need an understanding of what causes electrical conductivity in chemical substances and why the conductivity decreases at first in the situation described. For part i, the solution is conducting electricity as the first 30 mL of the H2SO4 are added due to the presence of Ba2+ and/or OH- ions that haven’t yet been scooped up for the reactions (you could mention either one and still get a point). For part ii, you could say that the conductivity decreases because these two types of ions are steadily removed by the precipitation and neutralization reactions (Ba2+ ions are taken to form BaSO4, and OH- ions are taken to form water). Side Note: The conductivity goes back up after the equivalence point because of the additional H- and SO42- ions that now exist in solution after all the Ba2+ and OH- ions have been used up by the reactions. Part c requires some attention to detail in unit conversion as well as a logical assessment of the information you’re given. Molarity is moles per liter, so the question is how many moles of Ba(OH)2 were there per liter in the original solution without the added H2SO4. Since the conductivity starts going back up after 30 ml of H2SO4 are added, that means that at that point the number of moles of H2SO4 is equal to the number of moles of BaOH2 in the original solution. We can calculate that 30 mL of 0.10 M H2SO4 is equivalent to 0.0030 moles (0.10 moles/liter multiplied by 0.030 liters). There should be the same number of moles of BaOH2 in the original solution, so we can divide 0.0030 moles by the original 0.025 L (25 ml) to arrive at our answer of 0.12 moles/liter or a molarity of 0.12 M. Part d requires you to use Ksp (the solubility product constant) to determine the amount of Ba2+ ions that remain in solution at the equivalence point. The question tells us that for BaSO4, Ksp = 1.0 x 10-10. The solubility product constant equals the product of the number of ions of each component of the precipitate. Each of these is raised to the power of its coefficient in the original net ionic equation, which in this case is 1 for both: Ksp = [Ba2+] x [SO42-] At the equivalence point, the amount of each of these ions is equal. This means that [Ba2+] x [SO42-] = [Ba2+]2 and [Ba2+]2 = 1.0 x 10-10. The number of Ba2+ ions would be the square root of Ksp, which is 1.0 x 10-5 M. Part e asks you to explain why there is a lower concentration of Ba2+ ions in solution as the amount of H2SO4 added increases past the equivalence point. In this case, you would need to mention the common ion effect and the fact that if you add sulfate ions to an equilibrium reaction involving other sulfate ions, the reaction will consume the added ions to reach a new equilibrium. This means that more of the precipitate (BaSO4) is formed, and more Ba2+ ions are taken out of solution to contribute to it. Equilibrium must be reached. Transition from doing ... to being (I've been getting into yoga lately even though I can't touch my toes without feeling like my whole body is being ripped apart). As you can see, the questions on the AP Chemistry test range from short and sweet to long and moderately evil. An important thread that runs through all of them is that you need to know basic background information about why certain substances act the way they do. For example, why do some substances have higher boiling points than others? What does collision energy have to do with molecular reactions? Why do some chemical substances conduct electricity? Being able to justify your answers is very important. Make sure you never lose sight of the fundamentals as you get into more complex calculations and concepts. How to Study for AP Chemistry: 6 Key Tips Here are some additional tips that will help you prepare for the AP Chemistry exam appropriately and improve the efficiency of your studying! #1: Always Ask Why Don’t gloss over questions you got right through lucky guesses. If you don’t understand exactly why the correct answer is correct, you need to review the concept until you do.Chemistry builds on itself, so if you don’t get the fundamental reason your answer was correct or incorrect, you could be in for a whole mess of trouble in the future. For example, you might have memorized that a certain molecular compound has a higher boiling point than another, but that doesn’t mean you necessarily know why this is the case. Make sure you always know why certain properties occur based on molecular and atomic structure so that you can justify your answers and adapt your knowledge to a variety of scenarios. #2: Memorize Formulas You should memorize all the formulas you need to know for the test. Even though you’ll get a formula sheet, it’s going to be much easier to get through the questions if you don’t have to keep consulting it. For each formula, make sure you know the types of questions it will help you answer and how else it could come into play on the test. #3: Review Your Labs Labs are critical in AP Chemistry because they show you the real-life implications of the facts you’ve been studying. You’ll see many questions on the exam that deal with lab scenarios, and it’s much easier to understand these types of questions if you’re somewhat familiar with the setup. It’s crucial to understand why you got the results you did for each lab and to be able to connect them to facts about chemical reactions and properties of different substances. #4: Learn to Estimate The multiple-choice section of the AP chemistry exam doesn’t let you use a calculator. This is kind of scary for some people, but it shouldn’t be a big obstacle if you’re well prepared. You’ll save yourself a lot of time if you practice doing multiple-choice questions and estimating logical answers without going through long calculations. The more familiar you are with the mechanics of chemical reactions, the easier it'll be to estimate the answers to these problems. #5: Practice With Official Materials The College Board offers free downloadable AP Chemistry materials you can use to get more used to the content of the exam and to practice real multiple-choice and free-response questions. All free-response questions include sample answers as well as commentary that explains what is particularly good (and not so good) about the response. #6: Get a Review Book This is one of the AP classes for which it’s extremely helpful to have a review book to guide your studying. Since the material is complicated and there are a lot of different things you need to know how to do, a review book can help ground you and give you a better handle on how to structure your review overall. You’ll also get a lot of additional practice problems and answer explanations. While you should still use your labs and notes from class, a review book will help you better organize your thoughts. Here are a couple of books I recommend: 5 Steps to a 5: AP Chemistry 2018 (about $10 on Amazon) Barron’s AP Chemistry (about $10 on Amazon) For practice questions, you can also get the book Sterling AP Chemistry Practice Questions (about $20 on Amazon). It’s not technically a full review book, but it will give you more practice resources to use as you study the material on the test. Sometimes this is how your mind acts when you're trying to study something complicated. Let a review book guide your way so the journey toward enlightenment is less anxiety-ridden! Conclusion: How to Study for the AP Chemistry Exam In summary, here are the basic logistical facts to keep in mind about the AP Chemistry exam: Test Date and Time Thursday, May 7, 2020, at 8 am Total Time 3 hours and 15 minutes # of Questions 60 multiple-choice questions 7 free-response questions (4 short, 3 long) Scoring Long free response: 10 points Short free response: 4 points Calculator? Multiple choice: Not allowed Free response: Allowed Point Penalty for Wrong Answers? No penalty %age of Points Needed to Score a 5 Around 70% As I’m sure you've noticed, there’s a lot of material to learn for the AP Chemistry test (six big ideas compared with AP Biology’s four big ideas! What!?!?!). This is why starting your studying early and keeping up with the progress of your class throughout the year are so strongly connected to your level of success on the test. Here’s a quick review of my top six tips for preparing for the AP Chemistry exam: Always ask yourself why the answer is correct on practice questions Memorize all the formulas Review your labs, not just your notes Learn to estimate on multiple-choice questions Practice with official AP Chem materials Use review books to organize your studying If you’re focused and diligent, nothing on this test will be a chemystery to you because you’ll be a regular Sherlock Coulombes ('cause you’ll know all about London dispersion forces. OK, I’m done now). What's Next? Chances are, if you're taking AP Chemistry, you're also planning to take a couple of SAT Subject Tests. Check out our guide to learn about the differences between AP tests and Subject Tests! If you get a 5 on AP Chemistry, what does that mean for you? Find out how AP credit works at colleges. If you read this article, you're probably taking AP Chemistry. But your final high school schedule might not be set in stone just yet. Read this article for comprehensive advice on how many total AP classes you should take in high school to reach your goals. How can you use your knowledge of chemistry to help clean your stuff? Read up on muriatic acid (and what not to combine it with) here. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Monday, October 21, 2019

A System Analyst essays

A System Analyst essays A Systems Analyst analyses, designs and implements the information gathered previously to a system, the final product which is a report of yearly sales, profits, etc. The first thing a Systems Analyst does is to interview the company which wants the report, (called the user) to find out what kind of report they want, format, etc. They must find whether the report is feasible or not, and to find out, they do an analysis of the project. To analyze the project, they must find out where are they going to get the information, how, when is the project going to be done, etc. They then design the system, which is to make a 'skeleton' of the project. They write specifications, of what is to be in the final report. They do flowcharting, specifications for the programmers of the report, and development control. Development control is where the Systems Analyst works with the programmers along a critical path. A critical path is like a due date, if the report is to be done in thirty days, the Systems Analyst makes sure the report is done in thirty days. The Systems Analyst also follows the first analysis of when the project will be finished. The critical path also calculates how many man hours it will take to finish, etc. A critical path flowchart also helps the programmers along. After the development is finished and a prototype of the report is finished, the Systems Analyst helps the programmers in testing the program for bugs. This is similar to quality control. The Systems Analyst helps to makes sure the work is done until the final report is achieved. Once the final report is finished and free of bugs, it is sent to the user. The Systems Analyst has a big job to do, he/she is responsible for the design, the development, and implementation of the report, ie: what purpose will it serve, presentation, etc. The Systems Analyst creates and helps finish the final product, making all the specifications and charts for what ...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Is It Worth Partnering With A Book Marketer

Is It Worth Partnering With A Book Marketer Is It Worth Partnering With A Book Marketer? Since starting Reedsy, I’ve heard time and again that â€Å"what authors need most help with is marketing.† But that’s akin to saying startups like us primarily need help with fundraising; to me, it’s a startup founder’s job to raise funds when the company needs them, just as it’s a writer’s task to sell his or her book. Sure, help would be appreciated, but going as far as outsourcing? The best startups don’t do that.Of course, I can see the case for bringing on a marketing specialist, particularly when an author is not technically savvy or familiar with social networks and communities. Still, this raises the question: who is best placed to promote an author’s work? If promotion isn’t done by the creator himself, isn’t there a chance the message will get lost?These are several of the questions I asked author Jonathan Gould, who decided to partner with book marketer Mike Doane for the promotion of his latest book, Magnus Opum.Book marketer: it begins with strategyâ€Å"It begins with strategy,† says Gould. â€Å"I have very little idea about how to strategize a book selling campaign. That’s where Mike comes in. From the very beginning, we discussed my goals as a writer, and the sorts of books I like to write. From that, Mike can not only give me advice on which readers I should be reaching out to but also suggestions on how to reach them. Together we are in the process of developing an overall strategy that should help get my name out and define me as a writer with a distinct style and voice.†I’ve gotten to know quite a few authors just like Jonathan: they blog on a regular basis, spend time on Twitter and Facebook, do Goodreads giveaways, and write to bloggers and reviewers. But not everyone takes time to assess their objectives with each of these marketing tasks.A good book marketer can (or should) help you identify your target audience, find ways to reach out to it, and measure the results of your efforts in each marketing â€Å"channel† so you can focus on the ones that work. You end up doing the work (reaching out to reviewers, interacting with readers, etc.), so it doesn’t endanger your brand image or your relationship-building. And you know why you’re doing what you’re doing.Mike Doane explains: â€Å"I think a lot of authors do those things they’re supposed to do without knowing the reasons why. ‘I blog once a week’ is not a strategy, it’s a tactic. What’s even worse is not being able to measure the outcomes, let alone produce outcomes to measure. This is my job. I’m supposed to help Jonathan understand why he’s using the tactics he’s using, plus find new tactics and help him test them.†Essentially, that’s what a â€Å"marketing plan† is all about, and there is a certain skill to putting one together that not every author has taken the time to learn. That said, there is a vast amount of content out there around â€Å"book marketing†, whether in the form of blog posts, podcasts, webinars, online courses, or even books. Our initial thought was that there is no reason why an author couldn’t learn this on his own (while in contrast, specialized skills like editing and design can take years to learn and perfect). So I asked several authors on forums: what does hiring a personal book marketer bring that you couldn’t achieve on your own with enough time and effort?Personalized advice, moral support, and an extra pair of legsAs indie author and marketing consultant Debbie Young told me: â€Å"Authors often have very unrealistic expectations of how hard it’s going to be to market a book. Too often authors get discouraged and stop trying to market at all, but with a little direction and encouragement of the kind I’m able to offer, they discover that actually there is a lot they can do after all, and they are re-enthused to do it.†The degree of moral support a personalized marketing consultant can give you might actually be the most valuable part of that collaboration. The same way a good content editor can help you gain confidence in your craft, a good book marketer should be able to teach you how to promote your book in a more confident and effective way.Plus, as Jonathan puts it, â€Å"It’s nice to have an extra pair of legs when it comes to chasing promotional opportunities such as guest posts, interviews, or paid promotions.† This touches on the subject of personal VAs (Virtual Assistants), which was brilliantly covered on Joanna Penn’s blog recently.Flat fee remuneration or royalty-share?Of course, this extra pair of legs doesn’t come for free. And how much (or even how) you should pay for marketing help is a slightly controversial question.Jonathan and Mike have contracted on a royalty-share basis. This is something that you rarely see for editing or design services, but is a much more frequent occurrence in narration (audiobook) or translation services.The logic behind it is pretty simple: a marketer’s only job is to generate sales for your books, so it makes sense to index the marketer’s remuneration on the results of their work. However, in nearly every other marketing-related profession, such as publicity, flat fees are the norm. I don’t know of one good book publicist who works on a royalty-share basis. Mike explains why: â€Å"Any author-publicist contract that’s based around sales is foolish. It’s like those SEO companies that promise a #1 position on Google for a given keyword. That’s extremely hard to deliver, especially on a budget. Publicists can’t promise things like reviews or sales. There are just too many factors involved.†As marketers develop deeper, longer-lasting relationships with the authors they partner with, royalty- share might make more sense for them than for publicists or SEO specialists. Whether it makes sense to the author is another question, and one that largely depends on sales, budget-consciousness and risk-aversion. Mike suggested to me that he would like to see a flexible model where authors and marketers can choose to work together on a mix of fee and royalty-share.This would have the advantage of keeping a bonus element (royalty) to incentivize the book marketer, while assuring that he gets paid a decent remuneration even if the book fails to sell well. There is no guarantee in book marketing and asking the marketer to assume all the risk makes little sense. In that sense, a hybrid model is certainly worth exploring.Follow Ricardo, the author of this article, and Reedsy on Twitter: @RicardoFayet  and  @ReedsyHQDo you have any questions about book marketing and whether it makes sense at your stage to hire a professional marketer? Leave us your thoughts in the comments below!

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Does the theories of ecquivalence play a useful role in professional Essay

Does the theories of ecquivalence play a useful role in professional translation - Essay Example These theorists have studied equivalence in relation to the translation process, using different approaches, and have provided fruitful ideas for further study regarding this topic. Our first study is on the theory introduced and expounded by Nida and Taber about formal correspondence and dynamic equivalence. Formal correspondence focuses attention on the message itself, in both form and content, unlike dynamic equivalence which is based upon "the principle of equivalent effect" (1964:159). A more detailed explanation of each type of equivalence is provided in the second edition (1982) of their work, but a brief analysis will be discussed in this paper. Nida, in consultation with other pioneers in the field, developed the theory of "dynamic equivalence" or "functional equivalence," which stressed the importance of transferring meaning, not grammatical form (Poythress, 2004). Formal correspondence consists of a TL item which represents the closest equivalent of a SL word or phrase. Dynamic equivalence is defined as a translation principle according to which a translator seeks to translate the meaning of the original in such a way that the TL wording will trigger the same impact on the TL audience as the original wording did upon the ST audience. (Nida and Taber, 1982: 200) In dynamic equivalence, translation is done by the translator's use of his/her own words and expressing it in the TL, the impact should be the same as it was in the ST. The sentences are not the literal interpretation, but rather a different wording seeking to arrive at the same impact as in the original text. Nida was also concerned of delivering the "fullest meaning" instead of a bare minimum (Nida, 1947, cited in Poythress, 2004). The distinction between the two - formal correspondence and dynamic equivalence - is that in the former a word can have an equivalent to an SL word or phrase, whilst in the latter, equivalence is achieved by giving the meaning of the words or phrases from the original. Both can achieve equivalent effect. In formal equivalence, the problem lies in not getting an equivalent word in the two languages. Fawcett (1997) criticizes this theory because he argued that the use of formal equivalents might at times have serious implications in the TT since the translation might not be easily understood by the target audience. Formal correspondence distorts the grammatical and stylistic patterns of the receptor language, and hence distorts the message, so as to cause the receptor to misunderstand the message (Fawcett, 1007: 201). Nevertheless, Nida and Taber argue that "the form of the original text is changed; but as long as the change follows the rules of back transformation in the source language, of contextual consistency in the transfer, and of transformation in the receptor language, the message is preserved and the translation is faithful" (p. 200). Nida is in favour of the application of dynamic equivalence, as a more effective translation procedure, considering that he has been into Bible translation. Nida is much more interested in the message of the text or, in other words, in its semantic quality. He strives to make sure that this message remains clear in the target text (hence, dynamic equivalence). But herein lies the contradiction as far as Bible translation is concerned.

Friday, October 18, 2019

Violence Among American Youths Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Violence Among American Youths - Essay Example ates, homicide resulting from violence committed by or suffered by the youth has been identified as being identified as the second leading cause of death among American people aged between 15-24 years old. The increasing violence has also been identified as having a number of negative economic effects on the country’s economy. By exploring the different causes and effects of increasing levels of violence among the youth and children, this paper will seek to show that increasing violence among children and youth across the entire United States is having an adversely negative impact on the country’s economy. Media Exposure and Aggressive and Violent Behavior: There has been an intensely raging debate over the years as to the extent to which media violence has served to contribute as a major cause of children and youth violence and aggression. The exposure youth and children in the United States get to violent media has been noted to be extremely high. Different bodies have presented reports and advisories against media violence but these have largely been ignored. Some of these bodies include the AMA and the APA (Escobar-Chaves & Anderson, 2008). There have been numerous empirical studies conducted that have been able to establish links between aggression and media violence. These studies have all managed to reach the conclusion that media violence definitely increases aggressive behavior among youth and children. Poor Parenting: Various aspects of parenting have been identified as possibly contributing to the increased violent behavior among children and youth in the United States. These include poor supervision, parental disharmony in the home, limited involvement by parents in a child’s activities such as school plays and games, erratic and harsh discipline as well as the rejection of a child (Seifert, Ray & Schmidt, 2012). The effect of these poor parenting traits is that parents who exhibit these behaviors often tend to engage in various parent-child

Analysis of Wimps, Whiners, and Weekend Warriors Essay

Analysis of Wimps, Whiners, and Weekend Warriors - Essay Example He cements his claim by pointing at the mythical hero in of ‘true men’ exemplified in Rambo, Wayne and Superman. He furthers his point of reason by George Bush’s sentiments in 1984 debate in which he said that he kicked had a little ass the previous night. Lastly, he postulates that, the males apparent wild tendencies is more than mere feelings but it is also a fervent such for the â€Å"would be† lost boyhood. In the above discos, kimmel’s argument is a farce because it satirizes boyhood. For example, he alludes to bullying in his schools, assenting to a specified dietary detail for a true man and giving import to Bush’s retrogressive sentiments which taint rather than build a descent image of males. Finally, from the movies such as close encounters and full metal jack he draws a conclusion that men leave their families in the desperate search of their lost inner childhood man. In conclusion the excerpt is ridicule on perception of male chauvinism an endeavors to liberate the male dominant society by asserting the relevance of feminism while he defangs the critical crisis masculinity per