41 of Googles Toughest Interview Questions

41 of Googles Toughest Interview Questions Google is one of the best companies to work for in the world. Google employees have perks that are unheard of in other companies. They get to enjoy free gourmet cafeterias, massage rooms, free health checkups, nap pods and so on. If they want to take a break, Google employees can relax by playing billiards, swimming in the company pool, enjoying some video games or giving the rock climbing wall a try. Consequently, the company gets a lot of applications from job seekers. To help it find the best employees from all these applicants, Google is known to have a very rigorous interviewing process, with difficult, brainteaser questions that require you to think outside the box. These questions are thrown in between practical interview questions with the aim of testing how prospective employees act under pressure. Many of these questions do not have any definite answer. Instead, they are meant to provide the interviewer with a glimpse into the interviewee’s problem solving skills and thou ght processes.Below are the 41 toughest questions you might have to answer if you ever find yourself invited to an interview at Google. 1. How many golf balls can be fitted inside a school bus?The aim of this question is to find out your approach to solving problems. Therefore, what matters is not the exact answer, but rather the thought process you follow to arrive at the answer. To answer this question, you can guestimate the dimensions of an average school bus and then use these dimensions to calculate the volume of the bus. From there, guestimate the volume of a golf ball and then divide the volume of the school bus by the volume of a golf ball to find out the number of golf balls that can fit inside the bus. By explaining this process, you will have provided the interviewer with an insight into how you solve problems.2. You need to confirm that your friend Bob has your correct phone number… However, you cannot ask Bob directly. You have to write down the question on a piece o f paper and give it to Eve, who will pass the paper to Bob and then pass back Bob’s answer to you. What should you write on the paper to ensure that Bob gets your message while making it impossible for Eve to find out your phone number? This question is meant to test your creativity and your ability to think outside the box. A simple answer would be to ask Bob to give you a call. If he makes the call, you will be certain that he has your correct number. If he doesn’t, then that means that he doesn’t have your number. If you want to give an even more geeky answer, you can ask Bob to write down the sum of all the digits that make up your phone number. This is known as a check-sum. If Bob doesn’t have your correct number, his answer will not be equal to the sum of all the digits of your number. In addition, since Bob will only write down the sum, it will be impossible for Eve to find out your number.3. If you were asked to wash all the windows in Seattle, how much would you cha rge?This is a trick question meant to test whether you can find simple solutions to complex problems. Instead of trying to guess the number of windows in Seattle, you can answer the question simply by stating the price you would charge per window, for example, $8 per window.4. You are given eight balls which are equal in size…Seven of these balls have an equal weight, while one ball is slightly heavier. You have also been provided with a weighing balance. How do you find the heavier ball in only two weighings? The aim of this question is to test your ability to be creative in the face of limited resources. In this case, the answer is to first take 6 balls and place them on the weighing balance, three on each side. If the balls balance each other, then you know that the heavier ball is not part of this group, and is therefore one of the remaining two balls. You can then put these two remaining balls on the balance to determine the heavier one. If the heavier ball is part of the six balls, one side of the balance will be heavier, and you will have narrowed down to the three balls on the heavier side. You can now pick two balls from this group and place them on the balance. If the heavier ball is among the two balls on the balance, you will know which one it is. If the two balls balance each other, then the third ball is the heavier one. 5. Come up with an evacuation plan for this city.This is another question that is meant to provide the interviewer with a glimpse into your thought processes while solving problems. The best response to this question would be to first ask the kind of disaster you are planning for. 6. How many piano tuners are there in Chicago?Once again, this question is meant to test your thought processes when solving problems. What matters is not giving an exact answer, but rather explaining the thought process that led you to the answer. To answer this question, you should start by making a guestimate of the total population of Chicago. Fro m the total population, you can come up with an estimate of the number of households within the city. Next you need to make an estimate of the number of households that own a piano. From there, estimate the number of times that a piano is tuned each year. From this, you can come up with an estimate of the number of piano tunings that are done each year. From there, make an estimate of the average time it takes for a piano tuner to tune the piano. Assuming that each piano tuner works 8 hours a day for 5 days a week, it is possible to calculate the number of piano tuners within the city. 7. There are four people stranded at night on one side of a cliff who need to go across a rickety rope bridge…Unfortunately, the group has only one flashlight, and the batteries on the flashlight can only keep it powered for 17 minutes. Crossing the bridge without a flashlight is too dangerous, and the bridge can only support two people at a time. The four people have different speeds of going acros s the bridge. The first person can cross the bridge within a minute. The second one needs two minutes to cross the bridge. The third person needs 5 minutes to cross the bridge, while the last person needs 10 minutes to go across the bridge. How can the group make it across the bridge before the batteries on the flashlight die? This question is simply a riddle meant to test your creativity. The correct answer is to have person one and two cross the bridge together, taking two minutes. Person one goes back with the flashlight, with three minutes spent so far. Person three and four then cross together in ten minutes, taking the total time spent to 13 minutes. Person two would then go back with the flashlight, taking total time spent to 15 minutes. Person one and two would then cross the bridge together in the two minutes remaining before the flashlight goes off. 8. Assume you are the captain of a pirate ship and you have just stolen some loot from another ship…As the captain, you get to decide how the loot will be divided. However, the crew will have to vote on your decision. If more than half of the crew vote against your plan, you will be killed. How will you recommend that the loot be divided in such a way that you stay alive and still get a good share of the loot?This question aims to test your ability to come up with solutions for problems that deal with consensus in computing. This question is usually directed to engineering managers. The answer to this question is to divide the loot evenly between 51% of the crew. 9. Your body is reduced in size to the height of a nickel and then you are thrown into an empty blender. The blender will be turned on in 60 seconds. What will you do?This is another question that is meant to test your creativity. Like many of the questions, there is no definite answer to this question. You could try and tamper with the electric motor before the blades start moving. 10. Explain a database to your 8 year old nephew in three sent encesThe aim of this question is to test your understanding of complex ideas and your ability to explain these ideas in simple language. A simple answer to this question would be: “A database is a machine where you can store lots of information about something. You can then go to this machine whenever you want to remember that information.”11. How much money does Google make from Gmail ads daily?This question is meant to test your knowledge of Google’s different revenue systems as well as your analytical skills. What matters here is not the exact answer, but your explanation of how you arrive at your answer. For instance, you might start your answer by stating the number of ads that Google places in each opened Gmail email. You can then estimate the average amount advertisers pay for each click on the ads. From this, you can calculate the amount of money Google makes daily from Gmail ads by multiplying the number of Gmail users by the average number of emails each user receive s each day by the average rate paid per clicked ad, divided by the multiple of email open rate and click through rate.12. What is the weight of the empire state building?This is another question that is meant to test your thought processes. Once again, the aim here is not to give the exact weight of the empire state building. Unless you had anticipated the question and googled the question, it would be impossible to know the exact weight. What you want to do in case this question is asked is to explain how you would go about calculating the weight of the building. 13. If the time on a wall clock is 3:15, what is the angle between the minute hand and the hour hand?This is a trick question that whose aim is to test your attention to detail. Many people are likely to say the angle is zero since 3 o’clock and 15 minutes past the hour are both represented by the number 3 on a clock. However, you should keep in mind that the hour hand gradually moves to the next number as the hour progr esses. Therefore, while the minute hand will be pointing at 3, the hour hand will be a quarter way between 3 and 4. Since there are 60 minutes in one revolution of the minute hand, we can say that each minute is equal to 6 degrees. Therefore, the angle between two numbers on the clock is 30 degrees. Since the hour hand is ¼ way between 3 and 4, while the minute hand is at 3, the angle between them will be ¼ of 30 degrees, which is 7.4 degrees.14. What should we have for dinner tonight?Yes, this is actually a question that has been asked during a Google interview. The aim of this question is to test your ability to be a leader. Therefore, you should give a definite answer, instead of saying something like “Depends on what you like” or “what do you have in mind?”15. What is the significance of “dead beef”?This question is usually asked to computer engineers with the aim of testing your knowledge of the industry. Don’t respond by saying that beef is always dead. Instead , you should be aware that DEADBEEF is a computing term that refers to a hexa-decimal value that was used to debug mainframe computers.16. Is your IQ more than 130?This is a trick question that is meant to assess your intellectual humility and how you view yourself. Avoid answering this question with a yes even if you know your IQ is above 130. People who take IQ tests and remember the results are likely to be insecure and prone to self-aggrandizement. 17. There are months with 30 days and others with 31 days. How many months have 28 days?This is another trick question. Don’t be tempted to give “February” as your answer, because all months have 28 days or more. 18. You are presented with six glasses arranged in a row…The first three glasses are empty, while the next three glasses are full of juice. You are required to arrange these glasses such that empty glasses alternate with full glasses. You are only allowed to move one glass. How do you do it?This question is meant to t est your creativity. The correct answer is to take the fifth glass, which is full, and pour its contents into the second glass. 19. You want to bring your dog to the office but one of your colleagues is allergic to dogs. What will you do?The aim of this question is to assess how you would deal with potentially conflicting situations between you and your colleagues. A good answer would be to either leave your dog at home or ask to work remotely.20. Between a flower shop and a funeral home, which has greater advertising potential?Advertising is one of Google’s main sources of revenue, so this question tests your understanding of the company’s business model. When answering this question, you should explain why you think one has greater potential than the other. For instance, you could say that the funeral home has greater advertising potential because it has a well-defined target audience and buyer intent keywords. 21. What do you think the term being Googley means?This question i s meant to test whether you have a good understanding of company culture at Google. Google looks for crazy but innovative nerds. Therefore, being Googley would mean being a crazy nerd who would fit at Google.22. If you got this job, what prank would you pull on your manager?This is another question that is meant to test your personality and your knowledge of company culture. Most Googlers are a fun lot to work around, therefore the company wants to know if you are the kind of person who would fit in such a group. However, I don’t think pulling a prank on your manager is such a good idea. 23. You have a piece of paper that is 1mm thick. How many times would you need to fold the piece of paper in half for it to be high enough to reach the moon?This is a trick question that is meant to test how you react when faced with an unexpected question, as well as to assess how well you understand situations that involve exponential growth. While it would be really difficult to come up with th e correct answer during an interview, the answer is 42. Folding a 1mm thick piece of paper in half 42 times will make the paper 4,398,046 km in height, which is more than the distance from the earth to the moon.24. Why are manhole covers round?This is a pretty common question in Google interviews, and it’s surprising that many people do not know the answer. Manhole covers are round because a circle is the only shape that cannot fall through itself.25. If you had to remove ads from YouTube, how would you continue making money from the platform?This question is meant to test your knowledge of monetization options available in the digital space. Here, you can talk about options like creating a premium version of the platform, or charging content creators to post on the platform.26. How would you explain the internet to someone who has absolutely no clue what it is?This question is meant to test your knowledge of the internet â€" the chief space in which Google operates â€" as well as your communication skills.27. You are at a party where there are 10 people, including you and a friend Your friend proposes a wager where you get $1 for every person in the party who shares their birthday with you, while he gets $2 for every person who has a different birthday from you. Would you take up the wager?Unless there’s a seasonal increase in births around the month you were born, you should avoid this wager, since the probability of someone sharing the same birthday as you is 1/365.28. What would you spend your time doing if working was not necessary?If you did not have to work to earn a living, you would definitely spend time doing the things you love. This question is meant to give the interviewer some insight into your passions.29. What would I learn about you by opening your browser history?This question is similar to the previous question in that it tries to understand your passions and interests. Of course, most people spend the highest percentage of their time on line on things that interest them. 30. Assume an advertiser makes $0.10 every time an ad is clicked. Only 20% of visitors click on this ad. How many people does the advertiser need to visit the site in order for him to make $20?Such a question might seem easy, but it can be pretty confusing when you are sitting nervously before a panel. The answer to this question is 1000 people.31. Which is your favorite product from Google, and how would you make it better?This question is meant to test your understanding of Google’s products. If you are going for an interview at Google, you definitely need to know how most of their products work.32. How many ways are there for finding a needle in a haystack?The aim of this question is to test your ability to be creative and to think outside the box. The answers to this question are as many as you can think of. You might opt to use a metal detector, you might choose to burn the haystack at a temperature that leaves the needle intact while reduci ng the hay into ashes, or you might decide to painstakingly go over each straw of hay, though this might take you several months to find the needle.33. What changes do you think will happen in the digital advertising space in the next 3 years?Advertising is one of Google’s core sources of revenue, and therefore you need to have a good understanding of digital advertising if you want to work at Google. This question is meant to test your understanding of digital advertising and to test whether you are up to date with the trends in the industry.34. How would you describe AdWords to a 7 year old? This question is meant to test your understanding of how AdWords works and your ability to explain a complex feature in simple language. 35. How many haircuts are made annually in the United States?Yes, this is another of those seemingly impossible questions that will pop up during an interview at Google. Here, the aim is to find out your thought processes, rather than the actual number of h aircuts that are made in the US every year. Here you can make a guestimate by making some assumptions. For instance, you might assume that the average American gets a haircut every two months, which is a total of about six times every year. Multiplying this by America’s population will give you a ball park figure of the number of the number of haircuts that happen in the country every year.36. If you had to explain the importance of HTML to Sergey Brin and then to your grandmother, how would you do it?The aim of this question is to test your communication skills. It tests your ability to explain a complex concept both in technical terms and in layman’s language. When explaining to Sergey Brin, you would use technical language because he is a computer scientist. However, when explaining to your grandma, you would have to use layman’s language because she probably would not understand the technical terms.37. Do you prefer learning or earning?This question tries to assess whether you care more about improving your skills or making money. If you want to work at Google, you have to show a commitment to continuous improvement of your skills. However, this doesn’t mean that you should pay zero attention to your income. A good answer would be: “I prefer a position that allows me to work (earn some money) while learning new things. 38. If you had $10 million in your account, how would you spend it?Ever heard of the saying ‘show me where you spend your money and I will tell you what your values are’? This question is meant to give the interview an insight into what your greatest priorities are.39. If you are given a spacecraft and $1 billion, how would you solve mankind’s biggest problem?Google X’s moonshot projects are aimed at using technology to solve some of the world’s biggest problems. If you answer this question properly, you might end up getting sent to Google X’s top secret research lab in California.40. How many times do the hands of a cl ock overlap each day?This question is asked to simply present you with an unexpected question and see how you react under pressure. Don’t stare at the interviewer in bewilderment. The hands of a clock overlap 22 times every day. 41. Would it be a good idea for Google to start charging Gmail users $1 per month? The aim of this question is to test your knowledge of the dynamics of monetizing a service like Gmail. Charging users $1 per month would probably not be a very good idea, since the cost of introducing and processing the payments would keep the venture from being profitable. The fee would also lead to a decrease in the number of Gmail users. WRAPPING UPThese are some of the tough questions that might get thrown your way in case you find yourself interviewing at Google. Knowing the kind of questions that are asked will help you prepare for all kinds of scenarios so you don’t find yourself bewildered once you are asked to state the weight of the empire state building. However , many of the big companies are abandoning these kinds of questions because they are not accurate predictors of job performance, and hopefully, Google will also have abandoned them by the time you get invited for an interview.

Spoon River Anthology Essay - 534 Words

Spoon River Anthology The Spoon River Anthology, written by Edgar Lee Masters in 1915, was a unique piece of work in both style and structure. There are over two hundred â€Å"stories† told by the dead people who once lived in the town of Spoon River. The lives and dreams of these people are written as poems. The poetry itself is an excellent example of early modernist style. Since there are many people from many different backgrounds, and even different generations, (There are examples of Old English spellings and hints of people being from different decades), there are varied stories and themes present throughout the Anthology. A lot of the book revolves around the concept of the American dream and ethic, as well as the puritan†¦show more content†¦Some died happy, but a lot of the poems are bitter. The ghost of Lucinda Matlock presents one of the overall themes. The woman tells the story of her hard but full life. Then she expresses her anger toward the living generations’ petty woes. She states that â€Å"Life is too strong for you— it takes life to love life.† Lucinda’s character is based on Edgar Lee Master’s grandmother of the same name, who is buried in the cemetery that inspired the author. Another thematic poem is that of Yee Bow. Yee Bow was an Asian man who worshipped Confucius. The people of Spoon River tried to convert him, but he was faithful. One day, without warning, the clergyman’s son hit and killed Yee Bow. Yee was grief-stricken, knowing that his progeny could not worship him while he lie in Spoon River. Cooney Potter is my favorite character. He tells how he acquired a small piece of land from his father, and through hard work, he became quite prominent, but never satisfied. â€Å"Wishing to own two thousand acres, I bustled through the years with axe and plow, Toiling, denying myself, my wife, my sons, my daughters†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He says that his hard work killed him before he reached the age of sixty. He had achieved the American dream in the physical sense—but he had never taken the time to enjoy it. The prologue and epilogue are different, in the way that they are omniscient and haunting. The prologue sets the tone for the rest of the book. The poem is called TheShow MoreRelatedEssay on Love and Spoon River Anthology779 Words   |  4 Pages It is also said that it is rare to find a happy relationship. Edgar Lee Masters seemed to believe the same about the romantic relationships of his time, as well. Masters conveys theses feelings through some of the characters of his work, Spoon River Anthology. Edgar Lee Masters uses unhappy marriages as a common factor in the deaths of many of the characters including Margaret Fuller Slack, Amanda Barker and Tom Merritt in order to reveal his own discontent toward romantic relationships. FirstRead MoreSpoon River Anthology (Monologue)2179 Words   |  9 Pagesyour soul, 11. Your soul takes fire, 12. And in the conflagration of your soul 13. The evil of the world is lighted up and made clear-- 14. Be thankful if in that hour of supreme vision 15. Life does not fiddle. When viewing over Spoon River Anthology written by Edgar Lee Masters, various monologues came into consideration for further analysis. Although these numerous monologues were considered its speculation would became discarded when I read â€Å"Jonathan Swift Somers†. The words of â€Å"JonathanRead MoreSpoon River Anthology Summary1184 Words   |  5 PagesIn Edgar Lee Masters’ Spoon River Anthology, Margaret Fuller Slack is an aspiring writer, whose notions of future greatness are foiled by, on a surface level, her marriage, and children. As a result, Margaret is bitter, resentful, and accusatory. In actuality, Margaret and her notion of personal privilege destroy her future. Masters’ poem is a cautionary tale regarding entitlement and laziness, an acknowledgment of the necessity of personal responsibility, and an example of a wasted life. MastersRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem The Spoon River 1104 Words   |  5 Pagesepitaphs in Edger Lee Masters Spoon River Anthology accurately reflects small town life in Newport, Vermont. Edgar Lee Masters was a poet and a novelist. He was born on August 23,1868 in Garnett, Kansas. His parents are Hardin Wallace Masters and Emma J. Dexter. Masters grew up on his grandmother?s farm in Illinois. After growing up on his grandmother?s farm, he became a lawyer in Chicago. He died March 5,1950 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Spoon River Anthology is made up of 244 epitaph poemsRead MoreEssay on Happiness and Drought2705 Words   |  11 Pagesseemingly inherent joy of a lackadaisical man as well as the value of perspectives and the ability to posit happiness over fortune and land. As many of Master’s poems in his Spoon River Anthology, the title â€Å"Fiddler Jones† refers to a man who is not only a fiddler but is now deceased. Many of the poems in the Master’s Anthology are penitent stories told by dead souls reflecting on their past lives. 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Show the different social, economical, and political trend and influences throughout the United States. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The city of Spoon River went through many of the same social trends that the United States experienced like social Darwinism and theRead MoreLucinda Matlock Poem Analysis936 Words   |  4 PagesEdgar Lee Masters is best known for his book Spoon River Anthology. Spoon River Anthology is considered by some critics, like Ernest Earnest, to be one of the greatest poetry collections in American literature. One of the most popular poems in Spoon River Anthology is â€Å"Lucinda Matlock.† In â€Å"Lucinda Matlock,† Masters concocts a fictional character, who is based on his grandmother, that tells readers from beyond the grave about the beauty and the pain that she faced in her life. The paradox of havingRead MorePoetry Analysis Paper of Edgar Lee Masters and Amy Lowell1857 Words   |  8 Pagesappreciation that the narrator has with life itself. 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In this description early on we see the contrast of light and dark combined.

The Main Factor That Influenced The World Politics

The main factor that influenced the world politics in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries is globalization. For some, globalization is an inevitable process which creates opportunities for people to make connection with each other around the world, communicate and share experiences. It carries political and economic changes which open up unprecedented opportunities for prosperity for all its citizens (Scholte, 2002). For others, globalization is a process of economic, political and cultural domination of the economically and militarily stronger countries over the weaker ones. Driven by corporate interests, it leads to greater inequalities between countries and within countries, undermines local traditions and culture, and†¦show more content†¦The first factor which is generally believed as a driving force to civil war during globalization is income inequality (Reuveny and Li, 2003). Inequality is defined by the fact that one social group acquires special posi tion in society, allowing it to redistribute in their favor disproportionate share of wealth. It has been noted that differentiation in the level of development between the rich and poor has increased in last decades. There is a stratification of the population of the world to those who can benefit from globalization and those to whom they are not available (ibid). For example, salaries in developing countries with open economy much lower than those in developed countries. Developing countries are forced to cut labor salaries to attract foreign investors and multinational corporations. In addition, these corporations always try to avoid local tax policies. As a result of evading paying local taxes foreign companies reduce countries’ revenues which are likely to hurt people with low income more than rich ones. In addition, multinational corporations prefer to use technics and technologies as a labor force rather than workers which lead to the increase of unemployment, as a res ult of the introduction of

Succubus Blues CHAPTER 4 Free Essays

â€Å"Kill me, Doug. Just kill me now. Put me out of my misery. We will write a custom essay sample on Succubus Blues CHAPTER 4 or any similar topic only for you Order Now † My immortality notwithstanding, the sentiment was sincere. â€Å"Christ, Kincaid, what did you say to him?† murmured Doug. We stood off to the side of Seth Mortensen’s audience, along with many others. All the seats had filled up, putting space and visibility at a premium. I was lucky to be with the staff in our reserved section, giving us a perfect view of Seth as he read from The Glasgow Pact. Not that I wanted to be in his line of sight. In fact, I really would have preferred that I never come face to face with him again. â€Å"Well,† I told Doug, keeping an eye on Paige so as not to draw attention to our whispering, â€Å"I ripped on his fans and on how long it takes for his books to come out.† Doug stared at me, his expectations exceeded. â€Å"Then I said – not knowing who he was – that I’d be Seth Mortensen’s love slave in exchange for advanced copies of his books.† I didn’t elaborate on my impromptu flirting. To think, I’d imagined I was boosting a shy guy’s ego! Good Lord. Seth Mortensen could probably bed a different groupie every night if he wanted. Not that he seemed like the type. He’d demonstrated much of the same initial nervousness in front of the crowd as he had with me. He grew more comfortable once he started reading, however, warming to the material and letting his voice rise and fall with intensity and wry humor. â€Å"What kind of a fan are you?† Doug asked. â€Å"Didn’t you know what he looked like?† â€Å"There are never pictures of him in his books! Besides, I thought he’d be older.† I guessed now that Seth was in his mid-thirties, a bit older than I looked in this body, but younger than the forty-something writer I’d always imagined. â€Å"Well, look on the bright side, Kincaid. You succeeded in your goal: you got him to notice you.† I stifled a groan, letting my head flop pathetically onto Doug’s shoulder. Paige turned her head and gave us a withering glance. As usual, our manager looked stunning, wearing a red suit that set off her chocolate brown skin. The faintest swellings of pregnancy showed under the jacket, and I couldn’t help but feel a tug of jealous longing. When she had first announced her unplanned pregnancy, she had laughed it off, saying: â€Å"Well, you know how these things can just happen.† But I had never known how it could â€Å"just happen.† I’d tried desperately to get pregnant as a mortal, to no avail, instead becoming an object of pity and carefully hidden – albeit not well enough – jokes. Becoming a succubus had killed whatever lingering chance I might have had at motherhood, though I hadn’t realized that at the time. I had sacrificed my body’s ability to create in exchange for eternal youth and beauty. One type of immortality traded for another. Long centuries give you a lot of time to accept what you can and can’t have, but being reminded of it stings nonetheless. Giving Paige a smile that promised good behavior, I turned my attention back to Seth. He was just finishing up the reading and moving on to questions. As expected, the first ones asked were, â€Å"Where do you get your ideas from?† and â€Å"Are Cady and O’Neill ever going to get together?† He glanced briefly in my direction before answering, and I cringed, recalling my remarks about him impaling himself when those questions were asked. Turning back to his fans, he addressed the first question seriously and dodged the second one. Everything else he answered succinctly, often in a dry and subtly humorous way. He never spoke any more than he had to, always providing just enough to fulfill the questioner’s requirements. The crowd clearly unnerved him, which I found a bit disappointing. Considering how punchy and clever his books were, I guess I’d expected him to speak in the same way he wrote. I wanted a confident outpouring of words and wit, a charisma to rival my own. He’d had a few good lines earlier while we spoke, I supposed, but he’d taken time to warm up to them and to me. Of course, it was unfair to make comparisons between us. He had no uncanny knack for dazzling others, nor centuries of practice behind him. Still. I had never imagined a slightly scattered introvert capable of creating my favorite books. Unjust of me, but there it was. â€Å"Everything going okay?† a voice behind us asked. I looked over and saw Warren, the store’s owner and my occasional fuck-buddy. â€Å"Perfectly,† Paige told him in her crisp, efficient way. â€Å"We’ll start the signing in another fifteen minutes or so.† â€Å"Good.† His eyes flicked casually over the rest of us staff and then shot back to me. He said nothing, but as he scoured me with that gaze, I could almost feel his hands undressing me. He’d come to expect sex on a regular basis, and usually I didn’t fight it since he provided a quick and reliable – albeit small – fix of energy and life. His low moral character erased any guilt I might have for doing so. After the questions ended, we faced crowd control issues as everyone queued up to get their books signed. I offered to help, but Doug told me they had things under control. So, instead, I stayed out of the way, trying to avoid eye contact with Seth. â€Å"Meet me in my office when this is all over,† Warren murmured, coming up to stand close beside me. He wore a tailored, charcoal gray suit tonight, looking every inch the sophisticated literary tycoon. In spite of my distasteful opinion of a man who cheated on his wife of thirty years with a much younger employee, I still had to acknowledge a certain amount of physical charm and allure to him. After everything that had happened today, though, I was not in the mood to be sprawled across his desk when the store closed. â€Å"I can’t,† I answered back softly, still watching the signing. â€Å"I’m busy afterwards.† â€Å"No you aren’t. It’s not a dancing night.† â€Å"No,† I agreed. â€Å"But I’m doing something else.† â€Å"Like what?† â€Å"I have a date.† The lie came easily to my lips. â€Å"You do not.† â€Å"I do.† â€Å"You never date, so don’t try that line now. The only appointment you have is with me, back in my office, preferably on your knees.† He took a step closer, speaking into my ear so that I could feel the warmth of his breath on my skin. â€Å"Jesus, Georgina. You’re so fucking hot tonight, I could take you right now. Do you have any idea what you’re doing to me in that outfit?† â€Å"‘Doing to you?’ I’m not ‘doing’ anything. It’s attitudes like that that result in women being veiled around the world, you know. It’s blaming the victim.† He chuckled. â€Å"You crack me up, you know that? Do you have any panties on under that?† â€Å"Kincaid? Can you come help us over here?† I turned and saw Doug frowning at us. It would figure. He wanted my help, now that he saw Warren hitting on me. Who said there was no chivalry left in this world? Doug was one of the few who knew what passed between Warren and me, and he didn’t approve. Yet, I wanted the escape, belated or no, and thus temporarily evaded Warren’s lust as I walked over to assist with the book sale. It took almost two hours to shuffle customers through the signing line, and by then, the store was fifteen minutes from closing. Seth Mortensen looked a little tired but seemed to be in good spirits. My stomach flip-flopped inside me when Paige beckoned those of us not involved with closing to come over and talk to him. She introduced us matter-of-factly. â€Å"Warren Lloyd, store owner. Doug Sato, assistant manager. Bruce Newton, cafe manager. Andy Kraus, sales. And you already know Georgina Kincaid, our other assistant manager.† Seth nodded politely, shaking everyone’s hand. When he reached me, I averted my eyes, waiting for him to just move on. When he did not, I mentally cringed, bracing myself for some comment about our previous encounters. Instead, all he said was, â€Å"G.K.† I blinked. â€Å"Huh?† â€Å"G.K.,† he repeated, as though those letters made perfect sense. When my idiotic expression persisted, he gave a swift head jerk toward one of the promotional flyers for tonight’s event. It read: If you haven’t heard of Seth Mortensen, then you obviously haven’t been living on this planet for the last eight years. He’s only the hottest thing to hit the mystery/contemporary fiction market, making the competition look like scribbles in a child’s picture book. With several bestselling titles to his name, the illustrious Mr. Mortensen writes both self-standing novels and continual installments in the stunningly popular Cady O’Neill series. The Glasgow Pact continues the adventures of these intrepid investigators as they travel abroad this time, continuing to unravel archaeological mysteries and engage in the persistent witty, sexual banter we’ve come to love them for. Guys, if you can’t find your girlfriends tonight, they’re here with The Glasgow Pact, wishing you were as suave as O’Neill. – G.K. â€Å"You’re G.K. You wrote the bio.† He looked to me for confirmation, but I couldn’t speak, wouldn’t utter the clever acknowledgment about to spring from my lips. I was too afraid. After my earlier mishaps, I feared saying the wrong thing. Finally, confused by my silence, he asked haltingly, â€Å"Are you a writer? It’s really good.† â€Å"No.† â€Å"Ah.† A few moments passed in cool silence. â€Å"Well. I guess some people write the stories, and others live them.† That sounded like a dig of sorts, but I bit my lip on any response, still playing my new ice-bitch role, wanting to defuse the earlier flirtation. Paige, not understanding the tension between Seth and me, still felt it and tried to allay it. â€Å"Georgina’s one of your biggest fans. She was absolutely ecstatic when she found out you were coming here.† â€Å"Yeah,† added Doug wickedly. â€Å"She’s practically a slave to your books. Ask her how many times she’s read The Glasgow Pact.† I shot him a murderous look, but Seth’s attention focused back on me, genuinely curious. He’s trying to bring back our earlier rapport, I realized sadly. I couldn’t let that happen now. â€Å"How many?† I swallowed, not wanting to answer, but the weight of all those eyes grew too heavy. â€Å"None. I haven’t finished it yet.† Practiced poise allowed me to utter those words calmly and confidently, hiding my discomfort. Seth looked puzzled. So did everyone else; they all stared at me, rightfully perplexed. Only Doug knew the joke. â€Å"None?† asked Warren with a frown. â€Å"Hasn’t it been out for over a month now?† Doug, the bastard, grinned. â€Å"Tell them the rest. Tell them how much you read a day.† I wished then that the floor would open up and swallow me whole, so I could escape this nightmare. As if coming off as an arrogant strumpet in front of Seth Mortensen wasn’t bad enough, Doug was now shaming me into confessing my ridiculous habit. â€Å"Five,† I finally said. â€Å"I only read five pages a day.† â€Å"Why?† asked Paige. She had apparently never heard this story. I could feel my cheeks turning red. Paige and Warren stared at me like I was from another planet while Seth simply continued to remain silent and look thoughtfully distracted. I took a deep breath and spoke in a rush: â€Å"Because†¦ because it’s so good, and because there’s only one chance to read a book for the first time, and I want it to last. That experience. I’d finish it in a day otherwise, and that’d be like†¦ like eating a carton of ice cream in one sitting. Too much richness over too quickly. This way, I can draw it out. Make the book last longer. Savor it. I have to since they don’t come out that often.† I promptly shut up, realizing I had just insulted Seth’s writing prowess†¦ again. He made no response to my comment, and I couldn’t decipher the expression on his face. Considering, maybe. Once again, I silently begged the floor to consume me and save me from this humiliation. It obstinately refused. Doug smiled reassuringly at me. He found my habit cute. Paige, who apparently did not, looked as though she shared my wish that I be somewhere else. She cleared her throat politely and started a completely new line of conversation. After that, I scarcely paid attention to what anybody said. All I knew was that Seth Mortensen probably thought I was an erratic nutcase, and I couldn’t wait for this night to end. â€Å"†¦ Kincaid would do it.† The sound of my name brought me back around several minutes later. â€Å"What?† I turned to Doug, the speaker. â€Å"Wouldn’t you?† he repeated. â€Å"Wouldn’t I what?† â€Å"Show Seth around the city tomorrow.† Doug spoke patiently, as if to a child. â€Å"Get him acquainted with the area.† â€Å"My brother’s too busy,† explained Seth. What did his brother have to do with anything? And why did he need to get acquainted with the area? I faltered, unwilling to admit I’d spaced out just now while wallowing in self-pity. â€Å"If you don’t want to†¦Ã¢â‚¬  began Seth hesitantly. â€Å"Of course she does.† Doug nudged me. â€Å"Come on. Climb out of your hole.† We exchanged smartass looks, worthy of Jerome and Carter. â€Å"Yeah, fine. Whatever.† We arranged the logistics of me meeting Seth, and I wondered what I’d gotten myself into. I no longer wanted to stand out. In fact, I would have preferred if he could have just blotted me from his mind forever. Hanging out as we toured Seattle tomorrow didn’t seem like the best way to make that happen. If anything, it would probably only result in more foolish behavior on my part. Conversation finally faded. As we were about to disperse, I suddenly realized something. â€Å"Oh. Hey. Mr. Mortensen. Seth.† He turned toward me. â€Å"Yeah?† I frantically tried to say something that would undo the tangled mess of mixed signals and embarrassment he and I had stumbled into. Unfortunately, the only things that came to mind were: Where do you get your ideas from? and Are Cady and O’Neill ever going to get together? Dismissing such idiocy, I simply shoved my book over to him. â€Å"Can you sign this?† He took it. â€Å"Uh, sure.† A pause. â€Å"I’ll bring it back tomorrow. â€Å" Deprive me of my book for the night? Hadn’t I suffered enough? â€Å"Can’t you just sign it now?† He shrugged haplessly, as though the matter were out of his control. â€Å"I can’t think of anything to write.† â€Å"Just sign your name.† â€Å"I’ll bring it back tomorrow,† he repeated, walking away with my copy of The Glasgow Pact like I hadn’t even said anything. Appalled, I seriously considered running over and beating him up for it, but Warren suddenly tugged on my arm. â€Å"Georgina,† he said pleasantly as I stared desperately at my retreating book, â€Å"we still need to discuss that matter in my office.† No. No way. I definitely wasn’t putting out after this debacle of an evening. Turning slowly toward him, I shook my head. â€Å"I told you, I can’t.† â€Å"Yeah, I know already. Your fictitious date.† â€Å"It’s not fictitious. It’s – â€Å" My eyes desperately scanned for escape as I spoke. While no magical portals appeared in the cookbook section, I suddenly locked gazes with a guy browsing our foreign language books. He smiled curiously at my attention, and in a flash, I made a ballsy choice. † – with him. It’s with him.† I waved my hand at the strange guy and beckoned him over. He looked understandably surprised, setting his book down and walking toward us. When he arrived, I slung my arm around him familiarly, giving him a look that had been known to bring kings to their knees. â€Å"Are you ready to go?† Mild astonishment flashed in his eyes – which were beautiful, by the way. An intense green-blue. To my relief, he played along and returned my serve masterfully. â€Å"You bet.† His own arm snaked around me, his hand resting on my hip with surprising presumption. â€Å"I would have been here sooner, but I got held up in traffic.† Cute. I glanced at Warren. â€Å"Rain check for our talk?† Warren looked from me to the guy and then back to me. â€Å"Sure. Yes. Of course.† Warren had proprietary feelings toward me, but they weren’t strong enough for him to challenge a younger competitor. A few of my coworkers also watched with interest. Like Warren, none of them had ever really seen me date anyone. Seth Mortensen busied himself packing up a briefcase, never meeting my eyes again, for all the world oblivious to my existence. He didn’t even respond when I said goodbye. Probably just as well. My â€Å"date† and I left the store, stepping out into the cool night. The precipitation had stopped, but clouds and city lights blotted out the stars. Studying him, I kind of wished maybe we were going out after all. He was tall – really tall. Probably at least ten inches taller than my diminutive five-four. His hair was black and wavy, brushed away from a deeply tanned face that nearly made those sea-colored eyes glow. He wore a long, black wool coat and a scarf with a black, burgundy, and green plaid pattern. â€Å"Thanks,† I said as we paused to stand on the street corner. â€Å"You saved me from an†¦ unpleasant situation.† â€Å"My pleasure.† He held out his hand to me. â€Å"I’m Roman.† â€Å"Nice name.† â€Å"I guess. It reminds me of a romance novel.† â€Å"Oh?† â€Å"Yeah. No one’s really named that in real life. But in romance novels, there are a million of them. ‘Roman the Fifth Duke of Wellington.’ ‘Roman the Terrible yet Dashing and Eerily Attractive Pirate of the High Seas.’ â€Å" â€Å"Hey, I think I read that last one. I’m Georgina.† â€Å"So I see.† He nodded toward the staff ID badge I wore around my neck. Probably an excuse to check out my cleavage. â€Å"Is that outfit the standard uniform for assistant managers?† â€Å"This outfit’s becoming a real pain in the ass actually,† I noted, thinking of the various reactions it had elicited. â€Å"You can wear my coat. Where do you want to go tonight?† â€Å"Where do I – ? We aren’t going out. I told you: you just saved me from a minor entanglement, that’s all.† â€Å"Hey, that’s still got to be worth something,† he countered. â€Å"A handkerchief? A kiss on the cheek? Your phone number?† â€Å"No!† â€Å"Oh, come on. Did you see how good I was? I didn’t miss a beat when you roped me in with that come-hither look of yours.† I couldn’t deny that. â€Å"All right. It’s 555-1200.† â€Å"That’s the store number.† â€Å"How did you know that?† He pointed to the Emerald City sign behind me. It contained all of the store’s contact information. â€Å"Because I’m literate. â€Å" â€Å"Wow. That puts you, like, ten steps above most of the guys that hit on me.† He turned hopeful. â€Å"So does that mean we can go out sometime?† â€Å"Nope. I appreciate your help tonight, but I don’t date.† â€Å"Don’t think of it as a date then. Think of it as†¦ a meeting of minds.† The way he looked at me suggested he wanted to meet more than just my mind. I shivered involuntarily, but I wasn’t cold. In fact, I was starting to feel unnervingly warm. He unbuttoned his coat. â€Å"Here. You’re freezing. Wear this while I take you home. My car’s around the corner.† â€Å"I live within walking distance.† His coat was still warm from his body and smelled nice. A combination of cK One and, well, man. Yum. â€Å"Then let me walk you home.† His persistence was charming, which was all the more reason I had to end things now. This was exactly the kind of quality guy I needed to avoid. â€Å"Come on,† Roman begged when I didn’t answer. â€Å"This isn’t much to ask for. I’m not a stalker or anything. All I want is one walk home. Then you never have to see me again.† â€Å"Look, you barely even know me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I paused, reconsidering what he’d said. â€Å"Okay.† â€Å"Okay what?† â€Å"Okay, you can walk me home.† â€Å"Really?† He brightened. â€Å"Yup.† Three minutes later, when we arrived at my apartment building, he threw up his hands in dismay. â€Å"That wasn’t fair at all. You’re practically next door.† † ‘One walk home.’ That was all you asked for.† Roman shook his head. â€Å"Not fair. Not fair at all. But† – he looked up hopefully at my building – â€Å"at least I know where you live now.† â€Å"Hey! You said you weren’t a stalker.† He grinned, gorgeous white teeth flashing against his tanned skin. â€Å"It’s never too late to start.† Leaning down, he kissed my hand and gave me a wink. â€Å"Until we meet again, fair Georgina.† He turned and walked off into the Queen Anne night. I watched him go, still feeling his lips on my skin. What an unexpected – and perplexing – twist to the evening. When he was no longer in sight, I turned around and went into my building. I was halfway up the stairs when I realized I was still wearing his coat. How was I going to get it back to him? He did that on purpose, I realized. He let me keep it. I suddenly knew then that I would be seeing wily Duke Roman again. Probably sooner, rather than later. Chuckling, I continued on to my apartment, halting after just a few more steps. â€Å"Not again,† I muttered in exasperation. Familiar sensations swirled behind my apartment door. Like a glittering tempest. Like the humming of bees in the air. There was a group of immortals inside my home. What the fuck? Did I need to start charging admission to my apartment? Why did everyone suddenly think they could just go right inside when I wasn’t there? It occurred to me then, ever so briefly, that I had not sensed Jerome and Carter’s presence earlier. They had caught me completely unaware. That was weird, but I had been too distracted by their news to pay much attention to anything else. Similarly, my current anger did not allow me to further ponder that odd piece of trivia now. I was too annoyed. Slinging my purse over one shoulder, I stormed into my home. How to cite Succubus Blues CHAPTER 4, Essay examples

Krishna Das (Jeffrey Kagel)

Table of Contents Introduction Bibliography Style of music Discography Influences Conclusion Works Cited Introduction Krishna Das is a vocalist from the United States of America. He was born Jeffrey Kagel in 1947. He is famous for compositions and performances in a music genre known as kirtan. He has released eleven albums since he started his music career in 1996. Das is the most famous American singer of the kirtan genre of Hindu music. Even though the music style is not very famous, he has sold more than 300,000 albums worldwide.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Krishna Das (Jeffrey Kagel) specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More His versatility and creativity are the main reasons why his music is famous in the western countries and certain regions of eastern countries (Dwyer and Cole 39). His prowess is evident form the number of records sold and albums produced in a genre that is not common among artists in the world. Bibliography Das was born in the year 1947 in New Hyde Park, Long Island. In his childhood days, he learned to play several musical instruments such as piano, cornet, and baritone euphonium. He was an active music participant in high school, and played the euphonium as a member of the Marching Band (Titon 46). The first genre of music that he was interested in was rock ‘n’ roll. In his teenage days, he became involved in basketball, which he played during the day. However, during the night, he attended music concerts by artists such as Skip James and Bukka White. His interest in music intensified when he joined Stony Brook University (Titon 48). He joined a group of young people and formed a band but later separated from them. Afterwards, he joined the State University at New Paltz to study Eastern philosophy. However, he dropped from the university after a short period. However, his stint at the university was fruitful because he met Ram Dass, a spiritua l teacher who influenced him significantly (Propp, 51). At one time in his life, Das found himself at crossroads. His childhood friends invited him to join their band. On the other hand, his spiritual teacher invited him for spiritual lessons. He chose to follow Dass, and they both travelled to India in 1970. He participated in several pilgrimages together with his spiritual teacher. He learnt Bhakti yoga and as a result started to chant hymns (Propp 53). After two years in India, he returned to America on a short visit with intentions to return.Advertising Looking for research paper on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, after the news of the death of his yoga teacher, he decided to stay in America. To fight grief, he practiced yoga and joined other artists to form a band called Amazing Grace (Propp 53). The band performed and recorded several Indian songs. Das also formed a recording studio known as Tril oka Records. Style of music Das specializes in Hindu devotional music popularly known as kirtan. Kirtan involves singing while chanting the name of God (Titon 62). He is known for his expertise in combining traditional Hindu chants with modern instrumentation and melodies. As a result, he has been labeled as a rock star. His style of music has made him the best-selling chant artist in the world. In other instances, he mixes chanting with rock ‘n’ roll. For example, his album titled Heart As Wide As the World was produced by incorporating aspects of both kirtan and rock ‘n’ roll (Titon 63). His music style incorporates several aspects of western music such as chord progressions and instrumentation. His performances start at a slow pace and gradually grow into fast chants. Chanting is an important aspect of Devotional Yoga that characterizes kirtan. In some cases, his performances start with devotional chants that are accompanied with instrumentation, and lat er followed by chants without accompaniment. Some performances include yoga teachers who guide participants in sessions of devotional meditation. Discography Das had produced 11 albums since he started his musical career in 1996. His first album was titled One Track Heart. It included chants from traditional Bhakti yoga. The second album was titled Pilgrim Heart and was produced in 1998 (Dwyer and Cole 44). It featured an artist known as Sting. His third album was titled Line on Breath while the firth album was titled Breath of the Heart. The fifth album, Door of Faith, was released in 2003. Three years later, the album All One was released. The album is a remake of the mantra of Hare Krishna that combines contemporary styles and South African traditional styles. Other albums include Gathering In the Light, Flow Of Grace: Chanting the Hanuman Chalisa, Heart Full of Soul, Heart As Wide As the World, and Live Ananda (Dwyer and Cole 45). Flow of Grace was released in 2006 as both a boo k and a CD. It contained chants from Hanuman Chalisa, and an Indian hymn. Among his albums, Heart Full of Soul is the most unique because it includes songs that were recorded in live performances. Das has sold more than 300,000 albums around the world (Dwyer and Cole 46).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Krishna Das (Jeffrey Kagel) specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More His music is more famous and widely accepted in the west than in other parts of the world. Hearts as Wide as World was released in 2010 and it was reminiscent of his youthful days. It explores the development of his music style through fusion of rock ‘n’ roll and certain concepts of Indian spirituality (Dwyer and Cole 47). The album also contains several songs that incorporate both eastern and western instrumentation styles. Influences Das has influenced many artists significantly. His influence in kirtan motivated fellow musicians including Sting and Hans Christian to produce music together with him. Other artists that he influenced include Prana, Mike D, Stanley Jordan, and Baird Hersey. He has produced music with many artists whom he influenced with his unique style of chanting. Das is one of the most significant artists in the kirtan genre of music (Dwyer and Cole 69). He is considered to be the greatest artist who has contributed to the growth of the genre. His inclusion of instruments and melodies has contributed towards evolving the genre, which has increased its acceptance in the west. Conclusion The musical contributions and achievements of Das are numerous. He has contributed significantly in the evolution of the kirtan genre of music. Since launching a career in music in 1996, Das has produced eleven albums. He has collaborated with different artists including Prana and Baird Hersey. His style of music incorporates kirtan chants with modern instrumentation and melodies. Das has been labeled as a ro ck star because of his revolutionary and versatile style of music. His achievements include emerging the best selling kirtan artist and nomination for Grammy Awards. He has influenced many artists and has great influence in the kirtan genre. He is a versatile artist because he possesses the ability to incorporate several music styles into his own style without altering it. Works Cited Dwyer, Graham, and Cole Richard. (2013). Hare Krishna in the Modern World. New York: Arktos, 2013. Print. Propp, Steven. After the New Age: A Novel about Alternative Spiritualities. New York: iUniverse, 2008. Print.Advertising Looking for research paper on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Titon, Jeff. Worlds of Music: An Introduction to the Music of the World’ People. New York: Cengage Learning, 2008. Print. This research paper on Krishna Das (Jeffrey Kagel) was written and submitted by user Mary Jane Watson to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Rap Censorship

. The project promotes literacy and cultural awareness and teaches black history. Pubic Enemy criticized for excessively violent lyrics, has even launched a Black Awareness program. The members have also raised and contributed money for various causes such as Urban Development Program, a nationwide program by which youths build houses for the homeless. In the States, Public Enemy toured 20 cities in the â€Å"Unity for Peace† tour and raised money for such local charities as the Boys and Girls club... Free Essays on Rap Censorship Free Essays on Rap Censorship Rap should not be censored because everybody has the right to their freedom of speech, as it is in Section 2 of Charter of Rights and Freedoms. â€Å"Us as rappers express our thoughts and the whole world is after us.† (pg. 171, Sexton) Rap has done a lot to our world; as a result our society has improved. Laws are stated for music censorship. Rap censorship is wrong; there are cases, songs, and interview to prove that. A lot of people think that rap music promotes violence and that it is negative to the society! While so much emphasis is placed on the detrimental effects of some rap music, there’s little acknowledgment of rap’s positive cultural contribution and social activism. Jive’s KRS-One, known to his community as â€Å"The Teacher† is just one example of the good work being done. KRS-One now lectures at universities such as Harvard, Yale, Vassar and Stanford on his philosophies â€Å"The deepest part of being black is being African. The dee pest part of being African is being human,† he has started. â€Å"The deepest part of being human is being universal. And the deepest part of being universal is being balanced. It’s all according to where to start and stop studying.† The rap artists have been involved with such organizations as Stop the Violence, Heal and the National Urban League (for which KRS-One raised $600,000) One of his projects â€Å"Break the Chain,† was made into an audiocassette soundtrack with his songs and spoken words. The project promotes literacy and cultural awareness and teaches black history. Pubic Enemy criticized for excessively violent lyrics, has even launched a Black Awareness program. The members have also raised and contributed money for various causes such as Urban Development Program, a nationwide program by which youths build houses for the homeless. In the States, Public Enemy toured 20 cities in the â€Å"Unity for Peace† tour and raised money for such local charities as the Boys and Girls club...

Awkward Mistakes When You Write an Essay, and the Right Solution Finding Help

Awkward Mistakes When You Write an Essay, and the Right Solution Finding Help Writing assignments are an inescapable part of higher education. They’re always a challenge, often fun, but most times a chore. And, besides, so much can go wrong: grammatical errors, citing mistakes, structuring issues, plagiarism.So instead of facing the challenges blindly and alone, here are 10 of the most common mistakes made when writing academic papers – and how to avoid making them. (Note: The words â€Å"essay† and â€Å"paper† in this blog are used interchangeably) 1. Not Fully Understanding the Assignment Different writing assignments have different purposes. One may require a student to include certain items, certain sources, graphs, statistics, etc.; sometimes they require a specific kind of source or group of sources – and some writing assignments at the college level may have a student write in a particular style, or format, using a specific structure and incorporating certain kinds of content. The most ubiquitous kind of writing assignment is, however, one where the student is to make an argument and defend it with some sort of evidence. And while not every writing assignment necessitates an argument – there are, of course, ones that are analytical, descriptive and investigative, et al., in nature – most do involve the student making a case for something, much like that of the argumentative or persuasive essay. Avoiding any confusion on the assignment comes down to listening to instructions and asking the right questions, and knowing which kind of writing style and genre the assignment calls for. Doing the assignment incorrectly could result in a very low grade. Examples of not following the instructions of an assignment: A student should not be making an argument in a Chemistry research paper if the assignment doesn’t call for an argument – but only to discuss an aspect of chemistry at length. A student should not provide a summary of a book if they are to only critique the book. So the student must make conclusions: What kind of essay do I need to write? Am I to make an argument (as in a persuasive essay)? Do I provide only an overview of a subject or topic (like in a research paper), or do I analyze information (perhaps an investigative report)? What kind of sources do I need to use – and how many do I use? What kind of style is needed in this case – MLA, APA, or others? If a student is unsure of exactly what their assignment requires them to do, they should first speak with their professor for clarification. These articles are worth reading! 3 Steps to a Great College Essay Top 10 Mistakes Made During Essay Writing Part 2 APA Essay Format with a Free Example Custom Essay Writing Strong College Essay Writing Guide 2. Lacking a (Sufficient) Thesis Statement A professor, reading just about any college essay, should easily find and thoroughly understand its central theme (its Thesis) – in less than a minute, actually. It should generally be found in the first paragraph of a student’s paper, in just one or two very concise, declarative sentences indicating what the rest of the paper is essentially about. This becomes an essay’s thesis statement. Without one, the reader is left in the dark, so to speak, unable to follow the general flow of the essay, which then becomes ineffective. An idea cannot be effectively and successfully conveyed to a reader if that idea is put forth in a disorganized, unmethodical way. (This results in lower evaluations on such assignments.) An effective thesis statement is the result of the student selecting a central theme, it could be a solution to a problem, a defendable argument, a point of view, (depending on the type of assignment and what it calls for), and then putting it in writing, in a confident, assertive tone and stance. Formulating a thesis statement is not the result of the student’s initial response to a subject or topic, but a product of them taking an attitude toward a subject or topic, then gathering and organizing evidence that supports their stance. An example of a sloppy, ineffective thesis statement: Self-expression and sexuality were themes in Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass. An example of a proper, effective, concise thesis statement: The overt themes of self-expression and sexuality in Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass was a subject of much controversy, thereby illustrating his era’s rigid views on both matters. 3. Failing to Plan Since well-written essays require a great deal of work, their success is rooted in the student’s ability to plan well the writing of the essay. After the student gets their assignment and considers all that has to be incorporated into it, how they are to write, how it should be written, etc., it works to their advantage if they create and then follow a detailed, five-pointed outline, with each one representing at least one paragraph of the essay. In the case of writing a persuasive/argumentative essay, the student must, before writing their first sentence of their paper, craft a concise, arguable thesis statement (the first point) – which is to be introduced in the paper’s first paragraph, serving as the premise to be maintained or proven throughout the paper. The outline should also include at least three defending points (body paragraphs, the next three points) that evidence the thesis statement, listing the points, and perhaps sources used, if they are needed or required, to validate the argument. Lastly, the outline should include a conclusion paragraph (the final, fifth point of the outline). Without this planning stage, without creating and following an outline to follow, the student runs the risk of turning in a sub-par paper, written with no cohesion, few traces of scholarship, putting forth a very weak argument, and most likely earning them a less-than-stellar grade on the assignment. 4. Lacking an Effective Introduction and Conclusion Paragraphs Without an effective introduction paragraph, the reader is not eased into the topic, in a strategic manner. Perhaps a real-life example may illustrate the need for this paragraph. If a student wants to convince their parents that they need a cell phone at college, they shouldn’t simply come right out and say, â€Å"I need a cell phone at college.† It is too sudden, coming off too aggressively. It will serve them better to start off with a few topical sentences instead, maybe about the importance of maintaining communication with one’s parents during the early-adult years, for example. The same applies to writing a paper. A paper’s introduction paragraph is meant to first get the reader considering a thought, a notion, a platform (which can be accomplished with first a few general, topical sentences). The introduction paragraph then eases into whatever exactly the writer is attempting to convey, whether it be an argument or more analytical or general in nature, in the form of the Thesis, just one sentencing declaring what the rest of the paper will be about. The last part of the introductory paragraph will generally enumerate the evidence that will be examined to support this idea or stance being conveyed. In case there was any confusion about an essay’s argument or central theme, the conclusion paragraph restates what was said in the introductory paragraph and body paragraphs – in total, the paper’s argument and its evidencing points. The conclusion paragraph indicates to the reader that, also, the essay has come to a close. 5. Inclusion of Weak Sources When an essay calls for the inclusion of sources, either to prove an assertion or offer a perspective on a subject or topic, these sources should not consist of dictionaries, encyclopedias, and Wikipedia (though these are great places to begin research.) Rather, academic writing calls for the incorporation of other, more academic sources and scholarly articles, ones that are published in academic journals, newspapers, and reputably published books, and ones that are found on academic search websites like JSTOR. Looking at the long-term effects of dire poverty in the American South, one may pull statistics from a newspaper article or research organization. They may refer to a geography book for help, to visualize the region; they may read about its history and socio-political influences. The student-writer should not consider general and common knowledge, the kind found in Geography and History books, as one’s primary sources in a writing assignment. For an assignment that, on the other hand, requires scholarly sources to discuss this topic at length, perhaps to confirm an assertion, a professor is expecting the student to use something an expert on the subject has written or said about this said topic – and not a simple fact that can be found anywhere on the Internet. Please read continuation of this article here: The Top 10 Mistakes Made When Writing Essays (Part 2)