Critical reflection

Hitting the nail on the head
The lessons have equipped and educated me with the appropriate tools to consciously write a convincing and comprehensible academic piece. Prior to this course, I always chose to believe that I had a strong foundation in grammar but realised I still have much to learn. This course has increased my depth of knowledge of accurate grammatical writing as well as utilising suitable linguistic artillery to enhance the clarity of my work. The classes were highly engaging and the interactive nature of them made the learning process both fun and fulfilling. Frequent group discussions and peer to peer evaluations aided in gathering feedbacks from multiple individuals of various writing calibre. The variety of feedbacks gathered were allowed for a more enriching and motivating class experience altogether. I was able to able to grasp the essentials of writing a more quality argumentative essay as compared to those I wrote during my non-tertiary school years.

I am aware that I still have flaws in essay structuring which often affects the coherence of my work. People who had the opportunity to read my essays usually claimed that they became incomprehensible towards the end. In addition, I need to state my thesis more clearly so that the reader comprehends the main argument of my essay. In my opinion, reading plays a major role in becoming a better writer because one can capture ideas and learn from avid writers who should have a stronger command in English. I need to indulge myself in more academic journals, thesis and non-fictional articles in addition to novels if I wish to seek more improvement in academic writing. Occasional casual writing can supplement reading by providing opportunities to observe progress in the maturity of my writing. Currently, I shall apply what I have learnt in this course for other modules during my stay in the university.

In conclusion, this course shall be my stepping stone to criticise, analyse and sharpen my skills in writing. I also truly believe that less complacency and more humility will drive me further for life long learning and correction.

Critical reflection 2

Hitting the nail on the head

The lessons have equipped and educated me with the appropriate tools to consciously write a convincing and comprehensible academic piece. Prelude to this course, I always chose to believe that I had a strong foundation in grammar but realised I still have much to learn. This course has increased my depth of knowledge of accurate grammatical writing as well as utilising suitable linguistic artillery to enhance the clarity of my work. The classes were highly engaging and the interactive nature of them made the learning process both fun and fulfilling. Frequent group discussions and peer to peer evaluations aided in gathering feedbacks from multiple individuals of various writing calibre. The variety of feedbacks gathered were allowed for a more enriching and motivating class experience altogether. I was able to able to grasp the essentials of writing an argumentative essay which I failed to better comprehend during my non-tertiary school years.

I am aware that I still have flaws in essay structuring which often affects the coherence of my work which results in deviation from the main point of argument. People who had the opportunity to read my essay usually claimed that it became incomprehensible towards the end. In addition, I need to state my thesis more clearly so that the reader comprehends the main argument of my essay. In my opinion, reading plays a major role in becoming a better writer because one can capture ideas and learn from avid writers who should have a stronger command in English. I need to indulge myself in more academic journals, thesis and non-fictional articles in addition to novels if I wish to seek more improvement in academic writing. Occasional casual writing can supplement reading by providing opportunities to observe progress in the maturity of my writing. Currently, I shall apply what I have learnt in this course for other modules during my stay in the university.

In conclusion, this course shall be my stepping stone to critically criticise, analyse and sharpen my skills in writing. I also truly believe that less complacency and more humility will drive me further for life long learning and correction.

Critical reflection

Hitting the nail on the head

The lessons have equipped and educated me with the appropriate tools to consciously write a convincing and comprehensible academic piece. Prelude to this course, I always chose to believe that I had a strong foundation in grammar but realised I still have much to learn. This course has increased my depth of knowledge of accurate grammatical writing as well as utilising suitable linguistic artillery to enhance the clarity of my work. The classes were highly engaging and the interactive nature of them made the learning process both fun and fulfilling. Frequent group discussions and peer to peer evaluations aided in gathering feedbacks from multiple individuals of various writing calibres. The variety of feedbacks gathered were allowed for a more enriching and motivating class experience altogether. I was able to able to grasp the essentials of writing an argumentative essay which I failed to better comprehend during my non-tertiary school years.

I am aware that I still have flaws in essay structuring which often affects the coherence of my work which results in deviation from the main point of argument. People who had the opportunity to read my essay usually claim that it becomes incomprehensible towards the end. In my opinion, reading plays a major role in becoming a better writer because one can capture ideas and learn from avid writers who should have a stronger command in English. I need to indulge myself in more academic journals, thesis and non-fictional articles in addition to novels if I wish to seek more improvement in academic writing. Occasional casual writing can supplement reading by providing opportunities to observe progress in the maturity of my writing. Currently, I shall apply what I have learnt in this course for other modules during my stay in the university.

In conclusion, this course shall be my stepping stone to critically criticise, analyse and sharpen my skills in writing. I also truly believe that less complacency and more humility will strive me further for life long learning and correction.

Final Essay

Globalisation can be defined as the increasing cross-border interaction and integration of various aspects of human activity. Based on this view of globalisation, identify one problematic area of the phenomenon and discuss its influence on contemporary society. What actual or possible means are there to ameliorate the issue you have highlighted?

 

Transnational threats and their challenges in this modern day context

 

Globalisation accelerated by the advancement in telecommunication and transport technologies have empowered people, goods and services to transcend from one border to the next with ease. The movement of many forms of human activities around the world has brought about both positive and negative impacts. The incessant mobility of people, activities and material goods have increased vulnerability of nations to defence threats which can harm lives and property. This essay will argue that globalisation has opened doors to transnational threats and how they affect the world we live in today. In addition, possible methods to mitigate its occurrences and effects will be discussed

Transnational threats can be defined as threats than can transcend borders easily which can affect the economical and social aspects of nations .  Firstly, globalisation has allowed for wide spread of technological breakthroughs and new innovations, some of which have proven to be unfavourable and unjustified for the safety of mankind when landed in the  wrong hands. The 9/11 attacks demonstrate how globalisation has made it possible for the distributions of powerful arsenals and equipments to terrorists who were from third world nations.(Davis, 2003) Secondly, the implications of a defence threat to any nation in the world poses a threat to the world economy. This is result of the interconnecting nature of globalisation which has made nations  dependent on one another . There has been surge in oil prices since 2008 due to constant unrests in the middle-east.(Roubini, 2012) Furthermore, since oil is regarded as an indispensable asset, economies around the world have also been adversely affected by the rise in oil prices. Thirdly, technology has enabled nations to harness more lethal weaponry which makes it even more deadly and fearful for nations who do not. The presence of rogue states like North Korea has drawn fear all over the world due to the presence of nuclear weapons and its constant malicious intentions to attack other nations .(Suter, 2000)

Innovative and flexible strategies are needed to combat these transnational threats. The strategy of  'fighting fire with fire' seems feasible. Similarly globalisation itself can be used to enforce and enhance the protection of nations and their people. The presence of international organisations are continuing to uphold is presence of preserving peace in the world.(Couluci, 2013) However, nations should not rely on them to settle international disagreements rather work as a team and support one another. For example when tsunami struck Aceh in 2005, nations all around the world came to the aid of Indonesia. This can also be applied when it comes to defence issues. It is the responsibility of each and every country to look after each other because friendship is better than forming enemies. However, those that refuse to cooperate peacefully should be severely dealt with because no unaltruistic nation should compromise the national securities of others. Penalties can be imposed on rogue states such as sanctioning and cutting economic  ties with nations who attempt to utilise nuclear and chemical warfare.

Multilateral diplomacy and joint military exercises can only function efficiently to promote peace in the world if and only if nations themselves are capable of deterring their own threats. It is the responsibility of the governments to protect its people and interests.  This includes having a capable armed force, government prioritising defence spending as well as coping well with internal security affairs. The presence of a strong internal security ensures that other nations have higher confidence  to rely and cooperate for regional or international security so that nations can collaboratively support and protect each others' borders.

In conclusion, nations need to be self-sufficient in defending themselves so that they will not be a liability to others and able to support other fellow nations in the fight against any forms of transnational threats. In addition,  working as a team can allow each player to reap the benefits of success so nations should continue to focus on international relations to sustain themselves and promote world peace.

 References

1.Davis, L. E.(2003). Globalizations' Security Implications. Retrieved  from http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/issue_papers/2005/IP245.pdf.

2.Suter, K.(2000). In defence of Globalisation. Retrieved from http://global-directions.com/Articles/Environment/Globalization-Defence.pdf.

3.Coulcci, L. (2013). Solutions to U.S. Security Threats in 2013. Retrieved from http://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/world-report/2013/01/10/solutions-to-threats-from-iran-north-korea-and-al-qaeda.

4.Roubini, N.(2012). Scary Oil. Retrieved from http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/scary-oil.

Essay Draft

Globalisation can be defined as the increasing cross-border interaction and integration of various aspects of human activity. Based on this view of globalisation, identify one problematic area of the phenomenon and discuss its influence on contemporary society. What actual or possible means are there to ameliorate the issue you have highlighted?

 

Transnational threats and their challenges in this modern day context

Globalisation has transformed the world into an open system involving functions carried out by people with the power of technology. A open system suggests that it is easily influenced and affected by the external environment. There are bound to inevitably have malfunctions and loopholes in a system which can adversely affect how the system runs. One such loophole in this world system lies in the area of security. Transnational threats has become one of the key most debated issue in this modern day . The various facets of globalization have combined to increase the dangers from weapons possessions, cyber attacks, racial and religious violence, environmental degradation and the spread of infectious diseases. This is attributed to the fact that technology has undergone robust expansion and growth. Technology has allowed for the movement of crime physically and virtually. In addition, political unrest  and war in one country have become the responsibility of all nations due to the interconnection nature of globalisation. The effects of defence threat in one country becomes like a pandemic; transcending borders and affecting the entire world, economically socially and politically; no one can sleep in peace in this world. This essay will argue that globalisation has brought upon threat to national security due to this powerful phenomenon of integration and interaction and  will suggest possible methods to mitigate the predicaments. The focus will be more on armed conflicts.

 In this 21st century, this sophisticated and integrated world has brought upon evolution of security threats.  Globalisation has allowed for the wide spread of technology and new innovations, some of which have proven to be unfavourable and unjustified for the safety of mankind when landed in the  wrong hands. The 9/11 attacks evidently identify how globalisation has allowed the distribution of powerful arsenals and equipments to terrorists and facilitated the movement of terrorists by air. The implications of a weak national security is lethal to our world economy. The interconnection nature of globalisation has made nations vulnerable to attacks due to the ease of movement of people due to the advancement of technology. Evolution in terms of complexity of weaponry and means of damaging life and property. Technology has enabled nations to harness more lethal weaponry which makes it even more deadly and fearful for nations who do not. The presence of rogue states like North Korea has drawn fear from nations all over the world due to the presence of nuclear arsenals and its malicious intentions.

Innovative and flexible strategies are needed to counter these  terrorisation. The strategy of  'fighting fire with fire' seems feasible as globalisation has become immortal. Globalisation itself can be used to enforce and enhance the protection of nations and their people. The presence of international organisations continue to uphold is presence of preserving peace in the world. However, nations should not rely on it to settle international disagreements rather work as a team and support one another. For example when tsunami struck Aceh in 2005, nations all around the world came to the aid of Indonesia. This can also be applied when it comes to defence issues. All nations should work together to deter threats. For example, Syria war . It is the responsibility of each and every country to look after each other because friendship is better than forming enemies. Penalties can be imposed on rogue states. Sanction cut economic ties with nations who fail to stand down on the use of nuclear and chemical warfare. However, it is often the government that is responsible for their malicious acts leaving their people in poverty.

Multilateral diplomacy and joint military exercises can only function efficiently to promote peace in the world if and only if nations themselves are capable of deterring their own threats. It is the responsibility of the government to protect it's people and interests.  This includes having a capable armed force, government prioritising defence spending as well as coping well with internal security affair. The presence of a strong internal security ensures that other nations have higher confidence  to rely and cooperate for regional or international security.

The only thing that is constant in this world is change. This also applies to world security issues which are incessantly changing and evolving over time. The need to constantly develop new solutions to rise up to the occasion in order to protect lives and property is vital.

 

References:

 1.E. Davis(2003). Globalizations' Security Implications. Retrieved  October 9, 2013 from http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/issue_papers/2005/IP245.pdf

2.Suter(2000). In defence of Globalisation. Retrieved October 9, 2013 from http://global-directions.com/Articles/Environment/Globalization-Defence.pdf

3.Coulcci (2013). Solutions to U.S. Security Threats in 2013. Retrieved October 9, 2013 from http://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/world-report/2013/01/10/solutions-to-threats-from-iran-north-korea-and-al-qaeda

Reader response

Nayan Chanda(2008) writes in Runaway Globalization Without Governance that governance needs to keep in pace with the developments of globalisation. Although globalisation has increased integration among nations, it has also caused setbacks to the environment and mankind. This is due to lack of effective and underdeveloped laws to control the activities that globalisation has created.

The author claims that history has created the world that is today. He states that activities in the past have created new civilisations. The presence of early activities like trades have taught the world today on  how to manage such activities. I truly agree with the author that learning  from the past is crucial and that what we have today would not have been possible without the efforts of our predecessors.

The advancements in technology has brought the world even closer together. I believe that some form of leadership or oppression  needs to exist to ensure that this interconnections do not bring any harm to lives. Some nations might take advantage of the benefits and use it against the will of mankind.

Summary edited

Globalization existed since time immemorial. The idea to govern the links it has created is something novel and it is still in its early stages of development. The poor relationship between governance and globalization coupled with poor laws by the superpowers may be detrimental. The past created and connected the world that is today. Governance began when powerful early men dominated territories and imposed rules.  Although laws to manage societies have been modified overtime, they have yet to be developed

 World organizations have emerged to oversee trade. Health policies and religion had played a major role in trade movement and reputation in the past. The advancements in technology have shrunk the world. The presence of authoritarian notions and defence issues have become critical issues in this globalised world. Globalization has led to fading of territorial boundaries and also negative impacts on human life. US  is not cooperating with other nations to abolish nuclear weapons and in the fight to save Gaia although it has played a huge role in globalizing the world. US needs to cooperate more and share more camaraderie with other nations to tackle today's global issues, failure to do so can have heavy implications on the world.   

200 words

Final Draft Summary

Runaway Globalization Without Governance

Globalization existed since time immemorial. The idea to govern the links it has created is something new and it is still in its early stages of development. The poor relationship between governance and globalization coupled with poor laws by the superpowers may be detrimental. Globalization has seen to be blooming since it began and the past created and connect the world that is today. Although laws managing societies have grown and changed overtime, they have yet to be better developed. Laws passed in the past were diverse across different territories resulting in biasness and inconsistency. Players in the global community have adversely brought about amazing advances but also setbacks. Governance allows for management of people in  a given territory. It's birth began when powerful early men ruled and dominated places and people and imposed rules. General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade(GATT) emerged to create a virgin policy and developed the World Trade Organization(WTO) to oversee competitive trade. The monopoly of consumer products still exists today and is managed by the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights(TRIPs).Empires back then have given rise to greater number of new nations and land space. Health control measures were introduced eventually over the years such as quarantine. Religion played a major role in trade movement and reputation. The advancements in transportation and telecommunications have shrunk the world. However technology has posed challenges. The presence of authoritarian notions and defence issues have become pressing issues in this globalised world. Globalization has led to fading of territorial boundaries and also negative impacts on human life. The absence of effective measures is posing a eminent threat. There are more countries wanting to join the league of harness nuclear weapons which can be fatal to mankind if utilized. US  is not cooperating with other nations to abolish nuclear weapons and the fight to save Gaia although it played a huge role in globalizing the world. We can comprehend that if US were to give to its desires, it is subordinating itself in the global stage. US under the power of Roosevelt and Truman,  have shown concerns to be a better team player globally. However, it still chooses to be more non-chalant about global governance.US needs to cooperate more and share more camaraderie with other nations to tackle today's global issues, fail to do so can have heavy implications on the world.   

Scary Oil

Summary:

The rise in oil prices poses an eminent danger to the world's economy. The cost of Brent crude rose due to panic. The last few recessions were due to rise in oil prices mainly caused by disputes in the Middle East. The unrest is due to Iran wanting to harness nuclear warfare and this was unwelcomed by Israel and US. The constant attacks on Israeli's Embassies had also caused fury among Israel and US. A military attack on Iran can severely cause a surge in oil prices and result in a probable global recession.

Summarising and paraphrasing

Paraphrasing
David Crystal claimed that Latin becoming a global language is attributed to the influence of the Romans rather than the number of people who spoke the language.

Summary

 Language becoming a global one is due to the influence of the speakers rather than the population size of the speakers. This is exhibited in the charismatic and authoritative Roman empire.

English Language Writing

Language is critical in expressing one's thoughts and emotions in words. Living in Singapore, a global city state where English is the main language of communication, I am obliged to have a good command of English. Furthermore, English being an international language puts pressure on me to pursue a stronger command of the language. Writing in English is increasingly becoming essential in relaying one's thoughts and information in today's world. From emails to books of all genres, good writing skills ensure clarity and puts one in a better position in their arguments.

English writing plays an integral role in university education regardless of faculty. From scientific reports to argumentative essays to dissertation having a good writing skill ensures for a greater accuracy and certainly can make a difference and distinguishes a good paper from a bad.

My past experience of writing arts essays in particular, structure and organisation of points play huge roles in ensuring a more comprehensible piece.

English writing will be much needed when it comes to writing my resume to a potential employer. It will also aid me in planning my daily routine at work, preparing presentations/speeches as well as writing reports if required.  I see myself as an educator in the near future and I am aware that I need to write effectively so that I can communicate well and impart knowledge appropriately to my students.  I believe firmly that a good writer is a good speaker because if you practise good writing, you will always ensure that the grammatical and linguistic aspect of English is as accurate as possible. Hence, one will be more careful of how and what he/she speaks.