WRITING TIPS: An experiment with Literature

ONE of the most effective methods of gaining a deeper understanding of a piece of literature is through entering the creative, liberating and rewarding realm of fan fiction.

Fan fiction is a form of re-creative writing whereby readers can shape
alternate universes, lengthen stories and dissect characters.

Given all that is included in this genre, it is no wonder that fan fiction has risen dramatically in popularity over the past few years.

This has partly been accelerated by websites such as fanfiction.net, which allows writers to share their work online and invite readers to discuss the work submitted.

One popular form of re-creative writing is constructing a “substitute” ending, which can be an easy way to get started.

Creating a new conclusion is often an expression born out of a frustration with the original, a notion of a more suitable one or purely for the fascination of exploring another possibility.

If you are struggling at this point, asking questions such as “what if?” of both
characters and events can help provide ideas.

Another starting point is to get inside a character’s head, exploring what makes

them act the way they do.

Devising an extract from a certain character’s diary, within which an individual’s personality can be intensified or his or her actions explained, can prove to be a fascinating piece of writing.

One way to begin is to mind map, brainstorm or create a timeline, noting down key influences in the character’s life — even going so far as to create a past for him or her.

Creating letters or emails from or between characters can also offer a wide range of possibilities, either reflecting the events of a text or providing us with another viewpoint.

Read more: WRITING TIPS: An experiment with Literature http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/AnexperimentwithLiterature/Article/#ixzz1b5hZ5iZH

15 Ways to Stay Safe While in College

Staying safe while you're in college doesn't have to be complicated. These fifteen tips can be done with minimal effort and can avoid lots of problems later.

1. Make sure the door to your residence hall is locked at all times. You wouldn't just leave the front door to your house open, would you?

2. Don't let anyone into your hall that you don't know. Not letting someone in doesn't make you look like a jerk. It makes you look like a good neighbor and, if the person is supposed to be in your hall, they'll be grateful for it.

3. Make sure your room door is locked at all times. Yes, this even means when you run down the hall to borrow a book or hop in the shower.

4. Be careful with your keys. Also, if you lose them, don't depend on your roommate to keep letting you in, thinking that your keys will just "pop up." Pay the fine and get a new set.

5. If you have a car, lock it. It seems so easy to remember, yet it's so easy to forget.

6. If you have a car, check on it. Just because you haven't been using your car very much this semester doesn't mean someone else hasn't!

7. Get a locking device for your laptop. This may be a physical lock or some kind of electronic tracking or locking device.

8. Watch your stuff in the library. You may need to take a quick run to the vending machines to clear your mind . . . just as someone happens to walk by and see your iPod and laptop unattended.

9. Keep your windows locked. Don't be so focused on locking your door that you forget to check the windows, too.

10. Put emergency numbers in your cell phone. If your wallet is stolen, will you know what phone number to call to cancel your credit cards? Put important phone numbers in your cell so that you can call the moment you notice something is missing. The last thing you want is someone cashing in on the money you've been budgeting for the rest of the semester.

11. Use the campus escort service at night. You may feel embarrassed, but it's such a smart idea. And besides, who wouldn't want a free ride?!

12. Always go somewhere at night with a friend. Male or female, big or small, safe neighborhood or not, this is always a good idea.

13. Make sure someone knows where you are at all times. Heading to a club downtown? Going out on a date? There's no need to spill all the intimate details, but do let someone (a friend, a roommate, etc.) know where you're going and what time you expect to get back.

14. If you live off-campus, call someone when you get home. You're studying for finals with a friend late one night at the library. Make a quick agreement that you'll call him when you get home later that evening.

15. Know the phone number for Campus Safety. You never know: you may need it for yourself or for something you see from far away. Knowing the number off the top of your head (or at least having it in your cell phone) may be the most important thing to remember during an emergency.

collegelife.about.com

Teknik Belajar Penentu Kejayaan

SETIAP pelajar boleh mendapat keputusan cemerlang dalam peperiksaan dan mencipta kejayaan asalkan tahu teknik betul ketika belajar serta mempunyai kemahuan tinggi untuk mendaki kecemerlangan.

Pakar motivasi, Fadzli Yusof, berkata kecemerlangan pelajar bukan bersandarkan faktor biologikal semata-mata tapi disokong dengan kaedah tertentu yang boleh meningkatkan pencapaian. Beliau berkata, pelajar kurang bijak tidak perlu rasa rendah diri atau kecewa dengan keputusan kurang memberangsangkan kerana masih ada cara mengatasinya, yang penting berusaha bersungguh-sungguh untuk menggenggam kejayaan.

Pada masa sama, pelajar bijak jika terus salah menggunakan teknik belajar yang betul boleh menyebabkan kegagalan. "Semua pelajar ingin berjaya dan mencipta kejayaan malangnya tidak tahu teknik belajar yang betul. Ada menggunakan kaedah mengingat dan berbincang dengan harapan mampu mencipta kejayaan. "Mengapa tidak gunakan teknik paling mudah iaitu rasa seronok belajar? Teknik seperti ini mempunyai kuasa pemacu paling berkesan yang boleh mendorong seseorang mencipta kejayaannya sendiri," katanya. Justeru, bagi berkongsi ilmu dan teknik belajar paling mudah itu, beliau bekerjasama dengan Good Grade Consultant menganjurkan program Motivasi Kecemerlangan UPSR pada 12 Mac, 19 Mac dan 26 Mac ini di tiga lokasi berbeza iaitu Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Skudai, Johor, Universiti Sains Malaysia, (USM), Pulau Pinang dan Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia (UIAM), Gombak, Kuala Lumpur.

Program ini menyasarkan objektif untuk mengupas dan memberi tunjuk ajar mengenai teknik sebenar seronok belajar. Menurutnya, dengan mengetahui teknik betul, pelajar bukan saja berpeluang mempertingkatkan kemahiran tapi mencetuskan inspirasi belajar. "Latihan yang bagus tapi jika tidak dilakukan secara berterusan dan konsisten tidak mendatangkan hasil. Tapi, jika ada rasa seronok belajar dan tahu tekniknya, subjek yang bosan atau susah pun tiada masalah menguasainya. "Justeru, bagi sesiapa yang ingin tahu mengenai teknik ini, hadirlah ke program yang bakal dianjurkan," katanya. Sementara itu, Pengurus Good Grade Consultant, Mohd Farhan Johari berkata, program berkenaan dianjurkan bagi memberi kesedaran kepentingan persediaan pembelajaran untuk terus cemerlang bukan saja kepada murid tahun 6, malah tahun 5 dan 4 menyertainya. Menurutnya, pelajar perlu bijak mencetuskan rasa seronok untuk belajar dan bukan melakukannya kerana terpaksa atau disebabkan faktor lain. "Ada pelajar belajar kerana takut kena marah atau dipaksa. Mereka belajar bukan dengan kerelaan hati menyebabkan timbul rasa bosan. Menerusi program ini kami berkongsi rahsia mewujudkan rasa seronok itu. Ia boleh membuatkan mereka lebih fokus dan tidak tertekan sekali gus gembira apabila mengulang kaji," katanya. Program berkenaan mempunyai tiga slot yang memberi fokus pada teknik motivasi diri, meningkatkan keupayaan minda dan teknik memori, menjawab soalan dan strategi belajar.

Sumber artikel : Harian Metro

Pendedahan Awal Pelajar Tentang Kursus di IPTA/IPTS

Pelajar-pelajar yang menyertai ceramah panduan pemilihan kursus di IPTA/IPTS

JOHOR BAHRU, 21 April: Seramai 111 pelajar dari empat buah sekolah di daerah ini menyertai program Panduan Pemilihan Kursus di IPTA & IPTS di Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), baru-baru ini.

Objektif program tersebut bertujuan memberi pendedahan kepada peserta mengenai persediaan memilih aliran akademik mereka untuk melanjutkan pengajian ke IPTA selepas menamatkan pelajaran di sekolah nanti.

Program anjuran Unit Media dan Komunikasi (MEDKOM) Pejabat Menteri Besar Johor dengan kerjasama Majlis Perwakilan Pelajar (MPP) UTM itu melibatkan penyertaan pelajar tingkatan tiga dari Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Dato' Jaafar, SMK Tasek Utara, SMK Maktab Sultan Abu Bakar dan SMK Perempuan Sultan Ibrahim.

Di samping itu, peserta turut didedahkan dengan ceramah panduan pemilihan kursus yang ditawarkan di IPT oleh Pengarah Unit Pemasaran UTM, Profesor Dr Ahmad Kamal Idris.

Selain itu, peserta turut melawat ke beberapa tempat di UTM, termasuklah makmal aeroangkasa, pusat teknologi maklumat dan komunikasi serta perpustakaan.

Ditulis oleh : Hamirul Hairi

Terap Budaya Bertanya

Oleh : Dr Tengku Asmadi Tengku Mohamad (Pengarah Urusann MAP Training & Consultancy Sdn. Bhd/Presiden Pertubuhan Perunding Latihan dan Motivasi Muslim Malaysia (Tamrin)

MALU bertanya sesat jalan, tetapi ia banyak berlaku dalam masyarakat kita. Kita lebih rela membiarkan diri tidak faham dan tidak tahu daripada dilabelkan bodoh serta ditertawakan. Bukan saja anak malu dan takut bertanya, orang dewasa pun sama.

Budaya malu dan takut bertanya ini berterusan dari satu generasi ke satu generasi hingga memberikan kesan negatif.

Di sekolah, anak malu bertanya pada guru walaupun tidak faham. Ini memberi kesan dalam pembelajaran dan menjejaskan markah dalam ujian dan peperiksaan.

Akhirnya yang disalahkan bukannya diri sendiri sebaliknya orang lain. Guru didakwa tidak pandai mengajar. Mata pelajaran dikatakan susah atau soalan peperiksaan terlalu tinggi tahapnya.

Apabila masuk ke alam pekerjaan, sikap yang sama diamalkan. Kesannya, kerja tidak menepati kehendak majikan, lambat menguasai sesuatu kemahiran atau tidak dinaikkan pangkat.

Secara fitrah kita dilahirkan suka bertanya. Lihat anak kecil apabila mula pandai bercakap, macam-macam yang mereka tanya. Kadangkala penat melayani kerenah mereka malah ada ibu bapa hilang kesabaran.

Tetapi, itulah cara mereka belajar iaitu dengan mencuba dan bertanya. Jika sejak kecil setiap pertanyaan anak ini dijawab dengan baik hingga mereka puas dengan jawapan diterima, ia satu ganjaran emosi yang merangsang anak terus bertanya.

Lagi banyak yang ditanyakan, mereka cepat belajar malah minda mereka lebih matang berbanding kanak-kanak sebaya usia.

Hasilnya bukan saja pencapaian akademik lebih baik, tetapi pelbagai peluang akan diberikan kepada anak menjadi pengawas, ketua kelas atau mewakili sekolah dalam pelbagai aktiviti kokurikulum. Semuanya kerana rajin dan berani bertanya.

Mengurus masalah adalah ciri-ciri orang yang cemerlang. Apabila masalah tidak diuruskan dengan baik, ia menjadi besar dan memberi tekanan kepada pelajar.

Sebab itu pelajar perlu menyelesaikan setiap perkara yang tidak difahami itu dengan bertanya. Mereka yang rajin bertanya keyakinan tinggi dan mudah mendapat pekerjaan.

Orang yang suka bertanya adalah orang yang mencari jawapan dan penyelesaian bukannya menunggu jawapan dan penyelesaian itu jatuh ke riba.

Bertanya itu memerlukan kemahiran. Kita bertanya disebabkan kita tidak faham, tidak tahu, untuk memastikan apa yang kita faham itu benar atau bagi menambah maklumat sedia ada.

Kemahiran bertanya ini sesuatu yang boleh dipelajari. Untuk bertanya kita perlu kritis terhadap diri sendiri. Tanyakan diri dengan soalan, Apa? Siapa? Bila? Di mana? Bagaimana? dan Kenapa?

Kemudian setiap soalan yang mahu ditanyakan itu hendaklah ditulis, takut lupa. Apabila guru membuka ruang, rebutlah peluang itu untuk bertanya.

Program Motivasi Alihan pelajar yang dijalankan khusus untuk pelajar ada menekankan ‘kemahiran bertanya’. Malah, kualiti jawapan yang diperoleh banyak bergantung kepada kualiti soalan yang diajukan.

Jika pelajar bijak menyusun soalan, mudahlah guru membantu. Pelajar juga ditanamkan dengan keyakinan diri yang tinggi supaya berani bertanya dan jangan takut disindir.

Bertanya itu mudah apabila menjadi kebiasaan. Namun, untuk mencipta kebiasaan itu memerlukan kekuatan. Kekuatan datang apabila kita tahu caranya. Caranya pula perlu dipelajari dari mereka yang mahir.

Ancient Egypt Archaeology

When it comes to ancient history, a lot of digging is involved to try to understand the motivations and lives of the people who came before us. In the case of ancient Egypt, archaeology has its work cut out of it in some respects: many of its monuments and buildings are still very much intact. With pyramids and temples all over the place, as well as the Valley of the Kings, there are plenty of places to find history.

The Rosetta Stone The problem many of the original archaeologists and historians had was that covering the walls and many objects found in various places were symbols that were unreadable to more modern eyes, as the writing style had fallen out of use as other countries invaded Egypt . Luckily, in 1799, a large piece of granite was found (the Rosetta Stone) that contained the same writing written three times on it: once in hieroglyphic, once in demotic Egyptian, and once in Greek, each written so different groups would understand it. It was translated by the year 1822 and opened the doors of understanding for many interested parties further down the road. Howard Carter In 1922, a man by the name of Howard Carter found what would be the last tomb found in the Valley of the Kings until after the year 2000. This tomb belonged to King Tut, the young king who had died very early in his reign. In the tomb was not only the king's mummy, but many artifacts that had not been taken by grave robbers, as well as the customary wall-covering murals and script. Finding mummies in the Valley of the Kings was impressive, for many reasons. The tombs themselves had long since been taken care of, and most of the area was covered up. Also, when chambers were found, some were empty because they were storage areas, while others had been burial chambers, but the bodies were moved to save them from being desecrated by grave robbers. A few mummy caches have been found, most notably one at the mortuary temple at Deir-el Bahri, which held the remains of over 50 kings, queens, and other assorted nobles. Not far from there was another cache of mummies containing the bodies of the priests who had been responsible for making sure the nobles were given the untouched resting places they deserved. Given the vast size of Egypt itself and the extensive history, there are still many great historical finds left to decipher, uncover, or figure out. Hopefully archaeologists will get to it all before even more sand and buildings are piled up on top of it. Sumber artikel : http://www.ancient-egypt-online.com

Maritime Asia

Maritime Asia Exhibition: • Seven shipwrecks Specific ships: • Tg.Simpang (C10-12) • Turiang (c.1370) • Desaru (c.1845) Topic pages: • Chronology • Malaysia • Ship types • Iron • Compass • Soundings • Tioman • 1421 bunkum What's new People/contacts		Maritime Archaeology Malaysia, an exhibition of the historic shipwrecks discovered around Malaysia, opened at Muzium Negara in Kuala Lumpur in 2001, ran for several years, and was discussed as the nucleus of a new national maritime museum. A major section, Discovering Asia's ceramic development, drew on seven shipwrecks, spanning half a millennium, which were investigated by Sten Sjostrand. Here is the internet version of that exhibition. The Turiang(1), a Chinese ship, was sailing to Borneo and/or Sulawesi when she sank in the 14th century. Her commercial cargo included ceramics from China, Vietnam and Thailand, plus iron ore and fish... and the discovery provoked a reassessment of Thai ceramic history. This was influenced by the crackdowns of successive Chinese emperors, and casts interesting light on the political as well as the economic and trade history of Asia. A detailed report on the Turiang is available from the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society and online. The Desaru ship, from China, sank off the southeast coast of Peninsular Malaysia in the 1840s, with a cargo of Chinese ceramics stored in built-in compartments which were well preserved. A written report was submitted to the Malaysian Department of Museums and Antiquities in early 2003, and all essentials are online. The Tanjung Simpang ship dates from the Northern Song dynasty (960-1126 AD), and could have greatly extended our knowledge of early Southeast Asian trade, but was heavily looted. All information we have is online. Topic pages are supplementary to these principal sections of the site. 'Malaysia at the crossroads' explains the wealth of historic shipwrecks around the country. Some material on other shipwrecks, the Nanyang, Longquan, Royal Nanhai, Xuande, Singtai and Desaru, will be found in both the exhibition (which is indexed) and the 'other wrecks' section of the Turiang report. The chronology provides an overview of Asian maritime trade up to 1700, drawing on historical sources from many countries and new archaeological evidence; at the foot of this page is the growing bibliography. This is the page most frequently updated. Working names were assigned to ships of which the original names are unknown. Tanjung Simpang ship Desaru ship Turiang ship
Last modified: 1 June 2010 credit to : http://www.maritimeasia.ws/