Dave Barry Science Fair Summary

In John M. Barry’s “The Great Influenza” scientific research is made out to be a process based off gaining knowledge in fields that have little base knowledge and then cooperating with other researchers in order to either further develop from that point or to further validate the current idea. Barry supports this ideal through his extended metaphor, parallelism, and the exemplification. Throughout the piece, Barry describes scientific research as a step into the unknown through his extended metaphor. Barry relates all scientists together onto the same playing field stating, “All real scientists exist on the frontier. Even the less ambitious among them…”

One example of this is Barry’s use of anaphora. Barry says that “uncertainty creates weakness. Uncertainty makes one tentative if not fearful, and tentative steps, even when in the right direction, may not overcome significant obstacles” (Barry 2-5). Barry’s repetition of “uncertainty” draws attention to this section of the essay, and allows him to contrast certainty and uncertainty. This characterization of uncertainty as something that creates weakness also shows the courage of scientists, and shows how scientific research can be unsettled.

These three devices work in tandem, aiding the reader while they learn about the scientific process. The first rhetorical device used in the excerpt is anaphora, the repetition of the word certainty and uncertainty is used to initiate each of the first four sentences. Barry uses this repetition to implant the idea that science is full of self-doubt and overcoming this allows one to become successful. In the first four sentences he says “Certainty creates strength. Certainty gives one something….Uncertainty

John M. Barry addresses his feelings about scientists and their research through the piece from, “The Great Influenza,” an account of the 1918 flu epidemic. He adopts a speculative tone and utilizes rhetorical strategies such as fallacies, metaphors, and word choice to characterize scientists research. Barry describes the positive mind set and the requirements to be a scientists. The requirements of being a scientist would not only be, “intelligence and curiosity,”but to also to be open minded and to have courage.

Barry’s use of syntax to effectively state his argument, his use of diction to allow the reader to comprehend the meaning of a phrase, and the allegories to add further emphasis to his main points all are important rhetorical strategies. These strategies don’t just emphasize the important of certainty and how it can benefit the field of science, but they also describe how uncertainty can also impact discoveries and how it can prohibit discoveries from being

Barry says, "a shovel can dig up dirt, but cannot penetrate a rock. Would a pick be best, or would dynamite be better- or would dynamite be too indiscriminately destructive?" Barry talks about science as if it was the wilderness. In the wilderness, there are many surprises that can occur at any moment. There are holes that you could step right over, not knowing it may have been the answer or may have been needed.

First, Barry employs scientific diction to describe the work of scientists and how they function. Scientists often use different tools to do their job and to find answers. Barry states, “There a single step can take them through the looking glass into a world that seems entirely different.” The use of the word looking glass refers to old technology that was commonly used by the scientists giving light to the way scientists function by mentioning their instruments.

Therefore, if school was to cancel this activity, many children that are like Barry would have nothing to relieve and relied on. School had always been known to help and educated children’s of all ages, but when it comes to certain situation, school is like another home for children. It provided a new life for children’s and help them regain and improve on their mental stress. For example, Barry ran away from home at night to come to school because it the only place she feels content after her parent argument that night. Without even recognizing that she is gone like any other family do, Barry feel happy because she had more time to spend on school every morning just to paint and draw.

Mond explains, in this quote, how science cannot remain the sole factor in achieving happiness. Throughout the story, the Controllers condition the people to view science as the greatest good, but new discoveries often lack what makes an individual happy. Process often infringes on what people as a whole consider as happy. They feel contentment but individuality and passion push brilliant individuals to discover more scientifically. Beauty lies in truth.

“A scientist must accept the fact that all his or her work, even beliefs, may break apart upon the sharp edge of a single laboratory finding” (Line 14). Science is about finding out the truth. One cannot do that if he is held back by a sacred belief. Science is brave in this respect because the scientist might find out that how he lives his life is wrong. Science is about being uncertain because nothing is absolute.

As the audience can see, Emerson ends these three paragraphs with this metaphor to ultimately instill self-assurance within the people and leave them with confidence. Overall, Ralph Waldo Emerson uses many rhetorical strategies to allow his audience to hear his passionate views on individuality. The allusions, the anaphora, and the metaphor give the audience three impactful men to admire, a steady beat with emphasis to follow throughout the piece, and a lasting self-confidence triggered

After summer break, I returned to Westlake High School for my junior year, feeling as if something was missing. The decision to spearhead the creation of a chapter of the Science National Honor Society (SNHS) at my school arose because of my desire to establish a niche where high school students could express their shared passion for the sciences. The SNHS would provide enlightening scientific activities and opportunities for students, and the Science club would serve as a path to introduce members into the society. I initially proposed the creation of the society in a meeting with the Principal and Board of Education. Quite a few obstacles had to be overcome to start a new organization in the school.

It is often stated that people relate to emotions and not facts, and it seems Goodman understands just that. She clearly states the concepts and fundamentals behind the triumphs and struggles of modern day science while presenting them in a way that is filled with emotion. From jealously, delight and frustration, Goodman captures it all. Goodman writes, “Over and over he looked, and each time he made the discovery again: his virus worked on cancer cells. He had never seen anything more beautiful or more important than that mouse before him on the table,” (Goodman, 75).

To display my understanding of the four-course outcomes, I selected my summary and rhetorical analysis of Bruno Bettelheim's "Fairy Tales and the Existential Predicament," and my in-class writing "Seattle Versus the

When Grinnell says that science is taught “divorced from understanding” he means that students aren’t taught what is so fascinating about science, but are rather taught how to complete science assignments. He uses the example of the science fair, which is something I, fortunately never had to do in high school. I heard through the grapevine through my friends that did have to do the science fair that it was too strict. There was no room for creativity; it seemed like the project didn’t care about the student presenting something interesting in the world of science, rather it was strictly based on, as Grinnell said, the placement of certain aspects of the project. In high school, I took a very basic biology class where the teacher understood that the curriculum was taking the fun