<p>Ok its due on April 5th. Heres the Question. Its for an Honors Advanced Biomedical Sciences Program.</p>
<p>Prompt:
Identify an area of research of current public interest and describe how the disciplines within the honors program you have chosen within the BHSC program can or will contribute to this particular area of research.</p>
<p>I have No Idea what its asking of me. Could someone re-write that in laymens terms. also what exactly does "Current Public Interest" mean and what is a Discipline.</p>
<p>Also if you have any ideas for me could you please help me out??</p>
<p>Current public interest-
something currently reflected in public discourse, or prevalent in research at universities and think tanks etc. General examples from my field (of energy) - Global warming, renewable energy and renewable portfolio standards, cap and trade energy policy, nuclear power, demand repsonse. </p>
<p>From the political world something like universal healthcare policy (probably this is not a wise one to pick if you want to stand out)</p>
<p>Something that probably would not be general public interest would be something extremely esoteric or dated. Trends in Balinese dance. </p>
<p>Disciplines-
Areas of study within the honors program - You have to check the university’s honors website for this.</p>
<p>You probably are thinking it is something more complicated than this, because they like to phrase things in what they consider to be intellectually sophisticated ways.</p>
<p>Current public interest would encompass those things that are currently or recently in the news, things like stem cell research or “green” initiative items, global warming, coral reef degradation or childhood obesity.</p>
<p>You really should be able to handle the rest. Based on that part of the program that you have applied to, can you choose a research direction in an area of current interest that would in some way benefit by advancing solutions or ideas or understanding of that issue or problem. Without more specificity on your program, interests, etc. I don’t know that I could explain it any better.</p>
<p>Come up with an area you’d like to research that’s in the news right now, something that affects the public and that people are concerned about right now. Then describe how the subjects you’ll study within the honors program you have chosen can help you to contribute something useful to the area of research you have identified, either now or in the future.</p>
<p>Current Public Interest = what’s hot in the news right now and affects the public. Obesity would be one example, or cancer or vaccines. There are many, many more.</p>
<p>The question is poorly posed also because it uses “within the …program” twice in the same sentence. Apparently there is some sort of hierarchy that exists because the “honors program” is within the “BHSC program.” I suggest that you ignore the duplication in that part of the question since you obviously know what program you’re applying to.</p>
<p>Restated:</p>
<p>Write about a topic currently in the news that relates to what you plan to study in the BHSC program. Talk about how your work in this area will contribute to the program.</p>
<p>This is so interesting. It seems entirely straightforward and clear to me. In fact i would be surprised that someone applying to such a program would struggle with it. I just read it to my youngest ones and they understood what was written (and they aren’t anywhere near seniors yet). Maybe we live in an academic bubble.</p>
<p>I could see how this question might be confusing to someone who does not speak English as his/her first language. That’s not to say that starbright is wrong, just offering an additional thought.</p>
<p>im sorry i just moved from greece to the united states and i do not understand most english stuff
but thank you so much for insulting me starbright</p>
<p>LolyGAGHa, of course he/she should apply. Just because he/she wasn’t clear on the phrasing of the question, doesn’t mean he/she doesn’t have the qualifications to do well in the program.</p>
<p>DBassily, I admire you for seeking opportunities that are not in your native language. Good luck on your essay.</p>
<p>Write an entertaining story about a student having to write an essay dealing with a described topic that is nothing more than inexplicable gibberish. Have fun with it.</p>
<p>Well if English is your second language, I say go for it; that is a good reason to not understand it. </p>
<p>Was not meant as an insult…I was referring to the potential odd bubble in which my family lives (given both parents are academics and do research for a living…so it seemed ‘normal’ to us). Could be we are just geeks.</p>
<p>The question is poorly worded but should be easy for any native English speaker to figure out, not just geeks :P</p>
<p>HOWEVER, considering the OP is not a native English speaker, it makes sense that the weird format and “slang” (current public interest/discipline/etc.) may have confused him. </p>
<p>This prompt may seem ‘normal’ to those who are used to academic obfuscating gibberish but it’s so poorly written (all the repetitions!) and incoherent, I’m not surprised the OP has trouble with it. Just take out all the nonsense (the ‘withins’ and the ‘can or will’), and it will be a little more straightforward: “Choose an area of research and describe how you will contribute to it while at this particular program”. They want you to pick an “area of research” that is of particular interest to the public right now, and to focus on how the program you are applying to will… umm, I can’t figure out what they mean by the “disciplines within the honors program…can or will contribute to this particular area of research.” I think it refers to how you would explore/research this topic within the parameters of a discipline? As for “can or will”, that’s a complete head scratcher for me. Sorry, I think I may have confused you further. I know I am.</p>
<p>There’s nothing incoherent about it. There’s a little extra language in there, but not a lot. The big question is whether there are, in fact, multiple honors programs within the BHSC program. If not, then there really is a redundancy issue; but if so, then it makes perfect sense as is, though it would be clearer and crisper to simply use BHSC as an adjective: “describe how the disciplines within the BHSC honors program you have chosen…” Also “can or will” is fussy and legal-ish (“might” would do the job by itself), and “particular” is superfluous. Other than that, I don’t see any problems. It’s perfectly straightforward English. That doesn’t mean a second language learner can’t be excused for struggling with it a bit, but “gibberish”? Not even close.</p>
<p>Of course it is understandable to native English speakers, but the the writing is horrible. First of all, the multiple clauses between the subject “discpline” and verbs “can or will contribute” confuse the sentence. But even more significantly, I do not believe “discipline” is a proper subject noun. A “discipline” cannot contribute to anything. Students of a discipline might, but not a discipline.</p>
<p>“Multiple clauses”? There is exactly one straightforward restrictive clause separating the subject and verb of the noun clause that makes up the bulk of the sentence. </p>
<p>And a “discipline,” understood as the totality of the work done within it, can most certainly contribute to something. This is a perfectly acceptable (and common) use of very mildly figurative speech.</p>
<p>It’s carelessly and probably hastily written, so it’s rather silly to dissect someone’s minimal effort. The most glaring error is in the use of “within” twice in the sentence. If the references to the honors and BHSC programs were combined to read “within the BHSC honors program” as nightchef suggested, it would perfectly acceptable, assuming that the honors program is, indeed, within the BHSC program. Because the sentence is unclear, someone without any knowledge of the various programs at this school could not be certain of the exact relationship. That’s what jumps out at me, anyway.</p>