A Short List of Synonyms for Shorten

A Short List of Synonyms for Shorten A Short List of Synonyms for Shorten A Short List of Synonyms for Shorten By Mark Nichol Shorten is a serviceable word for describing how to reduce the extent or length of something, but some synonyms are available to use in its place. Abbreviate stems ultimately from the Latin verb abbreviare, the root of which is from brevis, meaning â€Å"short†- the same word from which brevity (â€Å"briefness†) and brief are derived. Abridge, which has nothing to do with bridges (it has the same origin as abbreviate), is often used in the sense of diminishing effect or strength or shortening a written compensation by excising parts. To curtail is to limit or reduce as if by cutting (its obsolete predecessor, curtal, referred to cutting an animal’s tail short); its derivation is curtus, Latin for â€Å"short†- which came to be used in English as curt, an adjective usually applied to a brusque statement. Truncate is ultimately from the Latin word truncus, the source of trunk (as well as truncheon- the original term for a billy club- and the rare word obtruncate, which means â€Å"cut the top from†). The original sense is an adjective meaning â€Å"with square or even leaves†- leaves that appear to have been artificially shortened and straightened. Elide means â€Å"omit†; it usually pertains to removing a letter, word, or phrase from a document but also has a general sense of â€Å"shorten†; the noun form is elision. Syncopate means â€Å"cut short,† but it also applies to the linguistic process of syncope, in which part of a word is elided, as in g’day for â€Å"good day.† It’s also the verb form of syncopation, which refers to music rhythm based on giving stress to weak rather than strong beats. There is also a group of short words- often, in their pronunciation, suggestive of abrupt action- that refer to cutting something short, including bob, chop, clip, crop, cut, dock, lop, and snip. Other terms referring to cutting, often in reference to vegetation, include mow, pare, prune, and trim; shave and shear are similar. Prà ©cis, a noun referring to shortening or condensing (from French, and the ancestor of precise), is also a verb; other terms are compress and contract, as well as condense and its close synonym digest (from the sense of the word, also associated with assimilating food into the body, of arranging and dividing). To abstract, profile, and summarize are similar actions, though they involve outlining content rather than reducing its length. Likewise, to epitomize is to serve as an example rather than to actually reduce. Shrinking, meanwhile, involves literally reducing in size rather than abbreviating. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Exquisite AdjectivesExcited ABOUT, not "for" Educational vs. Educative

Battle of Caen in World War II

Battle of Caen in World War II The Battle of Caen was fought from June 6, to July 20, 1944, during World War II (1939-1945). Situated on the Orne River approximately nine miles from the Normandy coast, the city of Caen was a key road and rail hub in the region. The city was identified by the Allies as an early goal for troops coming ashore during the D-Day invasion. Rather than quickly falling, the struggle for Caen became a bloody, grinding affair that lasted for seven weeks due to intense German resistance. While a costly struggle, the fighting around Caen pinned down German troops which facilitated Operation Cobra in late July. This saw the Allies breakout of the beachhead and move to encircle German forces in Normandy. Background Located in Normandy, Caen was identified early on by General Dwight D. Eisenhower and Allied planners as a main objective for the D-Day invasion. This was largely due to the citys key position along the Orne River and Caen Canal as well as its role as a major road hub within the region. As a result, the capture of Caen would greatly inhibit the ability of German forces to respond quickly to Allied operations once ashore. Planners also felt that the relatively open terrain around the city would provide an easier line of advance inland as opposed to the more difficult bocage (hedgerow) country to the west. Given the favorable terrain, the Allies also intended to establish several airfields around the city. The capture of Caen was assigned to Major General Tom Rennies British 3rd Infantry Division which would be assisted by Major General Richard N. Gales British 6th Airborne Division and 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion. In the final plans for Operation Overlord, Allied leaders intended for Kellers men to take Caen shortly after coming ashore on D-Day. This would require an advance of approximately 7.5 miles from beach. D-Day Landing during the night of June 6, the airborne forces captured key bridges and artillery positions to the east of Caen along the Orne River and at Merville. These efforts effectively blocked the enemys ability to mount a counterattack against the beaches from the east. Storming ashore on Sword Beach around 7:30 AM, the 3rd Infantry Division initially encountered stiff resistance. Following the arrival of supporting armor, Rennies men were able to secure the exits from the beach and commenced pushing inland around 9:30 AM. Their advance was soon stopped by a determined defense mounted by 21st Panzer Division. Blocking the road to Caen, the Germans were able to halt Allied forces and the city remained in their hands as night fell. As a result, the Allied ground commander, General Bernard Montgomery, elected to meet with the commanders of the US First Army and British Second Army, Lieutenant Generals Omar Bradley and Miles Dempsey, to develop a new plan for taking the city. Lieutenant General Sir Miles C. Dempsey (right) with the 21st Army Group commander, General Sir Bernard Montgomery (center), and U.S. First Army commander, Lieutenant General Omar Bradley (left), 10 June 1944. Public Domain Fast Facts: Battle of Caen Conflict: World War II (1939-1945)Dates: June 6, to July 20, 1944Armies Commanders:AlliesGeneral Bernard MontgomeryLieutenant General Miles Dempsey14 divisions, 8 armored/tank brigadesAxisField Marshal Erwin RommelField Marshal Gà ¼nther von Kluge15 divisions, 3 heavy tank battalions Operation Perch Originally conceived as a plan for breaking out of the beachhead to the southeast of Caen, Operation Perch was quickly altered by Montgomery into a pincer attack for taking the city. This called for I Corps 51st (Highland) Infantry Division and the 4th Armoured Brigade to cross the Orne River in the east and attack towards Cagny. In the west, XXX Corps would cross the Odon River, then swing east towards Evrecy. This offensive moved forward on June 9 as elements of XXX Corps began battling for Tilly-sur-Seulles which was held by the Panzer Lehr Division and elements of the 12th SS Panzer Division. Due to delays, I Corps did not begin their advance until June 12. Meeting heavy resistance from the 21st Panzer Division, these efforts were halted the next day. As I Corps rolled forward, the situation in the west changed when German forces, having been under heavy attack from the US 1st Infantry Division on XXX Corps right began falling back. Seeing an opportunity, Dempsey directed the 7th Armoured Division to exploit the gap and advance to Villers-Bocage before turning east to assault the left flank of the Panzer Lehr Division. Reaching the village on July 13, British forces were checked in heavy fighting. Feeling that the division was becoming overextended, Dempsey pulled it back with the goal of reinforcing it and renewing the offensive. This failed to occur when a severe storm hit the area and damaged supply operations on the beaches (Map). Operation Epsom In an effort to regain the initiative, Dempsey commenced Operation Epsom on June 26. Using Lieutenant General Sir Richard OConnors newly-arrived VIII Corps, the plan called for a thrust over the Odon River to capture high ground south of Caen near Bretteville-sur-Laize. A secondary operation, dubbed Martlet, was launched on June 25 to secure heights along VIII Corps right flank. Assisted by supporting operations at other points along the line, the 15th (Scottish) Infantry Division, aided by armor from the 31st Tank Brigade, spearheaded the Epsom attack the next day. An ammunition lorry of 11th Armoured Division explodes after being hit by mortar fire during Operation Epsom, June 1944. Public Domain Making good progress, it crossed the river, pushed through the German lines and began expanding its position. Joined by the 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division, the 15th became engaged in heavy fighting and repulsed several major German counterattacks. The severity of the German efforts led to Dempsey pulling his some of his troops back across the Odon by June 30. Though a tactical failure for the Allies, Epsom altered the balance of forces in the region in their favor. While Dempsey and Montgomery were able to maintain a force of reserves, their opponent, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, was compelled to utilize his entire force to hold the front lines. Following Epsom, the Canadian 3rd Infantry Division mounted Operation Windsor on July 4. This called for an attack on Carpiquet and its adjacent airfield which were located west of Caen. The Canadian effort was further supported by a variety of specialist armor, 21 artillery regiments, naval gunfire support from HMS Rodney, as well as two squadrons of Hawker Typhoons. Moving forward, the Canadians, aided by the 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade, succeeded in capturing the village but were unable to secure the airfield. The next day, they turned back German efforts to reclaim Carpiquet. Operation Charnwood Increasingly frustrated with the situation around Caen, Montgomery directed that a major offensive be mounted to frontally assault the city. Though Caens strategic significance had lessened, he particularly desired to secure Verrià ¨res and Bourguà ©bus ridges to the south. Dubbed Operation Charnwood, the key objectives of the assault were to clear the city south to the Orne and secure bridges over the river. To accomplish the latter, an armored column was assembled with orders to rush through Caen to capture the crossings. The attack moved forward on July 8 and was heavily supported by bombers and naval gunfire. Led by I Corps, three infantry divisions (3rd, 59th, and 3rd Canadian), supported by armor, pushed forward. To the west, the Canadians renewed their efforts against Carpiquet airfield. Grinding ahead, British forces reached the outskirts of Caen that evening. Concerned about the situation, the Germans began withdrawing their heavy equipment across the Orne and prepared to defend the river crossings in the city. The next morning, British and Canadian patrols began penetrating the city proper while other forces finally occupied Carpiquet airfield after the 12th SS Panzer Division withdrew. As the day progressed British and Canadian troops united and drove the Germans from the northern part of Caen. Occupying the riverbank, Allied troops halted as they lacked the strength to contest the river crossings. In addition, it was deemed inadvisable to continue as the Germans held the ground flanking the southern part of the city. As Charnwood concluded, OConnor launched Operation Jupiter on July 10. Striking south, he sought to capture the key heights of Hill 112. Though this objective was not gained after two days of fighting, his men secured several villages in the area and prevented the 9th SS Panzer Division from being withdrawn as a reserve force. Operation Goodwood As Operation Jupiter was moving forward, Montgomery again met with Bradley and Dempsey to assess the overall situation. At this gathering, Bradley proposed the plan for Operation Cobra which called for a major breakout from the American sector on July 18. Montgomery approved this plan and Dempsey was tasked with mounting an operation to pin German forces in place around Caen and possibly achieve a breakout in the east. A A Canadian soldier moves through Caen, 1944. Public Domain Dubbed Operation Goodwood, this called for a major offensive by British forces east of the city. Goodwood was to be supported by the Canadian-led Operation Atlantic which was designed to capture the southern part of Caen. With planning completed, Montgomery hoped to begin Goodwood on July 18 and Cobra two days later. Spearheaded by OConnors VIII Corps, Goodwood commenced following heavy Allied air attacks. Slowed somewhat by natural obstacles and German minefields, OConnor was tasked with capturing Bourguà ©bus Ridge as well as the area between Bretteville-sur-Laize and Vimont. Driving forward, British forces, heavily supported by armor, were able to advance seven miles but failed to take the ridge. The fighting saw frequent clashes between British Churchill and Sherman tanks and their German Panther and Tiger counterparts. Advancing to the east, Canadian forces succeeded in liberating the remainder of Caen, however subsequent assaults against Verrià ¨res Ridge were repulsed. Aftermath Though originally a D-Day objective, it took Allied forces around seven weeks to finally liberate the city. Due to the ferocity of the fighting, much of Caen was destroyed and had to be rebuilt after the war. Though Operation Goodwood failed to achieve a breakout, it did hold German forces in place for Operation Cobra. Delayed until July 25, Cobra saw American forces knock a gap in the German lines and reach open country to the south. Pivoting east, they moved to encircle German forces in Normandy as Dempsey mounted a new advance with the goal of trapping the enemy around Falaise. Beginning on August 14, Allied forces sought to close the Falaise Pocket and destroy the German Army in France. Though nearly 100,000 Germans escaped the pocket before it was closed on August 22, around 50,000 were captured and 10,000 killed. Having won the Battle of Normandy, Allied forces advanced freely to the Seine River reaching it on August 25.

Global conflicts and contexts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Global conflicts and contexts - Essay Example This paper discusses the foreign relationships that UK can possibly have with Somalia to lessen this problem of high sea piracy. A very disturbing picture is painted by Lennox (2008: 1) about the Somalia piracy where he says, â€Å"There were 115 reported pirate attacks  off the coast of Somalia in 2008. Of those attacks, 46 resulted in the seizure of a commercial vessel by Somali pirates. The average ransom for the release of hijacked vessels increased from $1 million US dollars in July of 2008, to $1.5 million by December. At the time of writing 12 vessels are being held along with approximately 400 crewmembers in pirate towns along Somalia’s unlawful coasts†. Therefore, we can see that this problem has taken a magnitude of epic proportions and is threatening to completely block off the trade route via the Gulf of Aden. This the place which sees almost 20000 ships passing each year, has also the maximum number of attacks recorded, forcing the vessels to take a longer but safer alternative route. As Biegon (2009) tells us, â€Å"The increased threat of maritime piracy has heightened the ship ping industrys financial concerns in the context of the global economic recession. Over 6.8 billion tons of goods are moved by sea annually in a global trade cycle worth $7.4 trillion, with up to 90% of international trade traveling by ship at some point. The wave of pirate attacks off the eastern coast of Africa has already had a major impact on global shipping patterns. Following the hijacking of the Sirius Star, for example, AP Moller-Maersk, Europes largest shipping company,  diverted  its fleet of 50 oil tankers away from the Suez Canal towards the longer and more expensive route around the Cape of Good Hope.† This article looks at the piracy that is spelling doom for the trading vessels and Somalia alike, and tries to define the term maritime piracy and reexamine from a

Competency through an academic preparation Essay - 3

Competency through an academic preparation - Essay Example I believe that my genuine interest for the profession and the proven program of Gannon University would enable me to successfully complete the program. I have completed a degree in Business Administration from Arab Open University. I also have an experience working in the industrial sector and this made me appreciate the necessity of pursuing a degree in Engineering Management to better the prospect of my career and become one of the organization leaders of Operation department in the industrial sector. I am always ready to take risk and work hard. I keep a dynamic mind and always want to update my knowledge on my area of interest. I believe these qualities would contribute much to pursue my degree without much difficulty. There are many reasons why I believe I can do well in my studies. I am systematic in addition to being a hard worker. I do not procrastinate tasks for the next day and I am not daunted by challenging tasks. In fact, the more challenging the task, the more enthusiastic I become to resolve it. My previous professional experience can prove it. This attitude of mine in dealing tasks and studies made Jubail United Petrochemicals Company (SABICs Affiliate: one of the largest Petrochemicals company in the world) to offer me a comprehensive experience when I was acting as team leader in the Department of Operation. I was involved in the project construction, commission, start up, shut down, trouble shouting, turn around and catalyst replacement of a huge Ethylene Oxide / Ethylene Glycol plant. This experience trained me to lead, analyze various situations and also to cope with emergency scenarios. I also gained knowledge in technical, safety and basic engineering knowledge which I believe are helpful in my studies. Â  

Obeserving bacteris and blood Essay Example for Free

Obeserving bacteris and blood Essay Objectives: There were two major goals of the â€Å"Observing Bacteria and Blood† experiment. The first was to establish a familiarity with the proper techniques for using a microscope. The experiment focused on both the basic components of a microscope (i.e. how to adjust the knobs and levers for the desired result) as well as how do decide the proper objective to use for observing a specimen. The second goal major goal of this experiment was to practice observing live specimens (yogurt and blood). Procedures: Exercise 1: Observation of prepared slides using the microscope. The observation of the 8 prepared slides was performed by making adjustments to the microscope (focus, condenser, light) in order to establish a clear image of the specimen. The slide was viewed through the 10x, 40x, and 100x objectives and all observations were recorded in the tables below. Exercise 23: Observationof yogurt and blood. The yogurt and blood slides were prepared as described in the Labpaq manual. The slides were observed using the 10x, 40x, and 100x objectives and all observations were recorded in the tables below. Observations/Results: Exercise 1 SampleObservations Part 1Part 2 150x600x1500x (Oil Immersion) Amoeba proteus Anabaena Ascaris Eggs â€Å"e† slide Paramecium Penicillium w/conidia Yeast Yogurt bacteria Exercise 2 3 SampleObservations 150X600x1500x Ex 2: Fresh Yogurt Ex 3: Blood Smear Photos/Drawings: (Insert and label images here. If image file (JPEG or GIF) sizes are too large they may be uploaded separately.) Analysis/Interpretation: Based on the observations detailed above, it can be concluded that the microscope is a powerful tool in the observation of organisms that are small in size. It was important to have a number of objectives of different magnifying power in order to be able to discern the level of magnification needed to best study a sample. In addition, the examination of the yogurt sample allowed for the observation of the varying shapes and arrangement of bacterial cells. The use of a microscope to observe the blood smear highlighted the many important components of human blood that are not evident by the naked eye. Application: In performing this experiment I have learned many important aspects of microbiology that apply to healthcare. First, there is plenty of information that can be discovered by looking at a sample under the microscope †¦ size, arrangement, number of organism. For example, this information can be utilized in making an initial identification on a patient sample in a hospital laboratory. Second, some microorganisms can be  beneficial such as those bacteria that can be cultured from yogurt. Furthermore, these microorganisms can also be used to build back a healthy population of intestinal bacteria in patients who have recently been taking antibiotics. Answers to the LabPaq Questions 1) Questions A. Identifythe following parts of the microscope and describe the functionof each. a. Ocular- eyepiece transmits and magnifies the image form the objective lens to the eye. b.Body/tube-holds the eyepiece at proper distance from the objective lens and blocks light. c.Nosepiece- rotating mount that hold objective lens. d.Objective Lens- gathers light for the specimen. e.Mechanical Stage- holds the specimen. f.Apeture diaphragm control/disc- alters the amount of light that reaches the condenser. g.Lamp- produces the light. h.Coarse focus knob-brings objects into focal point of the objective lens. i.Fine focus knob- makes fine adjustments to focus the image. j.Arm-holds all of the optical parts at a distance and aligns them. k.Clips-hold the specimen still on the stage. l.Base- supports the weight of all the microscope parts. Define the following microscopy terms: Focus: positions the objective lens at the proper distance from the specimen. Resolution: Ability for the lens to show fine details of the object being observed. Contrast: The darkness of the back ground relative to the specimen. B. What is the purpose of immersion oil? To direct the light from the microscope directly to the slide and stop it from refracting. It creats a finer resolution and brightness. Exercise 2: Observing Bacteria Cultures in Yogurt Questions A. Describe your observations of the fresh yogurt slide. B. Were there observable differences between your fresh yogurt slide and the prepared yogurt slide? If so, explain. C. Describe the four main bacterial shapes. Cocci – oval or spherical shaped. Bacillus – are rod shaped. Spirillum – are thick, rigid spirals. Vibrio – are curved or a comma shaped rod. D. What are the common arrangements of bacteria? Diplo – oval shaped, found in pairs. Strepto – are cocci that arange into chains. Staphylo – are cocci that are arranged into irregular clusters, similar to grapes. E. Were you able to identify specific bacterial morphologies on either yogurt slide? If so, which types? Exercise 3: Preparing andObservingaBloodSlide Questions A. Describe the cells you were able to see in the blood smear. B. Are the cells you observed in your blood smear different than the bacterial cells you have observed? Why or why not?

Problems With My Neighbors :: essays research papers

How are your neighbors with you? You are lucky if they treat you as a member of their family, but what about if it is the contrary? What about if they treat you as a thing not as a human? If this is your situation, I know how you are feeling. I know it because I am living this kind of life. In other words, I do not get along with my neighbors. From the day I moved into my house, I have had to deal with their unfriendly, dirty, and noisy way of living. First of all, my neighbors are very unfriendly people, and that is why they are hated. For example, during the day when I see them, they do not say hello to me. Sometimes, I try to have a conversation with them, but they always ignore me or give me a cold look. Since the day they ignore me, I began to hate them for being the way they are. In addition, my neighbors are not only mean with me, but with my children, too. Sometimes, when they are playing in front of their house, my neighbors come out and tell them to leave using a filthy language that scare my children. Second, the awful thing is not only that my neighbors are unfriendly, but they are dirty, too. For example, during the week, they often throw their trash in front of my house. Although, whenever I see it, I always clean it, but later they throw more. They are irresponsible people who do not care about others around them. Moreover, their yard looks like a jungle with empty cans and bottles and other trash among the big grass that is growing. Why do not they care about it? How lazy they are! Perhaps, they do not know the meaning of the word ?gclean.?h Finally, the other thing that makes my neighbors mean, besides being unfriendly and dirty, is that they are very noisy. They have three children and the smallest, the baby, is the one that makes all the noise during the day. He is always crying because he is hungry or because he wants something. Why do not his parents try to lull him? Besides the baby, they also have one big dog that barks all the time. For example, the other day I was going to study, but then it began to bark, and thanks to its harmful noise, I could not concentrate on what I was doing. Problems With My Neighbors :: essays research papers How are your neighbors with you? You are lucky if they treat you as a member of their family, but what about if it is the contrary? What about if they treat you as a thing not as a human? If this is your situation, I know how you are feeling. I know it because I am living this kind of life. In other words, I do not get along with my neighbors. From the day I moved into my house, I have had to deal with their unfriendly, dirty, and noisy way of living. First of all, my neighbors are very unfriendly people, and that is why they are hated. For example, during the day when I see them, they do not say hello to me. Sometimes, I try to have a conversation with them, but they always ignore me or give me a cold look. Since the day they ignore me, I began to hate them for being the way they are. In addition, my neighbors are not only mean with me, but with my children, too. Sometimes, when they are playing in front of their house, my neighbors come out and tell them to leave using a filthy language that scare my children. Second, the awful thing is not only that my neighbors are unfriendly, but they are dirty, too. For example, during the week, they often throw their trash in front of my house. Although, whenever I see it, I always clean it, but later they throw more. They are irresponsible people who do not care about others around them. Moreover, their yard looks like a jungle with empty cans and bottles and other trash among the big grass that is growing. Why do not they care about it? How lazy they are! Perhaps, they do not know the meaning of the word ?gclean.?h Finally, the other thing that makes my neighbors mean, besides being unfriendly and dirty, is that they are very noisy. They have three children and the smallest, the baby, is the one that makes all the noise during the day. He is always crying because he is hungry or because he wants something. Why do not his parents try to lull him? Besides the baby, they also have one big dog that barks all the time. For example, the other day I was going to study, but then it began to bark, and thanks to its harmful noise, I could not concentrate on what I was doing.

Annotated Biblography Essay

Kristen E. Van Vonderen, M. S. , William Kinnally, Ph. D. (2012), â€Å"Media Effects on Body Image: Examining Media Exposure in the Broader Context of Internal and Other Social Factors†. Volume 14, Issue 2. 41-57. American Communication Journal. Summary: Vonderson and Kinnally’s article discusses the influence media has on women today and the way they see themselves. Being â€Å"overweight† has such negative stigmatism to it that women who are considered to be overweigh feel as though they are unlovable or unsuccessful because they don’t look like the women in magazines. They touch on the subject of the influence from parents and peers. Parents who comment on their child’s physical appearance convey body image norms that could lead to negative association with body shape. In the article they also talk about internal influences such as self-esteem and how, in part, it is a reflection of the opinion others hold of you. Analysis: Vonderson and Kinnally’s approach to informing us about how women are portrayed in magazines is both informative and surprising. I, myself being a young women was more than aware of the issue with body image and the media. I personally have thought less of myself after looking through a magazine or watching a movie because of how thin and beautiful those women are. But I was not aware of the many causes that influence women into thinking so negatively. Reflection: This particular article was very informative and helpful towards my research paper topic because it was exactly what I am writing about. Going into this project, I thought I knew quite a bit of information on this topic, but now reading these articles I realize that there is much more to the influence media has on women than I had imagined. Gemma Lopez- Guimera, Micheal P. Levine, David Sanchez-Carracedo, Jordi Fauquet. (2010),† Influence of Mass Media on Body Image and Eating Disordered Attitudes and Behavior in Females: A Review of Effects and Processes†. Media Psychology, 13:387– 416. Print Summary: This article reviews research on the effects of television and magazines on body image and on disordered eating attitudes and behaviors in females. Evidence from different types of studies in the fields of eating disorders, media psychology, health psychology, and mass communication indicates that mass media are an extremely important source of information and reinforcement in relation to the nature of the thin beauty ideal, its importance, and how to attain it. Although considerable research remains to be done, evidence is accumulating that repeated exposure to media and to both direct and indirect (via media’s effects on peers, parents, coaches, physicians, etc. ) pressures from media to be thin constitute risk factors for body dissatisfaction, concerns over weight and disordered eating behaviors in adolescent girls and young women. Analysis: I found this article to be both credible and reliable mainly on the fact that it’s research was conducted professionally. The multiple authors of this article are credible because they are head departments of psychology, clinical and health psychology, psychobiology, and methodology of health sciences all from admirable universities all over the world. Reflection: This article help shapes the arguments in my research paper. My research paper is on the topic of mass media and its influence on society and with an article that focuses just on the female aspect of it, it will really help my arguments. So, J. and Nabi, R. (2013), Reduction of Perceived Social Distance as an Explanation for Media’s Influence on Personal Risk Perceptions: A Test of the Risk Convergence Model. Human Communication Research, 39: 317–338. Print Summary: The aim of this study was to develop the Perceived Parental Media Mediation Scale (PPMMS). in an initial test of this model, 500 undergraduate students at the University of California, Santa Barbara, participated in an experiment. Participants were exposed to entertainment clips that either portrayed a main character who is diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease or thinks he/she might have caught an STD and gets scared of testing for it. Overall, the risk convergence model received solid support from the data, with all paths emerging as significant except for the link between perceived realism and social distance. Reduction of social distance completely mediated the relationship between identification, transportation and personal risk perceptions, thus suggesting social distance as a valid causal mechanism of the process involving the two variables. Analysis: This article is credible because studies were conducted at multiple universities such as University of Georgia and UC Santa Barbara by experts in the Department of Communications. I found this article to be non biased based on the fact that they had conducted numerous experiments and tests on a large number of students and still found that their risk perception was influenced by the media. Reflection: I found this article to be very helpful with my research paper, being that it was a rather long article with more than enough information explaining medias influence on personal risk perception.