Health and medicine

SARS-COV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2), a new virus, was discovered in 2019-2020, in Wuhan, China. People take it as a regular flu, but it was worse than the flu. The virus spreads very quickly through touching surfaces, coughing, sneezing, and close contact with others. The virus spread all over the world within a few months, and large numbers of people were dying. After seeing that governments had no choice but to keep everyone safe, they announced lockdowns. They told everyone to stay at home to be safe, so the death rate would go down. I was in high school at that time. When I heard that schools, colleges, and offices were being closed, I was very happy. It felt like it was just a vacation with no classes, no homework, and no daily routine. It was just a long day for sleeping, eating, and watching TV. I even asked my mom to cook my favourite foods. It felt very fun and relaxing, but after some days, I felt like it wasn’t a normal vacation.

Before COVID, my daily routine was, I woke up at 6 am, got ready for school and returned home at 5 pm Then, in the evening, I went outside to play with my friends and came back to do homework, and at 10 pm sharp, I went to bed. But after lockdown, my routine changed, and I started to wake up at 9 or 10 am, then played games on my phone and watched Netflix late at night. I enjoyed it at first, but after a few days, I started to get bored and missed my school and playing outside. And I started to be worried because days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. Every day looked the same, and we were just waiting for good news that never came.

But after a few months, schools started online classes through Zoom and Google Meet. It was the first time I heard about the Zoom app. I was very excited because I could finally see my friends and talk to them. I attended every class seriously for a few days. I woke up early, made my books ready, and carefully listened to my teachers. But after a few days, I got bored and started joining classes just to get my attendance. I turned off my camera, muted my mic, and went back to bed. Sometimes I used social media during class and watched Netflix late into the night.

I still remember my mom catching me one night when I was watching a show on Netflix at 3 a.m. I told her, “This is the last episode,” but she just laughed because she knew it was not going to be the last one. Thinking about that moment still makes me smile.

The world outside was struggling, while I was relaxing at home. Parks were closed, roads were empty, and even hospitals were full. The news was full of reports of increasing cases and deaths. While watching maps of the U.S., it started to turn red on TV, and it was very scary. Once my mom and I went to Walmart, every shelf was almost empty, no tissue paper, no sanitizers, no masks. People were panicking and buying everything, even my parents started to panic and started to wash their hands every time after touching something. Mom and Dad start to soak vegetables in salt water before cooking. My parents start to sanitize and wash money and deliver packages. I heard that some people even microwaved the money, which sounds very funny now, but this showed how badly everyone was scared. People were very much afraid, so they started paying online using Apple Pay, Venmo, or PayPal. This was very new to everyone.

But during that time, everything felt bad. I tried to use my free time by learning new hobbies. I started cooking, writing journals, and doing YouTube workouts too. I helped my mom in the kitchen and learned to make noodles, Momos, and pancakes, even pizza. We also started having family dinners together every night. We laughed, argued, and enjoyed each other’s company more than ever. It was very precious family time, which I knew during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Online classes were funny and sometimes frustrating because of a poor Wi-Fi connection. Teachers would reputedly say, “Can you hear me?” or “Your mic is off!” One day, my teacher asked me a question, and I was about to answer when my internet froze. When it came back, the teacher had already moved to the next student. I felt like I was invisible and helpless, but later laughed about it with my friends. Even though I was with my family, I still felt very lonely and anxious. I thought about the people dying in hospitals and the fear of the virus every night before sleeping. I started to miss my friends, my teachers, and my normal life. And thought when everything would go back to normal.

Now, when I look back at COVID-19, it was both a nightmare and a teacher. It was full of fear and sadness, but it also taught me patience, self-control, and independence. Before COVID, I would make excuses to stay home and avoid visiting relatives. But after the lockdown, I realized how lucky we are to have friends, family, food, and a safe home. Small things that I used to avoid, like eating together, walking outside, or going to school, are very valuable. When schools finally reopened and life slowly returned to normal, I felt thankful. Seeing my friends and teachers again made me happy, and I thought about how much we had taken ordinary days for granted. 

Although the pandemic was one of the difficult times of my life, it taught me different things. I learned how to take care of myself, how to stay positive in difficult times, and how to be happy with what I have. It also taught me that time never stops for anyone. Now, when I look back at COVID-19, I can say that it changed my life completely. It taught me to be thankful, to stay close to my family, and to respect every moment I get. After this, I feel like I never want to go back to this period, but it taught me a lesson that will stay with me forever.

Theme: Health and medicine

Dhruv Khullar’s paper, “If AI Can Diagnose Patients, What Are Doctors For?” addresses the developments in medicine brought about by artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence can help doctors find solutions faster, but it also causes difficulties if people become too depended on it.

The article shows how ai can be useful by showing improvement in Matthew Williams health who had stomach pain after his surgery. Many doctors could not explain his symptoms but when he gave ChatGPT his medical history one day, it said, “I have lost most of my ileum and my cecal valve, why might the following foods cause gastrointestinal distress” The ChatGPT said that after his surgery he could not digesting high-oxalate foods. His health improved once he changed his diet according to the suggestion of AI. This shows how AI can be useful where doctors sometimes fail us. 

According to Khullar, doctors were previously taught diagnosis through case studies known as Clinicopathological Conferences. This taught them how to think critically. Scientists tried to replicate the process using computers, even though early programs were slow and unstable. New AI systems, such as the CaBot developed at Harvard, can now read medical data, reason, and diagnose within minutes. In one test, CaBot correctly recognized a rare disease called Löfgren syndrome, matching an expert doctor. However, when given insufficient information, it made significant errors, even giving false lab results..

According to studies, AI cam misdiagnoses a patient or give recommendation that are dangerous to them. A man had to be admitted to the hospital after using bromide in place of salt, as suggested by ChatGPT. There are also privacy and confidentiality concerns, as AI systems can store or leak people’s health data.

AI can be helpful when used carefully. Nowadays, some doctors use AI to get second opinions. Doctors in Kenya uses ai to decrease treatment errors. It may also help patients to be more curious about their health understand their condition better. But it also says that depending too much in ai cam make doctors loss their problem-solving skills.

AI should not replace doctors but should be use second opinion. It can be a useful for identifying possibilities or patterns that may be unnoticed due to human mistake, empathy, and ethics. Ethics a medicine and health. Medicine will have a brighter future, when doctors and artificial intelligence collaborate to provide safer and smarter services.

Peer Review Essay

Introduction

Peer review helps writers hear from real readers, making it an essential part of the writing process. As I conduct a peer review, I should read Sabrina’s draft carefully and understand her ideas so that I can provide her with constructive feedback that will motivate her to improve her writing. Peer review is not only used to identify mistakes, but also to highlight good writing and suggest ways to strengthen the point. She has about her personal journey from working in corrections to becoming a para-educator. How this work has impacted her life, what her experiences with studies have been, and shared her passion for education. In this review, I will discuss the details, summaries, scenes, and a clear message, as well as the essay’s structure, its strongest parts, and suggestions for improvement.

Use Of Details

Sabrina’s essays’ strongest parts are the emotional details where she describes how students reacted to her. For example, she said that her students miss her, which demonstrates the high value they place on her presence. This detail offers readers insight into her connection with children. Similarly, she said that she works with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) that highlight her involvement in supporting students with specific needs. These detail makes the essay feel more authentic.  

Sabrina could add more details to some of the parts, like when she mentioned corrections, it seems as if she has just summarized the work, but she didn’t give proper information about how it feels when working for long shifts (small scene), which can make readers think how difficult and exhausting it is. Similarly, when she discussed being a substitute teacher, she could add an example of a classroom moment, describing how memorable or challenging it was. Readers will visualize the picture in their minds if she adds these moments. Some questions that can be expanded upon, such as: Could you describe how overwhelming it felt one day at the jail? Could you describe a moment as a substitute when a student surprised you?

Summary

She has written the essay in a summarized form. She could show how difficult and exhausting it felt at work, rather than telling the readers how she felt. For example, she writes that she loves her work and it rewards her, but she does not provide a specific reason why she feels that way. She could include an emotional moment, such as when she walked into the classroom and students came running to hug her; these moments can make readers more touched, allowing them to feel the emotion more properly and understand how the writer felt. Similarly, she can add more scenes that would make the essay more attractive and memorable.

Main Message and Significance

Sabrina has gained meaningful and fulfilling experience as a para-educator, compared to her past work; correction is one of the main messages. She has highlighted that she is happy and satisfied by helping children learn and grow. This message is important because a career change can contribute to personal growth and increased happiness. This message is related to everyone because most people are already tired of their work, so Sabrina’s story has taken the right path and consulted others. And there is a line where she said that children miss her; it clearly shows how she treats others, which is one of the best parts.

Structure and Organization

The structure of this essay is very clear and follows a pattern. Sabrina began the essay by discussing her current job, then compared it to her past work corrections. After that, she discussed her experience with substitute teaching and her mentor teacher. But paragraphs of essays could be stronger.  Sometimes ideas are repeated more than connected. For example, the sentence about loving to go to work is mentioned multiple times. Combining repetition with new and stronger lines could make the flow perfect. Instead of starting with a detailed general statement, a clarity statement could be used to start, and then the essay would be more attractive. Breaking long paragraphs into smaller pieces also helps to read essays more fluently.

Strengths of the Essay

The strength of the essay is the voice of Sabrina. She has expressed her feelings on every page of the essay. The essay’s topic is also positive and hopeful. The central part is “Students miss her,” which is a powerful part because she has shown real emotion there. She has a distinct difference between her past jobs and education, which shows that she has gone in-depth on the essay. These parts have strengthened the essay.

Suggestions for Improvement

To make the essay stronger, she should focus on 3 things. 

1. Specific scenes 

 Dialogue, action, and classroom details help to make the essay feel real.

1. Work on structure   

• Breaking long paragraphs into small
• Avoid repetition
• Ideas should be smooth 

1. Grammar and sentence   

• Should be polished 
• Verb and tense should be the same   

If she maintains these elements, then the essay will be professional, have a good flow, and maintain the genuine voice of Sabrina. 

Conclusion

There is a strong voice, a clear message and an inspiring story in Sabrina’s essay. She has shown what had changed in her life after changing her career, not only that, but readers could also relate. This essay could be more potent with a vivid start. Peer review gives the writer an outside perspective on what is working and what could be improved in the essay, and it is a very helpful process. This draft has considerable potential. With revision, this is one of the very powerful and impactful essays.

In 2019-2020, a virus named SARS-COV-2 was found in a laboratory in Wuhan, China. It was called SARS-COV-2 Virus at first and later named COVID-19. Scientists said that it was just regular flu, but it spreads fast (touching the same surface, coughing and sneezing, close contact, crowded Places), but it started to take the lives of people, so the whole world had to lock down. So, to avoid/ saving people being victims of Covid-19, they should stay at home and be safe. I was in high school when this pandemic came. Firstly, when I heard that all Schools, Colleges, and offices were closed, I was thrilled and excited, thinking it was just a vacation with no homework, no daily routine, and just staying at home to enjoy. I asked my mother to cook different varieties of foods. My daily routine has now changed.    Before I woke up at 6 am to be fresh and rushed to school, came back at 5 pm, then visited the park, played with friends, came back to do homework, had dinner and at 10 pm sharp went to bed. But due to COVID-19, my whole routine changed. Now I wake up late, around 9,10 am, play games on electronic gadgets, and spend time with family watching television/movies. Enjoying and chilling at home, but after some days, it felt like the vacation was not going to be over because days became weeks and weeks became months. Everyone was sitting at home watching the news and waiting for the good news, which didn’t come.     

After months, the pandemic was still not controlled, so the teachers and the government decided to start online classes for college and school students. It was the first time we became aware of the Zoom app. I was very excited about this news that I could finally talk to friends about gossip in classes and enjoy the class. I had never thought that we would study through online platforms like Zoom or Google Meet. I was very active in this for 1,2 days, woke up, opened fresh open books, listened to the teacher avoided friend’s messages and attended the class attentively and adequately. But after some days, I started to get bored, so our class always started at 7 am, so I woke up to join the class, turned off the camera and went back to bed and used social media. I enjoyed it as a vacation, watching Netflix till 4 am, and sleeping. But one day, when I was watching Netflix at 3 a.m., my mom caught me, and I told her, ‘This is the last show for today.’ But she looked at me and laughed because she knew this was not going to be the last one (lol).  

On the other hand, the world was facing difficult situations; every shop, street, park, and garden was closed due to a kind of curfew. A scarier part was the news of death counts, U.S. maps turning red, and all hospitals were full of coronavirus patients. I went to Walmart with my mom and saw that the shelves were empty; there was no toilet tissue, no sanitizers, no packaged food, and no masks. People were panicking and buying the stuff in massive amounts. Seeing and hearing news like that, my parents became strict. They would wash their hands every time after touching something. Vegetables were shocked in salt water to kill the germs. They even sanitized money so that the virus would not come home, even though we learned that some people used a microwave to kill the virus, which was the funnier part after knowing that government and health experts said that the virus didn’t survive for a long time. After that, most people started to pay online (Apple Pay, Venmo, PayPal). 

Still, everything was not bad. I tried to add some new Hobbies like cooking, journaling, and YouTube workouts. Family dinners, which one was the best part after all these things? This made the family close, we laughed, argued and enjoyed each other’s company. And during online classes, Wi-Fi used to be slow, and the teacher always asks, “Can you hear me?” and one day she asked me a question, and I was about to answer, but my net froze, and when it came back, the teacher had already moved on to the next. And I felt like I was invisible. I enjoyed it, but at night when I lay in bed and closed my eyes, the news visuals came, and I got scared and depressed, and I wondered when everything would go back to normal. Would I ever meet my grandparents without fear? And mostly this virus will be finished. 

Now, when I think and look back during the COVID time, it’s a worst nightmare and a good teacher. It took the lives of many people, it was boring, lonely, scary, but it taught me to be patient and independent. Before going out to relatives’ houses, I used to make faces, didn’t want to go out, but afterwards I enjoyed visiting relatives, friends and enjoying time with family members. I feel like everything I have is blessed, even small things make me feel happy. COVID has changed me, made family dinners a priority, made me miss friends more, and taught me to respect digital media that taught me that, whatever the situation, life goes on, time never stops for anyone. But finally, everything is normal. 

Although COVID-19 wasn’t just a pandemic for me, it changed my whole chapter in life. I learned the biggest lessons of my life. But I never want to live through that again. Those lessons I learned from this pandemic are going to stay with me forever. And value the things in time.

The statement ‘AI is to writing as calculators are to mathematics ‘implies that AI helps writers the same way calculators help people in doing math (Kernaghan, 2022). The two tools help us work faster, easier, and less stressed. For example, calculators help us solve complex equations and divisions, saving time. Similarly, AI also helps with writing, fixing grammatical errors, or even writing entire sentences and paragraphs. These tools enable us to waste less time on the basic steps and concentrate more on the bigger picture. 

However, there are also significant differences. There is only one correct answer to math problems. 5 x 5 will always be 25 regardless of whether you use your brain or a calculator. This is not true with writing since this does not necessarily have a single correct answer. Effective writing relies on style, imagination, and emotion. (Kashikar, 2023). There are numerous ways in which a poem, story, or essay can be written, and AI cannot always reflect the personal voice or feelings of a human writer. This makes AI less exact than a calculator. 

Another point is how we learn. At school, children are typically taught how to perform math calculations manually, and then they are introduced to using calculators. By doing so, they get to know what the calculator is doing. In case students started using calculators too early, they may not be able to perform simple mental math (Julian Beros, Krisel Anne B. Bono, Maria Carmela A. De Chavez, Leanne J. Labrador, Reymen B. De Jesus, Ma. Rickamae P. Datiles, 2024). This is the same threat as AI and automation, particularly in writing. When students rely on AI for everything, such as ideas, structure, or even grammar, they may not develop into good writers in the long run. AI must not be a substitute, but an assistant.

Despite this, the comparison is helpful. With Calculators, advanced math became accessible to all, and AI is doing the same with writing. It helps individuals who have difficulty communicating to make their thoughts more straightforward. It also wastes less time and less stress in composing essays, reports, or messages. These tools do not replace human effort but rather increase their capability.

In conclusion, AI and calculators are similar since the primary purpose of these tools is to simplify the work and speed it up. But, unlike calculators that will always provide the correct answer, writing is more personal and creative, and therefore, the AI will never be able to replace human writers completely. We can say that the statement is partly true, but writing will always need a human touch added to it to give it meaning and originality. 

Reference

Julian Beros, Krisel Anne B. Bono, Maria Carmela A. De Chavez, Leanne J. Labrador, Reymen B. De Jesus, Ma. Rickamae P. Datiles, J. T. (2024). Calculator Usage and its Relationship to Students’ Perception of their Fundamental Mathematical Skills. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/379754773_Calculator_Usage_and_its_Relationship_on_Student’s_Perception_of_their_Fundamental_Mathematical_Skills

Kashikar, Y. (2023). Exploring the Connection Between Mathematics, Literature, and Language. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/373337117_Exploring_the_Connection_Between_Mathematics_Literature_and_Language

Kernaghan, C. (2022). AI is to writing as calculators are to mathematics. Medium. https://uxchris.medium.com/ai-is-to-writing-as-calculators-are-to-mathematics-6486657a7f55

I have consistently grown up with writing, from journaling to writing childish fantasy stories; I have always been a writer. One of the most memorable stories I wrote during my childhood is an adventure story about three friends with supernatural powers who lost their way and must find their way home. I have always used writing to build imagination and to live in my own world. Nowadays, I write in various forms, including college reports, messages, notes, and journals. Writing helps me express my thoughts, release stress, and organize my ideas and plans. Responding to three points from the article “Ten Ways to Think About Writing” by E. Shelley Reid, I find the following ideas particularly helpful. First, the principle of writing what you know or what you are curious about motivates genuine and passionate writing. I relate more to this since writing comes easily to me when I am interested. Second, show, don’t just tell metaphors highlight the importance of providing vivid details and examples to help readers have a real grasp of the writing, which I now realize is an essential part of writing. Third, writing audience-centered also helps me remember that tone, content, and examples must be adjusted to communicate effectively. Collectively, these are a helpful framework that questions the strict rules and reinforces the idea of writing as a rhetorical and meaningful activity. I write in solitary environments, on both notebook and digital tools.

My strengths lie in creativity and clarity, while overthinking and procrastination become my weaknesses. Although there are distractions, writing helps me to find new ideas, communicate with others, and express myself.

Question: Are museums more fun than zoos?

ChatGPT Answer:

The question of whether museums are more fun than zoos is subjective, as both offer unique experiences that appeal to different interests. Museums provide intellectual stimulation and cultural enrichment through art, history, and science exhibits. They allow visitors to explore diverse subjects, learn about different cultures, and engage with artifacts and artworks that shape our understanding of the world. The quiet atmosphere and carefully curated displays in museums can be both educational and contemplative.

Zoos, on the other hand, offer a chance to connect with the natural world and observe animals from various habitats. The opportunity to see exotic creatures up close, learn about their behaviors, and understand conservation efforts can be incredibly engaging, especially for children. Zoos often provide interactive exhibits, feeding demonstrations, and educational programs that make learning about animals fun and accessible. The lively atmosphere and outdoor setting of zoos can be particularly appealing on a sunny day.

Ultimately, whether museums or zoos are more fun depends on individual preferences. Those who enjoy learning about history, art, or science may find museums more engaging, while those who prefer observing animals and connecting with nature may prefer zoos. Both institutions offer valuable educational and recreational experiences, and the best choice depends on what one seeks in an outing.

• How would you evaluate or review the essay produced?

While the essay is good for its length, a human writer might dive deeper into specific examples and provide more personal anecdotes to make the writing more engaging. Also, the tone is neutral; a human writer might want to inject a bit more personality and challenge conventional wisdom (while still remaining balanced) to make the essay more distinctive.

• Would submitting it in a college classroom constitute plagiarism, and why or shy not?

Personally, I would not. Here’s why, even though the essay is well-written and uses common knowledge, I did not come up with the ideas or the specific way they are presented. Plagiarism is taking someone else’s work and presenting it as my own without proper citation.

• Could you revise it in some way to make it an acceptable submission, or a better essay? Revise a short portion to demonstrate.

Alright, here’s a revised version of the first paragraph, focusing on making it more engaging and less generic:

“The question of whether museums are more fun than zoos is subjective, as both offer unique experiences that appeal to different interests. Museums provide intellectual stimulation and cultural enrichment through art, history, and science exhibits. They allow visitors to explore diverse subjects, learn about different cultures, and engage with artifacts and artworks that shape our understanding of the world. The quiet atmosphere and carefully curated displays in museums can be both educational and contemplative.”

Revised:

“The age-old debate: are museums more fun than zoos? It’s a bit like asking whether chocolate or vanilla is the superior flavor – entirely subjective. Museums, those hallowed halls of history and art, offer a different kind of thrill. They’re not just about dusty artifacts behind glass; they’re portals to other worlds, sparking intellectual curiosity and offering a deep dive into the human story. Imagine standing before a Van Gogh, feeling the weight of history in an ancient artifact, or unraveling scientific mysteries – museums ignite the mind in ways a zoo simply can’t.”

Here’s what I changed and why:

* More engaging opening: Starting with a question and a simile (“like asking whether chocolate or vanilla…”) makes it more relatable.
* Stronger language: Using words like “hallowed halls,” “portals,” and “sparking intellectual curiosity” makes the writing more vivid.
* Sensory details: “Imagine standing before a Van Gogh…” helps the reader visualize the experience.
* Clearer thesis: The revised paragraph more directly states the unique appeal of museums.

The key is to avoid generic statements and instead use specific examples and vivid language to bring your points to life. This will make the essay more engaging and persuasive.