Throughout this Unit, you have been exploring what it means to be an epic hero. We have seen strong heroes, brave heroes, clever heroes, arrogant heroes, and more. For this paper, you will consider what traits the heroes we studied had in common - and which heroes did not quite fit the mold.Remember that epic heroes embody the values of the culture that created them, and so heroes vary as widely as cultures do. However, there are certainly common threads and themes while discussing what makes a hero. For your paper, you will be exploring one trait of a hero in a complex and nuanced way. You will build this complexity by discussing two heroes who possess it - and one hero who does not.Below is what your outline should include:Introduction:Tell your reader what the purpose of your paper is. Propose to define an epic hero by exploring one aspect of heroism.Provide background. What is an epic?Choose a trait of an epic hero. This trait should be shared by several heroes we read about (Beowulf, Gilgamesh, Eowyn, Merry, Sundiata, and Odysseus), but should not be so broad that it can apply to all of them.Paragraph 1:Describe the unique way that one hero displays the heroic trait that you are focusing on.Use 2-3 examples from the story excerpts to support your point.Paragraph 2:Describe the unique way that a different hero displays the heroic trait that you are focusing on.Use 2-3 examples from the story excerpts to support your point.Focus specifically on describing the way the heroes you chose display the same trait differently.Paragraph 3:Begin this paragraph by discussing how epics reflect the values of the culture that created them.Next, introduce one of the heroes we studied in this Unit who does not possess the heroic trait. Describe the ways in which the hero differs from the previous two.Then, dig in: Does the hero truly express this trait, but in a unique way? Or, what trait seems to replace that one?Use 2-3 examples from the story excerpts to support your point.Conclusion:Come to a meaningful insight about what heroism truly means.This essay structure might be new to you. Usually, academic essays ask you to choose a thesis and prove it thoroughly, while this essay asks you to break away from your thesis to create a deeper definition of heroism. Because it might be confusing, I have included a summary of a sample essay below. (Note: This summary shows you the progression of thought I am looking for. Your essay should follow a similar logical path, but should be a full five paragraphs, include quotations from the story, etc.)Sample Topic:Epic heroes behead their enemies. Beowulf beheads Grendel, Gilgamesh removes Humbaba's head and hangs it on a tree branch, and Eowyn slices off the large, scaly head of her enemy with a sword. This act of decapitating your enemies seems to be a consistent trend among epic heroes and tells us a good deal about what kind of hero they are. A hero must be confronting their enemy face-to-face and dominates them completely by decapitating them - this shows bravery, capability, and thus seems to be the "noble" way to kill your enemy. However, the hobbit, Merry, destroys the Black Rider he faces by stabbing it in the back; this is an underhanded method, relying on the element of surprise rather than the physical power of the hero. Thus, Merry certainly seems to lack the "nobility" of the grand, armored heroes of the other tales. While this distinction sets Merry apart as a unique hero among the others, the end is the same: he defeats the threat he faces.Your paper must discuss three heroes out of the ones we studied in the Unit (Beowulf, Gilgamesh, Eowyn, Merry, Sundiata, Odysseus). You must use quotes from the text for at least two of the three heroes, and a total of at least four quotes throughout the paper.This essay should be between two and five pages (500-1500 words) in length. Your final draft should be saved and submitted as .doc or .pdf file. It should be in 12-point font in Times New Roman.10% of your grade will be on grammar and mechanics. Write as clearly and correctly as you can. This means that 90% of your grade is based on your ideas - however, you will not earn an A if you do not proofread carefully and check for errors.

Assignment 1: Discussion—Effective Punishment One aspect of raising healthy children is understanding how to best provide correction when they make poor choices or behave in unacceptable ways. Over the years, there has been much debate over the most effective form of punishment for children. As part of this debate, you have to take into consideration operant conditioning as this is the basis for how effective correction works. Operant conditioning should be considered when choosing how to best administer corrective actions whether the parents choose to use corporal punishment, time outs, or loss of privileges. Discuss the differences between negative and positive punishment. What are the factors that make punishment effective?  Discuss the effectiveness of corporal punishment and elaborate upon when you think it should be used. Discuss how culture affects the type of punishment used. Give reasons in support of your responses based on your readings and personal experiences. Write your initial response in 2–3 paragraphs. Apply APA standards to citation of sources. By Saturday, October 19, 2013, post your response to the appropriate Discussion Area. Through Wednesday, October 23, 2013, review and comment on at least two peers’ responses. In your responses, consider the following: Have your peers accurately identified the differences between negative and positive punishment? Explain your answer.Can you suggest any other factors that make punishment effective? If so, state them.Grading Criteria and Rubric All discussion assignments in this course will be graded using a rubric. Download the discussion rubric and carefully read it to understand the expectations. This week, we are talking about a topic that can be tricky and also has a tendency to be a polarizing discussion in the class. I want to stress the importance of not getting hung up on the positive/negative terminology. Positive should be viewed as addition (+) and negative as removal or subtraction (-). Get away from thinking good/bad. Reinforcement is ANYTHING that will likely lead to an increase in the behavior, while punishment will lead to a DECREASE in the behavior. Check out the graph below to help explain it further. The terminology can get tricky. The key is to avoid thinking good/bad and instead just be specific about the behavior, and whether the behavior increases or decreases (reinforcement/punishment) Please take note of the graph below. Please note that discussing positive as good and negative as bad on here will result in a point deduction.  Please be respectful in your posts- child rearing is a very personal issue and we all tend to do things just a little bit differently. When disagreeing with points, please keep in mind these differences and respond in a way that does not place blame on anyone else.  Positive + (something added, given or delivered) Negative - (something taken away or removed) Increase in behavior Positive reinforcement (usually a pleasant stimulus is added that leads to an increase in a given behavior). Ex: Giving a treat from the gum aisle for behaving appropriately in the store. Negative Reinforcement- Removing an aversive stimulus (nagging, yelling, Irritating noise, etc.). Ex: Stopping nagging once child cleans his/her room Decrease in behavior Positive Punishment- Addition of aversive stimulus that leads to a decrease in the behavior.  Ex: Spanking to decrease the behavior. Negative Punishment (Extinction): Removal of a usually pleasant stimulus that leads to a decrease in a given behavior. Ex: Taking away use of the car when coming in late. I look forward to your discussions!