Abstract
This study discusses the question of whether caffeine actually does stimulate the nervous system in such as way that it improves short-term memory. More specifically, the study supports the hypothesis that a group of male students who drank caffeinated coffee prior to taking a short-term memory test will perform better in terms of accuracy and speed than a group of male students that drank decaffeinated coffee before the test. The focus of the study is on a single research question: "Does caffeine improve the short term memory in male college students?" The paper concludes with an evaluation of the efficacy of the study, noting that, from the results obtained in the study, one cannot determine that caffeine improves short-term memory.

Outline:
Introduction
Understanding Memory
Significance of Study
Hypothesis and Research Questions
Literature Review
Methodology
Results
Conclusion

From the Paper
"Memory refers to the way in which humans store information for retrieval at a later time. Memory is the key to learning. Memory begins with a stimulus that is received through the five senses. The brain receives the message and sorts the data according to similarities and differences to other information that it already has in storage. It categorizes the information and places it in a location so that the information can be retrieved at a later date.
"We have several types of memory, one is short-term memory and the other is long-term memory. Short-term memory might only last for a few minutes. A piece of information must enter short-term memory before it can enter long-term memory (Singleton, 2006). Working memory acts as the central processing hub for short-term memory. A stimulus might involve several types of information coming in. Working memory collects them and integrates them so that they can be forwarded to the proper locations in the brain. One example of working memory might be when a person smells smoke, feels heat, and hears a crackling noise. These pieces of information all come from different sensory organs. The working memory integrates them and sends them to the area of the brain where they will be interpreted (Singleton, 2006). These pieces of information might not mean danger when taken individually, but taken together; they will most likely be interpreted as danger."

Tags:long-term, stimulus, storage, researchers

Abstract
In this article, the writer notes that almost without exception, literary critics point to Fitzgerald's 1925 novel, "The Great Gatsby" as a brilliant contribution and one of the key books of the 20th century. However, the writer points out that a few other brave souls have had the courage to venture the opinion that it was not a good book and was certainly not deserving of the accolades heaped upon it over the years. Further, the writer notes that other observers suggest the author drank too much and too often and that, as a result, Fitzgerald failed to achieve the level of respect he deserved. To determine who is right, this paper provides an overview of F. Scott Fitzgerald's work as well as what the admirers and the critics have to say. A summary of the research and salient findings are provided in the conclusion.

Outline:
Introduction
Review and Discussion
Conclusion

From the Paper
"However, by 1937 he had come managed to become a scriptwriter in Hollywood where he met and fell in love with Sheilah Graham, a well-known Hollywood gossip columnist. Fitzgerald lived the rest of his life with Graham, except for occasional binges when he became bitter and violent. Mizener notes that on occasion, Fitzgerald would visit Zelda or his daughter Scottie (who entered Vassar College in 1938.)"
"According to Bruccoli's biography, Fitzgerald experienced problems being accorded a full measure of respect during his early career because his reputation as a drinker reinforced the perception of him as an irresponsible writer."

Tags:novel, metaphor, symbolism, American, dream

Abstract
This paper describes "The Great Gatsby" as Fitzgerald's signature novel of the American dream gone awry. It compares American society in the 1920s to American today. The author writes that immigrants, like Gatsby, come to escape their own problems for our empty promises of unlimited advancement. On the surface, "The Great Gatsby" is a novel about confused and unhappy relationships that drank and socialized their way through the 1920s. Yet, when investigating further, it speaks of the bankrupt American Dream, which no longer stands for progress and hard work, as it has become materialistic and corrupt.

From the Paper
"For years immigrants poured into Ellis Island looking for freedom of religious persecution, to escape poverty and hunger and numerous other reasons. Today over 50,000 immigrants come to the shores of America clutching Green Cards hoping for a piece of the American Dream."

It is in this setting, that F. Scott Fitzgerald portrays "The Great Gatsby." Jay Gatsby, himself, the title character, was a major culprit of this corruption.

Nick Carraway surmises that Gatsby made his wealth from bootlegging and involvement with organized crime. Gatsby has focused his adult life to being wealthy enough and having enough to impress Daisy."

Tags:classic, novel, america, novel, society, immigrants, drink, daisy, jay, 1920, bootlegging, organized, crime, wealth

Abstract
This paper is a biography of the great poet Edgar Allan Poe. The author discusses some of his best work and examines the way his life impacted his writing.

From the paper:

"Some people always look at the bad side of things instead of the good side. This is called pessimism. Edgar Allan Poe could be recognized as the king of pessimism. He is known for his tales of the mysterious and macabre. His dark and twisted works are filled with pessimism. Poe was a person who had faced many troubling experiences throughout his life. To escape from his saddened world, Poe drank and wrote short stories and poems with a pessimistic outlook."

Tags:allan, edgar, poe, poetry, pessimistic, negative, style

Abstract
This paper titled "A New Kind of Blues..." is a creative short story written in the first person perspective. The paper tells the story of a friend's relationship with alcohol, and how the drinking affected his life and death.

From the Paper
"I knew Matt since we were both in kindergarten. We lived close by to one another. The condo development my mom and I lived in was near his house. So we'd ride our bikes to school. Matt was always the faster one, on his shiny silver dirt bike. He was the fastest on the school playground, ahead of everyone whenever we played soccer. When he kicked a kickball, it would make an arc in the sky and sail above, more like a meteor than something in a child's game.
I liked to go home with Matt after school and sit at his kitchen counter and talk to his mother. After swimming in his pool (it was heated well into October) or playing on his wooden swing set that was made of unfinished wood (not plastic like mine) Matt, his mom, and I would play Candy Land, or as both of us got older, Life, Risk, Clue, and Scrabble. Matt's mother didn't work like my mom. My mom would come home tired, with swollen feet from stocking shelves in Macy's all day and say, "why did you forget to put the pot roast in the crock pot like I told you to, it's Kraft macaroni and cheese again!"

Tags:booze, drink, bottle, drank

Abstract
This paper introduces, discusses and analyzes food processing in history, and how the development of food processing technologies has altered lives for the better.

From the Paper
"Before the advent of food processing, fresh food spoiled, it was that simple. In medieval times, people attempted to cover up the smell and taste of tainted food by using fragrant herbs in the cooking and serving process. Even earlier, people used salt to preserve meats, and they used smoking and drying, especially for meats. However, none of these processes was totally satisfactory, and there was still no way to preserve many fruits, vegetables, and baked goods. Therefore, Americans, and others around the world, relied on fresh food when it was available, usually during the warmer summer months, but in the winter, early spring, and late fall, most of the food available was meat or freshly baked goods, and some root vegetables that would keep through the colder months. The development of food processing technology changed all that, and allowed the world to eat a wider variety of foods all year round. It was a breakthrough in technology, but it was also a breakthrough in the eating habits of Americans, because they could enjoy more food, and more freshly processed food, creating variety in their diet, but giving them many more healthy food options, too. In addition, even people in rural areas, far from the produce and food centers of the country, could eat the same foods that others could eat, despite their isolation."

Tags:technologies, ate, drank, meals, smell, taste, tainted, foods, canned, preserving, tin