Who Should I Ask to Write My College Recommendation Letter

Who Should I Ask to Write My College Recommendation Letter SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Are you debating who to ask for recommendation letters for college? Letters of rec are a very important part of your application, and strong ones can go a long way toward making you stand out among the competition. That's why you should choose your recommenders with the same thought and care that you put into your personal essay, SAT or ACT prep, and other parts of your application. Before we dive into the key questions to ask yourself when choosing a recommender, let's review what separates the good letters from the bad ones. What Makes a Good Letter of Recommendation? Strong letters of recommendation communicate what makes you a distinct and special student. While applicants may share certain interests, grades, and activities (especially at selective schools, where a large number of applicants are highly qualified), your letters of recommendation can differentiate you from other candidates with similar profiles. Reference letters should discuss your academic ability and potential, but they should also shed light on your character and personality. They should illuminate what drives you and what experiences have shaped who you are today. Admissions officers want to get a holistic sense of what kind of person would arrive at their campus and how she would contribute in and out of the classroom. The best recommendations highlight your key characteristics and demonstrate those traits through specific anecdotes and observations. Those reading the letters should get the sense that the recommender was excited to write about you and inspired to help you on your path to college. Your recommender can rave about you while having the stories and examples to back up their praise. A recommendation can especially speak in your favor if it ranks you highly compared to other students. A phrase like, "one of the top three students I've ever taught in my career" can be a powerful statement, especially if it comes from a teacher who has taught for twenty years at your school. Finally, the strongest letters are eloquent and well-crafted. They show that your recommender took the time and thought to develop a powerful statement of support. They add something unique and interesting to your application and catch the eyes of admissions officers, many of whom read through hundreds or even thousands of applications. Now that you have a sense of what makes an effective evaluation - personal, specific, enthusiastic, and well-written - what about the flip side? What qualities make a recommendation letter not so impressive? If your teacher's face looks like Grumpy Cat's when you ask for a recommendation letter, she might not write you the best one. What Makes a Bad Letter of Recommendation? Generally speaking, no recommendation letter is going to be outrightly critical or accusatory. If a teacher, counselor, or other person doesn't feel qualified or able to provide you with a letter, then she should respectfully decline and/or suggest someone who might be in a better position to help you. That being said, there can still be bad letters of recommendation. The reason that they're bad is usually that they're mediocre, generic, and don't add anything special to your story. One major pitfall for letters of rec is that they simply repeat a student's resume. If a letter states your grades, activities, and honors, then it's basically a reiteration of the rest of your application. As discussed above, a letter should shed light on your character and personality. Otherwise, it does little to differentiate you from other applicants with similar academic and extracurricular profiles. Another quality of poor recommendations is that they don't provide specific anecdotes or examples. Listing adjectives like hard-working, driven, or generous is not that convincing. Instead, the recommender should describe situations in which you demonstrated these qualities. Like the saying goes, actions speak louder than words. Also discussed above is the power of a high ranking. Conversely, a mediocre ranking, like calling a student "above average" or "relatively hard-working" could do more harm than good. On a similar note, a short letter, like less than a page, could suggest that the recommender doesn't know a student too well or doesn't have much to say in her favor. Some students ask a principal, department head, or even someone famous or in goverment to provide them with a letter of recommendation. While this kind of letter can stand out if the recommender knows the student well, it won't necessarily impress admissions officers just by virtue of the person's authority or fame. This is only a good idea if you have a good relationship with the person. Otherwise, it could seem like meaningless name dropping. Considering what makes a letter good and what makes a letter bad, does anyone come to mind that could write you a strong, specific, and enthusiastic letter of recommendation? That's better. Who Can Write You a Strong Letter of Recommendation? Now that you know what makes a letter of recommendation especially strong, you can think about who you know that could fulfill these expectations. The first deciding factor is the requirements of your application, as these can differ from school to school. What is Required? Many colleges ask for one letter of recommendation from and a teacher and one evaluation, often called the "secondary school report," from your counselor. More selective schools, including Ivy League schools, want two teacher recommendations and one from your counselor. Dartmouth and Davidson are unique in that they ask for a peer recommendation from a close friend, classmate, or relative. Finally, some students choose to send an additional supplemental letter, like from a coach or employer, if they feel their teachers or counselor don't know them very well or it can add an important dimension. Schools typically want to see letters of recommendation from teachers of core subjects, like English, math, science, and history. If you're applying for a certain major, then it's a good idea to get a recommendation from a relevant teacher. Students applying to study engineering or at technical schools like MIT or CalTech should probably get recommendations from math and/or science teachers. Students applying to art schools should ask their painting, drawing, or photography teachers. Once you know the requirements of your schools, you can start to think about whose class you did well in. Want to build the best possible college application? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. Were you best in show in any of your classes? Whose Class Did You Excel In? Teachers are in an especially good position to comment on your academic skills and collaboration with classmates. Schools selecting for academic ability especially like to see that students have a love of learning and strong intellectual curiosity. In choosing teachers, think about whose class you excelled in, in terms of grades, participation, and effort. Which teachers taught you a lot or inspired you? Did you impress them with your commitment to group work or interest in taking on extra projects? Did you surpass expectations by taking on a sustained project, like a long term research paper or thesis? Did you show growth or effort in an area that didn't come naturally to you? Even if you weren't "best in show," you could impress them with your dedication to a challenging subject. You might also consider whether you knew this teacher in other contexts, like if she was the advisor of a club or had you for more than one class. Junior year teachers are typically the best choice for recommenders, because they had you recently and for a whole year. Senior year teachers likely don't know you that well yet, and freshman and sophomore year teachers are not very recent. Along similar lines, you want to choose a teacher who knows you well. Even if you didn't get top grades in her class, you can likely get a strong vote of confidence from a teacher who got to know your personal strengths. Who Knows You Well? Apart from considering how you performed academically in a teacher's class, you also should consider how well you know her. If you got an A but didn't speak to your teacher all year, then she can't write much for you beyond the grade you achieved. As discussed above, a strong letter should have specific stories and give insight into your character that admissions officers might not know from reading the rest of your application. Think about teachers who you've gotten to know or had meaningful conversations with. Can they speak to your effort, humor, hard work, or resilience? Do they have a sense of how you analyze and solve problems or approach challenges? Unfortunately, schools have major differences in class size and teacher to student or counselor to student ratios. Some students barely meet their counselor or have trouble connecting with individual teachers in large classes. For the most part, admissions officers should have a sense of your school profile. If this is the case, you might consider adding a supplemental recommendation. It's also a good idea to share information with your recommenders so they can more thoroughly personalize your recommendation. Whether your recommender knows you well or not, it's a good idea to help them out with a "brag sheet," or a document where you reflect on your strengths, goals, and significant experiences and challenges. You (and in most cases, your parents) can and should share your reflections and resume with your recommenders to help them write an effective letter. You can bring this information with you when you request the recommendation and discuss it with your recommender. You can also make an appointment with your counselor so she can get to know you even better and talk about your plans. Finally, you also want to consider who has the time and experience to write a strong letter. Simply put, who can write well? This kid clearly knows what he's doing. What about your teachers? Who Can Write a Good Letter of Recommendation? Your letters of recommendation don't have to win any Pulitzer Prizes, but they do need to be clear, strong, and powerful pieces of writing. You want someone who is going to take the time to craft an eloquent statement of support. The best recommenders have both experience writing letters of rec and familiarity with various colleges and their expectations. Often, students have a sense of who writes good letters through word of mouth. Your counselor may also be a good resource, as she might be able to recommend some teachers as good choices. Teachers with experience are often a good choice, although a relatively new teacher can be great too if she knows you well. You may be able to share guides on recommendation letters with your teachers, but you'd have to gauge whether they could benefit from and be open to these resources. You don't want to cause offense or suggest they don't know what they're doing. At the very least, you can share your resume, brag sheet, and information about the colleges you're applying to and future plans. While the skill and experience of the teacher is an important, if difficult to measure, factor when deciding who can write your recommendation letters, it is secondary to considering who knows you well and admires your academic skills and personal qualities. Now that we've gone over who you should ask for a recommendation letter, what about the flip side? For the purposes of avoiding the earlier described bad letter, who shouldn't you ask for a letter of recommendation? Who You Shouldn't Ask for a Letter of Recommendation As mentioned above, it's unlikely that anyone is going to write you a purposely bad recommendation and sabotage your application. However, recommenders can still unintentionally hurt your chances with a mediocre letter. So that you don't end up with a lukewarm, boring, or meaningless reference, you should make sure to avoid asking certain people. First, don't ask teachers who don't know you well. If you've barely exchanged three words with a teacher all year, then they won't have much to say. Even if they're well aware that the best recommendations letters give stories and examples, they might not have any to share. Then their letters will end up being a restatement of facts and figures, which doesn't communicate much to admissions committees. On a similar note, don't ask your principal or an influential person on the local or national level just because of her authority. If she doesn't know you as a person, then her letter will add little to your application. If you do know the person well, though, then go right ahead. Showing that you got to know your principal well as a high schooler speaks to your outstanding presence at the school. Since colleges want to see your academic ability and potential, you also shouldn't ask a teacher in whose class you performed poorly and didn't put forth effort. If you demonstrated an unwillingness to learn, challenge yourself, or improve, then the teacher won't have many positive things to say about your potential to succeed in college. Finally, consider your counselor's suggestions and general reputation of teachers as letter writers. When I was in high school, I asked a teacher who ended up giving me a generic form letter and wanted me to go through and change all the "he's" to "she's." Needless to say, I immediately asked someone else. If your teacher isn't going to take the time to write you a personalized letter, or if she doesn't know what makes a good rec letter and isn't open to feedback, then she is not the person to ask. You need familiarity combined with strong writing skills to truly communicate who you are as a student and person and stand out as an intriguing document on your behalf. While you may ask for your recommendation at the end of junior year or beginning of senior year, I would recommend starting even earlier in terms of preparing to request recommendation letters. Read on to find out how. Start early. Start Early in Planning Your Recommendation Letters College planning starts years ahead of actually applying to schools. In terms of the recommendation letters, it's a good idea to consider who you might ask at the beginning of junior year. If you usually don't participate much, push yourself to contribute more in class. If you know you're applying as an engineer, consider accepting your science teacher's invitation to join her Robotics Club or ask about designing your own independent project. The most important thing you can do is to push yourself to get to know your teachers and develop a connection with one or more of them. To some students, this comes naturally, while others prefer to work more independently. If you consider yourself the latter, then you might prefer to show your eagerness to learn and contribute with a supplemental project. Pushing yourself to participate more will come in handy when you reach college too, as many of your classes may expect debate and discussion. While you should ask your recommender at least a month before your deadline, many students choose to ask at the end of junior year. You'll still be fresh in the teacher's mind, plus it will show how motivated and proactive you are. You can also schedule meetings with your counselor to discuss your plans as they develop. You don't have to wait for her to call you down. Starting early will help you take an active and intentional stance throughout junior year, plus it will give you extra time in case your plans change or you need to ask a different recommender. Remember, if your teacher seems hesitant or overwhelmed with work, then it might be a good idea to ask someone else. To Sum Up... When deciding who to ask for a recommendation letter, you should think about whose class you did well in (grades, effort, etc), who knows you well, and who's an experienced and qualified writer of recommendation letters. Your counselor and general word-of-mouth can help fill you in on who's going to write a strong letter and who, unfortunately, might just phone it in. Avoid asking teachers in whose classes you showed little effort or interest, or with whom you barely spoke all year. The best letters are insightful and personal, so a teacher who feels like a total stranger probably won't be able to provide that, no matter how detailed your brag sheet is. Make an effort throughout high school, and especially junior year, to go above and beyond to connect with teachers in the classroom or in after school clubs and activities. The more they see you in different contexts working towards your goals and pursuing your interests, the more colorful and specific their letters can be. If you go into junior year with these goals in mind, as well as a strong idea of what your schools are looking for (whether it's strong academic potential or skills for a specific field of study), then you should have a clear sense of which people can best advocate for you with a sincere, inspired, and demonstrative letter of recommendation. What's Next? Before your teachers and counselors can upload their recommendations to the Common Application, you'll be asked about waiving your right to see your letters. Is it a good idea to sign this waiver? (Spoiler: yes). Read all about FERPA and why you should waive your right of access. Applying to college is a complex process that requires a lot of thought, energy, and planning. Now that you have a strong sense of who to ask for letters of recommendation, you can approach the rest of your application with the same awareness. Check out this article to learn more about how to build the most versatile college application. Want to improve your SAT score by 240 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Free College Admission Essays

Free College Admission Essays Free College Admission Essays Free College Admission Essays Writing a college admission essay is one of the most intimidating parts of the application process. A lot of questions arise in students minds as for the information to include into their essay papers. What should I write about? What life experience will be considered as significant? How do I know what will the admission committee appreciate in admission essays? If you are writing a college admission essay and need individual admission essay help, do not hesitate to place an order at this site. Get professionally written admission essay without any efforts! These questions seem to turn your head, but no exact and accurate answers come up to your mind. Probably, the best idea in this case is to look through free college admission essays? Still, do not hurry to surround yourself with mountains of free college admission essays found in any possible for your place. First, filter them: which free college admission essays editing online are or are not worth using? Let us discuss it. The vast majority of free college admission essays (especially the ones you can find on the websites with .edu domain) are written by usual students Actually, nobody knows whether those papers were successful or not, and whether their authors were accepted to the college of their dream. What is more, you cannot be sure that free college admission essays online correspond to at least the standard requirements for entrance essays. It means that using them may be rather harmful to you. So, be careful with free college admission essays online. Before you start writing your admission essay, visit the official website of the college you are going to enter. Very often during the application process, new articles appear at colleges official websites to help applicants pass their examinations. Some of them even provide them with examples of college admission essays. This is practically done in order for applicants to see what entrance essays worked and why they were successful. If you are eager to get a couple of such free college admission essays, visit the following link: Items to analyze in free college admission essays: How is the paper organized? What writing technique does the author use? Does the author address the reader directly? Is s/he honest and sincere to the reader? What specific experience does the author share? Does s/he talks about his/her weak points as well as about the strong ones? Does s/he exaggerate the strengths? Why is the introduction successful? Why is the conclusion effective? Finally, remember that you cannot plagiarize free college admission essays, as plagiarism is strictly forbidden within the academic study. If you are looking for free essays online and want to review good free term paper sample or free research paper example, surf our blog and you will find wealth of articles! Read more: Essays Comparing Poems Critical Success Factor Analysis Conflict Essay A Reflection Essay Writing English Coursework

Preferred future, what changes do you forsee as an advanced practice Essay

Preferred future, what changes do you forsee as an advanced practice nurse. Relate it to health care reform - Essay Example In order to be a quality-focused pediatric nurse practitioner capable of maximizing patient care and building staff unity, the nurse must take a leadership role within the organization in order to drive improvements. With health care reform currently on the forefront of society’s consciousness, it will be even more important to develop sound leadership skills in order to assist in this change process and also to improve relationships with patients of different socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. The future of health care, after potential reform, will change the methods by which nurses conduct their job role responsibilities. However, since this reform has not yet been built into solid legislation, it would be appropriate to compare this potential future for nurses with a preferred future to discuss how best to build a more effective organization. The future of nursing will require an individual with the ability to bridge gaps between colleagues, managers and patients in order to adjust to new health care reform-driven changes. Health care reform is going to mean new demands for pediatric nurse practitioners, especially in terms of how management and nurses interact. Health care reform is going to change the process of controls within the organization, requiring more unity between different professional ranks of the business. In order to facilitate quality relationships of this type, the nurse â€Å"must be a diplomat, helping people get past their conflicts with one another and facilitate their working together† (Grossman and Valiga, 2009, p.138). Unfamiliar changes to health care delivery, imposed by the potential new reform policy, are going to create different reactions from colleagues and superiors. In some instances, these changes may be so radically-different from current operations that members of the organization try to resist these changes through lack

Legal rights of tenured teachers in dismissal proceedings Essay

Legal rights of tenured teachers in dismissal proceedings - Essay Example Its amendment by Chapter 691 of the Laws of 1994 provides an opportunity for teachers who were accused of any misconduct or incompetence the right to defend himself in court and undergo due process. Within fifteen days, the board of education is responsible in implementing the various rights of the teacher to undergo due process such as the teacher's right of hiring a hearing officer who would be responsible for reviewing the charges against him and would further investigate his case. If permitted, through the process, in support of the facts and findings, the hearing officer may give recommendations with regard to the penalties or punishments deemed appropriate for the charges against him. (http://www.nbto.org/Union/tenure.htm, para 10) On the other hand, for cases that involve pedagogical misconducts or judgments, the teacher is allowed to have a three-member panel who would do the investigation and review the charges against him. It is the duty of the school district clerk or secretary's role to make sure that these provisions and rights of the employee is met in order to provide them with a fair fight. (http://www.nbto.org/Union/tenure.htm, para 10) A great number of issues on tenure has involved not alone the teachers but the school district administrations as well. ... "Tenure is a form of job security for teachers who have successfully completed a probationary period. Its primary purpose is to protect competent teachers from arbitrary non-renewal of contract for reasons unrelated to the educational process -- personal beliefs, personality conflicts with administrators or school board members, and the like. " (http://www.ericdigests.org/pre-925/tenure.htm, para 2) Teacher's tenure started back in 1917 in New York but it was only in 1970 when this part of the Education Law was taken seriously by the school districts and the teachers. Furthermore, the law was strengthened and the process were expedited in 1977 as a response to the growing pressure to the school districts' numerous unfair and illegal dismissals. There was not clear evidence with regards to when the provisions on teacher's tenure had become a federal property right such that it remains to be a concern of the state for which every policies vary. The basic thrust of the Teacher Tenure Act1 is that public school employees under its protection2 may be dismissed or demoted only for one or more of fifteen grounds set out in the act and only according to the procedures set out in the act. Most often, teachers misinterpret this provision in the Education Law thus, it should be made clear that teacher tenure is merely a protection against unlawful dismissals even if he or she is guilty of the charges filed against him/her. (http://www.iog.unc.edu/pubs/electronicversions/pdfs/leps20.pdf, para 1) The due process for which tenure recognizes among the teachers recognizes that laws and legal proceedings must be fair. A person's basic rights to 'life, liberty or property,' should not be taken away from them without the due process of law.

Technology Essay Example for Free

Technology Essay It is always a controversial issue whether technology separates and alienates people more than it serves to bring them together. From my point of view, technology has done more to bring people together than to separate or alienate them. Therefore, I disagree with the statement. Here are some reasons why. First of all, technology has brought about a revolution in the way we communicate with each other through the use of cellular phones and the Internet. Thanks to these new mediums of communication, people are brought closer together. With access to cellular phones or the Internet, I am now only seconds away from communicating with distant friends. With access to these devices, the geographical distance between acquaintances matters much less than it did in the past. I can still maintain close contact with my family and friends, even if they are on the other side of the world. Evidently, technology makes people become closer than ever. In addition, technology has given us the means to travel great distances in relatively short periods of time for a relatively cheap price. Imagine having to travel overseas to visit your parents had you all lived a mere hundred year ago. Think of both the time and money such a trip would have cost! Now compare the difficulties of this trip a century ago with the relative ease and comfort of the same trip today. The technical innovations in transportation, as well as in communication, have only served to bring us closer together. In summary, I strongly disagree with the worn-out idea that technology ultimately separates and alienates people more than it serves to bring them together. To the contrary, technology improves our ability to talk to each other. Also, it improves our ability to travel and see each other. Apparently, technological innovations in both transportation and in communication that were noted in the preceding paragraphs unite people in different locations. Technology ultimately separates and alienates people more than it serves to bring them together. There have been many debates regarding the impacts of technology on people’s relationships. While many people argue that technology obviously separates and alienates people, some of others hold a belief that technology brings people together. As far as I am concerned, I strongly agree with the latter point of view, but I think that those who hold the former belief have their own sound evidence. Admittedly, proponents to this claim may argue that new technologies, such as the Internet, televisions, or computers, destroy humans’ relationships. Lots of people around the world have /been getting/BECOME/ addicted to watching televisions, playing online games, surfing and wandering AROUND the Internet, to name but a few. This has proveN to be very detrimental to their relationships. For example, in my country, Vietnam, many children, at the age of 8 to 14, are very interested in playing online games. They spend most of their free time sitting in front of their computers screen and doing something separately. This may result in the lack of socializing and contacting with others. On the other hand, technology has been a wonderful aid that can bring people together, or, in many cases, back together. To bolster this claim, I can say that I have connected with quite a few people all over the world via email, and some of them I have never known before. Furthermore, thanks to modern technologies such as the Internet or mobile phone, I can contact with my friends and relations living in other countries, far away from my homeland, very easily and conveniently. Giving and receiving a call, or chatting via Skype or Yahoo Messenger are some common ways that people often make use of, in order to keep contact with one another, as well as maintain and strengthen their relationships. Another way that technologies support people in socializing with each other is through the so-called ‘virtual worlds’ in the Internet. There are many such virtual worlds in the Internet, such as Facebook, Twitter, and a great numbers of forums and websites, in which people can share their common interests and make contacts with one another. Such contacts may be ephemeral, but they can be A great source of information and amusement. as well. For example, I have joined in English-test.net Forum and enjoyed many relationships in here. It CAN not only can make me feel relaxed, but also can ALSO bring me many benefits in terms of study. In sum, it seems clear to me that technology has done more to bring people together than to isolate them. If they use technologies appropriately, they can gain many benefits from them. Technology ultimately separates and alienates people more than it serves to bring them together. The question in hand it to determine if Technology separates and alienates people more than it serves to bring them together As with many issues related to technology, we cannot say that it is fully true or false, but both the perspectives can co-exist. In my opinion, technology does more to bring people together than to alienate them. The primary reason of my opinion is a look at history. A century ago, people in America did not interact with the Asians the way they do today. Neither did they interact with their own countrymen to the extent they do today. The technological advances in communication made it possible for the world to shrink into a global village. The internet explosion of the late 1990s especially lead to a networked world, where there is a very strong business relationship between various parts of the world. With this business relationship and a subsequent personal relationship, people are now more closely knit than they ever were. Today, an American gets his leather jacket, with its raw material coming from Myanmar, manufacturing done in China and branding done in Europe. This one chain has linked people from various nations. The second reason I base my opinion on is the advances in travel technology. It took people 77 days to go around the earth a century ago, but today this can be done in less than 2 days. The tourist population of the world is at its historic high now. When people go to a new land, they get an opportunity to interact with the natives of that land. On the flip side, there is a limited human-to-human personal interaction in many developed nations due to these technological advances. A survey in the US points out that a typical teenager spends more time to watch television than to talk to his parents. This situation would not have been there a century ago. Infact the Amish people who live in Pennsylvania and Ohio states of the US do not have any televisions in their houses because they believe that it breaks up the family. They also have limited technology in their houses for having their families more closely knit. In conclusion, technology has been of tremendous help in bringing people across the world together, but it has made the smallest units of the society like the family less closely knit. Technology ultimately separates and alienates people more than it serves to bring them together. Technology and Humane touch, in most cases donot gel together. It is indeed, a complex issue. One school of thought says, it is the ultimate tool to stay connected with people which otherwise is not possible.Technology comes as a rescue to the users, which they would find it difficult without it. At the same time, the division and the alienation which it brings along with it, has brought a negative reputation. However in my opinion, technology if placed at the right time and right place, it is the most effective tool to bring in smiles between scattered people over the globe. Let take a step further at the analysis of both sides. What was started as a communication tool, internet was not welcomed in the initial stages, or it was used only for military purposes. Today, with the changing times and the various needs of the people, it is slowly taking over the other medium of communication. Though there is always some issues with the implementation of it, speed, connection, network issues etc, it has to be accepted that it had made the world look smaller than what it was in one decade ago. Having said that, if noticed, internet also brings in some kind of alienation and it has its own disadvantages. It sometimes disturbs the privacy of the people and in turn it discourages the users from further usage. Whenever there is a system of new technology introduced in a society, it is always welcomed with some opposition and finally it works well. Even though technology needs some kind of additional knowledge of how to use, and other issues, with proper guidance it could turn into a great tool of communication and therefore it would connect people with humane touch, which is the differentiator point. Todays generation is more active and keep changing places instead of those times where they would stick to one place and one job. With these changing times and needs, technology is the only solution which bring back smiles over the people and nothing else. Therefore with the above analysis, and with humane differentiator, technology if used at the right place and right time, it would bring in more smiles to the users. Technology ultimately separates and alienates people more than it serves to bring them together. The opinion that technology separates people more than it serves to bring them together is one that is causing much debate. The issue is of even greater importance at this point in time as technology has become a crucial part of our everyday functions. The strongest supporters of the above claim argue that technology has provided instruments that have facilitated separation, however in saying so they overlook the ways in which technology has brought people closer together. In this essay I will put forward arguments that illustrate how technology has brought people together. Firstly, lets consider how technology has brought people closer together by providing better means of communications. The telephone, internet, mobile phone and other modern telecommunications wonders are all important delvelopements that have allowed people to communicate with each other. This access to different and convienient modes of communcating has brought a feeling of closeness. As we head towards the future further technological advancements such as video conferencing will further facilitate bringing people closer together. Additionally, technology has allowed those people to interact with each of that could not have with technology, thus reducing their feeling of alienation. Take for example the residents of a rural village in India. Without technological advancements this group of people were separated and alienated from the rest of world. However with advances in transporation and communication this village can now feel closer to the rest of its global neighbours. In this case technology has facilitated the connecting various separated and isolated people. Further, looking from the perspective of social alienation and separation, that is when various people in a society feel that they are separated from society because of their financial status, or lack of oppurtunity. Consider a family living below the poverty line, its members so not have access to resources or opportunites and this often leads to a feeling of being alienated. Technology allows us to take steps to reduce this social separatness and alienation by providing better opportunities, by providing cheaper access to information, greater acecss to opportunities. Without technology people needed to have money to buy expensive Encyclopedias to access valuable information, however the internet now allows acces to information at a fraction of the cost. Therefore, it can be seen from the above examples that technology has played a powerful role in bringing people together socially, economically and in spirit. Although technology may allow ways to work in isolation it will continue to provides ways in which alienation and the feeling of separatness is further reduced.

Approach to Persuasion Essay -- Psychology

Embracing an individual’s point of view by means of reasoning, argument or entreaty is an act of persuasion. An individual is regularly confronted by persuasion throughout their everyday life. It takes place in various situations that are categorized in three sections, the appeal to emotion, the appeal to reason, and the appeal to one’s character. Furthermore, this leads to an influential aspect. It is from one’s characteristic to be influenced by persuasion, thus, to be overlooked by outside sources. This is not only found as a human speaks, but persuasion is the aim of advertisements, and political candidates who are trying to sway voters to vote for them. Since Ancient times, persuasive techniques have been observed and studied but due to its importance, physiologists formally began to study of persuasive techniques in the 20th century. The focus of persuasion is to awaken a belief by the appeal to reason, and the use of emotional appeals, and the appeals to one’s character. According to Aristotle and others who tend to echo his belief, these are three these "artistic" or "intrinsic" proofs. Aristotle calls them Ethos, Pathos and Logos. The appeals to reason - Logos is the use logical arguments, logic, rhetoric, the scientific method and proof to persuade. In contrary, the appeal to emotion - Pathos, is the use of advertising, faith, presentation and imagination, propaganda, seduction, tradition and pity for persuasion. Furthermore, Ethos is a Greek word meaning "character" that is used to describe the guiding beliefs or ideals that characterize a community, nation, or ideology (Reynolds). Usually the appeals to reason, and the appeal to emotion, are applied together for more efficient and faster persuasion. These methods ta... ...can be defined as "...a symbolic process in which communicators try to convince other people to change their attitudes or behaviors regarding an issue through the transmission of a message in an atmosphere of free choice." Aristotle describes persuasion in three different forms: Ethos, Pathos and Logos. Ethos is the persuasive appeal of ones character, Pathos is the appeal to emotion and Logos is the appeal to reason. A persuader should use these forms of persuasion, moreover, motivate them and satisfy them by introducing that what is being convinced fulfills a need. Works Cited Reynolds, Nedra. â€Å"Ethos as Location: New sites for Understanding Discursive Authority.† Rhetoric Review. 11.22 (1993): 235-338. Print. Shell, Moussa, and Mario G. Richard. The Art of Woo: Using strategic Persuasion to Sell Your Ideas. New York: Penguin Group, 2007. 2-163. Print

The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution

Through all these years I always think of the American Revolution as customary rebellion which the parties involved fight for something like a parcel of land or for political divisions, i. e. territorial expansion. They deliberately fight against each other head-to-head just to get what they wanted. Maybe it is the result of watching classical movies that defy true essence of revolution that I came to think this way about the ancient wars. However, reading the book entitled The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution written by Bernard Bailyn, renewed my traditional view of the revolution as a whole.It was astoundingly compact yet the message the author conveyed was crystal clear. Bailyn vividly presented his idea that â€Å"power must be watched and restrained tightly† else, liberty will no longer take hold of the situation and much worse, slavery and other forms of oppression will occur. I learned to view the American Revolution from a different perspective in what he called the â€Å"ideological origins†. In effect, I was able to draw critical analysis based from Bailyn’s work of other cases of rebellion here and abroad.The purpose of the author in writing the book, as I comprehended it, is basically to tell everyone that wars happened because of radical minds that drew political ideology from social and traditional outlooks and screened by past experiences. They are explicitly called as radical libertarians who focused on the effort of freeing the individual from tyranny of the state. Bailyn traced their ideological background and found one important piece of the puzzle that he presented in the first part of the book: the pamphlet story.He told us that those pamphlets â€Å"had peculiar virtues as a medium of communication† among the proponents who drafted of the American Revolution. It was in this method (and many others following it) that radical minds gained power and support from the commoners and so the revolution was given birth. But of course, the main event still laid in the messages that the radicals were sending out. The American Revolution was indeed initiated and maintained by radical libertarians until it reached its final destination.The author showed in the book that the American Revolution was â€Å"a cluster of convictions focused on the effort to free the individual from the oppressive misuse of power† by the state. He did not just a compile these convictions but also the analyzed each of them point-by-point as those were his premises in the logical structure of the book. It was the product of years of constant search of relevant information that pertains to the American Revolution. The book was overwhelming with researched ideas which the author found useful.The book was organized into six parts beginning from the Literature of Revolution down to the Contagion of Liberty. In the Literature of Revolution, he explained the method of communication between the radicals who insti gated to the public the idea of revolution. Part II of the book talked about the Sources and Traditions which he identified the ideological background of the radical libertarians. In Part III, entitled Power and Liberty: A Theory of Politics, Bailyn discussed the issues concerning power and liberty, i.e. how should the state treat the underprivileged, the oppressed, the people who were exploited by tyrants. He showed the premises in Part IV the Logic of Rebellion—the only option that the libertarians can have. Here he talked about conspiracies and how the rebellion happened during the Great American Revolution. In Part V, Bailyn discussed the history on the Transformations resulting from the revolution. The areas he tackled were the issues on Representation and Consent, Constitution and Rights, and the Sovereignty.These transformations were the fruits of the radical libertarians’ efforts. The last but not the least, Bailyn discussed in Part VI entitled The Contagion of Liberty the privileges that the underprivileged were able to uphold after the revolution. The discussion talked about the long-term issues of slavery, religion, respect, that all in all summed into the new concept, the concept of democracy that gave every person the right to exercise his freedom in the country. However, Bailyn did not end the book here.He also included an essay entitled â€Å"Fulfillment: A Commentary on the Constitution† which described the existing constitution as the ‘fulfillment’ of the libertarians’ dreams. Bernard Bailyn is widely and deservedly identified as â€Å"our finest historian of the colonial period†. He was an Emeritus Professor at Adams University and professor of Early American History at Harvard University. He wrote many award-winning books including The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution which garnered him both the Pulitzer and Bancroft prizes.This book first published in the 1960’s was a brea kthrough for the whole mankind. He wrote the book in such a way that radical ideologies were seen as the main reason for the American Revolution to ensue. The book also proved to be applicable not just in the American societal and political transformations but also to majority of revolutions lead by radical leaders of such revolution. After all, there was no trouble understanding his ideas despite the fact that it was written from literally hundreds of sources compressed into a 416-page book.In conclusion, the Bailyn’s The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution was the possibly the best book ever written that pertains to the subject of ideological origins or backgrounds of radical libertarians who aimed to â€Å"free the individual from oppressive misuse of power† by the state. Also, he did not end his discussion to the accounts of the first half of the century but rather commented on the existing laws that he called â€Å"Fulfillment† of the hopes and d reams of the leaders of the American Revolution. Reference: Bailyn, Bernard (1992). The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution. Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press.

Mcdonald’s Healthier Happy Meals Essay

In order to successfully make these changes McDonald’s hired a research group to conduct an extensive research and present them with a cost effective solution. The Research Questions The questions the company had to look into to resolve this issue was: * How can they make the meals for the children healthier while maintaining the convenience that fast food is known for? * How can they cut the calories from their existing meals? * How can they make healthy food desirable to children? * How can they keep these healthier options cost effective? * What would be the best marketing strategy to launch these healthier changes? The Hypothesis A hypothesis explores a supposition or proposed explanation made on the basis of limited evidence as a starting point for further investigation (Merriam-Webster, 2013). In the exploration to raise a question and find an answer, the company has to face the question: how can they make the meals for the children healthier while maintaining the convenience that fast food is known for? Through the years McDonald’s has added a couple new features to their menu like a wider selection in desserts, a value menu, and select new refreshing healthier choices to their fast food chain. But the question now is, how can they further cut the calories from these meals? Yes, McDonald’s has gained a fine respect in the fast food industry for upgrading to healthier choices, but now the kids menu may need some revamping on their own. If the regular menu can provide healthier choice selections like salads, less than 400 calories, and weight watcher approved items, what can they do about happy meals? A solution to providing a healthier selection is to offer a more beneficial meal that kids can enjoy. Apple bags, celery sticks, carrots, reduced milk, baked instead of fried items and healthier meat. Those are just a couple of suggestions to an issue that is easy to solve. The main purpose is to change the world one step at a time, and healthier living for is the new road to take. The Variables Local societies are becoming more health conscience and looking for healthier options when going out to eat. Even though McDonald’s did not follow the popular approach by luring people in through the use of famous celebrities, people felt that offering toys with their Happy Meals were unacceptable. The variables in a research scenario are considered to be independent (IV) and dependent variables (DV). In this research scenario the independent variables are the food and the marketing strategy, while the amount of calories and interest of the children are the dependent variables. Many children were attracted to McDonald’s Happy Meals for the toy they got with it and this is what their marketing strategy revolved around. In April 2012, The Time’s released the article â€Å"Why we’re eating fewer happy meals†. The article’s main focus was McDonald’s use of toys with their Happy Meals and the use of a clown who â€Å"is hell-bent on the creepy mission of luring children into McDonald’s, where they’ll be fattened up and primed for a lifetime of regular fast-food dining visits† (Tuttle, 2012, p. 1). Along with improving their Happy Meals, McDonald’s has also changed their marketing strategy. They still offer the toys but it is no longer their main focal point. Instead they now show Ronald McDonald playing around, participating in healthy activities and proclaiming that a healthier life style is a lot of fun.

leonardo essays

leonardo essays Geniuses come few and far between in history. Hippocrates came in the late BC period. Einstein came in the late 1800s-early 1900s. Leonardo came in between the two of them, but is not recognized as well as they are. He was a brilliant human being. He was a master in the fields of painting, designing, engineering, and science. Most people know him merely as an artist, and some know him as an inventor, but not too many people know him for what he really was. This is because his life and his accomplishments are not taught, as in depth as they should be. During the height of the renascence, a genius was born in 1452 in the small town of Vinci, near Florence. He would become a great artist, engineer, inventor, and a scientist. His name was Leonardo, a name that would soon be associated with the word brilliant. He was born to Piero, the lawyer of the town, and Catarina, who gave Leonardo to his father, and left them both for a man of her social class. She is not mentioned in Leonardo's notebooks, as he was probably too young to remember her. Leonardo grew up feeling different from the other children. He had a strange curiosity that was lacking in the other children. He would buy birds from the markets, and set them free, because he thought it was wrong to keep them locked up in cages. He also had a strange curiosity about the world around him. He kept collections of "snakeskins, odd stones polished by water, birds' eggs, the skeletons of small animals, insects stuck on pins, tadpoles, and strange plants," in his room because they fascinated him. Leonardo would draw the things in his collection in a notebook. When his father saw the notebook, he thought that there was a possibility that Leonardo had a chance to become an artist. Piero went into Florence once a month on business and one time he brought some of his sons work. He showed it to his friend Andrea del Verrocchio. He saw more than just mere t...

Definitions and examples of double plurals in English

Definitions and examples of double plurals in English A double plural is the  plural form of a noun with an additional plural ending (usually -s) attached -   for example, candelabras (singular, candelabrum; plural, candelabra) or sixpences (singular, penny; plural, pence). In addition, the term double plural is occasionally used to refer to a noun with two plurals that differ in meaning, such as brothers and brethren (plurals of brother). Examples and Observations: In the light of the debate between environmental advocates and oil industries, the state officials discovered that the flooding had also released other bacterias that pose a serious health threat.(Colorado Flooding Exposes Huge Environmental Damage. Digital Journal, September 28, 2013)Bacteria is the Latin plural form [of bacterium]. In formal and scientific writing, it is always treated as plural and used with a plural verb: These bacteria are clearly visible when stained.In everyday English, bacteria is also used as a singular noun meaning a strain of bacteria: They said it was a bacteria, not a virus. This singular use has generated a double plural: bacterias. Bacterias, meaning strains of bacteria, is fairly common in journalism, but not suited for technical or formal writing.(Margery Fee and Janice McAlpine, Guide to Canadian English Usage, 2nd ed. Oxford University Press, 2007)Paparazzi(s)Back through the system with the riffraff again Fiends on the floor scratching again Papar azzis with their cameras snapping them...(Jay-Z, 99 Problems. The Black Album, 2004)paparazzi (photographers who follow celebrities, often aggressively, in hopes of snapping candid photos) is a plural; paparazzo is the singular. Originally Italian -   invented for Frederico Fellinis film La Dolce Vita (1960) -   the term first surfaced in English in the mid-1960s. Unfortunately, because the singular form is so rare, some writers have begun using the misbegotten double plural *paparazzis...(Bryan Garner, Garners Modern American Usage. Oxford University Press, 2009) From Old English to Modern English Modern English breeches is a double plural (OE nominative singular broc trouser, nominative plural brec), as is ... kine (OE nominative singular cu cow, nominative plural cy with the addition of the plural -n from words like oxen). (John Algeo, The Origins and Development of the English Language, 6th ed. Wadsworth, 2010)OE cildru children belonged to a very small minor class of neuter nouns having a plural in -ru; the /r/ has survived in PDE [present-day English], but an additional weak -n plural has been added, giving PDE children a double plural. (Celia M. Millward and Mary Hayes, A Biography of the English Language, 3rd ed. Wadsworth, 2012) Kate Burridge on Double Plurals Occasionally, people using incident in the plural give it a double plural  -   incidentses. Incidents doesnt sound plural enough -   just as quince (in 1300s one coyn and many coyns) didnt for early English speakers (Quinces is historically a double plural). (Kate Burridge, Gift of the Gob: Morsels of English Language History. HarperCollins Australia, 2011)They stopped and formed a semicircle around the microphone. Everywhere there is a crisis, they sang together. Every time they throw the dices.(Richard Lockridge, Murder Roundabout, 1966)This same process is currently affecting the word dice. Dice was traditionally the plural of die small cube with six faces, but is now being reinterpreted as singular. In this case weve also got a split happening. In specialist contexts die is still being used as a singular noun for metal stamp for coining. The dice used in gaming has a new reformulated plural, technically a double plural, dices (though some speakers still use dice as plural) ... When speakers dont feel words to be plural enough, they add another plural marker for good measure.(Kate Burridge, Blooming English: Observations on the Roots, Cultivation and Hybrids of the English Language. Cambridge University Press, 2004) Double Plurals in Irish English Both [Terence Patrick] Dolan [in  A Dictionary of Hiberno-English, 2006] and [Jiro] Taniguchi [in A Grammatical Analysis of Artistic Representation of Irish English, 1972] ... draw attention to double plural forms (or what Taniguchi calls vulgar forms) which also occasionally appear in Irish English. These involve the addition of /É™z/ to existing plurals which end in -s. Dolan offers the examples of bellowses for bellows and galluses for gallus, an obsolete form of the word gallows meaning braces. Taniguchi, on the other hand, cites newses as a plural for news (1972: 10). While I have not encountered the latter form, I have frequently heard other forms, such as pantses and knickerses. What is more, the film corpus displays the forms chipses and barrackses.(Shane Walshe, Irish English as Represented in Film. Diss., Peter Lang GmbH, 2009)My mother used always to laugh because when they met Mrs. Hogan used to say any newses and look up at her, with that wild stare, opening her mou th to show the big gaps between her front teeth, but the newses had at last come to her own door, and though she must have minded dreadfully she seemed vexed more than ashamed, as if it was inconvenience rather than disgrace that had hit her.(Edna OBrien, A Scandalous Woman. Stories by Contemporary Irish Women, ed. by Daniel J. Casey and Linda M. Casey. Syracuse University Press, 1990) Double Plurals in Russian Anglicisms In general, words tend to be borrowed as unanalysed wholes, their internal structure being opaque to the borrower. Russian speakers are therefore often not aware of the meaning of the English plural morpheme -s; this can lead to double plural marking through the addition of a Russian inflection to an English plural; as in pampersy, dzhinsy, chipsy. (Tamara Maximova, Russian. English in Europe, ed. by Manfred Gà ¶rlach. Oxford University Press, 2002)

Principles and Practices of Effective Leadership (Apple Inc) Essay

Principles and Practices of Effective Leadership (Apple Inc). Leadership Portfolio - Essay Example Each leader adopts a unique approach and style, through the interplay of one’s traits, intelligence, behavioral set, authority, power, temperament and charisma. Within an institution, there develops an emphasis on implementing leadership skills and abilities that are relevant across the organization. This cultivates the ‘leadership style of the organization’. Let us delve in to an analysis on leadership at Apple Inc. (formerly  Apple Computer Inc.), an American  multinational corporation that designs, develops and sells  consumer electronics, computer hardware, software and personal computers. The powerful visionary, Steve Jobs, was the co-founder of Apple Inc. along with Steve Wozniak. They went on the establish Apple as one of the world’s giants, with an unconventional approach and leadership style that was starkly different from conventional business wisdom. The predominating leadership approach at Apple Inc. was that of ‘Transformational Lea dership’, wherein Steve Jobs (the leader),  identified the need for  change,  created  a vision amongst his people to enforce the change and  finally, ensured its enforcement with the  unfailing commitment  of the  members  of his company. (Bryant S., 2012)... At a review session, Jobs was quick to grab a ‘Magic Marker’ and draw a two-by-two grid on the board, labeling each quadrant sequentially as â€Å"Consumer†, â€Å"Pro.†, â€Å"Desktop† and â€Å"Portable†. He insisted that Apple focus on just four great products (one for each quadrant), cancelling all other products. Steve Jobs is known to have said to Walter Isaacson, â€Å"Deciding what not to do is as important as deciding what to do. â€Å"That’s true for companies, and it’s true for products.† (Issacson, 2012). The Apple Company under Steve Jobs, developed a ‘perfectionist style’ with an eye for great detail. The success of the company lay in the fact that Jobs recognized his own strengths and delegated areas suited to other people’s strengths, so that only the best product emerged from its shores. Steve Jobs was a driven leader and the products and services he directed his company to develop and commercialize changed the way many of us live, as well as the course of a diverse set of industries, including computing, publishing, movies, music and mobile telephony (Katzenbach, 2012). Undoubtedly, the success of Apple Computers under Steve Jobs stemmed from his creativity in decision-making, charismatic leadership and the ability to take risks in order to adapt to changing market conditions. As testimony to Apple’s creativity, Steve Jobs himself famously said â€Å"innovation distinguishes a leader and a follower†! Both, situational factors and the leadership approach of Steve Jobs contributed to Apple’s success. By selecting Steve Jobs to lead the company, Apple was not only able to improve its performance, but also position itself to take advantage of the opportunity

The Constitutional Framers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Constitutional Framers - Essay Example In his statement Jefferson compared the government to a newspaper; he stated that he preferred a newspaper without government to a government without a newspaper. This philosophy was directed towards the American constitution, the confederation act and the declaration of independence in America. The revolutionaries set a system which was too weak to accomplish the set objectives in the country. A clear analysis of their approach could define the motives which lay behind the poor system. They were basically on a quest to defend their wealth against federal interference. Major sectors of the country’s economy were rendered helpless by this group of people who argued that they were acting in the interest of the many. Jefferson states that a man is a rational being endowed with a sense of judgment and hence able to distinguish what is wrong and right. This is a sign that the revolutionaries were concretely aware of their undertakings; they were acting on matters which were clearly established from their inner personalities. The closing of the revolutionary era paved a way to another class of thinkers who insisted on a different aspect. At independence, the core objectives were to maintain the societal order, settling the public debt, the establishment of a sound financial system and installing mechanism which could spur the growth of the economy in the country. These categories of individuals were not founding their techniques on philosophy as they were basically businessmen and individual property owners in the country.