Evaluating an essay in Everythings An Argument text

Evaluating an essay in Everythings An Argument text Introduction The book â€Å"Everything’s an Argument with Readings† was edited for the forth time by Keith Waters and published in December 2006. The authors of this rhetoric book are Andrea Lunsford, John Ruszkiewicz and Keith Walters. The main idea brought out to students in this book is that there must be an argument about everything. The arguments arise as a result of different ways of viewing things by different individuals. As the saying goes, â€Å"ones man’s meat is another man’s poison† so people have different views (Inness, 52).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Evaluating an essay in Everythings An Argument text specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In evaluating an essay, a website or any other work, there are some things that must be considered. The author or authors and publisher of the work must be considered. We have to know whether the writer is qualified to do the writin g in that field. We also look at the theme of the work and how evidence has been used in the source. It is also important to look at the relevance of the work to the study that has been conducted. In evaluating a work, we look at the timeliness and the credibility of the work (Inness, 68). This book is very useful to students as it helps them to know that their environment is full of arguments and thus they ought to make their own arguments. The aim of this discussion is to evaluate the essay, â€Å"Evictions at Sorority Raise Issue of Bias† by Sam Dillon (Lunsford, Ruszkiewicz and Walters 135). Discussion The essay â€Å"Evictions at Sorority Raise Issue of Bias† by Sam Dillon is written in a simple language and in the correct procedure that makes it a suitable source of information regarding the topic. The writer also uses evidence in his writing making the book a well-researched source of information. The writer also brings out both opposing and proposing points tha t make the argument progress. The essay is relevant to the topic and the purpose of the essay is brought out well. In the essay, the argument is about the data of a survey by a psychology professor at DePauw University. In the survey, the daughters of Delta Zeta were categorized into two groups, the daddy’s little princesses and the off-beat hippies meaning the chubby girls and the slender girls. 35 members of DePauw were interviewed on their dedication to recruitment (Lunsford, Ruszkiewicz and Walters 34). After the interview, 23 of the girls were told to vacate the sorority house. It was found that all the girls told to vacate were overweight and they were black. It was also found that the same girls were from Korea or Vietnam. The rest of the twelve girls who remained in house were slender and they were light skinned. The twelve girls were popular and social to the men in the fraternity too. Unfortunately, six of the twelve remaining girls opted to quit due to pressure and the unfair treatment (Inness, 82). These biased evictions resulted into many arguments that brought about deeper feelings to some (Lunsford, Ruszkiewicz and Walters 13). Ms. Holloway, a senior who had withdrawn from the department, was very bitter about this and pointed out the process was unfair because it meant that the overweight were not needed. The overweight were being rendered useless as Holloway puts it in her argument. Many people were annoyed by the argument.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Despite the many who were opposing this, some people were seen to propose the same. Some people said that the university was private and therefore they were free to decide what to do without consulting the government or any other department concerned with the same. Some observers also argued that the chubby girls were known to be stupid and thick. This was a stereotype that cou ld have advocated for the evictions. This meant that chubby girls could not qualify to be in Universities and they therefore had to be evicted. Some proposers of the evictions said that University was only to keep beautiful and slender girls who could party and not the chubby girls. As many people grew angry because of this, the ones who supported it were seen to be at the front. This turned to a serious argument that involved many Greeks (Inness, 27). Many of those who opposed this argued that Universities were places of learning and not for socialization and beauty. They said that the girls should have been helped to regain their body sizes and not to expel them from the University. This could also mean that the chubby people will be evicted from the country if the government does not take the necessary actions. Some could not accept this and they said that private Universities were to make their own rules and the chubby girls should join the public Universities. This was also und erstood by some to mean that the chubby were not allowed to be wealthy. When they are denied education, then it means they have to struggle to get their daily living. In addition, people are supposed to use their brains at work and not their body sizes. Thus, people are employed according to their level of education and not the size of their bodies. The president opposed this and he wrote a two page letter condemning the action. He said that this was against the laws of the nation and all people were supposed to be accorded same and fair treatment. At this point, the Dean of the University Cynthia Babington received many calls from parents and stakeholders condemning the evictions. The girls who remained in hostage were also very annoyed and Joanna Kieschnick, one of those remained, said that she could not stay and watch this happen (Inness, 82). Conclusion It can be inferred from the evaluation of this essay that this piece of writing is a good and reliable source. First, the autho r is qualified personnel making him worthy to do the writing. The author is also using evidence to prove his points, both the opposing and the proposing arguments. In any kind of argument, evidence must be included. The dean and other parties included in the essay by Sam Dillon make the essay well-researched. In arguing, the opposers and the proposers are giving reasons for the direction they have taken in the argument. The survey and the data got from it is also a reliable source of evidence as it can be proved. This could have been thought to be a small issue but due to the arguments, it became big to a point were the president had to intervene and state his position. It is therefore vey clear that everything is an argument.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Evaluating an essay in Everythings An Argument text specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Inness, Sherrie. American women and ethnic food. New York: University of M assachusetts Press, 2001. Lunsford, Andrea, Ruszkiewicz, John and Walters, Keith. Everythings an argument with readings. 4Edn. New Jersey: Paperback, 2006.

Comparison Essay on Football and Basketball

Comparison Essay on Football and Basketball Comparison Essay on Football and Basketball Football and basketball are two of the most common sports that are played in many parts of the world. For an individual who is torn between selecting which of the two sports he should play, it can be very helpful to know the characteristics of the two sports and compare these qualities in order to select the one that interests a particular person the most. One of the most obvious differences between the two sports lies in the way they are played. While football is in most cases played outdoors in areas that may not necessarily have artificial lighting or controlled temperatures, basketball is mostly played in indoor fields that have both artificial lighting and temperature control. The size of the football field is also several times bigger than that of basketball. The other difference lies in the way the players interact with the ball. In football, the ball is played by fumbling, while in basketball, the ball is played by bouncing the ball up and down on the floor repeatedly in an action known as dribbling. In football, the main objective of the game is to capture the territory of the opposing team in ten yard segments, eventually driving the ball to the opposing team’s end zone. In basketball, the main aim is to throw the ball as many ways as possible into the opposing team’s basket, given that the more baskets a team makes, the higher the score. Another major difference is that physical contact between basketball players of opposing teams is highly discouraged and may actually result in a foul. This is especially the case when a player knocks another player of the opposing team to the floor. In football, contact is highly encouraged. Contact in football is referred to as a tackle. Another difference between the two sports is way players dress. While basketball players adorn vests as the uniform of the game, football players are usually dressed in long sleeved t-shirts and trousers. They also wear helmets to protect their heads during tough tackles. Another notable difference between the two sports is why a player may be suspended from the game. The most common reason behind players being ruled out of a basketball game is the fouls that they cause, but in football, injuries are the most common reasons that remove players from the game. The kind of scores in each of the games also differs greatly. In football, 3 is the least number of points that the opposing team can score at a single time, while in basketball, 3 is the most a player can score at a time. Finally, the origin of each of the games also differs. While football is thought to have originated in the early 1900s as a violent collegiate sport for men, bask etball is believed to have originated from a gymnastics practice for women. You can enjoy our professional essay service which can help with writing your comparison essay on Football and Basketball. Get 100% original custom compare and contrast essay written from scratch!

Long Term Effects of Being a Non-Union Actor Essay

Long Term Effects of Being a Non-Union Actor - Essay Example The thesis of this paper is: When an actor is non-union long-term, self-esteem is often low because he or she rarely makes more than a union actor’s minimum wage.   Furthermore, opportunities to audition are limited, and non-union workers do not receive the respect or benefits provided to those who are in unions. "Ever since the first Hollywood director yelled, 'Action!' on the set of a motion picture, the anonymous corps of performers known as 'extras' formed an integral element of the film capital's working society". This powerful opening leads directly to the crux of this paper. Actors who work as walk-ons, diner patrons, soldiers, and the like are called extras. These are the actors that do not have a spoken part in the production; they are there to provide the full ambiance of the scene. If the production is to convey a busy street scene, that scene requires a host of extras to make the scene believable, therefore, the presence of each and every extra constitutes a comp leted realistic scene that the viewer finds credible. Yet, many extras are not paid in a manner consistent with their important function within the industry. In fact, if the extra happens to lack union status, that extra's pay is decimated by as much as 50% of what a union member would be paid for the same work. Non-union extras should be paid for the work they perform as handsomely as union workers. There are two reasons why the researcher postulate this idea: 1) non-union members who do not receive pay on par with their union counterparts fall into a situation of low self-esteem, and if continued over an extended period of time leads directly to 2) non-union members becoming disenchanted with the industry and performing at lower standards which is not good for the individual extra, nor for the industry as a whole. The author will use the rest of this paper to prove his thesis which will rest upon three foundational points: 1. an extra's pay level denotes their value to the product ion company; 2. challenges in obtaining union membership and, 3. "ordinariness", and the fear of it. In 1995-1996, there were a series of articles that dealt with the issue of union versus non-union pay rates for extras. In one such article, it was stated that a union extra earned $99 a day, or $128 a day for a soap opera job, yet a non-union extra only earned between $30-70 a day for doing the same work. Not only do non-union extra receive lesser pay than union members, the non-union extras also receive lesser amenities, if given any at all. The Horwitz article states, "a SAG extra in The Associate recalls '300 extras in a basement with one bathroom'[and another] 'extra in Sylvester Stallone's Daylight describes several hundred extras in a dimly lit, cold warehouse with winds gusting in off the Hudson. "There were two Portosans". Not as glamorous as one would suppose. In a recent journal article, pay level and self-esteem were studied and it was found that 'consistent with reinforc ement and expectancy theories, most of this research concludes that when high performance results in high pay increases, performance is reinforced and more likely to be repeated in the future'. This study states what most people intuitively expect - you earn based on how well you perform. Yet, in the world of the extra, this almost truism does not exist. In their world, you earn based on union membership.

Entrepreneur Interview & Personal Analysis Essay

Entrepreneur Interview & Personal Analysis - Essay Example ries have been put forward including psychological theories which try to explain the mental perceptions of entrepreneurs as helping to explain why and how they do business. Most of these theories have majored in personal traits and perceive entrepreneurs as having some unique traits from those of the non-entrepreneurs, while other think of someone’s background as being a significant contributor to doing business (Locke, 2000, pp.23-34). Others have looked at it from the locus of control point of view. An entrepreneur is also perceived to be a risk taker because from these risks, he or she reaps benefits that come with opportunities taken (Shane, 2000, pp.448 – 469). Researches carried out in the recent past have mainly addressed issues to do with macro-level environmental forces when it comes to entrepreneurship. The individual decision-making processes of entrepreneurs and how they have internally perceived what they do on a micro-level has not received much attention. What most scholars concur with is the fact that good economic conditions do encourage successful entrepreneurship and should thus be promoted if growth of businesses taking up various opportunities need to be realized. These issues will be addressed in the paper based on the information gathered from Jane Norvak as the entrepreneur in this case study or interview. 2.0 Evaluation of the entrepreneur Jane indicated that she has been in business for three years now and she started it while she was 23 years of age. This actually falls within the most active group of youths. The business is Norvak Beauty and Parlour where she deals with many customers who come for the beauty services and cosmetics. She also said that her family members are not in business since they are employed in various professions.... Jane indicated that she has been in business for three years now and she started it while she was 23 years of age. This actually falls within the most active group of youths. The business is Norvak Beauty and Parlour where she deals with many customers who come for the beauty services and cosmetics. She also said that her family members are not in business since they are employed in various professions. This puts to question whether family background determines if one becomes an entrepreneur or not (Norvak, 2011). When asked why she chose to set up a business instead of looking for employment in the white collar job sector, she said that she preferred doing business because this gave her a sense of independence and control over her affairs. She talked of being an outgoing person who loves life and would not want to be pressured for what she has not done or what she has to do (Norvak, 2011). This seems to be in line with the argument that most entrepreneurs are motivated by the need for independence and achievement of personal goals in life. The statement also is in line with the theory of locus of control whereby an entrepreneur holds a belief in the personal abilities to start and finish things through individual actions without being supervised. She said that the business gives her personal satisfaction and she thus loves what she is doing (Collins, et al., 2000).

The Link Between Greek And Western Civilization Essay Example for Free

The Link Between Greek And Western Civilization Essay The Greek civilization is recognized to have been one of the foremost contributors to Western Civilization. The culture, politics, science, and educational systems of the ancient Greeks are said to have impacted the development of early Western Civilization and are thus the foundations upon which our present society is based. Many different historians, experts, and writers have tried to provide a comprehensive understanding of ancient Greek and its impact on modern society. Bruce Thornton is one of these experts and he shows in his book that the Greeks did, in fact, contribute a great deal to our civilization. When we talk about the Greek civilization, the conversation invariably goes into a discussion of their achievements. Greek philosophers were known for their use of reason and logic. The speech forms of rhetoric and dialogue were developed and perfected by the Greeks in large agoras or public spaces where they were wont to hold numerous public discussions about intellectual matters. The political system of democracy developed in ancient Greece and is considered by many to be their most important contribution to modern society. The literature of the time continues to regale modern audiences. The Greek epics The Odyssey and The Iliad are still capable of inspiring modern works. The writings of Plato are still the favored topics of discussion by scholars. The impact of Greek science on Western civilization is equally great. In the field of medicine, for example, one will not be considered a doctor without first taking the Hippocratic Oath. Greek art has influenced present society by being the forerunners of aesthetics. Even architectural works like the Parthenon have had a great impact on the way Western Civilization continues today. By simply looking at the works of the ancient Greeks and comparing present-day Western society, it is clear that the Greeks were able to contribute to all aspects of Western life today. But Bruce Thornton asserts that there is a deeper and more primal contribution by the Greeks. The entirety of what other writers and scholars have talked about as the contributions of Greek civilization to Western Civilization can be summed up as a contribution of critical consciousness. What the Greeks truly gave Western civilization was the ability to analyze, to think critically about the self and everything outside of the self. It is perhaps the case that all the greatest accomplishments of the Greeks were born out of this practiced ability to be critical. Democracy, rhetoric, even logic all come from a critical consciousness. The Greeks, above everything else they did, gave Western civilization a model and the ways by which one could develop a critical consciousness. This contribution is larger than the more concrete, more talked about works of the Greeks. Because the Greek civilization shared the legacy of critical consciousness with the Western civilization, the latter has been able to think on its own. Because of critical consciousness, we have been able to give birth to equal rights, free speech, public education. The Greeks did not espouse the same ideas regarding the three concepts but because we have critical minds of our own, because we have immersed ourselves in the legacy of the Greeks, we are able to decide on our own what would be best for our society. We are not reliant on the processes, philosophies, and hierarchies practiced by a previous civilization. Because the Greeks gave us critical consciousness, we are able to take what they had and make it into something much better, much more appropriate for our civilization, for the times we live in now.

King Lear Essay -- essays research papers

The Islamic Empires   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In early modern history, there were three major Islamic empires that became prominent. The Ottoman Empire, the Safavid Empire, and the Mughals. We will descuss the Development of these empires by listing their similarities and differences, and their political, social and cultural backgrounds. Next, we will get into the three empires reign of power and also give a discription of some of the great leaders of these empires and their legacy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  All of these Islamic Empires had Turkish ruling dynasties. The Ottomans, Safavids and Mughals came from nomadic, Turkish-speaking peoples of the central Asia who conquered the settled agricultural lands of Anatolia, Persia and India. All of these dynasties retained political and cultural traditions that their ancestors had adopted while leading their nomadic lives, but, they also adapted readily to the city-based agricultyural societies that they conquered. All of these empires also embraced Islam and derived its cultural guidance from Islamic values. Each empire expanded its territory under authority of their great leaders, such as Mehmed the Conqueror for the Ottomans, Shah Abbas the Great for the Safavids and the reigh of Aurangzeb of the Muhgal empire. In these empires, the prestige and authority of the dynasty derived from personal piety and military aptitude of the ruler and his ancestors.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Ottoman Empire was founded by Osman Bey, founder of the dynasty that continued in unbroken succession from 1289 to 1923. the motives of Osman and his followers were to become ghazi, or Muslim religious warriors. â€Å"The Ghazi,(as the poet Ahmadi describes) is the instrument of religion of Allah, the sword of God, the protector and refuge of the believers.† It was believed that if to have died for the cause of your religion, you should not believe that the person is dead, but that he will live in beatitude with Allah and he has eternal life. The Ottomans waged a holy war which enabled them to expand their territory to the Anatolian city of Bursa, which became the capital of Ottoman principality. Under the reign of Mehmed the Conqueror, the Ottomans conquered Constantinople in 1453 and in turn lead to more Ottoman expansion. Mehmed presented himself as a true emperor and not just a warrior. He was ruler of two lands, Europe ... ...aged the elaboration of syncretic religion called the â€Å"devine faith† that focused attention on the emperor as a ruler common to all the religious, ethnic and social groups of India. The Mughal empire reached its greatest extent under Aurangzeb. During his long reign from 1659 to 1707, he waged a relentless campaign to push Mughal authority deep into southern India. Mughal came to rule the entire subcontinent except for a small region at the southern tip.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  These are descriptions of the major empires that became prominent, the Ottoman Empire, the Safavids and the Mughals. We have gone over some of the similarities and differences of the three empires and also discussed the development of these empires and their social and political backgrounds. We have seen a glimpse of the great leaders that ruled these empires such as Mehmed the Conqueror, Shah Ismail and Shah Abbas for the Safavids, and Babur and Akbar for the Mughals. These empires created the boundary for Islamic institution through the 1500’s and beyond. They should be recognized as a stepping stone in the Islamic voyage which has definitely laid an impact on the society and societies before ours.

Rebecca Notes Essay

– Gothic: terror, mystery, supernatural, ghosts, haunted houses and Gothic architecture, castles, darkness, death, decay, doubles, madness, secrets and hereditary curses. – Physiological thriller: characters are reliant on their mental resources, whether it is by battling wits with a formidable opponent or by battling of equilibrium in the character’s own mind. – Subversion of romance: sets up the conventions of a romantic genre then slowly subvert or undercut/demolishes our expectations. – Crime: crimes, their detection, criminals, and their motives. The novel is written first person by the narrator, who is never named within the book, and can be considered an ‘unreliable narrator,’ because everything is shown through her ‘unreliable narrative’ ? ‘she’ is persecuted, ‘she’ is inadequate, ‘she’ has an inferiority complex and ‘she’ is haunted by Rebecca. The narrator dreams twice, once in the beginning and once in the end, which conveys the truth that her conscious mind cannot. In the beginning of the novel the most evident genres are Gothic and anti-romance, but as the novel progresses the genres crime and physiological thriller appear more often. There is the continuity of reference back to gothic, but in the last 7 chapters, it is it dominated by more of the crime genre. Rebecca is dominated by the Gothic genre throughout the whole novel because of the continuous presence of Rebecca and the overshadowing Manderley. Even in the end, seems to have risen from the dead to have her final revenge ? through Mrs Danvers and the burning of Manderley. †¢In the very beginning of the book, the narrator introduces us to Manderley as an empty â€Å"inviolate, untouched†, cold â€Å"no smoke came from the chimney†, mysterious place â€Å"desolate shell, soulless at last, unhaunted† †¢Whenever Rebecca’s name is mentioned Maxim de Winter seems to become excessively emotional †¢The rhododendrons, â€Å"blood-red and luscious† – symbolic of Rebecca †¢Mrs. Danvers seems very mysterious, â€Å"deathly cold,† â€Å"skeleton† and â€Å"lifeless† †¢The constant references back to Rebecca â€Å"I was sitting in Rebecca’s chair, I was leaning against Rebecca’s cushion. Even though the Gothic genre is the most dominant genre there are also the secondary genres: Physiological thriller – mystery and ‘crime of the death of Rebecca, the continuous haunting of Rebecca on the narrators mind, also the continuous irony of how right after the Manderley dress ball Rebecca’s body is found Crime – the formal inquest is held and Maxim’s committed murder and his motives are shown †¢The past in opening chapters is itself a mystery – why is Manderley a ruin? †¢Unclear as yet but Rebecca’s death a mystery, which seems to affect everyone at Manderley†¦ who was she? †¢Narrator feels like she doesn’t belong â€Å"This was their routine†¦long custom† ? caught in an alien world of tradition. †¢Rebecca’s presence in the household still evident ? makes the narrator feel like an intruder †¢Keeping alive the spirit of Rebecca â€Å"the room was filled with them† ? people keep putting more flowers into the room like Rebecca used to †¢The irony of how Rebecca who had died a year ago is discovered again right after the Manderley ball â€Å"Rebecca, whom they describes as beautiful, talented†¦ having drowned a year ago, and then Maxim marrying again the following spring, bringing is bride straight to Manderley and giving a big fancy dress ball in her honour.. the following morning the body of his first wife being found trapped in the cabin of her sailing boat, at the bottom of the bay. † â€Å"Both papers used the same word, ‘ironic’ . Yes, I suppose it was ironic. It made a good story. † Subversion of romance – the narrator expects to be whisked away to a grand big house ‘Manderley’ and be loved and grow old with Maxim for the rest of her life, but everything doesn’t go as she expected or what we expected. †¢She expects to grow old and live happily with Maxim for the rest of her life and she will always be loved by Maxim â€Å"We should grow old here together, we should sit like this to our tea as old people, Maxim and I, with other dogs† †¢She thinks Maxim asked her to marry her because he loved her, but in fact he just need a ‘companion’ and Mrs Van Hopper seems to know exactly what would happen â€Å"you know why he is marrying you, don’t you? You haven’t flattered yourself he’s in love with you? † Themes: The themes are ambiguous but some can be identified Marriage – the 1st marriage was fake ? controlled ? ‘arragont’ – the 2nd marriage was submissive ? better then the 1st Obssesion of Rebecca †¢Narrator †¢Maxim †¢Mrs Danvers †¢Favell Control/insecurity Death – the effect on the living and the consequences of causing death.

Realism Naturalism Modernism

During this literary period, notable African American writers contributed o this diverse array Of literature. African American writers of this period â€Å"were often engaged in bitter disagreement over the form and functions of African American expression, over the obligations of black writers to their publications, and even over how such publics were to be identified. † (94) By tackling issues that dealt with identity, sexuality, social tensions, internal confessions, gender and gender roles, etc. He writers of this period sought to give a certain social literary reality to this broad style of writing. Modernism depicts a strong internal break with tradition; style or event that aims to break with classical and traditional forms and attach modern ides. James Baldwin, a notable contributor to the realism, naturalism, and modernism era, pulled from personal experiences to formulate writings. â€Å"Line king the most intimate areas of his own experience with the broadest quest ions of national and global density. (390) With early life events such as his struggles with poverty, religious indoctrination, the estrangement from his step father, and identifying his sexuality, Baldwin managed to connect modern topics by showing how they connect with the traditional ideals adopted by society. In his literature he attempts to show, through his characters, how individuals adapt to the changing world as well as the changing times. Baldwin novel Giovanni Room, displays the literary subject of modernism through themes such as sexuality and sexual identity.Baldwin uses an array of characters in this novel to express how sexuality and sexual identity is neither homosexual nor heterosexual. It is neither black nor white. Baldwin purposely chooses not to disclose the race of the characters in this novel, in order to find a universal story. Romance and love can be experienced regardless of what someone identifies themselves as. The traditional ideals that some characters, especially the protagonist David, struggles with throughout the novel, show how societal labels effect certain ideas as either being considered â€Å"right† or â€Å"wrong'.The main conflict of Giovanni Room concerns Davit's sexual identity. Defining his sexuality or accepting that he likes men as well as women plagues the entire story. David wants to love women, because that is what society and family believes is morally correct. David is sexually attracted to men. By accepting this fact, in his mind, would devalue his masculinity as well as shame the values of his family and society. There are many reasons that contribute to Davit's internal conflict with his sexuality. The largest reason can be found in Davit's relationship with his father.In the novel, David has many flashbacks of his life. His mother passes when David is about five years old. Davit's father raises him and his Aunt Ellen lives with them as well. David describes his father as a calm man, very slow to ang er. An adolescent memory that David remembers greatly about his father are the cocktail parties that his father throws at their house. He says that his father is very sociable then, pouring drinks and flirting with women. One eight, Davit's father and his Aunt Ellen argue because his father returns home drunk and being out with women once again.His Aunt Ellen states that David is growing up and his father should be more careful about the activities he involves himself in around David. David, until this point, thinks nothing of his father and his relationships with other Women. After this point, he begins to look at his father differently and the women he encounters. Davit's father responds to Ellen during the argument, that all he wants is for David to grow up and be a man. This is one of the first instances where we see that being tit a woman or many women equates as the qualifier of being a man.This expression of sexuality that Davit's father states lead to David to battle with hi s own sexuality. In the beginning chapter of the novel, David befriends a guy by the name of Joey. The have a sleep over at Joey's house and begin to horse play and wrestle as boys do. The two go to bed, but are awaken by Joey saying that he has been bitten by a bed bug. David teases him and they play fight which leads the two to kiss and make love. David awakes in the morning admiring Joey's body. Suddenly after realizing how much smaller Joeys body compares o his and realizing that Joey is a boy, his feelings then change.David feeling ashamed thinks of what his own father would think as well as Joey's parents if the two were caught in bed together. He leaves and from that day on when he see's Joey he is cruel to him, picking on him to please his new group of friends as well as proving to himself in a way that he is not homosexual. David does not seem to be at peace with his sexuality. Even when in a relationship with his fiance Bella, she eventually tells him that he seems withdra wn especially while the two are being intimate with each other.At one mint in the novel, David meets Giovanni and he tells Giovanni that he has never been with a man. David knowing that he has told a lie says to himself that, ‘People are too various to be treated so lightly. Am too various to be trusted (5) Not only is David in denial about his sexuality, he does not even trust himself with someone's heart. There are times in the novel that after David has sex with men (Giovanni and Joey) he begins to think about his father as well as the other party's family. Imagining what they will think of two men being intimate with each other.This is another continuation of how societal views and family morals override David being at peace with his own sexuality. While in Paris, David involves himself with a community of homosexual men in which he considers his friends. These men take him out to bars as well as sometimes helping him financially. Through this group of friends he eventuall y meets his lover Giovanni. While at a bar one night, Davit's friend Jacques notices how comfortable Giovanni and David are together. He pulls David to the side and Jacques tells David that he looks like something in a vision.He tells him that this is an important day for him. ‘†You re lucky that what is happening to you now is happening now and not when you are forty, or something like that, when there would be no hope for you and you would simply be destroyed† (66). David pretends he doesn't know what is going on and Jacques presses the point by asking if he will write a letter to Hell to tell her about Giovanni. David tells Jacques that he finds Jacques life despicable and Jacques responds that he could say the same of Davit's life. In that David is not really being honest with whom he truly is inside and that is despicable itself.David asks if there is not some better way or him than to enjoy himself with young boys in the dark. Jacques tells him not to pretend that he too has not been with men in the dark. Jacques tells David that Giovanni affection for him should make him happy. Instead, he is ashamed. David says that he doesn't understand Giovanni kind of friendship, Jacques tells David, â€Å"Love him. Love him and let him love you. Do you think anything else under heaven really matters? † (98). Throughout the text Baldwin displays instances in which Davit's desires and sexuality are shaped not by him, but by society.Davit's character battles with what his ether will think of him, what society will see him as, and not by what his mind and body desire. Modernism explores ideals such as homosexuality and rids them of the traditional views that society sets to normalize.

Was the New Deal A Success Essays

Was the New Deal A Success Essays Was the New Deal A Success Essay Was the New Deal A Success Essay Essay Topic: History 1) People supported Roosevelt in 1932 election because he was positive, energetic and made the American people feel good. He was full of good news, or at least how good things would be if he were to be elected. He made it out to be a crusade, and not just one for him, one for the people. He almost made them feel that they were electing themselves, not Franklin. D. Roosevelt. He promised the Americans a new deal. He really made the American people believe that he was going to make everything all right again. They trusted him greatly. Another reason for him getting elected was because of the opposition. The opposition was Hoover. Many Americans felt he was to blame to the depression, and to top it all he wasnt even acknowledging that there was actually a problem. People werent going to vote for someone who had made their lives awful, probably the only votes he did get was from the rich industrialists, whom he had helped. Hoover just put forward the argument that businesses work in cycles of boom and bust and that prosperity would soon return. That was his solution to the problem. He didnt help the people who needed help, he didnt believe social security was the responsibility of the government. Many Americans felt he was heartless. Roosevelt was the complete opposite to Hoover. He believed in an active government, he had plans to spend money on the needy, and he was more than happy to ask for advice, unlike Hoover who felt he knew best. Roosevelt was a man of the people, the people choice, he filled them with hope, and anything was better than the alternative. 2) The photo is of a line of black people queuing for government relief on front of a poster made by the government. The poster is of a white family driving in a car all smiles, with the slogan Theres no way like the American way. The photographer is trying to show the hypocrisy of the government. In those days the blacks had life a lot worse then the whites. The depression hit them extremely hard. In 1937 there was a recession. This damaged Roosevelt badly. A lot more republicans got into congress, making it harder for him to get his bills through, and people were losing faith in him. He also laid of a lot people who his organizations employed a lot of them were black workers. The photographer is also trying to make the point of there being very little racial equality in America hes pretty much calling the government racist (black people in front of a white mans poster). 3) Source E is a Cartoon from an American newspaper. It shows Roosevelt working a pump to get the economy going again. Into the pump he keeps pouring millions of the taxpayers money. The pump is also very leaky. This cartoon isnt really for Roosevelt. Its saying that hes wasting millions of dollars of the taxpayers money. The cartoonist is saying that Roosevelt is doing a bad job, hes wasting taxpayers money trying to get the economy going again. The cartoonist is possibly a republican, and hes definitely not a fan of Roosevelt. The taxpayer is holding all the money too, showing that hes holding the burden of the nation too. This could make the cartoonist a rich taxpayer too. Source F is a cartoon showing Roosevelt with a rubbish bin. The caption is Getting rid of the rubbish. In the bin he is throwing out all of Hoovers principles, everything he said. Its got rugged individuals, a car in every garage, a pot of chicken, and a sign saying prosperity is just around the corner. There is a man (who is meant to be Hoover) and hes walking around the corner towards prosperity looking at a timetable. This cartoon is for Roosevelt. It shows how hes throwing out everything Hoover stood for, all the unrealistic targets that Hoover had, especially with the way the American economy was. Hes also thrown out the sign that says prosperity is just around the corner. Its saying that Hoover was always saying that. He was always hoping, never taking action, unlike Roosevelt whom was taking action by throwing out the rubbish and the bad in America. Its definitely anti Hoover. Source G is another cartoon showing an old man and woman. The old man is meant to be the American public, the old woman congress, and the doctor Roosevelt. Roosevelt is issuing new remedies to the old man. On the table next to the old man are loads of bottles labeled with all the organizations he set up for the new deal. Roosevelt is saying Of course we may have to change the remedies if we dont get results. I think that this cartoon is both for and against Roosevelt. I feel it is pro Roosevelt because its showing him trying to help. It shows he wants to help, and it putting a lot of effort and time in to helping. I feel it is against Roosevelt though because it is saying hes taking too long over it. He hasnt got a clearly defined plan to get America out of the depression, he just keeps changing it and hoping something will work. Congress is depicted as an old woman purely because an old woman is something that can easily be taken advantage of. Theyre frail and weak. Roosevelt uses congress to get his bills through with no problem, congress is a pushover, but thats because its made mostly from democrats. I feel somebody neutral probably drew it, as he tries to show both sides of the argument, for and against Roosevelt. 4) I feel that both are useful sources in telling us about public opinion towards the new deal, but I feel source I is probably more informative and more of the real public opinion less biased. I feel Source I is more useful because it is from a popular song. Everybody was singing it. Also what is said in the song is backed up by other reports too. Its not praising the New Deal, saying its amazing, but it is saying that its helping people and things are better. The song is what the people were thinking, how they felt about Roosevelt. He got them working again, he got them their wages, and he made them feel better about life. Roosevelts supporters wrote source H. It was used as part of his election campaign, and is quite clearly going to be biased. Bits of what is said can be backed up by other sources, but most of it is glorified to help make Roosevelt sound wonderful. 5) The main differences between Sources J and K are that Source J saying that. Roosevelt was hurting people by giving. He was taking away their prowess. A quote from the source says He didnt understand that when you give to people, you hurt them. This man is clearly stating that he feels The New Deal was a bad thing it made self respecting men into nothing. It diminished them if you like, Welfare kills a mans initiative. A dog you feed will not hunt. He feels the New Deal was almost making him out to be some kind of loser. Source K on the other hand said that Roosevelt was helping the American people. It was saying how he was a real bonus to their lives. The New Deal meant that ordinary people would have a better chance in life. Source K also said that people should be left to hunt for themselves, they should make something of themselves, not live of handouts, because after a while you become too dependent on the handouts and cant fend for yourself properly anymore. Source K however contradicts this once again by saying that the handouts were a good thing, and they were helping the people recover, and making their lives better, The idea was that all the forces of the community should be directed to making life better for ordinary people. Source K was written by Roosevelts Secretary of Labour. Because she worked for Roosevelt she was of course going to be slightly biased. She was also a member of the government anyway, so she would have agreed with their policies (well, most of them). She also wouldnt have been one of the people hit hard by the depression, so she would have more of an objective, non egotistic, view on things, and also maybe a bit of sympathy for them. 6) I agree with both the quotes, although I feel the second one is probably the truer of the two. I agree with the first because the New Deal did help many Americans. It didnt give them all self-respect but it certainly helped them to survive and get back on their feet. It did also give some people, not all, a boost in confidence. An American historian wrote source B in 1945. One things he says to back up what was said in the first quote are, What, then, are the major achievements of the New Deal? First comes the restoration of self-confidence. Source I has a line in the song which goes Hes got things in full sway, were all working and getting our pay. Those two quotes back up what is said in the first quote. I agree with the second quote more however mainly because of the last statement, It did not solve all Americas economic problems the Second World War did that. When the second world happened once again Europe was short of supplies. They needed goods which they could not get any more due to not being able to import them, or just not being able to produce them themselves. As America stayed out the war until the end it was able to supply these countries with goods, thus boosting trade dramatically. If the Second World War hadnt happened America would have taken many years longer to fully recover from the depression after all, it was the First World War that led to the boom in the first place, so obviously another world war would have the same effect. Source C says how if the Second World War hadnt happened then Roosevelt would have been in real trouble, The was rescued him and he seized on it like a drowning man. The are also sources to back up what is said earlier on in the quote. Source E for example shows how money is being wasted via a cartoon. Admittedly the cartoon is probably a bit biased, but at the same time it was clear from other sources and comments made from the time that many people felt that Roosevelt was wasting money on needless things. Source C also clearly backs this up. It says how before Roosevelt came into power there was a national debt of $19 billion, and after hed made his mark there was a debt of $250 billion. The government also may have become too powerful. Because of all the organizations it had formed, it was employing hundreds of thousands of Americans itself. This in turn meant it was paying these people too. So the government had a hand in everyones pocket if you like. They had control over the peoples money. Source C also says how 1 in 4 Americans relied on the government for employment. More evidence suggesting that Roosevelt had a little too much control. I feel Source C is a fairly reliable source too as it was written by a historian and he had many more facts, and more of an objective view. From this I feel that the New Deal was a success, but only at first. At first Roosevelt quickly helped many people by getting them jobs and helping them to survive. Unfortunately he may have gone too far with this and had too much control. He didnt really encourage his people to fend for themselves enough and in the end America became dependent on itself, not its people. Roosevelt ended up leaving the country with a huge national debt and if the Second World War hadnt happened I feel that Roosevelt would have kept pumping money into the schemes till America really was struggling and everything came back in his face. I think that these two people disagree about the New Deal purely because of who actually wrote them. Source J was written by a self made, proud, businessman. He had a lot of pride. Hed worked to get somewhere. When Roosevelt just started handing out money to people like him he didnt like it. He saw almost as an insult. He felt he didnt need it, he was able to find money and work for himself, and after all he was a proud man who was capable even in the middle of a depression. He felt people should fend for themselves, not live on handouts, he didnt like it one bit. It was almost as if Roosevelt giving him money was damaging his ego, it made him feel like he was being seen as a failure, when he felt he wasnt and that he could sort it out himself. It made him feel small.

Complete Guide Writing a Strong Letter of Recommendation

Complete Guide Writing a Strong Letter of Recommendation SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips As an English teacher and college counselor working with high school students, I've had the privilege and responsibility of writing letters of recommendation. Starting out, I had a strong urge to help, but no clear sense of what exactly should go into a reference letter. If they all speak to students' impressive qualities and accomplishments, what makes some letters stand out among the rest? To answer this question, I researched recommendation letters from both sides of the college process, drawing on the advice of high school counselors and teachers and the perspective of college admissions officers. I also read dozens of recommendation letters, from the ones that admissions committees loved to the ones that were cast aside as mediocre, useless, or straight up negative about a student. This article compiles the most important lessons I learned through this research and my own work supporting students through the college process. Read on for a discussion ofwhat exactly needs to go into the kind of rec letter that effectively advocates for a student and boosts her admissions chances. First, let's take a deeper look at what purpose recommendation letters serve when they arrive before an admissions committee. The Goal: What's the Purpose of Letters of Recommendation? Admissions officers put a lot of weight on recommendation letters. Especially in selective admissions, when thousands of qualified students are competing for a limited number of spots, reference letters can go a long way toward differentiating one student from another. According to Harvard dean of admissions William Fitzsimmons, recommendation letters are "extremely important" and are read "with great care" (often projected onto large screens in front of the whole committee!). So what are all these carefully reading admissions officers looking for? Two main features. The first is an insightful, in-depth story of the student that reveals both her academic skills and personal qualities. As a teacher, you're in a great position to comment on a student's intellectual curiosity, creativity, and attitude towards learning. Additionally, you can speak to a student's admirable personal qualities, like her sense of integrity, compassion, and leadership skills, to name a few. This in-depth look gives an admissions committee a holistic view of your student beyond the grades and clubs listed on their application. It helps the student come to life. The second main feature that admissions committees typically look for is a student's potential to contribute positively to the college community, as well as to succeed after graduation. In your recommendation, you can state your confidence about a student's success on campus and future achievement. Certain qualities are especially impressive to admissions officers and hint at success in college, though this might vary somewhat by individual. Some of these qualities include love of learning, academic commitment, communication skills, commitment to mastery of a specific skill or area, and leadership capacity. Since these personal qualities may not be apparent on the rest of the application (apart from the student's own personal essay), the letters of recommendation can go a long way toward describing a student's best traits. Plus, they show that a student has teachers who are motivated to advocate for her. Of course, hopefully no one would agree to recommend a student and then write bad, sabotaging things in the recommendation letter. It's generally safe to assume that all recommenders want to support students in continuing their education. But mediocre letters can often be just as bad as ones that are outright critical, and merely "good letters" pale in comparison to excellent ones. So what must go into a letter of recommendation to make it particularly strong and effective? How to Write a Strong Letter of Recommendation The strongest letters of recommendation take time and thought to craft. They're individualized to each student and are thoughtfully revised for word choice and flow of ideas. First and foremost, what content is essential for a strong letter of recommendation? Include Key Content Perhaps the best way to describe what a letter of rec should include is to start out by describing what it shouldn't include. A rec letter should not simply be a restatement of a student's grades, clubs, and awards. All of these facts and figures should already be stated on the student's application. The most ineffective rec letters just repeat a student's resume. Admissions officers are hoping for deep insights into a student's character, rather than a list of data points that could apply to any number of students. This is not to say that recommenders shouldn't mention what a student has achieved or been involved in, but they shouldn't feel compelled to list every single accomplishment. Instead, writers can point to a specific involvement or story that demonstrates something meaningful about the student. For instance, you might be writing about Michael, whose powerful commitment to equality and education led him to establish a Gay-Straight Alliance at the school. In this way, you're discussing something a student has done to illuminate something significant and admirable about his character and motivations. Speaking about his establishment of the GSA is more illustrative than simply stating that he's committed to equality and social justice. So if reiterating the student's grades and activities (ie, resume points) shouldn't go into the rec letter, what should? MIT offers an insightful breakdown of the questions its admissions officers would like answers to in a letter. These questions are a useful guide for recommenders writing to any college. What is the context of your relationship with the applicant? Has the student demonstrated a willingness to take intellectual risks and go beyond the normal classroom experience? Does the applicant have any unusual competence, talent, or leadership abilities? What motivates this person? What excites him/her? How does the applicant interact with teachers? With peers? Describe his/her personality and social skills. What will you remember most about this person? Has the applicant ever experienced disappointment or failure? If so, how did he/she react? Are there any unusual family or community circumstances of which we should be aware? Source: MIT Admissions A recommender doesn't necessarily have to answer all of these questions, but they're great starting points for brainstorming. They shift the focus from what a student does to what a student is like, in terms of her intellectual curiosity, specific skills or talents, passions, and personality. Some other impressive qualities include communication skills, resourcefulness, and innovative problem-solving. Admissions committees often also look for demonstrated leadership and the ability to collaborate with others in an interactive and diverse environment. Beyond these personal qualities, letter writers might speak to unusual circumstances or challenges that the student has faced or survived. These can be especially meaningful to explain a dip in academic performance or to show how a student has overcome hardship. I would advise getting the student's permission before including personal family information, just to make sure she's comfortable with you sharing it. Finally, a recommender may want to demonstrate her own familiarity with the school to which the student is applying. If the school is particularly competitive, then you might express your confidence in the student's ability to thrive in an academically rigorous environment. If you're an alum of the school, then you can believably assert your confidence that the student would be a strong cultural fit. The strongest recommendation letters give insight into a student's intellectual orientation, motivations, and personal qualities. As a writer, how can you rave about your student in a sincere, genuine, and convincing way? One of the best ways to accomplish this is to focus your recommendation on the student's best assets. Highlight your student's most important strengths. Highlight the Most Important Themes Just as you don't have to feel compelled to repeat every grade, club, and award on the student's resume, you also don't have to speak about every quality that makes the student great. In fact, well-rounded students aren't necessarily what the most competitive schools are looking for. While selective schools look for academic excellence in most subjects, what they really appreciate is a student's singular commitment to a specific and distinct area. Developing a "big spike" in a certain area shows passion, dedication, and the ability to sustain long-term focus. As PrepScholar co-founder and Harvard alum Allen Cheng writes, top colleges are looking for students who are going to change the world. They're expecting deep achievement, and the best predictor of that is deep achievement in high school. Therefore admissions committees are especially impressed by a "huge spike" in science, writing, athletics, or whatever your commitment might be. Of course, not all or even the majority of students are applying to Ivy League schools, but the takeaway message still applies. Recommendation letters don't have to present the student as well-rounded and good at everything they do. Instead, they can paint a specific picture and highlight the qualities that are most important to understanding who the student is and what drives her actions. Some letters may highlight that a student is a top scholar, while others may speak to a student's leadership skills. Some may focus in on the student's passion for volunteer work, or her talent in acting, art, music, or athletics. For students with extensive international experience, recommenders may rave about their multicultural, global perspective or unusual maturity and sophistication. Other students may have had to overcome hardships in their life, and the recommender could speak to their resilience and strength as a survivor. As mentioned above, I would suggest discussing this kind of content with the student to make sure she's comfortable sharing it with admissions commitees.All in all, a recommender can brainstorm a list of the student's best assets (with the aid of the student's resume and "brag sheet"), and zero in on the most important themes. What if the student hasn't demonstrated interest in a particular area, but you're excited to see her further explore her interests in college? In this case, you could write earnestly about the student's room to grow and the potential you see in her. At the same time, be careful with this kind of wording, as it may suggest different things to different admissions officers. If you really feel not able or qualified to provide the student with a recommendation that will help her admission chances, then you shouldrespectfully decline or suggest someone else better able to write her letter. Once you've chosen the most important themes to highlight about a student, you can think about specific stories, experiences, or observations that demonstrate those strengths. The best recommendation letters "show," rather than just "tell." Bring your letter to life with meaningful stories and examples. Give Specific Examples Which sentence paints a better picture in the mind of the reader? a) Kate is a strong writer. b) Due to Kate's superlative writing and analytical skills, I'll be using her year-long thesis on representations of gender inJane Eyre as an example of the highest quality work to students in my future AP English classes. The second uses more powerful words, but more importantly it gives a specific example, thereby proving that Kate has strong writing skills. It explains the grounds on which the teacher draws her conclusion that Kate is a good writer. It additionally suggests that Kate can sustain focus in a long-term project and impressed the teacher so much that her thesis became a model for future students. The best recommendation letters support their praise of a student with specific anecdotes and observations. These stories accomplish a few things. One, they support the writer's claims. Rather than just listing adjectives, the writer backs up her description with examples. Secondly, they make the letter more interesting and help the student come to life in the eyes of admissions officers. Officers may be up all night reading through applications. The last thing they want is a generic, boring recommendation letter that blends into all the others. Interesting stories make both the letter and the student pop. Finally, the use of specific stories proves that the recommender is, in fact, qualified to assess the student. The best letters come from teachers who know a student well. Sharing anecdotes and observations prove that you've gotten to know the student thoroughly and your evaluation of her is trustworthy and reliable. In addition to sharing examples, you should take the time to be intentional with your word choice. Consider which phrases and adjectives will present the clearest and strongest endorsement of the student. Dance, words, dance! Use Powerful Words As with any piece of writing, the best recommendation letters are eloquent, clear, and don't fall into the trap of cliches. Calling someone a go-getter with a heart of gold who leaves no stone unturned and is a friend to all may elicit a yawn or eye roll from the admissions officer. Often finding just the right word happens in the revision stage. Check if you wrote interesting when creative or innovative would work better. Keep an eye out for nice when you meant to dive into a student's unique empathy or compassion for others. Perhaps you wrote hard worker when intellectual risk-taker would more accurately describe the student. Some words and phrases that can be used to described a student's academic strengths includeinsightful, analytical, curious, observant, innovative, or mastery of a specific subject area.Others that fall more in the arena of personal and professional strengths includemature, flexible, generous, empathetic, leader, versatile, ethical, motivated, ambitious, resourceful, and strong communication skills. Admissions officers have read hundreds, if not thousands, of recommendation letters, and they're used to reading between the lines. Be intentional with your wording so you don't accidentally communicate something negative about the student. For instance, a phrase like "leads by example" or "excels at working independently" could indicate that the student keeps to herself and has trouble working with others. While it's more important to be authentic and not worry too much about what an admissions officer may or may not think, this mindset can help you be purposeful with what you say and how you say it in your letter. You can also keep an eye out for sounding over the top with your phrase. While the best letters rave about their students, they have the examples to back up their praise. Simply listing superlative adjectives could come off as overblown and insincere. A second technique that may impress admissions officers is the use of a high ranking. Rank the Student Highly, When Appropriate Consider these ranking statements: Carla is the most talented and driven math student I have taught in my twenty years at High School High. James is one of the top three students I have ever had the pleasure of teaching. An impressive ranking, like the two above, certainly communicates a strong vote of confidence in a student, especially if it comes from a teacher with hundreds of students to compare her recommendee to. If your student is applying to a selective or Ivy League school, then a powerful ranking can go a long way toward testifying to a student's outstanding achievement and qualities. On the other hand, a ranking like "above average" or "relatively strong effort compared to her peers" may do more harm than good. If you can genuinely provide a statement of high ranking, then you can help the student by including it. If not, then it's probably advisable to leave that kind of statement out of your letter. Apart from a statement of ranking, there are a few other key components to include in your letter of recommendation. While you can be creative and customize your letters to each student, there are a few essential pieces of information that you should include in all your letters. Include all essential elements. State All Essential Information There are a few necessary pieces of information to include in all recommendation letters that I touched on briefly at the beginning of this article. The first is an explicit statement of who you're recommending. If you can customize your letter for each college, all the better. Second, you should state who you are, your position at the school, and the contexts in which you've gotten to know the applicant. If you've gotten to know the student both in class for a year and as editor of the school newspaper, then this shows you've taught and supervised her in different contexts and are especially qualified to evaluate her. Admissions officers usually prefer recommendations from junior year teachers, as they had the student recently and for a whole year. A senior year teacher probably doesn't know the student very well yet, and sophomore and freshman year was too far in the past. Exceptions to this general rule include having the student for more than one year or supervising her in other capacities, like clubs or sports. You can begin the letter with a creative or catchy hook, or a more straightforward statement of endorsement, as long as you include these key components in the introduction. Here are a few examples. It is my great pleasure to provide this recommendation for Kate, who I enjoyed teaching and getting to know as her th grade AP U.S. History teacher. I have known Joe since 2012 in my position as Lincoln High School's Biology teacher. I am delighted to write this recommendation for Rosa, whom I have known for two years as her Psychology teacher and academic advisor. Please accept this letter as my enthusiastic endorsement of Chris, the top student in my th grade AP Chemistry class. After introducing the student, your relationship with her, and your statement of recommendation, you can go on to provide your evaluation, while keeping in mind the above mentioned suggestions, like focusing on important themes and using specific stories, powerful language, and a statement of ranking. If you want to balance out your recommendation by presenting a weakness, I would suggest doing so in a mild way, perhaps with an explanation of how that weakness could be turned into a strength. In your letter's conclusion, it's a good idea to restate your support for the student, while also talking about how you envision the student being successful at college. Admissions officers want to build a strong, dynamic, and diverse class with a range of abilities and interests. By attesting to the student's potential for future success and contributions at campus, you can reassure admissions officers that she is a student they want at their school. Finally, you can conclude your letter with your contact information and an invitation to call or email you with any further questions. Use an official letterhead, and welcome them to get in touch for any further discussion of the student. To sum up, let's go over the do's and don't's of writing recommendation letters for students applying to college. Key Points to Remember Do: Include key content, like who you're recommending, who you are, how you know the student, and what makes you qualified to evaluate her. Be enthusiastic in your recommendation, discussing both a student's academic ability and potential and her character and personality. Highlight a few key qualities that you think are essential for admissions officers to understand who the student is and what she can accomplish. Use specific stories, examples, and anecdotes to support your evaluation. Be intentional in your word choice, making sure to powerful words and phrases and to avoid cliches. Provide a high and impressive ranking, when applicable. Conclude with a strong statement of support, vision of the student's future success, and invitation to the admissions committee to follow up with you if need be. Don't: Simply repeat resume points or quantitative data that are already listed on other parts of the application. Cast too wide a net and end up saying very little, because you tried to say too much. List adjectives without having examples to back them up. Use generic, bland, unenthusiastic language or cliche statements. Use similar letters for more than one student, especially if the students are applying to the same schools (the same admissions officers will see this!) Agree to provide a letter of recommendation unless you can honestly recommend a student. Finally, not all students develop strong connections with their teachers, perhaps because they have trouble participating in class or their school has a large teacher to student ratio. To help you write your recommendation, students may provide a "brag sheet," where they talk about their goals and what's important to them, as well as a resume. If you need more information or time to talk to the student, it can help to meet with her and have a conversation or two. I always found the easiest letters to write were for students who were open and eager to share their plans and personality. If you feel you haven't gotten to know a student as well as you need to to write a compelling and insightful letter, then it may help to elicit her thoughts and feelings, as well as make time to get to know her better. As long as you have the raw materials, in terms of a good relationship, stories, and observations, then you can use these suggestions and examples to craft a thoughtful, customized letter of recommendation that will help her get into college. As you write, remember your mission: to differentiate the student as a unique and impressive candidate, to shed light on both her intellectual and personal qualities, and to give admissions officers a holistic view of the person that will show up on campus in next year's class. What's Next? One of the most helpful resources for me as I wrote recommendation letters for students were examples of great and bad letters. Check back soon for our articles with great letters, bad letters, and a suggested recommendation letter template. While recommendation letters are important for all schools, they must be especially outstanding to help a student get into the Ivy League. Check out our complete guide to Harvard recommendation letters (coming soon). 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:

ANALYSIS OF TWO OPPOSITE LEGAL OPINIONS (FATWAS) ON THE SAME ISSUE Essay

ANALYSIS OF TWO OPPOSITE LEGAL OPINIONS (FATWAS) ON THE SAME ISSUE - Essay Example 15) presented to them for clarification by the faithful. Ali Khan (2006a, p. 202) refer to them as scholarly decrees which may have substantial explanations and reasoning behind them or be simply statements addressing the issue at hand (Cornell 2007, p. 154) as opinions. Cornell avers that such scholars extract their verdicts from the Quran, the Sunnah which is anything approved of by Prophet Mohammad, through creation of consensus among themselves or through the use of Ijtihad, which basically means personal, logical reasoning on the part of a scholar. Often times, different fatwas are issued on the same topic. The explanation for this may be that the each of the fatwas is offered with regard to different geographical or historical settings (Khan 2006b, p. 16). Christian Snouck (quoted in Petersen 1997, p. 11) asserts that another cause of the contradictions in fatwas is fictitious verdicts that are not requested by the laity addressing invented questions, mostly issued for rivalry purposes as illustrated abundance of various ideological standpoints in the twentieth century (Petersen 1997, p. 28). Notwithstanding the context, only one ruling can be right at a time (Khan 2006b, p. 17). In line with this argument, Dr. Sano Koutoub Moustapha (Different Fatwas, 2015), responding to a query on handling contradictory rulings, finds that differences are normal since scholars have differing methodology and principles. He notes that Islam does not compel following of Ijtihad, but that fatwas must be issued by qualified scholars. Muslims are allowed to choose opinions pertinent to them, with stronger foundations or exercise their own judgement. According to Dr. Moustapha, all verdicts are acceptable (Different Fatwas, 2015). Shaykh Muhammad Saalih al-Munajjid reiterates that only knowledgeable persons can give fatwas which should be based on a proper evidential foundation (Islamqa.info 2015). It is well established that some foods, for instance,