The Abuse of Volunteering For Public Service Essay

The Abuse of Volunteering For Public Service - Essay Example These include social amenities like health, fire services, and housing among others. The public service was mostly provided by public servants who were hired by the government to ensure that the services are rendered to the masses. Most public servants are qualified in their respective fields to provide efficient service. In recent times, the public has been encouraged to participate in public service. This is done so that the public could play a role in the betterment of the lives of the community. The participation of the public will ensure that its members contribute directly to providing services that are required by a community. Initially, individual participation in volunteering for public service was purely based on altruism, a sense of obligation and patriotism that the community possessed. In recent times, however, the reasons for voluntary participation in public service have been questioned, since the motives are not based purely on duty. The motives of volunteers are most ly egocentric; these people want to attain benefits for themselves, so the original intention of helping the community as a whole is neglected. This raises the question whether or not voluntary public service has lost its meaning? This is because nowadays it is hard to distinguish if the volunteering is done due to duty or due to the desire of the volunteer to benefit himself or herself as opposed to the public. Individuals have contributed to public service in various ways. This includes volunteering time and expertise or monetary assistance. The motives of these contributions are, however, questionable, since not all of them are done to benefit only the society. The individuals may have an angle that is self-beneficial. This may be to gain political, educational, or career millage. Though there are individuals who volunteer only for noble reasons, this practice has been corrupted by selfish interests. The perception of public service has evolved over the years. This is because var ious motivations other than altruism are evident in the individuals volunteering for this. This is because individuals are volunteering for the services so that they can gain something in return. This may be to attain an advantage academically or to have a better-looking resume among other self-serving interests. In academic institutions, the students are required in some instances to gain field experience (Lee 3). One of the ways these students can achieve this is through volunteering for public service. The students are assimilated into public sectors and are given duties of public servants. This is then reflected in their reports and appraised by their respective institutions. In this scenario, both the public and the students benefit from this arrangement. This is because the students will devote hours of their time to serve the public while receiving the required field experience for their course. In their time as volunteers, the students will take part in activities that are b eneficial to the welfare of the society. However, there is a downside to this in that some of the student will volunteer only to get the required hours from the exercise (Lee 4). This will result in the students not giving quality service to the public, since they will not be dedicated to the service. The students will consider the volunteering only as a forced requirement rather than as a

Working and non-working students Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Working and non-working students - Essay Example The academic grades of students depend on the time spent on study sessions. Working students spend a considerable part of working. Thus, they have minimal time for class sessions and individual study (Berkel, 2010). Consequently, their grades suffer substantial deterioration, leading to lower grades. By contrast, the non-working counterparts dedicate the most time to study. Therefore, they are likely to register higher grades. Nonetheless, academics performance depends on the manner by which employment coincides with apathy in academics. Non-working students and working students both spend time in participation in co-curricular activities. The degree of participation, however, depends on the commitment of students. Thus, students who work are likely to engage in fewer co-curricular activities compared to their counterparts (Berkel, 2010). Socializing and entertainment depend on the relevant context. Working students spend minimal periods in socializing with non-working students, especially those who reside in college hostels (Berkel, 2010). However, they can associate with work mates on regular basis and event accord time for entertainment during weekends. The learning environment, by contrast, offers opportunities for students to mingle and participate in entertainment. In conclusion, working and working students portray diverse academic performance, co-curricular participation levels, and entertainment/socializing levels. Regardless of their variances, both sets of students make up the modern learning

Research Change Models Essay Example for Free

Research Change Models Essay To make meaningful and long-term change in an organization, an organization needs to follow the guidelines of a change model, a diagnostic instrument, and change intervention. This paper will discuss two change models, two diagnostic instruments, and two change interventions. Change Models The two change models discussed in this paper are Lewin’s Change Model and the Action Research Model. Both of these models give a map on how to create change. Lewin’s model simplifies the process into three steps while the Action Research Model consists of eight steps. Both models three phases: Research phase, changing phase, and solidification phase (Luckett, 2003). Lewin’s Change Model Lewin developed one of the very first models for change management (Luckett, 2003). He stated there are two types of people in an organization; those who resist change and those who strive for change (Luckett, 2003; JPC, 1995; Spector, 2007). He stated the two groups need to be of equal measure to maintain homeostasis (Luckett, 2003; JPC, 1995; Pellettiere, 2006; Spector, 2007). When both groups of people are equal, a frozed state (freeze) is achieved. Lewin (as cited by JPC, 1995) states a driving force is needed to either â€Å"strengthen the driving forces or weaken the restraining forces† to achieve change (para 3). Spector (2007) states, â€Å"to break the social habits that support existing patterns of behaviors, effective implementation needs to start with dissatisfaction, disequilibrium, and discomfort† (p. 29). When one side is strengthened and/or one side is weakened then change (move) can be achieved. During this time, the organization goes through redesign, new roles and responsibilities, and new relationships are made (Spector, 2007). After the change, or movement, is completed, the organization then needs to go back to a state of homeostasis (refreeze). Bridges (2003) echoed Lewin’s three stages to organizational change in his naming of the stages: Ending, losing, letting go; neutral zone, and New Beginning (Bridges, 2003, p. 5 as cited by Stragalas, 2010, p. 31). Lewin’s model with its three steps may be too simplistic for many organizations to achieve change. Without a less ambiguous map, the organization may not be able to sustain change. Action Research Model The Action Research Model consists of eight steps: Problem identification, consultation with behavioral science expert, data gathering and preliminary diagnosis, feedback to key client or group, joint diagnosis of problem, joint action planning, action, and data gathering after collection (Boonstra, 2003; Luckett, 2003). The last five stages can be perpetual. After the last data gathering, the organization should return to â€Å"feedback to key client or group†. Once the feedback is given, the group may want to continue through the next steps. Whereas the diagnosis is completed through the â€Å"unfreeze† in Lewin’s model, in the Action Research model, diagnosis is completed during the â€Å"problem identification, consultation, and data gathering steps† (Luckett, 2003, p. 25). The changing phase for Lewin is the â€Å"move† step. In the Action Research model, the changing phase occurs during the â€Å"feedback, joint diagnosis, action planning, and action steps† (Luckett, 2003, p. 26). In Lewin’s model, the solidified phase takes place during the refreeze. In the Action Research model, solidification takes place during the â€Å"gathering after the action† (Luckett, 2003, p. 26). Moreover, â€Å"the continual process of feedback analysis solidifies the changes as the occur† (Luckett, 2003, p. 27). Unlike the Lewin model, Action Research allows for perpetual analysis that â€Å"facilitates adjustments in the organizations change plan† (Luckett, 2003, p. 28). Diagnostic Instruments Diagnostic instruments, or assessment instruments, are used for data collection and to analyze an organization. Without a proper diagnosis, change is very likely to fail (Pellettiere, 2006). Alderfer (1980) states â€Å"organizational diagnosis proceeds in there orderly phases: entry, data collection, and feedback† (p. 460). The entry phase consists of identifying who will participate in the assessment and if an agreement can be reached (Alderfer, 1980). The data collection phase consists of collecting the information and then analysis of the information (Alderfer, 1980). The feedback phase consists of sharing the results with the organization along with suggestions for the organization (Alderfer, 1980; Preziosi, 2012). The feedback should consist of strengths and weaknesses within the organization (Alderfer, 1980). Salem (2002) states there are three type of assessments: structural assessments, functional assessments, and process assessments. Structural assessments are a snapshot of a specific point in time, functional assessments relates antecedents with actions and outcomes, and process assessments consists of collecting data over an extended period of time (Alderfer, 1980). SWOT Analysis SWOT Anlysis is an acronym which stands for strength, weakness, opportunities, and threats (Balamuralikrishna Dugger, 1995; Boonstra, 2003; Hughes, 2007; Mind Tools, 2012; RapidBI, 2010; Renault, 2012). According to Balamuralikrishna Dugger (1995), a SWOT analysis should cover the internal environment and external environment. In regards to education, the internal environment consists of â€Å"faculty and staff, the learning environment, current students, operating budget, various committees, and research programs† (Balamuralikrishna Dugger, 1995, para. 13). External environment includes â€Å"propective employers of graduates, parents and families of students, competing schools, population demographics, and funding agencies† (Balamuralikrishna Dugger, 1995, para. 14). SWOT analysis would be very beneficial to school systems. Understanding an organization’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats assists the organization and their leaders to develop a plan of change that will be meaningful, measurable, and achievable. Balamuralikrishna Dugger, 1995 give many drawbacks to the SWOT analysis. They warn against misusing information to â€Å"justify a previously decided course of action rather than used as a means to open up new possibilities† (Balamuralikrishna Dugger, 1995, para. 19). They also warn against being too concerned about labels. For example, in many instances threats can also be considered opportunities depending upon the mindset of the leader and/or organization (Balamuralikrishna Dugger, 1995). Functional Assessment Functional assessments are another diagnostic tool useful to organizations. Functional assessments look at antecedents, behaviors, reasons for the behaviors, and outcomes (Salem, 2002). Antecedents describe what happened before the behavior. The behavior refers to how a person(s) or organization responded to the antecedent. The next question one must ask is â€Å"why did the person(s)/organization act this way?† There are several reasons a person or organization responds the way they do. However, there are only a few categories for any given behavior: attention, avoidance/escape, and control/tangible (McConnell, Cox, Thomas, Hilvitz, 2001). Finding the reasoning behind a behavior can be very important in overcoming a behavior/resistance to change or to repeat desirable behaviors to change. Problems associated with functional assessments often revolve around lack of direction. What does the organization do with this data? Functional assessments should be followed by goals. Goa ls are long-term change for an organization. To achieve their goals, organizations need to develop short-term wins, also called objectives. Change Interventions Change interventions are the â€Å"planned programmatic activities aimed at bringing changes in an organization† (Sadhu, 2009, para. 1). Interventions are detailed maps to help an organization achieve its long-term change. Aligning Reward Systems through Objectives Objectives are a road map to achieving an organizations long-term goal. Objectives need to be SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely (Morrison, 2010). As employees or other stakeholders meet objectives, a reward system should be set in place. The reward system needs to be appropriate and balanced with regard to the objective and motivate the organization to meet the objective(s) by the deadline. Problems with reward systems include over compensating, under compensating, and the reward not being meaningful to the recipient (Cole, Harris, Bernerth, 2006; Morrison, 2010; Nevis, Melnick, Nevis, 2008; Sadhu, 2009. Polarity Management Intervention Morrison (2010) states there are benefits of embracing resistance. He states embracing resistance can speed up the change process, help build strong relationships, help all stakeholders to meet some of their own personal goals, and keeping leaders from â€Å"taking untimely or foolish action† (Morrison, 2010, para. 22). Johnson (1992) developed a table with four quadrants to â€Å"depict change initiators and resisters† for both individuals and teams. Using this table helps organizations to see the whole picture, understanding where individuals and the organization as a whole is at this time and how to get it individuals and teams from polar opposites to common ground so change can be made (Morrison, 2010). Downsides to Polarity Management Intervention include loosing individual creativity and freedom as well as neglect of personal needs (Morrison, 2010). References Aderfer, C.P. (1980). The methodology of organizational diagnosis. Professional Psychology, 11(3), 459-468. doi:10.0033-0175/80/1103-0459. Balamuralikrishna, R., Dugger, J.C. (1995). SWOT analysis: A management tool for initiating new programs in vocational schools. Journal of Vocational and Technical Education, 12(1), 5 pages. Retrieved from http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JVTE/v12n1/Balamuralikrishna.htm. Boonstra, J. (2003). Dynamics of organizational change and learning. Chichester: Wiley. Cole, M.S., Harris, S.G., Bernerth, J.B. (2006). Exploring the implications of vision, appropriateness, and execution of organizational change. Leadership Organization Development Journal, 27(5), 352-367. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/01437730610677963. Holt, D.T. (2002). Readiness for change: The development of a scale. Ph.D. dissertation, Auburn University, Alabama. ProQuest Digital Dissertations database. (Publication No. AAT 3070767. Huges, M. (2007). The tools and techniques of cha nge management. Journal of change management, 7(1), 37-49. doi: 10.1080/14697010309435. JPC (1995). An ethical, means based, approach to organizational change. JPC Media LLC. Retrieved from www.jpcmediallc.com. Linkage (2012). Diagnostic instruments and assessments. Linkage. Retrieved from linkageasia.com/our-leadership-consulting-expertise/diagnostic-instruements-assessments/ Luckett, M.T. (2003). Organizational change and development. (Unpublished dissertation). Walden University, Minneapolis, MN. McConnell, M.E., Cox, C.J., Thomas, D.D., Hilvitz, P.B. (2001). Functional

Depository System In India Security System For Investors Economics Essay

Depository System In India Security System For Investors Economics Essay Close to sixty three years of Independence, India has emerged to be one of the driving forces of the World Economy. However, with the recent setback of the Global Recession of 2007, a need had been felt to look into the existing structures of the Financial Institutions present. Consequently, a Committee was established by Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), under the chairmanship of Bimal Jalan, former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor, in February 2010. It was setup with the view to underscore an important distinction between regulation and control, and to ensure that the former does not degenerate into the latter. The committee has also instituted an interesting term called the Market Infrastructure Institutions. The term marker infrastructure denotes such fundamental facilities and systems serving the market. As per the Report  [1]  , Stock exchanges, depositories and clearing corporations are collectively referred to as securities Market Infrastructure Institutions (MIIs). They can be defined to be institutions providing basic, underlying framework or features for the market. Well functioning MIIs are the backbone of any economy, which in turn is directly proportional to the well-being of the economy. Infrastructure Institutions can be characterized by provision of essential services, offering networking services, exhibiting economies of scale, presenting sunk costs and operating natural monopolies.  [2]   Introduction Depositories form an important part of the securities Market Infrastructure Institutions in India. As per section 2(e) of the Depositories Act, 1996, a depository means a company formed and registered under the Companies Act, 1956 and which has been granted a Certificate of Registration under sub-section (1A) of section 12 of the Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992 (15 of 1992). In simple words, a Depository is an organization which is similar to a bank. It holds the securities of investors in an electronic book entry form at their request and provides services related to transactions in securities with speed, accuracy and safety. It interacts with its clients through a `Depository Participant with whom the client is required to open a Demat Account. A depository participant is defined in section 2(g) of the Depositories Act, 1996 as participant means a person registered as such under sub-section (1A) of section 12 of the Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992 (15 of 1992). An application for the grant of certificate of registration as Depository Participant is made to the Board Form E along with application fee as specified in Part A of the second schedule of the Depository Participant Regulations. Public financial  institutions, scheduled commercial banks,  foreign banks operating in India with the approval of the Reserve Bank of India, state financial corporations,  custodians, stock-brokers, clearing corporations /clearing houses, NBFCs and Registrar to an Issue or Share Transfer Agent complying with the requirements prescribed by SEBI can be registered as Depository Participants. Evolution of Depository System in India The growth in the Indian capital market both in number of transactions and the value of trade and resultant settlement of securities exposed the limitation of handling securities in the paper mode. Physical (paper) mode of holding securities was not only cumbersome and inefficient but also held numerous risks for the participant and led to dissatisfaction of issuers and investors alike. Due to limitations and problems associated it necessitated the setting up of depositories to move away from paper based holding of securities. Thus, Depository system was established to eliminate the inconvenience and confusion caused by the paper based trading and a scripless trading system came to be recognized. The enactment of Depositories Act in August 1996 paved the way for introduction of Depository system in India. Following the notification of the SEBI (Depositories and Participants) Regulations, 1996, National Securities Depository Ltd (NSDL), a company sponsored by the NSE, IDBI and UTI was granted a certificate of registration as a depository on June 7,1996. Some of the other shareholders are State Bank of India, HDFC Bank Limited, Deutsche Bank A.G., Axis Bank Limited, Citibank N.A.Standard Chartered Bank, The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, Oriental Bank of Commerce etc. The higher shareholding (of at least 51%) by sponsors, including stock exchanges in depositories was permitted in the initial stages for facilitating the setting up of depositories. Central Depository Services (India) Ltd (CDSL), the second depository, was promoted by Bombay Stock Exchange Limited (BSE) in association with Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, State Bank of India and HDFC Bank. BSE has been involved with this venture right from the inception and has contributed overwhelmingly to the fruition of the project. The initial capital of the company is Rs.104.50 crores. The list of major shareholders with effect from 5th July, 2010 is  [3]  : Name of shareholders Value of holding (in Rupees Lacs) % Terms to total equity Bombay Stock Exchange Limited 5,663.46 54.20 Bank of India 582.00 5.57 Bank of Baroda 530.00 5.07 State Bank of India 1,000.00 9.57 HDFC Bank Limited 750.00 7.18 Standard Chartered Bank 750.00 7.18 Canara Bank 674.46 6.45 Inter-depository transfer through on-line connectivity between CDSL and NSDL was established in 1999.  [4]   Benefits of the Depository System The main objective of the depository system is to maintain and safeguard the ownership and transfer records of securities in an electronic form. Depository system eliminates the inconvenience and confusion caused by the paper based trading. It is a safe and convenient way of holding securities and reduces the risks associated with certificates. In a depository system, the investors have the advantages like efficient settlements, lower costs and lower risks of theft. It also facilitates immediate transfer of securities and no stamp duty is required on transfer of shares. Change in address recorded with Depository Participant gets registered with all companies in which investor holds securities electronically eliminating the need to correspond with each of them separately. Also there is automatic credit into demat account of shares, arising out of bonus/split/consolidation/merger etc.A natural guardian is not required to take court approval for selling Demat securities on behalf of a minor. Ease in portfolio monitoring  since statement of account gives a consolidated position of investments in all instruments. Holding investments in equity and debt instruments in a single  account is also another advantage of the depository system. Features of Indian Depository System: Dematerialization: There are two models for depository system across the world-dematerialization and immobilization. India has adopted the dematerialization model. India provides for a competitive multi-depository system. There can be various entities providing depository services.eg (NSDL and CDSL).The model adopted in India provides only for Dematerialization of securities. Dematerialization is the process of converting the physical form of shares into an electronic form and in short called Demat. Dematerialization of securities occurs when securities issued in physical form is destroyed and an equivalent number of securities are credited into the beneficiary owners account. The depositories can provide their services to investors through their agents called Depository Participants. These agents are appointed subject to the conditions prescribed under Securities and Exchange Board of India (Depositories and Participants) Regulations,1996 and other applicable conditions. The participants and investors get their respective IDs which has a unique identification in the depository system. Any number of depository accounts can be opened. After opening an account with the Depository Participant the investor should surrender the physical certificates held in his name to a depository participant. These certificates will be sent to the respective companies where they will be cancelled after dematerialization and will credit the investors account with the Depository Participant. The securities on dematerialization will appear as balances in the depository account. These balances can be transferred like the shares held in physical form. The securities in the Demat can again be converted into physical form which is called as dematerialization. Dematerialization of shares is optional and the investor can hold shares in the physical form, however the investor will have to demat the shares if he wishes to sell or purchase the shares through stock exchanges. Immobilization of securities is done by storing or lodging the physical security certificates with an organization that acts as a custodian a securities depository. All subsequent transactions in such immobilized securities take place through book entries. The actual owners have the right to withdraw the physical securities from the custodial agent whenever required by them. In the case of IPO, a jumbo certificate is issued in the name of the beneficiary owners based on which the depository gives credit to the account of beneficiary owners. Fungibility: Section 9 of the Depositories Act, 1996 states that securities in depositories should be in fungible form. In the depository system, the securities dematerialized are not identified by distinctive numbers or certificate numbers as in the physical environment. Thus all securities in the same class are identical and interchangeable. For example, all equity shares in the class of fully paid up shares are interchangeable. Registered Owner/ Beneficial Owner: In the depository system, the ownership of securities dematerialized is bifurcated between Registered Owner and Beneficial Owner. For the securities dematerialized, NSDL is the Registered Owner in the books of the issuer, but ownership rights and liabilities rest with Beneficial Owner. All the rights, duties and liabilities underlying the security are on the beneficial owner of the security. Free Transferability of shares: Transfer of shares held in dematerialized form takes place freely through electronic book-entry system. Legal Framework The depository business in India is regulated by: a. The Depositories Act, 1996 It was enacted to provide for regulation of depositories  in securities and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. It came into force from 20th September, 1995. It provides for the establishment of single and multiple depositories. Anybody to be eligible needs to be formed and registered as a company under the Companies Act, 1956 and seek registration with SEBI and obtain a Certificate of Commencement of Business from SEBI on fulfillment of the prescribed conditions. b. The SEBI (Depositories and Participants) Regulations, 1996 SEBI on 6th May, 1996 issued SEBI (Depositories and Participants) Regulations, 1996 which apply to depositories and its participants. The Depositories Act requires that the registration of the depository, depository participant and custodian, is mandatory with SEBI.  [5]  These regulations also contain provisions for operations and functioning of depositories, for application and certificates used and schedule of fees for participants etc. c. Bye-Laws of Depository Depository is required to frame its bye-laws  [6]  with the prior approval of SEBI, consistent with the provisions of the Act and the regulations made by SEBI thereunder. However on non-compliance SEBI has the power to amend or revoke the bye-laws on its own. d. Other Laws Apart from the above, Depositories are also governed by certain provisions of Companies Act, 1956, The Indian Stamp Act, 1899, SEBI Act,1956, SCRA,1956, Benami Transaction Prohibition Act,1988, Income Tax Act,1961, Bankers Book Evidence Act,1891. Ownership Norms Setting up of a Depository: An application for the grant of a certificate of registration as a depository shall be made to the Board by the sponsor in Form A. A Sponsor (anchor investor), as per section 2 (g), SEBI (Depositories and Participants) Regulations, 1996, means any person or persons who, acting alone or in combination with another proposes to establish a depository and undertakes to perform the obligations of a sponsor under these regulations. It is to be accompanied by the fee  [7]  and be paid in the manner specified thereof.  [8]   The application should be accompanied by draft bye-laws of the depository that is proposed to be set up. The sponsor is to be from one of the mentioned categories: (i) A public financial institution as defined in section 4A of the Companies Act, 1956 (1 of 1956); (ii) A bank included for the time being in the Second Schedule to the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 (2 of 1934); (iii) A foreign bank operating in India with the approval of the Reserve Bank of India; (iv) A recognized stock exchange within the meaning of clause (j) of section 2 of the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1956 (42 of 1956); (v) A body corporate engaged in providing financial services where not less than seventy-five per cent of the equity capital is held by any of Securities and Exchange Board of India the institutions mentioned in sub-clause (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) jointly or severally; (vi) A body corporate constituted or recognized under any law for the time being in force in a foreign country for providing custodial, clearing or settlement services in the securities market and approved by the Central Government; (vii) An institution engaged in providing financial services established outside India and approved by the Central Government; The applicant is supposed to be a fit and proper person.  [9]   Presently, sponsors are required to hold at least 51% of the equity share capital in the depository, either alone or together.  [10]  Also, no participant shall at any time, hold more than 5% of the equity capital of the depository  [11]   No person other than a sponsor, whether resident in India, or not, shall at any time, either individually or together with persons acting in concert, hold more than 5% of the equity share capital in the depository.  [12]   The expression person resident in India shall have the meaning assigned to it in clause (v) of section 2 of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (42 of 1999). The expression Persons acting in concert shall have the meaning derived from clause (e) of sub-regulation (1) of Regulation 2 of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Substantial Acquisition of Shares and Takeovers) Regulations, 1997. The combined holding of all persons resident outside India in the equity share capital of the depository shall not exceed, at any time, 49% of its total equity share capital, subject further to the following: the sponsor shall, at all times, hold at least 51% of the equity capital of the depository and the balance of the equity capital of the depository shall be held by its participants.  [13]   At present, the combined holding of all persons residing outside India in the equity share capital of an MII is capped at 49% subject to the following: The combined holding through FDI  [14]  and FII  [15]  routes are capped at 26% and 23%, respectively. FIIs can acquire the equity shares of an MII only through the secondary market.  [16]   An FII cannot have representation on the board of an MII.  [17]   After considering the application, if the Board is satisfied that the company established by the sponsor is eligible to act as a depository it may grant a certificate of registration in Form B to the depository subject to the prescribed conditions like registration fee, redressing of grievances etc. A depository is required to make an application to the Board for commencement of business in Form C within one year from the date of issue of certificate of registration. The SEBI (Depositories and Participants) Regulations, 1996, provides that: the depository shall not carry on any activity other than that of a depository unless the activity is incidental to the activity of the depository  [18]   It is provided that a depository may carry out such activity not incidental to its activities as a depository, as may be assigned to the depository, by the Central Government or by a regulator in the financial sector, through the establishment of Strategic Business Unit(s), and by complying with other conditions specified by the Board.  [19]   A Strategic Business Unit shall be an organizational unit of a company with its own mission, objectives and business strategy that is given the responsibility to serve the particular demands of one business area with appropriate technological, financial and other segregations. It is provided that for the purposes of clause (d) and (e) no foreign entity,  [20]  individually and collectively either as a sponsor or as a participant or as a sponsor and participant together shall hold more than 20% of the equity capital of a depository. Board Composition The Board composition for the two main depositories in India can be summarized as follows: a. National Securities Depository Ltd (NSDL) Independent Directors: 5 Shareholder Directors: 5 MD/CEO: 1 b. Central Depository Services (India) Ltd (CDSL) Independent Directors: 2 Shareholder Directors: 5 Whole time Directors: 1 The board structure for depositories is not subject to stringent norms. Only financial institutions/banks/stock exchanges, etc. can be sponsors of a depository and these are mostly nominated as shareholder directors. Further there have been no requirements for appointment of MD/CEO that have been prescribed for depositories. Net Worth of Depositories The net worth requirement for Depositories is 100 crores. Disadvantages: Prior to dematerialization there was almost a gap of three months between application date and listing of shares. Dematerialization has reduced this gap to a great extent. Current regulations prohibit multiple bids or applications by a single person. But the investors open multiple demat accounts and make multiple applications to subscribe to IPOs in the hope of getting allotment. The recent IPO allotment scam proves that even a highly automated system is not the solution to prevent malpractices, if there is laxity. The scam of Yes bank and IDFC reveal the defect that investor banker fail to weed out multiple applications either direct or benami.eg. In the Yes Bank scandal thirteen investors had manipulated the allotment of shares by opening 7500 benami accounts and made profit in 1.7crores. Eventually all the thirteen investors were banned from trading in bank shares immediately. Lack of coordination between banks, DPs, brokers depositories, registrars and investment bankers and clarity of their roles has given rise to such problems. The depository system is complex and in need of greater supervision and control. Thus is the working of the Depository system in India. The advantages of the depository system outweigh the disadvantages. Few changes in the complex system and specifications regarding the appointment of Board of directors need to be specified.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning :: essays research papers

Elizabeth Barrett, an English poet of the Romantic Movement, was born in 1806 at Coxhoe Hall, Durham, England. The oldest of twelve children, Elizabeth was the first in her family born in England in over two hundred years. For centuries, the Barrett family had lived in Jamaica, where they owned sugar plantations and had slave labor to run them. Elizabeth's father was Edward Barrett Moulton Barrett, who chose to raise his family in England, while his fortune grew in Jamaica. Elizabeth was educated at home, and had read passages from a number of Shakespearean plays, among other great works, before the age of ten. By her twelfth birthday she had written her first epic poem, which consisted of four books of rhyming couplets. Two years later Elizabeth developed a lung ailment that plagued her for the rest of her life. Doctors began treating her with morphine, which she would use until she died. While riding a pony when she was fifteen, Elizabeth also suffered a spinal injury. Throughout h er teenage years, Elizabeth taught herself Hebrew so that she could read the Old Testament. Her interests then later turned to Greek studies. Accompanying her appetite for the classics was a passionate enthusiasm for her Christian faith. She became active in the Bible and Missionary Societies of her church. In 1826 Elizabeth then anonymously published her collection An Essay on Mind and Other Poems. Two years after that her mother passed away. The slow abolition of slavery in England and mismanagement of the plantations depleted the Barrett's income. In 1832 Elizabeth's father sold his rural estate at a public auction. He moved his family to a coastal town and rented cottages for the next three years, before settling permanently in London. While living on the sea coast, Elizabeth published her translation of Prometheus Bound (1833), by the Greek dramatist Aeschylus. Gaining notoriety for her work in the 1830's, Elizabeth continued to live in her father's London house under his tyran nical rule. He began sending Elizabeth's younger siblings to Jamaica to help with the family's estates. Elizabeth bitterly opposed slavery and did not want her siblings sent away. During this time, she wrote The Seraphim and Other Poems (1838), expressing Christian sentiments in the form of classical Greek tragedy. Due to her weakening disposition she was forced to spend a year at the sea of Torquay accompanied by her brother Edward.

Alexander Popes An Essay On Man -- Alexander Pope An Essay On Man

Alexander Pope's An Essay On Man Alexander Pope's An Essay On Man is generally accepted as a wonderfully harmonious mass of couplets that gather a variety of philosophical doctrines in an eclectic and (because of its philosophic nature) antithetic muddle. No critic denies that Pope's Essay On Man is among the most beautifully written and best of his works, but few also deny that Pope's Essay On Man is an incoherent conglomeration of "incongruous scraps" ("A Letter..." 88) of philosophical axioms. In forming An Essay On Man into perhaps the greatest philosophical poem ever written, Pope masterfully incorporates allusions and metaphors in which to constrict a world of meaning into the compact work that verse must be, in comparison to prose. Perhaps, then, Pope's greatest flaw is that, because a work of philosophy must be coherent and complete in order to be successful in most cases, An Essay On Man is too difficult to decipher because the structure and sequence of the work, as well as allusions and metaphors, while ad ding to the quality of verse, diminish the quality of the philosophical work. Pope's only mistake in writing An Essay On Man is his attempt to fit too much information into such a compressed work. However, viewed as separate thoughts, the majority of passages in the Essay seem to hold true - not a central and coherent truth, but an "angular and splintered" truth (De Quincey 224). As a philosophical argument represented in verse, the simplification of so many varying theories cannot be avoided. While the Essay lacks central doctrinal coherence, it still succeeds as a poem, even at the expense of its philosophy (Edwards 37). One must also recognize the greatness of the work itself, despite its lack of centra... ...ondsworth: Penguin Books, 1971. 224. Edwards, Thomas. "The Mighty Maze: An Essay on Man." Modern Critical Views: Alexander Pope. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House, 1986. 37-50. Hazlitt, William. From "On Dryden and Pope." Penguin Critical Anthologies: Alexander Pope. Eds. F.W. Bateson and N.A. Joukovsky. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, 1971. 197. Keener, Frederick. Introduction. An Essay on Pope. New York: Columbia University Press, 1974. 8. Magill, Frank, ed. Critical Survey of Poetry: Revised Edition. Vol. 6. Pasadena: Salem Press, 1992. 2632-2635. Pope, Alexander. An Essay On Man. Ed. Maynard Mack. Twickenham Edition. London: Methuen, 1950. Warton, Joseph. From "An Essay on the Genius and Writings of Pope." Penguin Critical Anthologies: Alexander Pope. Eds. F.W. Bateson and N.A. Joukovsky. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, 1971. 111-115.

Where to Build a Wind Farm?

In my opinion, the best place to build a wind farm in Cumbria is off the shore of Allonby. This is because; it has a lot of advantages which suit it, for being the best place to build a wind farm; as of its location and ingenious ideology behind it. Moreover, it is an offshore wind farm, which means that it will benefit a lot of homes, as at the sea it is extremely windy. Thus, a lot of electricity is generated, providing a lot of electricity than usual. However, some people would say that, because it is near a town, it’ll be very noisy and distracting to tourists and residents, and will even be an ‘eyesore. On the contrary, the wind farm will be 3 metres away from the land, so there is the least possibility of noise pollution and intervention. Furthermore, some people think that wind farms are quite attractive to look at and would be inquisitive about them when going on holiday. This would bring more tourists to Allonby and make it more popular; are helps the economy by bringing more jobs to Allonby such as information centre employees. This would educate the future generations to elaborate more of wind energy and alternative sources, to help the world’s situation.Also, being it the sea, there is a lot of space to build a wind farm, as there are no other possible variables that could affect it; and the decision to build a wind farm would be eliminated. However, there is the issue of it being in the sea so there is the problem of accessing the wind farm in the first place, if any problems arise with it. If something occurred and there was no way of fixing it as it is in the sea, then the homes and appliances relying on this wind energy, would be without power; and would be very disappointed – a major problem.Notwithstanding, this issue can be sorted out, as it is accessible by either a boat or a helicopter – to try and sort the problem out. However, it won’t be perfect, and sometimes issues may arise, so the government n eeds to think of other ways of access. In addition, the next best choice to build a wind farm would have been, Caldbeck Fells. This is because, it had a lot of advantages as Allonby, however it had some minor points which proved it to be less worthy and eliminated it. Firstly, Caldbeck Fells is on high exposed land which means there is a lot of wind available, which can power a lot of homes in Cumbria and electrical appliances.Also, it is a remote area, meaning no one will be perturbed or disturbed by it; and it will prove beneficial. Exceedingly, it is accessible by country lanes, so if something goes wrong, the maintenance team can access it by car. However, a major factor let it down, which was the fact that; it is just outside a national park, and a national park is preserved for outstanding natural beauty. People say that, if a wind farm were to be built here, then people would be repelled by it and will not choose to visit it – and it may mean the obstruction of birds, wildlife, ecosystems and scenery.However, to reiterate some people may like the idea of watching wind farms, as evidence in Scotland suggests that 8 out of 10 people have said, they would want to find out more about it. Also, it would have made the National Park more popular. Unfortunately, in my opinion, it may be a disadvantage to the fact of, that it may upset ecosystems and wildlife so many ornithologists, animal welfare support groups may protest, demolishing the request to build. Additionally, there were many sites that could’ve qualified for wind farm building, but had a lot of negative factors.Some sites have a lot of space to build wind farms and have a lot of wind availability, so a lot of electricity can be generated like Burgh by Sands. However, it has marshland, and a wind farm cannot be built as of its instability and it is close to a city (Carlisle) which means that, it can possibly disturb tourism activity or increase it, and create noise problems. Also, it wo uld obstruct birds, ecosystems and plants. Besides, Anthorn was on the coast and had some roads, so cars can get through for maintenance, however it had some radio masts and it would interfere with radio signals and be an additional ‘eyesore. Moreover, Skiddaw could’ve had the winning chance, but some factors limited it. It had high ground and plenty of spaces, as there were essentially no buildings and it would not affect anyone in terms of noise, as it was on a high mountain. However, it is part of the Lake District and the famous town Bassenthwaite is next to it; and it can be very unattractive. However, as it being closer to a town, it can provide jobs. Albeit, it cannot be accessible to any transport, as it will be high on a mountain; but a helicopter can be the solution.However, the problem cannot be sorted out as thorough. Wind energy is an excellent alternative energy source, as it doesn’t harm the environment – it just uses wind to drive the turbi nes, which spin around to drive the generator to generate electricity. As for crude oil and fossil fuels, they are running out and also harm the environment. However, this clean energy can very easily be generated. UK has a lot of wind energy up in its highlands, so is ideal for this and wind energy on average provides 2200 GW of energy which is essential for homes, rather than power stations.However, there is not enough land sometimes or not enough wind to drive these turbines which can create an issue; and powerless homes sometimes. So, the government is planning to build offshore wind farms 3 metres off land, which are ideal as here is constantly a lot of wind, generating lots of electricity. It would be ideal to choose offshore wind energy rather than expensive crude oil, as wind energy is renewable and affordable in means of one erected wind turbine can power thousands of homes, and is renewable – so will not run out.Coastal wind farms, also increase tourist activity and are known as peaceful. Momentarily, there is a lot of issue over global warming and crude oil running out. There are issues of sustaining wind power stations in the UK. In my opinion, I believe that, offshore wind farms are the way forward for UK as it will not be any obstruction. However, the government may want to look into other alternatives such as geothermal energy, tidal wave energy – as of a lot of coastal areas. Also, the issue of nuclear power can be looked into, however it may hazardous if something wrong occurs.

Funding Opportunities for Small Businesses Essay

Analyze funding opportunities for small businesses, including the role of the Small Business Administration (SBA). Then, evaluate the effectiveness of these funding opportunities in light of the current economy. In this time of economic challenges, suggest two ways that the SBA might be of assistance to your small business. Explain how you would request this assistance. Small businesses are leaders in innovation and drivers of the economy. Small businesses hold more patents than all of the nation’s universities and largest corporations combined, and create two thirds of all private sector jobs, employing half of all working Americans. The Federal government is the largest buyer in the world, spending over $500 billion each year. For the Federal government, contracting with small businesses is common sense. Small businesses get the revenue they need to create jobs and drive the economy forward, and federal agencies get the creativity, innovation, and technical expertise of small businesses to help accomplish their mission. When small businesses are excluded from federal contracts, the Federal government, American taxpayers and the nation’s economy lose out. Over 30 years ago, Congress set a goal of having a certain portion of all federal contracting dollars go to small businesses and established sub-goals for small businesses owned by women, socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, and service-disabled veterans of the Armed Forces, and for small businesses in Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZones). The current government-wide goal for small businesses’ share of contracting dollars is 23%. Every year since 2006, the Federal government has missed the 23% small business goal and all but one of the sub-goals; the 2009 shortfall was greater than $4 billion. Removing barriers to federal contracting and increasing access for small businesses will go a long way in closing this gap. Over the past 18 months, the Federal government has taken important steps to increase opportunities for small businesses, from creating new online training for small businesses to issuing a proposed rule to create set-asides for women-owned small businesses in industries in which women are underrepresented. Last summer, the Department of Commerce and the Small Business Administration (SBA) co-led a government-wide effort that involved over 300 matchmaking and training events across the country to ensure American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) contracts were awarded to a broad array of small businesses. With over 31% of Recovery Act contracting dollars going to small businesses, this initiative 2 Report on Small Business Federal Contracting Opportunities proved that, with committed leadership and the right tools, the government has the ability to meet – and exceed – the 23% small business contracting goal. Stronger rules. Insufficient guidance and gaps in current policy hamper the use of tools that provide contracting opportunities for small businesses. The Task Force recommends actions to strengthen and update policies where they are weak or outdated and develop policies where they are lacking. A better equipped, more informed and more accountable acquisition workforce. A lack of knowledge and agency accountability inhibits the government’s ability to meet and exceed small business procurement goals on an ongoing basis. The Task Force recommends increasing the knowledge base and efficiency level of the procurement workforce and providing appropriate incentives and accountability for agencies to meet small business goals. Improved outreach and better use of technology and data. The current data systems in the federal acquisition environment are cumbersome and not user friendly for many small businesses, especially for those who are new to the systems and trying to â€Å"get the ir foot in the door.† The Task Force recommends a one-stop shop for easier access to procurement information, as well as greater focus on the accuracy of procurement data. In the following report, the Task Force outlines the key recommendations and actions needed to meet these priority objectives. The Task Force will report to the President by December 30, 2010, on progress in the implementation of the recommendations in this report. SBA, Commerce, OMB, and the other members of the Task Force are committed to increasing opportunities for small businesses. Small businesses, including businesses owned by women, socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, and service-disabled veterans of our Armed Forces, must be able to participate in the Nation’s economic recovery. They must be able to compete effectively for federal contracts so our agencies, taxpayers, and the broader economy can reap the full benefit of their talents and services. 3 Report on Small Business Federal Contracting Opportunit ies REPORT INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE ON FEDERAL CONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES Small businesses are leaders in innovation and the drivers of the economy– holding more patents than all of America’s universities and largest corporations combined, creating two thirds of all private sector jobs and employing half of all working Americans. The Federal government is the largest buyer in the world, spending over $500 billion each year. For the Federal government, contracting with small businesses is common sense. Small businesses get the revenue they need to create jobs and drive the economy forward, and federal agencies get the creativity, innovation, and technical expertise of small businesses to help accomplish their mission. When small businesses are excluded from federal contracts, agencies, small businesses, taxpayers and the broader economy lose out. For more than half a century, it has been the policy of the Federal government to provide â€Å"maximum practicable opportunity† for small businesses to participate in federal contracts. To achieve this objective, Congress established an aspirational goal in 1978 for the percentage of annual prime contract spending that should be awarded to small businesses each year. Congress later set the government-wide goal at 23% and created a set of sub-goals to support the participation of special segments of the small business community: small disadvantaged businesses (5%), women-owned small businesses (5%), service-disabled-veteran-owned small businesses (3%), and small businesses in Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZones) (3%). These goals help ensure that a diverse set of small businesses share in the jobs and opportunities created by federal contracting. Since 2006, the Federal government has missed the 23% small business contracting goal and all but one of the sub-goals; the 2009 shortfall for the small business goal was more than $4 billion. This gap must be closed. The barriers to entry for small businesses are numerous: weak policies and rules that limit the effectiveness of tools that are supposed to facilitate contracting opportunities; inadequate workforce training to help contracting officers, small business advocates, and program offices understand how to successfully use contracting tools; and a lack of coordination among and accessibility to agency training and outreach events designed to help small businesses navigate the contracting system. Action must be taken to remove these barriers and ensure small businesses get access to federal contracts. A number of important steps have been taken or are underway to remove barriers and open more doors for small businesses in the federal marketplace. †¢ Later this year, the Small Business Administration (SBA) will implement a new rule on contracting with women-owned small businesses. For the first time, contracting officers will have a tool to set aside contracting opportunities for women-owned small businesses in 4 Report on Small Business Federal Contracting Opportunities industries where women are under-represented. This is a critical step toward increasing opportunities for women-owned small businesses. †¢ This year SBA conducted the first comprehensive review of regulations in ten years governing its 8(a) business development program for disadvantaged small businesses to ensure the program’s effectiveness and increase 8(a) firms’ capacity to obtain contracts. †¢ A series of new online training courses have been rolled out (www.sba.gov/training) to walk small business owners through the steps involved in becoming a government contractor. These tools help small businesses navigate the process. †¢ SBA is conducting a comprehensive review of its size standards for small businesses – the first in 25 years – to ensure they accurately reflect the state of each industry. †¢ SBA is working actively to identify and eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse in its business programs through a strengthened certification, eligibility and enforcement process.

Student Loan Crisis

Student Loan Crisis Beginning in the 1960’s the distribution of federal and non-profit funds have given students all over the United States the opportunity to pursue post-secondary educations. Although this method has given students the ability to go to college financially, the majority of the students are not able to pay the money back when finished causing debt. Currently students in the United States owe more than $1 trillion dollars worth of federal and private student loans.Surprisingly this number has surpassed the country’s credit card debt which is $852 billion dollars. This years presidential election has many serious & interesting topics being discussed such as gay marriage & immigration, but the topic of student loan debt is of high importance and relates to the majority of the country. More specifically student loans are affecting African Americans more than any other race today. Due to the economic state of the country and their lack of knowledge on student loans the majority of African Americans are unable to repay their loans.Student loan debt is one of the biggest issues facing African Americans in the 2012 presidential election due to their limited knowledge on student loans, cost of college, and the economy of the United States. The lack of knowledge on student loans combined with the cost of college causes numerous burdens on young black individuals but at the same time affects the country as a whole. One factor that African Americans frequently ignore or are unaware of is their ability to pay back their loans on time.Sophia Kerby says, â€Å"Studies show that only 37 percent of students are able to repay their loans on time. † (Kerby 1). Black students are borrowing tremendous amounts of money not knowing if they have the ability to pay the money back on time. Student loans are also causing the increased rate of African American dropouts in the country. For example, Ann-Marie Adams explains, â€Å"that 69 percent of bla ck students listed debt loads as a key reason for dropping out of college†.The inability to pay and the realization that they will not be able to pay off their loans causes them to end their academic pursuits. This is astonishing because according to Adams 60% of jobs in America require a college education, and due to their enormous student loans they will not get that chance to receive a college education. In order for blacks to succeed and compete in corporate America they need to receive some form of post-secondary education. Not only is receiving an education important to the black community, but it is also important to the overall country as a whole.The country’s economy needs educated individuals coming into the workforce, and if students are not able to finish their education then the economy will suffer. Ann-Marie Adams says, â€Å"America cannot have a  vibrant democracy and a robust economy with an uneducated populace† (Adams 1). The cost of college u ltimately causes black students to never get the chance to receive a post-secondary education or place unnecessary burdens on their lives. Either way these young bright minds do not have a fair chance to contribute to the resurrection of this once dominant economy.The educating of aspiring black college students and their parents on the dangers off student loans is imperative, so these young individuals will have the opportunity to contribute to the nation’s economy. The high rate of unemployment doesn’t give the majority of African American graduates the ability to pay back their student loan debt causing lingering affects to the black community. According to Ann-Marie Adams, up to 80% of the blacks in the graduating class of 2010 graduated with some form of student loan debt (Adams 1).With this high rate of African Americans leaving school with debt there is a demand for employment, but there are not enough jobs for them to obtain. The margin of â€Å"African Americ an youth at 30 percent†¦compared to the white youth unemployment rate of 16 percent† shows that African American graduates have a distinct financial burden (Kerby 1). The youth unemployment rate for African Americans is almost doubled compared to the youth unemployment rate for white Americans. This makes it that much more harder for black Americans to find sources of repayment since white Americans are able to get jobs easier.According to Adams, the average African American graduates with roughly 30,000 dollars worth of student loan debt (Adams 1). As the younger generation of blacks leave college with student loan debt that they are unable to payback, their ability to become homeowners and their ability to increase their wealth has diminished. Charlene Crowell explains, â€Å"The domino effect of debt begins with a student loan and then delays the ability to qualify for a mortgage†¦the ability to gain wealth is limited if not stymied†. The domino effect is t he main reason he majority of the black community is unable to reach the middle class. A college graduate in debt and not having the ability to pay their loans off in time because no jobs are available is the scenario for many blacks causing them to experience poverty. Julie Margetta Morgan says, â€Å"With high unemployment and underemployment and so few options for dealing with debt, it should come as no surprise that the delinquency rate on student loans is so high† (Morgan). The below average economic state of the United States doesn’t give African Americans the ability to successfully pay their debt back on time.Student loans are not only a detriment to African Americans individually, but they are affecting the economy as well. Like preciously stated, student loan debt is preventing African Americans from finishing college and being able to be an educated contributor to the country’s workforce. There are many methods that can be used to help prevent and fix the crisis. For example, probably the simplest method but the most effective will be informing young African Americans and their parents about the dangers of student loans and the steps used in taking out a reasonable loan.For example: There was an approximate 16 percent increase and 12 percent increase among black and Hispanic students, respectively, that took out private loans, from the 2003 ­Ã¢â‚¬â€œ04 to 2007 ­Ã¢â‚¬â€œ08 school years. While federal loans have lower interest rates than private loans, doubling the rate will bring the two closer together, making students of color more vulnerable to defaulting on their loans (Kerby) This shows how simple information on the benefits of a federal loan over a private loan could have prevented these families from taking on private loans.Holding seminars and presentations for high school students & parents would increase their knowledge resulting in better judgment. Another way of helping the African American community with the stud ent loan crisis is consistently funding aid programs for the low-income students. Kerby states, â€Å"Students who will lose eligibility or be cut from the Pell Grant program†¦will likely turn to loans to make up the difference† (Kerby 1). If these programs are funded properly then this will decrease African American’s need for student loans and ultimately decreasing the average student loan debt post-graduation.These two solutions will of course not completely fix the crisis, but they will jumpstart the needed repairing. Student loans have been a part of this country’s history for roughly fifty years and it has not caused any problems until this recent decade. This topic should be of high importance in the presidential election because it affects every citizen in someway. Whether it’s a parent unable to send their child off to college financially or a college graduate living in their mother’s house with $20,000 worth of debt, it affects us al l.The country needs to hear the truth and the facts about this crisis because this debt will keep increasing unless the individuals at risk are informed. The fact that this is the number one form of debt in our country today surpassing credit card debt is shocking. Every student planning to go to college or parent sending their child off to college should know the basics of student loans because one small signature can ruin the rest of their lives. Works Cited Adams, Ann-Marie. â€Å"Student Debt in the Black Community: Hampering Our Ability to Enter the Middle Class. Washington Post. The Washington Post, 13 Nov. 2012. Web. 23 Nov. 2012. . Crowell, Charlene. â€Å"The Domino Effects of Debt: Student Loans Trigger Financial Stress from Students To Retirees. † The Domino Effects of Debt: Student Loans Trigger Financial Stress from Students To Retirees. N. p. , 24 Aug. 2012. Web. 26 Nov. 012. . Harkin, Tom. â€Å"The Debt Crisis In Higher Ed. † Time 180. 18 (2012): 44-51 . Print. Kerby, Sophia. â€Å"How Student Debt Impacts Students of Color. † Center for American Progress. N. p. , 26 Apr. 2012. Web. 26 Nov. 2012. . Morgan, Julie

Violent Media Is Good for Kids

Violent Media is Good for Kids Analysis From infancy onward, parents and teachers have drilled into the young generation that violence should be avoided at all costs. They have preached cooperation, tolerance, and â€Å"using one’s words† as tactics to combat difficult situations. Although those lessons are valid, Gerald Jones claims there is an alternative way. In his essay, â€Å"Violent Media is Good for Kids,† Jones argues that â€Å"creative violence- bonking cartoons, bloody videogames, toy guns-gives children a tool to master their rage† (Jones).In other words, media violence, used correctly, can serve as an alternative method for powering through adolescence. By reading and writing violent stories, children are able to express themselves safely and even escape from the sometimes harsh reality. Jones effectively supports this stance using the three rhetorical appeals- ethos, pathos, and logos. To affirm his credibility on the matter, Jones employs t wo tactics. First, he goes into detail about his expertise and past history with media violence to confirm his credibility as the speaker. Then, he uses the powerful tool of rebuttal to show the credibility of his argument.Throughout the essay, Jones discusses his past with violent media. He begins with discussing his professional career as a comic book writer. Later, Jones mentions his three-year long project with Dr. Melanie Moore, a psychologist who works with urban teens. This project produced Jones’s most useful tool in using violent media for good. According to Jones, his program, Power Play, â€Å"helps young people improve their self-knowledge and sense of potency through heroic, combative storytelling† (Jones). Discussing his past with the realm of violent media makes the audience feel like Jones is a competent and trustworthy source on the matter.To further contribute to ethos, Jones uses a rebuttal. In his essay, he mentions that many psychologists argue tha t violent stories breed more violence- such as the recent increase in columbine shootings. They say people use media violence as a driving force for real life violence. Jones acknowledges these points. However, he refutes them by saying that â€Å"it’s helped hundreds of people for everyone its hurt, and it can help far more if we learn how to use it† (Jones). In other words, when we channel violent media into heroic battles of good versus evil, it can empower a child in need.This rebuttal contributes to the objectivity of the essay. It shows that the author did his research so well that he can recognize opposing viewpoints and refute them. The author also effectively supports his thesis through pathos. To evoke strong emotion in his readers, Jones appeals to the audience’s feeling of vulnerability in their youth. Recognizing that during adolescence most people feel powerless, he tells engaging stories of his own and his son’s rise to power through comic books to give the audience something to connect to.As these stories are told, readers reminisce about those days, and feel joy in knowing that there was a happy ending. The feelings created make the audience look positively at the essay and relate to it. Lastly, Jones uses logos to solidify his argument with concrete evidence. This is done by giving two real-life examples of girls that were helped through childhood by writing violent media. In both cases, Jones personally assisted these girls during a difficult time, and got them started on their path to future successes. The first example involves a little girl, Emily, whose parents were separated.Her main problem was her violent fantasies. Because she didn’t have a proper outlet, she acted out aggressively. Jones stepped in and channeled her fantasies into stories. At the end of the day, she was still fiery and strong, but she was able to control herself in public. In fact, she even became a student leader in her school. In this case, violent media gave a child an outlet for her aggression. The second example involved an older girl in a very chaotic family situation. She was surrounded by fighting, alcohol, and peer pressure. Jones stepped in with the power of writing.His use of the Power Play program helped the girl escape from her reality. In the girl’s stories, she was powerful and invulnerable. She was able to ignore the world going on around her for a period of time. This proved to be very beneficial. She stayed out of trouble, and grew up to be a writer and political activist. In this case, Jones showed how media violence helped someone power through adolescence and contribute to a very successful future. Jones uses the two examples above to drive home his argument. By employing real life examples, he is able to not only provide concrete evidence, but also put a face to the fact.Instead of spewing a list of facts, he gives two examples the audience could relate to and better visualize. Th is makes for a stronger use of logos. It seems that Gerald Jones had his work cut out for him in writing this essay. He had to take the hardwired belief that violence is bad and convince the world that â€Å"Through immersion in imaginary combat and identification with a violent protagonist, children engage the rage they’ve stifled, come to fear it less, and become more capable of utilizing it against life’s challenges† (Jones).By using ethos to give credibility to himself and his argument, pathos to evoke strong emotion and connect the reader to the essay, and logos to make the argument solid, Jones is able to effectively argue his thesis. Work Cited Jones, Gerard. â€Å"Violent Media is Good for Kids. † Current Issues and Enduring Questions. 9th Edition. Sylvan Barnet and Hugo Bedau, Eds. Boston: Bedford St. Martin’s Press, 2011. 195-199. Print.

The Ultimate SAT Essay Study Guide Tips and Review

The Ultimate SAT Essay Study Guide Tips and Review SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips We've written the best guide to the SAT essay available anywhere. To craft this guide, we have carefully read all official material available on the SAT essay from the College Board and read the best SAT books we could find and extracted the most important things you need to know to succeed on the essay section. Based on this research, we're confident that this is the most complete and comprehensive resource available for the SAT essay. This guide gets deep into every aspect of the SAT essay, from the rubric to prompts to the nuts and bolts of how to write a high-scoring essay. You'll learn the best tips and strategies to use to maximize the value of your SAT essay practice as well as how much time to devote to prepping for the essay. If you're looking for a comprehensive guide to SAT essay and how to improve your SAT essay scores, this guide is invaluable. Rather than trying to put all the information we've distilled into one long article, we've created this multi-sectioned guide to serve as a table of contents to each of our more in-depth articles. We'll start by taking a high-level look at the importance of the SAT essay to colleges and which schools care about your SAT essay score. The next section delves into more of the details of the SAT essay prompt and rubric and outlines step-by-step how to write a perfect-scoring SAT essay. Finally, the third part of this guide takes you through tips and strategies to use with the SAT essay. We suggest reading through this guide in order your first time through, as you would any other test prep resource. Alternatively, if you're just looking for a refresher on certain areas, you can use this guide as a reference you can jump around in as needed. What Do Colleges Think About the SAT Essay? Something that makes the SAT essay different from all the other sections of the SAT is its optional nature. The articles in this section will inform you about why colleges don't all require the SAT essay and whether or not it makes sense for you to take the SAT with the essay. Does the SAT Essay Matter? Expert Guide With the changes to the SAT essay, the importance of your SAT essay score to your college applications has grown somewhat murky. Read this article to find out why colleges still require the essay and what kind of effect it has on your college application. Should I Take the SAT Essay? How to Decide There are both positive and negative aspects of taking the SAT essay. This guide goes through different arguments for and against taking the SAT essay and helps you figure out which scenarios apply for you. Which Colleges Require the SAT Essay? Complete List Depending on which colleges you want to apply to, you may not need to take the SAT essay at all. Find out if the schools you're interested in require or recommend you take the SAT essay with this article. Understanding SAT Essay Prompts and the SAT Essay Rubric The next set of articles unpack the SAT essay prompt and the best way to fulfill the requirements of the essay task. You'll learn how to write consistently high-scoring SAT essays and how to preplan examples and explanations to use on the real SAT essay. New SAT Essay Prompts: How Are They Changing? If you're just starting your prep or are unfamiliar with the SAT essay, this article is a great introduction to the essay section. In it, we analyze the difference between the old SAT essay and the current essay for those who took the old SAT and want to see how the new essay differs. This article is also a good summary to come back to if you need a refresher on what the SAT essay asks you to do. SAT Essay Prompts: The Complete List One of the most important ways to improve at writing the SAT essay is to practice with official SAT essay prompts. In this article, you'll find all the free and publicly released official SAT prompts currently available, along with instructions on the best ways to use the prompts in your studying. How to Get a Perfect 8|8|8 SAT Essay Score Excelling on the SAT essay requires understanding the difference between an almost-perfect and a perfect-scoring essay. This article will take you through my complete analysis of a perfect-scoring SAT essay and how to improve your score. You'll learn what to be sure to do and what to avoid when writing and the key areas to focus on for maximal score increase. How to Write an SAT Essay, Step by Step Learn the ins and outs of writing a perfect-scoring SAT essay by following along as we go through the reading, analyzing and planning, writing, and revising stages of a sample essay. You'll get to see the whole process, from scribbled handwritten planning notes to the polished final product. At each step, you'll also discover strategies to enhance your SAT essay writing process. SAT Essay Rubric: Full Analysis and Writing Strategies Dive into the intricacies of SAT essay scoring with this item-by-item look at the SAT essay rubric. You'll learn about what you need to accomplish in your essay to achieve high Reading, Analysis, and Writing scores. Plus, you'll get tips on the best way to use the rubric as part of your SAT essay practice. What's the Average SAT Essay Score? Read this article to get a good idea of how scores are distributed on the SAT essay and how much your scores really matter. The Most Reliable SAT Essay Template and Format On the SAT essay, you'll always be asked to accomplish the same task (explain how the author makes their argument), which makes it possible to plan out your essay's structure ahead of time. This article teaches you how to create your own SAT essay templates for the new SAT. 6 SAT Essay Examples to Answer Every Prompt Every SAT essay requires reading a passage and analyzing how the author constructs her argument. You can't prepare ahead of time by analyzing the exact passage that will be used, but you can familiarize yourself with techniques frequently used to add impact to argumentative essays. Learn how to identify the six persuasive techniques most commonly found in SAT essay prompts and the effect each technique has on the reader with this guide. SAT Essay Strategies and Tips Now you've gotten both a basic understanding of what the SAT essay is and a good grasp of what's required to write the best SAT essay possible. Huge success! The next step is to take that knowledge and understanding and apply it in the most effective ways. To help you with that, we've compiled our top strategies and tips for when to take the SAT essay and how to make your SAT essay practice as efficient as possible. SAT Essay Tips: 15 Ways to Improve Your Score Your time is a limited and valuable resource when it comes to the SAT essay, both in terms of how much time you have to spend prepping and the 50 minutes you get to analyze and write about the prompt on the real SAT. Read this article to find out what tweaks you can make to your essay writing process that will have a large positive impact on your essay score. Does Messy Handwriting Hurt Your SAT Essay Score? Essay graders are trained to read all sorts of handwriting, so it's not likely your essay will be completely thrown out because the graders can't read it. However, even occasionally illegible handwriting can still affect your essay score in negative ways. Find out how messy handwriting might negatively affect your essay score and how to fix the problem in this article. What's Next? There's a lot of information in this guide to digest, but your SAT essay practice shouldn't stop at reading this articles and strategy guides. The best way to prep for the SAT essay is to write timed essays in response to real SAT essay prompts. Before you score your essay on the rubric, be sure to read through our guide to diagnosing your weaknesses and reviewing your mistakes. The article uses examples of multiple choice questions, but the strategies of honing in on your weak spots work equally well for the essay. Above all, stay motivated! And if you liked this guide, don't forget to read our other ultimate SAT prep guides for SAT Reading, Writing and Language, and Math. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this SAT Essay lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get your SAT essays hand-graded by a master instructor who will give you customized feedback on how you can improve. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Humanities Essays

Humanities Essays Humanities Essay Humanities Essay Essay Topic: Song of Solomon 1. What new technology followed agriculture in defining Mesopotamia? Metallurgy 2. Why did the arts develop in Mesopotamia? As celebrations of the priest-kings power 3. What were gratuity most likely designed to resemble? A mountain 4. Why did visitors to the gratuity often leave a statue representing themselves? To serve as prayer offerings to the Gods. 5. How did the Mesopotamia view human society? As part of a larger society 6. What was the Mesopotamia rulers role in religion? The act of intermediary between Gods and human kinds. 7. Which of the following pairs correctly identifies the subjects illustrated on the Royal Standard of our? War and Peace 8. What about the Royal Standard of our illustrates social perspective or hierarchy of scale? The most important figures are represented as larger than the others. 9. Why is the Royal Standard of Our such an important discovery? The importance of the Royal Standard of Our is not simply as documentary evidence of Sumerian life, but as one of the earliest examples we have of historical narrative. 10. Why is the legend of Jargon I considered a rags to riches story? As a child abandoned at birth, he grows up to be king. 11. What did lost-wax casting enable the Mesopotamia sculptors to create? Larger and more lightweight bronze pieces. 12. Why did Mesopotamia scribes move from pictograms to the more linear cuneiform writing? Drawing lines In wet clay was easiest. 13. What distinguishes the Law Code of Hamburg from Its predecessors? Its most complete. 14. What does Hamburgs code tell about the position of Mesopotamia women? They are Inferior to man and some level of slaves. 15. Mesopotamia Justice? It made laws more uniform, objective, and impartial. 16. What distinguishes an epic from other literary forms? It describes a peoples common heritage 17. What classic struggle do Galoshes and Unkind represent? Nature versus civilization 18. Why is the Epic of Galoshes a first in known literary works? It is the first to confront the idea of death. 19. Which of the following differentiates the Hebrews from other Near Eastern cultures? They worship a single God. 20. What did the Hebrews believe their status as chosen people meant? WHINY 21. Why do the Ten Commandments provide equal treatment for all classes of the Hebrews? The Hebrews had once themselves been slaves. 22. Why is King Salmons authorship of the Song of Solomon doubtful? The female protagonists voice is stronger than the mans. 23. What was the role of the Hebrew prophets in the era following Salmons death? To provide moral instruction according to the laws of the Torah. 24. What is the Persian Zoroaster greatest contribution to religious thought? The emphasis on free will.

Definition and Examples of Associative Meaning

Definition and Examples of Associative Meaning In semantics, associative meaning refers to the particular qualities or characteristics beyond the denotative meaning that people commonly think of (correctly or incorrectly) in relation to a word or phrase. Also known as  expressive meaning and stylistic meaning. In Semantics: The Study of Meaning (1974), British linguist Geoffrey Leech introduced the term associative meaning to refer to the various types of meaning that are distinct from denotation (or conceptual meaning): connotative, thematic, social, effective, reflective, and collocative. See Examples and Observations below. Also, see: Conceptual MeaningConnotationFigurative MeaningGlittering GeneralitiesMeaningPolysemyReflected MeaningSemanticsSemantic TransparencyStipulative DefinitionSubtextSynonymy Examples and Observations A good example of a common noun with an almost universal associative meaning is nurse. Most people automatically associate nurse with woman. This unconscious association is so widespread that the term male nurse has had to be coined to counteract its effect.(Sndor Hervey and Ian Higgins, Thinking French Translation: A Course in Translation Method, 2nd ed. Routledge, 2002)Cultural and Personal AssociationsA word can sweep by your ear and by its very sound suggest hidden meanings, preconscious association. Listen to these words: blood, tranquil, democracy. You know what they mean literally but you have associations with those words that are cultural, as well as your own personal associations.(Rita Mae Brown, Starting From Scratch. Bantam, 1988)Pig[W]hen some people hear the word pig they think of a particularly dirty and unhygienic animal. These associations are largely mistaken, at least in comparison with most other farm animals (although their association with various cultural tradi tions and related emotional responses are real enough), so we would probably not include these properties in the connotations of the word. But the associative meaning of a word often has very powerful communicative and argumentative consequences, so it is important to mention this aspect of meaning.(Jerome E. Bickenbach and Jacqueline M. Davies, Good Reasons for Better Arguments: An Introduction to the Skills and Values of Critical Thinking. Broadview Press, 1998) Conceptual Meaning and Associative MeaningWe can . . . make a broad distinction between conceptual meaning and associative meaning. Conceptual meaning covers those basic, essential components of meaning that are conveyed by the literal use of a word. It is the type of meaning that dictionaries are designed to describe. Some of the basic components of a word like needle in English might include thin, sharp, steel instrument. These components would be part of the conceptual meaning of needle. However, different people might have different associations or connotations attached to a word like needle. They might associate it with pain, or illness, or blood, or drugs, or thread, or knitting, or hard to find (especially in a haystack), and these associations may differ from one person to the next. These types of associations are not treated as part of the words conceptual meaning. . . .Poets, songwriters, novelists, literary critics, advertisers, and lovers may all be interested in how word s can evoke certain aspects of associative meaning, but in linguistic semantics, were more concerned with trying to analyze conceptual meaning.(George Yule, The Study of Language, 4th ed. Cambridge University Press, 2010) The Lighter Side of Associative MeaningMichael Bluth: What do you think of when you hear the word, Sudden Valley?George Michael Bluth: Salad dressing, I think. But for some reason, I dont want to eat it.Michael Bluth: Right. But Paradise Gardens?George Michael Bluth: Yeah. Okay, I can see marinating a chicken in that.(Jason Bateman and Michael Cera in Switch Hitter. Arrested Development, 2005)

Effects of Globalization on the Environment Essay Example

Effects of Globalization on the Environment Essay Example Effects of Globalization on the Environment Paper Effects of Globalization on the Environment Paper Effects of Globalization on the Environment Globalization has had a huge impact on the world in a number of ways. It has increased the integration of countries individual economies, the rise in the world trade and multinational companies, and the effect of large amounts of money moving in and out of economies throughout the world. People around the world are more connected to each other than ever before. Information and money flow more quickly than ever before. In addition goods and services produced in one part of the world are increasingly available in all arts of the world. International travel and communication in now more frequent and has become commonplace throughout the world. It can not be denied that globalization has had an overwhelming positive influence. Millions of jobs have been opened up through the ever increasing productivity and efficiency of the global economy. Globalization for less developed countries has encouraged faster growth, in turn promoting poverty reduction, demutualization and higher labor and environmental standards. It also gives citizens greater individual freedom to express views ND experience cultures through such mediums as television and the internet, which encourage understanding around the world. This fairly new glorified issue has had a great impact on the global environment in addition to all other aspects of the world that it has affected. One of the greatest examples that come to mind is the endless support of the tsunamis victims. Without globalization the world could not have contributed to the extent of what we have. Relentless support has been granted to the victims of this tragic event in record time. Globalization has made this possible through the increase in technology and communication. Citizens of the world now have the ability to contribute time, money and supplies to countries that would otherwise be stranded or left hanging for a period of time. Our valiant efforts have put this epic event at an all time support relief. We are now able to send support in all forms more conveniently. Without the effects of globalization this event that has occurred would have been much more devastating. The world can thank globalization for this never ending support. In addition to the tsunamis relief support granted through globalization, it has affected the environment in other ways as well. It has greatly increased the environmental standards worldwide. Through the development of the internet many environmental agencies have evolved which have increased the protection of the environment. The internet has made them more effective and they are now able to communicate much easier than ever before. Through the development of environmental supports some beneficial factors have evolved such as new up to date emissions standards. This greatly educes the worldwide threat of global warming. By agencies effectively implementing such standards our world has become safer and healthier. These efforts are now on a continuum which only leaves our world to improvement. Globalization is the reason for this and without it our world would be at risk of inevitable destruction. Through the efforts of environmental agencies we as a world are now aware and informed of the dangers of what used to be every day practices. We can thank the rise of globalization for our continuing efforts for world wide environmental improvement.

How To Write A Synthesis Essay Outline, with Example

How To Write A Synthesis Essay Outline, with Example Writing  a Synthesis Essay Outline Introduction writing Thesis writing Main body writing Conclusion writing Outline example On many occasions, students begin tackling their essay assignments before establishing the various attributes that differentiate essays. It is essential, first of all, to understand the various types of papers that exist and their main features before one begins handling their assignment. A synthesis essay can be described as any written work that seeks to make connections between different parts of a paper with the ultimate goal of presenting a unique theme, topic, or viewpoint. Synthesis essays always use a wide range of sources and this helps to support the author’s claim or stance on a particular topic or theme. The expectation here is that the sources will guide the writers in identifying the connection that exists between different sources from whence a solid theme, viewpoint or perspective will be formed. The implication here is that synthesis essays require a lot of research and students should be prepared for such work. Some students are often in the habit of assuming that this type of essays are out-rightly argumentative essays. However, as it will be discussed below, argumentative essays are only a type of synthesis essays. Therefore, it is essential to understand the differing aspects of all essays for one to be able to write a relevant article. Types of Synthesis Essay There are three types of synthesis essays. Details of each are shown below: 1. Argument Argument synthesis essays are a type of assignment  where the author seeks to present their stance or viewpoint, and supports it using facts from relevant sources. The facts provided to help enhance the author’s stance are often arranged in a logical manner. In most occasions, writers develop different thesis statements despite writing about the same topic. The above is allowed because the argument presented is individual and thus opens to interpretation. There can hence be two different theses from the same topic, and each is declared as an excellent work. 2. Review A review is simply described as a discussion of research that was done in the past. However, unlike regular literature reviews, it also entails a critical analysis of the source used. Its main goal is to affirm the need for more research on a particular topic. It thus seeks to determine the loopholes or the shortcomings of previous research discussions. 3. Explanatory Explanatory essays are also known as background synthesis essays. Unlike the argumentative that requires the author to have a stance, here, the author is only required to present facts about an object, state of affairs, or even a place to further the readers’ understanding. The goal or thesis is not as pronounced as when one is dealing with an argument essay because the author’s focus shifts to objectively organizing and presenting facts. In an argument paper, writers can go beyond the sources reading, when they are trying to make their stance clear. However, in an explanatory synthesis essay, authors are not expected to go beyond the facts that are in the sources provided. Structure of a  Synthesis Essay The first important, but overly forgotten bit is the topic selection. Before a writer thinks of an essay structure, it is essential to ensure that tips concerning topic selection are clear. There is one tip that is almost in every online guide, and it entails the selection of a topic that one is familiar with. The above is vital, or necessary, and will help writers to save time especially during the research. Once the topic is established and decided, the next bit involves the structure of the essay. Like all other essays, the synthesis essay has three main parts: the introduction, the main body, and finally the conclusion. Each section needs to follow certain steps and writers need to be familiar with these steps. Below are some tips on how each part needs to be written: Tips concerning introduction writing An introduction presents the readers with a brief discussion of the topic under review. Here, authors need to be creative and ensure that they capture their audiences’ interest, lest they lose them before they even make time to read the rest of the essay. The issue or topic or theme to be discussed should hence be clearly outlined and the author’s stance should be established in the introduction. Tips on thesis writing A thesis is the author’s main idea or perspective and must always be developed before commencing any work on the perfect essay. It is indeed illogical to develop one’s thesis without first reading the sources. Writers must first read the sources provided and then formulate their opinions on the subject or topic. On most occasions, a thesis statement is included in the introduction as the last sentence. Tips on body paragraphs (length, paragraphs, transition words) Synthesis essays often take after the five-paragraph structure and unless stated otherwise, most have five to seven paragraphs as well as six sentences in each paragraph. Transition words help to indicate that the author is on a different point. In some occasions, readers are left to find the points or themselves, and some end up getting mixed up and never even identifying a single point. Transitional words, for example, firstly, subsequently, additionally, etc. help to notify the readers that the author has moved on to the next point. Each paragraph must have a topic sentence, and these help building on the author’s thesis statement. An explanation of the topic sentence is also of the essence. Evidence from the sources used must also be provided, and the significance of whichever source must also be included. Tips on conclusion writing A conclusion can be said to be the easiest of these sections because the author is only expected to state the importance of their stance or viewpoint and provide a summary of the points discussed. While in most occasions authors finish their work flatly, in a synthesis essay one is supposed to be creative and include an ending that will elicit some thoughts from the audience. Example of Outline on Synthesis Essay about Global Warming Introduction Definition of global warming. Briefly mentioning some of the causes of global warming, for example, deforestation, burning of fossil fuels, increase in pollution levels, and industrialization. Mention some of the effects of global warming, for example, an increase in temperature, increase in sea levels which subsequently leads to flooding, etc. Thesis statement –assert that the world’s temperature level is rising and that the world needs to work together to help reduce the rate at which the temperature levels are rising. Main Body Paragraph 1–Mention IPCC’s assertion that the world’s sea levels will rise by 7 – 23 inches by the end of the current century. Include why this is important and will help build on the thesis statement. Paragraph 2 –The rise in temperature by 1.4 Fahrenheit degrees since 1880. Provide evidence of the above and mention the significance of this point. Paragraph 3 –The rapid melting of ice in the Arctic and the expectation that the region will soon have an ice free summer. Paragraph 4 –The rapid melting of glaciers with the consequence being increased in the sea levels. How is this point relevant to the thesis statement? Author needs to provide sufficient evidence of this fact. Paragraph 5 –Include the fact that the last two decades of the 20th century have been the hottest in the last 400 years. Evidence must be provided and this point’s relevance included. Conclusion A reassertion that the world’s temperature is steadily rising and how the world needs to be up in arms and strive to forge a way forward. A summary of the points provided in the main body. A question or an open discussion of how the world keeps drawing lines and keeping each other at arm’s length instead of fighting together to help stop the prospect of having to deal with the after-effects of global warming.

Sample Letters of Continued Interest

Sample Letters of Continued Interest If you find yourself waitlisted or deferred at one of your top college choices, the following samples can help guide you as you  write a letter of continued interest. Waitlist Letter Samples A letter of continued interest does not guarantee your eventual acceptance to the school, and it may not improve your chances at all. That said, it cant hurt, and your display of interest in the program and your dedication and outreach may help. Alexs Letter Mr. Andrew QuackenbushDirector of AdmissionsBurr UniversityCollegeville, USADear Mr. Quackenbush,I was recently waitlisted for the [current year] school year; I am writing to express my continued interest in Burr University. I am particularly drawn to the schools Music Education program - the outstanding faculty and state-of-the-art facilities are what specifically make Burr University my top choice.I also wanted to inform you that since I submitted my application, I have been awarded the Nelson Fletcher Prize for Excellence in Music by the Treeville Community Foundation. This award is given to a high school senior every year after a state-wide competition. This award means a lot to me, and I believe it shows my dedication and continued passion in music and music education. I have attached an updated resumà ©Ã‚  with this information added to it.Thank you so much for you time and consideration. If you have any further questions, please let me know. I look forward to hearing from yo u.Sincerely,Alex Student Discussion of Alexs Letter Students should keep in mind that writing a letter of continued interest (also known  as LOCI) is not a guarantee that they will be moved off of the waitlist as an accepted student. While new information can be helpful, it may not be enough to sway the Admissions Offices decision. But dont let that discourage you from writing a LOCI.  If nothing else, it shows the school you are dedicated, mature, attentive, and very much interested in its programs. At many schools, demonstrated interest plays a role in admissions decisions.   Alex addressed his letter to the Director of Admissions, which is a good choice. Whenever possible, use the name of the person who sent you the letter or email telling you of your admissions status. To Whom It May Concern sounds generic and impersonal, something you want to avoid. You want to create a personal connection with the admissions office. Alexs letter is fairly short. This is a good idea  because going on at length about your interest, your improved test scores, or your passion for education may come off as sounding desperate or vain, and it wastes the time of the admissions staff. Here, with only a few short paragraphs, Alex gets his message across without being too wordy. Alex briefly mentions that this school is his top choice. This is good information to include, but more importantly, Alex goes into  why  it is his top choice. Having specific reasons for being interested in a school can show the Admissions Office that you have done your research and that your interest in their school is informed and sincere.  That kind of attention to detail and individual interest can set you apart from others on the waitlist.   Alex thanks the Director at the close of the letter, and his writing/communication skills are strong. While he writes a convincing and mature letter, it is also respectful in that he does not demand to be bumped from waitlisted to accepted. Whatever anger and frustration Alex is feeling does not appear in the letter, and he shows a pleasing level of maturity and professionalism. Hannahs Letter Mrs. A. D. MissionsDirector of AdmissionsState UniversityCityville, USADear Mrs. Missions,Thank you for taking the time to read my application. I know that State University is a very selective school, and Im happy to be included on the schools waitlist. Im writing to express my continued interest in the school, and to include some new information to add to my application.Since I applied to State University, I retook the SAT; my previous scores were lower than I would have liked, and I wanted a second chance to prove myself. My math score is now 670 and  my evidence-based reading score is 690. Im much happier with these scores, and I wanted to share this improvement with you. Im having the official scores sent to State University.I understand that this new information may not impact my position on the waitlist, but I wanted to share it with you nonetheless. Im still very excited about the prospect of joining the State University History Department, and of working with its extensive American History archives.Thank you for your time and consideration.Sincerely,Hannah Highschooler Discussion of Hannahs Letter Hannahs letter is another good example of what to include in a letter of continued interest. She writes well, and she keeps the letter short and respectful. She doesnt come across as angry or presumptuous, and she states her case well while remembering her letter does not guarantee she will be accepted. In the second paragraph, Hannah presents new information: her updated and higher  SAT scores. We dont see how much of an improvement these scores are from her old ones. However, these new scores are well above average. She doesnt make excuses for her  poor scores. Instead, she focuses on the positive and shows her improvement by sending the scores to the school. In the final paragraph, she expresses her interest in the school  with specific information about  why  she wants to attend. This is a good move; it shows that she has specific reasons  why she wants to attend this college in particular. It may not be enough to impact her status, but it shows the Admissions Office she cares about the school and really does want to be there. All in all, Hannah and Alex have written strong letters. They may not  get off of the waitlist, but with these letters, they have demonstrated themselves to be interested students with additional information to help their cases. Its always good to be realistic about your chances when writing a letter of continued interest and to know that it probably wont end up making a difference. But it never hurts to try, and new information that strengthens your application can make a difference. Sample Bad Letter of Continued Interest Ms. Molly MonitorDirector of AdmissionsHigher Ed UniversityCityville, USATo Whom It May Concern:Im writing to you in regards to my current admissions status. HEU is my top choice, and while I understand being on the waitlist isnt a rejection, I was very disappointed in being put on this list. I am hoping to state my case for you and convince you to move me to the top of the list, or to change my status to admitted.As I wrote in my application, Ive been on the Honor Roll for the past six semesters. Ive also received numerous awards at area art shows. My art portfolio, which I submitted as part of my application, was some of my best work, and clearly college-level work. When Im enrolled at HEU, my work will only improve, and I will continue to work hard.HEU is my top choice, and I really want to attend. Ive been rejected from three other schools, and accepted to a school that I dont really want to attend. Im hoping you can find a way to admit me, or least move me to the top of the wait list.Thank you in advance for your help!Sincerely,Lana Anystudent A Critique of Lanas Letter Right from the start, Lana is taking the wrong tone. While its not a major issue, she starts the letter with To Whom It May Concern, even though she is writing it to the Director of Admissions. If possible, address your letter to a person, being sure to spell his or her name and title correctly.   In her first paragraph, Lana makes the mistake of sounding both frustrated and presumptuous. While being waitlisted is not a positive experience, you shouldnt let that disappointment come through in your LOCI. She goes on to point out the ways in which the admissions office has made a mistake in placing her on the waitlist. Instead of presenting new information, such as higher test scores or a new award, she reiterates the achievements she has already listed on her application. By using the phrase when Im enrolled... she is presuming that her letter will be enough to take her off the waitlist; this makes her come off as arrogant and less likely to succeed in her attempt. Finally, Lana writes that she is desperate; shes been rejected at other schools, and accepted to a school she doesnt want to attend. Its one thing to let the school know they are your top choice, for this is a small but helpful piece of information. Its another thing to act as though this is your only option, your last resort. Coming across as desperate wont help your chances. Also, if Lana doesnt want to go to the school that admitted her, then why did she apply?  Lana comes across as someone who planned her application process poorly. If she did, in fact, plan her application process poorly, fair enough - many students do. However, you shouldnt share this fact with colleges. While Lana is generally polite in her letter, and her spelling/grammar/syntax is all fine, her tone and approach are what make this letter a bad one. If you decide to write a letter of continued interest, make sure to be respectful, honest, and humble.   A Final Word on LOCI Realize that some colleges and universities do not welcome letters of continued interest. Before sending anything to a school, be sure to read both your decision letter and the admissions website carefully to see if the school has said anything about sending additional information. If the school says further correspondence is not welcome, you obviously shouldnt send anything. After all, colleges want to admit students who know how to follow directions.