William Henderson reports:
"Before lawyers can start practicing law, they must pass a bar exam and be admitted to the bar in the state where they wish to practice. Part of the admission process includes submitting letters of recommendation, references and other personal information. The bar uses these letters of recommendation to evaluate the applicant’s character and overall fitness and ability to practice law...After you’re asked to write a letter of recommendation supporting an applicant’s admission to the state bar, make sure you have as much information about the applicant as possible...When writing your recommendation letter, make sure you supplement the information the applicant will provide with information not otherwise available, such as your opinion about the applicant’s likely success as a lawyer...Tailor a letter of recommendation to the applicant, but make sure you include the information the state bar wants...You should also address the applicant’s fitness to practice law or personal knowledge you have about law he has practiced, such as in law clinics at law school or while performing pro bono work under the supervision of a licensed lawyer...You should include specific facts that will help the bar examiners decide the applicant’s general fitness to practice law. Don’t focus solely on the applicant’s strengths in your letter. Including some mild criticism...can help give bar examiners a fuller picture of the applicant. You may also want to address how the applicant worked to correct or overcome the weakness...Letters of recommendation to support an applicant’s admission to a state bar should include the author’s complete mailing address and contact information. Some state bars require these letters be dated within a specific period of time...Authors should also sign their letters of recommendation, asserting their ability to adequately present information about the applicant. Some bar examiners also specify the type of paper you should use, such as plain white letterhead, and require you to use a specific font, such as no less than 12 point...Requirements for letters of recommendation in support of an applicant’s admission to a state bar vary by state...While someone who knows the applicant well should write these recommendation letters, family members or relatives are discouraged, and in some states barred, from doing so. Some states let the attorney who signs an applicant’s petition for admission to the bar also write a letter of recommendation." Christine Bartsch reports:
"A frame story, also referred to in literature as a frame narrative, is in essence a story within a story. These tales involve a narrator in one setting telling another story that takes place in a different time and place. In some instances, such as in Mary Shelley’s 'Frankenstein,' frame narratives involve a story within a story within a story. When writing with a narrative frame, the complexity of juggling multiple settings, time periods and characters requires careful planning and a deliberate structure...Even in its simplest form, the structure of a frame story is more complex tha[n] a straightforward tale with a linear beginning, middle and end. This complexity adds needless confusion to the story if there isn’t a clear reason behind the frame narrative structure. However, in many stories, the frame narrative structure is vital to the telling of the story. When writing a frame narrative, you must first determine why the structure is necessary...Picking a point of view is only one aspect to consider when determining which character should act as narrator. You must also consider how the narrator's presence in the frame story affects the main story...Frame story narrators also require special consideration in regard to their reliability as storytellers...Given the complexity of telling stories within stories, it becomes necessary to first fully structure each story independently before weaving them together into one tale. If not, story details become lost or neglected, leaving the reader confused. Writing each narrative as its own independent story also reveals any plot holes and allows you to see how each story builds and arcs, as well as revealing redundant story beats. This exercise also helps to determine which character should tell each part of the story and when...Since the frame structure provides narrative distance from the events of the main story, the narrator is in a position to comment on and give meaning to the tale being relayed secondhand. This commentary can be interjected throughout the story, allowing the narrator to clarify and interpret the tale as he tells it, rather than saving all reflection and moralizing for the end. Narrator interjections may also be used to foreshadow impending events and update the reader on events unfolding in the frame story." David Stewart reports:
"Child welfare projects receive support from many organizations. If your charitable organization is proposing a playground, obtaining funding should not be difficult, provided you prepare a comprehensive proposal. To do so, you have to carry out a survey of existing play facilities in the area and show that a new playground is required. Your success in finding the right sponsor will depend on how convincingly you use information and statistical data to prove this playground will aid in the all-[a]round development of children. Find out information about other playgrounds in the area and decide the need for the charitable playground you propose to create. Collect statistics of the number of children who will be using the playground and use this to decide the specifics of your playground project. Collect the site dimensions of the location you have identified for the playground. Find out the types of play equipment that can be safely installed in this area...Decide the specific equipment based on the age group of children as identified in your survey. Determine the playground layout, calculate an approximate budget and estimate a [timeline] for completion. Give a name to your charitable playground project. Establish credibility for your organization by describing the people involved and the activities you undertake. Add a brief write-up of your organization's philosophy and activities. Prepare brief biographies of key board members. Provide relevant information about past successful projects. Present a needs assessment that explains how you realized the need for a playground in the area. Provide all the relevant statistics on which you based your decision. Include data published in reputed scientific publications that explain the role of physical exercise in child development. Add information about how playing with other children in an open space can help children develop social and emotional skills. Describe the benefits of setting up a playground as envisioned by your organization. Speak of your need for funds to allow you to begin action in this direction. State your proposal in clear terms. Use a flow chart if necessary, to outline the procedure you will follow to complete the playground project. Include drawings of the proposed playground layout. Provide details of the approximate funds required for each aspect of the project as well as the total, consolidated figure. Begin the proposal with a title page that gives the name of your charitable organization and its mission statement. This goes at the start of the proposal, but write it after you have completed preparing the entire document. Follow the title page with the project name and a proposal summary, which covers the gist of your project. Speak of the need for a playground in the selected area and the benefits you believe will accrue from creating one. Provide a brief outline of your proposed plan and the outcome you hope to achieve. Keep this summary matter[-]of[-]fact, avoiding language that seeks to play on sentiment." Our Pastimes reports:
"Decide whether to go it alone or collaborate. Some musicals are primarily the creation of a single genius. Others are the brainchildren of a creative partnership. Collaborators can include a playwright, a lyricist, a composer, a set designer and others. Come up with a concept. Musicals are essentially storytelling through song. You can rewrite an old story in a new way...You can also write a completely new tale drawn from history, autobiography or fantasy. There are no limits, and fact or fiction can be your inspiration. Write a script. Invent compelling characters ranging from heroes to villains to comic relief to narrators. Imagine situations that will challenge these people and decide whether they triumph or fail. Remember that comedy and tragedy are both fair game in a Broadway musical and that the right blend of both is a mark of many acclaimed productions. Compose an original score. The joys and sorrows of the characters suggest moods, styles and lyrics. While the 'show tune' is generally considered a style unto itself, it can be argued that the genre of the musical includes both rock operas like 'Tommy' and operettas like 'The New Moon'. Follow the conventions of the Broadway musical such as the overture, opening number and finale. The first song of the show establishes the [storyline] and introduces at least one of the characters...Songs develop the characters, engage the audience and help to tell the story. Vary styles, themes and moods as you write the musical numbers. One criticism often leveled at Broadway musicals is their tendency toward repetition. Use reprises of instrumental and vocal numbers deliberately to evoke recurring events, ideas and emotions. Use different keys, instruments or singers to create a fresh sound and feel. Find a backer. The road leading to the Great White Way is paved with green dollar bills." Samuel Hamilton reports:
"Choose the stationery on which you will compose your thank-you letter...Get all the supplies you need...in advance to make sure you have plenty of time to deliver it...Address your...letter using an appropriate greeting...Then compose the body of the thank-you note to your teacher. Be specific about the ways in which your teacher has assisted and influenced you. (Or, if you are a parent, use the...letter to the teacher to write about the ways in which they have assisted and influenced your student.) Sharing your personal experience lets the teacher know how they have truly helped you and allows them to know what strengths they can share with future students...Avoid general statements like, 'You have been a nice teacher.' According to Dr. Robyn Silverman, it is much more effective to share a specific anecdote such as, 'Because you set aside extra time to help me, reading has become much easier, and I have improved in all of my classes!' (If you are a parent, an example...might be 'Samantha has benefited so much from your reading instruction that she has now read every book on her shelf. We will have to take a trip to the library!')...Restate briefly your appreciation as the conclusion of your thank-you note to your teacher...End with a closing line, also known as a valediction...After your valediction, sign your name to the...letter. (If you are a parent, perhaps your student would like to sign as well.)...[Handwrite] your thank-you letter. Though it may seem more convenient to send an email, a handwritten letter is especially personal and can be displayed, cherished and easily revisited by your favorite teacher for years to come. Proofread your letter, but certainly do not be intimidated to write to a teacher. The recipient will be much more focused on the sentiment than the way it is expressed." M.T. Wroblewski reports:
"Supervisors are frequently called upon to prepare performance evaluations of their employees, and these evaluations often contain observations of an employee literally in action, carrying out some specific job task or function. Your job now is to write a dazzling paragraph based upon what you observed -- unleashing your powers of descriptive writing. Write a topic sentence – or the general topic that the paragraph will address – and a limiting idea or one that limits or narrows the topic. As adults, we’ve been told since fourth grade that a topic sentence is important because it sets the all-important tone of the paragraph. But remember that it’s the limiting idea that is the pulse of the paragraph. You will develop and expound upon that idea. Let’s assume that as a licensed day care provider, you’ve been asked to observe a student intern as she cares for a group of 2-year-olds. Your topic sentence might read: 'Nancy is a calm and focused day care practitioner who is attentive to children, responds directly and authoritatively and keeps her young charges on-task despite repeated distractions.' Review the limiting ideas for precision and clarity. Can you expound on the clause beginning with 'who is attentive to children'? If so, you probably have enough material to write a substantive observation paragraph, using Nancy’s 'calm and focused' demeanor as subtext to these bigger points. Evaluate the eight methods of developing a paragraph (still relevant from fourth grade on up): process, examples, comparison-contrast, classification, cause and effect, definition, description and narration. Any one of these methods should help you achieve your goal: to write a cohesive, unified paragraph that easily flows from one thought to the next. Select what you believe to be the best approach based upon what you observed, and start writing your paragraph. Keep in mind that you might wish to use a combination of these paragraph development techniques. Keep your audience top-of-mind. So while your paragraph should be concrete and factual, don’t be shy about infusing it with humor and personality, if apropos...Scrutinize the paragraph, and check every sentence (if not every word) for relevancy. Does every sentence amplify and advance the topic sentence? Polish and revise the paragraph until it fairly and accurately captures your observation experience...There [is] no 'right' or 'wrong' number of sentences to include in a paragraph – many journalists still favor one-sentence paragraphs – but four or five sentences is a good rule of thumb for a substantive paragraph. Use vivid language in your observation paragraph, but be careful not to make inferences or value judgments. Saying that someone is 'rushing' might be referring to their normal speed of motion. Likewise, saying that someone 'appears nervous' because she is 'sweating' might be an inaccurate conclusion; the person might in fact have high blood pressure or some other physical ailment that is causing her to sweat." J. Hirby reports:
"Parole letters are letters written either by an incarcerated person or by his or her supporters. Intelligently written parole letters attesting to the offender’s character, reformation and plans to improve his or her life will be read by the parole panel and may make the difference between release and denial. That said, writing a parole letter can be tricky. You want to know what parole panels are looking to hear in order to get the best possible result for yourself, your friend or your loved one...Because a parole letter is official communication, you want it to present properly. It should be written with a letterhead including the contact information and address of the parole board and the date of writing. Begin the letter with 'Dear Honorable Members of the Parole Board' and a colon rather than a comma. End the letter with 'Sincerely,' and use your full name. Always use formal language, appropriate spelling and proper grammar...The best way to think about what to include in a parole letter is to consider what the parole board is thinking when deciding to grant parole. The main concern that would prevent parole from being granted is that an offender will not properly reintegrate into society. The role of the parole letter is to convince the parole board otherwise. This will differ depending on who is writing the letter. If the potential parolee is writing it, the letter should be simple and to the point. It should express genuine contrition...as well as tell your plans for what you want to do with your life upon your release. It should be specific but heartfelt and discuss the joy you get from new, useful activities that don’t run the risk of re-offending. If the offender’s friends or family members are writing the letter, they should discuss how happy they are to have him or her in their lives again. They should make it clear that there will be a support network available for the potential parolee and discuss activities, potential jobs and community ties that await their reintegration into society. It can be a useful strategy to have strategic community members such as administrators of community centers or successful local businesspeople who are willing to offer tangible, actual support to potential parolees. Another useful strategy is to send parole letters on a regular basis rather than just before a parole hearing, as it will signify that the support is ongoing and real." Darla Himeles reports:
"Comparison essays place two texts side by side, make an argument about the relationship between the texts and...demonstrate that argument. Kerry Walk, who has worked for the writing centers at Princeton and Harvard Universities, breaks comparison essays into two main categories[: ]classic and keyhole or lens comparison essays. A classic comparison essay equally weighs both texts, typically arguing either that apparently similar texts have an important difference, or that apparently unrelated texts actually have something important in common. A keyhole or lens comparison essay uses one text to reexamine another text...Choose whether you will write a classic or a keyhole/lens comparison essay. Consult your assignment instructions to check whether your instructor has made this decision for you. If she has not, decide whether you are more interested in the keyhole or lens method, re-examining a single text such as 'Twilight' in depth using quotes and details from 'Romeo and Juliet,' or whether you are more interested in a classic side-by-side comparison that equally considers both texts. If your interest lies more heavily with one text than the other, use the keyhole or lens method...Make notes using a Venn diagram, a t-graph or simply lists, comparing the two texts. Note direct quotes from each text that highlight obvious similarities or differences as well as character traits, historical information or plot lines that suggest similarity or difference...Select a frame of reference, which, Walk says, 'may consist of an idea, theme, question, problem or theory' that you use to contextualize your comparison...In many classes, the instructor provides a frame of reference or you can find an obvious choice amid recent course readings. Review recently assigned articles and assignments and class. Consider if any of these readings inspire a question or challenge that you may be interested in using to frame your essay...Make notes on how your frame of reference intersects with each text and how those intersections affect your sense of the two texts’ similarities or differences...Write your thesis statement in one to two sentences. Clearly address the relationship between the two texts, and, ideally, why this relationship matters. For example, consider whether 'Romeo and Juliet' actually has a stronger female protagonist than 'True Blood' when you consider both texts in light of an essay written by Judith Butler, a feminist scholar. If so, this might suggest that modern audiences actually prefer weaker women in their romances...Draft an outline that places your thesis statement at the top. A text-to-text comparison usually alternates between making one to three points about the first text in light of the frame of reference and then comparing or contrasting those points to comparable arguments about the second text. The writer moves back and forth between each text a few times before asserting his conclusion. In some cases, an essay provides a complete analysis of the first text in light of the frame of reference before providing a complete analysis of the second text, linking it to the first. Choose your method and structure your outline accordingly...Write your comparison essay using your outline. A strong comparison essay should use relationship-clarifying words like 'similarly,' 'in contrast,' 'contrary to' or 'like,' to repeatedly make connections between discussions of each text. Use textual references to back up your arguments, as a strong comparison essay relies heavily on textual evidence. To do this, weave direct quotes from each relevant text into your sentences every time you make a new point. Aim for roughly three to seven direct quotes per paragraph. Use your instructor's preferred style guide, such as Modern Language Association (MLA) or the Chicago Manual of Style, to format in-text citations for every quotation you use...Write your essay's conclusion, which should typically use one to two paragraphs. Do not merely restate the thesis; rather raise new questions asserted by the essay or extend the essay’s argument into a larger context. For example, if the weaker female lead in 'Twilight' is indicative of a larger trend, suggest two or three ways this might be true. This makes for a compelling conclusion that will make your reader think...Do not assert relationships between two texts that you cannot clearly back up with textual references. Double-check all direct quotes to avoid plagiarism. Any words borrowed from another source must appear in quotation marks." Laura Leiva reports:
"End of assignment reports are typically used to show your superiors how you carried out the work you were assigned. From this report, your superiors will be able to gauge what process was used to do the assignment. The entire report should be brief. Different companies have different formats, so be sure you ask whether there are any specific formatting issues you should know about...The introduction tells your superiors the scope and goals of the project. It's recommended to make the introduction one half to one page long. Include a summary of what the assignment was and how you aimed to complete it. The introduction is also where you define any terms the audience may be unaware of. If there is any background information you feel is pertinent, include it in the introduction...If this was a group project, make a note on how responsibilities and duties were divided. You will want to specify who did what and why they were responsible for that portion of the work. This portion should also explain the methods used to complete the assignment...In detail, describe your findings. If necessary, use [a] table, graphics, and charts to illustrate your findings. This portion of the report is the 'meat', so make sure you are very detailed in explaining what conclusions you reached. You may also discuss any challenges you and your team faced. Discuss how you overcame these challenges to reach your findings...Depending on the project, many companies will want to know what your thoughts on the assignment were. Let them know how things could be done more efficiently, or what you would change about how the process is done. This is your time to give feedback on the situation, and the recommendations you give should be able to be carried out reasonably. The personal recommendation part of the report should be one to two pages in length." Seeta Shah Roath, Ed.D. reports:
"A departmental report generally describes the achievements of goals and objectives for the reporting period...It includes challenges, successes, failures and recommendations. Different organizations may require customized formats. For long reports, an executive summary written in less technical jargon may be appropriate for top management and clients who wish to be updated on main points/issues but not read the whole report. Gather information from all sections of the department. Keep information under appropriate headings consistent with previous or standard reporting formats allowing easy access to readers’ interest areas...Highlight significant achievements, events, developments, progress and predictions in the introduction section. Mention major challenges, shortfalls and limitations. Describe the details of the goals/objectives for the reporting period. Under each goal/objective, describe successes and challenges, how they were addressed and rationale. Say what systems were put in place to avoid/address similar challenges in the future. Summarize key production figures/output levels in the production update section. Compare with previous reporting period. Add projections for next reporting period. Support with visual representations such as tables, graphs and charts as appropriate. Include a section for ongoing projects. Describe highlights, developments within the reporting period, difficulties and limitations. Include expectations and shortfalls. Use visual representations for input/output information, trends...and predictions. Use a separate section for new activities and projects developed during the reporting period. Treat the same as for ongoing projects. Include a section on personnel or human resources matters. State names and functions of any new employees. Mention any employment reduction and reasons. Add any vacancies if applicable. Include a section for training and professional development. Mention resources, highlights and limitations. Include the benefits to the department, employees and organization. Add upcoming opportunities. Include a separate section on budgeting. Enter amounts allocated, amounts used, balance gains and/or shortfalls. Use standard budget format for the particular organization. Use tables, charts and figures as necessary. Describe future projects in a separate section on prospects, along with anticipated developments, results and predictions. Include goals and objectives for the next reporting period. Discuss recommendations in a separate section. Make suggestions for improvement, expansion and/or developments. Include needed resources, budget considerations and staff additions/reductions if appropriate. Discuss main points in all areas in the summary and conclusions section. Include significant achievements, challenges, recommendations and predictions. Use the appendix to place letters of interest, [subreports]...and other documents needed for support of different aspects of the report. Include any lengthy data tables/charts. Include an executive summary to be placed before the introduction. Write this section after the entire report is completed. Summarize essential points under the main headings used in the larger report. Include summary and conclusions, recommendations, predictions and significant achievements/losses/events. Do not add information not contained in the main report." |
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April 2024
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