Chrysa Plagiannos reports:

"You may be unsure how to summarize an expansive project or just how much detail to go into when describing the various stages of the validation effort. After all, the importance of this report is not lost on you. You’re well aware that the validation summary report (VSR) is often the first validation document reviewed during audits and regulatory inspections. You also know that if the auditors/[inspectors] are satisfied with the contents of the summary report, they will likely move on without requesting other project documents. Whether you are being inspected by a regulatory body or facing a client audit, your VSR has to be auditor-friendly. The purpose of a Validation Summary Report (VSR) is to provide a concise overview of the entire validation effort and the results obtained. Additionally, the approval of the VSR authorizes the release of the system for operational use. Since the validation activities performed were initially defined in a Validation Plan, the information presented in the VSR should be in alignment with the plan and organized in a similar fashion...[T]he VSR should address the following elements:

1. Identification of the system subject to validation.
2. An inventory of all the deliverables generated during the validation effort including the document identifier and the approval date.
3. A summary of the results obtained during testing along with a discussion of any non-conformances encountered, their impact, and how they were resolved.
4. Details of any deviations from the Validation Plan and the impact of these occurrences on the validation project.
5. A list of any outstanding issues along with any known system limitations.
6. A statement of acceptance allowing for the release of the system.

Since the VSR covers a wide variety of topics, it is essential that its contents are detailed in a structured manner. The order in which information is presented should be logical and easy to follow. Use tools, such as tables, to help summarize results and findings...When writing any report, it is important to consider your audience. While the Validation Summary Report will be reviewed and approved by stakeholders within your organization, it is also an auditable record which may be viewed by inspectors or auditors. In general, these individuals are looking for documented evidence that validation activities were performed in accordance with approved procedures. They are also interested in seeing that the system was adequately tested. As a result, the report should be written so that it is clear and concise. It’s also important to refrain from using vague and ambiguous terms...Keep in mind that the inspectors/[auditors] may not have technical backgrounds and they have not necessarily been involved in validation projects in the past. Avoid specialized jargon and be sure to define all abbreviations. This is especially relevant when summarizing non-conformances and technical issues faced during testing...The report should also outline the validation approach employed and the measures taken to provide proof of sufficient testing. This approach should be based on the intended use of the system and on the potential risk posed if the system were to not function properly...Even though you are generating a comprehensive report, don’t include any unnecessary details. The goal is to provide an overview of the validation effort in the VSR. Don’t forget that this information was captured in depth in the documentation generated over the course of the project. So there is no need to delve into the specifics of every step of the process...In the run-up to audits and regulatory inspections, organizations often scramble to ensure that they are prepared for the inevitable scrutiny of their documents and processes. However, the best preparation for inspections and audits is to ensure that quality standards are respected within the documentation produced on a daily basis. For validation personnel, this includes ensuring that the contents of Validation Summary Reports are in line with the inspectors’ expectations. Ultimately, considering the auditors’ perspective when drafting summary reports will reassure them that your organization’s validation projects are properly planned and executed, thus reducing the likelihood of observations."

Helen Anderson reports:

"Admissions to medical school requires both a primary and [a] secondary application. The secondary application is an essay in...which you share more information about yourself and your professional motivations. The essay plays an important role in the admissions process and is the basis for whether you get an interview. Although a secondary application is a personal statement and should reflect your character, some general guidelines help to best structure the essay. Identify the audience. A secondary essay is read by an admissions team generally consisting of staff, faculty, students and doctors...[S]uccinct and compelling writing is important. Additionally, take note of the particular strengths and focus of the medical school, and tailor the content accordingly. Craft an introduction. The opening of the secondary essay serves as an invitation to draw the reader into the material. Your opening statement can use a variety of literary mechanisms, such as a question or description of an action, to grab the readers' interest. Irrespective of the approach, an ideal introduction conveys a personal anecdote that effectively captures an aspect of your personality or experience as it relates to professional ambitions in medicine. Describe motivations for wanting [to] become a doctor. Using clear and focused language, explain the reasons for wanting to enter medical school. Remember that it is more effective to show rather than tell...Call attention to unique qualities. Because a secondary essay functions as a personal advertisement, it should highlight characteristics, talents and experiences that set you apart. Draw attention to particular skills, such as language ability, or activities, such as volunteer work or substantial international experience. Emphasize a balance between personal strengths of character, such as sympathy and generosity, and professional attributes like sound judgment and respect for diversity. Detail qualifications and formal training. The secondary essay should reference your educational background and academic experiences, such as significant research, lab assistant positions and courses of study related to health and medicine. If applicable, you should also discuss work experience and relevant skills gained from professional opportunities. Edit the essay. The last, but arguably most important[,] step in writing a secondary application, is to review the material for grammatical accuracy and stylistic clarity. Make sure that the prose is focused and compelling, and that the essay conveys the central points of motivations, personal strengths and qualifications. Also, edit the essay to remove any redundancies, as these weigh down the pace of the statement and can distract readers...Take your time. A secondary application essay requires careful thought and consideration. Leave yourself enough time when preparing your application materials."

Darlene Zambruski reports:

"Creating a succinct and attractive resume that contains well-prioritized data is one of the major challenges facing candidates today. Not only will an applicant’s resume be competing against hundreds of others, [but] it must [also] clearly portray the candidate in the most favorable light and as the most appropriate choice for the opening. In order to do this, several resume pitfalls must be avoided...Only one font (preferably Times New Roman or Arial) should be employed and never in a point size lower than 11. Bolding should be left to the header information (name, address, phone number, email) and subheadings within the document (Profile, Work History, Education). A candidate’s industry or field will determine whether the resume format will be conservative (i.e. Physicians, Teachers, CPAs, Individuals Seeking Admission to Graduate Schools, etc.) or more stylish (i.e. Marketing Professionals, Artists, Performers, etc.)...An effective resume should indicate to the reader within seven seconds, or less, the candidate’s targeted position and qualifications that match the opening. It’s not enough to list schooling, work history, and activities. Admissions directors and hiring managers will not thoroughly read a resume to cull needed information – candidates must provide this data quickly and effectively. Qualifications Summaries should include information as to what is sought (a position or entrance into a university program) and the candidate’s qualifications that are related to this. Employment History, Accomplishments, and Education should build upon what is provided in the Qualifications Summary...In today’s economy hiring managers are not interested in what a candidate wants (i.e. Seeking a position that will fully utilize my college education and provide for sufficient advancement within the industry). Rather, they seek candidates that clearly state what they can do for the targeted company in terms of cutting costs, increasing profits, and enhancing productivity. Hiring [managers] take note of applicants who place the company’s needs above their own...A resume should reveal the candidate’s professional [and] academic background as it applies to the targeted position or program being sought, and in reverse-chronological order (the last job worked or school attended is listed first within that section). If Education is an important qualification it should be presented before Work History, not dead last on the document. If real-world experience is valued, then it should come before Education. If special skills, such as IT, are at a premium, they should be showcased immediately after the opening summary, not left to the end of a two-page resume...Hiring managers and admissions directors will not read every line of a resume to determine what a candidate has to offer, especially if it’s buried within dense blocks of text. Applicants must provide special sections indicating professional or academic achievements and these must be quantified. It’s not enough to write [as follows]: Increased productivity within the division. Hiring managers and admissions directors will find this self-serving. A better way to present the data is to write [as follows]: Increased productivity 58% within [three months] of hire by retraining staff on latest accounting software. Providing percentages/dollar figures and time frames strengthen[s] achievements...Hobbies and interests unless directly related to the current job search should never be included – such activities do not enhance candidacy. Additionally, birth dates, religious affiliations, race, social security numbers, and marital data should never be included...There is no one correct page length for a resume. The document is as long as it has to be in order to provide a clear and effective picture of the candidate. Professionals with many years of experience will most likely have two pages. To cram this data into one page or exclude important information in order to reach an arbitrary length will only dilute candidacy. The key is to provide only that data which is relevant to the current career goal. When this rule i[s] followed, appropriate page length is always reached...Modern resumes are business documents and should never be personalized with...personal pronouns. Additionally, the tone of the resume should always remain professional and businesslike – slang is always excluded...Once information has been provided in a resume, whether it’s in the Qualifications Summary, Career Accomplishments section, or Professional Experience section, it is not repeated elsewhere. Hiring managers and admissions directors soon tire of redundancy and feel the candidate is padding the resume to reach a certain page length...Once a spelling or grammatical error is detected by an admissions director or hiring manager, they will stop reading the resume. Their trust in that person’s abilities is forever lost. This is also true when dates of employment or education are obviously incorrect (i.e. a recent college graduate listing the date of graduation as 1979 instead of 1999), or when verb tense does not match dates of employment (i.e. current jobs have duties listed in present tense; previous jobs have duties listed in past tense)."

Amanda Patterson reports:

"Choosing strong verbs helps you to be specific. You should replace an adverb and a verb with a strong verb if you can. It will improve your writing. Don't say: 'She held on tightly to the rope.' Do say: 'She gripped the rope.' Don't say: 'He looked carefully at the documents.' Do say: 'He examined the documents.'...Choose specific, active verbs whenever you can. Don't say: 'He was said to be lying by the teacher.' Do say: 'The teacher accused him of lying.'...Strong verbs help you eliminate wordiness by replacing different forms of the verb 'to be'. They allow you to stop overusing words like 'is', 'was', 'are', and 'were'. Don't say: 'She was the owner of a chain of restaurants.' Do say: 'She owned a chain of restaurants.' If you reduce wordiness, choose specific verbs, and use the active voice, readers will be able to understand you more easily. This is what you want because the reason we write is to communicate."

Ellie Williams reports:

"A functional summary on your resume highlights your skills and achievements, allowing you to more thoroughly describe your qualifications than if you list only your work history. In this summary, you can elaborate on specific projects you've led and results you've produced at your previous jobs. If your employment history has gaps or other problems, you can use a functional summary to fill in the holes and illustrate why you're as qualified for the position as someone with more experience...To create your functional summary -- a brief section at the top of the resume -- identify what skills are required for the jobs you're applying for. Once you've identified the three or four most relevant, describe your accomplishments in those areas...Following the functional summary, include an abbreviated work history that includes job titles, names of employers and dates of employment, but that includes only minimal or no description of your job duties...By summarizing your achievements at the top of your resume, you can shift an employer's attention from your work history to your skills. Unlike the traditional chronological resume, which lists your entire work history, a functional summary devotes much less space to describing the jobs you've held. If your previous jobs don't demonstrate how you're qualified for the job you're applying for, you can use a functional summary to showcase skills and achievements from all areas of your life...A functional summary works well for job-seekers whose skills and qualifications aren't accurately represented by simply listing their work history. For example, if you're changing careers, you may have little or no professional experience in the field you're applying for jobs in. However, you may have recently taken classes to learn the necessary skills for that profession, or you may have done similar work on a volunteer basis. It's also a good solution for people with employment gaps; those with mainly part-time, temporary or freelance work; or...people trying to turn a hobby into a profession. Recent college graduates often use the functional format because they have limited professional experience, but they do have skills they've developed as part of their course work, internships or extracurricular activities...Job-seekers with a limited or spotty work history often use a functional summary because it allows them to compete with more experienced candidates. If you can show employers how you've used all the skills necessary to work in advertising, for example, employers may consider you as seriously as they would an industry veteran. A functional summary's primary benefit is also one of its major drawbacks, however. Because so many people use it to disguise employment gaps or other potential problems, employers may feel you're trying to hide something."

FindLaw reports:

"If you are currently involved in a partnership, or are thinking about starting up a business as a partnership, you should really take the time to think about how to write a partnership agreement. If you and your partners do not have a partnership agreement in place before you start doing business, you may not be able to handle the problems that will inevitably arise. In addition, without a set of rules in place, even minor disputes could escalate into major problems that could end up dissolving your partnership. Lastly, if you do not have a partnership agreement in place, your partnership may be governed by default rules set out by the state...In its most basic form, a partnership agreement will give you a firm understanding of your business relationship that you have with your partners in your business...The partnership agreement will spell out how the business profits will be divided amongst the partners, the rights and responsibilities of the partners, the procedures to take when a partner leaves the business, and many other important rules and guidelines. Remember that if you do not have a partnership agreement in place, your partnership will most likely be governed by default rules that are put in place by your state. Generally speaking, these rules are known as 'The Uniform Partnership Act,' or 'The Revised Uniform Partnership Act.' These laws will spell out the basic legal rules and regulations that apply to partnerships and will be the controlling laws unless you have a partnership agreement in place that supersedes these default rules. However, with these default rules in place, it can sometimes be easy to think that they are 'good enough,' and not write a partnership agreement of your own. Don't fall into this trap. Default rules are like a 'one-size-fits-all' shoe and they probably won't work that well for your partnership. In almost all situations, it is better to have your own customized partnership agreement in place that you can rely on...If you have not done so already, perhaps one of the first things that you and your partners need to sit down and agree on is the name of the partnership. Many partnerships often take the names of their partners, like 'Anderson, Young & Franks.' However, you can also choose the option of making a fictitious business name, such as 'Anderson Pipes and Plumbing,' as long as you register the name. However, if you do decide to use a fictitious business name, you must make sure that the name is available for use and has not already been taken...When a partnership agreement is written, it is important that all the partners get together and agree on who will be making what contributions to the partnership, and what ownership percentage each partner will be entitled to...If there are disagreements over the initial contributions, your partnership may be doomed before it even starts...Your ownership agreement should set out how the profits and losses will be allocated. One of the most popular methods for allocated profits and losses is to go by ownership percentage. Another question that should be answered is whether every partner will be able to take a regular 'draw,' a withdrawal from his or her allocated profits, each year, or whether the partners can take their entire allocated profits. If you and your partners have different financial needs, there may be disagreements over this part of the agreement...Without an agreement that is contrary, any decision of a partner can be binding on the entire partnership, even without getting the other partners to agree. If you want to make sure that no one partner can indebt the entire partnership without the agreement of all the other partners, you need to be sure to include this in your partnership agreement...Like the power to make decisions about debt, it is important that you decide amongst all the partners how important business decisions will be handled. If you do not want one partner to be able to make important business decisions without consent, then you need to make sure to spell out the business making powers of each partner. One popular method is to require a unanimous vote of all the partners for all important business decisions, but still allowing individual partners to make minor business decisions without a formal vote. However, if you decide to take such an approach, you need to be sure to spell out what constitutes an 'important' business decision and what constitutes 'minor' business decisions...Although it is probably not a great idea to spell out every detail of management in a partnership agreement (meaning you do not have to dictate who will be making the weekly employee schedules), it would probably be a good idea to assign important management duties...There may come a time in your business when you want to bring in new partners. If you can agree on this process at the outset, it will probably be much easier when the time rolls around...Many partnerships have fallen apart when on[e] partner decides to leave, becomes disabled or dies. You should be sure to have a buyout agreement included in your partnership agreement that deals with such situations...[T]here will probably be disputes between the partners in your business. However, if you spell out how you will deal with deadlocked disputes at the outset, you can save a lot of money in the future...It is important to have this partnership agreement in place before you open up for business. Like sports, it is easier to follow rules and regulations that are already in place rather than having to come up with rules on the fly when disputes arise...Ultimately, the partners involved in a partnership will need to decide on the goals and structure of their business. But the right attorney can help guide the process and help you avoid any misunderstandings or legal mistakes."

Viva Essay reports:

"If you have with you the task of writing an original narrative essay, there are two ways in which you can handle this situation. If it happens that you understand all that pertains to writing narrative essays, then you have an easy time ahead of you. However[,] if it happens that you are not well aware of what it would take for you to write the original narrative, then you will have to go on and find the various places from where you would get such information. If you decide to take it upon yourself to write the essay, you can begin by first of all finding all the necessary information from various sources such as books and the [I]nternet. This is because these sources will offer you all the information that you would require and which will give you the skills to go on and write the essay yourself. Other options also exist such as getting an essay writing company to do the job for you. With the services of a good essay writing company, writing an original narrative essay becomes an easy job...In order to make sure that you will be able to write a good original narrative, there are factors which you would need to consider. The factors include

• What your particular narrative is all about
  
• What you want the narrative to show or carry
  
• The message in the narrative
  

With such factors in mind, you will be able to write the narrative well ensuring that everything is in its right place and that you will have met all the requirements of the narrative. Another important factor to always keep in mind is that you will require your narrative to be original. This therefore means that in order to make it as original as it can be, you should avoid copying it from any other sources. The thing to copy from another essay would probably be the format of the essay but not the exact words as used in the other essay."

Rita Milios reports:

"Most children's writers, it seems, are writing fiction. There's something about cute bunny stories, rhyming text[,] and talking animals that many children's writers find irresistible. Alas, few children's editors agree. Finding a home for that cute bunny story may be almost as difficult as, well, finding a real talking animal. On the other hand, publishers of children's nonfiction are often desperate for good manuscripts from talented writers. I'd never suggest that a children's fiction writer turn to nonfiction simply because there's more market potential. But I would suggest that if you can adjust your creative flow to include researching and writing interesting nonfiction pieces that children will enjoy, you might just see your name in print more often -- and your bank account filled with a few more bucks...Perhaps the best thing about writing nonfiction is all the neat stuff you get to learn about...Not only are the possibilities for topics unlimited, [but also,] I almost always get to choose what I want to write about. I pick topics that interest me. I also look for an unusual angle or a bit of mystery or intrigue...There are many new markets, and market categories, for nonfiction children's writers. Today, publishers are aware that even the youngest children want to learn more about the world around them. Early reader and emergent reader books now feature nonfiction topics as often as they do fiction stories. Fresh ideas for concept books (shapes, colors, numbers, alphabet, etc.) are always in demand as new parents search for ways to stimulate their [preschoolers]. Supplemental materials for curriculum and educational publishers include such things as BIG Books, workbooks, anthology passages[,] and hi-lo (high interest, low vocabulary) books. Many middle school and high school publishers now include topics on current social issues as well as 'self-help' for kids. Biographies are a staple, of course, and books featuring 'pop culture' (dirt biking, skate boarding) are hot, along with multicultural books showcasing ethnic diversity. Such books are published by both trade and educational publishers, who each have their own unique style and viewpoint. A savvy nonfiction writer will adjust his or her style and presentation to appeal to a variety of publishers, while writing at a number of different grade levels...Writing nonfiction, especially for educational publishers, can be a bit different from writing fiction. Often a publisher and author will collaborate on an idea. An editor may e-mail or call to discuss strategies, especially if the piece is to be part of an anthology or series...Editors welcome a new angle, a fresh approach, or a great new title they can add to an already existing series. If you can be a good source of creative ideas...produce quality writing on time, and...always conduct yourself in a professional manner, you'll be an editor's dream author...[Y]ou can have editors calling you to offer you freelance writing jobs. Of course, you can't expect this the first time you write a nonfiction piece. But once you have a few under your belt -- and especially if you specialize in something that not every other writer in the world is doing (like writing anthology passages, test assessment passages[,] or assessment test questions), you can quickly join the 'stable' of on-call writers that editors of these pieces turn to each and every school year for new material. This kind of writing is not for everyone (thankfully!). But for those of us who are closet school teachers (or maybe former school teachers), it is perfect. Anthology or test assessment passages are quick to write, and they offer me a great opportunity to hone my skills at being creative while maintaining an educational focus...The truth is, good nonfiction has a lot of fiction in it (and vice[-]versa). Today's discriminating readers expect, and publishers require, nonfiction that is a cut above what we had even a few years ago. 'Creative nonfiction' is a genre that purposefully combines the elements of fiction and nonfiction. Nonfiction children's writers, today more than ever before, must produce fresh, exciting ideas and they must write with a unique voice...It is true that some educational publishers have been slower to embrace the changes in pay structure that reflect nonfiction's growing importance. Some, but fewer than several years ago, still offer only flat fees to writers. But more offer advances, and the advances of educational publishers are inching closer to those of trade publishers. Consider, too, that educational publishers often keep their books in print longer. So overall, the pay is comparable to that of fiction publishers. These are just a few of the reasons I write nonfiction. If, by some chance, my sharing them with you has ignited a spark of creativity in you toward a nonfiction topic... well, great. Welcome to my world. I can promise you that around here you will never get bored; you will never stop learning; and you just might get published a little more often."

Brian Hill reports:

"To attract investment capital for your venture, you have to think like an investor as you write your business plan...Your first challenge is to show them the financial opportunity you are presenting to them. Explain why your venture has the potential to grow quickly and be extremely profitable compared to other ventures they might be looking at. Then show what you have done to mitigate risk. Write in an engaging, enthusiastic, confident tone. The business plan can be compared to a marketing brochure. Your goal is to get the investors as excited as you are about the future prospects for your venture. It’s not just a recitation of facts and figures. It’s an expression of your vision for future success. Emphasize growth potential. Investors want to back companies that can achieve considerable size in a three- to five-year period. Show them why your market is rapidly developing, or already large, and why your venture will be able to capture market share at an accelerated pace. Explain how your technology works in simple, straightforward terms. Don’t try to impress them with your technical knowledge or assume the reader of the plan has the technical background you do. Investors see business plans for many dynamic technologies over the course of a year. Their major concern is whether the technology can make money. Present a compelling case for why the customer needs your product and will pay money for it. Don’t make the mistake of talking about how amazing your product or technology is, while forgetting that it's all about the customer. The solution you are providing the customer must not only be good, [but] it must [also] be important--addressing a problem that the customer has an urgent need to solve, right now. Demonstrate you can sustain your competitive advantage...[Show] what you will do to ensure your product or service offering is so superior that your customers would have little incentive to buy from anyone else. Make the investor believe in your management team. Build credibility with investors by showing past successes your team members have had that will translate into success in your new venture. Show what types of skills and experience are required to succeed in this type of business--and how you have gone about assembling your team with these specific requirements in mind...Before you send the plan to investors, ask two or three trusted associates to read it and let you know if they find any areas that are confusing or need further explanation. Keep the plan to a reasonable length, 20 pages of narrative and 10 pages of financial projections. Present optimistic, but not outlandish, financial projections. The assumptions behind the numbers are what matters most. Make sure you can explain why you believe your assumptions are realistic. If the investor sees the logic you used in the projections, and agrees with it, your chances of obtaining funding are greater."