How to Personalize Your Revision Checklist

How to Personalize Your Revision Checklist How to Personalize Your Revision Checklist How to Personalize Your Revision Checklist By Guest Author This is a guest post by Laura Hamby. If you want to write for Daily Writing Tips check the guidelines here. Everyone has their methods. I’ve read revision checklists all over the Internet, but still that didn’t stop me from coming up with my very own checklist. Why? Why not? Who knows better than I how I write? And while I will confess to incorporating items from the checklists of other authors, especially those who write in the genre I do (because I’m a big fan of learning from others), I also know the areas I need to pay attention to on the second/third, et cetera, go-round on my manuscript. The idea is not to revise your voice right out of your work. It is possible to do that if you’re not careful. You also don’t want to revise yourself so you wind up sounding like the person whose checklist you’ve borrowed for your own use. So, what did I consider when putting my personalized checklist together? I’m glad you asked. 1. Things my critique partner pings me on regularly. In the beginning, I had a crit partner who would whack my knuckles with her cyber ruler about head hopping. Stay in ONE point of view? It took me a while to figure it out, but eventually I caught on and now when I head hop, I KNOW what I’m doing. These things are subject to change as you grow as a writer. 2. Things I personally think I can and should do better. Several years ago, I gave myself a mission to use better, stronger verbs whenever and wherever I could. I took baby steps in the beginning, I’d write, then go back and check for passive, lackluster verbs. After a while, I moved on to refusing to use a wimpy verb in the rough draft, even if it meant I stared at the screen until I came up with something better. I like to think now that I’ve about got this licked- the verbs with verve come more easily than the verveless verbs now. As with number one, the items on this portion of your checklist will change, which is exactly what you want, as it shows that you’re growing as a writer. 3. Feedback I’ve received from editors. Hey, I figure if I’m lucky enough to get a rejection complete with what worked and what didn’t work for the editor, that’s as positive a rejection as you can get. And boy, how stupid would I be to discount what the editor has to say? 4. Those pesky generic things that should be on every revision checklist. You know, fun things like spelling, grammar, punctuation, looking for words that are words but are the wrong words. Example: â€Å"The hen is mightier than the sword.† These are what I like to call ‘Fun Typos’ because they often are worth at least a weak giggle, if not a full belly laugh when you find them. 5. Compositional/conventional aspects. Plot, flow, pacing, all threads tied off in a pretty bow, and so forth. 6. Have I stayed true to my voice? We all have a unique voice, but sometimes, it’s possible for it become lost when we try to be too clever or when we fight our way through a scene as if it were a paper bag we had to escape from using nothing but a dull toothpick. This is the part that is truly personal, above and beyond the conventions, like using periods to indicate the end of a statement, that we must observe. What questions can you ask yourself on your checklist that will resonate with how you write and what you write in regard to remaining true to your voice? Feel free to add or subtract from this list, and hey, if you come up with something to consider for creating your own personal revision checklist, let me know. I’m a big believer in being teachable and learning as much as I can about the craft of writing. Laura Hamby writes romantic comedy, has been e-published and enjoys her quest for self-directed continuation learning in writing . Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Writing Basics category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:16 Substitutes for â€Å"Because† or â€Å"Because Of†List of Greek Words in the English LanguageEbook, eBook, ebook or e-book?

Educational Finance (Budget Calendar) Assignment

Educational Finance (Budget Calendar) - Assignment Example There are steps to be followed in the budgeting process. The first step is usually a review of the program and management achievements and the fiscal performance of the year that is about to end. The objectives are therefore reviewed, the committee will compare the budget to the actual figures, and takes into account the number of people served during each program. The solution obtained after dividing true cost of the program by the number of people served will help analyze the cost per unit of service. Hence, ne goals and objectives should be discussed and an consensus is reached. All the individuals and groups affected by the budget should be involved in the whole process. Consultations are fundamental in the budgeting process. This would minimize unnecessary conflicts during or even after preparation of the budget. In addition, it would also help spearhead the implementation process. A school budget for instance should be inclusive of the parents and teachers as it will have an im pact on them either directly or indirectly. Parents have a responsibility of paying school fees for their sons and daughters hence have exclusive rights for information on how school funds are used. At the district level, it is the responsibility of the civilians to interrogate how fund are utilized in the development of infra-structural projects such as road construction, railway lines, hospitals, electrification projects among other social amenities. Because they pay taxes, it is their right to scrutinize how district budgeting committees prioritize their fiscal year spending spree through budgets. Budgets are important tools towards realization of goals and ambitions of any organization. Without budgets, it would be difficult to anticipate what stands good or bad on the way of the organization. The School Budget Many stakeholders are usually involved in the budging process of schools. For instance, the representatives of school administration, the board of Governors, parents as w ell as budgeting experts must be involved either directly or indirectly in the budgeting process. These representatives make up the budget committee. The staff and the Board must all participate in the budgeting process at all phases. The district Budget The budgeting process in the district primarily comprises three phases. First, is the budget formulation. Here the budget is clearly drawn with all-important priorities taken into consideration. The budgeting committee shall have employed thorough consultation among themselves and with the stakeholders and financial experts. The second procedure would be the budget presentation and the congregational process (Van, 2011). This process would ensure that contentious issues are harmonized and attain amicable solution is attained. Members and other groups affected by the budget are allowed to express their reservations about the estimates. Some projects, which were under-estimated in financing, would therefore get much more funding than previously. In addition, those one, which had earlier enjoyed unnecessary huge allocations, would therefore have their finances cut down. Moreover, the white elephant projects would also be scrapped out at this particular stage. Many financial analysts argue that lack of financial expertise in most budgeting activities have seen many district waste funds in projects that are never viable at all or even those that they waste a lot of money in never to finish. However, it is important to

Miracles of Jeaus in the book of Luke Research Paper

Miracles of Jeaus in the book of Luke - Research Paper Example It’s worth noting that the book of Luke is a specific address to a single individual known as Theophilus. Gospel according to Luke illuminates the history and the story of Jesus Christ from birth to crucifixion. It also focuses on the teachings of Jesus on salvation and fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies with regard to the coming of Messiah. Apostle Paul references the author of this book in Colossians4:14. Literature review Luke portrays Jesus as very passionate, compassionate and full of mercy. Jesus comes out as someone who loves everyone and believes that everyone should share equal treatment (Luke 18:1-8). Jesus Christ is seen as our savior and lord and is referred to as the ‘son of man’ in Luke 19:10. ``For the son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.’’ This becomes the point of reference of Jesus’ purpose and many view the same as His mission statement. Jesus is portrayed as one who reaches out to the marginalize d. The fact that Luke himself was a gentile shows as how impartial Jesus was. In Luke 4:18-19 ‘’ the spirit of the lord is on me because he has anointed me to proclaim the good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom to the prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor’’. This statement clearly shows the intention and the doctrinal basis of the activities of the Lord Jesus while on earth. From the same statement we can learn that Jesus was empowered by the Spirit of God to show mercy and compassion to those who were incapacitated. Luke is careful to show as that Jesus had a deep sense of purpose and that he was aware of what was expected of him. This was why he confined himself to his purpose. Jesus Christ is portrayed as a miracle worker in the book of Luke. This account goes ahead to detail some of the miracles that Jesus did from Luke’s perspective as a doctor and a non Jewish person. The book of Luke has got a total of eleven parables that Jesus gave. We have the parable of the two debtors in Luke7:41-43 where Jesus stated that since we have been forgiven freely we must freely forgive others. This again shows that Jesus believed in equality. The story of the Good Samaritan is one of the most popular parables. It can be found in Luke10:30-37 where we see a Samaritan, (Samaritans were despised by Jews) helping a Jew who had been attacked by robbers and left for dead. The parable of the rich fool who thought of how he was going to have a bountiful harvest and was just obsessed with more and more wealth. Jesus warned against having wealth where moths and rust can destroy. This is in Luke 12:16-21. In Luke 13:6-9 we see Jesus rebuking a fig tree just because it was barren showing that Jesus was fully results oriented and couldn’t put up with people who won’t practice his teachings and give results. He –Jesus- in chapter 15 of Luke verse 8 to 10 gave a parable to the effect that one lost coin can cause the owner to go out of his/her way so that he/she can regain it. He compared himself to that owner and implied that he could do the same for any lost soul. In Luke 15:8-10 Jesus gave a parable known as ‘the prodigal son’. In this story we see a passionate father remaining restless until his lost son traces his way back home. We also see a very colorful reception being given to the

Existentialism and Metamorphosis Essay Example for Free

Existentialism and Metamorphosis Essay Existentialism is defined as a modern philosophical movement stressing the importance of one’s experience and accountability. Its focus is the make on the personal reflections that these make on the individual, who is seen as a free agent in a deterministic and seemingly meaningless universe. Its philosophy is meticulous that, in a nutshell, advocates a diverse arsenal of responses and solutions to the ‘existentialist attitude’; which, essentially, is what an individual feels when confronted by the absurdity of life. Throughout humanity, rumination and self-proclaimed ‘ultimate’ truths have assumed various forms: poetry, religion, and numerous other doctrines and textual works. In The Metamorphosis, Franz Kafka narrates the ramifications of a metamorphosis in which the subject and protagonist, a man named Gregor Samsa, is transformed into a bug. Despite the novella’s literary methods and influences, the most prominent being the way Kafka so nonchalantly describes such irregularity in his life, The Metamorphosis is also hailed as a prime textual work of existentialism, the previously mentioned philosophical movement. Both prior and subsequent to the transformation, Kafka portrays Gregor as a man who seems lost within himself, and lacking identity. The reminiscences of his past are neither nostalgic nor poignant: his human life is seen to revolve solely around trivial matters. His social life pays the price from this, his failure to assert a concrete and consistent existence. The extent of his lack of individuality is further exemplified by his reaction to the metamorphosis: finding himself â€Å"transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect† (Kafka, 296), he prioritizes work over all else, even in his newly equated insect form. Furthermore, he panics because â€Å"the next train went at seven o’clock; to catch that he would need to hurry like mad and his samples weren’t even packed up† (297). Gregor’s identity crisis is a device for conveying Kafka’s belief of an impersonal society where individualism is drastically mitigated as a result of excessive materialism. Gregor, in the context of Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s Notes from Underground analogy, would be the ‘ant’ in the anthill— thus rendering his metamorphosis ironically. Another dominant theme prevalent throughout the novella is the absurd situation Gregor is confronted by. These nonsensical happenings (296-327) reflect the world as seen from the existentialist perspective: a world absent of a rational and comprehensive objective. Jean-Paul Sartre postulated that ‘every existing thing is born without reason, prolongs itself out of weakness, and dies by chance’. This meaninglessness is precisely what Gregor is victim to in the microcosm of society that Kafka generates: Gregor flounders about, beleaguered by absurdity and helplessness, presumably because he is unaware of Nietzsche and Kierkegaard’s somewhat consoling conclusions that one must devise meaning for one’s own existence ex nihilo. Once again, Kafka utilizes a combination of plot and character to convey his angst concerning an apparently pointless existence. Freedom— or rather the lack thereof— is another existentialist tenet that Kafka addresses. Gregor is depicted as someone constrained by self-imposed burdens, the most demanding being the role as the financial pillar of the family. Despite having the freedom to repudiate this role, Gregor instead pursues it with feverish ardor to the extent that it becomes his ‘sole desire’ (310). Yet his harangue regarding his career (297-298) reveals that this is not due to personal desire, but rather the belief that he must replace his father financially, regardless of preference. Gregor’s delusion regarding an absence of choice contradicts what Kafka perceives as the truth: that freedom is ubiquitous in spite of any ethical obligations we may be expected to adhere to, and that the individual defines his or herself via one’s decisions. A quasi-motto of existentialism coined by Sartre, ‘existence precedes essence’. In conclusion, Kafka employs the fictional literary elements he constructs to address the very non-fictional, existentialist aspects of society and life. Akin to Dostoyevsky’s Notes from Underground, it can be interpreted as both a rumination and tirade against impersonal communities, restriction of freedom, and the absurdity of life.

The Role Of The Media In Democracy Essays -- essays research papers f

How much does your vote really count? As a voter, does your choice really matter? How much influence does the media have on your vote? How many choices does the media actually make when it comes to our nation's leadership? These are questions pondered by both political scientists and the average American citizen each year as the second Tuesday in November approaches. Though we know that the framers founded this nation on the principles of representing it's citizens, and on the ideals of a nation for the people and by the people; it is obvious that the people feel that their vote doesn't always count. In this paper I plan to expand on these questions and the justifications behind asking them, and I plan to follow up with a specific example in which the media played a highly significant role in the choice of high government officials. How much does your vote really count? Does your choice really matter? According to the framers, your choice does matter. They say that one man equals one vote. Congress also seems to believe that the American vote should count. They have passed Amendments to the Constitution in order to give more people the chance to vote and the chance to make a choice of their representatives. But why then does the people actually directly elect so few officials? Perhaps they agree with the ideas of Converse and Lane and are using voting only as a way to attempt to get the citizens out of the voting slump they seem to be in. Converse stated that voters are minimally informed, minimally capable, and therefore incompetent of voting. Lane claims that this is not the problem, but that instead, voters are simply lazy in their ideology. (Muraca, July 13, 1999) I tend to agree with both, but I don't feel that the fault lies on the shoulders of the people. Rather, I feel that the burden of voter incompeten ce lies on the shoulders of the media. Voters are not uninformed perse, but they are limited in the amount in information that they posses. The reason that this information is limited is because of the media. Media makes the choice everyday what they do and do not want the public to know. The power to make the choice of our knowledge rests in their hands. Without the information they pass on from day to day, we, as voters know nothing about the happenings of our government. Yet on more than one occasion the media has held back information that c... .... It is a nation founded on free speech and freedom of the press, and the media uses these freedoms to influence some of the most important decisions that may ever occur in our country. It is somewhat scary that the fate of our nation could be put in the hands of the King of Porn, but at the same time it is somewhat invigorating. As citizens, the framers entrusted everyday citizens with the right to influence the actions and fate of our government, even if only through a small article in the newspaper. Even though they did give the media this right, and we as citizens the right to use it, they still found fault with the nation as a whole. Otherwise, citizens would have been given the chance to directly elect those they feel represent them the best. The question of why they did this remains, but the fault lies at the feet of the media for keeping the citizens left uninformed and unable to cast a reasonable vote. Works Cited Janda, Berry, Goldman. The Challenge of Democracy. Sixth Edition. Houghton Mifflin, 1999. Muraca, Stephanie, T.. In-class-notes. July 13, 1999. Shepard, Alicia, C.. "Gatekeepers Without Gates", American Journalism News Link. March 1999.

Which Nut Has More Energy

Running Head; WHICH NUT Which Nut has More Energy? Aidan J. Flood Christ the King Many people ate peanuts such as explorers; the ones that explored the colonies. They lived off of the types of nuts grown in the colonies. (The life and Times of a Peanut) Many people ate nuts such as walnuts, peanuts, and almonds. All of the nuts pack a ton of energy inside. The testing was on which nut had more energy. It is necessary to test or experiment with the power of a nut, so people know how much energy each nut really holds, so they know which one to buy. In order to understand a nuts’ energy, it is necessary to know the following terms and formulas. You may need to understand energy. Energy is a usable heat or power, powers something or someone. You may need to know temperature, a measure of the average kinetic energy of the particles in a sample of matter, expressed in terms of units or degrees designated on a standard scale. (http://www. thefreedictionary. com) BTU means British thermal units, it means the quantity of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water from 60 degrees Fahrenheit to 61 degrees Fahrenheit. I am using 125 ml, half a cup of water, which is equal 4. 17 ounces. The formula that I have for energy is, Energy= mass (125ml or half a cup, 4. 17 ounces) x increased temp Mass of the nut x 1000 (nut as in walnut or peanut) One is Celsius; Celsius is the type of temperature measurement in almost every other country except America. It was named after an astronomer; he created the scale of temperature. The other is Fahrenheit; Fahrenheit is mostly used in the U. S. It is a scale temperature which water freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit, and boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit. Now for the things that are being tested, A Peanut is a small oval seed of South American plant, mostly roasted, salted, and eaten as a snack. Also called a one seeded plant, grown on large farms. A nut is a hard shelled, one seeded fruit like an acorn or hazel nut. You will also need to know what a graph is, a graph is a diagram that exhibits a relationship between different sets of numbers and items. (http://www. thefreedictionary. com) Many plants and crops are grown organically and inorganically so that must be explained too. Organic means that the plants or crops are grown naturally without pesticides and any harmful chemicals. (http://www. thefreedictionary. com) This actually doesn’t affect the peanut because it is hard shelled and no pests can get in. Inorganic means not made with any organic materials at all and is protected with man made items that are not always helpful to the environment. The plants are grown with pesticides and chemicals. Morgan D. Nagatani conducted the same type of experiment in 2002. She thought that the walnut would have the most energy and it did. She stuck the needle into the nut and burned it with a lighter, but she used a small bucket instead of a juice can. The walnut did show the highest BTU, with cashew in second (I did not test the cashew), and the almond in 3rd. These results caused me to be more interested in for walnut . It had the highest in my experiment. This also helped me explain BTU, British Thermal Units, and it did affect my experiment. There are some things were noticed in the experiment that I learned. The walnut had the most energy out of many different nuts. Also people wanted to know what Joules were and I found that they are also another measurement of energy and heat. Something that I noticed was that when I was testing the bottom of the can would turn black, so I needed to know if the soot on the bottom would effect the heat that it gave off, and it did so I had to clean the can after every trial. Many people expected the walnut because of its mass, and it was because it was grown inorganic plus very large so it can burn longer. In the past experiment the walnut also won the prize for nut with most energy. It relates to my experiment because it tells me which nut to expect to win.

Sample Entrance Essays

Sample Entrance Essays It is not a secret for anyone that life offers us multiple ways of development and self-realization. A person without aims and zest to spiritual growth sooner or later starts feeling that something is missing from his life, even thought at first sight everything looks ok. It is an obvious sign of the necessity to change something and to think over your natural and real needs, not those dictated by the society or your family. Freedom and harmony with your own self and the world around you are impossible without three things. The first thing is a constant feeling that you are a part of this world, and the world has a great number of aspects. If you do not accept some of its aspects, why do you think the world will accept you as you are? So, taking life as it is and being wise in changing it, is the first step to harmony and freedom. The second thing is following your real wishes and needs, which sometime is very difficult to identify and to take out from under the layers of social attitudes. You have to find out what is good for you, not what the people think is. If you feel that you want to plant cabbages on the river bank somewhere in the middle of America, instead of having juridical practice in New York, you won’t be happy until you fulfill you wish, even though juridical practice looks more attractive and reasonable for everyone. Not for you, though. The third and the most important thing is to love your own personality with all its drawbacks and imperfection, which is the basis of love to the world and other people. If you do not accept yourself as you are, it is hard to love other people deeply and sincerely, without egoistic â€Å"he-or-she-is-my-property† attitude. Love to yourself also means constant spiritual and social growth, since the wish to do the best for the person you love (yourself this time) is more than natural.