News is what somebody somewhere wants to suppress; all the rest is advertising. Lord Northcliffe, British publisher 1865-1922
Well, news is anything that's interesting, that relates to what's happening in the world, what's happening in areas of the culture that would be of interest to your audience. Kurt Loder, American journalist, b. 1945
Learning standard:I can cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.
I can determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text in which the rhetoric is particularly effective, analyzing how style and content contribute to the power and persuasiveness of the text.
Essential question: How does a journalist determine what is newsworthy?
Although I am not in class today, send me an e-mail, if you have a question.
In class or if you are absent, you are responsible for the following: 1. Open a word document 2. Please read the following article, noting specifically the 7 attributes that make something newsworthy. When you have finished, you will find 7 contemporary news articles. 3. Using the format below, write out the headline, say why the article is newsworthy (note that there may be more than one reason); then copy and paste some supporting evidence from the text to support your selection for why the article is news worthy.
This is due at the close of class on Thursday, October 22
Model: headline: author how news worthy: evidence:
What Makes Something Newsworthy?
Factors Journalists Use to Gauge How Big a Story Is By Tony Rogers
Over the years editors, reporters and journalism professors have come up with a list of factors or criteria that help journalists decide whether something is newsworthy or not. They can also help you decide HOW newsworthy something is. Generally, the more of the factors below that can be applied to your event or story, the more newsworthy it’s bound to be.
Impact or Consequences
Generally, the greater the impact a story has, the more newsworthy it is. Events that have on impact on your readers, that have real consequences for their lives, are bound to be newsworthy.
An obvious example would be the 9/11 terrorist attacks. In how many ways have all of our lives been affected by the events of that day? The greater the impact, the bigger the story.
Conflict
If you look closely at the stories that make news in any given day, chances are most of them will have some element of conflict. Whether it’s a dispute over banning books at a local school board meeting, bickering over budget legislation in Congress, or the ultimate conflict – war – conflict is almost always newsworthy.
Conflict is newsworthy because as human beings we’re naturally interested in conflict. Think of any book you’ve ever read or movie you’ve ever watched – they all had some type of conflict. Without conflict, there would be no literature or drama. Conflict is what propels the human drama.
Imagine two city council meetings. At the first, the council passes its annual budget unanimously with little or no argument. In the second, there is violent disagreement. Some council members want the budget to provide more city services, while others want a bare-bones budget with tax cuts. The two sides are entrenched in their positions and in the city council chambers the conflict erupts into a full-scale shouting match,
Which story is more interesting? The second, of course. Why? Conflict. Conflict is so interesting to us as humans that it can even make an otherwise dull-sounding story – the passage of a city budget – into something utterly gripping. And the ultimate conflict – war – is always a huge story.
Loss of Life/Property Destruction
There’s an old saying in the news business: If it bleeds, it leads. What that means is that any story involving loss of human life – from a fire to a shooting to a terrorist attack - is bound to be newsworthy. Likewise, nearly any story that involves property destruction on a large enough scale – a house fire is a good example - is also bound to be news.
Many stories have both loss of life and property destruction – think of the house fire in which several people perish. Obviously loss of human life is more important than property destruction, so write the story that way.
Proximity
Proximity has to do with how close an event is geographically is to your readers or viewers. A house fire with several people injured might be big news in your hometown newspaper, but chances are no one will care in the next town over. Likewise, wildfires in California usually make the national news, but clearly they’re a much bigger story for those directly affected.
Prominence
Are the people involved in your story famous or prominent? If so, the story becomes more newsworthy. For example, if an average person is injured in a car crash, chances are that won’t even make the local news. But if the president of the United States is hurt in a car crash, it makes headlines around the world.
Prominence can apply to politicians, movie stars, star athletes, CEOs – anyone who’s in the public eye. But it doesn't have to mean someone who’s famous worldwide. The mayor of your town probably isn't famous, even locally. But he or she is prominent in your town, which means any story involving him or her is likely to be more newsworthy. Prominence can apply on a local, national or international level.
Timeliness
In the news business we tend to focus on what’s happening this day, this hour, this minute. So events that are happening now are often more newsworthy than those that happened, say, a week ago.
Another factor that relates to timeliness is currency. This involves stories that may not have just happened but instead have an ongoing interest to your audience. For example, the rise and fall in gas prices is something that’s been happening for several years, but it’s a story that’s still relevant to your readers, so it has currency.
Novelty
Another old saying in the news business goes, “When a dog bites a man, no one cares. When the man bites back – now that’s a news story.” The idea, of course, is that any deviation from the normal, expected course of events is something novel, and thus newsworthy
Article 1
Philippines battered as Typhoon Koppu barrels in
David Shukman
More than 15,000 people have had to evacuate their homes, with more expected in the coming days.
"I must emphasise that this is just the start. People must remain alert while we try to pick up the pieces in areas already hit," said Alexander Pama, head of the government's main disaster agency, quoted by AFP.
A teenage boy was killed and four other people injured in Manila, when a tree toppled onto houses.
More than 15,000 people have had to evacuate their homes, with more expected in the coming days.
"I must emphasise that this is just the start. People must remain alert while we try to pick up the pieces in areas already hit," said Alexander Pama, head of the government's main disaster agency, quoted by AFP.
A teenage boy was killed and four other people injured in Manila, when a tree toppled onto houses.
A powerful typhoon is battering the northern Philippines, with at least one person dead, several missing and thousands forced to flee their homes.
Typhoon Koppu made landfall near the town of Casiguran on the island of Luzon on Sunday morning, bringing winds of close to 200km/h (124mph).
The vast weather system toppled trees and power lines, triggering floods and landslides.
Koppu has since weakened but officials fear further flooding.
With the typhoon moving slowly, heavy rain is likely to fall in the same areas for several days.
More than 15,000 people have had to evacuate their homes, with more expected in the coming days.
"I must emphasise that this is just the start. People must remain alert while we try to pick up the pieces in areas already hit," said Alexander Pama, head of the government's main disaster agency, quoted by AFP.
A teenage boy was killed and four other people injured in Manila, when a tree toppled onto houses.
Rescuers saw two bodies floating in floodwater in northern Nueva Ecija, one of the worst-hit states, but it has not been confirmed if they died because of the typhoon.
Flights and ferry services in the north have been cancelled and some bus services in mountain areas suspended due to the threat of landslides.
On Friday, President Benigno Aquino made a televised warning, the first time he had done so since Super Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, which killed more than 6,300 people.
Article 2
Paris climate summit: Major oil producers back 'effective' deal
By Matt McGrath
Shell, one of the signatories of the declaration, met protests as it attempted to drill in the Arctic
The leaders of 10 of the world's biggest oil companies have offered their qualified support for a new global treaty on climate change.
The producers of 20% of the world's oil and gas say they share the ambition to limit warming to 2C.
They promise to work to reduce the greenhouse gas intensity of the global energy mix.
But green groups were dismissive, saying that "arsonists don't make good firefighters".
The Oil and Gas Climate Initiative represents major producers including BP, Shell, Saudi Aramco and Total among others.
In their declaration they call for an "effective climate change agreement" at Cop21 - the 21st UN conference on climate change, which takes place in Paris at the end of November, when 196 countries will attempt to reach a new deal.
"Our shared ambition is for a 2C future," the 10 chief executive officers said in a statement which acknowledges that the existing trend of the world's net greenhouse gas emissions is not consistent with this aim.
"It is a challenge for the whole of society. We are committed to playing our part. Over the coming years we will collectively strengthen our actions and investments to contribute to reducing the greenhouse gas intensity of the global energy mix
The oil and gas industry leaders agreed to support an "effective" climate agreement
The companies say they will attempt to make their own production operations more efficient and say that over the past 10 years they have already reduced their emissions by 20%.
They promise to promote natural gas as a better option than coal and invest in carbon capture and storage as well as renewable energy.
"Sometimes in all these discussions you have the impression that all fossil fuels are the bad guys. But the bad guys are part of the solution," Total's CEO Patrick Pouyanne told a gas and electricity summit in Paris earlier this week.
"Whatever people think, we still need fossil fuels. We need to make advocacy for gas. We need to explain to our policy makers that gas has to be encouraged," he told news agencies.
However the group of 10 does not include major US oil companies such as Exxon and Chevron.
Environmental campaigners were quick to pour scorn on the oil and gas producers' initiative, saying it would do little to aid the decarbonisation of the global economy.
"The oil companies behind this announcement have spent years lobbying to undermine effective climate action, each and every one of them has a business plan that would lead to dangerous global temperature rises, yet suddenly they expect us all to see them as the solution, not the problem," said Charlie Kronick from Greenpeace.
"The world should thank them for their offer of advice but politely turn it down. Arsonists don't make good firefighters."
Climate negotiators reassemble in Bonn next week in an effort to advance a new global deal. They will have their first opportunity to respond to a slimmed down draft that is expected to be the basis of the Paris agreement.
Article 3
Apple patent case: Wisconsin university wins huge damages
David Lee
A US jury has ordered technology giant Apple to pay more than $234m (£152m) in damages for patent infringement.
The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, the patent licensing arm of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said the verdict was important to guard its inventions from unauthorised use.
The jury had earlier decided that Apple incorporated patented microchip technology into some iPhones and iPads without permission.
Apple said it would appeal.
The company declined to comment further.
The amount was less than the foundation had claimed. It had originally sought as much as $862m.
The sum was lower in part because the judge ruled that Apple had not wilfully infringed the patent.
University of Wisconsin-Madison computer sciences professor Gurindar Sohi, one of the inventors of the microchip technology - designed to boost the performance of computer processors - was in the federal court in Madison, Wisconsin, for the decision.
"For Dr Sohi, I hope you felt that your invention was vindicated,'' US District Judge William Conley said.
Carl Gulbrandsen, managing director of the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, said: "This is a case where the hard work of our university researchers and the integrity of patenting and licensing discoveries has prevailed.
"The jury recognised the seminal computer processing work that took place on our campus.''
The case relates to use of the technology in the iPhone 5s, 6 and 6 Plus - but an additional lawsuit making the same claim against Apple's newest models, the 6S and 6S Plus, has also been filed.
The University of Wisconsin sued Intel over the same patent in 2008. That case was settled out of court for an undisclosed sum.
Despite recent well-publicised truces between some big tech firms, fierce patent battles are still being fought in courts globally.
A judge recently threw out claims by graphic card specialist Nvidia that Samsung and others had infringed three of its patents.
Apple's annual revenue in 2014 was $182bn.
Article 4
Grateful Dead star Phil Lesh has bladder cancer
Will Gompertz
Lesh said they refunds for the postponed shows would also be available.
Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh is being treated for bladder cancer in the US.
The guitarist made the announcement on the website for his restaurant in San Rafael, California.
He said he was diagnosed earlier this month and has been treated at a clinic in Arizona, where he will have surgery to remove his tumours.
The illness means Lesh has had to postpone his 24 and 25 October Phil & Friends shows with Chris Robinson.
The gigs with the former Black Crowes frontman were scheduled to take place at Lesh's restaurant, Terrapin Crossroads.
Lesh, 75, wrote: "I am very fortunate to have the pathology reports show that the tumours are all non-aggressive, and that there is no indication that they have spread."
Fans gathered in their thousands to say goodbye to the band during their 50th anniversary tour earlier this year.
He added that the postponed shows would be rescheduled "as soon as we can".
Lesh, one of the founding members of the Grateful Dead, was diagnosed with prostrate cancer in 2006 but underwent surgery and made a full recovery.
The psychedelic band, which formed in 1965, split 30 years later following the death of frontman Jerry Garcia.
Lesh was with them throughout - and also joined the group's other surviving members for a reunion tour of the US in 2003.
The Grateful Dead performed their final shows in July this year, which also coincided with the 50th anniversary of the band's formation.
The gigs took place at Chicago's Soldier Field, which was also where Garcia's final show took place in 1995.
Article 5
Jeb Bush: Trump's 9/11 comments prove he's an 'actor' in candidate's clothes
by Tom McCarthy
Jeb Bush gritted his teeth and
threw a series of punches atDonald Trumpon
Sunday, saying his rival for the Republican presidential nomination was an
“actor” who was not serious about running for the White House and whose remarks
about the 9/11 attacks undercut his “credibility” as commander-in-chief.
True to form, Trump hit back immediately, razzing Bush on Twitter even as the former Florida governor continued to talk on television.
In a pre-taped interview with Fox News Sunday,
Trump also said that had he been president, “there’s a good chance” the 11
September hijackers “would not have been in our country”.
All but one of the 19 men who hijacked planes
and flew them into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in
Pennsylvania entered the country legally on business or tourist visas. One
entered on a student visa.
After months of influential Republicans spoiling
for a fight against Trump, led by Bush, Bush attacked directly. He took issue
with Trump’s contention that Bush’s brother, George W Bush, had not kept the
country safe as president, citing the 9/11 attacks.
“Does anybody actually blame my brother for
what happened on 9/11?” Bush said on CNN’s State of the Union. “They’re totally
marginal ... It calls into question Mr Trump’s credibility as
commander-in-chief.”
For days, Trump had taunted Bush on Twitter
and in interviews, at one point calling him “pathetic for saying nothing
happened during your brother’s term when the World Trade Center was attacked
and came down”.
That aggression, the Bush team apparently
decided at the weekend, would not stand. Bush disseminated a new web video on
Saturday entitled “Judgement” [sic], which uses a whimsical clarinet soundtrack
and interview lowlights to portray Trump as a clownish figure not suited to the
grave responsibilities of the presidency.
Article 6
Schumer urges testing, disclosure of Halloween makeup
Created: 10/18/2015 9:49 AM WHEC.com By: Ali Stewart
Sen. Charles Schumer is calling for federal authorities to routinely test and require full disclosure of components in Halloween makeup.
The New York Democrat says novelty makeup and face paint are often made in China and can contain metals that could pose a danger to children wearing them.
According to Schumer, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics found all 10 face paints it tested contained lead and six contained nickel, cobalt and/or chromium.
Lead is banned from makeup in Canada and Europe, but not in the U.S.,
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration doesn't conduct routine testing of novelty cosmetics and needs to do more to enforce required disclosures of ingredients.
He says parents should check what glitter, lipstick and other cosmetics go on their children's faces this Halloween.
Lamar Odom, an NBA and reality TV star, was found unconscious Tuesday in a Nevada brothel, the apparent victim, says the local sheriff, of a combination of cocaine and "10 sexual performance enhancer supplements."
While there are still many details we don't know at this point, this tragic incident put a spotlight on America's lucrative supplement industry.
Odom's highs and lows are well-documented through the distorted lens of the Kardashian media industrial complex, and this latest low will probably be no different. The report of what happened to him seems almost like a scene from a Quentin Tarantino film. According to some accounts, a swarm of bordello prostitutes attempted to revive their client and call 911, only to see him unable to fit into the air ambulance chopper to Las Vegas.
But let's put aside the salacious details. Men should pay attention to what happened to Odom. They make easy targets for the supplement industry.
All manufacturers need do is deploy an enticing lingo and packaging to get us to pop these mystery pills. The names are cringe-worthy in the full light of day, where they're rarely unwrapped. Herbal Vigor Quick Fix, O.M.G., Arize, Eyeful and Weekend Warrior are among the more printable brands to earn recent FDA warnings.
Men are turning to products that often falsely claim to be "all natural" in order to gain supernatural powers in bed, or so we think.
An estimated 567 men go to the emergency room every year for complications related to over-the-counter, poorly regulated sexual enhancement products, according to a New England Journal of Medicine report published this week. That report doesn't try to estimate the number of dead on arrival cases, because of the complexities of analyzing cause of death reports around the country.
As for Odom, he may now be suffering from an anoxic brain injury. That's when the whole brain is not getting enough well-oxygenated blood flow to survive. This is my current analysis based on the reported details so far, which include him being found unresponsive and having apparently vomited. He's still comatose over 48 hours later, according to reports. Unnamed "sources" featured by E! and NBC claim that Odom has suffered "at least one stroke."
Without further detail, such language could mean there's an area of selectively more oxygen-deprived brain as part of an overall anoxic injury, or a separate event occurred, such as a spasm of an artery. It's also possible a clot traveled to the brain from the heart, which may have been prone to forming a clot because of poor blood flow related to an abnormal rhythm (another side effect of some drugs and drug combinations).
A likely scenario would involve a cardiac arrest induced by the cocaine, and/or any number of toxic metabolic effects from the unknown sexual supplement he took. The combination of these various compounds may be at fault, and we do not know as yet about other medications he may have been taking, or any other medical conditions he may have.
Sometimes these "sexual enhancer" supplements are adulterated with pharmaceuticals not listed on the label in order to skirt the regulations that do exist. In a number of cases the FDA has found that they contain the active compound in Viagra, sildenafil, which can suddenly drop the blood pressure and provoke seizure as known side effects, and which can be deadly in combination with some other prescribed drugs. Experiencing sildenafil's worse side effects would be more expected in the case of an overdose or it being adulterated, which is likely in the case of these supplements.
Supplements make their way into brothels, head shops and convenience stores without having to pass through rigorous safety testing like other drugs. Men who want to imagine themselves transforming into a vigorous Greek god would be better off picturing a little guinea pig. Even if the potions feature new concoctions never before on the market, the FDA is powerless to demand safety testing first. The agency only takes action when problems arise after the fact.
I hope Odom is getting world-class care and that his wife Khloe Kardashian and his physicians see eye to eye. These situations can sometimes become as dramatic as a television series, even without the involvement of TV stars. It's key that everyone involved keeps Odom's best interests, prior expressed wishes and long-term prognosis paramount.
As for the rest of us, there's a thing or two we can learn from celebrity illnesses and injuries. Stay away from sketchy supplements, and talk to your doctor before experimenting on yourself.
From Ms. Woodhams---seniors there is a meeting in 176 immediately after school on Monday about the upcoming dance.
FROM THE COUNSELING OFFICE College Fair Tomorrow
Seniors with last names beginning with A – L: 8:30 am
-will return to class at 9:00 am*
Seniors with last names beginning with M – Z: 8:50 am
-will return to class at 9:15 am*
*Students will receive a pass back to class
Schools in attendance: Alfred State College, Alfred University, Finger Lakes Community College, Genesee Community College, Keuka College, Monroe Community College, Nazareth College, Roberts Wesleyan College, Rochester Institute of Technology, St. John Fisher College, SUNY Brockport, University of Rochester Marla Britton (UR Admissions) will come to SOTA to do a college essay writing workshop on Wednesday, October 28 at 8:30.
Please refer back to this page for all information on resumes and cover letters As a graduation requirement- and even a prom-ticket purchase prerequisite- all seniors must participate in the senior exit interview on December 1 after school; this is mandated by the district. So...what does this mean exactly? You need to have three items for your interview folder: a resume (or curriculum vitae, as it's called in all other English speaking countries), a cover letter and a well-written writing sample, which is your college essay.
I should have everyone's essays by now. Over the next three weeks. you
will receive an edited version from me. I will have tidied up any language
convention errors (capitalization, spelling, punctuation) and abominable
syntax. I also might have to communicate with you about sense, as in what
does this mean?
This is a graded assignment, in that I'll look at it through the Common
Core rubric. See end of blog post.
All resumes and cover letters are due by the end of class on Tuesday, October 20. These should be hard copies. I will then finish any editing and let you revise as needed. Grading: what you turn in to me is your grade; however, I will return the material for you to make corrections, so that the interviewer or college receives your best work. Only those who have no punctuation, spelling, grammatical or formatting errors will receive an A+. Step 1: resume Step 2 cover letter
Below you will find the needed information to write your resume and cover letter. Resume information: I would suggest you use a resume template. There are some on Microsoft Publisher
1. Open Microsoft Publisher
2. Where it says "search for on line templates" at the top, type in resumes
3. Where it says "search results for other office applications" word 72, open.
4. Open the basic resume
5. Delete the objective section
You should be ready to go. BE MINDFUL OF ALL SPELLING AND PUNCTUATION!
You may also complete a resume without a template. Note that you should choose something at the entry level, such as the models below. You do not need to put in an objective. Your resume should be no more than one page. Do not include information prior to high school. Look over the suggested resume verbs.
Step 2: cover letter What is a cover letter? A cover letter introduces you and your resume to potential employers or organizations you seek to join (non-profits, educational institutions, etc). It is the first document an employer sees, so it is often the first impression you will make. Take advantage of this important first impression and prepare the reader for your application, stating why you are writing, why you are a good match for the job and the organization, and when you will contact him or her. Cover Letter templates - I given you two. Sample cover letter format guidelines: Make sure to read the formatting information that follows and a sample for an employment position. before you begin writing. Note that that although you might not have a "real" position to which you are applying, please write yours to a college or business of your choice. Keep in mind most internships, scholarships and even assistant-ships require a cover letter. The purpose now is two-fold: to make you acquainted with the process and this is a requirement from the district for your senior exit interview, which is on DECEMBER 1. Here is the required spacing:
Spacing
Single-space your cover letter.
Leave a space between addresses and dates in the heading.
Leave a space between your heading (contact info) and greeting ("Dear...:").
Leave a space between each paragraph.
Leave at least three spaces between your complimentary close ("Sincerely,") and typed name.
Sign your name in ink between your complimentary close and typed name.
(Hard copy: sender address and contact info at top. Your address and the date can be left-justified, or centered; your name should be in size 14 font, but the rest in size 12. Use Times New Roman or Ariel
Your Street Address
City, State Zip Code
Telephone Number
E-mail Address
Month, Day, Year
Name Last Name
Title
Name of Organization
Street or P. O. Box Address
City, State Zip Code
Dear Mr./Ms./Dr. LastName:
If you don't know the name of the hiring manager, consider addressing your letter "Dear Hiring Manager," "Dear Recruiting Team," or "Dear [insert company name] Team." Do not say To Whom It May Concern. It is always best to address a cover letter to a real person to make it look like you’re not sending form letters.
Opening paragraph: State why you are writing; how you learned of the organization or position, and basic information about yourself. This is where you will mention the job for which you're applying and how you found the job listing. It only needs to be 1 to 2 sentences in length.
2nd paragraph: Tell why you are interested in the employer or type of work the employer does (Simply stating that you are interested does not tell why, and can sound like a form letter). Demonstrate that you know enough about the employer or position to relate your background to the employer or position. Mention specific qualifications which make you a good fit for the employer’s needs. (Focus on what you can do for the employer, not what the employer can do for you.) This is an opportunity to explain in more detail relevant items in your resume. Refer to the fact that your resume is enclosed. Mention other enclosures if such are required to apply for a position. You don't want to overwhelm the hiring manager or use up a great deal of his or her time. Try to answer the following questions in your body paragraphs:
Why am I a qualified candidate for this position?
What work experience do I have that fits the job requirements in the company's listing?
Why do I want to work for this company specifically?
3rd paragraph: Indicate that you would like the opportunity to interview for a position or to talk with the employer to learn more about their opportunities or hiring plans. State what you will do to follow up, such as telephone the employer within two weeks. If you will be in the employer’s location and could offer to schedule a visit, indicate when. State that you would be glad to provide the employer with any additional information needed. Thank the employer for her/his consideration.This will be where you wrap up and discuss how you will proceed with the application. Consider including the following:
Reiterate in one sentence why you feel you're a perfect fit for the position.
Discuss what you'll do next. If you plan on following up with the hiring manager in a week or two, include a specific date. Otherwise, just say that you look forward to interviewing for the position and discussing your qualifications further.
Provide your contact information. Include your email address and your phone number so the hiring manager can get in touch with you.
Mention that your resume or references are attached (if applicable).
Thank the person for their time. This paragraph should be 2-4 sentences.
Sincerely,
(Your handwritten signature; leave three spaces for your typed name.
Your name typed
(In case of e-mail, your full contact info appears below your printed name [instead of at the top, as for hard copy], and of course there is no handwritten signature)
Enclosure(s) (refers to resume, etc.)
Your Contact Information Name Address City, State, Zip Code Phone Number Email Address
Date
Employer College Contact Information Name Title Company Address City, State, Zip Code
Salutation Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name, (leave out if you don't have a contact or using Dear Hiring Manager or Dear Sir or Madam or one of the other examples below)
Body of Cover Letter The body of your cover letter lets the employer know what position you are applying for, why the employer should select you for an interview, and how you will follow-up.
First Paragraph The first paragraph of your letter should include information on why you are writing. Mention the position you are applying for and where you found the job listing. Include the name of a mutual contact, if you have one.
(First Paragraph - Why you are writing?)
Middle Paragraph(s) The next section of your cover letter should describe what you have to offer the employer. Mention specifically how your qualifications match the job you are applying for. Remember, you are interpreting your resume, not repeating it.
Middle Paragraphs - What you have to offer the employer (be specific)
Final Paragraph Conclude your cover letter by thanking the employer for considering you for the position. Include information on how you will follow-up.
Final Paragraph - How you will follow-up
Complimentary Close
Respectfully yours,
Signature
Handwritten Signature (for a mailed letter)
Typed Signature
Length
Keep to one page.
Write one paragraph of introduction, one-three paragraphs to highlight your skills, and one paragraph to conclude.
Sample Cover Letter
Belinda Mario 123 Los Gatos Blvd. Waco, TX 12345 123-555-1234 bmario@unknown.com
June 22, 20xx
Director of Human Resources
Golden Light Nursery School
123 Projection Highway
Waco, TX 12345
Dear Director,
A teaching position at your school has long been a career objective of mine. Now that I've earned my Texas Childcare Credential, I'm eager to apply for a position on your childcare team.
After reading my enclosed resume, please consider me for any appropriate position in your system. My desire to work with children is strong and I believe that once I join your staff, we will together discover my niche.
I will call you on Friday to learn what positions are open for the fall. Thank you!
Sincerely,
Belinda Mario
Enclosure: resume
SAMPLE 2
Dear Mr. Adams:
I’m submitting an application for the editorial position you advertised on SuperJobs on September
10.
I've spent the last year and a half working full-time as a writer and editor for a publishing company
that specializes in educational content. During that time, I've logged thousands of hours doing
everything related to the editorial process, including copy editing, proofreading, content entry, and
quality assurance. I currently manage a team of over 40 freelance writers who work on a variety of
different subjects, and I ensure that the quality of every submission meets our high editorial
standards. I'm also very familiar with English grammar and usage and have no trouble adapting to
various style guides.
What I like most about my current job is that it gives me the opportunity to learn and be creative,
and it looks like this position would do the same. I feel that I could be a valuable asset to your team,
and I bring to the table all of the skills that you require in an editor.
I look forward to discussing my qualifications further and can be reached by email at anpeterson@email.com or by phone at 460.555.0198.
You'll have the next three days to work on your essay in class, with the goal of sending this to me by Wednesday. You were asked to have a topic ready to go over the weekend. You'll will receive an edited form back to you within the next three weeks, at which point you may adjust as needed. This is a graded assignment, albeit with the understanding that the work will need fine tuning.
Here is a short background video from College Board on the process of submitting your essay fro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Neo87aHxlV4
Common Application questions for 2015-2016
Suggestions: although there is a cap at 650 words, it is suggested that you stick to no
more that 550, as "brevity is the soul of wit."
You do not need an MLA heading. Only your first name. You will be uploading this
eventually. Topic Choices.
Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
The lessons we take from failure can be fundamental to later success. Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?
Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you’d like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma-anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.
Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.
The following are tips on writing your essay.
1. Be concise. Even though the Common Application main essay has only a suggested minimum of 250 words, and no upper limit, every admissions officer has a big stack to read every day; he or she expects to spend only a couple of minutes on the essay. If you go over 700 words, you are straining their patience, which no one should want to do.
2. Be honest. Don't embellish your achievements, titles, and offices. It's just fine to be the copy editor of the newspaper or the treasurer of the Green Club, instead of the president. Not everyone has to be the star at everything. You will feel better if you don't strain to inflate yourself.
3. Be an individual. In writing the essay, ask yourself, "How can I distinguish myself from those thousands of others applying to College X whom I don't know—and even the ones I do know?" It's not in your activities or interests. If you're going straight from high school to college, you're just a teenager, doing teenage things. It is your mind and how it works that are distinctive. How do you think? Sure, that's hard to explain, but that's the key to the whole exercise.
4. Be coherent. Obviously, you don't want to babble, but I mean write about just one subject at a time. Don't try to cover everything in an essay. Doing so can make you sound busy, but at the same time, scattered and superficial. The whole application is a series of snapshots of what you do. It is inevitably incomplete. The colleges expect this. Go along with them.
5. Be accurate. I don't mean just use spell check (that goes without saying). Attend to the other mechanics of good writing, including conventional punctuation in the use of commas, semi-colons, etc. If you are writing about Dickens, don't say he wrote Wuthering Heights. If you write about Nietzsche, spell his name right.
6. Be vivid. A good essay is often compared to a story: In many cases it's an anecdote of an important moment. Provide some details to help the reader see the setting. Use the names (or invent them) for the other people in the story, including your brother, teacher, or coach. This makes it all more human and humane. It also shows the reader that you are thinking about his or her appreciation of your writing, which is something you'll surely want to do.
7. Be likable. Colleges see themselves as communities, where people have to get along with others, in dorms, classes, etc. Are you someone they would like to have dinner with, hang out with, have in a discussion section? Think, "How can I communicate this without just standing up and saying it, which is corny." Subtlety is good
8. Be cautious in your use of humor. You never know how someone you don't know is going to respond to you, especially if you offer something humorous. Humor is always in the eye of the beholder. Be funny only if you think you have to. Then think again.
9. Be controversial (if you can). So many kids write bland essays that don't take a stand on anything. It is fine to write about politics, religion, something serious, as long as you are balanced and thoughtful. Don't pretend you have the final truth. And don't just get up on your soapbox and spout off on a sensitive subject; instead, give reasons and arguments for your view and consider other perspectives (if appropriate). Colleges are places for the discussion of ideas, and admissions officers look for diversity of mind.
10. Be smart. Colleges are intellectual places, a fact they almost always keep a secret when they talk about their dorms, climbing walls, and how many sports you can play. It is helpful to show your intellectual vitality. What turns your mind on? This is not the same thing as declaring an intended major; what matters is why that subject interests you.
