Should You Write Your Own Recommendation Letter

I asked my professor to write me a letter of recommendation for graduate school. She asked that I draft the letter myself and send it to her. Is this unusual? What should I do? In the business world, its not uncommon for employers to ask employees to draft a letter for any purpose on their behalf. The employer then reviews the letter and adds, deletes, and edits the information before sending it to whomever it needs to be sent. Can the process look the same in academia? Is it okay for a professor to ask you to write your own recommendation letter and is it okay for you to write it? Many undergraduates applying for graduate school are faced with this dilemma: They need a recommendation letter from a professor and the professor has asked them to write it themselves. If this happens to you, keep the following things in mind. It Matters More Who Sends It Than Who Wrote It Some argue that it is unethical for applicants to write their own letters because admissions committees want the professors insight and opinion, not the candidates. Others say that a letter that is obviously written by the applicant could detract from the entire application. However, consider the purpose of a recommendation letter. Through it, a professor gives their word that youre a good candidate for graduate school and they will not vouch for you if you are not grad school material no matter who penned the letter. Trust the integrity of the professor requesting this favor of you and remember that they are only asking you to write the words, not recommend yourself on their behalf, then get to work writing a great letter. Writing Your Own Letter Is Really Not That Different Standard practice when it comes to letters of recommendation is for applicants to provide professors with a packet of information as background for writing the letter. This typically includes information about the programs to which they are applying, their goals, admissions essays, and descriptions of significant research or other experiences that boost credibility. Professors often follow up with a student by asking a few questions whose answers will help them to craft an effective message. Most professors will even ask what things they want to be included and how they want the letter to contribute to the whole application. Conceptually, providing your professor with a profile of information and answers in the form of a letter rather than a loose collection of information is no different than the typical process—and its less work for both of you. Help Your Busy Professor Out Professors are busy. They have many students and are probably asked to write several recommendation letters each semester. This is one reason why a professor might ask a student to draft their own letter. Another reason is that writing your own letters guarantees for your prof that information you would like to include about yourself is included. Even a professor who thinks very highly of you and with whom you are close might not know exactly what to write when the time comes but wants to act in your best interest. They might also feel overwhelmed when asked to write a perfect recommendation letter because there is pressure for them to make you shine and secure a spot for you at your dream school. Remove some of the stress and help them to understand what you want to be highlighted by giving them an outline. You Dont Have the Final Say The letter you draft is probably not exactly the letter that will be submitted. Virtually no professor will submit a students letter without reading and editing it as they see fit, especially if they are given an appropriate window of time to do so. Moreover, most students lack experience writing a recommendation letter and some tweaks will need to be made just to improve the quality. A students letter serves mostly as a starting point and a professor still needs to agree with its content. A professor is taking ownership of any letter they sign regardless of edits or additions made or not made. A recommendation letter is a professors statement of support and they will not put their name behind you without agreeing with every word.

The Misunderstandings of Socialism - 1238 Words

Quotes like Winston Churchill’s have become part of the political rhetoric when leaders discuss the idea of socialism. In current events you can see the exact same argumentation being used against legislation such as the Affordable Health Care Act. Conservative talking heads such as Bill O’Reilly equate it to socialism because, as Mr. O’Reilly says himself, â€Å"[i]n order to provide for the have nots, the far left wants the federal government to seize the assets of solvent Americans. That’s what ObamaCare [the Affordable Health Care Act] is all about — taking from those who can afford health care to provide for those who cannot† (O’Reilly). This simplification of socialism does not do justice to the actual paradigm itself. Instead, in this paper I will try to refute our current idea of socialism because of a lack of understanding. The explanations and descriptions by Michael W. Doyle in his chapters on Marxist and Leninist socialism paints a picture that allows one to see how socialism could be beneficial to the common man while also critiquing the negative myths held by modern society. Initially we shall examine the concept of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels view of Socialism as described by Michael W. Doyle. At the very beginning of the chapter he states that â€Å"[Marx and Engels] are perhaps best known for the materialist conception of history in which the conditions of production shape all other areas of society — institutions, laws, ideas and morality† (Doyle 322). Both ofShow MoreRelatedKarl Marx on the German Ideology843 Words   |  3 Pagestenets of the philosopher’s approach. Notably, Karl Marx produced The German Ideology in 1846 as a critique of George Friedrich Hegel and his followers in Germany. The philosophers sought to differentiate their concept of socialism from existing ones and exhibit how socialism emerges ordinarily from the social conflicts embedded in capitalism . Background to the Introduction of The German Ideology: The introduction of The German Ideology can be attributed to the intellectual influences Karl MarxRead MoreAnalysis Of Kurt Vonnegut s The Great Depression 1711 Words   |  7 PagesWar. â€Å"According to all commentary on this story, the theme of his satire is that attempts to achieve equality are absurd. However, the true object of his satire is the popular misunderstanding of what leveling and equality entail; so, more specifically, this text satirizes America s Cold War misunderstanding of socialism.† (Hattenhauer 387) In this story, Vonnegut depicts America’s ideas for equality in the first line: â€Å"Nobody was smarter than anybody else. Nobody was better looking than anybodyRead MoreThe Jungle By Upton Sinclair1525 Words   |  7 Pagesconditions only to make a few pennies an hour and fall victims to the evil schemes of business owners and city officials. Eventually the story turns to what I believe is the most central idea of the novel. Sinclair wanted hi s readers to believe that socialism was the solution for the injustices of capitalism, which was to blame for the struggle of Jurgis Rudkus and so many other working-class families of the era. The remainder of this essay will clarify the ways in which Sinclair depicted this centralRead MoreThe Headstrong Historian By Kurt Vonnegut1043 Words   |  5 Pagestheme of oppression. Vonnegut wrote â€Å"Harrison Burgeron† in 1961 while Adichie wrote â€Å"The Headstrong Historian† in 2008. Vonnegut’s short story was written in the midst of the Cold War, suggesting a potential connection to the ideas of communism and socialism. Adichie is a writer famous for her work in which she closely examines African culture. On a surface level, these stories could not seem more different. â€Å"Harrison Burgeron† and â€Å"the Headstrong Historian† obviously have completely different settingsRead MoreCommunism As A Utopian Society1567 Words   |  7 Pagesreturning to mankind’s original state but with the development that of a capitalist industrialization. The transitions from one social stage to another can only happen when the given society reached the limit of its development, thus the move to socialism/communism could and would only happen after capitalism has ran its course. An overwhelming number of people’s understanding of what communism is comes from a presentation of the USSR under Stalin’s rule. Let it be known however, that the originalRead MoreSocialism1412 Words   |  6 Pageswelcome people to discuss how that should be managed in the future in order to circumvent the possibility of mistakes being made hopefully, but to insinuate from the start that it can be avoided entirely is either naive at best, delusional at worst. Socialism isnt stateless and isnt the final product nor the end goal, so you need to accept the fact that it will be far from perfect and it will be a struggle and there will be problematic elements to be resolved. Thats just the way it is dude. FurthermoreRead MoreGlobalization1301 Words   |  6 Pagesallows businesses to expand and sell products oversees creating greater product demand which results in higher profits. One key aspect of globalization is the understanding of the different cultures involved in trade negotiations. A cultural misunderstanding can break a business negotiation or create barriers among nations. Additionally, companies need to have a clear understanding of the governing aspects in the countries where they do business to implement the proper regulations. Article Summary:Read MoreEconomic Reform In China1148 Words   |  5 Pagesbecame the second place of the world in 2010. Besides, not only had the economic reform, the Plenary Session also adjust the ideological line of the CCP, and carried out new policies that conform to Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong thought, within the socialism political system. This essay will use the adjustments in the power, and the new relationship between political organization and the economic development due to the changes in policies in order to prove China’s economic reform been accompanied byRead MoreThe Failure Of Communism And Communism965 Words   |  4 PagesJoel Boyd S.A. Middleton HIST-130.10 22 April 2015 1. Discuss the seeming failure of communism and other forms of socialism and the apparent triumph of capitalism in the 1990s, as well as considering capitalism’s possible benefits and debits in the early twenty-first century. Capitalism and Communism have both been put forth as the best models for modern enlightened societies. Each philosophy contains both desirable and undesirable elements within its framework. Communism is based on a firm beliefRead MoreThe Other Side Of Castro850 Words   |  4 PagesLina (â€Å"Fidel Alejandro†). Many critics of Castro s life comment on his early life and upbringing. Castro s father was wealthy due to his sugar cane business; his father s wealth and the privileges it allowed for their family has led to some misunderstandings about Castro and how he became to be the leader and revolutionist he is today. According to author Steven Walker, a member of the Communist Party of Britain, Fidel Castro s early years were not as privileged as some people might believe. In

Wirk Free Essays

In the previous seminar that I wasn’t able to attend on time, I learned some helpful Information that will be beneficial throughout my semester in this class. All the basics were broken down so clearly by my professor. Such as, what to do when you have a question private and not as private. We will write a custom essay sample on Wirk or any similar topic only for you Order Now If the question is private you can just simply e-mail the professor and he will get back to you within a twenty-four time period. Also, for the questions that aren’t as private you can Just simply post It In the discussion board, therefore your fellow classmates can help you with your problems. As stated by my professor we are all In this together. Furthermore, I was taught how to maneuver my way around the online page. For Instance, how to submit work In the drop. You Just have to go to the drop tab and go to submit assignment and then browse. After browsing for your assignment you will attach and send. This way your work will be there In time for grading. In Dalton, It Is stated to never delete your saved assignment due to a disruption while It Is being graded. If you don’t save it and it is told to you it’s not submitted then you will have to do the assignment all ever. Moreover, I learned the many different ways getting to know my classmates. The discussion board is a very good source of that because, you can have discussions of different facts and opinions. Also, sometimes even provide more details from what you have studied or researched on. Another way to connect with your peers is to just e-mail them to get information correctly, get to know them better and even meet. Even though I never e-mailed anyone I am still comfortable in knowing their views on certain things. All in all I believe the seminar is a good way to know what you are up against for that following week. An hour a week on a specific day is not bad at all. Also, you can be active while being a part of it. Asking several questions and who knows your classmates can sometimes answer the question as well as the professor can. It is actually a good way to do this class instead of being in class bored and with little or no input at all. Wire By Momentarily 7 information that will be beneficial throughout my semester in this class. All the have a question private and not as private. If the question is private you can Just period. Also, for the questions that aren’t as private you can Just simply post it in the As stated by my professor we are all in this together. Furthermore, I was taught how to maneuver my way around the online page. For instance, how to submit work in the your work will be there in time for grading. In addition, it is stated to never delete your saved assignment due to a disruption while it is being graded. How to cite Wirk, Papers

Assyrian Art Essay Example For Students

Assyrian Art Essay The reliefs from the palace of King Assurnasirpal II at Nimrud play an important role in portraying the power and importance of the Assyrian king. These reliefs are similar to other Assyrian reliefs in terms of their purpose; however, there is a contrast in the methods used to glorify the king. By examining such factors as style, iconography and historical significance, we find many similarities and differences between the ceremonial reliefs and the more common reliefs depicting war and hunting. The reliefs belonging to the sacred orceremonial category consist of panels depicting a sacred tree, a human headed genius fertilizing a sacred tree, a griffin fertilizing a sacred tree, and a scene of King Assurnasirpal whose name comes from the god Assur followed by a winged genius. Dating to about 870 B. C. , these reliefs were originally located in the antechamber to the royal throne hall and in the living room where it would have been viewed by distinguished guests. Because of their location and larger than life size, the reliefs nstill in the beholder a sense of awe and reverence for the king. Art History Anthology 28. Moreover, the reliefs overwhelm the viewer by depicting the kings power and god-like divinity through propagandistic iconography and stylization. To portray the kings god-like divinity, the reliefs represent the deities and Assurnasirpal in a similar manner. First of all, hierarchic scale is almost absent since all the figures are closely related in size, with Assurnasirpal being only slightly shorter than the deities. In historical context, this shows that Assyrian kings were closely associated with deities, but were not considered gods themselves. This lack of hierarchic scale is also seen in the Lion Hunt of Assurbanipal, where king Assurbanipal is shown slightly larger than his servants. Secondly, the deities and Assurnasirpal are similar in stance and stylization. All the figures have their head and legs shown in profile, while the torso is shown halfway frontal. In addition, the figures maintain a stiff vertical stance with their arms extended in either straight lines or are stiffly bent into a ninety-degree angle. In the third panel, both a winged deity and Assurnasirpal are depicted facing towards the right with their left feet forward; however, in contrast, the human headed genius and the griffin genius are facing towards the left with their right feet forward. Because of their stiff stance, these figures highly contrast the movement and action shown in the hunting scenes of Assurbanipal and war scenes of Assurnasirpal. In term of stylization, both the human headed deities and Assurnasirpal have very stylized hair falling in straight locks to the back of their necks; furthermore, they possess highly stylized beards of intricate waves and ringlets which end evenly at the bottom. Because these features are similar to that of Assurbanipal and the mythological bullmen at the palace at Khorsabad, it can be construed that it is a coiffure characteristic of royalty and divinity alike Art History Anthology 28. Moving on to the facial expression, we find that all the human headed figures contain large eyebrows, large eyes that are deeply undercut, an elongated nose, conventionalized ears, and highly conventionalized lips which appear as a simple slit. On the other hand, the beardless griffin has an eagles head adorned with a feather headdress and a curved beak with a long tongue. To show the strength of the deities and Assurnasirpal, the artist depicts muscles within the arms and legs through simple lines and curves. This style of depicting the facial and body features is common in other Assyrian reliefs including the hunting scenes of Assurbanipal. Although there are many similarities in body structure, there is also a distinctive element that separates the deities and the king. Each deity possesses a set of four highly stylized wings made up of very detailed feathers. Besides the use of stance and stylization, clothing is used as a means of displaying the kings importance in relation to the gods. .ufd3689c45128fadc26c12e8ead8c22f7 , .ufd3689c45128fadc26c12e8ead8c22f7 .postImageUrl , .ufd3689c45128fadc26c12e8ead8c22f7 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ufd3689c45128fadc26c12e8ead8c22f7 , .ufd3689c45128fadc26c12e8ead8c22f7:hover , .ufd3689c45128fadc26c12e8ead8c22f7:visited , .ufd3689c45128fadc26c12e8ead8c22f7:active { border:0!important; } .ufd3689c45128fadc26c12e8ead8c22f7 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ufd3689c45128fadc26c12e8ead8c22f7 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ufd3689c45128fadc26c12e8ead8c22f7:active , .ufd3689c45128fadc26c12e8ead8c22f7:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ufd3689c45128fadc26c12e8ead8c22f7 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ufd3689c45128fadc26c12e8ead8c22f7 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ufd3689c45128fadc26c12e8ead8c22f7 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ufd3689c45128fadc26c12e8ead8c22f7 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ufd3689c45128fadc26c12e8ead8c22f7:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ufd3689c45128fadc26c12e8ead8c22f7 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ufd3689c45128fadc26c12e8ead8c22f7 .ufd3689c45128fadc26c12e8ead8c22f7-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ufd3689c45128fadc26c12e8ead8c22f7:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Art of Poetry EssayAgain a similarity between the deities and Assurnasirpal is shown through their attire. Each one is dressed in a similar fashion in both heavy short-sleeved tunics that come down to the knees, and ankle-length shawls that contain geometric designs and tassels along the hem. The figures also possess accessories such as bracelets, necklaces, earrings and a pair of daggers. Also important is the royal cap, which identifies Assurnasirpal as a king, as well as the bow he holds, which is a symbol of might and military prowess Art History Anthology 28. The pair of daggers and the symbolism of the bow are important to the Assyrian culture because they portray their war-like nature. This war-like nature is a common factor that relates theseceremonial reliefs to the reliefs described by Henri Frankfort in The Art and Architecture of the Ancient Orient. Another detail typical of the reliefs from the palace of King Assurnasirpal II, are the sandals that the deities and the king wear. In contrast to the war and hunting scenes where the figures wear boots, the sandals worn express the peacefulness in the ceremonial reliefs. As we can see, clothing and accessories play an important role in depicting the kings comparison to the gods as well as the similarities and differences with other Assyrian reliefs. Finally, the action taking place within the ceremonial reliefs exhibit the power and importance of the king. First off, the panels depicting the deities fertilizing the sacred tree are important. The sacred tree is shown artistically in a symmetrical manner with intertwining branches, stylized leaves, and a fan of leaves above the trunk. The winged geniuses are fertilizing the sacred tree with a date blossom in their right hand and holding a sacred bucket in their left. In addition, panel three shows a winged deity following Assurnasirpal with his right hand raised over the king in a gesture of benediction and divine protection Art History Anthology 28. By placing these reliefs in his antechamber and living room, Assurnasirpal emphasizes the sacred character of the Assyrian king, elected by the gods, although not himself of divine substance Frankfort 87. In conclusion, we find that the reliefs from the palace of King Assurnasirpal II play an important role in exhibiting the power and importance of the king. While an Assyrian kings power can be depicted is a war-like manner by his military might, we learn thatceremonial reliefs are also effective by placing the king in relation to gods. The power and importance of the king is shown through a peaceful manner that highly contrasts the scenes of death and fighting found in such reliefs as the lion hunt of Assurbanipal and the battle scene of Assurnasirpal.