The Rain Man Essay Example for Free

The Rain Man Essay Of course I dont have my underwear. Im definitely not wearing my underwear. These are not boxer shorts. Mine are boxer shorts. These are Hanes 32 My boxer shorts have my name and it says RaymondI get my boxer shorts at K-Mart in Cincinnati. (Rain Man, 1988) This quote from the popular movie Rain Man perfectly captures the disorder that plagues Raymond Bobbitt, one of the main characters. He is a very particular man who must always do everything on a schedule; any disruption in this schedule completely turns his world upside down. He shows very little emotion, unless something happens to upset him, in which case he completely melts down. His behavior is almost that of a young child. However, he also has a very unique gift. He has an absolutely astounding memory and can recall the smallest details from events that occurred when he was just a young child. At one point in the movie, a lady drops a box of toothpicks and Raymond is able to immediately determine how many of the toothpicks spilled out of the box. The behaviors of Raymond Bobbitt, while very interesting, are nowhere near normal and they prevent him from functioning in any kind of normal society. It is because of this that I have determined he has a mental disorder and could benefit greatly from treatment. In order to diagnose Raymond, it is important to look at all of the factors that may contribute to his behavior. The DSM-IV multiaxial system is a great way to break everything down and do this. It has 5 sections that take a deeper look in to all of the factors that contribute to the possible mental disorder of a patient and provides a standard for classifying mental disorders. Because of this, it is heavily relied on when making an accurate diagnosis and will be used to diagnose Raymond. AXIS I: Axis one of the DSM-IV system is reserved for the clinical symptoms of the disorder. Raymond showed many of the typical clinical symptoms of a person with autism. The first symptom that they generally display is developmental regression. Most sufferers of autism do not show any signs of developmental problems until around 15-30 months. Since Raymond was a young child and not an infant when he was sent away to live at the care home, it can be assumed that he did not start to show problems until he was a young toddler, which is consistent with the autism diagnosis. Another clinical symptom of autism is abnormal reactions for environmental stimuli. This is clearly seen by Raymond when we see him completely melt down when the fire alarm goes off. The loud noise, which is not something that would bother normal people, is too much for him to handle. Abnormal social interactions are another thing that Raymond displays that is also characterized by autism. He cannot hold a normal conversation and has big problems understanding the social intentions of his brother as he takes him on their trip. It is also clear when you listen to the way that Raymond talks that he might suffer from autism; he refers to himself as â€Å"Raymond† instead of â€Å"I† and he often rambles on to no one in particular about his schedule or whatever else he is thinking at the time. The final characteristic of autism that is seen in Raymond is the stress that he feels whenever his routine is broken. (Brasic, 2013) When his brother takes him away from the care home and changes everything, Raymond displays significant anxiety. He insists that they watch Jeopardy at 5:00 and is constantly talking about what he should be doing at any given time. He starts to melt down when he is not doing what he normally does and continues on until his brother finally lets him get his way. AXIS II: Under axis II, the personality disorders and intellectual disabilities are assessed. There are several of these that are associated with both Raymond and Autism, specifically and autistic Savant. The biggest personality disorder that is shown by Raymond and that is also exhibited by autistics is that he has extreme anxiety. (Mayo Clinic, 2013) It is clear by the way that he will not get on an airplane because there are no available airlines that have never experienced a plane crash. A normal person would not think that much in to getting on a plane, and they definitely would not know the statistics of every airline that there is. Even after they start driving, Raymond starts rambling off statistics about driving and car accidents, making it clear that he is not even comfortable riding in a car. You can also look back at some of the other examples that we have already looked at to show his elevated anxiety levels. When the fire alarm goes off, and he starts breaking down, he is reacti ng abnormally (the symptom from axis I); it is because of his extreme anxiety that he starts to display this behavior. The same goes for why he is constantly rambling and is so distressed about missing his shows, not having dinner at the right time and everything else that has changed in his schedule; he does all of this because he is suffering from constant anxiety due to his autism and his change in routine. Another thing to look at under axis II is his intellectual abilities. While he is not able to function as a normal person intellectually (another symptom of autism), he shows extraordinary abilities intellectually in other areas. He remembers specific events from his childhood starting at a very young age, and he remembers them with extreme accuracy and detail. He is also able to store things in his memory that no normal person would be able to, such as when he knew the one and only airline that had never had a plane crash (it was a very small and unknown airline at that) or w hen he knew all of the highway statistics concerning car accidents. It is also made clear that he is brilliant at math, counting and patterns when he is in Vegas and is counting the cards with ease. All of these amazing intellectual abilities that he shows are characteristics of a savant as well. (Hiles, 2002) AXIS III: Axis III is reserved for and physical problems that may be relevant in diagnosing or treating the mental disorder. For example, if a person is suffering from a mood disorder and they also have a disease which causes them pain or discomfort, then that might be something that contributed to their depression. (Edelson, 2013) Raymond does not display any of these however, so there would be no diagnosis for him under this axis. Axis IV: Axis IV is used to assess any environmental stressors that may affect the diagnosis or treatment or the mental disorder. This was a big factor in Raymond’s diagnosis and his display of symptoms. He was doing fairly well at the care home and, even though he was still displaying some symptoms of an autistic savant, he was able to live happily and relatively stress free. However, when his brother took him from his place of comfort, his symptoms got significantly worse. His anxiety levels went through the roof and it was clear that he was not handling the change well. He had lost his primary support group, which included all of the nurses at the hospital and he was left only with his brother who he had not seen since they were young children. This caused him anxiety because he was not familiar with him and his brother was not prepared to deal with all of the behaviors that Raymond displays. He was also showing elevated levels of anxiety due to his environment. When they left the care home, it was clear that Raymond did not want to go because he said it and started acting out. But his brother made him, and his actions just got worse from there. Every night Raymond would insist that they at least follow his schedule and he would start throwing a tantrum if they didn’t. Also, when they were in the casino, he could not handle all of the flashing li ghts and the ringing of the bells. This eventually led to another melt down. After being with his brother for almost their whole trip, it seemed like Raymond started to warm up to him a bit. Since his brother was the only constant during their trip, this again shows how much Raymond needs something consistent and some sort of routine, a need that is very common in autistic. (Bellini, 2013) AXIS V: Axis V is used for the Global Assessment of Funtioning (GAF). It is an evaluation of the patient’s ability to function in daily life and is based off of a 100 point scale (100 being the most functioning and 0 being the least). When looking at Raymond, I would assign him two separate GAF scores. When he is in an comfortable environment, such as when he is living in the care home, I would give him a GAF of 40 because he still displays symptoms and would not be able to keep a job and function in society, but he is not extreme. However, when taken out of his environment and put out in the world, I would give him a GAF of 20 because he starts to display extreme behavior and even becomes a threat to himself or others. (PsyWeb, 2013) There was a point when one of his melt downs became so bad that he started banging his head and hurting himself. He is in need of constant supervision when he is not in a comfortable familiar place. After taking a look at the symptoms that Raymond displayed (which include things like not making eye contact and constantly fidgeting, not seeming to hear when people talk to him and not being able to hold a conversation, and resting touch and changes in routine) and breaking them down with regard to the DSM-IV multiaxial system, I have determined that he suffers from Autism, and more specifically, he is an Autistic Savant. He would be classified as a Savant because he, while lacking in many areas, does have extraordinary skills in other areas. There was a time in the movie when his brother takes him to Vegas and tells him to count cards in blackjack and Raymond (having to prior training) is able to do it with ease. His symptoms under the DSM-IV model are extremely consistent with those of an autistic savant. He displays all of the clinical symptoms (axis I) that an autistic would display, including abnormal social behavior, the inability to hold a normal conversation and the constan t fidgeting. These behaviors are also consistent with the autistic and savant personality disorders and mental abilities (axis II), including the extreme anxiety and the extraordinary abilities in specific areas. There are not necessarily any physical problems (axis III) that contribute to being an autistic savant, and Raymond did not show any of these either. His environment (axis IV) however, did play a significant role his behavior and that is very common with autistics as well. (First Signs, 2012) After diagnosing Raymond as an autistic savant, the most important treatment that I would recommend for him would be to return to the care home and live the rest of his life there. When treating autism, there is no one set treatment because every person with autism is unique. (Autism Speaks, 2013) Since we were able to see how Raymond responded to living in the care home and sticking to a strict routine, we were able to see that it worked for him. This plan, and the routine that was tailored for him, worked to minimize his symptoms and reduce his behavioral problems. As far as him being a savant as well, there really is no treatment needed for that because it does not pose a problem in his life. It is a talent that he lives with and not something that needs to be fixed. If Raymond is returned to the care home and his familiar schedule, there is no reason that he cannot live out the rest of his life as happily and comfortably as possible. References Autism Speaks. (2013). How is Autism Treated? Retrieved from: http://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism/treatment Bellini, Scott. (2013). The Development of Social Anxiety in Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorders. Retrieved from: http://foa.sagepub.com/content/21/3/138.short Brasic, James. (2013). Autism Clinical Presentation. Retrieved from: http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/912781-clinical Edelson, Steven. (2013). Research: Autistic Savants. Retrieved from: http://www.autism.com/index.php/understanding_savants First Signs. (2012). DSM-IV Criteria Pervasive Developmental Disorders. Retrieved from: http://www.firstsigns.org/screening/DSM4.htm Hiles, David. (2002). Savant Syndrome. Retrieved from: http://www.psy.dmu.ac.uk/drhiles/Savant%20Syndrome.htm Mayo Clinic. (2013). Autism. Retrieved from: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/autism/DS00348/DSECTION=symptoms PsyWeb. (2013). Axis V- Global Assessment of Functioning Scale. Retrieved from: http://www.psyweb.com/DSM_IV/jsp/Axis_V .jsp

Defiance of Gender-Based Work Ethics in Bartleby and The Yellow Wallpap

Defiance of Gender-Based Work Ethics in Bartleby and The Yellow Wallpaper  Ã‚     Ã‚   The issue of gender was an influential factor for writers in the 19th century, as Herman Melville and Charlotte Perkins Gilman explore in their pieces. In "Bartleby," for instance, Herman Melville presents Bartleby as an employed scrivener-his service to the narrator is in the form of copying documents. This form of labor is appropriate for Bartleby according to 19th century society, which supported and approved of the male professional writer. However, he refuses this duty, and through his "I-would-prefer-not-to" statements, he challenges the standards held to him by society, reinforcing his individualism.   Ã‚  Ã‚  On the other hand, in "The Yellow Wallpaper," the female narrator is expected and ordered not to work-not to write-by her family and, in turn, by her society. But just as Bartleby refuses the expectations set upon him, so does "Wallpaper's" narrator. This reverses "Bartleby's" situation-culture does not want her to write, but she does so anyway. According to this presentation by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, the 19th century female writer is suppressed and discouraged by the males of the era-an idea further supported by Richard Polwhele's poem "The Unsex'd Females." In his piece, Polwhele denounces the female writer and criticizes her advancement in the literary world. Therefore, although both Bartleby and "Wallpaper's" narrator have labor standards to live with, through their defiance of these 19th century ethics, they present themselves as individuals through the work of writing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  In the case of "Bartleby," many examples imply the acceptance of writing as a male profession. Firstly, all of the people in the office are men. "At the... ...accepted and encouraged work. On the other hand, the female writer in "The Yellow Wallpaper" individualizes herself by working when she is not supposed to be, and by being the alleged unnatural woman that Polwhele describes. She defies what is socially acceptable and chooses to express herself through writing. The end result is the same-both characters grow as individuals through their social dissent.    Works Cited Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. "The Yellow Wallpaper and Other Stories." New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1997. Melville, Herman. "Bartleby and Benito Cereno." New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1990. Polwhele, Richard. â€Å"The Unsex’d Females.† Women of the Romantic Period. 27 April 2001 <http://www.cwrl.utexas.edu/~worp/worp.html>. "Hysteric." Webster's New World Dictionary. 3rd College ed. New York: Prentice Hall, 1994   

Changes & Continuities of Silk Road Essay

The Silk Road which started in 200 BCE and ended it in 1450 CE has its own changes and continuities. Trade flourished between the Asian and Europe at the time and as time went on its sole purpose of trading expanded to many other purposes and affect not only the area it contacted. Although there were many continuities during the time but it has more significant changes that occurred and also impact the world. One significant changes of the Silk Road is when it was first started it mainly started as a way for trade to flourish between Europe and Asia. But the purpose of this Silk Road has also expanded to transcend different culture and technologies from different places and caused cultural diffusion along the Silk Road. This happened because the Silk Road has more than one route, some ends in the middle east , west Asia, and Europe. There were merchants of different races and religion like Muslim,. Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and more. This caused cultural diffusion between places like Buddhism were introduced to China and the Chinese paper making technology were spread toward the west to Europe. Another significant change that occurred is when the merchants travel on the Silk Road they are very likely to get attacked by bandits or get their goods stolen. But during the Mongolian reign this route was safer and merchants are not afraid of bandits along the way. This occurred because during the time of the Mongolian Empire they formed the ortoghs which means merchant association. Merchants traveled in pack instead of one which provide more security because this way merchants are less likely to get attack, and made trade safer. Like everything when there is change there is also continuities and one of them is the silk trade. Silk Road is called this name is because the main product traded on this route is silk. Even though many other items were traded in the silk road but the Europeans were very interested in these kind of fabric and they are luxurious because the European did not know how to make them. This is consider a continuity because for many decades the Chinese holds the secret for making these luxurious silk and because the Europeans and India wanted these silk so the Chinese could make a profit from it and they are consider a luxury. The reason the Chinese won’t let the outsiders know how to make these silk is because the process of it is hard and they depends mostly on trading these silk for the stuff they needed. Another continuities is the geography of the silk road. The silk road is consist of many route, some is shorter but dangerous while other is longer but safer. Even though some of the routes have changed and there is more variety of stuff that’s being traded than when it was started (e.g. Gunpowder) and the purpose of the road also expanded like people use it to spread religion and unfortunately is also been a route where disease easily spread (e.g. Black plagues) The continuity is the geography of the silk road never changed because both the European and Asia gained much profit from it that it doesn’t need to be change and the Silk Road remained the major trade route between Far Eastern Chinese and European cultures and sparked numerous conflicts in its existence. The Silk Road which have been known as a major trade route in the ‘old world’ and sparked numerous conflicts in its existence. It brought the goods and the bads like the plagues, cultural diffusion, introduction of new technologies and brought new religions to different part of that world. The Silk Road shape the world we have today and when it ended in 1450 CE it had impacted most of Europe and Asia.

Benefit of Smoking

BENEFIT OF SMOKING 1. Smoking lowers risk of knee-replacement surgery While smokers might go broke buying a pack of cigarettes, they can at least save money by avoiding knee-replacement surgery. Surprising results from a new study have revealed that men who smoke had less risk of undergoing total joint replacement surgery than those who never smoked. The study, from the University of Adelaide in Australia, appears in the July issue of the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism. What could be the connection? Knee-replacement surgery was more common among joggers and the obese smokers rarely jog and they are less likely to be morbidly obese.After controlling for age, weight and exercise, the researchers were at a loss to explain the apparent, albeit slight protective effects of smoking for osteoporosis. It could be that the nicotine in tobacco helps prevent cartilage and joint deterioration. 2. Smoking lowers risk of Parkinson's disease Numerous studies have identified the uncanny inverse rela tionship between smoking and Parkinson's disease. Long-term smokers are somehow protected against Parkinson's and its not because smokers die of other things earlier. The most recent, well-conducted study was published in a March 2010 issue of the journal Neurology.Far from determining a cause for the protective effect, these researchers found that the number of years spent smoking, more so than the number of cigarettes smoked daily, mattered more for a stronger protective effect. Harvard researchers were among the first to provide convincing evidence that smokers were less likely to develop Parkinson's. In a study published in Neurology in March 2007, these researchers found the protective effect wanes after smokers quit. And they concluded in their special scientific way that they didn't have a clue as to why. 3.Smoking lowers risk of obesity Smoking — and, in particular, the nicotine in tobacco smoke — is an appetite suppressant. This has been known for centuries, d ating back to indigenous cultures in America in the pre-Columbus era. Tobacco companies caught on by the 1920s and began targeting women with the lure that smoking would make them thinner. A study published in the July 2011 issue of the journal Physiology ; Behavior, in fact is one of many stating that the inevitable weight gain upon quitting smoking is a major barrier in getting people to stop, second only to addiction.The relationship between smoking and weight control is complex: Nicotine itself acts as both a stimulant and appetite suppressant; and the act of smoking triggers behavior modification that prompts smokers to snack less. Smoking also might make food less tasty for some smokers, further curbing appetite. As an appetite suppressant, nicotine appears to act on a part of the brain called the hypothalamus, at least in mice, as revealed in a study by Yale researchers published in the June 10, 2011 issue of the journal Science. No respectable doctor would recommend smoking for weight control, given the toxic baggage accompanying cigarettes.This recent Yale study, however, does offer an inkling of hope for a safe diet drug to help obese people control their appetites. 4. Smoking lowers risk of death after some heart attacks Compared with non-smokers, smokers who have had heart attacks seem to have lower mortality rates and more favorable responses to two kinds of therapy to remove plaque from their arteries: fibrinolytic therapy, which is basically medication; and angioplasty, which removes the plaque by inserting balloons or stents into the arteries. There's a catch, though.The reason why smokers have heart attacks is that smoke scars the arteries, allowing fat and plaque to build up in the first place. So, one theory as to why smokers do better than non-smokers after such therapies is that they are younger, experiencing their first heart attack approximately 10 years before the non-smoker. A study published in an August 2005 issue of the American Hea rt Journal, however, states that age alone is not enough to fully explain the survival differences and that â€Å"the smoker's paradox is alive and well. † No alternative theories have been put forth since. 5. Smoking helps the heart drug clopidogrel work betterClopidogrel is a drug used to inhibit blood clots for those patients suffering from coronary artery disease and other circulatory diseases leading to strokes and heart attacks. Smoking seems to help clopidogrel do its job better. A study by Korean researchers in the October 2010 issue of the journal Thrombosis Research builds upon work by Harvard researchers published in 2009 that demonstrates the benefit of smoking at least 10 cigarettes a day. It seems that something in cigarette smoke activates certain proteins called cytochromes, which convert clopidogrel into a more active state.Again, no respectable doctor is encouraging patients to start smoking to get the most out of clopidogrel. But this and the other four â⠂¬Å"benefits† of smoking reveal how tobacco — perhaps not unlike other potentially toxic plants — might contain certain chemicals of real therapeutic value. 6. Smoking Relieves Stress This is the most common thing you hear from smokers about the benefits of smoking. This is because cigarettes create a myriad of conditions that help the body deal with anxiety, stress, and depression. 7. Smoking Relaxes Your BreathingThe way you breathe when you smoke helps your body relax and calm down. For people who have panic attacks or stress problems, Doctors recommend patients practice a sort of breathing called relaxation breathing. Among other things, it involves taking a deep breath into the lungs and holding it in for a second or two before exhaling. This is exactly like the act of smoking. This kind of breathing slows your heart rate and relieves tension in your muscles, especially your neck and upper back, which tense up in stressful situations. 8. Outside Smoke Breaks Calm You DownIf you go outside for smoke breaks, this simple act can really help you deal with your stress. Say if you’re in a fight with your spouse or close to the deadline on a major project for work, leaving the house or office to step outside for a smoke break helps you deal with the stress. * You get a break from your stressor * You get into the open and fresh air * You leave the stressful environment * You have time to think about your problems from an objective point of view   * The nature and sky outside helps your mind calm down and relax 9.Nicotine is an Anxiety and Depression Medication The nicotine in cigarettes is also a major factor of stress relief. Nicotine is a chemical which mildly and temporarily stops the feelings of anxiety and depression. After an inhale of cigarette smoke, the nicotine reacts in your brain chemistry within seven seconds. Nicotine makes the brain feel better, and stops the chain reaction anxiety and depression can have within the bra in. It is no surprise that 1/3 of nicotine addicts claim to have depression or anxiety problems. Cigarettes are a great form of self medication.

Hookes Law Essays

Hookes Law Essays Hookes Law Paper Hookes Law Paper The aim of this experiment is to investigate Hookes law for simple springs of rubber. The relationship between a load force and a light spring (F=k. x) was first determined by Robert Hooke in the 17th century. Where F is the force applied to the spring, k is the spring constant, and x is the extension of the spring. Hookes law states that when an elastic material is subjected to a force, its extension (x) is proportional to the applied force. The value of k is constant for a particular spring. The relationship should be directly linear. Furthermore, the spring used in the experiment should also be varied as to prove Hookes law which states that each spring has its own spring constant. The method in conducting the experiment is as follows. First weigh and record the masses of each mass hanger and the masses. Attach the lighter spring to the clamp on the retort stand and suspend the mass hanger from the spring. This should extend the spring a little. If there is no extension at all, add a couple of masses to create a slight extension. This places the spring under tension to begin the activity. Record the initial mass. Then, measure and record the distance, so, between the clamp and the bottom of the mass hanger. After that, add one of the 50 gr masses to the spring. Then, record the actual mass of the 50 gr mass selected. Measure the new distance, s, from the clamp to the bottom of the hanger. The loads should be measured by a digital mass balance. The extension of the spring should be measured and recorded by using a meter rule. The weight of the load attached is added consecutively 10 times to investigate the relationship between the force applied and the extension of the spring, as well as the spring constant. Four other springs are also used afterwards to prove Hookes law which states that each spring has its own spring constant. The result of the experiment shows that the experiment is quite successful. Using several different springs in the experiment proves that the spring constant can be calculated using the Hookes law and using Microsoft excel with drawing the graph and find the gradient. The results showed that the difference value in spring constant means that the stiffness of the springs is also different. If the number of spring constant larger, so more stiff the springs are. So that, in 5th spring that is very stiff (18. 679) and on the other hand in 3rd spring that is the least stiff (3. 584). The difficulties encountered in conducting this experiment is when measuring the extension of the spring, as the spring tend to swings when the mass is attached and this can affect the result of the experiment. In addition, the extension of the spring occasionally hits the floor when the number of mass is increased and this affected the results. This difficulty has been solved by using a retort stand and clamp, which give an increase the stretch of the spring but still easily adjusted. In conclusion, it could be said that the experiment is successful in verifying value of the spring constant. Both the Hookes law and the graph give similar result, thus proving the hypothesis. My suggestion to improve the experiment is to carefully measure the extension of the spring despite the variation of the spring. This is best dealt with by carefully observed the spring until it places perfectly so that there will be no further movements that may lead to the mistake in calculating the exact extension of the spring.

The Challenge of Abortion essays

The Challenge of Abortion essays Pro-Life, Pro-Choice, Mifepristone, Roe vs. Wade and abortion are all terms that provoke a controversy no matter where they are used. Abortion has long been an issue face by health care administrators because of its ethical impact on our society and the arguments provided by both sides (pro and con). This paper will provide information on what the two parties (Pro-Life and Pro-Choice) are really fighting for and detail what actions are being taken by administrators when dealing with free choice and the right for every women to have an abortion. There are essentially two types of abortions: medical and surgical abortions. A medical abortion is preformed on the fetus up until the 49th day of pregnancy (49th day after conception). This type uses drugs to induce the abortion in the mother shortly after they are taken orally. The most popular drugs used are Mifepristone and Misoprostol. These two drugs are used in combination to abort the unborn fetus. Statistics show that 95% of women using these drugs have a complete abortion. The remaining 5% have complications due to constant bleeding or because the abortion was not complete. Parts of the fetus remain in the cervix of the women and require suctioning to complete the process. The second type of abortion is commonly called surgical abortion. This is used when the pregnancy has lasted from 8-20 weeks. A surgical abortion is performed by dilating the womens cervix and inserting surgical tools to scrape the fetus off the wall of the cervix, thereby cleaning the cervix of the fetal tissue and ending the pregnancy. Abortions can be performed but are rare after the 20th week due to complications that arise with the increased development of the growing fetus. For example, an increase of blood supply to the baby and placenta make it more difficult to do surgical abortions. Dr. Frank Beckwith, a pro-life advocate, stated that, those who defend abortion rig...

A Great College Recommendation Letter Template

A Great College Recommendation Letter Template SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips While the best recommendation letters are unique to each student, they all share certain key features that make them effective. This guide provides you with a structure to help you produce an outstanding letter of recommendation. Not only will this recommendation letter template guide you through the writing process, it'll also assist you in determining whether you’re able to truly recommend a student for admission to college. Before outlining the steps, let’s consider what goes into a good letter of recommendation. What Makes for a Good Letter of Recommendation? The best recommendation letters are enthusiastic and highly positive about a student. They’re not just filled with compliments, though. They dive deeply to illuminate a student’s key intellectual and personal qualities. Additionally, these letters give specific examples to back up what they have to say. Rather than tell admissions committees everything they could ever want to know about a student, strong rec letters are focused on a specific narrative. You don't have to covera broad range of qualities, but rather you can focus in on the most significant ones, especially as they relate to your relationship with the student. You should start every recommendation letter by brainstorming the qualities you wish to highlight and examples you want to give. If you find you haven’t come up with much that’s positive or personal, then you might ultimately decide that you’re not the best person to write that student a recommendation letter for college. Let’s look more closely at this first stage in the rec letter writing process: brainstorming. The Brainstorming Stage There are a few main considerations in the brainstorming stage. First, how do you feel about recommending the student and why? Second, what key qualities do you intend to communicate in your letter? And third, what stories can you share to illustrate your points? Read on to consider each of these thoughts individually. How Do You Feel About the Student? Before delving into specifics, you should pause here and ask yourself how you feel about recommending the student. Are you able to genuinely provide a positive endorsement? If you feel relatively neutral, do you need more information from the student? In the case that you feel negatively towards a student, you may suggest that she ask another teacher to provide her with a letter. A lukewarm or negative letter would not be useful, or could even hurt, the student’s application. Admissions officers have a discerning eye when it comes to reading letters. They’ll be able to tell if you wrote your letter with reservations. If this is how you feel, then you may have to do the difficult thing and inform the student that you’re unable to provide a recommendation letter. If the student still wants you to fulfill the requirement, she should know that your letter may not do much to boost her chances of admission. In all three cases, you should root out the reasons behind your evaluation of the student. What qualities of the student have stood out to you? What Qualities Do You Plan to Highlight? Considering the features mentioned above, what intellectual and personal qualities of the student have you noticed or been impressed by? Intellectual qualities you could highlight include problem-solving skills, analysis, curiosity, creativity, communication, collaboration, and foreign language skills. Some personal qualities you could emphasize might be strength of character, honesty, integrity, courage, humor, thoughtfulness, maturity, cultural awareness, and compassion for others. Once you’ve narrowed down the key qualities you want to present, you can think about stories and examples. What Anecdotes Can You Share? After considering what qualities you plan to highlight, you should think about whatspecific anecdotes you can shareto illustrate your assessment and help the student come alive in the eyes of the reader. These stories can be based on your interactions with and observations of the student. They may also be informed by the student herself, through discussions and her â€Å"brag sheet.† The student should provide you with her thoughts on her goals and significant experiences that have shaped who she is today. These reflections can be helpful reminders, but ideally you also know the student well enough to write an insightful letter based on your familiarity with her academic work and personal character. Some potential anecdotes include times when the student you're writing the letter for showed exceptional intelligence, compassion, motivation, tenacity, leadership skills, and/or teamwork abilities. Once you’ve come up with a list of what you want to focus on and how to back up your evaluation, you can begin to draft. Want to build the best possible college application, with the strongest recommendations? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. The Drafting Stage After brainstorming, you can start to shape your thoughts into the typical structure for a recommendation letter. It's usually a full page consisting of four paragraphs: the introduction, body paragraph 1, body paragraph 2, and conclusion. Let's look at what should be included in each paragraph, and how a teacher and counselor might write their first body paragraphs with different ideas in mind. You can choose to start your letter as creatively as you wish, but all introductions should include certain key information, as you'll see in the next section. Introduction What does the reader want to know when she starts reading your letter? One, she wants to know who the letter is about. Just as importantly, she wants to know who you are, along with what makes you qualified to assess this student. Logistically, you should answer the latter question by providing your name, school, and contact information in official letterhead at the top. In your introduction, furthermore, you should explicitly state who you are and how you know the student. If you’ve taught the student in more than one class or gotten to know her in other contexts, like as the advisor of a club, then you should include that as well. The better you know the student, the more weight your recommendation carries. Here are a coupleexamples for starting out your recommendation. Example 1 To Whom It May Concern, It is my pleasure to recommend Judy, whom I taught in my th grade honors English program. Example 2 Dear Admissions Committee, I am delighted to recommend the multi-talented Eduardo for admission to your undergraduate program. As Eduardo’s th grade music teacher, as well as his chorus leader throughout all four years of high school, I've watched him grow into an outstanding and dedicated musician. Your entire introduction should be three to five sentences. After stating who the recommendation is for, who you are, and how you know the student, you may add about two sentences describing the student and introducing what’s to come. If you’re customizing your letter to a specific program or college, then you’ll mention that here too. Once you’ve introduced the student and yourself, you’ll move onto the first body paragraph. If you’re a teacher, you may focus on the student’s intellectual qualities and academic work. If you’re a counselor, you may speak more to a student’s growth throughout high school and role in the school community. Let’s start out by considering the first body paragraphthat a teacher might draft. Body Paragraph 1 (Teacher) Your first body paragraph should consist of four to six sentences. As a teacher, you may use this paragraph to hone in on the student’s key academic strengths and interests. In your brainstorming, you should have come up with the main qualities you want to describe, along with a meaningful anecdote to back up what you’re saying. Make sure to use enthusiastic and vivid language that will make the letter interesting and memorable to an admissions officer, who might be reading through hundreds of teacher rec letters. If the student especially impressed you, you might use a statement of high ranking, calling her, for example,one of the best students you’ve taught. This example uses a statement of high ranking and will go on to focus on Bella’s writing talent. Bella is one of the most talented writers I’ve had the pleasure of teaching in my ten years at Forks High School. She demonstrates a nuanced understanding of literature and is comfortable within spaces of ambiguity and interpretation. She produced a particularly thought-provoking thesis paper on spirituality in Native American literature... This second example focuses more on Dave’s strong interest in the subject of computer science. Dave has developed an avid interest in computer science. Not only was he an excellent student throughout the year, but he also worked on developing an app that would use a school-wide crowdsourcing strategy to clean up the school grounds†¦ As mentioned above, a teacher will draw on her experience with the student from class. A counselor, on the other hand, may speak more clearly on a student’s development over the years and/or participation in the greater community. Body Paragraph 1 (Counselor) While a teacher interacts with a student every day in the classroom, a counselor has a different relationship with the student. Rather than speaking to their work as a student, the counselor may talk about the student’s maturity, development, community service, and interactions with other students and faculty. As with a teacher recommendation, a counselor recommendation should hone in on a few specific qualities and give an insightful example. In the following examples, the counselor touches on one student’s school leadership and on the other'sgrowth throughout high school. Example 1 Rory brings an infectious energy and enthusiasm to her fellow students and teachers. As Class President, she organized fundraisers and events that both raised money for class projects and were enjoyed by all. Last spring, she set up McKinley High’s version of The Sing Off, complete with spinning chairs for the judges to scoop up contestants for their teams. The entire performance was recorded and is available on our new YouTube channel, which Rory and her fellow student council members set up and have added to throughout the year. Example 2 Michael has impressed all of us at Washington High School with the incredible progress he’s made over his four years. While he arrived in 9th grade with limited English, he’s grown his language abilities in leaps and bounds. Now he actively participates in his classes and contributes to the school newspaper. His latest article on college planning for ELL students, in which he shares his personal story and family background, has been shared among faculty and counselors here at the school. While the teacher and counselor may start out their recommendations by focusing on different aspects of the student, their second body paragraph may share more similarities. Here you might discuss the student’s impressive personal qualities. Body Paragraph 2 In the second bodyparagraph, you might focus on revealing the student’s personal strengths and personality. You could talk about traits like integrity, honesty, compassion, courage, and resilience, to name a few. Admissions officers want to know if the student has overcome any particular challenges in life, or if there are any special family circumstances that have affected the student. Apart from shedding light on the student’s personal journey, you also want to consider how you can add to her application. What has she already shared, and how can you both complement and add to her story? Whatever you choose to share, it should be something that you can speak in some depth about. In the following example, the recommender speaks about Jamie’s strong value of integrity. Not only is Jamie an outstanding history student, but he also displays exceptional strength of character. When you speak toany of his teachers aboutJamie, the first word that comes up is "integrity." He’s an honest and caring young person committed to upholding these values in our school community. When administrators revised the school handbook last year, Jamie volunteered to review and give input into the section on academic integrity and plagiarism. He helped promote the ideas throughout the school and stayed after for discussion groups on what leads students to turn to cheating. Once you have two strong body paragraphs, you’ll finish yourletter with a succinct and memorable conclusion. Conclusion In the conclusion of your letter, you should reiterate your support for the student’s application to the college or program. You can add a concluding statement of her strengths and assets, making sure to reinforce the points you made above while still adding fresh language. On top of this, your conclusion may offer a vision of how the student will perform in the future, both in terms of personal achievement and contributions to her college community. Finally, finish up by inviting admissions officers to contact you for any further information. Most letters end with the salutation of â€Å"Sincerely,† followed by your name, position, and school. Outside of this overall four-paragraph structure, there are a few formatting points to keep in mind. Want to build the best possible college application, with the strongest recommendations? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. Format of Your Recommendation Letter Your recommendation should be a full page in length. Any less may look that you didn’t have much to say about the student. Any more is unusual and not necessary apart fromexceptional circumstances. Use official school letterhead and include all the necessary contact information described above. Ultimately, you’ll upload your letter to the Common Application or a college’s individual application portal. In closing, let’s review the structure to follow when brainstorming, drafting, and revising your recommendation letter. Following the Recommendation Letter Template As you brainstorm exactly what you want to communicate in your letter, keep in mind how you can structure your thoughts according to therecommendation letter template described above. To review, let's go over the key elements you should include: Introduction:Here, you'll state your support for the student, describe how you know the student, and touch on her key strengths and achievements. Body Paragraph 1: In your first body paragraph, you may speak about a student's academic strengths and interests, along with an anecdote to back up your assessment. If you're a counselor, you may focus more on the student's community involvement in this first body paragraph. Body Paragraph 2: In the second body paragraph, you can reveal the student's impressive personal qualities, ones that admissions officers may not know about from the rest of her application. Make sure to include a meaningful example to back up your assessment. Conclusion:Restate your support of the student, andprovide a vision of her future success. Invite admissions officers to contact you with any questions. While letters will vary in terms of writing style and emphasis, the best ones will include these key elements. To write an effective letter, as well as to make sure that you can genuinely recommend a student, you should take the time to plan and map out your letter according to this template. You can include meaningful anecdotes based on your interactions with the students and discussions with her about her college plans and application strategy. By gathering thoughts from the student herself and informing yourself about how to structure your rec letter, you'll be poised to write a memorable letter that will both impressadmissions officers and help them get to know the studentbetter.Your letter canreveal meaningful insight into the student's academic and personal strengths and thereby make a significant impact in improving her chances of admission to college. What's Next? Now that you've learned about a template you can use to structure your recommendation letter, check out these sample recommendation letters. Here you can read 4 great teacher recommendation letters, plus 3 examples of bad teacher recs. Beyond this structure, what else do you need to know about writing a letter of recommendation? This complete guide discusses how to write a strong letter of recommendation, from how to choose powerful language to the common traps to avoid. Are you a counselor writing a letter of recommendation?Check out our guide that includes three excellent examples of counselor letters of recto give you some ideas. Want to improve your SAT score by 240 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: