This article discusses how the lyrics of some metal bands can be as poetic as the works of renowned poets like Edgar Allan Poe, despite metal music not typically being associated with poetry. It notes that bands like Agalloch, Insomnium, and Dark Tranquillity draw influence from poets in their lyrical writing and provides an example of lyrics from the band Agalloch that read like a poem composed in the 19th century in terms of vivid imagery and style. The article suggests that if one were to read metal band lyrics without hearing the accompanying music, it would not be obvious that they were written for a metal genre.
The document summarizes the activities and workshops at the 2010 Invitational Summer Institute held at Ball State University in June and July. It describes a range of writing workshops and activities focused on the writing process, teaching writing, and developing skills as writers and writing teachers. Participants shared writings, engaged in reflective writing exercises, learned teaching strategies, and developed a collaborative community of writing educators. Feedback from participants indicated that the Institute transformed them as teachers and renewed their passion and skills for teaching writing.
This document discusses the author's perspective on writing. It states that writing is a way for the author to express themselves in ways that they cannot through speech, music, sports, or fashion. The author views writing as a way to gather and organize thoughts, transform daydreams into something tangible, and express as well as hide aspects of themselves from the world. Writing represents many things to the author, including a way to believe in themselves and analyze complexity. Overall, the author sees writing as a core part of their identity but is unsure if they have fully answered the question of who they are as a writer.
This document summarizes a presentation about writing workshops for elementary school students. It discusses:
1. The importance of teachers being writers themselves and using their own writing as examples for students. Various units of study are described for kindergarten through 2nd grade, including how-to books, memoirs, pattern books, and more.
2. The concept of "reading like a writer" is introduced, where students analyze aspects of text like punctuation, illustrations, and word choice to understand author's craft. Mentor texts and author studies are recommended.
3. Tips and materials for implementing writing workshops are provided, including the importance of daily writing time, mini-lessons, conferencing, and sharing
This document provides an overview of an English 102 course at SWIC. It outlines the course theme of researching one's life, describes the required texts, lists the course goals around writing skills, and explains the instructor's pedagogical approach of writing as inquiry, process, and collaboration. The document also lists the class requirements of participation, attendance, completing all assignments, and producing a minimum of 5000 words including at least 3000 words incorporating multiple sources.
The role of a writing coach is to teach core writing skills to Posse Scholars through group or individual coaching sessions. Writing coaches provide feedback on scholars' writing assignments to help them improve. Coaches build relationships with scholars so they feel comfortable asking for help. There are two types of writing coaches - session coaches who co-facilitate bi-monthly workshops, and individual coaches who tutor scholars one-on-one as needed. Overall, coaches aim to help scholars develop their writing abilities and prepare them for college-level writing expectations.
Language learners in Japanese secondary and tertiary educational contexts are often cycled through course and classroom regimes emphasizing accuracy and precision, but often with constraints that prevent fluency to develop, and no contexts for fluency to expand as is. This presentation explores the capability of latent learner creativity in areas such as art, music, and L1 written capacity as sources that learners could draw from to reappraise, individualize, and explore assignments in two key L2 output tasks - presentation and written composition - that could enable greater heartfelt engagement with such assignments and expand output beyond where learners may previously have achieved. When creativity in such assignments can be channeled though contextualization such as web-based presentation display upload and compositional publication, learners may be capable of some extraordinary breakthroughs in language capacity as well as greater motivation and orientation to language learning.
This document provides biographical information about Marisa Marroquin, including her education, work history, awards, volunteer work, skills, and character qualities. It details that she graduated from Grulla High School in 2014 and received her Associate's degree in English from South Texas College in 2014 and her Bachelor's degree in English from Texas A&M-Kingsville in 2015. Currently she works as a writing consultant at the Undergraduate Writing Center. Her career goals are to attend graduate school for Creative Writing and become a university professor of English.
This newsletter provides information and advice to SBA students regarding internships and career preparation. It discusses the importance of gaining skills, contacts, and experience from internships rather than just fulfilling a requirement. It encourages students to consider longer internships like the BUS 497 Business Practicum course. The newsletter provides career resources available through the SBA and AUS library and advises students on networking, applying for jobs, and gaining experience through internships or start-ups. It also summarizes a seminar where over 200 students learned about the internship process and requirements.
The document summarizes the activities and workshops at the 2010 Invitational Summer Institute held at Ball State University in June and July. It describes a range of writing workshops and activities focused on the writing process, teaching writing, and developing skills as writers and writing teachers. Participants shared writings, engaged in reflective writing exercises, learned teaching strategies, and developed a collaborative community of writing educators. Feedback from participants indicated that the Institute transformed them as teachers and renewed their passion and skills for teaching writing.
This document discusses the author's perspective on writing. It states that writing is a way for the author to express themselves in ways that they cannot through speech, music, sports, or fashion. The author views writing as a way to gather and organize thoughts, transform daydreams into something tangible, and express as well as hide aspects of themselves from the world. Writing represents many things to the author, including a way to believe in themselves and analyze complexity. Overall, the author sees writing as a core part of their identity but is unsure if they have fully answered the question of who they are as a writer.
This document summarizes a presentation about writing workshops for elementary school students. It discusses:
1. The importance of teachers being writers themselves and using their own writing as examples for students. Various units of study are described for kindergarten through 2nd grade, including how-to books, memoirs, pattern books, and more.
2. The concept of "reading like a writer" is introduced, where students analyze aspects of text like punctuation, illustrations, and word choice to understand author's craft. Mentor texts and author studies are recommended.
3. Tips and materials for implementing writing workshops are provided, including the importance of daily writing time, mini-lessons, conferencing, and sharing
This document provides an overview of an English 102 course at SWIC. It outlines the course theme of researching one's life, describes the required texts, lists the course goals around writing skills, and explains the instructor's pedagogical approach of writing as inquiry, process, and collaboration. The document also lists the class requirements of participation, attendance, completing all assignments, and producing a minimum of 5000 words including at least 3000 words incorporating multiple sources.
The role of a writing coach is to teach core writing skills to Posse Scholars through group or individual coaching sessions. Writing coaches provide feedback on scholars' writing assignments to help them improve. Coaches build relationships with scholars so they feel comfortable asking for help. There are two types of writing coaches - session coaches who co-facilitate bi-monthly workshops, and individual coaches who tutor scholars one-on-one as needed. Overall, coaches aim to help scholars develop their writing abilities and prepare them for college-level writing expectations.
Language learners in Japanese secondary and tertiary educational contexts are often cycled through course and classroom regimes emphasizing accuracy and precision, but often with constraints that prevent fluency to develop, and no contexts for fluency to expand as is. This presentation explores the capability of latent learner creativity in areas such as art, music, and L1 written capacity as sources that learners could draw from to reappraise, individualize, and explore assignments in two key L2 output tasks - presentation and written composition - that could enable greater heartfelt engagement with such assignments and expand output beyond where learners may previously have achieved. When creativity in such assignments can be channeled though contextualization such as web-based presentation display upload and compositional publication, learners may be capable of some extraordinary breakthroughs in language capacity as well as greater motivation and orientation to language learning.
This document provides biographical information about Marisa Marroquin, including her education, work history, awards, volunteer work, skills, and character qualities. It details that she graduated from Grulla High School in 2014 and received her Associate's degree in English from South Texas College in 2014 and her Bachelor's degree in English from Texas A&M-Kingsville in 2015. Currently she works as a writing consultant at the Undergraduate Writing Center. Her career goals are to attend graduate school for Creative Writing and become a university professor of English.
This newsletter provides information and advice to SBA students regarding internships and career preparation. It discusses the importance of gaining skills, contacts, and experience from internships rather than just fulfilling a requirement. It encourages students to consider longer internships like the BUS 497 Business Practicum course. The newsletter provides career resources available through the SBA and AUS library and advises students on networking, applying for jobs, and gaining experience through internships or start-ups. It also summarizes a seminar where over 200 students learned about the internship process and requirements.
2024 State of Marketing Report – by HubspotMarius Sescu
https://www.hubspot.com/state-of-marketing
· Scaling relationships and proving ROI
· Social media is the place for search, sales, and service
· Authentic influencer partnerships fuel brand growth
· The strongest connections happen via call, click, chat, and camera.
· Time saved with AI leads to more creative work
· Seeking: A single source of truth
· TLDR; Get on social, try AI, and align your systems.
· More human marketing, powered by robots
ChatGPT is a revolutionary addition to the world since its introduction in 2022. A big shift in the sector of information gathering and processing happened because of this chatbot. What is the story of ChatGPT? How is the bot responding to prompts and generating contents? Swipe through these slides prepared by Expeed Software, a web development company regarding the development and technical intricacies of ChatGPT!
Product Design Trends in 2024 | Teenage EngineeringsPixeldarts
The realm of product design is a constantly changing environment where technology and style intersect. Every year introduces fresh challenges and exciting trends that mold the future of this captivating art form. In this piece, we delve into the significant trends set to influence the look and functionality of product design in the year 2024.
How Race, Age and Gender Shape Attitudes Towards Mental HealthThinkNow
Mental health has been in the news quite a bit lately. Dozens of U.S. states are currently suing Meta for contributing to the youth mental health crisis by inserting addictive features into their products, while the U.S. Surgeon General is touring the nation to bring awareness to the growing epidemic of loneliness and isolation. The country has endured periods of low national morale, such as in the 1970s when high inflation and the energy crisis worsened public sentiment following the Vietnam War. The current mood, however, feels different. Gallup recently reported that national mental health is at an all-time low, with few bright spots to lift spirits.
To better understand how Americans are feeling and their attitudes towards mental health in general, ThinkNow conducted a nationally representative quantitative survey of 1,500 respondents and found some interesting differences among ethnic, age and gender groups.
Technology
For example, 52% agree that technology and social media have a negative impact on mental health, but when broken out by race, 61% of Whites felt technology had a negative effect, and only 48% of Hispanics thought it did.
While technology has helped us keep in touch with friends and family in faraway places, it appears to have degraded our ability to connect in person. Staying connected online is a double-edged sword since the same news feed that brings us pictures of the grandkids and fluffy kittens also feeds us news about the wars in Israel and Ukraine, the dysfunction in Washington, the latest mass shooting and the climate crisis.
Hispanics may have a built-in defense against the isolation technology breeds, owing to their large, multigenerational households, strong social support systems, and tendency to use social media to stay connected with relatives abroad.
Age and Gender
When asked how individuals rate their mental health, men rate it higher than women by 11 percentage points, and Baby Boomers rank it highest at 83%, saying it’s good or excellent vs. 57% of Gen Z saying the same.
Gen Z spends the most amount of time on social media, so the notion that social media negatively affects mental health appears to be correlated. Unfortunately, Gen Z is also the generation that’s least comfortable discussing mental health concerns with healthcare professionals. Only 40% of them state they’re comfortable discussing their issues with a professional compared to 60% of Millennials and 65% of Boomers.
Race Affects Attitudes
As seen in previous research conducted by ThinkNow, Asian Americans lag other groups when it comes to awareness of mental health issues. Twenty-four percent of Asian Americans believe that having a mental health issue is a sign of weakness compared to the 16% average for all groups. Asians are also considerably less likely to be aware of mental health services in their communities (42% vs. 55%) and most likely to seek out information on social media (51% vs. 35%).
AI Trends in Creative Operations 2024 by Artwork Flow.pdfmarketingartwork
Creative operations teams expect increased AI use in 2024. Currently, over half of tasks are not AI-enabled, but this is expected to decrease in the coming year. ChatGPT is the most popular AI tool currently. Business leaders are more actively exploring AI benefits than individual contributors. Most respondents do not believe AI will impact workforce size in 2024. However, some inhibitions still exist around AI accuracy and lack of understanding. Creatives primarily want to use AI to save time on mundane tasks and boost productivity.
Organizational culture includes values, norms, systems, symbols, language, assumptions, beliefs, and habits that influence employee behaviors and how people interpret those behaviors. It is important because culture can help or hinder a company's success. Some key aspects of Netflix's culture that help it achieve results include hiring smartly so every position has stars, focusing on attitude over just aptitude, and having a strict policy against peacocks, whiners, and jerks.
PEPSICO Presentation to CAGNY Conference Feb 2024Neil Kimberley
PepsiCo provided a safe harbor statement noting that any forward-looking statements are based on currently available information and are subject to risks and uncertainties. It also provided information on non-GAAP measures and directing readers to its website for disclosure and reconciliation. The document then discussed PepsiCo's business overview, including that it is a global beverage and convenient food company with iconic brands, $91 billion in net revenue in 2023, and nearly $14 billion in core operating profit. It operates through a divisional structure with a focus on local consumers.
Content Methodology: A Best Practices Report (Webinar)contently
This document provides an overview of content methodology best practices. It defines content methodology as establishing objectives, KPIs, and a culture of continuous learning and iteration. An effective methodology focuses on connecting with audiences, creating optimal content, and optimizing processes. It also discusses why a methodology is needed due to the competitive landscape, proliferation of channels, and opportunities for improvement. Components of an effective methodology include defining objectives and KPIs, audience analysis, identifying opportunities, and evaluating resources. The document concludes with recommendations around creating a content plan, testing and optimizing content over 90 days.
How to Prepare For a Successful Job Search for 2024Albert Qian
The document provides guidance on preparing a job search for 2024. It discusses the state of the job market, focusing on growth in AI and healthcare but also continued layoffs. It recommends figuring out what you want to do by researching interests and skills, then conducting informational interviews. The job search should involve building a personal brand on LinkedIn, actively applying to jobs, tailoring resumes and interviews, maintaining job hunting as a habit, and continuing self-improvement. Once hired, the document advises setting new goals and keeping skills and networking active in case of future opportunities.
A report by thenetworkone and Kurio.
The contributing experts and agencies are (in an alphabetical order): Sylwia Rytel, Social Media Supervisor, 180heartbeats + JUNG v MATT (PL), Sharlene Jenner, Vice President - Director of Engagement Strategy, Abelson Taylor (USA), Alex Casanovas, Digital Director, Atrevia (ES), Dora Beilin, Senior Social Strategist, Barrett Hoffher (USA), Min Seo, Campaign Director, Brand New Agency (KR), Deshé M. Gully, Associate Strategist, Day One Agency (USA), Francesca Trevisan, Strategist, Different (IT), Trevor Crossman, CX and Digital Transformation Director; Olivia Hussey, Strategic Planner; Simi Srinarula, Social Media Manager, The Hallway (AUS), James Hebbert, Managing Director, Hylink (CN / UK), Mundy Álvarez, Planning Director; Pedro Rojas, Social Media Manager; Pancho González, CCO, Inbrax (CH), Oana Oprea, Head of Digital Planning, Jam Session Agency (RO), Amy Bottrill, Social Account Director, Launch (UK), Gaby Arriaga, Founder, Leonardo1452 (MX), Shantesh S Row, Creative Director, Liwa (UAE), Rajesh Mehta, Chief Strategy Officer; Dhruv Gaur, Digital Planning Lead; Leonie Mergulhao, Account Supervisor - Social Media & PR, Medulla (IN), Aurelija Plioplytė, Head of Digital & Social, Not Perfect (LI), Daiana Khaidargaliyeva, Account Manager, Osaka Labs (UK / USA), Stefanie Söhnchen, Vice President Digital, PIABO Communications (DE), Elisabeth Winiartati, Managing Consultant, Head of Global Integrated Communications; Lydia Aprina, Account Manager, Integrated Marketing and Communications; Nita Prabowo, Account Manager, Integrated Marketing and Communications; Okhi, Web Developer, PNTR Group (ID), Kei Obusan, Insights Director; Daffi Ranandi, Insights Manager, Radarr (SG), Gautam Reghunath, Co-founder & CEO, Talented (IN), Donagh Humphreys, Head of Social and Digital Innovation, THINKHOUSE (IRE), Sarah Yim, Strategy Director, Zulu Alpha Kilo (CA).
Trends In Paid Search: Navigating The Digital Landscape In 2024Search Engine Journal
The search marketing landscape is evolving rapidly with new technologies, and professionals, like you, rely on innovative paid search strategies to meet changing demands.
It’s important that you’re ready to implement new strategies in 2024.
Check this out and learn the top trends in paid search advertising that are expected to gain traction, so you can drive higher ROI more efficiently in 2024.
You’ll learn:
- The latest trends in AI and automation, and what this means for an evolving paid search ecosystem.
- New developments in privacy and data regulation.
- Emerging ad formats that are expected to make an impact next year.
Watch Sreekant Lanka from iQuanti and Irina Klein from OneMain Financial as they dive into the future of paid search and explore the trends, strategies, and technologies that will shape the search marketing landscape.
If you’re looking to assess your paid search strategy and design an industry-aligned plan for 2024, then this webinar is for you.
5 Public speaking tips from TED - Visualized summarySpeakerHub
From their humble beginnings in 1984, TED has grown into the world’s most powerful amplifier for speakers and thought-leaders to share their ideas. They have over 2,400 filmed talks (not including the 30,000+ TEDx videos) freely available online, and have hosted over 17,500 events around the world.
With over one billion views in a year, it’s no wonder that so many speakers are looking to TED for ideas on how to share their message more effectively.
The article “5 Public-Speaking Tips TED Gives Its Speakers”, by Carmine Gallo for Forbes, gives speakers five practical ways to connect with their audience, and effectively share their ideas on stage.
Whether you are gearing up to get on a TED stage yourself, or just want to master the skills that so many of their speakers possess, these tips and quotes from Chris Anderson, the TED Talks Curator, will encourage you to make the most impactful impression on your audience.
See the full article and more summaries like this on SpeakerHub here: https://speakerhub.com/blog/5-presentation-tips-ted-gives-its-speakers
See the original article on Forbes here:
http://www.forbes.com/forbes/welcome/?toURL=http://www.forbes.com/sites/carminegallo/2016/05/06/5-public-speaking-tips-ted-gives-its-speakers/&refURL=&referrer=#5c07a8221d9b
ChatGPT and the Future of Work - Clark Boyd Clark Boyd
Everyone is in agreement that ChatGPT (and other generative AI tools) will shape the future of work. Yet there is little consensus on exactly how, when, and to what extent this technology will change our world.
Businesses that extract maximum value from ChatGPT will use it as a collaborative tool for everything from brainstorming to technical maintenance.
For individuals, now is the time to pinpoint the skills the future professional will need to thrive in the AI age.
Check out this presentation to understand what ChatGPT is, how it will shape the future of work, and how you can prepare to take advantage.
The document provides career advice for getting into the tech field, including:
- Doing projects and internships in college to build a portfolio.
- Learning about different roles and technologies through industry research.
- Contributing to open source projects to build experience and network.
- Developing a personal brand through a website and social media presence.
- Networking through events, communities, and finding a mentor.
- Practicing interviews through mock interviews and whiteboarding coding questions.
Google's Just Not That Into You: Understanding Core Updates & Search IntentLily Ray
1. Core updates from Google periodically change how its algorithms assess and rank websites and pages. This can impact rankings through shifts in user intent, site quality issues being caught up to, world events influencing queries, and overhauls to search like the E-A-T framework.
2. There are many possible user intents beyond just transactional, navigational and informational. Identifying intent shifts is important during core updates. Sites may need to optimize for new intents through different content types and sections.
3. Responding effectively to core updates requires analyzing "before and after" data to understand changes, identifying new intents or page types, and ensuring content matches appropriate intents across video, images, knowledge graphs and more.
A brief introduction to DataScience with explaining of the concepts, algorithms, machine learning, supervised and unsupervised learning, clustering, statistics, data preprocessing, real-world applications etc.
It's part of a Data Science Corner Campaign where I will be discussing the fundamentals of DataScience, AIML, Statistics etc.
Time Management & Productivity - Best PracticesVit Horky
Here's my presentation on by proven best practices how to manage your work time effectively and how to improve your productivity. It includes practical tips and how to use tools such as Slack, Google Apps, Hubspot, Google Calendar, Gmail and others.
The six step guide to practical project managementMindGenius
The six step guide to practical project management
If you think managing projects is too difficult, think again.
We’ve stripped back project management processes to the
basics – to make it quicker and easier, without sacrificing
the vital ingredients for success.
“If you’re looking for some real-world guidance, then The Six Step Guide to Practical Project Management will help.”
Dr Andrew Makar, Tactical Project Management
2024 State of Marketing Report – by HubspotMarius Sescu
https://www.hubspot.com/state-of-marketing
· Scaling relationships and proving ROI
· Social media is the place for search, sales, and service
· Authentic influencer partnerships fuel brand growth
· The strongest connections happen via call, click, chat, and camera.
· Time saved with AI leads to more creative work
· Seeking: A single source of truth
· TLDR; Get on social, try AI, and align your systems.
· More human marketing, powered by robots
ChatGPT is a revolutionary addition to the world since its introduction in 2022. A big shift in the sector of information gathering and processing happened because of this chatbot. What is the story of ChatGPT? How is the bot responding to prompts and generating contents? Swipe through these slides prepared by Expeed Software, a web development company regarding the development and technical intricacies of ChatGPT!
Product Design Trends in 2024 | Teenage EngineeringsPixeldarts
The realm of product design is a constantly changing environment where technology and style intersect. Every year introduces fresh challenges and exciting trends that mold the future of this captivating art form. In this piece, we delve into the significant trends set to influence the look and functionality of product design in the year 2024.
How Race, Age and Gender Shape Attitudes Towards Mental HealthThinkNow
Mental health has been in the news quite a bit lately. Dozens of U.S. states are currently suing Meta for contributing to the youth mental health crisis by inserting addictive features into their products, while the U.S. Surgeon General is touring the nation to bring awareness to the growing epidemic of loneliness and isolation. The country has endured periods of low national morale, such as in the 1970s when high inflation and the energy crisis worsened public sentiment following the Vietnam War. The current mood, however, feels different. Gallup recently reported that national mental health is at an all-time low, with few bright spots to lift spirits.
To better understand how Americans are feeling and their attitudes towards mental health in general, ThinkNow conducted a nationally representative quantitative survey of 1,500 respondents and found some interesting differences among ethnic, age and gender groups.
Technology
For example, 52% agree that technology and social media have a negative impact on mental health, but when broken out by race, 61% of Whites felt technology had a negative effect, and only 48% of Hispanics thought it did.
While technology has helped us keep in touch with friends and family in faraway places, it appears to have degraded our ability to connect in person. Staying connected online is a double-edged sword since the same news feed that brings us pictures of the grandkids and fluffy kittens also feeds us news about the wars in Israel and Ukraine, the dysfunction in Washington, the latest mass shooting and the climate crisis.
Hispanics may have a built-in defense against the isolation technology breeds, owing to their large, multigenerational households, strong social support systems, and tendency to use social media to stay connected with relatives abroad.
Age and Gender
When asked how individuals rate their mental health, men rate it higher than women by 11 percentage points, and Baby Boomers rank it highest at 83%, saying it’s good or excellent vs. 57% of Gen Z saying the same.
Gen Z spends the most amount of time on social media, so the notion that social media negatively affects mental health appears to be correlated. Unfortunately, Gen Z is also the generation that’s least comfortable discussing mental health concerns with healthcare professionals. Only 40% of them state they’re comfortable discussing their issues with a professional compared to 60% of Millennials and 65% of Boomers.
Race Affects Attitudes
As seen in previous research conducted by ThinkNow, Asian Americans lag other groups when it comes to awareness of mental health issues. Twenty-four percent of Asian Americans believe that having a mental health issue is a sign of weakness compared to the 16% average for all groups. Asians are also considerably less likely to be aware of mental health services in their communities (42% vs. 55%) and most likely to seek out information on social media (51% vs. 35%).
AI Trends in Creative Operations 2024 by Artwork Flow.pdfmarketingartwork
Creative operations teams expect increased AI use in 2024. Currently, over half of tasks are not AI-enabled, but this is expected to decrease in the coming year. ChatGPT is the most popular AI tool currently. Business leaders are more actively exploring AI benefits than individual contributors. Most respondents do not believe AI will impact workforce size in 2024. However, some inhibitions still exist around AI accuracy and lack of understanding. Creatives primarily want to use AI to save time on mundane tasks and boost productivity.
Organizational culture includes values, norms, systems, symbols, language, assumptions, beliefs, and habits that influence employee behaviors and how people interpret those behaviors. It is important because culture can help or hinder a company's success. Some key aspects of Netflix's culture that help it achieve results include hiring smartly so every position has stars, focusing on attitude over just aptitude, and having a strict policy against peacocks, whiners, and jerks.
PEPSICO Presentation to CAGNY Conference Feb 2024Neil Kimberley
PepsiCo provided a safe harbor statement noting that any forward-looking statements are based on currently available information and are subject to risks and uncertainties. It also provided information on non-GAAP measures and directing readers to its website for disclosure and reconciliation. The document then discussed PepsiCo's business overview, including that it is a global beverage and convenient food company with iconic brands, $91 billion in net revenue in 2023, and nearly $14 billion in core operating profit. It operates through a divisional structure with a focus on local consumers.
Content Methodology: A Best Practices Report (Webinar)contently
This document provides an overview of content methodology best practices. It defines content methodology as establishing objectives, KPIs, and a culture of continuous learning and iteration. An effective methodology focuses on connecting with audiences, creating optimal content, and optimizing processes. It also discusses why a methodology is needed due to the competitive landscape, proliferation of channels, and opportunities for improvement. Components of an effective methodology include defining objectives and KPIs, audience analysis, identifying opportunities, and evaluating resources. The document concludes with recommendations around creating a content plan, testing and optimizing content over 90 days.
How to Prepare For a Successful Job Search for 2024Albert Qian
The document provides guidance on preparing a job search for 2024. It discusses the state of the job market, focusing on growth in AI and healthcare but also continued layoffs. It recommends figuring out what you want to do by researching interests and skills, then conducting informational interviews. The job search should involve building a personal brand on LinkedIn, actively applying to jobs, tailoring resumes and interviews, maintaining job hunting as a habit, and continuing self-improvement. Once hired, the document advises setting new goals and keeping skills and networking active in case of future opportunities.
A report by thenetworkone and Kurio.
The contributing experts and agencies are (in an alphabetical order): Sylwia Rytel, Social Media Supervisor, 180heartbeats + JUNG v MATT (PL), Sharlene Jenner, Vice President - Director of Engagement Strategy, Abelson Taylor (USA), Alex Casanovas, Digital Director, Atrevia (ES), Dora Beilin, Senior Social Strategist, Barrett Hoffher (USA), Min Seo, Campaign Director, Brand New Agency (KR), Deshé M. Gully, Associate Strategist, Day One Agency (USA), Francesca Trevisan, Strategist, Different (IT), Trevor Crossman, CX and Digital Transformation Director; Olivia Hussey, Strategic Planner; Simi Srinarula, Social Media Manager, The Hallway (AUS), James Hebbert, Managing Director, Hylink (CN / UK), Mundy Álvarez, Planning Director; Pedro Rojas, Social Media Manager; Pancho González, CCO, Inbrax (CH), Oana Oprea, Head of Digital Planning, Jam Session Agency (RO), Amy Bottrill, Social Account Director, Launch (UK), Gaby Arriaga, Founder, Leonardo1452 (MX), Shantesh S Row, Creative Director, Liwa (UAE), Rajesh Mehta, Chief Strategy Officer; Dhruv Gaur, Digital Planning Lead; Leonie Mergulhao, Account Supervisor - Social Media & PR, Medulla (IN), Aurelija Plioplytė, Head of Digital & Social, Not Perfect (LI), Daiana Khaidargaliyeva, Account Manager, Osaka Labs (UK / USA), Stefanie Söhnchen, Vice President Digital, PIABO Communications (DE), Elisabeth Winiartati, Managing Consultant, Head of Global Integrated Communications; Lydia Aprina, Account Manager, Integrated Marketing and Communications; Nita Prabowo, Account Manager, Integrated Marketing and Communications; Okhi, Web Developer, PNTR Group (ID), Kei Obusan, Insights Director; Daffi Ranandi, Insights Manager, Radarr (SG), Gautam Reghunath, Co-founder & CEO, Talented (IN), Donagh Humphreys, Head of Social and Digital Innovation, THINKHOUSE (IRE), Sarah Yim, Strategy Director, Zulu Alpha Kilo (CA).
Trends In Paid Search: Navigating The Digital Landscape In 2024Search Engine Journal
The search marketing landscape is evolving rapidly with new technologies, and professionals, like you, rely on innovative paid search strategies to meet changing demands.
It’s important that you’re ready to implement new strategies in 2024.
Check this out and learn the top trends in paid search advertising that are expected to gain traction, so you can drive higher ROI more efficiently in 2024.
You’ll learn:
- The latest trends in AI and automation, and what this means for an evolving paid search ecosystem.
- New developments in privacy and data regulation.
- Emerging ad formats that are expected to make an impact next year.
Watch Sreekant Lanka from iQuanti and Irina Klein from OneMain Financial as they dive into the future of paid search and explore the trends, strategies, and technologies that will shape the search marketing landscape.
If you’re looking to assess your paid search strategy and design an industry-aligned plan for 2024, then this webinar is for you.
5 Public speaking tips from TED - Visualized summarySpeakerHub
From their humble beginnings in 1984, TED has grown into the world’s most powerful amplifier for speakers and thought-leaders to share their ideas. They have over 2,400 filmed talks (not including the 30,000+ TEDx videos) freely available online, and have hosted over 17,500 events around the world.
With over one billion views in a year, it’s no wonder that so many speakers are looking to TED for ideas on how to share their message more effectively.
The article “5 Public-Speaking Tips TED Gives Its Speakers”, by Carmine Gallo for Forbes, gives speakers five practical ways to connect with their audience, and effectively share their ideas on stage.
Whether you are gearing up to get on a TED stage yourself, or just want to master the skills that so many of their speakers possess, these tips and quotes from Chris Anderson, the TED Talks Curator, will encourage you to make the most impactful impression on your audience.
See the full article and more summaries like this on SpeakerHub here: https://speakerhub.com/blog/5-presentation-tips-ted-gives-its-speakers
See the original article on Forbes here:
http://www.forbes.com/forbes/welcome/?toURL=http://www.forbes.com/sites/carminegallo/2016/05/06/5-public-speaking-tips-ted-gives-its-speakers/&refURL=&referrer=#5c07a8221d9b
ChatGPT and the Future of Work - Clark Boyd Clark Boyd
Everyone is in agreement that ChatGPT (and other generative AI tools) will shape the future of work. Yet there is little consensus on exactly how, when, and to what extent this technology will change our world.
Businesses that extract maximum value from ChatGPT will use it as a collaborative tool for everything from brainstorming to technical maintenance.
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A brief introduction to DataScience with explaining of the concepts, algorithms, machine learning, supervised and unsupervised learning, clustering, statistics, data preprocessing, real-world applications etc.
It's part of a Data Science Corner Campaign where I will be discussing the fundamentals of DataScience, AIML, Statistics etc.
Time Management & Productivity - Best PracticesVit Horky
Here's my presentation on by proven best practices how to manage your work time effectively and how to improve your productivity. It includes practical tips and how to use tools such as Slack, Google Apps, Hubspot, Google Calendar, Gmail and others.
The six step guide to practical project managementMindGenius
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Beginners Guide to TikTok for Search - Rachel Pearson - We are Tilt __ Bright...
The Inkblot Spring 2015
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wwww.aus.edu/cas/writingcenter VOL. 4, ISSUE 2 SPRING 2015
Everything always sounds great on
paper; but there is, however, a big dif-
ference between thinking and actually
doing something.
It was my first day on the job as
a writing tutor, and I was terrified. As
I waited for my tutee to arrive, I must
have counted the number of chairs in
the room almost three times. I wanted
this job, but now that I had it, I wasn’t
so sure. Sitting alone in the large, color-
ful and severely organized room, I was
the only thing that seemed inadequate.
Within minutes, the girl I was supposed
to tutor arrived, and there began my
first session.
Having worked at the Writing
Center for only a semester, I can safely
say that the experience of being a tutor
has been nothing but rewarding. I was
slightly nervous initially, but after the
first couple of sessions, everything fell
into place. Being able to help someone
when they need it the most is a great
feeling. Some tutees remember you
even after their session and a simple
smile is almost like a pat-on-the-back for
the effort.
In spite of this, I would be lying if
I said that being a tutor was easy. There
have been times when I have felt a little
out of my depth. Sometimes assign-
ments are difficult and communicating
with tutees can be tough, but it is these
obstacles that make tutoring interest-
ing.
Being a tutor taught me
the need for patience, adapt-
ability and has helped me
discovered myself. Tutoring is
honestly the best part of my day
and it gives me something to
look forward to.
Although I still have a
lot to learn, being a tutor at
the Writing Center has been a
blast. In spite of it being only a
couple of months, the Writing
Center is like home. It’s like a
family where we all take care of
each other, and it feels great to
completely belong somewhere.
I have had the privilege of get-
ting to know some exceptional
people, and I think I have made
a few friends for life. This ex-
perience, although it’s only just
beginning, will stay with me
forever.
TUTOR 101 INSIDE:
Shreya Bhatia
The Writing Center Newsletter Fall 20131
1
TUT OR 1O1
Shreya discusses how it feels
like to be a new tutors at the
AUS Writing Center
2 Director’s Note
3 Editor’s Note
4 It’s All Relative!
6 Mariama catches up with
ex-tutor Feras
Alumni Feature
10 Nahla discusses the fun
behind ENG 204 with
Dr. Sara Cotterall
Professor Feature
8
Graduate Feature
12 An excerpt from the
Winning story of the Spring 2015
AUS Writing Center Contest
CONTEST WINNER
14 Looking For Alaska
by John Greene
Book Review
13 Nada looks at the increase
in male Writing Center
tutors
Men of Letters
15 Extras!
The Writing Center Newsletter Spring 20151
Our graduating tutors and staff
say a few last words of wisdom
2. l
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The Writing Center Newsletter Spring 2015
Notes
2
Director’s Note
Musings on the Writing Center:
Why So Many Smiles?
Dr. Maria Eleftheriou
About mid-way through nearly every
semester, a WRI 221 student is heard to say “Who
would have thought peer tutoring was so contro-
versial?” This sentiment is expressed after a few
readings that address unexpected challenges for
tutors; certainly, class discussions on mitigating
status issues between tutors and clients, avoid-
ing the appropriation of students’ texts, and
responding to insensitive or offensive prose, to
name a few, can make tutoring seem daunting.
Yet every semester, the same thought occurs to
me: while the student’s observation primarily
concerns the serious topics the class is address-
ing, the unspoken subordinate clause, if articu-
lated, would be “when the writing center seems
like such a cheerful place.” Since this comment
comes up semester after semester, I thought I
would use the opportunity of the Director’s Note
to address both the spoken and unspoken parts
of that comment by offering observations from
my semester.
Of course, WRI 221 content is not meant
to scare off skittish tutor-trainees, but to provide
tutors and fellows with a critical understanding of
the tutoring dynamic. There is more to tutoring
than identifying problematic thesis statements,
explaining word choice issues, or addressing co-
hesion. The “heavier” WRI 221 topics get at the
heart of tutoring—at the psychology of the col-
laborative dynamic—and help tutors develop an
approach to tutorials that addresses the needs of
the writer, and not just the writing. This aware-
ness on the part of the tutors and fellows results
in students leaving sessions feeling respected,
more confident, and invested in their writing,
prompting many to return enthusiastically for
more sessions.
So, in my estimation, sensitive tutors and
fellows and satisfied students are certainly con-
tributing factors to the cheerful ambiance of the
writing center. But, there is more to it than that.
I have noticed, in fact, that tutor and fellow com-
mitment does not end with their tutorials but,
indeed, seems to begin there and spiral in myriad
directions—all with the goal of making the writ-
ing center a comfortable haven for students. To
this end, most obvious is the appearance of the
writing center, designed and decorated by the
staff. From the colorful ink splatters that encircle
the columns to the reception wall with colorfully-
framed droll observations about writing, the
writing center interior communicates that learn-
ing is social and fun. Beyond that, staff talent and
investment propel so many day-to-day endeav-
ors: research and APA classroom presentations
which engage students through wry commentary
on pop-culture icons; the writing center newslet-
ter; marketing through posters and social media
projects; handouts for students; the writing
contest; and continuous proposals and efforts
by staff members to both organize and stream-
line processes and promote further camaraderie
among staff and clients.
In my opinion, our writing center is such a
cheerful place is because it is a collaborative en-
deavor which thrives on tutor / fellow talent and
initiative. And for that, I applaud Maria Elefthe-
riou’s leadership in cultivating this “contributory
ethos.” Standing in for Maria this semester, I
have developed a much keener understanding of
the forethought and planning required to provide
students the latitude to use their creativity and
talents, and I am full of admiration for our writ-
ing center as realized through her vision. And, as
I write this, reflecting on all I have observed and
learned from my semester in Maria’s shoes, you
can be sure I am smiling.
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The Writing Center Newsletter Spring 2015
Notes
3
The AUS Writing Center is home to a pool
of creativity and knowledge from every school
on campus. We, as tutors, are privileged to gain
insights from our job, and we know how special a
position we are in because we not only help our
tutees, but we also learn so much from them. Be-
cause of this, we understand the impact the Writing
Center has had on our lives, and what the Writing
Center has become to us: a home and a school all in
one.
Each tutor is from a very different background, and similarly, each one of us heads in a very different
direction when we graduate. Despite this, we are all able to apply the knowledge we gained working at
the Writing Center in other facets of our lives.
Through this issue of the Inkblot, we hope to share what many of our tutors, old and new, have
learned through their time in the Writing Center and at AUS. The pearls of wisdom that come from our
graduating tutors, the past reflections that come from Writing Center alumni, and even the new per-
spectives gained from our new tutors, all have a wealth of knowledge for everyone.
Every word written is genuine, every letter coming from the hearts of the writers. We hope,
dear readers, that you will enjoy these pages, but most of all, we hope that you will ponder the words
and find something that makes you smile or find a sentence that helps you, be it in your writing or in
any other part of your studies or life. Nothing makes
our Writing Center family as happy as when we know
that we have sincerely helped someone in their writ-
ing, and that is also what we aim to do with the Ink-
blot - to know that someone has gained something,
no matter how small, from the collection of writing
that these pages hold.
On a final note, we want to give a warm good-
bye to the 12 graduating tutors and staff members
this semester, and we want to wish them all the luck
in the world. We have dedicated the centerfold of
this issue to you, and we hope that you will look at it
and remember that you will always have a home in
the Writing Center.
Editors’ Note
Nada Ramadan | Ala Mokhtar
Why not become a Writing Center Tutor or
a Writing Center Fellow?
Register for WRI 221!
Are you doing well in your
WRI and ENG courses?
Are you Friendly, Confident, and Helpful?
To learn more about the course, email Professor
Lynne Ronesi at lronesi@aus.edu
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It’s All Relative!
Not Your Everyday Poets
Habib Tabaja
The Writing Center Newsletter Spring 20154
“So alas the sun had descended, her fire burned bril-
liant in the sky
The trees bore their withered silhouettes, that cast a
spell upon unearthly white
No wolf shall keep his secrets, no bird shall dance the
skyline
And I am left with nothing but an oath that gleams like
a sword
To bathe in the blood of man
Mankind...”
No, these are not lines from a poem by Edgar
Allan Poe or some other renowned poet. These are
actually the lyrics to a song by a metal band called
Agalloch. To the sheer surprise of most people, many
metal bands write lyrics as poetic and vivid as those
above. If one were to read such lyrics without listen-
ing to the music and the vocals, which is what turns
away most people from metal, it would seem like a
genuine poem composed sometime in the 19th cen-
tury or earlier. In fact, metal bands such as Agalloch,
Insomnium, and Dark Tranquillity among many others
draw influence from poets such as Poe, Wordsworth,
William Blake, Yeats, and Bourdillion. That being said,
metal songs and lyrics inspire and influence much of
my poetry and prose, especially when it comes to the
imagery and the vocabulary. It’s something you rarely
ever see in mainstream music.
Unfortunately, the general public’s view of metal is
clouded with misconceptions and prejudices
based on some regrettable incidents related
to a select few metal bands in the past 30
years or so. With metal being a genre of music
that is complex, underground, underground,
and not easy to digest, it is quite understand-
able why it hasn’t reached mainstream popu-
larity. It’s not for everyone. Nevertheless, I be-
lieve it provides a trove of poetic and literary
influences that streams seamlessly from im-
ages of the cold north, desolate forests, and
frozen lakes that populate the lyrics of many
metal bands’ music. It’s not a general rule for
metal bands to have such beautiful lyrics, but
many do. The emotional depth and complexity
projected through these lyrics is what drives
me to write poetry and prose as passionately
as I do. Whether it’s the dark recesses of the
human mind, the unfathomable void of space,
the brilliance of the Northern Lights, or the
disappointment that comes with unrequited
love, metal can powerfully grasp the emotions
and shape the imagery that invoke an endless
stream of inspiration in me.
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The Writing Center Newsletter Spring 20155
Its All Relative!
4. k2
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Alumni Feature
The Writing Center Newsletter Spring 20156
Life after the Writing Center: A Chat with
Alumnus Feras Al Bastaki
Mariama Osoble
Having worked at the Writing Center for three years, Feras Al
Bastaki graduated in Fall 2013 with a degree in Finance and a minor in
Philosophy.
What made you decide to be a writing tutor?
Looking back at WRI 101 and WRI 102, I enjoyed participating in the in-
class peer-review sessions. Not only did I find it beneficial to get com-
ments on my writing, but I also figured out the best comments I could
give my classmates. So, when I received an email about whether I was interested in joining WRI 221, I
instantly accepted. From there, I learned what peer tutoring was all about.
What was taking WRI 221 like, and how do you think it prepared you to work in the Writing Center?
WRI 221 was one of my favorite classes to attend. The discussions during class introduced me to new
thoughts and perspectives, and the journal assignments allowed me to really grasp and organize those
thoughts. WRI 221 was not so much about the tools of tutoring and how peers learn, as much as it was
about an awareness of subjective perceptions of ourselves and of others.
What do you miss the most about the Writing Center?
I don’t think two sessions were ever the same. So, I mostly miss that the job never felt repetitive; it
was always a new situation, a new concern, a new tutoring approach. I miss the challenge of having to
figure out how best a tutee learns and then exploring tutoring methods that work.
Tell me about your most vivid memory of your time in the
Writing Center.
My first session. This was the trial session during the WRI
221 class. I don’t remember much of what the tutee’s con-
cerns and issues were about. I remember that I was very
nervous and I was sweating. I found it difficult to articu-
late suggestions and comments, and my sentences must
have been broken, uncoordinated, and choppy. Appar-
ently, my session was “good”. But, I did not feel that way.
There was so much to do simultaneously: listen to the
tutee, get a feel for the high-order concerns like structure
and thesis, note any glaring low-order concerns like gram-
mar, prepare points for discussion, and keep in mind the
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The Writing Center Newsletter Spring 20157
Alumni Feature
tutee’s concerns that we talked about at the
beginning of the session. I did none of that. That
first session taught me that I had to multitask all
the time.
What do you think was the best thing you took away from your time at the Writing Center?
Learning how to learn.
How do you think tutoring at the Writing Center prepared you for life after graduation?
My experience at the Writing Center will always be something that I feel good about. The skills that re-
ally developed through tutoring revolve around communication. The first was understanding others by
listening, questioning, and clarifying. The second was being able to explain my points in ways that work
for the situation. For these skills, each tutoring session was practice.
Is there any advice you want to give current tutors?
Peer tutoring is not a paradox if you don’t allow it to be.
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The Writing Center Newsletter8
+ PARTING WORDS =
You won't learn anything by being lazy,and you
probablywon't have fun either. Oh,and architecture
is cool.It's notjust a job people have in movies.
It is not always about the destination; it’s about
the journey!
So m ake the m ost of university life w hile it lasts.
NASSER
DIVYA
RAHIL
NADA
JOULIA
MARZIAH
Work yourself silly every weeknight,but don't everwork on aThursday
night. Get enough sleep, even if itmeans you won't do so well on
tomorrow's quiz. Choose one professoryou look up to and aspire to
be like them. Finally,beforeyou graduate,try the creme
brûlée coffee at Blends'n'Brews - it's therapeutic.
If there’s anything that this year has taught me,it’s that que sera, sera.
Understand that whatever will be,will be.As clichéd as it may sound,worry
Less,live more and trust that everything is happening perfectly.
It's important to realize that one of the things keeping you from
achieving success and reaching your potential is fear, so face that fear
53
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The Writing Center Newsletter Spring 20159
+ PARTING WORDS = Nada Ramadan
have passed by in a blur.
So breathe in, and revere every moment of creative freedom
here.It isn't always a luxury in the outside world.
Work hard, but don't get over stressed. Enjoyyour time,andremember that hard work always pays off in the end.
Don't procrastinate, lads. Seriously, don't!
Learn something new.It could be aboutyourself orwhatyou're studying,
but it doesn't necessarily need to be restricted to a classroom.
SARA
LAHAK
ISRAA
SHAHED
UMIKA UMAR
A lot of stuff is going to seem extremely important at different
times-- as though everything depends on it.
One must remember that this will all pass,and universitywill be
will be remembered as the part of adult life.
Spring 2015
6. 9
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The Writing Center Newsletter Spring 201510
Professor Feature
Getting it Write : A Conversation with Dr. Sara
about Academic Writing
Nahla Elsubeihi
Of all the challenges faced by university
students, few inspire as much angst, profanity,
procrastination, and caffeine consumption as the
academic paper. The format — meant to force
students to make a point, explain it, defend it,
repeat it (whether in 10 pages or 5 paragraphs)
— feels to many like an exercise in rigidity and
boredom, like practicing piano scales in a minor
key. Therefore, the grunts and groans that echo
amongst the legions of students who have strug-
gled to write a lucid argument about a subject
have rendered term papers dislikable. That is
understandable for Dr. Sara Cotterall, an English
professor who teaches undergraduate and gradu-
ate courses in academic and research writing at
AUS. In order to revise the discouraging image of
term papers, Dr. Sara kindly allowed me to pick
her brain about the ways to get it “write” and
have fun at that.
Make it a fun experience
When I first ask Dr. Sara about her experi-
ence teaching ENG 204, she acknowledges that
“individual students might find the course dif-
ficult or less enjoyable than others,” and telling
from the groans and eye-rolls it garners, it clearly
has “a bad rep.” However, to get past that, she
believes it’s important to “establish a relationship
with whichever group of learners you are work-
ing with” and once you have that, “you can start
making your own version of the course.” Cotter-
all believes generating “enthusiasm and motiva-
tion to search and explore answers to questions
of personal interest,” is what makes the 204
experience fun.
Identify a style you admire
If you’re a student or an academic in a
“writerly” discipline, such as history, English, phi-
losophy, or political science, the most important
part of your work—practically and spiritually—is
writing. However, academic writing in English in
a clear and concise manner is nothing that comes
easily – not for natives and especially not for non-
English speakers. Very often in our tutoring work,
we find a paper that is difficult to understand and
confusing to read. The best piece of advice Dr.
Sara took from her instructor when she was a
graduate student of applied linguistics is “to work
out whose writing in English you like to read and
find clear and use it as a model.” That being said,
she stresses that “improving your own style is a
life-long journey.”
What constitutes an “A” paper?
Successful academic prose is rarely judged
by “ordinary” standards. Ordinary writing—the
kind you read for fun—seeks to delight. Like
all writing, however, a commendable academic
paper still needs to sustain the reader’s interest,
and, according to Dr. Sara, “take [a person] by
surprise.” Therefore, academic writing is not
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Professor Feature
The Writing Center Newsletter Spring 201511
inherently “dry;” it can, and should be energetic as well
as clear and precise. A paper stuffed full with cumber-
some language and weighty arguments obscures what-
ever profound points a writer is trying to make, she says.
Therefore, she believes the crux of a solid “A” paper is
one that “doesn’t just do all the mechanical things to
get the job done, but goes beyond that” to surprise and
engage the reader.
How to work out the spine of your paper
When asked about general advice on how to
establish a writing process, Dr. Sara tells me that “the
absolutely crucial thing I would do is write an abstract or
synthesis [of the paper] as concisely as possible.” Once
she knows what she wants to explore, she constructs an
outline. She cites the “impressive work” of the English
writing researcher, Rowena Murray, who perceives an
“outline as being […] a kind of scaffold” for writing a
paper. Therefore, the “importance of knowing how big each chunk of your paper” would be through
outlining is what Cotterall supposes “would take away some of the fear” of writing an academic paper.
Today, Dr. Sara keeps herself grounded in the experiences of a range of students by working
with them one-on-one during her office hours. As a student who was fortunate enough to have taken
two courses with the interviewee, she truly comes with my highest recommendation; her expectations
are high, but her advice - when it comes to writing - is worth its weight in gold. Thanks for putting so
much of yourself into your work and for making a positive impact on my writing abilities, Dr. Sara!
7. kj
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Sana Murtaza
Zarnain
The Writing Center Newsletter Spring 201512
Writing Contest
He cupped her heart in both hands as
gently as he could, but the soft muscles com-
pressed at the lightest touch and gushed blood. He
held her heart close to his face, close enough that
the smell of rust suffocated him. The leaking blood
snaked lazily up his forearms, to his elbows, and
fell onto the hard stone floor. It was still warm, the
blood. So warm.
The rhythmic drip drip of the liquid on the cold granite was deafening in the silence. It echoed off
the walls of the dark room louder than her screams had.
She had resisted, like so many before her; and, like for all of them, it had been futile. He had
overpowered her eventually and now, he held the trophy in his hands. The smell of stale sweat still
hung in the air, a remnant of the struggle; it had become one with the metallic odour of the blood.
Suddenly, he couldn’t breathe. The air stabbed at his lungs, and the sharper the pain got, the
more air his treacherous body wanted into sweep into his seemingly ever-swelling chest. His mouth
opened in a gasp and the pungent taste of death was like acid in his mouth.
He couldn’t take it any longer. He shot up from his kneeling position, still cradling the severed
heart in his hands. The matter needed to be dealt with. The thought brought some clarity to his mind,
and his breathing eased. He walked towards a set of double doors, barely visible in the dim light. But
the darkness was not a hindrance; he visited this room frequently, he could navigate through it even if
he were blinded.
Her blood had congealed on the soles of his boots. Every time he wanted to take a step forward
it would try to hold him down. Each time, he ripped his foot off the floor with a schlurp and continued
on.
Monster
Read an excerpt:
CONTEST
WINNER
A
US WRITING CENTE
R
SPRING 2015
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Special Feature
The Writing Center Newsletter Spring 201513
The teaching of certain subjects is often associ-
ated with a particular gender. While male profes-
sors and instructors dominate the sciences, the
arts are quite the opposite. Writing is no excep-
tion to this trend. However, this may not be case
any more as the Center has seen an increase in
the number of male tutors compared to previous
semesters.
“Even though it is still a small number, this
is the first time that we have as many as we do,”
Writing Center Director Maria Eleftheriou stated,
noting that nine of the 37 tutors are male com-
pared to “the usual two or three.”
“I believe that this has a lot to do with
seeing the male tutors working at the WC,” said
Eleftheriou, who is also an Assistant Professor in
the Writing Studies Department. She added that
tutors encouraging students to take the course
has also played a role in the increase.
Having more male tutors means that the
WC can have “more of the male perspective,”
she noted, adding that tutees who prefer to be
tutored by males can now be accommodated. In
the past, male students were generally uninter-
ested in becoming tutors because it is often seen
as a feminine profession, she said, noting that a
majority of the humanities and art courses are
also regarded this way.
Nasser Alzayani, a fifth-year architecture
studentwho has been a WC tutor since Fall 2013,
stated in an interview that there is a need for a
gender balance in the WC because students re-
spond differently to whether the tutor is male or
female. Although he stated that he does not see
tutoring as a feminine profession, he noted that,
particularly in this region, anything associated
with the arts is often seen that way. “This is very
true with architecture as well, where people who
want to go into building construction would lean
more towards the engineering aspect of it than
the design,” he stated.
Tutor Marwan Elkrewi, an electrical engi-
neering senior who has worked at the WC for the
past year, stated in an interview that he took the
course because a number of tutors recommended
that he do so when they noticed his good writing
skills. Echoing his colleague Alzayani, Elkrewi not-
ed that, “males and females have different things
to contribute, so if we have more of both at the
WC, we’d have a more harmonious environment.”
He added that those who refrain from taking the
course because of these beliefs are “missing out
on a lot.”
One of the three new tutors, Yonas Ack-
holm, a junior in international studies, stated in an
interview that he took the course because he was
always good at writing and wanted to give back
to the AUS community. With regards to tutoring,
he advised male students that, “if you love some-
thing and are good at it, go for it,” noting that the
fear of being judged should not stop them from
doing so. Ackholm stated that he believes that tu-
toring is a feminine profession, “which is a belief
that has a lot to do with this region’s culture.”
“It is going to take a long time in order
to change the way teaching of certain subjects
is seen,” he added; “Until then, there’s nothing
wrong with females being in control of the WC.”
In agreement with Ackholm, Eleftheriou
stated that, although she is supportive of the idea
of having more male tutors, students are very
happy with the help they are receiving at the mo-
ment.
Men of Letters
Nada Ramadan
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The Writing Center Newsletter Spring 2015
Literary Feature
14
John Green’s first book, Looking for Alaska, is
easily his best so far. Published in 2005, the story is set in
Culver Creek Preparatory School in Alabama, and that is
where protagonist Miles Halter goes to seek his “Great
Perhaps”. While a lot of John Green’s books are gaining
popularity these days and have already amassed a large fan
base, with the movie adaptations furthering this popular-
ity, his first novel is relatively underrated compared to the
better known The Fault in our Stars and Paper Towns. This
is unfortunate, mostly because I believe it really is his best
book. Here’s why: when Miles Halter, aka Pudge (thusly named because he is, in fact, very skinny) goes
to seek his Great Perhaps, it is split into two parts: before and after. Before, he lives with his parents in
Florida, leading an average, almost mundane life surrounded by dull people. When he moves to Culver
Creek, a boarding school in Alabama, Pudge makes new friends, with the Colonel being his closest one,
as well as his roommate. The Colonel introduces him to his other close friends, Alaska Young and Taku-
mi. Here starts his Great Perhaps. With Green’s ability to capture life perfectly through words, he uses
his light, funny narrative style, making it an easy read. Before you know it, you’re emotionally and deep-
ly involved in the rollercoaster that is the friendship of Pudge, the Colonel, Alaska, and Takumi. With
every prank they pull, every cigarette they smoke and every existential conflict they dwell on, you are
there with them and wishing you were them all at the same time. They’re not only characters you love,
but characters you find parts of yourself in, and this is one of Green’s greatest accomplishments as a
writer: to make every reader feel like they can relate. Then, once you are emotionally involved and you
can no longer rationally remind yourself that this is indeed a work of fiction, comes the “after” part,
breaking your heart and throwing you under a tide of relentless waves, ending all too soon. That right
there is Green’s greatest accomplishment: to write the truth - the bare, stripped truth that life works in
ways outside of our control. When “after” hits you and you wish there were more, and you cling on to
the few pages that are left in the hope that there has to be more, there isn’t because life doesn’t work
that way, and that’s the truth. That is why Looking for Alaska is John Green’s best book.
Book Review:
‘Looking for Alaska’ by John Green
Israa Tariq
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The Writing Center Newsletter Spring 2015
Extras!
15
Cartoons provided by: Safa Yakoob
Contact Us!
06 - 5152278 / 06 - 5152511
writingcenter@aus.edu
@AUS_WC @auswc
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9. Locations
Library Ground Floor (LIB-024)
SBM First Floor (SBM-176)
Working Hours:
9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Make appointments at aus.mywconline.com
Writing Center Class Visits:
Our tutors can visit your class to promote the Writing Center’s services or conduct
mini workshops on specific topics.
Faculty can contact Maria Eleftheriou at writingcenter@aus.edu to
co-ordinate a visit.