Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Effects of Text Messaging Among Teens - 3461 Words

Effects of Text Messaging Among Teenagers Introduction How often do/did you use your cellphone/smartphone as a teen? When I was a teen, I received my first cellphone at the age of 15. I thought personally this was the best invention ever created as a young teen and with that, I soon found out that I just entered a whole new social world with these new technology devices. I entered a generation that would be called the Tech-Generation filled with cellphones/smartphones and social media. I quickly discovered the texting function with my cellphone and started to send texts daily to my friends. My cellphone became a necessity for me; if I did not have my cellphone, I would freak out. In addition, I started to replace phone calls and†¦show more content†¦Cell phones have been engineered over the past years to accommodate the demand of texting, such as offering a full 1QWERTY keyboard (QWERTY is the acronym that commonly describes today’s standard keyboard layout on English-language computers), and many cell phone carriers offe r plans that contain unlimited texting. An example of one of this cellphones/smartphone would be the ever popular IPhone, which holds functions that enables the users to be able to call/text/email and even use special apps that give direct access to the internet or a social networking site. According to Lenhart, 77% of adults and 71% of teenagers owned a cell phone and 38% of those teenagers (12-17 years old) used their phones to text daily (30). A year later, the same survey was administered with results increasing to 54% who text daily (30). The same survey was again administered from the Pew Research Center by Lenhart in 2012 with the results increasing to 84% of Americans ages 12 and up owning a cell phone and 63% of teenagers saying they exchange text messages daily (2). The problem is texting is giving teenagers the option to avoid face-to-face interactions and causing teens to lose important social skills. Fraser J.M. Reid, (Associate Head at the Centre for Thinking and Lang uage, School of Psychology, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK), and Donna J. Reid, (PhD Student, at the CentreShow MoreRelated How Is Text Messaging Affecting Teen Literacy and Other Aspects of their Life700 Words   |  3 Pages Almost a generation of teens have access to a phone with text messages. They spend so much time shorting words, they lose the ability to be literate. Teenagers today are more worried about their phones, in school or out of school, causing them to drop their grades and get them in lots of trouble. The telephone was invented in 1870 by Gray and Bell, who then battled over the true inventor of the telephone, which Bell won. Bell then began experimenting with electrical signs, which brought theRead MoreThe Effects of Text Messaging on Teen Literacy783 Words   |  4 PagesText messaging can affect a person’s social skills, writing skills, driving skills. The money that people spend on phones and texting can cause financial hardship. Text messaging has begun to have a detrimental effect on people’s writing skills. They use inventive spelling and abbreviations. As most teenagers get used to short texting, some of their grades dropped to the spelling errors they make. So many teens get used to wing abbreviation that they write that way. Teenager’s writing skills haveRead MoreText Messaging’s Effects on Our Society Essays1345 Words   |  6 PagesWhile text messaging has enabled us to have instant communication, it has impaired our society’s abi lity to communicate verbally, can potentially put users at risk, and allows users to exploit themselves and others in the touch of a button. Text messaging is â€Å"a form of wireless communication where users send or receive short, digital messages electronically† (Galloway-Shoemaker). Over the years, texting has developed into an exceedingly popular trend that the majority of Americans owning cellularRead MoreEdrick C. Loving . Ms. Massey . English. 4/20/2017 . Teens1340 Words   |  6 PagesEnglish 4/20/2017 TEENS TEXTING AND DRIVING Texting and Driving is very dangerous many people die because of being distracted while driving. â€Å"Texting demographics† topics facts that the average teen male sends about 20 text a day. Texting and driving has received much attention people are dying everyday due to distracted drivers. This will be avoided if people pay more attention and just stay off their phone while on the road. The average teen male send about 20 text per day. While aRead MoreMobile Phones And Its Impact On The Way1559 Words   |  7 Pagesattached to their cell phone texting. This day and age sending a text is the quickest and most efficient form of communication. The Berkman Center for Internet Society at Harvard University found that (78%) of teens now have a cell phone and almost half (47%) of those teens have smartphones. That translates into (37%) of all teens who have cellphones, up from just (23%) in 2011(Madden). Today, people tend to use their phones to text more than they do to make phones calls, and this can serve toRead MoreThe New Popular Form Of Communication Among Teenagers1544 Words   |  7 Pagesallow society to do this in more efficient ways. Today, technology has provided better ways for people to talk to one another, whether it is from using the phone, sending emails, and more noticeably, through text messaging. Text messaging has now become the new p opular form of communication among teenagers. Texting has a long-lasting influence on people and how they communicate with each other. Some researchers are beginning to believe that this simple form of communication can be harmful to those whoRead MoreThe Effects Of Texting On Teens : Introduction And Hypothesis1130 Words   |  5 Pages The Affect Texting Has on Teens Introduction and Hypothesis The average teen from the ages 13-17 sends about 3,339 text messages per month, and 1 in 3 teens send over 100 per day. Teenagers are sending texts about 8% more than they were last year. Females send an outstanding amount of 4,050 text messages per month, and males send about 2,539. You think those numbers are shocking? Think again. The average teen spends about 9-10 hours on their phones every day. ThisRead MoreHow Cell Phones Changed Us Socially1503 Words   |  7 Pagesinteractions in today’s society. First it will show the point of having a cellular phone has changed the concept of social space and time among social interactions. Secondly, the paper will show how individuals misuse and don’t take responsibility for their mobile device. Following that, research will be presented that demonstrates how Short Message Service (texts) has taken its own way of communication in relationships. Lastly, this paper will look to provide a conclusion of the impact that th e useRead MoreCellphones Have Become A Huge Part Of Everyday Life1206 Words   |  5 Pagesmodern culture, technology has become a huge part of everyday life. This is replacing social interactions with social media and love letters with messaging and genuine friends with far away strangers. Over the course of technology development, social and communication skills have greatly decreased due to dependence on such devices, thus being a direct effect. For American teen’s, cellphones have become a vital social tool and texting the preferred communication method. Anywhere you go, you are mostRead MoreEffect of Text Messaging on Teen Age Students2267 Words   |  10 PagesSINHGAD TECHNICAL INSTITUTES CAMPUS SINHGAD INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT A Study on impact of text messaging on teen age students Prepared by Rambhu kumar(11) Komal jaiswal(15) Pankaj kakani(17) Sukirti keswani(18) Nitin maske(19) Introduction 1 See it? Hear it? Take it! This is still the mantra of many schools across the country that succinctly summarizes

The water cycle Free Essays

The water cycle, also known as the hydrologic cycle or H2O cycle, describes the continuous movement of water on, above and below the surface of the Earth. Water can change states among liquid, vapour, and ice at various places in the water cycle. Although the balance of water on Earth remains fairly constant over time, individual water molecules can come and go. We will write a custom essay sample on The water cycle or any similar topic only for you Order Now The water moves from one reservoir to another, such as from river to ocean, or from the ocean to the atmosphere, by the physical processes of evaporation, condensation, precipitation, infiltration, runoff, and subsurface flow.In so doing, the water goes through different phases: liquid, solid, and gas. The hydrologic cycle also involves the exchange of heat energy, which leads to temperature changes. For instance, in the process of evaporation, water takes up energy from the surroundings and cools the environment. Conversely, in the process of condensation, water releases energy to its surroundings, warming the environment. The water cycle figures significantly in the maintenance of life and ecosystems on Earth.Even as water in each reservoir plays an important role, the water cycle brings added significance to the presence of water on our planet. By transferring water from one reservoir to another, the water cycle purifies water, replenishes the land with freshwater, and transports minerals to different parts of the globe. It is also involved in reshaping the geological features of the Earth, through such processes as erosion and sedimentation. In addition, as the water cycle involves heat exchange, it exerts an influence on climate as well.EVAPORATION-The transformation of water from liquid to gas phases as it moves from the ground or bodies of water into the overlying atmosphere. [4] The source of energy for evaporation is primarily solar radiation. Evaporation often implicitly includes transpiration from plants, though together they are specifically referred to as evapotranspiration. Total annual evapotranspiration amounts to approximately 505,000  km3 (121,000 cu  mi) of water, 434,000  km3 (104,000 cu  mi) of which evaporates from the oceans CONDENSATION-The transformation of water vapor to liquid water droplets in the air, creating clouds and fog. 7] TRANSPIRATION-The release of water vapor from plants and soil into the air. Water vapor is a gas that cannot be seen. Human activities that alter the water cycle include: * agriculture * industry * alteration of the chemical composition of the atmosphere * construction of dams * deforestation and afforestation * removal of groundwater from wells * water abstraction from rivers * urbanization How to cite The water cycle, Papers

Management & Organisation in Global World-Samples for Students

Questions: 1.Yves Morieux claims that structure follows strategy. Is this always the case? 2..Whats your understanding of holacracy? How would you describe it compared to bureaucracy and team-based structure? 3.Discuss how Contingency Factors of Organisational Design are at work in the case of Zappos? 4.In what ways do you think Innovative culture is related to (agile) Organisational Structure? Answers: Introduction The first activity of the report deals with the topic of whether or not organisational structure follows organisational strategy. The suggestions and ideas developed by Yves Morieux are taken into consideration and analysed thoroughly. It is seen that in most cases this statement is true considering the aim of an organisation. The second activity sheds light on the fact the report that provides the news of abolition of bosses in Zappos. The idea of holacrarcy is analysed and the ways by which the employees of Zappos undertake the transition is reported. Furthermore, the relation between innovative culture and organisational structure is established. 1.From the statement made by Yves Morieux, it can be said that structure and strategy of an organisation are essential for its success. In order to formulate a proper strategy, every organisation needs to maintain its structure (YouTube.com 2017). Without a proper structure, managers cannot formulate strategies. This is because the managers will remain unaware of the people in the organisation and the productivity that is derived from them. Apart from this, the analysis of the marketing factors, internal and external factors are also required to be formulated based on the structure. However, it can be said that a badly organised structure can lead to poor strategies. This is because of the fact that if employees remain confused about the people to be reported in the organisation then the strategies cannot be formulated or executed. Hence, it can be said that it is important to set up a good organisational structure before attempting to formulate strategies (Robertson 2015). Apart fro m this, other reasons also exist for the proper structuring of an organisation. Managers need to ensure that the strengths and weakness of the organisation are well understood. This is because without a proper understanding of internal factors, plans to eliminate the threats from external factors cannot be done. Sorensen and Stanton (2013) stated that the external and internal factors are important for the success of an organisation. These two factors prove to be the most important threat while setting up a business. An organisation with a proper hierarchy and a management system can eliminate these threats easily than an organisation with poor management skills. This is because the strategies can be formulated based on the resources and capabilities of an organisation. Hernandez-Ortega, Serrano-Cinca and Gomez-Meneses (2014) compared the structure of an organisation with that of a human structure. If the human structure is incorrect, it becomes difficult for the person to work in an efficient manner. This similar scenario can be faced by the organisations. Improper guide or lack of ability to understand resources can lead to the fall of an organisation. Hence, after analysing the potential pitfalls and understanding the statement made by Yves Morieux it can be said that the following of str ategy after a structure is justified. This is something that every organisation needs to adopt. A proper structure is an utmost strategy that an organisation needs to adopt before formulating ways to execute further strategies. 2.According to Bernstein et al. (2016), holacracy is considered as a managing technique that focuses on experimentation. The authority and decision-making related to an organisation are distributed equally among the team members. This can be related to bureaucracy and team-based structure in a way. This is because of the fact that the power to take important decisions is done among the teams, as the roles adopted by the employees do not match the job description. In the case of bureaucracy, the state officials take the decisions that are important for the success of the country. In the case of a team-based approach, the managers view the decisions provided by the team members. Based on that, the decisions are accepted. Hence, it can be said that the success of an organisation depends upon the decisions taken by the team members. However, this is not always the case in most organisations. 3.In the case of Zappos, it can be seen that the organisational design provided flexibility to the employees. The flexibility was provided to the team members to make independent decisions. However, there had been a contingency plan in case of failure of decisions. This included the transition of mentality from non-holacracy to a holacracy situation. About six to nine months period was required in order to make the full transition. The people, however, are not fired unless they perform extremely poorly or violate any organisational laws (Vox.com 2017). The record is maintained through GlassFrog software that enables to keep in track every action of the team members. Thus, the contingency plan is effective in order to understand the ways by which employees can be controlled by the organisation. 4.According to Cummings and Worley (2014), innovation is essential to gain a competitive advantage over the rivals. In the case of Zappos, innovative products can help it to become the number one online brand in the world. In this regard, the relation between innovative culture and organisational structure can be established. Innovation is possible only if the higher authority supports the idea (Willis et al. 2017). In this regard, if the managers of Zappos are supportive enough, then innovation can take place in the organisation. The encouragement of innovation needs to be the basis of an organisational culture upon its establishment. Thus, the relation between the culture or practise of innovation and organisational structure need to be established from the base itself. Conclusion Thus, it can be concluded that organisational structure is an important factor in determining the culture and success. From the first activity is seen that certain factors contribute to the success of an organisation. The formulation of strategy before the establishment of structure can have positive as well as negative affect. The second activity establishes the fact that innovation needs to be part of an organisational culture. For a company like Zappos, it is an important part in order to remain competitive. The fact that a major decision regarding the relaxation from bosses is made can be a huge step for the company. Reference Bernstein, E., Bunch, J., Canner, N. and Lee, M., 2016. Beyond the holacracy hype.Harvard Business Review,94(7/8), pp.38-49. Cummings, T.G. and Worley, C.G., 2014.Organization development and change. Cengage learning. Hernandez-Ortega, B., Serrano-Cinca, C. and Gomez-Meneses, F., 2014. The firm's continuance intentions to use inter-organizational ICTs: The influence of contingency factors and perceptions.Information Management,51(6), pp.747-761. Robertson, B.J., 2015.Holacracy: The revolutionary management system that Abolishes hierarchy. Penguin UK. Sorensen, L.J. and Stanton, N.A., 2013. Y is best: How Distributed Situational Awareness is mediated by organisational structure and correlated with task success.Safety science,56, pp.72-79. Vox.com (2017).Zappos just abolished bosses. Here's why.. [online] Available at: https://www.vox.com/2014/7/11/5876235/silicon-valleys-latest-management-craze-holacracy-explained [Accessed 22 Aug. 2017]. Willis, C., Riley, B., Lewis, M., Stockton, L. and Yessis, J., 2017. Guidance for organisational strategy on knowledge to action from conceptual frameworks and practice.Evidence Policy: A Journal of Research, Debate and Practice,13(2), pp.317-341. YouTube.com. (2017).Organization Design: BCG's Yves Morieux on organization and competitive advantage. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm7d1dzOKmw [Accessed 22 Aug. 2017]

Friday, April 24, 2020

Why You Need to Improve WordPress Security (And How to Do It)

WordPress popularity is both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, its users have access to a gigantic library of tools to help enhance their websites. On the other, it presents a very attractive target for malicious attacks. Thats why learning how to improve WordPress security is essential.(Chart by WordPress Charts and Graphs Lite.)It sounds like a complicated subject – especially if you dont have a background in web development – but its actually relatively simple. In fact, a few simple tweaks here and there are often enough to dramatically  improve WordPress security.In this post, well present four tweaks to improve WordPress security of your website, including step by step instructions, and what makes each of them so important to your websites safety. Lets get started!Why you need to improve WordPress securityAs we mentioned, WordPress popularity paints a giant target on its back when it comes to security. This isnt to say if you use it, you will face security breaches, but its always a possibility.Some of the most common sources of WordPress vulnerabilities include:Not backing up your files. Backups are vital from a security standpoint. If you ever run into a serious security issue, having a recent backup of your site can save you lots of headaches.Vulnerable login pages. Unsecured login pages are the most common target for WordPress attackers. A good start here is to maintain high standards when it comes to username and password complexity.  Reusing passwords or setting simple ones is a bad idea in general, but doubly so when it comes to WordPress.Using the default database prefixes. This is another common attack vector for WordPress, and theres no  reason to stick to default database prefixes on new installs.Outdated core files, themes, and plugins. This one is pretty simple to tackle. Dont install unnecessary themes or plugins, and discard those that havent been updated in a while.As you can see, most of the items on this list ar e pretty simple to deal with. A little common sense will get you far, but were fans of going the extra mile – so lets discuss how to tackle each more thoroughly.4 simple steps to improve WordPress securityWe want to keep things simple, so well be introducing you to several tools you can employ to protect your site from each vulnerability. When possible, well also link to more advanced resources for your peace of mind. Lets get right to it!1. Set up a backup solutionSetting up good backup solution should always be one of your first steps after installing WordPress on a new site. Your web host might provide you with an internal solution in some cases – if youre not sure whether yours does, take a look at your sites cPanel or contact their support team.Either way, we still recommend that you set up a backup solution of your own, since this will provide you with a greater degree of control. Weve talked about backup plugins  in the past, but if you want a reliable and fre e solution fast, you can go with UpdraftPlus: UpdraftPlus WordPress Backup Plugin Author(s): UpdraftPlus.Com, DavidAndersonCurrent Version: 1.16.17Last Updated: September 12, 2019updraftplus.1.16.17.zip 96%Ratings 29,914,741Downloads WP 3.2+Requires After installing the plugin, a new option will appear under Settings on your WordPress dashboard. Here, youll have access to the three functions that lie at the core of UpdraftPlus –  Backup Now,  Restore, and  Clone/Migrate:Selecting the Backup Now option will prompt you to choose whether to include your database and media files:Once youve clicked Backup Now, and waited a few moments, it  will appear on your main backup list, and youll have the option to use the Restore function if necessary. Easy, right? In only a few minutes, youve took the first crucial step in  making your site more secure.2. Secure your login pagesBefore we dive any further into this topic, we want to reiterate that secure usernames and pas swords are the most basic measure you can take to improve WordPress security. Dont use  admin as your username, and consider using a password manager if you dont want to memorize a complex password.Moving on, when it comes to more advanced measures, there are three steps you should take:Limit the number of possible login attempts, which  makes it harder for attackers to brute-force their way in.Enable CAPTCHAs  to combat bots.Employ a two-factor authentication solution.The Wordfence security plugin helps with  step  one  by enforcing good login security practices: Wordfence Security Firewall Malware Scan Author(s): WordfenceCurrent Version: 7.4.0Last Updated: August 22, 2019wordfence.7.4.0.zip 96%Ratings 135,846,747Downloads WP 3.9+Requires It also includes a number of  other features, which warrant further attention. While  not the only option, its one of the top security plugins currently available.3. Modify the default database prefixWhen installing Word Press, you have the option to set a custom database prefix. This is a solid security practice, but easy to overlook if youre not aware of the security downsides:Modifying the prefix of an existing install is a bit more complicated since it involves tinkering with your wp-config.php file, but it can be done. DigWP goes in depth into the process – its lengthy, but easy to follow. Of course, if you followed step one, youll have a good clean backup in case you need to roll back.4. Manage your update settingsWeve already touched on  keeping your WordPress core files, themes, and plugins up to date. Plugins are the most complicated of the bunch – a lot of sites tend to go overboard with them, which can make update  management a hassle.Instead of constantly monitoring your plugins for available  updates, we recommend using a tool to do it for you. Our favorite is Easy Updates Manager, which enables you to turn on automatic updates for your entire site: Easy Updates Ma nager Author(s): Easy Updates Manager TeamCurrent Version: 8.1.0Last Updated: October 17, 2019stops-core-theme-and-plugin-updates.8.1.0.zip 96%Ratings 2,544,808Downloads WP 4.6+Requires Best of all, this plugin includes  micromanagement options, enabling you to choose which parts of your site should update automatically. The plugin provides you with a simple control screen, which lets  you toggle these options on or off with a single click:ConclusionWordPress is an amazing solution, but its popularity makes it a  target for malicious attacks. While using WordPress doesnt necessarily mean your site will come under fire, its always good to follow best security practices.In this post, weve presented four tweaks that can help harden your site to the point where security worries (almost) become a thing of the past. Lets go over the steps  one final time:Employ  a backup solution.Secure your login pages.Change the default database prefix.Manage your update settings.Do you have any questions on how to improve WordPress security? Is your site secure? Feel free to speak up in the comments section below!

Wednesday, April 15, 2020

Fordham Social Work Admission Samples

Fordham Social Work Admission SamplesWriting an essay is an essential part of social work, and Fordham social work students should know how to write essays on topics that interest them. Social workers usually spend some time writing their essays so they can compare it to other students and write their own essays on their own topics. In this article, we will discuss what essay samples to use when writing your own essay.The very first thing that you should do is write the introduction. This introduction should be short and easy to understand, as well as make sure that you get across your basic information and idea in the introduction paragraph. Keep the introduction short, as well as brief, as you do not want to bore your reader. Remember that the goal of writing is to draw in readers, and you need to be able to capture their attention.You should then go on to the first paragraph of your essay. Your opening paragraph should be an overview of your subject. You should also mention what y ou hope to achieve with your essay. Your goal with your essay should be to bring your readers attention to your key ideas. If you are writing a detailed essay, then you should outline out all the topics you will cover.If you choose to write an essay on a theme, then you should mention it in your introduction paragraph. In order to get your reader's attention, you should briefly talk about your main point and outline the different parts of your thesis statement. For example, if you are writing an essay on parenting, you might mention the common problems that many parents face such as boredom, stress, and a lack of interaction.In your beginning sentences, make sure that you have some ideas about the way that you want your essay to flow. In the end of your essay, you should always address the readers in a polite manner and mention your main points that you are trying to make. Finally, if you are going to give a summary of your paper, then you should do so as soon as possible, as well a s mention any and all connections to your thesis statement that you may have missed.If you are trying to summarize, then you should start off by briefly summarizing the paragraph that you just finished. In the beginning, your sentences should be brief and concise. Next, you should identify your main topic and then start to talk about the reason why you are writing your essay. Finally, finish off by giving a summary of the points that you were trying to make.One of the most common errors that people make when writing essays is focusing on one idea, and failing to go through the whole paper, instead spending the bulk of their time describing one particular thing. Remember that your main objective when writing an essay is to draw in readers, so that you should always be connecting with them, instead of just telling them.By starting out with your introduction and getting your reader's attention, you will be better able to make your essay more interesting. Lastly, take the time to outlin e your essay, and introduce all the different parts. You can find more Fordham social work admissioin samples in our archives.

Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Jazz Music essays

Jazz Music essays Jazz has been an influence in many artist's work, from painting to other forms of music. Jazz is an American music form that was developed from African-American work songs. The white man began to imitate them in the 1920's and the music form caught on and became very popular. Two artists that were influenced by jazz were Jean-Michel Basquiat and Stuart Davis. The influence is quite evident in many of their works, such as Horn Players, by Basquiat, and Swing Landscape, by Davis. Stuart Davis was born in Philadelphia in 1894. He grew up in an artistic environment, his father was art director of a Philadelphia newspaper, who had employed Luks, Glackens, and other members of the Eight. He studied with Robert Henri from 1910 to 1913, made covers and drawings for the social realist periodical The Masses, which was associated with the Ash-can School, and exhibited watercolors in the Armory Show, which made an overwhelming impact on him. After a visit to Paris in 1928 he introduced a new note into U.S. cubism, basing himself on its synthetic rather than its analytical phase. Using natural forms, particularly forms suggesting the characteristic environment of American life, he rearranged them into flat poster-like patterns with precise outlines and sharply contrasting colors. He later went on to pure abstract patterns, into which he often introduced lettering, suggestions of advertisements, and posters. The zest and dynamism of such works as Swing Landscape reflect his interest in jazz, which Davis considered to be the counterpart to abstract art. Davis is often considered to be the outstanding American artist to work in a cubism idiom. He made witty and original use of it and created a distinctive American style, for however abstract his works became he always claimed that every image he used had its source in observed reality. Davis once said " I paint what I see in America, in other words I paint the American scene." ...

Sunday, March 1, 2020

8 Rules About Punctuation and Quotation Marks

8 Rules About Punctuation and Quotation Marks 8 Rules About Punctuation and Quotation Marks 8 Rules About Punctuation and Quotation Marks By Mark Nichol The use of full or partial quotation marks or of paraphrases calls for attention to detail and adherence to a few punctuation rules. Notice that the examples below are deliberately incorrect. 1. â€Å"Most agree the word means something like: This stream meanders through something red.’† The words in the quotation collectively serve the grammatical function of a noun and are not set off from the attribution by a comma or a colon. 2. â€Å"The motto, ‘Might makes right’ applies here.† In this similar case, â€Å"the motto† is an appositive for â€Å"Might makes right,† just as in â€Å"the Web site DailyWritingTips.com,† â€Å"the Web site† is an appositive of the site’s name: â€Å"The motto ‘Might makes right’ applies here.† To insert a comma implies that this is the only existing motto (though there should then be one after right as well to complete the restrictive phrase). 3. â€Å"According to the book, at the first sign of an outbreak, ‘Children were whisked home from summer camps in the middle of the night.’† If an incomplete quotation is completed by a preceding paraphrase, lowercase the first word of the partial quotation unless it is a proper noun. In this case, â€Å"at the first sign of an outbreak† substitutes for the missing introductory phrase: â€Å"According to the book, at the first sign of an outbreak, ‘children were whisked home from summer camps in the middle of the night.’† In scholarly writing, the first letter of children should be bracketed to clarify that it was capitalized in the original source, but that nicety is unnecessary in general. 4. â€Å"He concluded that what America needs most is a â€Å"guiding belief† for citizens, industry, and government.† This sentence is essentially correct, but when a partial quote consists of such a brief phrase, ask yourself whether the quotation marks are justified; why not just paraphrase the entire sentence?: â€Å"He concluded that what America needs most is a guiding belief for citizens, industry, and government.† 5. â€Å"Her response was that she had ‘definitely locked the door on my way out.’† A writer might deem it crucial to retain a partial quote, but if the speaker uses the first person, the quotation won’t fit the reportorial third-person framing, and a paraphrase is necessary: â€Å"Her response was that she had definitely locked the door on her way out.† (Alternatively, you could paraphrase part of the direct quote â€Å"Her response was that she had ‘definitely locked the door’ on her way out† but, again, with diminishing returns.) 6. â€Å"The question is which selection is better?† This is a conjectural question not literally stated, so it is only tangentially related to the other examples here, but it’s important to point out that such constructions should include a comma: â€Å"The question is, which turnoff did she take?† (However, when the sentence is not stated as a question, the comma should be omitted: â€Å"The question is which selection is better.†) 7. When asked to clarify his earlier statement, he said: ‘I have nothing to add.’† Writers frequently introduce a statement with a colon rather than a comma, but this construction is awkward, because a colon invites the reader to put on the brakes, rather than just slow down, a fleeting action the more flexible comma invites: â€Å"When asked to clarify his earlier statement, he said, ‘I have nothing to add.’† (See also the second example, above.) Do retain the colon, however, when the attribution is an independent clause, as here: â€Å"He made this shocking public statement: ‘I think there is a fair chance Perth will be the twenty-first century’s first ghost metropolis.’† 8. â€Å"‘This [the subway bombing] is a minor thing that will develop into something major,’ she added.† When scholarly standards or journalistic integrity demands an exact quotation, but a full statement isn’t available, here’s the conventional but clunky solution: Provide the rest of what the speaker or writer meant to say or the definite noun they didn’t provide in order to fortify your class or reporting assignment within brackets. But note that the bracketed insertion should replace, not supplement, the indefinite subject: â€Å"‘[The subway bombing] is a minor thing that will develop into something major,’ she added.† Alternatively, especially in less-than-formal contexts (or even in newspaper reporting I won’t tell), feel free when you are certain of the intended specifics to employ a handy technique called silent correction. In other words, bail on the brackets: â€Å"The subway bombing is a minor thing that will develop into something major,† she added.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:10 Grammar Mistakes You Should AvoidCapitalization Rules for the Names of GamesDozen: Singular or Plural?