Textbook Prices Annotated Bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Textbook Prices - Annotated Bibliography Example Allen, Nicole. â€Å"A Cover to Cover Solution: How Open Textbooks are the Path to Textbook Affordability.† The Student PIRGs. Public Information Resource Group, Sep. 2010. Web. 10 July 2011. In this lengthy article, Allen details a study she conducted to determine if open textbooks are a logical way to make student textbooks more affordable. Considering â€Å"the average student spends $900 on textbooks annually,† she thinks â€Å"the need for solutions is increasingly urgent† (Allen 4). She goes into some detail around what she calls â€Å"market failure that hinders the economic checks and balances that naturally regulate costs† (6) as the reason publishers charge so much. Other reasons include issuing new editions every â€Å"3-4 years regardless of changes in the subject† (6) and bundling books with software or study guides most professors do not require students to use. She cites that the federal government is aware there is a problem with textbook costs and is doing several things to help students, including requiring publishers â€Å"disclose textbook prices to professors during the marketing process† (7). She introduces the idea of open source textbooks, which are â€Å"offered online under an open-source license that allows free digital access, low-cost print options and customization by instructors† (8) and says that over 1000 college professors are currently using this option (8). The remainder of the study looks at student preferences and finds that 75% of students still prefer printed copies over electronic copies (9) and 34 % would still rather buy at least some of their textbooks rather than rent them (10). In Allen’s final recommendations, she encourages the further development of open textbooks by publishers and their use by students (16). This article does a great job providing enormous detail to explain the costs each year to students of traditional textbooks versus the savings of open textbooks. It also shows that students are not yet ready to make the move to electronic, online books. It is also important to note that the group that funded the study, PIRG, has been involved in mu ltiple protests against textbook companies for what it claims are price gouging practices. 2. Bernard, Tara Siegel. â€Å"For Class, Book Deals.† New York Times 15 Jan. 2011 late edition: B5. Access World News. Web. 10 July 2011. Bernard’s article looks at ways students can save money by buying their books in places other than the campus bookstore by compiling suggestions from college students around the country. She points out that when it comes to buying textbooks â€Å"there are so many options, however, that the whole process can begin to feel like the semester’s first research project† (Bernard B5). Bernard lists several comparison sites, where students can enter a needed title on one site and it will automatically search several sites for a cost comparison of the exact book needed, but she also points out that the â€Å"condition of the books varies greatly† (5). Students may also find that international versions of books can be half the pric e of U.S. versions, but her source warns â€Å"some publishers have made small changes to the pagination or text to make it more difficult to use in the United States† (5). Overall, Bernard does a good job of quickly explaining options to students to help save money, but nothing in this article explains why textbooks are so expensive or gives an opinion on what colleges can do to help students with their high book bills. 3. Bruno, Laura. â€Å"College Books for Less.† USA Today 17 Aug. 2010 final edition: 6D. News Bank. Web. 10 July 2011. Bruno’s article looks at a rental solution to high textbook costs that over 1300 colleges have implemented across the U.S. with â€Å"potential savings up to 50% off the price of a new textbook† (Bruno 6D). The article also mentions the Higher Education Opportunity Act that â€Å"says colleges must list required course materials for students during registration,†

Leadership Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Leadership - Research Paper Example The leader faces many resistances while introducing a change in the ongoing process. But it’s his confidence and consistency that motivates him and guides him throughout his life. Leaders also have the unique capacity to foresee things which the people with non-leadership traits fail to realize. The focus of our thesis is to study the recent news articles related to leadership and learn the form of leadership those articles refer to. We have chosen Jay-Z as our leader as he is known to be equally successful in showcasing his talents of music and entrepreneurship simultaneously. Background Early life of Jay Z Born on the 4th of December 1969 at Brooklyn, he was known as Shawn Corey Carter to everyone. His childhood was spent among war & crime ridden environment of the Marcy Projects. He had the habit of writing since his childhood days. He was adventurous by nature & learnt bike riding at the tender age of four. A poetry that he revealed in Rolling Stone Magazine’s Novem ber 2007 issue says that, â€Å"I’m the king of hip-hop/Renewed like the Reebok/The key in the lock/with words so provocative/As long as I live†. He listened to Al Green, Stevie Wonder & Prince. He was a good student, good at sports & a happy-go-lucky kind of person. He always felt the need for a male in his house when his father left his mother. He was only 11 years old when this sudden change in his life totally shocked him. He lost his only mentor. To support his family he started rapping on the streets. Soon he was popular as a fledging rapper. The people who knew him started addressing him as Jazzy. He shortened this name & became known as Jay-Z. In his life, he found two people to guide him, one was a rapper named Jaz-O who taught him the tricks of the rap industry, and the other was a drug dealer. Jaz-O was experienced than him & they met for the first time in a contest to rap against each other. Jaz-O underestimated the talent of the 15year old kid & decided to sing with each other rather against each other. Its then he got impressed by the kid’s talent & decided to train him. Jaz-O advised him to practice as much as possible. Sources say that Jay-Z was found rapping in between his classes & during his lunch breaks at schools when most of the kid would involve in fights & games. Jay-Z also participated for a short time in a now forgotten group, named Original Flavor. It’s known that two of the popular rappers of present days hailed from George Washington High School & they used to be Jay-Z’s classmates. They are, Notorious B.I.G. & Busta Rhymes. (Heos 3) The onset of success Struggle & tough times were all around Jay-Z. Still he managed to make a great decision. He decided to start his own music label instead of signing other renowned labels. This strategy would surely cut the cost of middleman still it was risky enough. His friends, Kareem Burke & Damon dash helped him in the formation of Roc-a-Fella Records. (starpu lse.com) Damon dash had a childhood similar to him; he was raised by a