10 Critical Texts About Romance Novels

10 Critical Texts About Romance Novels Sometimes when you really really love something, you get the urge to learn everything you possible can about itâ€"usually by picking it apart and examining all its little pieces. Which is why, as a voraciously curious little English major, I fell in love with literary criticism in college. Literary criticism is (to me, anyway) the art of taking apart a text and figuring out what makes it tick, and some of my favorite reads are critical texts about romance novels. Okay, so maybe this post is a little niche, but hear me out! Did you know that along with scads of romance novels, The Ripped Bodice also has a section on their website for theory on the romance genre? They do! Because romance readers are hands down one of the most well-informed readerships I’ve ever encountered. They don’t just read in their genre, they also want to read about their genre, past and present. It’s really awesome. So for all of you fact hungry romance readers, I’ve pulled together a list of my top 10 favorite critical texts about romance novels: Critical Texts About Romance Novels by GENRE INSIDERS This first group of texts are all by bloggers or romance authors. Beyond Heaving Bosoms by Sarah Wendell and Candy Tan So. Freaking. Funny. When it comes to romance genre introductions, this book is the holy grail. Written by Smart Bitches, Trashy Books creators Sarah Wendell and Candy Tan, Beyond Heaving Bosoms is a hilarious, at times bitingly sarcastic, look at the romance genre. From atrocious covers to beloved tropes, Wendell and Tan cover a number of topics about romance novels, their readers, and their many critics. Dangerous Books For Girls by Maya Rodale Like Beyond Heaving Bosoms,  Dangerous Books for Girls is an insightful, at times scathing, look at both the romance genre and its propensity to attract criticism. With all the passion of someone who was first a devoted romance reader, and is now a writer of romance as well, Rodale turns her renowned wit towards an examination of the romance novel. In particular, shes interested in romances as they exist within a long history of societys attempts to control what women read. Dangerous Men and Adventurous Women edited by Jayne Ann Krentz Published in 1992, some of these essays are more than a bit dated now, but they’re still just so much fun to read. I definitely recommend this one. Dangerous Men and Adventurous Women  was one of my first romance studies texts and, really, who knows a genre better than its authors? Each chapter is written by a romance author, or a pair of authors, on topics ranging from moody heroes to critics and correctness. North American Romance Writers edited by Kay Mussell and Johanna Tuñón Another collection of author essays,  North American Romance Writers  is edited by scholars Johanna Tuñón   and Kay Mussell. It features, specifically, those authors who became popular as a result of the development of the romance genre in the early 1980s. Like  Dangerous Men and Adventurous Women,  each chapter is written by a different romance author, covering a variety of topics about the changing standards of the romance novel. Happily Ever After: The Romance Story in Popular Culture by Catherine Roach Catherine Roach is both an amazing romance scholar, and a romance author as well. Her academic work on the genre is some of my favorite, and  Happily Ever After is a captivating journey, guiding the reader deep into Romancelandia where the smart and the witty combine with the sexy and the seductive to explore why this genre has such a grip on readers and what we can learn from the romance novel about the nature of happiness, love, sex, and desire in American popular culture (Synopsis). I really cannot recommend this book enough. Critical Texts About Romance Novels by Scholars Technically  Happily Ever After  could fit into this category as well, but I like a nice 5/5 split. A Natural History of the Romance Novel by Pamela Regis Regiss book (pub. 2003) is a classic in the romance studies field, and a go-to for both scholars and readers. In  A Natural History of the Romance Novel, Regis examines the literary history of the genre, with particular attention to countering years of dismissive scholarship, and working to create a framework for future critique. The eight narrative elements she identifies as being essential to the romance novel are particularly interesting for both scholars and would-be romance writers, and are still frequently cited in works on the genre. Publishing Romance  by John Markert This is one of my favorites. I destroyed my copy of this while I was reading it. I don’t think there is a single page I didn’t write on, and a couple of times I was so into it I didn’t even notice I’d rolled the front cover completely around. Oops! Unlike Regiss literary history of the genre, Markerts focus is on the publishing history of the romance from the very beginning right through the modern day. You might not think hundreds of pages of meticulous details, facts, and figures about the publishing industry could captivate but I promise you I could not put this book down. I learned so many things I never knew! Ask me what Playboy has to do with the creation of the clinch cover. Go on! Pursuing Happiness: Reading American Romance as Political Fiction by Laura Vivanco This one is soooooooo good. I read it on interlibrary loan when I was still in school and definitely need to buy my own copy. The romance novel is not a uniquely American phenomenonâ€"in fact it didnt even get its start here. But ever since the romance boom post-1972 (the release year of  The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen Woodiwiss)  the romance genre, for better or worse, has been very America-centric. Vivanco examines the politics of the American romance novel, as well as the sources of its political identity. I took an American Realism and Naturalism class during grad school that  Pursuing Happiness  tied in with beautifully, so if either of those literary ares are in your wheelhouse you should read Vivancos book. Black Women’s Activism: Reading African American Womens Historical Romances by Rita B. Dandridge This was another ILL book that I read during grad school and, again, just so well written and interesting. Starting with the late 80s,  Black Womens Activism (2004) focuses on romances written by a number of black authors (including the much beloved, and always awesome Beverly Jenkins). Dandridge is particularly interested in the presentation of the black female character, focusing not just on their portrayed resistance to the historical events featured in the novels, but also on the gender issues present in black fiction. Desert Passions: Orientalism and Romance Novels by Hsu-Ming Teo Teo’s book is fantastic. I wrote a paper about Johanna Lindseys harem romance  Silver Angel for one of my classes and I could not have done it without Teos book.  Desert Passions examines a very long literary history of desert romances, and the gendered cultural and political purposes that they have served at various historical moments (Synopsis). Teo doesnt just look at romance fiction, either. She also pulls in sources from literature, erotica, filmsâ€"its so comprehensive. Much of her focus is on Orientalist tropesâ€"sexual slavery, harems, sultans, sheiks, concubines, etc.â€"which are of course eroticized by, exoticized by, and perpetuated within Western culture. Definitely worth the read for romance fans who are looking for an in depth examination of some of the genres most controversial moments. These are just some of the amazing critical texts about romance novels that are out there. And I’m always happy to chat about romance studies! So feel free to hit me up on twitter (@JtheBookworm) any time! To learn more about current romance scholarship, consider checking out the Journal of Popular Romance Studies! A number of the authors in this list have contributed to the journal, along with many other scholars. To learn more about the Ripped Bodice, visit their website! Making cooing noises at their adorable dog on their twitter account (@TheRippedBodice)â€"what? Its not weird. I do it all the time. You can also read about their most recent Diversity in Romance report here on Book Riot, or read the actual report on the stores site. Sign up for True Story to receive nonfiction news, new releases, and must-read forthcoming titles. Thank you for signing up! Keep an eye on your inbox.

Media s Impact On Media Consumption Essay - 1729 Words

Technology drives the world in which we live in, and mobile technology is at the forefront, allowing users to access an infinite amount of resources on the internet, 24 hours a day 7 days a week (XXXX). The rapid technological advancements has shifted the consumption of media from television, magazines and billboards to online digital media channels accessed via mobile devices, creating a ‘bedroom culture’ (Sumner, 2016) for many. The shift in media consumption has particularly been induced by the emergence of Social Networking Sites as well as other online platforms, which have become an integral part of our daily lives. SNS enable users to follow the lives of models, celebrities and peers, at the touch of their fingertips (Barlie, 2011). Platforms, such as Instagram a photo-sharing platform, are venues whereby celebrities, models and peers can post images which can be viewed largely by anyone. Users are consequently being continuously exposed to ‘thin’ images that many believe depict ‘the ideal beauty’. As Sumner (2016) points out, the ability to be immersed into a world of ‘ideal beauty’ can â€Å"provide a dangerous playground for adolescents and young adults†. This is explained through the use of various psychological theories such as cultivation theory (XXX) which come into practice, whereby individuals begin to believe that the images on their news feed, are true representations of reality (Grabe et al, 2008). Many fail to take into account that the images which depictShow MoreRelatedWhy Is Medium Is The Massage Essay1528 Words   |  7 PagesWhy is Medium Message? Marshall McLuhan, a technological determinist, says in his book ‘Medium is the massage’ that the most widespread modern media influence how humans think, act and perceive the world around them. 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It turns out that consumers tend to trust knowledge and experience shared by other customers on social media more than those opinions reviewed by the manufacturer or the marketer of the product or the service.(Linchi Kowk,2012) In an environmentRead MoreThe New Consumerism And Media Culture1418 Words   |  6 PagesDenise Bowen The New Consumerism and Media Culture Professor Chyng- Feng Sun October 31, 2017 In Chapter 27, The New Politics of Consumption: Why Americans Want So Much More Than They Need, author Juliet Schor states consuming is authentic as it gets in the American culture and the standard of living has changed in relation to consumerism. Americans need to work longer hours in order to make money that they are then pressured to spend. Schor describes today s consumerism as the new consumerismRead MoreMedia And Agenda Setting : Effects On The Public, Interest Group Leaders, And Public Policy1216 Words   |  5 PagesLomax Cook, Fay, et al. Media and Agenda Setting: Effects on the Public, Interest Group Leaders, Policy Makers, and Policy. The Public Opinion Quartely, vol. 47, no. 1, Spring 1983, pp. 16-35. JSTOR. Researchers analyzed the impact of the mass media on the general public, policy makers, interest group leaders, and public policy. Results indicated the media influenced views about issue importance among the general public and government policy makers. However, the change in public opinion regardingRead MoreSocial Media Allows People To Share Pictures And Ideas1057 Words   |  5 PagesSocial media allows people to share pictures and ideas with others across the world. Women and girls can use social media to earn approval for their appearance and compare themselves to others. Women during this time period that are so heavily impacted by the media can link their self-worth to their looks. I used scholarly articles all relating to how social media affects body image to decide what my view point was. After research, we can conclude that social media has a negative effect on a woman’sRead MoreHum 176 Wk 2 Media Convergence Worksheet1041 Words   |  5 PagesUniversity of Phoen ix Material Media Convergence Worksheet Write brief 250- to 300-word answers to each of the following: Questions Answers What is meant by the term media convergence with regard to technology, and how has it affected everyday life? The term media convergence with regards to technology is defined as a process of combining together the telecommunications and computers and turning them into one electronic or digital form. The media convergence has affected our everyday lifeRead MoreSocial Media And Its Effect On Children965 Words   |  4 Pageswith the volume of media consumption, social media usage, multi-screening behaviour, and when the individual adopted a technological lifestyle. As the use and consumption of technology increased, the ability to focus for a longer term decreased. Age was a variable heavily correlated with these metrics, however age alone cannot be tied to sustained attention. However, not all of the results were against using technology. Remarkably, early tech adopters and heavy users of social media showed an increaseRead MoreSocial Networks Or Virtual Communities?1181 Words    |  5 PagesSocial Networks or Virtual Communities? Unlike film, social media is built on interaction. So, how can we describe the digital environment in relation to multiculturalism? When asked about virtual culture, Stephanie was unclear as to what it entailed (S. Jean, personal communication, April 5, 2017). Scholars suggest the digital sphere may create a â€Å"third culture,† incorporating traits of culturally diverse users (McEwan Sobrà ©-Denton, 2011, p. 253). This amalgamation reduces barriers to communicationRead MoreGlorification of Alcohol Use in the Media Essay936 Words   |  4 Pageswith 2000 of them promoting alcoholic beverages. While many view them as harmless, logic would contend that these advertisements play an important role in influencing the attitudes and ideals that society’s youths relate to alcohol consumption. Many aspects of modern media deliver promises that once one engages in â€Å"drinking,† the will merge with a high society way of life where popularity, desirability and ultima tely happiness are easily attained. While peers and families, environment and heredity,Read MoreHow does advertisement influence peoples behaviour?1319 Words   |  6 Pagescompetitions. As a result, advertisement has become more important. If you can be more noticeable, it means you would have chances to market. Therefore, advertising has great impact on different people. Advertising, is mainly used in market, refer to marketing message, which is presented by an identified sponsor in extinctive media such as the television, newspapers, radio, magazines and Internet. The term may be used to refer to message presentation in the marketplace. The term may also be extended

The Anxiety Of A Group Project - 1176 Words

There is a significant amount of anxiety that follows with the mention of a group project. The anxiety is further increased with the realization that the group project will count as a large part of the course grade. There are many factors that contributed to the level of anxiety experienced. The fear that you will not contribute enough, the fear that your group will not contribute enough, the fear of working with people you have no previous connections to, and the fear of being able to step outside of your own comfort zone. Conversely, the anxiety that exists in a new group setting is normal. In fact, it would be rather surprising if there is no anxiety at all. There are effective methods to successfully complete tasks required as a group. Communication, organization, and listening are efficacious means of working as a cohesive group. Communication is possibly the most obvious entity in working towards a cohesive group. Without proper, constant, and effective communication transmissi ons between you and your group can easily get lost (Hamilton Creel, 2011). Messages often become lost when an ineffective channel is utilized to transmit messages. This complicates communication because the receiver of the message may decode the original message to something less desirable. When messages are inaccurately decoded they can cause a communication breakdown and contribute to the inability to perform well the duration of the course. Communication appeared to be simple when ourShow MoreRelatedEssay on Communication Reflection1228 Words   |  5 PagesExpectations and Personal Anxiety As I reflected on my experience with the team project, I found that at the conclusion of the project my attitude and opinion of group projects was more positive. Initially, the idea of a working on a group project in graduate school created anxiety, doubt, and skepticism. My uneasiness stemmed from my experience during my undergraduate studies as an adult learner; three out of five group projects resulted in poor quality research, content, and conflict betweenRead MoreBarriers to Learning.1645 Words   |  7 Pageson some of the main barriers to learning that may be encountered on training a project team. The new project team consists of eight members of mixed IT ability ranging from novice to expert users and some with a third level education. The training will be to deliver a course in Microsoft Project 2003 and the team was formed to manage the implementation of a new database system. The subject matter of the course, MS Project training, is not the focus of this report. However what will be looked at isRead MoreHrm590665 Words   |  3 Pagescultural or social group. Ethnocentrism: is the tendency to judge other groups according to the standards and values of ones own group. Cultural relativism: it is the refusal to make any judgement on the cultural values of other individuals, institutions or cultures. Culture shock: Culture shock is more than your initial mental adjustment to strange customs, new language, and perhaps water that isnt safe to drink. It is a very real set of symptoms that may include depression, anxiety, increased incidenceRead MoreThe Connection Between Stressors And Mental Illnesses1262 Words   |  6 Pagesof coping. The project will focus on the following: The connection between stressors and mental illnesses. Determine the relationship between the variables indicated in this proposal and mental illnesses. What the affects are and who is most at risk. Background The amount of people attending public colleges is increasing, classes are getting bigger and students struggle to keep up with their work. 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Purpose Statistics anxiety is prevalent among students whose academic background has little statistical training (Pan Tang, 2004). Researchers (Onwuegbuzie, Da Ros, Ryan, 1994; Zeidner, 1991) concluded that many college students experience statistics test anxiety. Most of these researchers focused on students statistics test anxiety due to little statistical backgroundRead MoreThe Use Of Exercise Therapy As A Safe Alternative Treatment Option For Those Suffering With Ptsd Essay1616 Words   |  7 Pagesgeneralized anxiety disorder, and PTSD.† (Vieweg et al., 2006). PTSD affects an estimated one in six combat veterans returning from war and is the most common mental-health diagnosis among veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. In fact, the most common cause of PTSD among men in the United States is combat-related trauma. (Vieweg et al., 2006). 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A diagnosis of psychopathol ogy is not necessary when utilizing the person-centered approach

Why Project Fail Free Essays

Why Projects Fail Computer projects fail when they do not meet the following criteria for success: It is delivered on time. It is on or under budget. The system works as required. We will write a custom essay sample on Why Project Fail or any similar topic only for you Order Now Only a few projects achieve all three. Many more are delivered which fail on one or more of these criteria, and a substantial number are cancelled having failed badly. So what are the key factors for success? Organisations and individuals have studied a number of projects that have both succeeded and failed and some common factors emerge. A key finding is that there is no one overriding factor that causes project failure. A number of factors are involved in any particular project failure, some of which interact with each other. Here are six of the most important reasons for failure. 1 . Lack of User Involvement Lack of user involvement has proved fatal for many projects. Without user involvement nobody in the business feels committed to a system, and can even be hostile to it. If a project is to be a success senior management and users need to be involved from the start, and continuously throughout the development. This requires ime and effort, and when the people in a business are already stretched, finding time for a new project is not high on their priorities. Therefore senior management need to continuously support the project to make it clear to staff it is a priority. 2. Long or Unrealistic Time Scales Long timescales for a project have led to systems being delivered for products and services no longer in use by an organisation. The key recommendation is that project timescales should be short, which means that larger systems should be split into separate projects. There are always problems with this approach, but the benefits of oing so are considerable. Many managers are well aware of the need for fast delivery, leading to the other problem of unrealistic timescales. These are set without considering the volume of work that needs to be done to ensure delivery. As a result these systems are either delivered late or only have a fraction of the facilities that were asked for. The recommendation here is to review all project plans to see if they are realistic, and to challenge the participants to express any reservations they may have with it. . Poor or No Requirements Many projects have high level, vague, and generally unhelpful requirements. This has ed to cases where the developers, having no input from the users, build what they believe is needed, without having any real knowledge of the business. Inevitably when the system is delivered business users say it does not do what they need it to. This is closely linked to lack of user involvement, but goes beyond it. Users must know what it is they want, and be able to specify it precisely. As non-lT specialists this means normally they need skills training. 4. Scope Creep Scope is the overall view of what a system will deliver. Scope creep is the insidious growth in the scale of a system during the life of a project. As an example for a customer bills, then these bills will be provided on the Internet, and so on and so forth. All the functionality will have to be delivered at one time, therefore affecting time scales, and all will have to have detailed requirements. This is a management issue closely related to change control. Management must be realistic about what is it they want and when, and stick to it. 5. No Change Control System Despite everything businesses change, and change is happening at a faster rate then ever before. So it is not realistic to expect no change in requirements while a system s being built. However uncontrolled changes play havoc with a system under development and have caused many project failures. This emphasises the advantages of shorter timescales and a phased approach to building systems, so that change has less chance to affect development. Nonetheless change must be managed like any other factor of business. The business must evaluate the effects of any changed requirements on the timescale, cost and risk of project. Change Management and its sister discipline of Confguration Management are skills that can be taught. 6. Poor Testing The developers will do a great deal of testing during development, but eventually the users must run acceptance tests to see if the system meets the business requirements. However acceptance testing often fails to catch many faults before a system goes live because: Poor requirements which cannot be tested Poorly, or non planned tests meaning that the system is not methodically checked Inadequately trained users who do not know what the purpose of testing is Inadequate time to perform tests as the project is late Users, in order to build their confidence with a system, and to utilise their experience f the business, should do the acceptance testing. To do so they need good testable requirements, well designed and planned tests, be adequately trained, and have sufficient time to achieve the testing objectives. Conclusion These six factors are not the only ones that affect the success or failure of a project, but in many studies and reports they appear near, or at the top of the list. They are all interlinked, but as can be seen they are not technical issues, but management and training ones. This supports the idea that IT projects should be treated as business projects. How to cite Why Project Fail, Papers

Salvation Serpent and Snake-handling Services Essay Example

Salvation: Serpent and Snake-handling Services Paper The trial of Glenn Summerford intrigued Dennis Covington and caused him to think about snake handling churches. Covington began to embark on a journey to his self-discovery after his coverage of Glenns trial. During the trial Dennis noticed that he was becoming extremely interested in snake-handling services. He also realized that he was confused about who he really was. The trial made Covington understand that he needs to explore the world of snake-handling and decide if it was meant for him. Glenns trial intrigued Dennis, so he began going to some of the snake-handling services in Scottsboro. Covington did not know anything about snake-handling before he started covering the Summerford trial. The first service that Dennis had attended was in March of 1992, at The Church of Jesus with Signs Following. Dennis had been invited to the church by Sister Bobbie Sue Thompson. The church was on Woods Cove Road in an old converted gas station and country store with a miniature steeple. At the first service that Covington had attended, a snake was never even brought out. The Church of Jesus with Signs Following was filled with many nice people and while Dennis was attending, he became friends with several of its members. Eventually The Church of Jesus with Signs Following came to a close and Dennis, along with the rest of its members, had to find a new place to hold their services. Brother Carl Porter, J. L. Dyal, and the End-Time Evangelist, Brother Charles McGlocklin, began holding brush-arbor meetings. Brush-arbor meetings were services that were held under muscadine vines, honeysuckle, and starlight, and this is where Dennis continued his journey. During the trial of Glenn Summerford, Dennis began to realize that he was confused about who he really was. Covington started looking for ways to learn about himself and his ancestors. When Covingtons father died, he left Dennis a binder full of research that he had been doing on their family. Dennis finally started looking through this binder and learned that his family is from the Appalachian Mountain area. This is significant because snake-handling is from this area as well. After learning this, Covington wondered if snake-handling was in his blood. We will write a custom essay sample on Salvation: Serpent and Snake-handling Services specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Salvation: Serpent and Snake-handling Services specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Salvation: Serpent and Snake-handling Services specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Dennis continued to attend snake-handling services to learn more about it. Dennis began exploring the world of snake-handling after his recent coverage of the Summerford trial and the discovery of where his family is from. Dennis continued to go to the brush-arbor meetings until they came to an end. The weather during the fall in Sand Mountain would not permit them to hold any meetings. The nights would turn cool. It also rains in the fall and brings in fog. On one of the last days of summer, Dennis was invited to go to Jolo on Labor Day weekend. Dennis was not sure why he had been invited to Jolo at first, until he remembered that there was a famous snake-handling church there. Dennis and a couple of his friends, Jim and Melissa, left Birmingham in route to West Virginia, to find the famous snake-handling church. They get to the church and it is drizzling outside. The gravel crunched under their feet as they walked up to the open door of the church. The church had paneled walls and ceiling fans. Inside the church, smelled of camphor and damp wool. Things got a little crazy at this church. Four serpent boxes were a the front of the church. Brother Charles got up and began talking to the congregation and strumming his guitar. A few other members began playing their instruments to go along with Brother Charles. The light in the church seemed to have changed. It was softer, more liquid. Then Brother Carl got up and began preaching after Brother Charles was done. Suddenly everyone began dancing to the music. They danced around the room and up towards the front of the church where the serpent boxes were located. At one point six snakes were being handled. Eventually Dennis handled snakes and he realized that snake-handling was in his blood. The trial of Glenn Summerford intrigued Dennis. During the trial, Covington began to wonder about many things. Dennis became oddly interested in the snake-handling services. Covington also realized that he was confused about who he really is and that it is time for a journey of self-discovery. During his journey, Dennis realized that he needed to explore the world of snake-handling. Covington found out during his journey that snake-handling is in his blood. The trial of Glenn Summerford caused Dennis to think about many things and the effects of that made him realize who he really is.

The Fall of the Roman Empire by Arther Ferrill essays

The Fall of the Roman Empire by Arther Ferrill essays The Fall of the Roman Empire by Arther Ferrill (1986) provides well written and interesting reading for the non-historian. While Ferrill breaks down many areas of the Roman Empire and it's decline, there are other areas where the author's description of some important details remains sketchy and leaves the reader wanting more information. Ferrill breezes over some very important explanations concerning why the Eastern Empire survived despite the Eastern army suffering the two major defeats of Adrianople and Julian's failed Persian campaign. Ferrill also does not support the argument that the Fall of Rome was the result of a successful conquest of barbarism and religion. He instead maintains that uncomplicated military failures contributed to Rome's decline. The case he presents supports that these were created by political blunders and that enough of the blunders created the misfortune that resulted in the decline of the Roman public spirit. Ferrill's descriptions of the Roman way of life lead the reader to view the people as very cultured, sophisticated and comfortable. Their cleanliness for the time was exceptional and their water system was unique to that historical time. This style of life may have contributed to their idealistic views that all people wanted to work toward a more civilized and productive lifestyle. However, this was simply not true. Descriptions in Ferrill's book somewhat discredit the new breed of a classicist who encourages a Marxist version of Roman history which view that barbarians are just oppressed minorities engaging in justifiable wars of "national liberation." He also argues that men and battles do not much matter and that all history is some sort of inevitable process governed by the class struggle. Ferrill correctly points out that men and battles matter very important within this course of history. The barbarians were strictly barbaric and not worthy of much explanation or compassion for their h...

How to Speak to a Customer Service Representative

How to Speak to a Customer Service Representative At some point, most of us make a telephone call to a companys customer service department. Whether its to place an order or a complaint, dispute a charge, or ask a question, its important to know how to communicate with customer service representatives. In this intermediate-level role-play dialogue, you will get a better understanding of how to interact with a customer service representative. Customer service calls usually follow a standard procedure. The representative will often ask for information such as your address and phone number. After practicing this role-play, you should be able to conduct these types of phone calls with what youve learned. Grab a partner and start practicing. Customer Service Representative: Hello, Big City Electricity, how may I help you today? Mr. Peters: Im calling concerning my electricity bill. Customer Service Representative: May I have your account number? Mr. Peters: Certainly, its 4392107. Customer Service Representative: Thank you, is this Mr. Peters? Mr. Peters: Yes, this is Mr. Peters. Customer Service Representative: Thank you, what can I help you with? Mr. Peters:Â  I think Ive been overcharged for the past month. Customer Service Representative: Im sorry to hear that. Why do you think we charged you too much? Mr. Peters: The bill is 300% higher than last month. Customer Service Representative: Im sorry to hear that. Let me ask you a few questions and then Ill see what I can do. Mr. Peters: OK, Thank you for your help. Customer Service Representative: Of course, thank you for calling this to our attention. Now, how much do you usually pay for your electricity? Mr. Peters: I usually pay about $50 a month.​ Customer Service Representative: Thank you. And how much did we charge on this bill?​ Mr. Peters: $150. I cant understand why.​ Customer Service Representative: Yes, Mr. Peters. Was your usage different in any way?​ Mr. Peters: No, it was an average month.​ Customer Service Representative: Im sorry. There certainly seems to be a mistake.​ Mr. Peters: Well, Im happy you agree with me.​ Customer Service Representative: Ill contact a service representative to come out and check your meter. Whats your address, Mr. Peters?​ Mr. Peters: 223 Flanders St., Tacoma, Washington 94998​ Customer Service Representative: Whats your phone number?​ Mr. Peters: 408-533-0875​ Customer Service Representative: Im terribly sorry about the misunderstanding. Well do our best to change this as quickly as possible. Mr. Peters: Thank you for your help in clearing this up. Customer Service Representative: Of course. Is there anything else that I can help you with today? Mr. Peters: No, thank you. That would be all. Customer Service Representative: Okay. Thanks for calling, Mr. Peters, and I hope you have a good day. Mr. Peters: You too! Goodbye.