Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Let your parents know you want to talk. Express gratitude as you ask permission. Be specific about what you want. Offer to pay for some of the decoration costs.

Answer: Begin the conversation directly. Approach your parents when they're not busy and let them know there's something you would like to discuss. Say something like, "Mom, Dad, do you have a minute? I wanted to ask you guys about something?" Parents want to make sure you understand and appreciate responsibility. If you simply ask to redecorate your room with no real introduction, they may think you don't get how much money goes into the cost of renovations. Begin asking by expressing gratitude for how hard your parents work to give you the advantages you have. Say something like, "I know you guys work really hard so we can have this great house. I really appreciate being able to have my own room and my own space." You want to make sure your parents know you appreciate what you have in the present. You need to let them know you do appreciate your room, even if you want to change it. Make a clear request. This will give your parents a clear sense of what they're saying "Yes" to. Talk to them about what, specifically, you want to change about your room and what kind of help you'll need from them. Tell them what your ideal is for redecoration. For example, "Ideally, I want to repaint the room in a color I like. I don't really like yellow anymore, so I would really like to paint it blue or green." Keep in mind, not all of your requests may be met. Tell your parents what you want directly, but be prepared to potentially compromise. Redecorating costs money. Even if your parents can afford to revamp your room, they want you to know the value of money. If you volunteer to take care of some of the costs, your parents are more likely to say "Yes" to your request. Tell them how you plan to help pay for the re-decorations. For example, you can say something like, "I've been saving about $30 of my babysitting money every month for awhile now. I can put that towards paint."

Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Give your notice. Set down standard operating procedures. Arrange a space. Set a schedule. Acquaint yourself with your trainee.

Answer: Often, you will be training someone to do your job because you are moving into a new position within your organization. However, if you are leaving your current company, you need to give appropriate notice so that your employer know your position needs to be filled. Look at your employment agreement for any specific details regarding giving notice. Contracts or agreements may include language regarding how far in advance you give notice, and what medium is appropriate. If your company does not have their own language regarding resignation, know that the standard is to give your employer two weeks notice before you leave, and that it's appropriate to both meet with your supervisor to discuss your departure, as well as give them a written statement regarding your intent to leave the company. Regardless of how well you train a new employee, they are not likely to remember everything from training. Develop a set of written procedures that detail step-by-step how to do your position. These procedures should include instructions on daily tasks, as well as how to conduct larger projects and processes in which you are involved. Ask your supervisor if there is a template for standard operating procedures in your company. Using a template will help keep things consistent for your trainee and make the writing process easier for you. Begin by detailing your daily duties. Explain, step-by-step, what you do each day when you come in. Once you have the daily routine established, detail larger processes and projects your trainee will be expected to pick up. Map locations for anything stored digitally, and use charts and screenshots liberally so that the trainee can pair your instructions with helpful visual aids for each step. Screenshots are especially helpful for anything you use that may be proprietary, such as databases, content management software, business to business software, or anything you would consider "in-house." For a time, you and your trainee might be sharing a space. Make sure you and your trainee both have space to work without interfering with one another. If you are moving into a new position, you may want to ask if your new desk is ready while you are training your replacement. Make sure your trainee's space is set up with what they need to fully perform their position. This includes getting them any permissions they may need for computer, software, and phone access, any keys they may need, or anything else pertinent to the specific position. Make sure you cover every topic important to your trainee by setting a schedule before you begin training. List every topic you want to cover with your trainee, and set aside the necessary block of time to make sure you can take them through the process. Remember to include time in each training block for your trainee to review the process and ask you questions. Talk with your supervisor about their plans for the trainee to make sure your schedule fits theirs. If, for example, they plan on taking the trainee out to lunch one afternoon, make sure your training calendar is mindful of that time. Have a flexible attitude when it comes to your training schedule. If something unexpected comes up in the course of your job, bring the trainee along even if the time was slotted for a different task. This allows them to see the position in action and start applying what they have already learned. If you did not hire your trainee, ask your supervisor or HR department to provide you with copies of their resume, cover letter, and any other material they may have submitted with their application. Familiarize yourself with their background and experience so that you can see where they might already have experience, and where they may need more training. Do not assume anything about your trainee. Their experience or background may be impressive, but they may not adapt quickly to the position. Likewise, their experience may be different than what you would have considered for the position, but they may still be very capable and quick to learn.

Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Buy your shark. Put your shark in a large bucket. Start a drip line. Dump out most of the water in the bucket. Fill the bucket back up.

Answer: Be sure to buy from a reputable pet store. Your shark should look healthy, and should not have any wounds. The shark should not appear to be "panting" or be overly lethargic. Its eyes and skin should not have any discolorations or white spots. Sharks are prone to bacterial and parasitic infections. This can cause discoloration of the skin, frequent "yawning," and chaffing on the bottom of the tank. Be watchful for any of these behaviors before purchasing a shark. Put your shark, with the pet store or shipping water, in a bucket or other large container with plenty of extra room. Once you've brought your shark home, you can't simply dump it into the aquarium. The sudden change in chemistry between the pet store or shipping water and your aquarium water can be harmful or even fatal. Slowly siphon some water out of your aquarium into the bucket using an air line or other narrow hose. Keep the water to a drip by clamping or crimping the hose. You can start a siphon by gently sucking on the hose until water begins to flow, or using an electric pump. You can also use an auto-siphon pump, a simple, inexpensive device available at any home brewing or wine making store. Once the water in the bucket has doubled, carefully pour most of it out, leaving just enough water to cover the shark. Slowly refill it again from the drip line. When the bucket is full again, you will have replaced about 95 percent of the pet store water with aquarium water. Your shark should be acclimated and you can now introduce it to the aquarium.

Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Go above and beyond what's required. Make sacrifices. Conduct your own research. Expand your knowledge base. Stay up-to-date on news and events. Verify your sources. Maintain independence from your sources and subjects.

Answer:
Going above and beyond is about more than just doing what's necessary to get a story. You need to be more than just a good writer in today's journalism market. When you write a story, don't stop at the minimum to get the job done. Think about what you'd want out of the article if you were a reader, and try to give them that. Make yourself more marketable by expanding your technical skills. Knowing how to use more programs, do basic coding, and use creative software will help you get your voice out there and will make you more marketable. If possible, beat your deadlines. While you don't want to rush your work, you do want to provide your publisher with a speedy product so that your article will be timely. You may have to give up your free time or miss out on fun events with friends in order to meet your journalism goals. Writing is usually a solitary activity, so it may be a sacrifice for you to miss out on that social time. You may also need to sacrifice earning potential or social connections if you write about polarizing issues. When you're faced with sacrifices, ask yourself what's more important to you. Ask, "Where do I want to be in five years? How will this sacrifice impact my five-year goal?" Journalists get information from a variety of sources, so you'll need to know how to gather, assess, and organize information on your own. Research consists of more than just doing a Google search. You need to be able to find the information you need in print sources, by talking to knowledgeable individuals, and by sorting through relevant materials, such as letters, memos, or file documents. Being able to understand various topics, sniff out stories, and look at things from various perspectives are all necessary to be a good journalist. Consider getting a degree in something other than journalism to make you a more informed writer. If you want to cover world events, consider studying languages. Read or watch the news, and stay plugged in to politics, current events, and pop culture. Anything can be relevant from a journalistic standpoint, so keep yourself open and learn the current trends. You'll produce better stories and get your readers what they want if you know what's going on. Before reporting information that you find, make sure that it's from a reliable source. When possible, try to find a second source that confirms the information. If you receive facts from a source, independently verify that those facts line up. For example, if someone tells you that they knew the subject of your story when they were in college, make sure they were really in college together. While you will likely build relationships with some of your sources or the people you write about, make sure those relationships don't influence how you portray them in your work. For example, if your best friend works as a police officer, then getting your crime information from them will likely be biased toward your friend's opinion. For example, don't take payments from a source or a subject of an article. If you are writing an investigative article about a corporation, you'll lose your independence if you allow them to hire you for freelance work during your investigation. If you have someone who gives you inside information about the local crime beat, keep a professional relationship with that person. If you start to get too personal, then you may unknowingly have a bias toward them. If you get too close to a source, you can always ask them to help you find a new one so that your information stays independent.