Guide to Writing an Argumentative Essay in Marketing Smart Pieces of Advice

Guide to Writing an Argumentative Essay in Marketing Smart Pieces of Advice What Is an Argumentative Essay in Marketing? To begin with, an argumentative essay is an essay that discusses different sides of a specific issue. Presentation of the ideas can be equally balanced, or one view may be depicted as more convincing in comparison to others. The writer’s position should be specific and clear. An argumentative essay aims to examine the problem from various perspectives in order to provide a clear argument. The writer needs to conduct in-depth research, evaluate evidence, and establish a position on the topic in a concise manner. Accordingly, an argumentative essay in marketing concerns different concepts, including advertising, market research, segmentation, positioning, or targeting. A strong argumentative essay provides reasonable arguments and analyses the strong and weak sides of the issue. Choosing a Topic for an Argumentative Essay in Marketing Selecting a topic for an argumentative essay in marketing is not a difficult task because there is a wide variety of acute themes that can be discussed. Moreover, the writer should find a topic that would interest the audience and present new information. It would be beneficial to choose a subject that is not widely discussed in order to attract readers. Additionally, the writer can demonstrate an advanced approach to the common problem. The following examples may help to choose the topic for an argumentative essay in marketing: Successful Marketing Approaches Can Break Strong Market Monopoly; The Role of Social Media in Marketing Campaigns; The Ways of Increasing the Brand Value of the Product; The Threats of Global Marketing for Small Enterprises; Is Black Friday Sale an Effective Instrument for Real Estate Industry? The Factors That Influence the Buying Decisions of a Family; Marketing Ethics of the Pharmaceutical Industry; An Effective Website for a Startup Company; Can Smartphones Facilitate Communication Between Clients and Companies? Marketing and Promotion in the Restaurant Industry. Pre-Writing Tips First of all, the selection of an issue for discussion is a significant step in the pre-writing process in case the professor has not provided students with the topic. It is important to keep in mind that the selection of an issue for an argumentative essay in marketing has some peculiarities. For instance, in order to avoid biases, the writer should not be passionate about the subject. Furthermore, arguments should be based on precise data, facts, and researches that present relevant information to the audience. Up-to-date references will assist in supporting the main ideas of the essay. In addition, the writer needs to avoid unnecessary details and general facts. Focusing on a narrow and specific topic is the most effective way to write a strong argumentative essay in marketing. The writer should take into consideration that an argumentative essay involves detailed and thorough research. Accordingly, there is a need for extensive analysis of published materials. In order to collect the required data, the student should analyze interviews, surveys, and experiments. Such research will help to learn more about the issue and understand different points of view regarding the topic. Another critical point is that the student should not overestimate his or her knowledge on the subject. It is significant to gather information and conduct detailed research to broaden understanding. It would be beneficial to use articles from business journals in order to support the ideas. The writer needs to remember that a successful argumentative essay is based on information and data that comes from credible sources. Consequently, finding relevant sources is a crucial step in a pre-writing process. In terms of the organization of the writing process, a short outline will also be helpful. A student can write a sentence for each section of the essay, including a thesis statement, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Moreover, it is necessary to find the sources that would support the claims. The writer should focus on presenting the most crucial details that are based on in-depth analysis. After the research of the topic, it will be useful to write down the main claims in order to present information in a consistent and coherent manner. Structure of an Argumentative Essay The structure of an argumentative essay in marketing reflects a typical structure of an academic essay. Accordingly, the paper starts with an introduction that discusses the relevance of the issue. A thesis statement, which is the most significant part of an introduction, is the last sentence of the first paragraph. Body paragraphs aim to discuss different sides of the topic. Consequently, they should include background information, supporting evidence, and counterarguments. As a rule, an argumentative essay consists of three body paragraphs. However, complex topics require detailed essays, so an argumentative essay that discusses several research sources may include more than three body paragraphs. The last part of the paper is a conclusion that provides a summary of the presented ideas and restates the thesis statement. Introduction An argumentative essay in marketing starts with an introduction that reviews the topic in a general way. The first sentence of an essay should not include any specific details. The introduction aims to attract the audience’s attention and state the main argument. Moreover, the writer should explain the importance and topicality of the issue. Presentation of background information will help readers to understand the writer’s claims. Students need to remember that an argumentative essay in marketing has to include explanations of the applied key terms and concepts. The last sentence of an introduction is a thesis statement that presents the main argument of an essay. It explains the topic in a clear and unbiased manner and does not reflect the author’s personal opinion on the subject of the work. The examples of correct and incorrect thesis statements will help to understand how to write a strong thesis. Incorrect: ‘Social media plays a significant role in marketing campaigns.’ This thesis statement is too broad and fails to explain the topic of the paper. Correct: ‘Social media like Instagram and Facebook has become an effective tool for startups that creates advanced opportunities for advertising with maximum target customer reach.’ Accordingly, this thesis statement demonstrates the narrow topic and presents the issue in a clear manner. Body Paragraphs First of all, the body paragraphs of an argumentative essay should be logically organized and have a clear structure. Each of the body paragraphs should begin with a topic sentence that demonstrates the readers its main idea. Moreover, one paragraph should be dedicated to the discussion of one general idea that will make an essay clear and concise. The writer needs to keep in mind that body paragraphs should be logically connected to the thesis statement in the introduction. As a result, a strong argumentative essay should consider different points of view concerning the issue. It would be useful to discuss conflicting sides of the topic. Each of the body paragraphs should also present the supporting details of the central point mentioned in the topic sentence. The claims can be supported with outside sources, including marketing books, articles, and studies. It is important to use relevant sources in order to make the paper more effective. Consequently, supporting details that follow the topic of the work assist in writing a persuasive argumentative essay. The first of the three body paragraphs is the background part. It provides readers with the necessary knowledge of the issue. It can also include the explanation of the marketing theories, concepts, and definitions of specific terms. In addition, the writer can summarize the used sources to provide the basis for claims. The second body paragraph aims to support the argument and prove the presented idea. The supporting details will help the audience to understand the issue more profoundly. In order to provide them, one should use in-text citations from credible sources and explain and interpret them to prove the arguments. This paragraph should be well-structured and demonstrate the readers the peculiarities of the topic. The last paragraph of the body part is a counterargument paragraph that aims to present the opposite view of the issue. Additionally, it makes the essay unbiased and objective. It is essential to demonstrate to the readers why the argument is more reliable than the opposing view. Nevertheless, the writer should avoid considering opposing views as wrong because, according to the format of an argumentative essay, they should be considered and reasonably refuted. Conclusion The conclusion is the last part of an argumentative essay. It provides a summary of the central topic of the work. The writer should restate the argument and the supporting evidence to remind the readers of the main points. However, students should keep in mind that the conclusion should not present new information or the evidence that was not previously mentioned in the essay. It would be advantageous not only to restate the thesis statement but also to demonstrate specific insights into the topic. Moreover, at the end of the paragraph, there is a concluding sentence that explains the readers the value of the provided argument. Additionally, the writer can mention further research that can be done on the topic according to the results of the work. Post-Writing Tips When a draft of an argumentative essay is finished, the writer needs to read it once again in order to check grammar and vocabulary. Additionally, it is important to pay attention to the coherence and consistency of the work. The language should correspond to the academic level of the students. Correct punctuation and spelling are essential for a strong essay because proper grammar assists the writer in persuading the audience. For logical consistency, students may use transitional words, like ‘furthermore, additionally, accordingly, or nevertheless’ that help to keep the right flow of the valid argument. The next step can be asking peers for an objective review of the essay. It would be helpful in terms of checking grammar, vocabulary, and content. The peers’ insights may assist in understanding whether the essay is written in a logical manner. Moreover, the reviewer can indicate the marketing terms or concepts that are not explained thoroughly enough. While rereading the paper out loud is an effective strategy to check whether the sentences make sense, and the structure is logical. The writer needs to self-check the essay for coherence by answering particular questions. For instance, the questions that can indicate whether the essay is written correctly include: Does the thesis statement of the work represent the issues that have been discussed? Is the thesis statement clear and understandable? Did I include relevant information that I found during the pre-writing process? Is there enough supporting evidence for the central claim in each body paragraph? Are there smooth transitions between the paragraphs? Are the sources credible and cited properly? Does the essay explain mentioned marketing terms and concepts? The list of questions can vary depending on the topic of an essay. It is also necessary to check the in-text citations, direct quotes, and the reference page. The writer should keep in mind that all quotes should be cited because, in the case of plagiarism, the essay cannot have good results. Properly formatted quotes allow the audience to find the information that the writer refers to in the paper. In addition, there is a need to check the formatting style, whether it corresponds to the professor’s requirements. The essay should be checked for widely-spread mistakes that are typical for an argumentative essay. For instance, the writer should avoid repetitions and use of similar points in different body paragraphs. Furthermore, there is a need to check whether the main subjects and the evidence are connected consistently. The last significant step is to make a final version of an essay considering all the notes and changes. When the paper is ready, the writer can look through the essay and correct minor mistakes that were not observed previously. Accordingly, the essay can be submitted as soon as the writer has checked the final version of the work. References Argumentative Essay (n.d.). Retrieved from https://literarydevices.net/argumentative-essay/ Argumentative Essays. (n.d.). Owl Purdue. Retrieved from https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/essay_writing/argumentative_essays.html Argumentative essay Writing Tips (2019). Retrieved from https://grammar.yourdictionary.com/for-students-and-parents/argumentative-essay-writing-tips.html How to Write a Successful Marketing Essay (n.d.). Retrieved from https://ozzz.org/marketing/ How to Write an Argumentative Essay Step by Step (n.d.). Retrieved from https://owlcation.com/academia/How-to-Write-an-Argument-Essay

Starting an English Conversation for Beginners

Starting an English Conversation for Beginners Here are 10 questions to help you start speaking English. Each of these questions can help you begin or continue a conversation. The questions are divided into two categories: Basic Facts and Hobbies and Free Time. There are also a number of questions that can help you continue the conversation after the first question. Five Basic Facts These five questions will help you get to know people. They are simple questions with simple answers and provide information so you can ask more questions. What is your name?Where do you live?What do you do?Are you married?Where are you from? Peter: Hello. My name is Peter.Helen: Hi Peter. Im Helen. Where are you from? Peter: Im from Billings, Montana. And you?Helen: Im from Seattle, Washington. What do you do? Peter: Im a grade school teacher. Where do you live?Helen: I live in New York. Peter: Thats interesting. Are you married?Helen: Now, thats an interesting question! Why do you want to know? Peter: Well ...   More Questions to Continue the Conversation These questions help to continue the conversation after your first question. Here are some more related questions to ask for more details.   What is your name? Its a pleasure to meet you. Where are you from?Thats an interesting name. Is it Chinese / French / Indian, etc.?Does your name have a special meaning? Where do you live? How long have you lived there?Do you like that neighborhood?Do you live in an apartment or house?Do you have a garden at your home?Do you live alone or with your family? What do you do? Which company do you work for?How long have you had that job?Do you like your job?Whats the best / worst thing about your job?What do you like best / least about your job?Would you like to change jobs? Are you married? How long have been married?Where did you get married?What does your husband / wife do?Do you have any children?How old are your children? Where are you from? Where is ....?How long did you live there?What is XYZ like?Do you like living here?How is your country different than here?Do the people in your country speak English / French / German, etc.? Hobbies / Free Time These questions will help you  find out more about peoples likes and dislikes. What do you like doing in your free time?Can you play tennis / golf / soccer / etc.?What kind of films / food / vacations do you enjoy?What do you do on weekends / Saturdays? More Questions About Hobbies These questions will help you ask for more detail once youve learned if someone does certain things. What do you like doing in your free time? How often do you (listen to music, eat out in restaurants, etc.)?Where do you (listen to music, eat out in restaurants, etc.) in this town?Why do you like (listening to music, eating out in restaurants, etc.) so much? Can you play tennis / golf / soccer / etc.? Do you enjoy playing tennis /golf /soccer /etc.?How long have you played tennis /golf /soccer /etc.?Who do you play tennis /golf /soccer /etc. with? What kind of films / food / vacations do you enjoy? Whats the best place to see /eat / go on vacations?Whats the best type of film /food / vacation, etc. in your opinion?How often do you watch films / eat out / go on vacation? What do you do on weekends / Saturdays? Where do you go to ...?Could you recommend a good place to (go shopping / take my children swimming / etc.)?How long have you done that? Questions With Like Questions with like  are common conversation starters. Notice the differences in meaning in these questions that use like but ask for different information. What are you like? -  This question asks about a persons character, or how they are as people. What are you like?Im a friendly person, but Im a little shy. What do you like doing?  - This question asks about general likes and is often used to ask about a persons hobbies or free time activities.   What do you like doing?I enjoy playing golf and taking long hikes.

Globalisation of Logistics & SCM 2 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Globalisation of Logistics & SCM 2 - Coursework Example Jasper (2003) defined performance as the process of accomplishing given tasks that are measured against stipulated standards of completeness, accuracy, speed, and cost. Performance is considered to be fulfillment of various obligations in ways that release performers from all the liabilities under business contracts. In my journey of development, learning has played a major role in what I am today as I have been able to acquire knowledge in school and the society hence ensuring better performance in my general activities. Covey (2004) observed that anything human beings do depend partly or wholly on what they learnt either in educational institutions or the society and partly how they put the learning in their actions. People skills are the capabilities of individuals to understand themselves and ability to moderate their responses. Learning people skills has enabled me to empathize accurately, to talk effectively, and to build relationships of respect, trust and very productive interactions in my journey of development. Redmond (2004) noted that good people skills are considered as an asset in business and our daily lives as they enable us to relate and communicate to other individuals on both professional and personal levels hence the ability solve problems effectively and work together to achieve common goals and objectives. Emotional intelligence is the ability of recognizing our emotions and other individual’s feelings and discriminating between various sensations and labeling them appropriately hence enabling individuals to apply that information in thinking and changing behaviors (Redmond, 2004). Emotional intelligence has enabled me to interact with individuals of different characte rs effectively as I have been able to identify, understand, use, and manage sensations in positive ways in order to communicate efficiently, relieve stress, overcome challenges, defuse conflicts, and to empathize with other society members. I am

Strategy for organizations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Strategy for organizations - Essay Example These retail stores can be called convenience stores, supermarkets, superstores etc. These retail outlets are often part of large multiple chains and they have their shops all over the country. In UK such stores are quite successful. People trust their brands and prefer them to other brands. Sainsbury's is a symbolic name in British retail market. There are various reasons that make it great, its strong brands, passion for food, its history of innovation and a trusted moral approach to business. All these things make it the household name of UK. J Sainsburys plc operates multiple types of businesses. Their operations range from Sainsbury's supermarkets, convenience stores, a home shopping service and Sainsbury's Bank. In this paper the external and internal environment, strengths and weaknesses of this great company will by analyzed by employing various models and techniques. Various models and techniques are used for analyzing the external environment of any organization. PESTEL model will be used here for analyzing external factor affecting the performance of the company. PESTEL is actually abbreviation of Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental and Legal factor analysis. By analyzing all these very important external factors that affect the performance of any organization a clear picture can be obtained for evolving correct and effective strategy. This analysis gives an outline of the different factors that the company has to take into consideration. For a comprehensive PESTEL analysis it is important to consider some minor sub factors that are dominant factors for a particular industry. These dominant factors for a company like Sainsbury's plc are market size, scope of competitive rivalry, market growth rate, number of rivals and their relative sizes, etc. Knowledge of these external factors is important because of the implications they have for the evolving effective strategy. Sainsbury's plc is one of the largest and trusted name in Britain. It has extensive chain of stores all over the country and according to recent reports the company gets more than 10% of market share. There are some other big names like Morrisons, Safeway and Asda. These are Britain's best-known companies and Sainsbury's has to compete with them in the expanding supermarket of Britain. The company was under pressure for last few years and even suffered the first loss in its 135-year history. Some of the main causes of weaker performances are given below. Political and Economic factors Globalization had great impact on its performance. Global companies like Wal-Mart entered the British Market and affected the sales of company. Sainsbury's offers over 30,000 products in its supermarkets; about 50% of them are their own brands. Because of poor economic policies it was difficult for them to maintain quality and price parity favorably. Oversees losses as in Egypt also affected their overall performance. Social, Technological, Environmental and Legal factors There was lack of appeal to customers in comparison to other competitors. The

Dmitri Shostakovich and the Soviet State Essay -- Soviet History

Dmitri Shostakovich was one of the most celebrated composers of the 20th century. He achieved fame, but with much hardship along the way. He was censored and threatened with not only his life but that of his wife and children by playing the role of a public figure in Soviet Russia. The question is was he a committed communist or a victim? The events in his life, good or bad, shaped the music that he created and led to one of the greatest symphonies of the 20th century, his Fifth Symphony. Born in Saint Petersburg, Russia on September 25, 1906, Shostakovich was the second of three children born to Dmitri Boleslavovich Shostakovich and Sofiya Vasilievna Kokoulina. His father was of Polish descent but both his parents were Siberian natives. Dmitri was a child prodigy as a pianist and composer. He began taking piano lessons from his mother at the age of nine. He displayed an incredible talent to remember what his mother had played at the previous lesson and would get caught pretending to read the music, playing the music from his last lesson instead of what was placed in front of him. In 1919, at the age of thirteen, he was allowed to enter the Petrograd Conservatory in Saint Petersburg and studied piano with Leonid Nikolayev. Because the conservatory was poorly funded, it did not have heat; the students had to wear coats, hats and gloves constantly only taking off their gloves when composing. Because of these poor living conditions Dmitri developed tuberculosis of the lymph glands in spring 1923 and had to have an operation. Nevertheless, he completed his final piano examinations at the conservatory in June with his neck still bandaged. Shostakovich, though very intelligent and talented, was seen as immature in his fin... ...alled. Works Cited †¢ Burkholder, J. Peter, Donald Jay Grout, and Claude V. Palisca. A history of western music. 8th ed. New York: W. W. Norton, 2010. Print. †¢ Fanning, David. Shostakovich studies. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995. Print. †¢ Hurwitz, David, and DmitriÄ ­ Dmitrievich Shostakovich. Shostakovich symphonies and concertos: an owner's manual. Pompton Plains, N.J.: Amadeus ;, 2006. Print. †¢ Norris, Christopher. Shostakovich, the man and his music. Boston: M. Boyars, 1982. Print. †¢ Volkov, Solomon, and Antonina W. Bouis. Shostakovich and Stalin: the extraordinary relationship between the great composer and the brutal dictator. New York: Knopf, 2004. Print. †¢ David Fanning and Laurel Fay. "Shostakovich, Dmitry." Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. 14 Apr. 2012 .

Competition between local and foreign products

One of the fastest growing countries in the East. This results from unavoidable phenomena of globalization that bring together global companies becoming one market including in Malaysia. Consumers are presented with a variety of international brands such as Apple, Mercedes-Benz, and Role watches. Therefore, it increases the degree competition between domestic and foreign product. Generally, the competition Involves three distinct aspects such as the taste and preference, quality and price range. Foreign and local brands are occupying the local market competitively.Customers' references for both brands differ in some ways and one of it is the brand personality. Asker, 1996 mentions that customers' preferences are subject to the emphasis of brand personality. For example, consumers are much more exposed to international brands as these products are Intensely advertised globally to make them more recognizable worldwide (Hassle, 2004). As compared to local labels; which only limited in s tores, foreign labels are way desirable. Other than that, customers' preferences are subject to the location and environment where the products are available.Both local and foreign merchandises have specific places as where to get heir products. For example, there are plenty of street stalls offering local foods meanwhile people will have to go to decent places for non-local ones. Customers who prefer more choices will most likely buy local ones. On the other hand, for those who are willing to spend a bit go for non-local ones because of the ambiance plus It Is more hygienic compared to street foods. Accessibility in which customers can reach those products also plays an important role in assisting consumers' decision.There is easier access to get local brands compared to foreign brands. For example, customers can just go to their nearby small groceries shops to buy local products. Foreign products such as pasta or seasonal fruits Like apples are only available In supermarkets or hy permarkets. Practically, both products have their own uniqueness and strategies to meet customers' wants and preferences. Furthermore, quality Is also one of the aspects in the competitive markets between local products and foreign products.Persona and Mediumistic have been competitors in term of safety and structure of the vehicle in an automotive industry for years. ‘Ixia' were developed in Malaysia automotive manufacturer in the name of Persona ‘s company, while ‘Mirage' developed In Japan automotive manufacturer named Mediumistic Motor company. Both cars share some similarity In terms of safety ‘s quality. It has 5 doors hatchback, point settable, antiknock system with electronic break-force distribution, brake assist, and SOFIA system.Besides that, the differences of safety features for Ixia are dual airbags, solar and security window film and the key with integrated remote control. For Mirage, it has 7 airbags which include front and side bags for drive r and passenger seats, side curtain bags over front and rear window and knee airbag for driver, usual suite of electronic safety system that consists of stability motorcar is rarely different. In this modern era, the facilities of the motorcar are getting more compact and it is fully equipped with modern design and technologies devices.The inner design of Mirage is far more behind than Ixia in the new market arena. For instance, Ixia has touch screen DVD player with Bluetooth and Navigation system, the tissue component behind the front passenger seats as in it interior while the turning signal been located on the retractable mirror as it exterior compare to Mirage which only side mirror deflector, push start button and also smart key as its special features. Similarity, both cars have leather seat and leather-wrapped steering wheel.Therefore, Persona Ixia has reached the value of quality where the price met the expectation of a product. The most noteworthy difference is the price be tween the local product and foreign product in Malaysia. Commonly, the price of foreign product is more expensive than the local product because it is imported from other places which involving shipping fee, money exchange and taxes for importing goods. For example, when we exchange Ringing to foreign money such as Singapore dollar, the Ringing value is becomes lesser and causing the item has higher price in Malaysia.According to Nikkei Official website 2014, there is an $8 shipping fee will be charge per shoes. Other than that, Malaysia also charges higher tax on foreign product than local products. A motor vehicle is one of the examples that we can speak about. Lee (2013) mention that due to the reason on combination of high duties and tax cars plus decreasing loss from outflow of ringing to foreign country, Malaysia is one of the countries that has some of the highest car prices in the world. ENG (2013) said that there is a 65% to 105% excise tax, plus 10% sales tax was charged o n motor vehicle in Malaysia.It is obviously can be seen that the price plays major role in the competition between local products and foreign products in Malaysia. It is unquestionable, there is a strong competition between local and imported product that offered in our country. Therefore, Malaysian citizen should support the Government initiative through the ‘Buy Malaysia Product Campaign'. The implementation of this campaign is to promote interest among the Malaysian consumer to purchase more local brands. In conjunction with that, it helps the local entrepreneurs to grow and compete in producing more quality and standardized product.As a result, it boosts the domestic economy as we can export Malaysian product to another country, at the same time to promote our local products in the global market. One of the examples of successful Malaysian product is KIND, which invented greatest electrical home appliances and making millions of sales from exporting to over 50 countries (K IND, 2010). Hence, consumers should not underestimate our local products but build a positive perception and buy Malaysia made products.

What is Earmark Spending in the US Congress

Earmark spending; also called pork barrel spending, is funding inserted into the annual federal budget by individual legislators in the U.S. Congress for special projects or purposes of interest to their constituents. Gaining the approval of earmark spending projects typically helps the sponsoring legislator earn the votes of his or her constituents. The Government’s Definition of Earmark Spending A 2006 report from the Congressional Research Service (CRS), the research arm of Congress, on earmark spending noted that there was no single accepted â€Å"definition of the term earmark accepted by all practitioners and observers of the appropriations process†¦Ã¢â‚¬  However, the CRS did conclude that two types of earmarks were common: hard earmarks, or â€Å"hardmarks,† found in the actual text of legislation, and soft earmarks, or â€Å"softmarks,† found in the reports of  congressional committees  on legislation. Appearing in enacted laws, hard earmark spending provisions are legally binding, while soft earmarks are not legally binding, they are often treated as if they were during the  legislative process. According to the CRS, the most commonly accepted definition of earmark spending is, â€Å"Provisions associated with legislation (appropriations or general legislation) that specify certain congressional spending priorities or in revenue bills that apply to a very limited number of individuals or entities. Earmarks may appear in either the legislative text or report language (committee reports accompanying reported bills and joint explanatory statement accompanying a conference report).† Often tucked as amendments into the larger annual appropriations bills of the federal budget, earmark spending projects often come under criticism as being rushed through Congress without the full debate and scrutiny devoted to the larger parent bill. Perhaps most significantly, earmark spending often results in the expenditure of large sums of taxpayer money to help a limited number of people. For example, in 2005, $223 million was earmarked by the Senate Committee on Appropriations chair Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) to build a bridge to connect an Alaskan town of 8,900 to an island with a population of 50, saving a short ferry ride. Creating an uncharacteristic uproar in the Senate, the earmark nicknamed the Bridge to Nowhere, was removed from the spending bill. Criteria to be Considered Earmark Spending To be classified as an earmark spending, at least one of the following should apply: The requested funding is not specifically authorized as necessary for the basic operations of the government in the annual budget.The funding is requested by only one chamber of Congress.The funding was not included in the Presidents Budget Request.The funding results in a substantial increase over the amounts projected in the presidents budget.The funding is for a project that will benefit a small population or a narrow special interest. Financial Impacts of Earmark Spending Unlike Sen. Stevens Bridge to Nowhere, many earmarks make it into the approved budget. In 2005 alone, over 14,000 earmark projects, costing about $27 billion were approved by Congress. The House Appropriations Committee receives about 35,000 earmark spending requests per year. In the ten-year period from 2000 through 2009, the U.S. Congress approved earmark spending projects worth about $208 billion. Attempts to Control Earmark Spending Over the past several years, several members of Congress have attempted to rein in earmark spending. In December of 2006, the Chairs of the Senate and House Appropriations Committee, Senator Robert Byrd (D-West Virginia) and Representative David Obey (D-Wisconsin, 7th), with the support of incoming Speaker of the House Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-California), vowed to put into place reforms to the federal budget process designed to bring transparency and openness to earmark spending.Under the Obey-Byrd plan, legislators sponsoring each earmark project would be publicly identified. In addition, the draft copies of all bills or amendments to bills proposing earmark spending would be made available to the public -- before any votes were taken -- at every stage of the legislative process, including the  committee consideration and approval process.During 2007, earmark spending dropped to $13.2 billion, a significant decrease from the $29 billion spent in 2006. In 2007, nine of the 11 annual s pending bills were subject to a moratorium on earmark spending that was enforced by House and Senate Appropriations Committee under the chairmanship of Sen. Byrd and Rep. Obey. In 2008, however, a similar moratorium proposal failed and earmark spending jumped to $17.2 billion. Earmark Spending in 2018 According to the independent watchdog group Citizens Against Government Waste, 232 earmark spending provisions were approve in the Fiscal Year 2018 federal budget, a 42.3 percent increase over the 163 in FY 2017. The cost to taxpayers of earmark spending in FY 2018 was $14.7 billion, an increase of 116.2 percent from the $6.8 billion in FY 2017. Since FY 1991, Congress has approved 110,861 earmark spending projects, costing a combined $344.5 billion. Earmark Spending Fast Facts Earmark spending or â€Å"pork barrel† spending is generally considered to be any request for funding added to the annual budget of the federal government by members of Congress to pay for projects of interest only to the residents of their state or congressional district.Lawmakers typically see gaining the approval of their pet earmark spending projects as a â€Å"feather in their political caps† helping them win the future votes of their constituents.Earmark spending is often added into lager annual general appropriations bills in the form of amendments.Earmark spending is often criticized as being rushed through Congress without adequate consideration, and for spending large amounts of taxpayer money on only a few citizens.