Specifies the number of studies evaluated orselected
Steps, and targets of constructing a good review article are listed in Table 3 . To write a good review article the items in Table 3 should be implemented step by step. [ 11 – 13 ]
Steps of a systematic review
Formulation of researchable questions | Select answerable questions |
Disclosure of studies | Databases, and key words |
Evaluation of its quality | Quality criteria during selection of studies |
Synthesis | Methods interpretation, and synthesis of outcomes |
It might be helpful to divide the research question into components. The most prevalently used format for questions related to the treatment is PICO (P - Patient, Problem or Population; I-Intervention; C-appropriate Comparisons, and O-Outcome measures) procedure. For example In female patients (P) with stress urinary incontinence, comparisons (C) between transobturator, and retropubic midurethral tension-free band surgery (I) as for patients’ satisfaction (O).
In a systematic review on a focused question, methods of investigation used should be clearly specified.
Ideally, research methods, investigated databases, and key words should be described in the final report. Different databases are used dependent on the topic analyzed. In most of the clinical topics, Medline should be surveyed. However searching through Embase and CINAHL can be also appropriate.
While determining appropriate terms for surveying, PICO elements of the issue to be sought may guide the process. Since in general we are interested in more than one outcome, P, and I can be key elements. In this case we should think about synonyms of P, and I elements, and combine them with a conjunction AND.
One method which might alleviate the workload of surveying process is “methodological filter” which aims to find the best investigation method for each research question. A good example of this method can be found in PubMed interface of Medline. The Clinical Queries tool offers empirically developed filters for five different inquiries as guidelines for etiology, diagnosis, treatment, prognosis or clinical prediction.
As an indispensable component of the review process is to discriminate good, and bad quality researches from each other, and the outcomes should be based on better qualified researches, as far as possible. To achieve this goal you should know the best possible evidence for each type of question The first component of the quality is its general planning/design of the study. General planning/design of a cohort study, a case series or normal study demonstrates variations.
A hierarchy of evidence for different research questions is presented in Table 4 . However this hierarchy is only a first step. After you find good quality research articles, you won’t need to read all the rest of other articles which saves you tons of time. [ 14 ]
Determination of levels of evidence based on the type of the research question
I | Systematic review of Level II studies | Systematic review of Level II studies | Systematic review of Level II studies | Systematic review of Level II studies |
II | Randomized controlled study | Crross-sectional study in consecutive patients | Initial cohort study | Prospective cohort study |
III | One of the following: Non-randomized experimental study (ie. controlled pre-, and post-test intervention study) Comparative studies with concurrent control groups (observational study) (ie. cohort study, case-control study) | One of the following: Cross-sectional study in non-consecutive case series; diagnostic case-control study | One of the following: Untreated control group patients in a randomized controlled study, integrated cohort study | One of the following: Retrospective cohort study, case-control study (Note: these are most prevalently used types of etiological studies; for other alternatives, and interventional studies see Level III |
IV | Case series | Case series | Case series or cohort studies with patients at different stages of their disease states |
Rarely all researches arrive at the same conclusion. In this case a solution should be found. However it is risky to make a decision based on the votes of absolute majority. Indeed, a well-performed large scale study, and a weakly designed one are weighed on the same scale. Therefore, ideally a meta-analysis should be performed to solve apparent differences. Ideally, first of all, one should be focused on the largest, and higher quality study, then other studies should be compared with this basic study.
In conclusion, during writing process of a review article, the procedures to be achieved can be indicated as follows: 1) Get rid of fixed ideas, and obsessions from your head, and view the subject from a large perspective. 2) Research articles in the literature should be approached with a methodological, and critical attitude and 3) finally data should be explained in an attractive way.
Start selling with Shopify today
Start your free trial with Shopify today—then use these resources to guide you through every step of the process.
Struggling to write compelling product descriptions for your store? Try these expert copywriting tips to inform, persuade, and boost your sales.
Ever dismissed product descriptions as unimportant? Assumed that as long as the information on your product page is accurate, you’re good to go? It’s time to think again.
Product descriptions are more than a summary of what you’re selling. Written correctly, they can boost your store’s conversion rate and make your products seem more valuable. The right words can even make customers happy to pay more.
Here’s how to make product descriptions work harder for your ecommerce business .
Let Shopify Magic write product descriptions for you
Ever wished a product description would write itself? With Shopify Magic—Shopify’s artificial intelligence tools designed for commerce—it will. Create product descriptions in seconds and get your products in front of shoppers faster than ever.
A product description is a piece of marketing copywriting that tells people what a product is and why it’s worth buying. Beyond a list of product details or features, descriptions tell a story about what makes a product special and persuade customers to make a purchase.
Product descriptions can vary in length, style, and format, and may be written in a brand’s unique voice.
A well-crafted product description can significantly impact sales, customer satisfaction, and brand reputation by performing a dual purpose:
By addressing these points, a good product description paints a clear picture of a product’s value proposition . It highlights the unique benefits and advantages that set a product apart from its competitors.
Good product descriptions move buyers through a sales funnel , turning them from interested browsers to motivated buyers, making them more likely to hit the Buy button.
Many online stores list the features of their products and call it a day. While clear information about your items is important, you also need to tell people how a product can help them.
Let’s look at how you can create descriptions that capture your product’s value:
When product descriptions are written with a broad audience in mind, they can become vague and fail to resonate.
To make your descriptions engaging, speak directly and personally to your target audience. Anticipate and answer product-related questions as if you were having a one-on-one conversation, using language and terminology that resonates with your ideal customer. That includes using the word "you."
Take a look at how The Oodie , an apparel retailer, harnesses this approach in the product description for its I Love Plants Oodie.
I Love Plants Oodie product description:
“Can’t stop buying plants? Unbeleafable. Don’t worry—us too! Cover yourself in your favourite obsession in our NEW I Love Plants Oodie! For every I Love Plants Oodie sold, one tree is planted across the world.”
When writing product descriptions for your ecommerce business, start by visualizing your ideal customer. What kind of tone do they appreciate? What vocabulary are they familiar with? Are there certain words they dislike? What questions might they have?
Think about how you would communicate with your ideal customer if you were selling your product face-to-face in a physical store. Then, try to incorporate that language into your ecommerce site. This approach can help create an online conversation that resonates more deeply with your customers, making them feel understood.
While it’s natural to be excited about the unique features of your products, potential buyers are more interested in how these features will benefit them. They want to understand how your product will solve their problems or enhance their lives.
Writing an effective product description, therefore, requires highlighting the benefits of each feature—addressing any uncertainty or cognitive bias around the helpfulness of your product. A good example of this approach comes from Dr. Squatch , a company that sells natural soaps for men.
Pine Tar soap product description:
“Made with real pine extract, this all-star bar is as tough as a freshly cut bat. A true MVP of the shower, this heavy-hitter knocks out grime with its gritty composition and ultra-manly, woodsy scent. Toss in the exfoliating oatmeal and the super-soothing shea butter, and you’ve got a bullpen of natural ingredients that will strike out any stink.”
Dr. Squatch’s product page places the ingredients list of its Pine Tar soap on a hidden tab, choosing instead to lead with a description, which paints a vivid picture of the experience of using the product.
The description suggests that the soap performs its function (to clean) in a way that’s specifically suited to its target customer (men looking for a natural yet heavy-duty bathroom product).
When writing product descriptions, consider the benefits of each product feature. How can your product make your customers’ lives better, easier, or more enjoyable? What problems does your product solve? Remember, you’re not selling a product; you’re selling an experience.
Dr. Squatch’s description also uses a brand-relevant extended metaphor (baseball) and overtly masculine adjectives (“tough,” “woodsy,” and “gritty”) to appeal to its target audience. Fine-tuning your copywriting in this way can help your product resonate.
When you’re unsure what to say about a product, writing descriptions can get challenging. It’s tempting to resort to general, overused phrases such as “effective” or “high quality.” However, clichés fail to impress potential buyers. They’ve heard these claims before, and they don’t provide unique or persuasive information about your product.
To avoid banalities, be as specific as possible in your copywriting.
Take Beardbrand , for example. Instead of making broad claims about the effectiveness of its products, it provides detailed reasons why its Best Sellers Bundle is so popular.
Beardbrand Best Sellers Bundle product description:
“ A do-it-all beard wash, hair shampoo, face wash, and body wash in a massive 14 oz. bottle. Formulated with hydrating, coconut-derived surfactants, this wash is gentle enough for your beard, hair, and face yet strong enough to wash everywhere else.
“Life is hard; soften up with this do-it-all beard and hair conditioner featuring an ultra-moisturizing punch of coconut oil and shea butter. Utility Softener doubles down as a hydrating shave lotion that helps reduce razor burn and irritation.
“An award-winning blend of jojoba, abyssinian, castor, and babassu oils makes Utility Oil the only oil you’ll ever need. Use this lightweight, moisturizing blend as a beard oil, hair oil, skin moisturizer, face serum, and pre/post-shave oil.
“Finish off your grooming routine with Styling Paste — a medium hold, satin finish styling aide for hair and beard. It locks in your look while leaving hair soft, flexible, and touchable for a natural, flowing, and reshapable style.”
Detailed descriptions like these serve multiple purposes. First, they add credibility to your products. By explaining the specific benefits of each product, you show potential customers that you know your products well and believe in their value.
Second, detailed descriptions help customers visualize how they’ll use the products. By painting a clear picture of the product experience, you help customers understand exactly what they’re buying and why it’s worth their investment.
Lastly, detailed product descriptions build trust. When you can speak with authority about the granular details of your products, customers are more likely to trust your brand.
💡 Once a product description has enticed a customer, Beardbrand uses a subscription model to generate recurring revenue from them.
Superlatives can sound insincere in product descriptions—unless they are substantiated with clear evidence. If you claim your product is the best, the easiest, or the most advanced, you need to provide specific reasons why.
An example of this product-writing technique can be seen in the product description for Casper’s Wave Hybrid Snow mattress .
Casper Wave Hybrid Snow mattress product description:
“Our most supportive mattress paired with Snow Technology for continuous cooling all night long. Here’s how The Wave Hybrid Snow unlocks your deepest and coolest night’s sleep—for even better tomorrows:
“Foam is divided into continuous ergonomic zones to provide maximum support and spinal alignment. Our most advanced solution to nighttime overheating keeps you 6° cooler all night.”
While Casper makes the bold claim that its product can unlock your deepest night’s sleep, it backs up the rhetoric with factual evidence. The product description explains how “Casper Labs testing” has verified mattress performance. Additionally, Casper offers a 100-day free trial period to show confidence in its product and allow customers to verify the claim for themselves.
If your product really is the best in its category, provide specific proof. Otherwise, tone down your product copy —or quote a customer who can provide a positive subjective opinion.
Research proves that physically touching a product in a store can create feelings of ownership and increase the likelihood of a purchase.
So, how can you recreate that effect online, when your customers can’t physically interact with your products? High-quality product photography and videos can help—but there’s also a powerful ecommerce copywriting technique to increase desire: let your reader imagine what it would be like to own your product.
Notice how Todd Snyder applies aspirational content, in the form of a tagline and hero image, to promote its Spring clothing collection.
Clothing collection tagline:
“Dreaming of the Amalfi.”
Todd Snyder transports website visitors to the Amalfi Coast in Italy, a place associated with luxury, chill vibes, and classic style. The image helps link Todd Snyder’s clothing collection to the dreamy lifestyle you’d find in this famous Italian spot.
To practice this copywriting technique, start a paragraph with the word “Imagine” and finish it by explaining how your readers will feel when they own your product. Then, use what you’ve generated to write an aspirational tagline in your brand’s voice.
Let’s say you’re selling an espresso machine called the Barista Pro. First, you might create this imagined scenario:
Imagine stepping into your kitchen, the sun peeking through the windows. You pull a perfect cup of coffee from your Barista Pro and experience the rich aroma of a freshly brewed latte. You feel satisfied and energized.
From that scenario, you can craft a product tagline:
Start each day with an extra shot of joy.
One effective way to create engaging product descriptions is to tell the story of your product. A well-crafted narrative can make your product more relatable and memorable, helping it stand out in a crowded marketplace.
A product’s story can include the inspiration behind its creation, the challenges faced during its development, or the impact it has had on customers since launch.
When crafting a product story, consider the following:
Sensory language refers to words that describe how we experience the world: how things taste, smell, look, feel, and sound. By using sensory words in your product descriptions, you can help customers imagine what it’s like to own your product.
When you use sensory language in your product descriptions, you’re not just making your products sound more appealing—you’re also engaging more of your customers’ brains. A recent study has shown that social media influencer posts can generate higher engagement when they contain sensory words like “crumble” and “juicy.”
Another study revealed that exposure to tactile verbs (e.g., “touch”) can prime your brain to react as if you’re actually touching an object.
When writing your own product descriptions, think about how your product engages the senses. Whether it’s the “crisp” sound of a new keyboard, the “smooth” feel of a luxury fabric, or the “bright” flavor of a fresh fruit, sensory language can make your product descriptions more engaging.
When potential customers are unsure about buying a product, they often look for advice from trusted sources. While you can provide reassurance through high-quality product descriptions and other on-page tactics, you can’t be a neutral third-party.
This is where customer reviews and industry testimonials come in. Social proof is the idea that people are influenced by others’ actions or opinions. Examples of social proof include a comments section, customer reviews, quotes from professional critics and review sites, or mentions from mainstream newspapers and industry magazines.
Athletic wear brand Gymshark includes detailed customer reviews on each product page. They go beyond a traditional star rating system by including six relevant and easily understandable review criteria, such as “comfort” and “squat proof.”
Asking customers to review specific product features is a simple, effective way to show that you understand what your customers care about.
If you don’t have enough customers to host an active review section, consider allocating some of your marketing budget to sponsored content about your product in a relevant, well-known publication.
At the very least, you can include images of people using your products to create the impression that your product is popular and trusted. Seeing others use and enjoy a product can reassure potential customers that they’re making a good choice.
Does your website design encourage visitors to read your product descriptions?
Consider how Kettle & Fire presents its product information. The brand uses eye-catching icons, simple dropdown tabs, and bullet points to make the content easy to scan.
Visitors can quickly scroll through the page and understand pricing, key benefits, ingredients, usage recommendations, customer reviews, and the brand’s values, all within a few seconds.
Kettle & Fire also organizes information based on what customers care about most. Different categories of information are separated by contrasting background colors, providing an instant visual guide.
Keeping your product descriptions clear and easy to scan makes them more reader-friendly and appealing to potential customers.
Here are some visual ideas to make your descriptions more scannable:
The aim of a product description is to convince a shopper to buy. But how can you tell if your descriptions are doing their job?
Here are some common key performance indicators to monitor on your product pages. They can indicate whether your product descriptions are working:
Once you’ve picked which KPIs you want to watch, consider running some tests to see if you can optimize your product descriptions. A popular type of test used to iterate descriptions is A/B testing . This involves making a new version of your product description and serving it to a subset of your audience, allowing you to compare the performance of each version in real time.
You can run multiple A/B tests to fine-tune your product descriptions, until they are fully optimized for your KPIs. Try an app like OptiMonk to run tests on your Shopify store.
Even if you’re using AI to write great product descriptions , you need to consider the features and benefits of each product individually. Every product serves different needs, and every set of potential customers has distinct buying triggers.
That said, it’s possible to take a similar approach to writing product descriptions across your store, by developing a product description template containing open-ended prompts.
Try developing a template with two sections: a brainstorming section followed by a draft description section.
Answer these questions for each of your products to develop unique, relevant information that you can craft in to a product description:
Once you’ve collected your product information in a document, use the following template to draft your product description.
Get your free ecommerce copywriting template
Want to write compelling copy that convinces your website visitors to click, sign up, or buy? Master high-conversion copywriting and increase your sales with our easy-to-follow framework.
Writing product descriptions for your online store isn’t about listing features. It’s a chance to connect with your target customers and show them exactly how a product fits into their lives.
Taking time to share your enthusiasm about a product’s backstory, design process, and thoughtful details proves you’re excited about your store’s items—making it more likely your customers will get excited, too.
How do you write a product description statement.
To write an effective product description, follow these steps:
Product descriptions have two purposes: to inform and persuade potential customers. Product descriptions inform readers by detailing a product’s features, helping them understand use-cases and value. Simultaneously, they persuade readers by showcasing a product’s benefits and solutions, compelling them to purchase.
A product description should clearly highlight the key features and benefits of your product to attract customers. You should make it engaging by using persuasive language that speaks directly to their needs and desires.
A good product description starts with an attention-grabbing product title, followed by a brief paragraph telling a story about a product’s value. Next, include a bulleted list of product features and details for easy scanning. Add customer reviews for credibility, and finish with a compelling call to action .
Keep up with the latest from Shopify
Get free ecommerce tips, inspiration, and resources delivered directly to your inbox.
By entering your email, you agree to receive marketing emails from Shopify.
The point of sale for every sale.
Subscribe to our blog and get free ecommerce tips, inspiration, and resources delivered directly to your inbox.
Unsubscribe anytime. By entering your email, you agree to receive marketing emails from Shopify.
Jun 11, 2024
Learn on the go. Try Shopify for free, and explore all the tools you need to start, run, and grow your business.
Try Shopify for free, no credit card required.
Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate insurance products to write unbiased product reviews.
Life insurance is as complicated as the policyholders and beneficiaries who use it. That means there's no single "best" life insurance company. Instead, you can find the best option based on what you want or what you prioritize.
While there is no such thing as the objective best life insurance policy, you will be able to find the best insurance policy for your specific needs. Here are our picks for the best life insurance companies, whether you want to use your life insurance policy to build wealth through cash value or you're just looking for a term life insurance policy .
Bundling is standard, and agents often quote with multiple discounts.
State Farm is one of the insurance industry's most prominent insurers offering auto, home, and other insurance. Bundling is standard, and agents often quote with multiple discounts. Its term, universal, and whole life insurance products are no exception.
State Farm Life Insurance gets the best life insurance ranking in J.D Power's Individual Life Insurance Study, with a score of 843/1,000. The company is also ranked A++ with AM Best for its financial stability with term, universal, and whole life insurance options.
All State Farm policies have to be purchased through a State Farm agent. Your agent can help you bundle and save or buy one policy. State Farm is also among the companies offering "survivorship universal life insurance ," which means the policy covers two people, and it kicks in after the second person dies. Couples looking to maximize their death benefit for beneficiaries with one premium payment each month may enjoy lower overall costs.
State Farm agents can run quotes and compare options to find the right plans for each applicant. The range of options, discounts, and familiar name all contribute to the popularity of State Farm's life insurance.
Read our State Farm Life Insurance review here.
Offers aggressive financial plans.
The aggressive financial plans offered by Prudential may appeal to many younger buyers and those with a stable income. However, those with lower income or buyers who aren't sure about the financial system may be more hesitant to engage with Prudential. Like many other industry giants, Prudential is working to change this perception.
Prudential Life Insurance is available in all states except New York. New York residents can buy the Pruco Life of New Jersey VUL Protector plan. This plan allows buyers to pull money out of their plan to pay for nursing home expenses. Cash value policy premiums are fixed, so you won't have to worry about extra costs later on. Internal costs are low, which minimizes risk. Due to age, many older adults want a safe investment option for their money. Prudential VUL Protector invests to avoid loss. That also means you're not as likely to see big increases in your available funds outside of what you deposit.
Read our Prudential Life Insurance review here.
Offers lien method to makes it easier to calculate the financial impact of pulling money out early.
Best for long-term care and accelerated death benefits.
Columbus Life offers a wide range of riders to customize your policy with affordable premiums. The company also allows you to convert term policies to whole life insurance policies until the end of your term (generally around age 70). For this and many other reasons, customer satisfaction is high.
When using living health benefits (otherwise known as accelerated death benefits), buyers are allowed to pull money from policies early to pay for medical bills, living costs, etc. under certain circumstances. Most companies use a discounted death benefit, which reduces your final payout using two models. Columbus uses the lien method, which makes it easier to calculate the financial impact of pulling money out early.
Offers life insurance policies for foreign nationals with H-1B visas.
Best for investing and high returns on income.
Allianz Life plans are geared towards high-income adults looking for more tax-free income. Allianz offers a 40% multiplier bonus with a 1% annual assets charge. In short, the professionals managing your investments take 10%. Overall, your investments would pull in an extra 14%-1% asset charge. This means you end up with 3% more than what you deposit every year your life policy is active. This plan offers strong returns when using a life policy to supplement your retirement savings. Allianz also offers specialized plans to grow your income by as much as 20% according to some estimates.
Of note: Allianz also offers plans for foreign nationals, including those with H-1B visas.
Offers aggressive financial products and extensively trained agents.
If you're preparing for a comfortable retirement or looking to build generational wealth, New York Life is one of the strongest options. If you have questions or genuinely want to understand your life insurance options, New York Life agents are among the most qualified professionals in the business.
New York Life Insurance agents go through extensive training before they ever hit the sales floor. What does this get you? Policies vary widely, and New York Life offers both large and small payouts. Some policies have significant penalties for early withdrawal, but taking a loan offers more options. Whatever your questions, New York Life agents are trained to offer comprehensive support giving you accurate information about its policies every time. The company comes in at position eight in J.D. Power's latest life insurance customer satisfaction study.
Read our New York Life Insurance review here.
Offers term policies alongside accelerated death benefits for critical, chronic, and terminal illnesses and more.
Best Term Policy.
North American Company offers term policies alongside accelerated death benefits for critical, chronic, and terminal illnesses and more. The company allows one conversion on a 20-year policy at 15 years or 70 years old (whichever is earlier). The conversion cannot happen later than the five-year marker regardless of which policy you choose or the length. North American Company also offers a term policy with a lower premium renewable up to the age of 95 for qualifying insureds.
While there's many different types of life insurance policies , broadly speaking, there are two types of life insurance: temporary and permanent. Let's go over each in detail.
Temporary life insurance is often called term life insurance. This type of policy covers you for a set amount of time before expiring, usually between 10-30 years. If you pass away after your policy expires, your family won't receive any benefits. Additionally, your policy won't accrue cash value like a permanent policy. That said, some term life insurance policies offer a conversion from term to whole life insurance, so you can extend your coverage.
Because its benefits aren't guaranteed, term life policies are generally cheaper than permanent life insurance. That said, the vast majority of term life insurance policies never pay out. on
Permanent life insurance is an umbrella term for a variety of life insurance policies that will insure you indefinitely and guarantee a payout as long as you maintain your policy. Policy types that fall under permanent life insurance includes:
These policies vary widely in purpose and intended buyers, but all guarantee death benefits to your loved ones. Some permanent life insurance policies, like whole, universal, and variable have a cash value component , which you can use as a savings tool or to leave your heirs a larger death benefit.
Finding the right fit in life insurance starts with finding a trusted insurance agent. Because there are so many state regulations, shopping for homeowners or auto insurance can be easily done online. Life insurance is not required. So it's a voluntary purchase. Many buyers don't know what they need or when they need it. Before making your selection, consider a few things:
Some companies will sell you a policy for your child as soon as they're born. While this may seem morbid, early sign-up means lower rates for a policy your child could enjoy in the future. Regardless, early sign-up equates to more policy for lower premiums and a higher likelihood of acceptance. At 20, you may be healthier and be able to pay into the policy for a longer period compared to when you're 50 with more age-related conditions.
As a general rule, never agree to more than you can afford. For the average life insurance agent, their job is to sell you a large policy with a large commission. Consider not only how much you make now, but how likely your current income is to continue. If you work on a project basis and your project is scheduled to end in 12 months, you may want to reconsider a policy premium outside your monthly savings.
How much are you prepared to buy? Some people only want a small policy to cover funerals and other end-of-life expenses. Others build a life policy into their retirement plan. Whatever direction you're going, involving a financial planner could help you make the right decisions. Depending on the carrier, customers can also compare set limits with index universal life policies, which set no limit. These policies never expire, and the value builds over the entirety of your life.
Living Benefits
Life happens unexpectedly. You could be healthy one day and in the hospital the next. Many life policies offer living benefits. These allow you to draw a limited amount out of your policy to cover medical and other bills you cannot pay while sick.
Much like a 401(k), many life insurance policies have penalties for early withdrawal. No matter what policy you want, this question is critical to an informed decision. It's a question of how early you can withdraw and how much you'll lose from the total to have the money in 10 years instead of 30 or after death.
Some policies require insured parties to pay premiums for at least one year before any significant payout would be available. Suicide exclusions are common. Even with no medical exam policies, the company may still do a check for known conditions. An insurance company has to mitigate its risk.
Flexibility
Once you've been denied a life insurance policy, a mark goes on your record. No matter the reasons, other insurance companies may deny you coverage based on the first denial. So consider your whole situation and choose your policy carefully before you submit any applications. Some policies have greater flexibility if you lose your job or otherwise can't make payments. Others will lapse if you miss even one payment.
Payment Type
Even within whole life or term life insurance policies, customers have the option to choose guaranteed fixed or variable rates. Some have guaranteed payouts, but you'll need to ask your agent for details.
What is your intended use? Why are you shopping for a life insurance policy in the first place, and what are your goals? Many successful financial planners also have a background in life insurance. So while they may not be able to find you a specific life insurance policy, financial planners can help you set out a blueprint for your purchase.
In life insurance, it's easy to get "sold a bill of goods." Many life insurance agents pass a state test to be thrown into the deep end. Agents sell the company product, but not all know the products. In this vein, we look at the products each company offers. We also look at agent training.
A good life insurance agent may not volunteer all facts upfront. But a company's agents should answer questions about its products accurately and in a way the average consumer can digest. Agents should be able to inform you about the long-term benefits and limitations. This will help customers find the right policy for their long-term plan.
We consider affordability, policy sizes available, and performance for a comprehensive assessment in our insurance rating methodology . If you can, we recommend also working with a financial advisor to make a plan for your future with life insurance.
To inform our choices for the best life insurance companies, we spoke with the following experts:
How much life insurance coverage do you believe the average buyer should have.
Paul LaPiana, Head of Product at MassMutual
"There are different approaches to determining how much life insurance you need. One is the 'human life' approach, which estimates the current value of your future earning potential. Another is securing specific coverage to pay off debts such as a mortgage or provide for the education of children. A comprehensive protection plan should provide the right amount of coverage over the course of your working life and into retirement."
Barbara A. Pietrangelo, Chair of Life Happens
"There is no one-size-fits-all life insurance policy because everyone is different. One way to get a rough estimate is to multiply your income by 10 to 15; another is adding $100,00 to that amount, should you have a child and anticipate college education expenses.
Your best bet is to talk to a financial professional or use the Life Insurance Needs Calculator on LifeHappens.org to analyze what's right for you."
Wykeeta Peel, Corporate Vice President & Market Manager African American Market Unit at New York Life
"As you consider what policy best meets your needs, it can help to answer four key questions: First, how much death benefit do you need? Second, how long will you need that coverage? Third, what is your budget (or how much monthly premium can you afford to pay?), and finally, what is your investment risk tolerance?
To determine how much death benefit makes sense, it's helpful to think beyond using life insurance to cover funeral expenses and consider whether anyone is relying on the policy owner's income to maintain a lifestyle, pay rent or a mortgage, or fund a child's education and for how long.
There are various rules of thumb regarding the right amount of Life insurance coverage. Some tips can be found online, but they only provide an estimate and don't necessarily factor in an individual's specific needs. In my opinion, human guidance, powered by technology, is required. Basically, it comes down to how much money your loved ones would need to remain on firm financial ground if your earnings were no longer in the picture and that is different for everyone."
"Increased accessibility through digital and other channels as well as through underwriting enhancements. Increased tailoring of products and features. And an increased emphasis on health and wellness programs."
"Having enough qualified insurance professionals to walk potential buyers through the multiple benefits of life insurance will be pivotal to the growth of the industry. Education is a key factor here, as professional agents also need to be able to explain life insurance and its benefits in an easy, digestible way, especially when there are so many misconceptions about life insurance."
"The need for life insurance is greater than ever. In fact, a recent New York Life Wealth Watch survey found that 37% of adults have been thinking about life insurance more often these days – and half of adults report that financial products that provide protection (50%) and reliability (50%) are more important now compared to last year. This may be especially true for middle-market and Cultural Market families.
Our organizational structure of having Cultural Market agents embedded in the communities where we live and work allows us to understand the needs of diverse communities and develop solutions that resonate with them."
"It is difficult to say with any certainty how healthy you will be years from now. That's why securing life insurance, and insuring your insurability, today, when you are the youngest you'll ever be again, and perhaps your healthiest is a wise decision."
"Do you love someone? If the answer is yes, then life insurance is certainly something you should consider. Many buy gifts and experiences to express their love, but haven't considered that life insurance is just another way to say I love you. Nothing says support like ensuring your family's financial security and peace of mind."
"If you have someone depending on your income, you should consider purchasing life insurance. A death benefit from a life insurance policy can replace income from the loss of a breadwinner, ensure a family can stay in their home, fund educational or retirement expenses, address debt and so much more.
A life insurance policy can also help you grow your family's wealth over time. Once the risk of an unexpected loss has been managed, you can begin to think more broadly about your family's financial future. Life insurance can enable your mindset to shift from death to growth."
"With life insurance, you are securing a future commitment that may be decades away. Research the company behind the policy to ensure it has high financial strength ratings, longevity, and an excellent track record of paying claims."
"When looking for an insurance agent or company, be sure to do your research. When comparing companies, be sure to remember that the policy features that fit you and your loved ones best is the most important factor. Don't automatically assume you should buy from the higher-rated company.
If the policy from the other company has more of what you're looking for, it might be the better choice. If you're unsure where to start, try the Life Happens Agent Locator to find an insurance professional in your area."
According to JD Power's 2023 life insurance study, State Farm is the highest-rated life insurance company when it comes to overall customer satisfaction. However, you still may want to shop around for quotes from various insurers if you're looking to purchase a new policy.
There isn't one best life insurance company, because the best option for you will depend on the type of policy you're looking for. It's best to work with a qualified insurance agent to help you find the best coverage. If you're deciding between multiple similar options, it's also worth consulting J.D. Power's life insurance customer satisfaction study . The latest study ranks State Farm as the top pick for individual life insurance, outpacing Nationwide by three points.
The best type of life insurance policy for you will differ from someone else's, as your policy should be tailored to your needs. The best policy for you will be affordable and will offer the benefits best suited to your situation. For example, some policies are only meant to cover end-of-life expenses such as burial and funeral arrangements, whereas others include living benefits like a cash value insurance plan , which you can borrow against during your lifetime.
Some life insurance policies are advertised as "no medical exam." This doesn't mean the insurer won't ask you about known conditions or look at medical records. Policies with no medical exam also tend to offer lower benefits with higher premiums. Most companies have a network of medical examiners, some of whom can come to your home. You can find our guide on the best no exam life insurance here.
Each situation is different and requires a knowledgeable life insurance agent to assess your best options. Bring all your questions and the coverage you're looking for to an insurance agent near you to explore your options.
Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed in this article are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards .
Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.
**Enrollment required.
New to writing meeting minutes.
Whether you’ve been tasked with taking notes for a committee or you’ve been appointed Secretary to the Board of your organization, preparing meeting minutes doesn’t have to be an arduous task. Here are some tips and ideas that will help you get started with writing and preparing effective meeting minutes, as well as a meeting minutes sample and a meeting minutes template that you can follow.
This guide on how to write meeting minutes was prepared by WildApricot to help the volunteers and/or staff of small non-profits and membership organizations who may be new to the task of taking and preparing minutes of meeting for committees or Boards of Directors.
Meeting minutes are the written record of what was discussed and decided during a meeting. They typically include the date and time of the meeting, a list of attendees, a summary of the topics discussed, decisions made, action items assigned, and the time of adjournment.
Minutes are essential for providing an official account of the meeting, ensuring accountability, and helping attendees recall important details. They are usually prepared by a designated person, such as a secretary or administrative assistant, and are approved at the subsequent meeting.
The five steps that you must include are:
For more detail on each step, read on!
Read more: 13 Meeting Minutes Templates for More Productive Nonprofit Board Meetings
Meeting minutes are typically written by the designated secretary or administrative assistant of the group or organization. In some cases, a specific member of the group may be assigned to take minutes for a particular meeting.
The person responsible for writing the minutes should be someone who is attentive, detail-oriented, and capable of accurately capturing the discussions and decisions made during the meeting.
Here’s a simple template you can refer to next time you need to take meeting minutes:
Organization Name
Meeting Minutes
Opening: The meeting was called to order at [Time] by [Name] at [Location].
Present: [List of all present members]
Absent: [List of any members who were not present]
Approval of Agenda: The agenda was reviewed and approved.
Approval of Minutes: The minutes from the previous meeting were reviewed and approved.
Business From the Previous Meeting:
New Business:
Additions to the Agenda:
Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at [Time] by [Name]. The next meeting will be held on [Date] at [Location].
Minutes submitted by: [Name]
Minutes approved by: [Name]
As mentioned above, there are essentially five steps involved with meeting minutes:
A well-planned meeting helps ensure effective meeting minutes. If the Chair and the Secretary or minutes-taker work together to ensure the agenda and meeting are well thought out, it makes minute taking much easier.
For example, depending on the meeting structure and the tools you use, the minutes-taker could work with the Chair to create a document format that works as an agenda and minutes outline as well.
At the very least, it’s important to get a copy of the meeting agenda and use it as a guide or outline for taking notes, setting up your mom format, and preparing the minutes – with the order and numbering of items on the minutes of meeting matching those of the agenda.
In addition, the agenda and/or meeting notice also provides information that will need to be included in the minutes, such as:
When you take on a new role as minutes-taker or Secretary, be sure to ask the Chair of the committee or Board what their expectations are of your role during the meeting, as well as the type of detail he/she expects in the minutes.
For example, if your Board or committee will be dealing with motions, or voting on items/issues, be clear on whether you need to offer names of those making motions, seconding, etc. If you will be dealing with this type of procedures, you (and your Chair) may want to refer to Robert’s Rules of Order .
Before you start taking notes, it’s important to understand the type of information you need to record at the meeting. As noted earlier, your organization may have required content and a specific meeting minute format that you’ll need to follow, but generally, meeting minutes usually include the following:
You can find more templates and details on formatting meeting minutes here.
Once the meeting is over, it’s time to pull together your notes and write the minutes. Here are some tips that might help:
Create an outline.
As discussed earlier, having an outline (or template) based on the agenda makes it easy for you to simply jot down notes, decisions, etc. under each item as you go along. If you are taking notes by hand, consider including space below each item on your outline for your hand-written notes, then print these out and use this to capture minutes.
If you know the meeting attendees, you can check them off as they arrive, if not have folks introduce themselves at the start of the meeting or circulate an attendance list they can check-off themselves.
As the meeting progresses, it will be critical to annotate decisions and key points made in your outline as soon as they occur to be sure they are recorded accurately. Include the names of the owners of the action items and other key personnel involved.
Don’t be afraid to speak up if you need clarification on something that was said in the meeting. It’s your job to make these meeting minutes as accurate as possible.
For example, if the group moves on without making a decision or an obvious conclusion, ask for clarification of the decision and/or next steps involved.
You can’t keep up if you try to write down the conversation verbatim, so be sure to simply (and clearly) write (or type) just the decisions, assignments, action steps, etc.
If you are concerned about being able to keep up with note taking, consider recording the meeting (e.g., on your smart phone, iPad, recording device, etc.) but be sure to let participants know they are being recording.
While you don’t want to use the recording to create a word-for-word transcript of the meeting, the recording can come in handy if you want to review the meeting for clarification.
Download our Meeting Minute Checklist for Associations and Nonprofits with sample minutes taken at a meeting and learn how to take better minutes.
Still wondering if you’re taking notes correctly? Here’s a sample of what meeting minutes at a board meeting might look like.
Yes, meeting minutes typically need to be approved to ensure accuracy and completeness. The approval process usually occurs at the beginning of the next meeting, where attendees review the minutes from the previous meeting and either approve them as written or suggest corrections.
Once approved, the minutes become the official record of the meeting. This process helps maintain transparency and accountability within the organization.
Before you share your meeting minutes, make sure that your board chair has reviewed and either revised and/or approved the minutes for circulation. They are not an official record of a meeting unless this has taken place.
As the official “minutes-taker” or Secretary, your role may include dissemination of the minutes.
The method of sharing or distribution will depend on the tools that you and your organization use. Since minutes and other documentation can create a pile of paper, it’s great if you can use a paperless sharing process. For example, if you are using a word processing tool (e.g., Microsoft Word) that doesn’t offer online sharing, you might want to create a PDF of the document and send this and the other attachments or meeting documentation via email.
Alternately, if you are all using Google docs – for meeting invitations, agenda and additional document sharing – you can simply “share” the document with that group once it has been finalized. Committee or Board members can simply read the documents online and save a few trees!
If your organization is using a cloud-based membership management system (like WildApricot ), you can publish the minutes as a web page and give access only to the committee or Board members, depending on your organization’s needs. Through members-only webpages, you can create a secure online Intranet for your Board and committees.
If you are wondering about the types of tools you might use specifically for meeting minutes, here are some tools that organizations we’ve worked with have found helpful:
Most committees and Boards review and either approve or amend the minutes at the beginning of the subsequent meeting. Once you’ve made any required revisions, the minutes will then need to be stored for future reference.
Some organizations may store these online (e.g., in Google docs or SkyDrive) and also back these up on an external hard drive. You may also need to print and store hard copies as well or provide these to a staff member or Chair for filing.
You shouldn’t be intimidated by the term “minutes”, since it’s actually a little misleading. After all, your committee or Board doesn’t want or need a record of its meeting proceedings minute by minute! But it is important to capture the essence of the meeting, including details such as:
Minutes are a tangible record of the meeting for its participants and a source of information for members who were unable to attend. In some cases, meeting minutes can act as a reference point, for example:
Download our Meeting Minute Checklist for Associations and Nonprofits with examples and learn how to take better minutes.
According to Today I Found Out , the “minutes” of “meeting minutes” don’t refer to the minute measurement of time, but to the “minute” (my-newt) notes taken during meetings.
If you’re a nonprofit with regular board and member meetings and you want to save time and money managing your organization, get a free trial of WildApricot , an all-in-one membership management software which allows you to:
Find out all the features of WildApricot’s free membership management software here .
WildApricot is also the the #1 rated membership management software used by over 20,000 organizations every day. Get your free trial now .
Meeting minutes are important – after all, they capture the essential information of a meeting. But taking and preparing minutes doesn’t have to be a daunting task. We hope this article helps meeting minutes newbies in getting started in creating effective meeting minutes for your organization.
Thank you for reading our guide on how to write meeting minutes!
30 Free Nonprofit Webinars for June 2024
Nonprofit Succession Planning: A Step-by-Step Guide
Strategic Planning for Nonprofits
Benchmarks & insights for growing revenue and constituents.
COMMENTS
Start your review by referring to the title and author of the article, the title of the journal, and the year of publication in the first paragraph. For example: The article, "Condom use will increase the spread of AIDS," was written by Anthony Zimmerman, a Catholic priest. 4. Write the introduction.
Step 2: Read the Article Thoroughly. Begin by thoroughly reading the article. Take notes on key points, arguments, and evidence presented by the author. Understand the author's main thesis and the context in which the article was written.
Here is a basic, detailed outline for an article review you should be aware of as a pre-writing process if you are wondering how to write an article review. Introduction. Introduce the article that you are reviewing (author name, publication date, title, etc.) Now provide an overview of the article's main topic.
Step 1: Define the right organization for your review. Knowing the future setup of your paper will help you define how you should read the article. Here are the steps to follow: Summarize the article — seek out the main points, ideas, claims, and general information presented in the article.
2. Read the article thoroughly: Carefully read the article multiple times to get a complete understanding of its content, arguments, and conclusions. As you read, take notes on key points, supporting evidence, and any areas that require further exploration or clarification. 3. Summarize the main ideas: In your review's introduction, briefly ...
Both a reaction paper and an article review will start with a content summary. ️. For scholarly material, you will present a structured review after the summary. ️. For popular magazine content, you will write a response that sums up your emotions, thoughts, and reactions that the material aroused.
Examples of literature reviews. Step 1 - Search for relevant literature. Step 2 - Evaluate and select sources. Step 3 - Identify themes, debates, and gaps. Step 4 - Outline your literature review's structure. Step 5 - Write your literature review.
For an article review, your task is to identify, summarize, and evaluate the ideas and information the author has presented. You are being asked to make judgments, positive or negative, about the content of the article. The criteria you follow to do this will vary based upon your particular academic discipline and the parameters of your ...
Read the Article Thoroughly. The first step in writing an article review is to read the article carefully and thoroughly. This may seem obvious, but it is crucial to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the work before attempting to critique it. During the initial reading, focus on grasping the main arguments, key points, and the overall ...
This guide contains key resources for writing a journal article review. Click the links below or the guide tabs above to find the following information. find out what a journal article is; learn how to use a template to get you started; explore strategies on how to choose the article for review; learn how to read a journal article effectively ...
To write a good critical review, you will have to engage in the mental processes of analyzing (taking apart) the work-deciding what its major components are and determining how these parts (i.e., paragraphs, sections, or chapters) contribute to the work as a whole. Analyzing the work will help you focus on how and why the author makes certain ...
Before getting started on the critique, it is important to review the article thoroughly and critically. To do this, we recommend take notes, annotating, and reading the article several times before critiquing. As you read, be sure to note important items like the thesis, purpose, research questions, hypotheses, methods, evidence, key findings ...
The topic must at least be: interesting to you (ideally, you should have come across a series of recent papers related to your line of work that call for a critical summary), an important aspect of the field (so that many readers will be interested in the review and there will be enough material to write it), and.
Research Paper, Review Paper Format. Sets the stage with a concise title and a descriptive abstract summarising the review's scope and findings. Lays the groundwork by presenting the research question, justifying the review's importance, and highlighting knowledge gaps. Details the research methods used to select, assess, and synthesise ...
Okay - with the why out the way, let's move on to the how. As mentioned above, writing your literature review is a process, which I'll break down into three steps: Finding the most suitable literature. Understanding, distilling and organising the literature. Planning and writing up your literature review chapter.
The task of writing a scientific review article can seem overwhelming; however, it can be managed by using an organized approach and devoting sufficient time to the process. The process involves selecting a topic about which the authors are knowledgeable and enthusiastic, conducting a literature search and critical analysis of the literature ...
Writing a Literature Review. A literature review is a document or section of a document that collects key sources on a topic and discusses those sources in conversation with each other (also called synthesis ). The lit review is an important genre in many disciplines, not just literature (i.e., the study of works of literature such as novels ...
Tips for writing a good review article. Here are a few practices that can make the time-consuming process of writing a review article easier: Define your question: Take your time to identify the research question and carefully articulate the topic of your review paper. A good review should also add something new to the field in terms of a ...
A review article can also be called a literature review, or a review of literature. It is a survey of previously published research on a topic. It should give an overview of current thinking on the topic. And, unlike an original research article, it will not present new experimental results. Writing a review of literature is to provide a ...
Writing a compelling review article is about more than picking an interesting topic and gathering the latest references. It's an opportunity to share your views on the most recent trends in the area, discuss which hypotheses seem best supported or which technologies seem most promising, and even chart a course for how the field could develop ...
The fundamental rationale of writing a review article is to make a readable synthesis of the best literature sources on an important research inquiry or a topic. This simple definition of a review article contains the following key elements: The question (s) to be dealt with.
SWOT Analysis is a simple but powerful framework for analyzing your organization's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. ... When you begin to write one list (say, Strengths), the thought process and research that you'll go through will prompt ideas for the other lists (Weaknesses, Opportunities or Threats). And if you compare ...
Asking customers to review specific product features is a simple, effective way to show that you understand what your customers care about. If you don't have enough customers to host an active review section, consider allocating some of your marketing budget to sponsored content about your product in a relevant, well-known publication.
Compare the best life insurance companies of April 2024 and get a quote today. Find out which one suits your needs and budget.
A resume is a document used in the hiring process that summarizes your work history, skills, and qualifications. The goal of your resume is to quickly communicate to employers why you're the best candidate for the job.. There are a variety of ways to format your resume.. Unless you have large gaps in your work history, you should format your resume chronologically (with your most recent ...
The person responsible for writing the minutes should be someone who is attentive, detail-oriented, and capable of accurately capturing the discussions and decisions made during the meeting. Meeting Minutes Template: Here's a simple template you can refer to next time you need to take meeting minutes: Organization Name. Meeting Minutes. Date: