Scott1

Alexandra Scott"
ENC1102"
March 20th, 2015"
Unit 3 : Annotated Bibiolography"
Part 1!
Source #1!

italics

Kappa Alpha Theta Nationals. Member Orientation Facilitators Guide. Indianapolis, Indiana:"
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Kappa Alpha Theta Nationals, 2014. PDF."

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In this PDF version of the Kappa Alpha Theta new member manual there is a fair

amount of content that is not related to ritual that can be utilized to describe the need for identity
and authority within the sorority, and more importantly within those who take positions. "
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The manual is separated into sections that can throughly inform a new member

regarding the attributes that a sister of the sorority should have. These qualities are what are
evaluated when a member is asked to take a position within the sorority. "
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The first of these sections addresses a brief history of the sorority. Within this section, it

is discussed what it means to be a "Leading Women". This is referenced as one who

"commands us to be nobler women, to lead ourselves to personal excellence and to lead others
there as well. It commands us to set the bar high...not only have the chance to lead on our
campuses, in our communities, and in our professions, but we also have the chance to effect
real change."(46) Those women who are able to excel, and embody this concept of a leading
woman, tend to hold positions. This is because an individual who is described in this excerpt is
one who has a strong knowledge of their identity and is not afraid to show it in the face of
adversity. This woman would possess the strong authority to push past the glass ceiling to, in
summation, become a "Leading Woman"."

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The second section discusses academic excellence. It explains how girls need to be

aware of their schooling and try their hardest to be the best that they can be. In order to hold a
position in the sorority, one must have a GPA of 3.5. (54) Those who have a very strong
academic identity, by excelling in the classroom, through being confident in their work, and
expressing academic concerns, are the ones who meet the GPA requirement, and therefore
hold a position in the sorority. In order to have a good identity, one must be authoritative and
stand their ground in an academic situation. This could be exemplified by something as simple
as taking the lead on a group project. "
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The third module explains about leadership potential. This is a great quality for those in a

position to have. Without leadership potential, there is no authority over the non-position holding
members of the sorority. This module first explains to new members about leadership
opportunities on campus and in class. An example could be taking leadership opportunities on a
group project (used before) or going as far as attempting to attain a position on SGA. The
second section explains how one can build upon those opportunities to try and get a leadership
position in theta. (61). Identity plays a role in leadership. Those who don't see an individual's
identity are sometimes weary to follow them. In order to show great leadership potential, one
must posses a strong presence through showing identity and authority. "
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I feel that this article is directly related to my topic questions of 1. How can someone of

new standing rise above those with seniority to a position of authority? 2. Could too much
identity hinder an individual's ability to rise to an authoritative position? 3. Would the choice to
voice too many opinions or to show too much emotion diminish that individual's chances? This
manual provides a springboard to discuss how to evaluate my questions. This manual explains
the use of identity and authority within the process of choosing."

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Source #2!

Redid whole
citation

"Women 'Take Care,' Men 'Take Charge': Stereotyping of U.S. Business Leaders Exposed."
Catalyst, 2005. 4-10. Print."

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My second article is a PDF journal article that I found entitled "Women 'Take Care,' Men

'Take Charge' Stereotyping of U.S. Business Leaders Exposed". This article is not directly
related to sorority dynamics, but exemplifies a good understanding and brings up topics that are
not explained in the new member handbook, as well as situations that may go unnoticed."
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It also brings up the issue of stereotyping that often befalls leading women. As

explained in the quote, "Gender-based stereotyping is alive and well in businessmen AND
women do it."(4) One topic addressed is the thought that women were meant to "take care" not
to "take charge". It is also thought, "Because women leaders are stereotyped as relatively poor
problem-solvers, their power to motivate followers may be seriously undermined." (4) Women
are associated with feminine qualities, like being friendly and sensitive. This can be perceived
as less important, or possibly even detrimental regarding leadership. For the most part, the
majority of traits used to describe men are considered dominant, thus skewing evaluations of
women to be more negative in comparison. The main point that is emphasized is that people
grew up with these preconceived notions. "Because most people are not aware of how their
thinking and behavior are automatically influenced by stereotypes, they conclude their
perceptions come from objective observations. This is why stereotyping is so difficult to address
all of us do it, but we often dont realize or believe that we do."(6) Most women, in the sorority,
may fall victim to this way of thinking. This may cause them to become apprehensive to take a
position. Some qualities that are expected for people who want to take a position directly
contradict the stereotypes of leading women. "

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The article dives deeper into the statement that women "take care" and men "take

charge. To better provide information and support the assertions made, the article presents
some common words associated with taking care and explains how they can actually
contribute to making a great leading woman. The words include supportive", which is tied to
actions such as "Encouraging, assisting, and providing resources for others". "Rewarding" is
associated with "providing praise, recognition, and financial renumeration when
appropriate"(10). "Mentoring" is "Facilitating the skill development and career advancement of
subordinates"(10). The article goes on to include about four more key terms. These terms
actually prove that, although "taking care" is intended to hurt a leading woman's creditability, it
actually affirms that she is more qualified. It explains how these women can work around
problems and create a better solution. In fact, these qualities encourage a woman to be a fair,
just, and understanding leader and allow her to pursue a more democratic way of doing things. "
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This article refers back to a sorority dynamic like that of theta by giving examples of

common stereotypes for women. If a women is brought up to believe these stereotypes, how
can society expect her to have the qualities, which are based on having a strong sense of
identity and authority, required to be a leading woman. Unless someone is able to open their
mind to them, they won't be suitable to run. Most women will look at the stereotypes in a bad
way and try to change themselves to be more like the "perfect leader". The women that are able
to take those stereotypes, see something positive, and use those qualities to better themselves
and their peers, are the ones that have identity and authority in the sorority. These are the
leading women who hold positions. It's not just about what a women is told to strive to possess,
its about working with what one already has, as well. Thats why leading women have
embraced these stereotypes and used them to their advantage. "

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italics

Source #3!

Pynchon, Victoria. "3 Reasons You Don't Want Women Leaders." Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 14
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Sept. 2012. Web. 20 Mar. 2015."

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My third source wasn't a source utilized for supportive ideas for my paper. It was,

instead, a way for me to evaluate opposing ideas on the matter. I researched qualities that
women have that would make them bad candidates. This article, from Forbes online website,
explains the "3 Reasons You Don't Want Women Leaders". It begins by explaining that there is
no genetic difference between men and women that would make a women be unable to lead. "
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The first point the article asserts is the fact that, in order to have a woman lead, you

have to change the way things work. It is alleged that everything in society is made with a man
in mind. The good thing about the sorority system is that it was made with a woman in mind.
The difficulty of changing the way things are run in the sorority is not an issue. It is already run
with regard to the ideas of women. If a girl was raised with the idea that leadership is a quality
attributed only to men, it may be hard for her to adjust to the ideas and to adapt to the ways
sororities are run. Being close-minded can only hold her back from gaining a position. "
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The second point is that women favor other women. Well, one might think that this

argument has no point in an all women sorority leadership. But it did make one ponder the
possibility that women might favor some women as opposed to others. In short, girls will
sometimes pick the popular candidate. Popular could mean a candidate that shows more
identity. This could be either a good or a bad thing, depending on the type of identity and
authority a candidate exudes. If the popularity contributes to the qualities of leadership she

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possesses, it could be a good thing. But if the popularity highlights how bold and opinionated
she is, this could sway votes for the wrong reasons. "
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The final thought is that women are too caring and meek to be in a leadership position.

That is true, at times, but, I feel that there is a link between the level of identity and authority you
have and the level of meekness you possess. Someone with a strong amount of identity will
speak what is on their mind and say what they think is right. In voicing their opinions, they gain
authority. But too much identity and authority can actually harm an individual. An individual
must have a sense of caring in order to have great leadership potential. While speaking their
mind, they should also care about what they say and how it will effect others. A good leader
knows when to talk and not to talk. "
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Although this article has a bias toward not having women take positions, it actually

served to highlight reasons why women don't often take positions. A girl who does not realize
her potential or sees herself as not worthy to be a leader of a sorority would not try and run for a
position and someone who is outspoken and opinionated would likely not hold the position as
well. All of these reasons are why some girls that may have seniority in the sorority do not hold
positions. They may be too loud or too quiet. With new girls coming in each semester bringing
with them new ideas and more progressive opinions, we are seeing more new members
possessing the qualities often attributed to a leader. We encounter new members better able to
show identity and have authority. This is what gets them positions over members with seniority. "

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italics

Source #4!

Llopis, Glenn. "The Most Undervalued Leadership Traits Of Women." Forbes. Forbes Magazine,
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03 Feb. 2014. Web. 20 Mar. 2015."

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My fourth article is also from the Forbes online website. This one takes a completely

different position than the one previously referenced. In The Most Undervalued Leadership
Traits OfWomen the author, Glen Llopis, uses his experiences with the women in his hispanic
family to influence the reader and draw attention to some overlooked characteristics of women
leaders. This article emphasizes many qualities that exhibit identity and authority that women in
the sorority may possess giving them at an advantage to take a position."
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He starts off the article by explaining that, within his family, the women were the ones

who stayed at home and took care of everyone. He explains that, because of this, the women
where able to learn qualities that made them fit for leadership. Like many who grow up with a
Hispanic upbringing, I was surrounded by strong-willed, hardworking and purpose-driven
women. (1) Qualities like having the ability to handle problems well, organization, and being
well-balanced are stressed."
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He goes on to provide a list of overlooked qualities. The first is the ability to be

opportunity driven. He explains that women, when faced with a seemingly impossible problem
will not allow themselves to give up and start over. Instead, they posses the glass half full
versus glass half empty mentality. They will try and work as hard as they can to fix what is
seemingly broken and tend to come up with solutions to every problem. This is a very important
quality to have in the sorority. Problems come up day after day. The ability to solve them quickly
and not back down is crucial. An example might be when a member of the Panhellenic
community (all of the sororities collectively) serves as a bad example for greek life. It is the
presidents responsibility to assure other members of the UCF community that this behavior is

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not what her specific sorority emphasizes or condones. She must be apologetic for that
members actions. This represents a solution to a problem rather than throwing in the towel and
taking the stance that there should be no more greek life because of the impropriety of one
person. "
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The second quality he mentions is the ability to be strategic by any means necessary.

He explains that women are questionable creatures. A womans lens of skepticism oftentimes
forces them to see well beyond the most obvious details before them. They enjoy stretching
their perspective to broaden their observations. Many women are not hesitant to peel the onion
in order to get to the root of the matter. (1) This is important when dealing with discipline. A
leader who just accuses and doesnt listen, not putting herself in the shoes of the accused, is
not the right kind of leader. Sometimes, by discussing the actions and putting herself in the
accused shoes, she can better understand why the problem occurred. She may unearth the
information she needs to change things to prevent the problem from happening again. If she
were to just punish without understanding, she wouldnt have the materials to fix it for later.
Another aspect of being strategic is thinking in future terms. The author asserts that women are
great at predicting possible outcomes and making sure that they are ready to deal with each
one. Planning ahead is a great quality in a leader. An example within theta is the choice to have
a risk committee check in each guest when it comes to bringing your date events. The
committee checks ID to make sure underage attendees are marked and of age attendees are
banded pre venue. This serves to combat the issue of underage drinking before it can become a
problem later. "
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The third quality introduced is the fact that women are passionate. Yes, passionate is a

way to describe feeling. He warns, dont be fooled, passionate leaders are the best kind. When
a leader is passionate, she is dedicating herself to that cause. She will make sure nothing goes
wrong, never give up, and support her values no matter what. This is a great thing to have in the

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sorority. If a leader doesn't care about the values and goals created by the founders, she will not
try to uphold those standards. Passion is the glue that keeps it all together. Without an interest
and passion, the sorority dynamic will fall apart and have no purpose. "

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Source #5!
Wardle, Elizabeth. "Identity, Authority, and Learning to Write in New Workplaces". Writing About
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Writing a College Reader. Eds. Elizabeth Wardle, Doug Downs. Boston: Bedford/

St. "

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Martin's, 2011 520-537. Print. "

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Wardle uses Activity Theory to explain membership. She explains that, in order to be an

active member, the "neophyte" must be active within the community. They must learn what it
means to be part of the community. This may involve learning what type of rituals are used, or
how to act/write like members. When she refers to these ideas, she specifically alludes to two
specific topics regarding this concept: Identity and Authority. She is also able to provide a story
to back up her claims. Her ideas do address the possibility that there are more factors that
solidify membership within a community. It is suggested that one can have individualism and
authority and that this will be the only way to succeed in being a contributing member of the
community. A member could act the same as a member that came before and possibly evade
notice as a "successful" member. This means that a member could just learn the bare
necessities, not contribute new ideas to the community, nor form a solid identity. (Wardle 522)"
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Wardle explains identity as the ability to be a member of the community while still

keeping their past experiences.(Wardle 524) One might introduce new ideas, values, or ways of
doing things. In a extreme example, a new employee who may have come from a very religious
background might be offended by a very "touchy" co-worker. This may cause the company to
have a new contact rule in the office. Someone's past experiences may also strongly influence

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how they act. Someone with a Latino background may be very loud and be quick to provide
their opinions, while a more quiet person may be apprehensive to express the same opinions.
Identity helps someone stand out within a community, therefore, helping to improve the
community as well. A community with many identified individuals can change and adapt to the
ever-changing world and problems. (Wardle 524)"
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Authority, within this passage, is described as the ability to quickly pick up on certain

practices within the chosen community. (Wardle 526) Wardle explains that there is a grace
period during which the new members must adjust to rules, regulations, and expectations of the
community. Those who are still struggling, after the grace period, are considered to lack
authority within the community. Another aspect associated with authority is the ability to provide
identity in ones work. That is to take the expectations/ "base" and add one's own thoughts to it.
The expectations of the community should serve as a starting point for one's authority to add/
improve upon the bare necessities of the community. (Wardle 526)"
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Wardle's study of Alan highlighted an example of someone "just getting by" in the

community. He refused to show his identity or authority. He never changed when people
suggested he did. He was an example of a person actually holding back the community. He
chose to lack authority by not personalizing his co-workers and calling them "users" instead of
knowing their names. (Wardle 532)

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Source #6 !
Aldrich, Taylor. "Interview President." Personal interview. 06 Mar. 2015."
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My final source was an interview with the president of the Eta Theta chapter of Kappa

Alpha Theta, Taylor Aldrich. My main focus for this interview was to ask about her feelings
regarding her presidency, what qualities she feels make a good leader, and how she handles
situations. "

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Her answer to the first question was, that it's hard, but is definitely a rewarding

experience. In theta, the president serves for a full year (or two semesters). She starts off in the
spring, when the work load is less. Taylor explained how she is still getting used to her position.
She remarks,"a new situation or paper or form pops up everywhere I turn". "Balancing school
and the presidency is hard work", she laments. She explains how she feels like the "under the
radar" member by saying that she knows everything that goes on the sorority. "I've dove into
Theta, not dipped my feet in, DOVE. It's a lot at once",she tells me. You don't fully understand
how much there is that goes on within the sorority until you are in charge. All of the things that
seem to run smoothly require a lot of hard work, she explains. "
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When asked what qualities make a good leader many were attributes previously

referenced. She goes on to say, "you have to really love your sorority, since you've seen both
sides of it", "understanding...if you don't have the ability to understand the situation, you are not
guiding the chapter into a better direction. People make mistakes and they should have the
opportunity to fix them and move on". Lastly, she describes a new concept, patience. "If I wasn't
patient, I would have been kicked out before I knew it. You have to be able to take what is
thrown out at you and turn the other cheek. Girls lash out when threatened or hurt. If you are
unable to sit and listen to it all, then you will never get down to the main business. Girls are
more willing to confess and tell the truth in a less pressured and more understanding situation.
That's why we have risk meetings with the girls." Risk meetings are places where an accused
girl gets to discuss the situation she is in and ,as a group, they discuss punishment, if
punishment is even needed, afterwords. "
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Taylor mentioned a great situation where she handled a situation well. She told a story

about her first big hiccup in the sorority during her presidency. It was the end of late fall, after
she had been voted to be the succeeding president. The seniors for that semester decided to
plan a bar crawl for a last little hoorah. "The night was going well..." until one of the girls became

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extremely intoxicated. She was so inebriated that she couldn't stop puking in the bathroom.
Instead of causing a big commotion, Taylor decided to quietly sit with this girl until she was able
to get into the car to be driven to the nearest hospital. The way things work is that any extreme
incident must be reported to OFSL. Because she handled the situation with ease and minimal
frustration she was able to mark this as not a huge problem. Therefore, she did not have to
report the incident to OFSL, who, as we know, is very quick to hand out punishments for
incident reports. "

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Part 2!
Synthesis:!
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Overall, the articles I chose for this paper, all unearthed and highlighted qualities that

can be used to describe a good leader, minus the inclusion of Wardle's source, in general. I
chose to include that article because I feel it is important to be reminded what identity and
authority are. This is especially useful when it comes to answering my research questions: 1.
How can someone of new standing rise above those with seniority to a position of authority? 2.
Could too much identity hinder an individual's ability to rise to an authoritative position? "

3. Would the choice to voice too many opinions or to show too much emotion diminish
that individual's chances? The process of understanding and answering these questions
revolves around the need for a good understanding of authority and identity. Once one
does have that understanding, then they realize that the qualities mentioned in the new
member orientation guide, the women "take care" article, the interview with Taylor, and
finally the article on the under appreciated values of women are all qualities ascribed to
leading women. From there, the reader is able to understand these qualities are the
ones of the women who take positions within the Eta Theta chapter of Kappa Alpha

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Theta sorority. Along with enabling the reader to sense a correlation between these
qualities and mannerisms associated with a strong identity and authority, this further
proves the answer to my first research question. In each of these articles, the women
that have these qualities and backgrounds are prepared to take positions over/istead of
those with seniority that are attempting to gain these qualities rather than possessing
them before. The article on reasons why women make bad leaders gives examples of
women in the sorority who don't take positions, whether it be due to the way that they
are brought up, the fact that they lack identity and authority in the sorority, or just
possess less, making them timid or weak. It also mentions women who have too much
identity, and turn people off ,thus hindering their changes to take an authoritative
position. All of these can be seen in new members of my sorority , but for the sake of
my research, I pointed out these qualities in girls with seniority. My interview with Taylor
reiterated that a woman with too many opinions or who shows too much emotion may
actually worsen her chances for a position by alienating members. Sometimes, I have
seen a senior member try to dominate the person giving them orders. More recently,
newer and younger girls have been taking positions. Sometimes girls with more
seniority, that are older, will challenge this. When the girl with the position handles this
situation well, it both enforces her right to be in that position and highlights that the girl
with seniority shouldn't be in that position. On the flip side, there are girls who are older
and have more seniority as well, but lack identity and authority. Those timid and meek
girls merely do what they are told. "
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In general, I feel that my presentation of the articles was able to be perused in a

way that information from one built upon the next. I explained the idea, built upon the

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idea, then created counterarguments, and finally explained them in association with the
research ideas.
I completely revised the synthesis to better explain the connections between the articles in my research. I
explained in more detail about the importance of identity and authority in my research. I added the
answers to my research questions and the articles that supported these claims.