Analysis of Application Form

Analysis of Application Form

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Analysis of Application Form

Overview of Application Form

The application form was designed to collect additional data to assist in the implementation of low-income home energy assistance program. Across the nation, various family units live below the poverty line and are in dire need of heating and cooling solutions. Since they are mostly low-income units, the state offers welfare services that alleviate the lifestyles of this group in society. State published documentation is normally objective and concise. This is normally because the documents serve a wide demographic. The low-income individuals could be anything from African Americans, Hispanics, and Latino. Since the government is expected to be objective, most of the language used throughout the document is very direct. The structure of the questions in the form was short and deliberate. The outlay of the form was also deliberately deigned to ensure quick reading as well as minimize confusion by the respondents.

Choice of Language

The whole application form was structured in the present tense. All of the questions were designed to ensure that only recent information about the living standards was collected. In general, all the sections in the document contained closed ended questions. The provision of alternatives for the respondents was equally brief and closed ended. This implies that it was necessary to collect only the relevant feedback concerning living situations and the extent to which these families have installed heating and cooling equipment. These types of application forms may be useful in determining which family units are eligible but they seldom serve their intended purpose. The brevity of answers implies that they are hardly useful for any meaningful examination and subsequent policy guidelines. Given that such an application form is one of the few ways through which the state collects data on the public, it would be prudent to increase its elaborateness.

The tone of the document was highly authoritative and indifferent. This is partly explained by aforementioned reason that it was created by the state agencies that are interested in maintaining neutrality. However, the deeper reason for the authoritative language is to ensure that the importance of the program is maintained. It is possible to assume that the state deals with a massive volume of paperwork and this makes their service delivery harder. Part of this is evident in the last section of the document. The respondents were informed that they could contact the local county offices for any queries. The inclusion of a government authority figure is the symbol for authority. Furthermore, the section containing the certification details was also proof that the document was very serious and necessary. In the document, it was noted that “…penalized by fine and/or imprisonment for making false statements.” This section contained an allocation for dissuading false statements and the penalties. It also contained the expected benefits and the procedure for collecting the benefits.

Target Readers

            From the analysis on the previous sections that covered the choice of language and the overview of the application form, it is clear that the document was created deliberately for specific group of readers. The above analysis determined that the low-income families were the main targets in the stated-sponsored project. This specific group of people in the society also illustrates several key characteristics including low literacy levels, poor living standards, low sanitation levels and technical understanding of heating and cooling equipment. This demographic segment has been registered with little access and usage of air conditioning equipment within their households. One of the possible evidences of the targeted editing and publication is in the use of the basic language. Throughout the publication, the technical vocabulary on energy was kept very simple to ensure that all the respondents understood the questions. Furthermore, the nature of the questions mainly focused on the relatable problems rather than the complicated issues. The two last sections of the application contained extensive descriptions that were designed to aid the respondents while answering the questions. It is possible that the application form used a simplified vocabulary to ensure that it could communicate to the illiterate participants that are bound to be the majority. There is conflicting research on the correlation between minorities and access to fundamental household amenities. This makes the aforementioned statement likely but not precise. Taking into consideration issues such as misinterpretation of the application forms reduces the chances of misallocating the benefits.

Document Layout

The authors of the application form had intentionally designed the document to ensure that it contained a myriad of features that facilitated its effectiveness and simplicity. One of these features is the usage of a digital PDF format in the publication. Many of the application forms used by the government have always been in hard copy and administered through print formats. This is mainly because most of the beneficiaries of the state programs are low-income individuals. However, with the advancement in technology, the state has adopted a digital way of administering the questionnaire. All of the entries in the application form could be filled using an ordinary computer and send via the Internet. In the United States, over 85% of the citizens are computer literate and this supports the use of the medium in collecting feedback from the respondents. The document was designed to collect data and through computers, it is possible to overcome other previous challenges such as distance and data analysis. The last sections focused on the implications of indicating the payments are sent to the energy supplier directly. This wide variety of alternatives in the space allocated for the participants ensures that there is an ease in answering questions. Lastly, the usage of an electronic form is a useful tool since the data collected from the participants can be quickly processed using other computer applications. LIHEAP has adopted an effective strategy of collecting and acting on information presented by the citizens in need of vital heating and cooling services.

Conclusion

The application form was a vital document that acted as a useful tool to record the details of citizens experiencing problems with heating and cooling in their households. The overview of application form section discussed the purpose of the document including the use of objective language and the targeting of specific economic groups within the United States. The choice of language used in the application form ensured that the readers understood the services offered, the implications of the benefits and the significance it held over the participants. Subsidization of energy services within the American household is a good thing for welfare purposes. To ensure that this benefit is exploited appropriately, the tone used in the document is tantamount to declaring the penalty for violating the application rules.