An Analysis Of The Poem If You Should Go By Countee Cullen Essays

An Analysis Of The Poem ?If You Should Go? By Countee Cullen In the poem ?If You Should Go', Countee Cullen emphasizes on the understanding of human joys and sorrows. The importance of joy is shown using different examples of joy such as love and dream. Both stanzas include a persons feeling or reactions towards joy during the happy moments as well as the feelings after the joyous moment is over. In this poem, Cullen conveys several different messages. One of the themes of the poem is that one never realizes what one have until it is lost. In this case it refers to joyous moments. The second stanza the poet also tells the reader that joy makes a long lasting memory in ones mind which is seen in the person's personality or ?the gleam on the [persons] face? (2. 7-8). Although, Cullen does not mention whom the love is towards in the first stanza and what the dream is about in the second stanza the reader can interpret that as is said in a positive manner. Using a classic example of metaphor, love is compared to the light that brightens a day just the way in which joys brightens people's lives. The gently passing of the day without author realizing its going indicates to us that the joy is not given much importance in the person's life. The theme, a person never realizes what he has until it is lost, can clearly seen when the poet says, ?We would not know, but for the night, When [the joy] has slipped away? (1. 3-4). The poet convey the message that people usually would not feel the joy until the joy is slipped away and the person is struck by the darkness of the sorrow. In the second stanza joy is given a much more positive response. Joy in this stanza is referred to as a pleasant dream. The not realization of the passing of the joys is said in this stanza. Here the poet says the joy does not leave a physical effect on the person and that the dream has just left a gleam across the dreamers face. This shows the second theme of the poem that joy makes a long lasting memory in ones mind when referred to the gleam on the dreamers face. This poem makes the reader realize the importance of joy before it is gone. The poem also mentally prepares the reader to the sorrows that are struck after the joyful moments are over. The tone of the poem is positive. The kind of mood this poem creates is neither depressing nor very exciting. This poem might strike a reader as very passive due to the use of phrases like ?The gently passing day? (1. 2) or ?Go quietly; a dream? (2. 5). The rhyme scheme of the poem is a b a b. The poem ?If You Should Go' is an excellently lyriced poem about an understanding of human joys and sorrows. The positive point of view of the poet is a plus along with the good use of imagery like love and dream. Overall, the theme, the rhyme scheme, the pleasant imagery, the tone, and the mood all work together in the poem.

Review Paper of Resident Evil Essay Example

Review Paper of Resident Evil Essay Example Review Paper of Resident Evil Paper Review Paper of Resident Evil Paper Ginny Littlefield September 25, 2010 Evaluation Essay Resident Evil: The Movies Resident Evil is a series of science fiction/horror films. The films, for the most part, are based on the series of Resident Evil games developed by Capcom. The films are written and directed by Paul W. S. Anderson. The first Resident Evil film uses elements from the video games Resident Evil and Resident Evil 2. The film’s main character, an amnesiac named Alice, bands together with an alliance of individuals in an attempt to escape from a secret underground facility that at one time was filled with employees but is now overrun with zombies.The following sequels continue to follow Alice and her attempt to bring down the corrupt Umbrella Corporation. To start off, I will say that the original storyline from the Resident evil films were what made me interested in watching them. I am not exactly a zombie buff, however once I listened to my husband and friends recount the first film, I decided to give it a try, and was entranced by the story. Though by the time I reached the third film I began to lose my enthusiasm for the series.This is a series that starts out strong and then dwindles as though the writers are grasping at straws to keep the series going, throwing in random creatures from the games with no explanations of what they are or why they are there, Anderson deviates from the storyline as a whole. One thing I will give Resident Evil props for are the action sequences, once again I refer to the first and second film. In the third film the action seems a bit stuttered and in the forth film, lackluster at best.In Resident Evil: Extinction, the third installment of this series, it has been 5 years since the outbreak and the few people still left topside are traveling caravan-style trying to get to Alaska. This film gave me the feeling of watching Mad Max meets The Birds, with only 2 good action scenes. The forth in the series, Resident Evil: Afterlife may be even more deri vative than its predecessor. With shoddy action sequences and wandering storyline I am amazed it even got through production.In this film, Alice, played by Milla Jovovich, continues on her journey to find survivors and lead them to safety while working to take down the Umbrella Corporation. Having found a new alliance of friends that needed rescuing, they work their way toward what they think is a safe haven. One of the few saving graces of these films is the acting skills of Milla Jovovich. Throughout the series she has definitely shown her amazing acting skills despite the deterioration of the writing.If you are looking for overdone gore, zero tension, and boring action scenes, then look no further than this whole series. However if you are looking for an action packed, plot twisting, edge of your seat type of movie you might want to stop after the first two films. With the disappointment shown from critics and viewers worldwide I am hoping that Anderson takes note and makes the n ext upcoming sequel something worth watching.Sources:http://screenrant. com/resident-evil-afterlife-reviews-benk-77912/ http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Resident_Evil rottentomatoes. com/m/resident_evil/

Wall-Mart and Information System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Wall-Mart and Information System - Essay Example This paper will explain why Wal-Mart has lived to become one of the most successful retail companies in the world, and particularly tie its competitive advantage strategies with relevant theoretical models. Wal-Mart stores are, therefore, designed in such a manner that the managers of the organization are the ones who allocate duties as well as monitor the activities of employees within the organization. The managers also identify any changes that need to be implemented to the stores in order to ensure that all the production processes within the stores are in line with the goals of the entire organization (The Wall Street Journal, 2012). This paper will show how Wal-Mart has used information systems to achieve different categories of its strategic goals. New products, services, & business models Wal-Mart has been able to utilize information systems to improve its products, deliver and sell its product and services to create wealth. Ideally, the key characteristic of Wal-Mart’ s business model is its low-cost strategy, which is enabled by its efficiency and high level of productivity as a result of the use of innovative information systems. Therefore, the company has managed to attain cost leadership by reducing its cost of operation to the lowest level possible (Porter, 2008). The fact that Wal-Mart’s products cost relatively low makes it very successful when introducing new products and services because after all, many customers will want to purchase in its stores to maximize the value for their money. The management of Wal-Mart tirelessly continues to utilize information technology to improve the company’s business model in such a manner that meets the customers’ requirements and suits the organizational goals. The kind of information systems deployed by Wal-Mart is a mixed type, whereby both â€Å"bricks and motor† and â€Å"clicks and bricks† methods are used to market its products. Ideally, Wal-Mart does not advert ise in the media like many of its competitors do, however, its products and services are very popular with customers.

Wk 2 discussion 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Wk 2 discussion 2 - Essay Example Hodges is already implementing in her classroom, and which would be deemed effective and beneficial for students like Ernest are the: (1) planning pyramid, where contents that students will learn would be classified according to: (a) contents that all students will learn; (b) contents that most students will learn; and (c) contents that few students will learn (in Ernest’s case, Ms. Hodges could discern which contents would be most applicable for learning within his intellectual level; (2) nine types of instructional adaptations where Ms. Hodges could tailor and identify the â€Å"the difficulty level of lessons, structure how students participate and provide responses, and provide peer support for learning mate† (Rosenberg, Westling, & McLeskey, 2007, par. 6); and (3) provision of peer tutoring. As revealed, peer tutoring would be beneficial for Ernest to focus on relevant course materials that would be used for class discussion and for examinations. Rosenberg, M. S., Westling, D. L., & McLeskey, J. (2007). Can You Help Me with This Student? In M. S. Rosenberg, D. L. Westling, & J. McLeskey, Special Education for Today’s Teachers: An Introduction (p. 222). Prentice

Arts Paper 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Arts Paper 1 - Essay Example â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants,† had aroused a sense of empathy in me towards Jig. From her eyes, I saw the point of view of a girl who wished to turn into a woman by making her personal choice towards motherhood. As the idea of conception had always been biological, the idea of motherhood in these changing contemporary times had evolved. In times where women find equal right and opportunities in the American society especially in the time when the story was set, I saw that to Jig, to become a mother or not to become a mother should be a woman’s choice as an individual—not imposed by nature, not imposed by society, not imposed by her other half. Whether she wanted it or not, the choice belonged to her. I saw Jig’s first argument to her decision to become a mother as the valley had been described as â€Å"the country being brown and dry.† With this allusion I saw Jig’s view of her life; it did not resemble anything full of life and beauty. It was the stage of her life when she kept on traveling with her lover, the American, enjoying pleasures life can offer—alcohol, sex, travel—but I thought she saw it something â€Å"dry† and empty. Although it occurred to me that Jig wanted to pursue motherhood, there was a counter-argument to her decision. The country indeed looked brown and dry, but her other choice were â€Å"hills like white elephants.† White elephants had connotations about something grand, something pretty but the owner cannot get rid of yet it would be so costly to keep. In other words, her other choice, the baby would be like a white elephant to her. It would cost her a lot to raise the baby—time, effort, her pleasurable life—if it would be her choice. Even though Jig wanted to make that choice, to her, there was a dilemma: her lover, the American’s contention. In order for them to be together, at least for him to stay with her, Jig should have an abortion. The American views their

Influence Of Positivism Interpretivism And Realism Approaches Psychology Essay

Influence Of Positivism Interpretivism And Realism Approaches Psychology Essay All sociological research designs and methods make certain assumptions about the nature of the social world and how knowledge is generated. One of the ways that research can be evaluated and improved is to make these assumptions more explicit (Hibberd, 2005). Positivism, interpretivism and realism give different answers to the nature of scientific knowledge and whether or not it is applicable to societies. Many scholars argue that a great deal of sociological research contains elements of all three (Suppe, 1984; Bickhard, 1992; Hibberd, 2010). To a far extent these arguments have influenced the methodological division of social research. It is claimed that, the quantitative methods have their intellectual underpinning in the positivist and realist paradigms, while the qualitative methods/techniques have their intellectual underpinning in interpretativist, constructivist, and naturalist paradigms (Hanzel, 2010). However, despite these ongoing arguments between the methodological traditions of qualitative and quantitative research (Gage, 1989); combined methods represent a fast developing field of social science methodology. As all methods have specific margins and particular strengths, many discussants propose that qualitative and quantitative methods should be combined in order to compensate for their mutual weaknesses (Tashakkori Teddlie, 2003). Moreover, it is claimed that this movement scripts the beginning of a new era in social research indicated by a tendency to combine quantitative and qualitative methods pragmatically unencumbered by old debates (Johnson Turner, 2003). Therefore it is emphasized that the uses of a mixed-method design provides an important tool in overcoming the limitations of both qualitative and quantitative mono-method research. This essay deals with social theories that influence qualitative and qualitative research methods employed in social sciences as either in principle separable or even as irreconcilable methods of social sciences. It starts with a characterization of positivism, Interpretivism and realism; and links these theories to the foundation of qualitative and quantitative research methods. Then, it shows how they deal with the various aspects of the qualitative-quantitative divide. Finally, it is the intention to show how the combined methodological approach may be integrated in a coherent way to add value and assist in the design of a single research project. With an emphasis on the differences and similarities between quantitative and qualitative approaches providing the basis for exploring the methods of combining both approaches to overcome their weaknesses by providing a commentary of the complementary strengths of each tradition. Characterizing Positivism, Interpretivism and Realism approaches Few sociologists would describe themselves as a positivist, interpretivist or realist. These are terms used primarily by methodologists and social theorists to describe and evaluate the theoretical assumptions underlying different approaches to research (Bickhard, 1992; Johnson, 2006; Hibberd, 2010). There are many different views in sociology about what societies are and the best ways of obtaining knowledge of them. This part of the essay simplifies matters to some extent by characterizing three of the most influential theories of knowledge in sociology: positivism, interpretivism and realism (Bryman, 1998 and 2001; Hibberd 2010). Positivism Positivism is frequently used to stand for the epistemological assumption that empirical knowledge based on principles of objectivity, verificationism, and reproducibility is the foundation of all authentic knowledge (Bryman, 2001; Hanzel, 2010). The term positivist has been critical for some time in the human sciences because positivist tends to subscribe to a number of ideas that have no place in present-day science and philosophy (Hanzel, 2010). Positivism views that sociology can and should use the methods of the natural sciences, that do not usually mean using experiments because there are all sorts of ethical problems with doing that, but positivists do believe that sociologists should use quantitative methods and aim to identify and measure social structures. As a philosophical approach, positivism encompasses a group of notions. Table 1 below, provides main characters for positivist key ideas. It shows that positivists sum up all the items by being against metaphysics (Hackin g, 1983). Character Description emphasis upon verification Significant propositions are those whose truth or falsehood can be settled in some way. Pro-observation What we can see, feel, touch, and the like provide the best content or foundation for all the rest of our non mathematical knowledge. Discoverability Scientific knowledge is something discovered (rather than produced or constructed). Anti-cause There is no causality in nature, over and above the constancy with which events of one kind are followed by events of another kind. Downplaying explanation Explanation may help organize phenomena, but do not provide any deeper answer to Why questions except to say that the phenomena regularly occur in such and such a way. Anti-theoretical entities Positivists tend to be non-realists, not only because they restrict reality to the observable but also because they are against causes and are dubious about explanations. Table 1: Positivism characters Source: Hacking, 1983 Positivist theory argues that the methods of the natural sciences are applicable to the study of societies. In the positivist view, sociology involves the search for causal relationships between observable phenomena and theories are tested against observations (Hibberd, 2009). Researchers adopting a positivist point of view may still be interested in finding out about peoples subjective views. For example, they explore things such as attitudes and opinions through survey research (Michell, 2003). However, they see the task of sociology as explaining why people behave in the way they do, and how people really feel about things cannot be explained scientifically. Interpretivist Interpretivists do not necessarily reject the positivist account of knowledge, but they question the idea that the logic and methods of natural science can be imported into the study of societies. Max Weber was one of the main influences on the interpretivist tradition in sociology. For him, natural science and social science are two very different enterprises requiring a different logic and different methods (Bryman, 1982). At the heart of interpretivist critique of positivism is a humanist viewpoint. Some of those favouring an interpretivist view of sociology have long argued that in their search for a scientific explanation of social life, positivist have sometimes forgotten that they are studying people, and to study people you need to get out and explore how they really think and act in everyday situations. Interpretivists argue that unlike objects in nature, human beings can change their behaviour if they know they are being observed (Collins, 1984; Guba, 1987). So, interpretivists argue that if we want to understand social action, we need to look into the reasons and meanings which that action has for people (Marsh, 2002). Take the example of crime, a positivist would argue that researchers can simply measure crime using quantitative methods and identify patterns and correlations.   While, an interpretivist would argue that we need to understand what people mean by crime, how they come to catego rize certain actions as criminal and then investigate who comes to be seen as criminal in a particular society . The aim of interpretivist approaches in sociology is to understand the subjective experiences of those being studied, how they think and feel and how they act in their natural contexts (Marsh, 2002; Johnson, 2006). Therefore, although interpretivists still try to be objective and systematic in their research, the key criterion in interpretivist epistemology is validity. The favoured research design is ethnography and the main methods are ones that help researchers understand social life from the point of view of those being studied, such as unstructured observation, unstructured interviews and personal documents. Interpretivism has provided a powerful critique of many of the taken-for-granted ideas of positivism that are widely used in sociology and in other social sciences (Marsh, 2002). It has also influenced a whole field of research illuminating peoples everyday life experiences. However, interpretivists accounts are criticised by some sociologists for not providing testable hypotheses that can be evaluated. This can lead to relativism where one theory, or study, is seen as just as good as any other. Realism Realist theory, like positivism, holds that sociology can, and should, follow the logic and methods of the natural sciences, meanwhile, it differs from positivism in its interpretation of science (Hartwig, 2007; Hibberd, 2010). In positivist research, theories are tested against observations and found to be true or false or somewhere in between. In simple terms, the facts are the judge of the theory (Hibberd, 2010). Realists do not make this clear-cut separation because they do not believe that observations can be separated from theories (Parker, 2003; Hartwig, 2007). They argue that no form of science relies exclusively on observable empirical evidence. There are always aspects of any form of reality that remain hidden beneath the surface of what can be observed (Duran, 2005; Hibberd, 2010). According to realists, the aim of scientific work is to uncover the underlying causal mechanisms that bring about observable regularities. Realists see research being guided primarily by scientific criteria, such as the systematic collection of evidence, reliability and transparency. However, because they recognise the importance of the subjective dimension of human action, they also include methods that document the validity of peoples experiences (Bhaskar, 1999). Research designs are more likely to be experimental or comparative in realist research, but there is no particular commitment to either quantitative or qualitative methods (Parker, 2003; Hartwig 2007).The focus of realist methodology, however, is on theory. Realists argue that as there is no such thing as theory-free data: sociological methods should be specifically focused on the evaluation and comparison of theoretical concepts, explanations and policies. The development of a clear, realist epistemology is comparatively recent in sociology and owes much to new realist writers like Bhaskar (1986, 1999) and Pawson (1989). They have provided a different interpretation of science and its relationship to social sciences, and a developing alternative to the dominant theories of positivism and Interpretivism that laid the foundations for a non-empiricist epistemology in social science (Hibberd, 2009 and 2010). However, they would say that this doesnt mean that either set of methods, positivist or interpretive, have to be ditched. The realists argument is that sociologists can be pragmatic and use whatever methods are appropriate for particular circumstances. Social reality is complex and to study it, sociologists can draw on both positivist and interpretivist methods. However, realism is also criticised for exaggerating the dependence of science and social science on theory, and realist epistemology offers, at best, very limited truths about the social world. Many studies in sociology use a combination of positivist, interpretivist and, more recently, realist ideas, just as they use different research methods. The three theories are very general descriptive terms and there are many different theoretical approaches within the general framework of each one. Table 2 shows different research methods associated with each theory. Theory Research design Research methods Positivism Social surveys Structural interviews Experimental Structural observations Comparative Official statistics Interpretivism Ethnography Participant observation Unstructured interviews Personal documents Realism Experimental Non-specific, but methods are theory-focused Comparative Table 2: Theory, Design and methods Source: Bryman, 2001 Conflict of Quantitative and Qualitative Research Paradigms The quantitative methods have their rational foundation in the positivist and realist paradigms, while the qualitative methods have their rational foundation in interpretativist, constructivist, and naturalist paradigms. The opposition between these paradigms was succinctly characterized by Guba as follows: The one precludes the other just as surely as belief in a round world precludes believing in a flat one (Guba 1987, 31). The opposition between these paradigms is then expressed as shown below in table 3 (Lincoln and Guba 1985). Axioms About Positivist Paradigm Naturalist Paradigm The nature of reality Reality is single, tangible, and fragmentable. Realities are multiple, constructed, and holistic. The relationship of the knower to the known Knower and known are independent, a dualism. Knower and known are interactive, inseparable. The possibility of generalization Time- and context-free generalizations (nomothetic statements) are possible. Only time- and context-bound working hypotheses (idiographic statements) are possible. The possibility of causal linkages There are real causes, temporally precedent or simultaneous with their effects. All entities are in a state of mutual simultaneous shaping, so that it is impossible to distinguish causes from effects. The role of values Inquiry is value-free. Inquiry is value-bound. Table 3: Contrasting of Positivists and Naturalists Paradigms, Source: Amended from (Hanzel, 2010; Lincoln and Guba 1985) Consequently, it is commonly claimed that quantitative research is based on positivistic assumptions, whereas the qualitative approach is grounded on anti-positivistic positions (Lincoln Guba, 1985; Lund, 2005). Several researchers and academics (Creswell, 1995; Gall Borg, 1996; Ryan Bernard, 2000) have given additional explanations to both methods; they are asserting that quantitative research refers to the systematic empirical investigation of quantitative properties and phenomena and their relationships within the social sciences. Thus, the objective of quantitative research is to develop and employ mathematical models, theories and hypotheses pertaining to social phenomena. The process of numerical measurement is central to quantitative research because it provides the fundamental connection between empirical observation and mathematical expression of quantitative relationships. Qualitative research is distinctive by nature in aiming to collect detailed accounts investigating into the understanding of human behaviour. The qualitative researcher assumes that flexibility in human behaviour is socially constructed, as so, seeks to reason and analyses factors that govern such behaviour; in doing so the qualitative method investigates the why and how of decision making, not just the quantifiable what, where or when occurrences. Similarly, Jana Plichtovà ¡ (2002) claims that the differences between the quantitative and qualitative research methods are based on a paradigmatically different understanding of the subject matter of and the sense of cognition in the social sciences, that is: The quantitative approach starts from the premise that we can arrive at trustworthy knowledge only if the human being is reduced to a set of measurable variables between which we can presuppose the relations of causation. It sees the sense of cognition in prediction and control of human behaviour. While, the qualitative approach does not agree with that reduction because it degrades the human being to a reacting mechanism, It proposes such research strategies which respect the fact that the human being is an acting being pursuing certain intentions, creating and understanding meanings, and that it is a socio-cultural being whose adaptation has a mediated and social charac ­ter (Plichtovà ¡, 2002). Moreover, Gall et al. (1996, cited Lund, 2005) presents key differences between quantitative and qualitative research approaches. Part of the difference refers to what researchers assume, the other part focuses on the truth of these assumptions, irrespectively of whether or not they are adopted by researchers. Onwuegbuzie and Leech (2005) have other classifications to the differences between both methods; they argue that the quantitative-qualitative paradigm conflict has resulted in the evolution of three major schools of thought, namely: purists, situationalists and pragmatists. The difference between these three perceptions relates to the extent to which each believes that quantitative and qualitative approaches can co-exist and be combined (Bryman, 1984). These three camps can be understood as purists and pragmatists exist on opposite ends, while situationalists are somewhere in the middle. The following account focuses on Onwuegbuzie and Leech (2005) perspective. For purists, the assumptions associated with quantitative and qualitative paradigms regarding how the world is viewed and what it is important to know are irreconcilable. They envisage that both methods stem from different metaphysical and epistemological assumptions about the nature of research (Bryman, 1984; Collins, 1984; Tashakkori Teddlie, 1998). Purists advocate that the methods and tenets from positivism and post-positivism cannot and should not be mixed (Smith, 1983). They believe that the axioms of post-positivism and positivism have mutually exclusive assumptions about society; therefore, the research methods derived under each are considered to be mutually exclusive as well In agreement with purists and acceptance of both positivist and post positivist paradigms, situationalists maintain that qualitative and quantitative methods are complementary but should not be integrated in a single study. However, they believe that definite research questions relate more to quantitative approaches, whereas other research questions are more suitable for qualitative methods (Onwuegbuzie and Leech, 2005). Thus, although representing very different directions, the two approaches are treated as being complementary. By contrast, pragmatists, unlike purists and situationalists, contend that a false separation exists between quantitative and qualitative approaches (Newman Benz, 1998). They advocate the integration of methods within a single study. Sieber (1973) articulated that because both approaches have intrinsic strengths and weaknesses, researchers should utilize the strengths of both techniques in order to understand better social phenomena. Indeed, pragmatists assign to the philosophy that the research question should drive the methods used (Onwuegbuzie and Leech, 2005). In any case, researchers who ascribe to epistemological purity disregard the fact that research methodologies are merely tools that are designed to aid our understanding of the world. Table 4 presents a summary of the qualitative-quantitative divide, understood as a clash of paradigms, each characterized by the characteristics shown in the table (Reichardt and Cook 1979). Here the divide is approached by means of a possible link between the respective method and the attributes of a paradigm. Another characterization of the nature of the qualitative-quantitative divide is presented by A. Bryman, as shown in table 5 (Bryman 1988, 94). Qualitative Paradigm Quantitative Paradigm Advocates the use of qualitative methods Advocates the use of quantitative methods Phenomenology concerned with understanding human behavior from the actors own frame of reference Logical-positivism; seeks the facts or causes of social phenomena with little regard for the subjective states of individuals Naturalistic and uncontrolled observation Obtrusive and controlled measurement Subjective Objective Grounded, discovery-oriented, exploratory, expansionist, descriptive, and inductive Ungrounded, verification-oriented, confirmatory, reductionist, inferential, and hypothetico-deductive Process-oriented Outcome-oriented Valid; real, rich, and deep data Reliable; hard and replicable data Ungeneralizable; single case studies Generalizable; multiple case studies Holistic Particularistic Assumes a dynamic reality Assumes a stable reality Table 4: Reichardt and Cook on Attributes of the Qualitative and Quantitative Paradigms Source: Amended from (Hanzel,2010) Based on such characterizations of the differences between qualitative and quantitative research, the issue of the qualitative-quantitative divide in social sciences could be approached from two points of view. The first, mod ­erate, according to which one deals only with two different sets of techniques that can be, if required, mutually combined; and the second, radical, accord ­ing to which the divide and the respective techniques/methods are rooted in paradigmatically opposed epistemologies and, thus, the respective methods/techniques cannot be combined.   Aspect Quantitative Research Qualitative Research Role of qualitative research Preparatory Means to exploration of actors interpretations Relationship between researcher and subject Distant Close Researchers stance in relation to subject Outsider Insider Relationship between theory/concept and research Confirmation Emergent Research strategy Structured Unstructured Scope of findings Nomothetic Ideographic Image of social reality Static and external to actor Processual and socially constructed by actor Nature of data Hard, reliable Rich, deep Table 5: Bryman on Differences between Quantitative and Qualitative Research Source: Amended from (Hanzel,2010) Similarities between Quantitative and Qualitative Research Approaches It is possible to argue that there are overwhelmingly more similarities between quantitative and qualitative approaches than there are differences (Onwuegbuzie and Leech, 2005). Bothe and Andreatta (2004), add that both approaches involve the use of observations to address research questions, describe their data, construct descriptive arguments from their data, and speculate about why the results they observed happened as they did. Both sets of researchers select and use analytical techniques that are designed to obtain the maximal meaning from their data, and so that findings have utility in relation to their respective views of reality (Kelle, 2006). Both methods investigators utilize techniques to verify their data. Such techniques include persistent observation with continuous and prolonged investigation of the research study with consideration to rival explanations. Replication of the chosen study method to other cases (of which may include extreme scenarios) provides the opportunity to gain validity of findings and the methodological approach used, by means of a representative study group to allow for reliable generalisations to be made. Triangulation, verification of researcher effects and weighting of the evidence identifies and resolves researcher bias and thick description (Creswell, 1998, cited Onwuegbuzie and Leech, 2005) which may impact on the findings. Debriefing of study participants may obtain valuable feedback from participants also. Moreover, quantitative and qualitative researches represent an interactive range and the role of theory is central for both paradigms. Specifically, in qualitative research the most common purposes are those of theory initiation and theory building, whereas in quantitative research the most typical objectives are those of theory testing and theory modification (Newman Benz, 1998). Clearly, neither tradition is independent of the other, nor can either school encompass the whole research process. Thus, both quantitative and qualitative research techniques are needed to gain a more complete understanding of phenomena (Newman Benz, 1998). Hence, there are many parallels exist between quantitative and qualitative research. Indeed, the purity of a research paradigm is a function of the extent to which the researcher is prepared to conform to its underlying assumptions (Luttrell, Wendy, 2005).This suggests that methodological pluralism (Larsson, 2009) should be promoted, the best way for this to occur is for as many investigators as possible to become pragmatic researchers (Onwuegbuzie and Leech, 2005). Combined research methods and function in the research process A combination of qualitative and quantitative research approaches can assist in practical solutions to overcome limitations of mono-method research discussed for the last 50 years (Kelle, 2006). However, it is rarely addressed in current debates whether it is possible to develop solid methodological strategies for structuring research methods based on that insight of combining qualitative and quantitative methods (Creswell et al., 2003; Tashakkori Teddlie, 2003; Onwuegbuzie Leech, 2005), though there is a broad agreement that a use of multiple methods with complementary strengths and different weaknesses can add value to a single research. Despite this, the discussion provides only sparse information about which designs could overcome which weaknesses of mono-method research. Furthermore, there is still a lack of agreement about the exact classification and terminology of different mixed methods, combined method or multi-method designs which are used in research practice (Tashakkor i Teddlie, 2003, cited Onwuegbuzie Leech, 2005, p:307 ). By starting the research process with a qualitative study, researchers may obtain access to knowledge that helps them to develop the appropriate theoretical concepts and to construct consistent research instruments later on that cover relevant phenomena by consequential and relevant items. Such a design helps to overcome the limited transferability of findings from qualitative research as well as the initially mentioned hazards of the heuristics of commonsense knowledge (Onwuegbuzie and Leech, 2005, p: 307). This approach can help to construct consistent research instruments that cover relevant phenomena by consequential and relevant substances. Meanwhile, combining qualitative and quantitative methods the opposite way could be useful in many cases; that means starting with a quantitative study, followed by qualitative questions (Onwuegbuzie and Leech, 2005; Lund 2005). In this quantitative-qualitative approach, problem areas and research questions are identified by carrying out a quantitative study which will have to be further investigated with the help of qualitative data and methods. The problem of quantitative research addressed by this design is often the difficulty to understand statistical findings without additional socio cultural knowledge. Furthermore, the quantitative part of a sequential quantitative-qualitative design can guide systematic case comparison in the following qualitative inquiry by helping to identify criteria for the selection of cases and by providing a sampling frame (Onwuegbuzie and Leech, 2005; Kelle, 2006). Thus, this design can help to overcome an important threat of validity existing in qualitative research that researchers focus on distant and marginal cases. Another problem of qualitative research can be addressed by this design: it helps to avoid a qualitative study with an outsized scope that covers a domain too wide to be captured with the help of a small qualitative sample. Onwuegbuzie and Leech (2005) give a simple example to understand the above problem: a qualitative study of family life in a contemporary city would have to take into account many more different forms of families than a similar study in a traditional rural community in the first decades of the twentieth century. By drawin g on statistical material about the distribution of different family forms, the minimum requirements for qualitative sampling could be easily captured, and may be well advised to downsize the research question and research domain (Bryman, 2001; Onwuegbuzie and Leech, 2005). On the other hand, a parallel qualitative-quantitative design can fulfil similar functions to a sequential design: the qualitative part of the study can provide information that helps to understand statistical relations, to develop explanations and to identify additional variables that increase variance already explained in the quantitative data. A great benefit of a parallel qualitative-quantitative design is that it helps to identify measurement problems and methodological artefact of both qualitative and quantitative data, as the same persons are interviewed with different techniques (Bryman, 1992 and 2001). However, this parallel design approach encloses an important disadvantage, it is that qualitative sampling and data collection cannot be systematically developed from research questions derived from quantitative data; therefore it can easily be the case that the available qualitative data provide no answers for questions coming from the quantitative study, as they were not col lected for that purpose. Conclusion It is shown throughout this essay that the theoretical approach influences the methodological approach and vice versa. Many studies in sociology use a combination of positivist, interpretivist and, realist ideas. The essay demonstrates that the influence of positivism has inspired much of social research most prevalent research methods. Some of these include surveys, questionnaires and statistical models. Researchers applying a positivist methodology for their study consider large-scale sample surveys and controlled laboratory experiments as suitable research methods. These methods can be justified as they allow positivist researchers to employ empirical and logical quantitative data. While, interpretivism employs qualitative methods to understand people, not to measure them, it attempts to capture reality in interaction, however, does not necessarily exclude quantitative methods. Whereas, quantitative results from a positivist method like a survey are unlikely to provide understandi ng of this deeper reality and therefore should not be a major part of any realism research project, basically, because realism research data are almost always qualitative data about meanings. The essay provides several benefits of performing mixed method research. Researchers of social science use a wide variety of research methods to gain and enhance knowledge and theory. The different types of research methodologies, quantitative and qualitative, are associated with the epistemological and theoretical perspectives the researcher wishes to adopt. The essay demonstrated that quantitative and qualitative methods can fulfil different, yet, complementary purposes within mixed-method designs. Quantitative methods can give an overview ab

Falling into Oblivion :: Education Learning Schooling Papers

Falling into Oblivion Education is the knowledge or skill obtained or developed by a learning process. Education is the field of study concerned with the pedagogy of teaching and learning. The dictionary provides simple definitions of education. We are given a straightforward meaning of what education is, but according to B.F. Skinner, a renowned psychologist, "education is what survives when what has been learned has been forgotten." Ever since I was a little girl, I was constantly reminded how important education is. I went to a Catholic school, and my entire elementary education was spent with nuns, teaching out of the Bible. I soon realized, these nuns were teaching me about people who weren't "formally educated." These people never went to a structured school, like the one I felt I was being forced to attend. They never had to get up early in the morning, wear uniforms, take the bus to school, had classmates, and they were never told by different teachers what to do. Their parents taught them at home, and they just heard stories in the streets, and in the marketplace from their elders. No books existed, and I wasn't quite sure if they had anything to trace their education back to. Who, all of a sudden, decided to teach their young, and to turn that idea into a universal tradition, to keep it going for generations? I sat there and I couldn't help but wonder why these nuns were teaching me about people, whom I saw, as uneducated. I felt the entire biblical course was irrelevant. I thought I was in school to learn, so what could I possibly learn from people who didn't even know what a book was, or who probably couldn't read from a book even if they did? Who made the decision what we should learn or if we should even learn at all? Why have we stressed the importance of education historically? Education's purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one. Knowledge is first acquired from open-mindedness. As much as we might want to, we can't filter through what is being taught to us. We cant' choose the things we want to learn and claim we are educated. We can't read a book written by a black author and not know what his background is or have some knowledge and understanding of the history of his people.