The Comparison Of Convenience And Sampling - Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss about The Comparison Of Convenience And Sampling. Answer: Introduction Brexit refers to the Britains exit from the European Union (EU). On June 23, 2016, the citizens of Great Britain voted for the referendum to exit the EU and the outcome had a shocking effect on the British as well as global economy. UK got a new Prime Minister, Theresa May as David Cameron stepped down from the post. The Brexit is expected to have a severe impact not only on the British economy, but on Ireland also, as the Irish economy is heavily connected with the British economy in terms of high level of trade and due to shared border of the country (Hobolt 2016). According to the experts, Brexit will have significant effect on the major sectors of the Irish economy, including banking or finance, education, agriculture and food production, real estate, health, hospitality, insurance, pharmaceuticals, technology and software and many other industries (Barrett et al. 2015). The research paper aims to find out the effect of Brexit on the banking industry of Ireland in the years of 20 18-2022. Among many other industries, the researcher has chosen the banking sector, that is, finance sector of Ireland due to its huge economic importance. As stated by McLeay, Radia and Thomas (2014), the finance sector of a country is the backbone of the economy and it determines how the economy will flow in the future. The impact of Brexit on the banking will affect the entire Irish economy as the production, consumption and trade decisions and the government of Ireland has to act accordingly to incorporate the Brexit effects. Thus, in this research proposal, the researcher aims to find out how far the Brexit is spreading its effect on the banking sector of Ireland from 2018 to 2022. Research objectives The objectives of the research are: To find out the factors that impacts the performance of the banking sector of Ireland. To find out the impact of Brexit on the money supply in the economy To find out the impact of Brexit on the interest rate, savings, investment and foreign capital inflow in Ireland Research hypothesis H0 (null hypothesis): Brexit has no significant impact on the Banking sector of Ireland. H1 (alternate hypothesis): Brexit has significant impact on the Banking sector of Ireland. Research strategy Research strategy refers to the plan of the researcher to move in the proper direction to fulfill the research objectives. There can be two ways of conducting a research, exploratory and explanatory. Under the exploratory approach, the researcher will explore the research topic to derive a new theory from the study. This is also known as inductive research. On the other hand, explanatory research refers to the approach where the researcher will explain the research topic on the basis of already established theories. This strategy follows the deductive approach of research. Under deductive approach, the researcher does not focus on generating new theories from the data; rather the research subject is explained or tested on the basis of established theories. In the following research, the researcher will be choosing the explanatory research strategy under the deductive research approach. To fulfill the research objectives, the researcher has to find out relevant and supporting data from the banking sector and the economic condition of Ireland and relate to the research objectives. He needs to collect the data on the factors influencing the performance of the Irish banking sector, impact of Brexit on the money supply in the economy and on the monetary and fiscal policies of the government, influencing the macroeconomic factors, such as, savings, investment, production, interest rate and foreign capital inflow into the economy. To come to a conclusion, the researcher will be analyzing those data and observations on the basis of established literature and theories and present the explanations. The researcher will not be using exploratory and financeresearch approach because, to address the issue, the researcher does not need to explore a new topic or generate a new theory from the research. Rather, he has to explain the phenomenon on the basis of some observation and collected data. He does not need to invent a new theory from the data. Thus, he should apply the deductive approach of research and explanatory research strategy to find out the impact of Brexit on the banking sector of Ireland and its implications on the Irish economy. Research design and methodology Research design is the basic plan of the researcher to choose a way to address the research topic. Various types of research design are available, such as, case study, experiment, narrative, ethnography and grounded theory. Based on the requirement, the researcher chooses the best strategy. For the following study, the researcher will be adopting the case study approach. This approach is helpful in testing the research topic through empirical investigation, supported by the data collected from the sample. Bank of Ireland, which is one of the major banks of Ireland, will be chosen as the case study company and the employees and officers will be asked to fill up a survey questionnaire to throw some light on the factors influencing the performance of the bank after the Brexit referendum and also on the monetary and fiscal policies of the bank, taken to control the economic condition of the country. The case study research design is best suitable for this research because it is quite difficult to get the data on the banking industry from each of the Irish banks and compilation of the data becomes complex too. The chance of error also increases if the sample size is too big. Ethnography cannot be chosen as that focuses on the culture or context and impact of Brexit on the Irish banking sector cannot be addressed by this approach. Individual stories and experience will also not lead to the desired outcome, thus narrative approach is also not chosen. Thus, the researcher will be choosing only one bank and collect the primary data from that. Research methodology depicts the processes that would be followed by the researcher to conduct the research study. Two types of methodologies are generally used by the researchers while conducting a research, namely, qualitative and quantitative. The qualitative approach is generally used for exploratory research when there is need to understand the opinions and reasons for gaining an insight into the research topic. On the other hand, quantitative research is helpful in empirical investigation and application of scientific tools to reach to a conclusion. It proves the research hypothesis scientifically. Thus, this method is more logical and has wide acceptability. In the following research study on the banking sector of Ireland, the researcher will be choosing the quantitative method. For quantitative study, the researcher will be collecting primary data by conducting a survey on the employees of Bank of Ireland. Those data will be analyzed statistically to get scientific results. The researcher will also be collecting some secondary statistical data of the performance of the bank from its annual reports, websites, newspapers and journal articles to validate the results obtained from the primary data. The secondary data will be analyzed using thematic analysis under quantitative methodology. Following the explanation by Brannen (2017), using quantitative method is advantageous in this research study, because using statistical method helps in achieving the results in a more scientific and logical way. Sampling method In a research study, when the researcher will be collecting primary data through survey, a sample of respondents should be chosen from the population. Sample is a part of the total population that displays the similar features of the population. There are various types of sampling methods to draw an appropriate sample from the population. Most commonly used sampling technique is the simple random sampling. It is one type of probability sampling and in this sampling, the chances of selection of each of the sample is equal. This process of sampling is unbiased. Another type of sampling is the non-probability sampling and various types are quota sampling, purposive sampling, snowball sampling, self-selection sampling and convenience sampling. Among these, purpose sampling is most commonly used. This is a subjective or selective sampling and applied when the researcher has a specific goal. In this research, the researcher will be applying the purposive sampling method to draw the sample for his survey. The sample would be drawn from the population who has working experience of more than 8 years in the bank. As the issue of Brexit has severe implications, hence, it is assumed that the employees, who have a longer experience with the banking system, will have a better understanding of the economic condition. Other types of sampling are not used because, the researcher already has a criterion of choosing the respondents and hence, probability sampling methods or other type of non-probability methods will not be relevant. Thus, purposive non-probability sampling is the best method in this case, which is expected to bring a more precise outcome of the survey. Research instruments used Research instruments are those, which are used to collect the data and measure the responses of the respondents. Merriam and Tisdell (2015) highlight that the instruments are of two types, namely, researcher completed and subject completed. Rating scales, flowcharts, interview guides and schedules, observation forms, performance checklists, etc. are researcher completed instruments. On the other hand, survey questionnaires, attitude scales, self-checklists, aptitude tests, personality inventories etc. are subject completed instruments. In this research, the instruments used for data collection are survey questionnaire and reading. To collect the primary data, the researcher will prepare a survey questionnaire with 10-15 close ended questions and circulate the survey form to a specific number of people. For the secondary data, the researcher will do extensive reading of various sources of information. Other types of instruments are not used because only questionnaire can reach out to the respondents in an easier and quicker way, and without reading, no information can be captured. The validity and reliability of the instruments are important in any research. If an instrument can measure and perform as expected, it is considered to be a valid instrument. In case of the questionnaire and reading by the researcher, both the instruments are useful in collection of the data. Reliability describes the consistency of the data. The researcher will be performing the reliability test on the survey responses and measure the score on the basis of Cronbachs alpha. For reliability of the secondary data, the researcher will be using scholarly articles from various authentic sources, such as, journals, books, newspapers, government and other official websites. This makes the collected data reliable and the outcomes can be trusted. Data analysis techniques proposed Data analysis is an integral part of any research study. A research paper cannot be completed and cannot reach to a conclusion unless the topic is tested through some data analysis. The researcher must choose the proper data type and its suitable analysis method to reach to a valid outcome. There are two types of data analysis techniques, namely, qualitative and quantitative. Statistical analysis is the part of quantitative analysis of data. Qualitative analysis comprises of objective analysis. In the given research, as the researcher has chosen the quantitative method of research, hence, he has to use the quantitative data analysis techniques. The response data of the survey will be analyzed using statistical tools. The questionnaire for the survey will be designed by using 10-15 close ended questions, whose responses can be converted into likert scale values. This helps in converting the responses into numerical variables, required for statistical analysis. When the data collection is completed, the researcher has to choose the software to apply the statistics on the data. In the universities, SPSS software is most commonly used for data analysis in the research studies. It stands for Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. The most relevant statistical operation is chosen from different functions as per the data and requirement of the research. Descriptive statistics, correlations, regressions, reliability test, ANOVA, t-tests are some of the common functions that a re applied for statistical analysis. The graphs and charts will be used to illustrate the features of the data or the results. The secondary data will be analyzed using quantitative techniques. Based on the statistical characteristics of the data and expected outcome, the researcher has chosen the thematic analysis method. The data on the banking activities, interest rates, monetary and fiscal policies and other economic conditions will be collected from various websites and the reports of the Bank of Ireland and the information will be analyzed using thematic analysis. Grounded theory is an inductive methodology, which is not followed in this case. Interviews are also not conducted as that would widen the range of opinions and suggestions and data interpretation will be robust. Estimated timeline and budget for research Estimated timeline: Month Task 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Making a strategy Making a framework Literature review Primary data collection Conducting survey Secondary data collection Data analysis Presenting the findings and discussion Providing the conclusion Thesis submission Table 1: Timeline for the research (Source: Author) Estimated budget: Items Amount Arranging equipment 100.00 Visit to library for literature study 40.00 Making the questionnaire using Google form - Visit to Bank of Ireland for survey 55.00 Circulating the questionnaire through emails - Installing SPSS 55.00 Miscellaneous expenses (For example. Purchasing of a book, journal or annual report of Bank of Ireland, cost of print out, subscription charges, etc.) 250.00 Total 500.00 Table 2: Estimated budget (Source: Author) Conclusion Conducting a research in a proper manner requires a well designed framework. Without an outline or research strategy, the researcher will not be able to keep the focus to get the desired outcome. In the given research, the researcher will be conducting a study to find out the impact of Brexit on the banking sector of Ireland for the years 2018 to 2022. The above report describes the research objectives, research hypothesis, methodology, sampling techniques, research instruments, data analysis techniques, estimated timeline and budget for the research. The research hypothesis is designed to test the notion that if Brexit has significant impact on the functions and performances of the banking sector of Ireland. The hypothesis needs to be tested using quantitative method and statistical tools to reach to the decision in a scientific and logical way. It is seen that, for conducting a research on such a contemporary topic needs primary and secondary data. Both the types of data will be an alyzed using quantitative method. Qualitative analysis is majorly dependent on the perception, knowledge of the researcher and can lead to biased outcomes. Hence, this methodology is not preferred by the researcher in this case. Case study approach helps in narrowing down the subject, which is beneficial for data collection and analysis. Purposive sampling is the most suitable sampling method as the researcher expects that experienced participants can provide better answers on the banking measures and economic condition of the country. Survey method will be chosen due to its better, easier and quicker accessibility to the responses. After the data collection, the researcher will be using statistical tools for primary data analysis and thematic approach for secondary data analysis. The research is expected to be completed within 12 months, by the end of 2018 and within an estimated budget of 500. Bibliography Badke, W., 2017.Research strategies: Finding your way through the information fog. iUniverse. Barrett, A., Bergin, A., FitzGerald, J., Lambert, D., McCoy, D., Morgenroth, E., Siedschlag, I. and Studnicka, Z., 2015.Scoping the possible economic implications of Brexit on Ireland. Dublin: Economic and Social Research Institute. Bernard, H.R., 2017.Research methods in anthropology: Qualitative and quantitative approaches. Rowman Littlefield. Brannen, J. ed., 2017.Mixing methods: Qualitative and quantitative research. Routledge. Bryman, A. and Bell, E., 2015.Business research methods. Oxford University Press, USA. Bryman, A., 2015.Social research methods. Oxford university press. Cramr, H., 2016.Mathematical methods of statistics (PMS-9)(Vol. 9). Princeton university press. Creswell, J.W., 2014.A concise introduction to mixed methods research. Sage Publications. Csikszentmihalyi, M. and Larson, R., 2014. Validity and reliability of the experience-sampling method. InFlow and the foundations of positive psychology(pp. 35-54). Springer Netherlands. Etikan, I., Musa, S.A. and Alkassim, R.S., 2016. Comparison of convenience sampling and purposive sampling.American Journal of Theoretical and Applied Statistics,5(1), pp.1-4. Hobolt, S.B., 2016. The Brexit vote: a divided nation, a divided continent.Journal of European Public Policy,23(9), pp.1259-1277. McCusker, K. and Gunaydin, S., 2015. Research using qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods and choice based on the research.Perfusion,30(7), pp.537-542. McLeay, M., Radia, A. and Thomas, R., 2014. Money creation in the modern economy. Merriam, S.B. and Tisdell, E.J., 2015.Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation. John Wiley Sons. Mertens, D.M., 2014.Research and evaluation in education and psychology: Integrating diversity with quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods. Sage publications. Neuman, W.L. and Robson, K., 2014.Basics of social research. Pearson Canada. Patten, M.L., 2016.Proposing empirical research: A guide to the fundamentals. Taylor Francis. Rohatgi, V.K. and Saleh, A.M.E., 2015.An introduction to probability and statistics. John Wiley Sons. Sekaran, U. and Bougie, R., 2016.Research methods for business: A skill building approach. John Wiley Sons.

This Land Is Your Land free essay sample

Aaron Millsap J. Dunn Eng. 201 7/20/2010 This Land is Your Land The term â€Å"American† has always been loved and hated by every country in the world. Foreigners that legally immigrate to the United States need to have a reason. Do immigrants do so because they want a better life for their families, a place that you don’t have to worry about bombs exploding, or if you speak up you put your life at risk? Being an American means that you want to practice and protect freedom because the conditions of their immigrating match our fore fathers reasons. The value of historically analyzing immigration is a key argument to backing my thesis. Lets look at it like this. When the first foreigners set foot on American soil they did so looking for a new land and freedom. Low and behold they couldn’t speak the Native American language. This is exactly what the short story, â€Å"The Gift of Language† talks about. We will write a custom essay sample on This Land Is Your Land or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Lan Cao writes that when her mother came to the United States she felt overwhelmed by the difficulties of being a foreigner. But Lan’s mother was going through the same crisis our forefathers had to when they immigrated. Learning the language and a new culture is part of being a foreigner. The Associated Press Stylebook defines the word American as, â€Å"An acceptable description for a resident of the United States. It also may be applied to any resident or citizen of nations in North or South America I believe this is the closest â€Å"technical† explanation of the word American. Now I believe that the correct term for a citizen of the United States should be US-ian (Webster88). In the political and census view of Americanism one who is Chinese is labeled â€Å"Chinese American, but one who is white is labeled Caucasian, not American (USCensus). The process of being â€Å"politically correct† has ultimately split everyone into sub-American categories, not generalizing our citizens as a whole community of Americans. If an American immigrates to Egypt, do they become an American Egyptian? Not likely. The United States is one of the only countries to classify people on there race because so many people want to be American. Immigrating to the United States as Firoozeh Dumas and his brother did in, â€Å"The â€Å"F-Word†Ã¢â‚¬ , is a socially difficult process. Having a difficult name or pronouncing a word the way it would sound in your language are one of a million awkward and tense social situations a foreigner goes through. Imagine not being able to order food or get a job just because you cant speak English. This is why I believe all legal immigrants should have to go through a culture and language class. The first and last verse of, â€Å"This Land is your land,† explains being American: This land is your land, this land is my land From California, to the New York Island From the redwood forest, to the gulf stream waters This land was made for you and me. † â€Å"In the squares of the city In the shadow of the steeple Near the relief office I see my people And some are grumblin and some are wonderin If this lands still made for you and me. † In the first verse the writ er touches on how from coast to coast, if you’re here â€Å"this land was made for you and me. But when the song closes the writer says, â€Å"I see my people and some are grumblin and some are wonderin If this lands still made for you and me. † The tension that exists between new immigrants and naturalized immigrants is ever rising. How many times have you heard, or even said, something like â€Å"Go back to where you came from† or anything else to that extent or more? Probably more than you think. â€Å"As of 2000, roughly half of Americans believed that whites had become a numerical minority† (Alba 88). Being a white American I can say this is true especially in major cities across the nation. Since the 1960’s the amount of immigration has been rising . In fact Bill Clinton said this in a 1998 speech at Portland University, â€Å"A half century from now, when your grandchildren are in college, there will be no majority race in America. † Slowly but surely Bill Clinton is right. I think by that time there will be so many different mutts of people that we, as Americans, will create our own race of people. In some ways this is alarming to many people. On May 1st, 2007 news stations around the country reported on the alleged plot to massacre thousands of Mexican immigrants. The Group, Alabama Free Militia, were planning on using deadly force to eradicate Mexicans by stockpiling 130 grenades, a grenade launcher, a machine gun, short barreled shot-guns, two silencers, numerous other firearms, 2500 rounds of ammunition, explosive components, approximately 70 improvised explosive devices, commercial fireworks, and enough ammunition to fill a U-Haul trailer (Opinionbug. om) This crazy idea of people so angry about immigration is appalling. To think you would take some ones life because they were not legal. My personal feelings on legal immigration and foreigners are a little more compassionate than the Alabama Free Militia’s. This country was founded by immigrants, built and governed by them. Special laws were placed so that people immigrating legally had a safe place to call home. In return these legal immigrants would pay taxes , follow our laws and register with government agencies to better America. Those, I believe, that have broken our immigration laws and came here illegally are doing more damage than their legal counterparts. But us Americans are so lenient on the illegal part of immigrants that it ultimately makes all immigrants seem â€Å"illegal† in Americans eyes. This is why I believe a portion of Americans believe if you don’t speak English or are not American culture knowledgeable than you don’t belong here In conclusion, I believe being a foreigner is more American than being â€Å"American. Hundreds of years of immigration has made us who we are today. Laws, traditions, religion, and language have all been at the forefront of shaping our great country. With out these great people hundreds of contributions to science and business would be forever lost in translation. Civil human rights would be lacking, and the United States could have been a dictatorship. All of the struggles foreigners have dealt with in there homeland have immigrated with the m, only to make our country more aware of each other

Essay Samples in French Online - Learning the Language is Easy With This

Essay Samples in French Online - Learning the Language is Easy With ThisIf you want to polish your writing skills, then you may find that there are essay samples in French online. In fact, if you are a college student, this would be a great idea for you to learn a new language. The process of learning a foreign language is no doubt exciting, but at the same time, you need to take the necessary steps to make sure that you can read and write the language.It's not that you can't learn a foreign language on your own, it's just that if you don't have the right tools, then you may find that it is more difficult than you thought. Although you can do so, there is always the risk that you won't understand the language or that you may misunderstand it. In short, you are bound to fail at times.Now, you may think that writing essays in French online is not an option for you, because you are not fluent in the language. Even if you are not fluent in it, you may still have the desire to learn. For instance, there are people who would rather study a foreign language because they believe that the languages are better for them. The best thing about these types of people is that they are able to speak the language and should thus be able to comprehend the written word.Obviously, writing a written piece in French will be much more challenging than writing it in English. Even though English has its advantages, it's still possible to teach yourself how to write a good essay. Here are some essay samples in French online that you can find out today. You may also choose to do the same as you will know that these will help you get started.The most common questions for those who are learning English is when will they be able to start learning and writing in the language. There are plenty of ways to learn English, including online courses, online dictionaries, and online courses, and a variety of others. In order to make sure that you can learn well, there are ways to teach yourself a lot of words as well as proper grammar.If you really want to master the English language, then you need to enroll in a course where you can learn from. These courses are generally made up of language learners and they can help you if you want to become a good English writer. These are among the best essay samples in French online that you can find out today.In summary, it's important to remember that there are several ways to learn English. If you already know how to speak English, then you will certainly have the benefit of learning by reading. Here are some essay samples in French online that you can find out today.

How to Write a Marketing Research Paper

How to Write a Marketing Research Paper The necessity of writing research papers is like a ghost persistently following the students in all of the educational establishments. There seems to be no way out except mastering the art of writing research papers which includes outlining, composing, and formatting. The need to write good research papers is quite common among marketing students as well as students in other fields of study. They face the process of researching and writing research papers for their studies in marketing at least several times in their academic career. If you are one of those poor souls, you have definitely to come face-to-face with the challenges of completing a research paper associated with your study of marketing. First of all you need to choose the topic for your future paper. The choice may be done at the suggestion of your scientific advisor or professor or by you, the author, based on your scientific preferences and interests. The topic selecting procedure should be followed by a careful review of the existing literature devoted to your marketing problem. It is almost impossible to be fresh and unique when selecting the topic, so you will need to settle for the fact that history repeats itself. This means that several marketing researchers have previously investigated the problem chosen by you. You will, of course, build upon their knowledge and do your best to incorporate the already existing works. Be sure to use only reliable sources (encyclopedias and solid scientific magazines etc.), rather than utilizing less than reputable resources. Once the literature review is completed, you are to state the purpose, problem and methodology for your proposed study. Depending on the purpose of your study, the methodology employed for Marketing research paper may vary. You are welcome to choose a wide range of research techniques (product or package evaluation, advertising research, win-loss evaluation etc.) as well as advanced analytics (choice modeling, sales forecasting) or data collection methodologies (tracking or online research etc.). The selected investigation method will lead you to forming the strategies of your research – first, ranking, and minor ones. General guidelines for the formatting of your marketing research paper may be provided by you tutor. The tutor will explain to you how the final paper should appear, which aspects are to be touched upon etc. Your paper will be greatly enhanced by the use of such visual aids as tables, charts, diagrams and so on. This will help to engage the reader in your findings and conclusions. The purposeful use of visuals will also lend your paper a scholarly feel. When the process of Marketing research paper composing comes to the finalizing stages, you are to proofread and spell-check your work carefully. The top-off procedure of â€Å"polishing† the paper needs thoroughness and attention. Do not be in a hurry; try to look at the paper with fresh eyes. This will make the process of reading your paper easier and more enjoyable for your intended audience if you manage to correct all the errors.

All About Geography Questions and Answers

All About Geography Questions and Answers While the word geography is derived from Greek and literally means to write about the earth, the subject of geography is much more than describing foreign places or memorizing the names of capitals and countries. Geography is an all-encompassing discipline that seeks to understand the world - Â  its human and physical features - through an understanding of place and location. Geographers study where things are and how they got there. My favorite definitions for geography are the bridge between the human and physical sciences and the mother of all sciences. Geography looks at the spatial connection between people, places, and the earth. How Is Geography Different from Geology? Many people have an idea of what a geologist does but dont have any idea of what a geographer does. While geography is commonly divided into human geography and physical geography, the difference between physical geography and geology is often confusing. Geographers tend to study the surface of the earth, its landscapes, its features, and why they are where they are. Geologists look deeper into the earth than do geographers and study its rocks, the internal processes of the earth (such as plate tectonics and volcanoes), and study periods of earth history many millions and even billions of years ago. How Does One Become a Geographer? An undergraduate (college or university) education in geography is an important beginning to becoming a geographer. With a bachelors degree in geography, a geography student can begin working in a variety of fields. While many students begin their career after achieving an undergraduate education, others continue on. A masters degree in geography is very helpful for the student who desires to teach at the high school or community college level, to be a cartographer or GIS specialist, of work in business or government. A doctorate in geography (Ph.D.) is necessary if one wishes to become a full professor at a university. Although, many Ph.D.s in geography continue on to form consulting firms, become administrators in government agencies, or attain high-level research positions in corporations or think-tanks. The best resource for learning about colleges and universities that offer degrees in geography is the annual publication of the Association of American Geographers, the Guide to Programs in Geography in the United States and Canada. What Does a Geographer Do? Unfortunately, the job title of geographer is not often found in companies or government agencies (with the most notable exception of the U.S. Census Bureau). However, more and more companies are recognizing the skill that a geographically-trained individual brings to the table. Youll find many geographers working as planners, cartographers (map makers), GIS specialists, analysis, scientists, researchers, and many other positions. Youll also find many geographers working as instructors, professors, and researchers at schools, colleges, and universities. Why Is Geography Important? Being able to view the world geographically is a fundamental skill for everyone. Understanding the connection between the environment and people, geography ties together diverse sciences as geology, biology, and climatology with economics, history, and politics based on location. Geographers understand conflict around the world because so many factors are involved. Who Are the Fathers of Geography? The Greek scholar Eratosthenes, who measured the circumference of the earth and was the first to use the word geography, is commonly called the father of geography. Alexander von Humboldt is commonly called the father of modern geography and William Morris Davis is commonly called the father of American geography. How Can I Learn More About Geography? Taking geography courses, reading geography books, and, of course, exploring this site are great ways to learn. You can increase your geographic literacy of places around the world by getting a good atlas, such as Goodes World Atlas and use it to look up unfamiliar places anytime you encounter them while reading or watching the news. Before long, youll have a great knowledge of where places are. Reading travelogues and historical books can also help improve your geographic literacy and understanding of the world - Â  theyre some of my favorite things to read. What Is the Future of Geography? Things are looking up for geography! More and more schools across the United States are offering or requiring geography be taught at all levels, especially high school. The introduction of the Advanced Placement Human Geography course in high schools in the 2000-2001 school year increased the number of college-ready geography majors, thus increasing the numbers of geography students in undergraduate programs. New geography teachers and professors are needed in all areas of the educational system as more students begin learning geography. GIS (Geographic Information Systems) has become popular in many different disciplines and not just geography. The career opportunities for geographers with technical skills, especially in the area of GIS, is excellent and should continue to grow.

Theism in a Postmodern World Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Theism in a Postmodern World - Essay Example One, religion in ancient times was in very close relation with the secular government. For example, the pharaohs in Egypt as well as the Emperors in Rome, represented deities that had to be worshiped. They also represented high priests and performed or played a part many religious customs. The Christians' refusal to except the divine nature of the roman emperor seemed as a direct opposition to the emperor's political power, and this reason prompted the Caesars to persecute the Christian faith. The second reason is the teaching of equality and the nature of the afterlife presented through evangelism. The belief that the one omnipotent God will comfort the weak and the poor and will punish the rich and merciless aristocracy represented a social idea that quickly spread through the majority of the disenfranchised population. This was seen as a possible threat to the political power of the roman emperor and aristocracy. By the beginning of the forth century, Christianity became a widespread religion in the Roman world. This forced the roman emperor Constantine to proclaim that Christianity is a free and equal religion. Constantine himself also was baptised and became a Christian. As the empire was divided, so was the influence of the church. In the West, as the political power of the Emperor diminished, the church and the Bishop of Rome, gained larger political and cultural roles in the West Roman Empire. In the East, there was an enormous influence of the church in political matter, but nevertheless, the main secular power remained in the hands of Constantinople's rulers. During the middle Ages, the influence of the Church in state matters and in culture during the period is self-evident. Despite the Great Schism in 1054, when the church was divided in Western Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox, both churches retained enormous political influence. The Pope anointed Christian secular rulers in Europe, and the anointment itself presented the ruler's of Europe as rulers chosen by God himself. It also had an influence over the European continent as a whole, being the main progenitor of the Crusades, as a result of the Turkish conquests in the Middle East. As stated previously, the church and generally Christianity had a major influence on the way of life and culture in the middle ages. Paintings and other art works were exclusively of religious nature. Most literature works were connected with doctrinal law, including the writings of St. Augustine and St. Thomas of Acquitane. Another important fact that has to be mentioned is the fact that secular laws were in close connection with canonical laws. This provided the church with means to influence the lives of everyday citizens of the European kingdoms. Practicing prostitution, homosexuality or even expressing certain scientific ideas that were opposed to the church's beliefs were punished. Most notably, the existence of the Inquisition and the witch-hunts that were performed by this church institution expressed the influence the church had over the live of ordinary people. During

Assess the representation of women in eighteenth-century literature Essay

Assess the representation of women in eighteenth-century literature - Essay Example We might take issue with this, but it is easy to see why the novel has been such a keen topic for feminist criticism. In Sense and Sensibility, Austen draws on her own experiences as a young woman to understand the position of women deprived of economic means. It is of course notable that Austen was herself a rarity at the time – an independent female writer, and Sense and Sensibility, her first published novel, was originally published under the pseudonym, ‘A Lady’. Defoe’s Moll Flanders, like several of his other novels, is presented in the form of an autobiography. The character, in this case Moll, is looking back on her life and, as Pollak suggests, is ‘attempting to make sense of it through the act of writing’ (p.139). There is some question over the position of Defoe in presenting the immorality and deprivation of Moll’s past life. Through writing, is he attempting to discourage such immorality by exposing it to the light of day an d public criticism, or is he taking advantage of the excitement readers feel for the forbidden, the lowlife, and the illicit. The latter is surely the case to some extent. There is even some question as to the sincerity of Moll’s conversion from immorality. Defoe writes that she is no longer ‘so extraordinary a Penitent, as she was at first’ (p.5). ... a tool to make the story appear more genuine and authentic for readers, it is possible that Defoe is leaving room for doubt as to his own opinions on women and the position they are given in the society of his novels. As Pollak writes, this ploy ‘works subtly and perhaps surprisingly to unsettle the very truths about gender that his plots seem to affirm’ (p.141). At this juncture, it is worth recalling the terms in which Defoe, writing as the editor of Moll’s racy account, describes the severe difficulty faced in his task. He has had â€Å"no little difficult to put it [Moll’s account] into a Dress fit to be seen, and to make it speak language fit to be read. When a Woman debauch’d from her Youth, nay, even being the Off-spring of Debauchery and Vice, comes to give an Account of all her vicious Practices...an Author must be hard put to wrap it up so clean’ (p.1). There is an air here of Moll being a fallen woman, and being tainted by all that she has engaged in. In this comment by the editor, there is an even a sense of his distaste at handling such material. However, as noted above, at many points Defoe continues to be ambiguous about his own opinion of Moll and her failings. We are left with the fundamental question: is she an immoral soul, or a woman forced by the circumstances of her gender to stoop to low acts in order to seek independence. Defoe adopts a similarly ambiguous position in his presentation of the prescribed roles for women in contemporary society. Moll recounts, in the course of her account, being mocked as a child for believing that she could one day become a gentlewoman by working for an honest livelihood. In this instance, we must ask, as does Pollak, ‘Is the older, more experienced Moll simply exposing her earlier childish ignorance