Mock Request for Proposal - 1105 Words

Request for Proposals Ethan Binkley ENG/221 April 23, 2013 Request for Proposals (RFP) for: A a t Administrative Assistant Temps Microsoft Office Training Services Administrative Assistant Temps (AAT) 555 N. Business Park Avenue Nowhere NY 95952 Section 1: INTRODUCTION TO THE COMPANY 1.1 Introduction Administrative Assistant Temps (AAT) is an agency designed to fill short term, administrative and secretarial positions for companies around the globe. We have been in business since 1990 and have more than twenty years of work experience. The men and women that make up our staff are trained in all aspects of administrative and secretarial duties, and are known for their professionalism throughout the†¦show more content†¦Central Standard Time. A vendor will be selected no later than two weeks after May 1st, 2013. Vendors will be selected based on the following criteria. 1. Qualifications and certifications of their employed trainers 2. Length of time they have been in business. 3. Reputation within the business community. 4. Their ability to work in conjunction with AAT and its affiliates. 5. The content of their references (if provided). CLOSING We here at Administrative Assistant Temps would like to thank you in advance for your proposal. We are excited and looking forward to working with other professionals as passionate about progress as we are. REFERENCES Dobrin, S. I., Keller, C. J., amp; Weisser, C. R. (2010). Technical Communication in the Twenty First Century (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Request For Proposals. (n.d.). Retrieved fromShow MoreRelatedA Modest Proposal Response846 Words   |  4 PagesModest Proposal Response Emily Pendyk Parsons AP English 11 December 18, 2011 Dear Mr. Smarmy: I am writing in response to your request of the elimination of Jonathan Swift’s â€Å"A Modest Proposal† from the classrooms, libraries, and the school system as a whole. 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Based on the discussion and objectives set for the newsletter, the RT will search for the content (e.g., Brexit information / updates)

William Shakespeares Dramatic Use of the Supernatural in...

William Shakespeares Dramatic Use of the Supernatural in Macbeth Be sure to include the witches, the dagger, Banquos ghost, the apparitions and the Old man. There are many themes in Macbeth like ambition, loyalty and hypocrisy but Shakespeare has used the theme of the supernatural to create dramatic emphasis and suspicion. He has used the witches, dagger, Banquos ghost, the apparitions and the old man to create to add an element of the supernatural to Macbeth. Throughout the play the witches create a sense of mystery. The opening scene is significant because it puts the audience in fear. Fair is foul, and foul is fair This quote by the three witches is echoed throughout the play†¦show more content†¦The person has to choose there own destiny and Macbeth chooses to commit murders in order to get what he wants. And which is worse, all you have done Hath been but for a wayward son. This quote said be Hecate suggests that Macbeth planned his own destiny and the witches did not make him do anything. The witches do not tell Macbeth to kill Duncan or commit any other murders he does this by himself with the help of Lady Macbeth who tempts him so she can become queen. To alter favour ever is to fear. Leave all the rest to me. One murder leads to another and Macbeth feels that everyone is out to get him. This motivates him to meet the witches again who tell Macbeth 3 prophecies: that he should fear Macduff, he cannot be harmed by one born of a woman and that he is secure until Birnan Wood comes to Dunsinane. Throughout the play the witches appear and warn, predict and tempt Macbeth but in the end it was Macbeth who chose to commit all the murders. Apart from the witches, Shakespeare uses the dagger in Act 2 Scene 1 to make use of the supernatural. Banquo has a premonition that something is going to go wrong after his and Macbeths meeting with the witches. He talks to Macbeth about the witches who have given him reason to believe in them. I dreamd last night of the three weirdShow MoreRelated The Supernatural in Shakespeares Works Essay1747 Words   |  7 PagesThe Supernatural in Shakespeares Works No one questions the fact that William Shakespeare is a pure genius when it comes to creating immortal characters whose characteristics transcends those of the normal supernatural beings, but most students of literature agree that his uses of the supernatural aren’t merely figments of his creative imagination. Every man, woman, and child is influenced by the age into which they are born and Shakespeare was no exception. Not only does his use of supernaturalRead MoreOccult and Supernatural Elements in Macbeth1402 Words   |  6 PagesAlthough Macbeth is not classed as being a supernatural play or a play of the occult, there are some elements in the play that Shakespeare uses to effect. 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In Shakespeares time, most people believed in witches and witchcraft and they were the objects of morbid and fevered fascination. Persecution reached terrifying proportions. Between 1560 and

Perspectives on Society and Culture Essay Example For Students

Perspectives on Society and Culture Essay It is very difficult as a reader to make any sense of the ritualsperformed by the Nacirema. The Nacirema are a people who stress the importanceof physical wellness and go to great and to the outsider horrific lengths toensure this. A professor Linton was the first to shed light on the particularlybizarre lifestyle that is lived by the Nacirema. Physical wellness being soheavily stressed is not the bizarre aspect, it is the spiritual sense andseemingly blind faith they put into their beliefs that is bewildering. Thesepeople believe the human body is ugly and that it breeds disease. The Naciremapray daily through a private shrine in there house to , what seems to me cleanseand prevent, what to them lurks and breeds in our body. It is believed by thepeople that there is magical forces possesed in a chest in the shrine. Theseforces or magic is supplied through text by a medicine man who holds very highstature among the Nacirema. One part of the body that is seen to be excpeciallyunholy is the mouth. One major part of the cleansing of the mouth is done onceor twice a year by the holy mouth men. This is where the man uses exotic instruments to open holes larger indecaying teeth or even healthy teeth. The teeth, with nerve exposed, are stuffedwithmagicalmaterial to arrest decay. To the outsider this is torturous. Thereare many other disturbing body cleansing rituals like the baking of womensheads scheduled by the patterns of the moon. This culture is one of manycultures who put there faith in past on beliefs and go to seemingly horrificmeasures carrying them out. This article was frightening as well as uplifting to me. What wasfrightening to me is the fact that in the US these disturbing rituals takeplace. As I already stated as an outsider it is very difficult trying to makesense of these customs in terms of my society.I was being quite ethnocentric. Ittook me a while to get my stomach back and realize that these people are borninto this lifestyle. These rituals are apart of the religion they hold dear tothere heart. So yes, to the common white Irish Catholic this may be peculiar,but after some time it occurred to me, the beauty in such strong religiousdevotion. The Nacirema go to great lengths to, in there minds cleanse the unholybody. Although it may turn your stomach as well as mine, I believe we should becultural relativist, step back and respect such deep faith and belief. I alsobelieve there is a lesson to be learned here. For if our society as a wholeupheld and blindly excepted the teachings of our respected religions, we wouldliv e i n a safer and better educated society than we do today. Category: Social Issues

Decision Making and Problem Solving Methods

Question: Discuss about the Decision Making and Problem Solving Methods. Answer: Introduction 7-Eleven Stores Pty. Ltd., Australia is considered to be the first choice as far as convenience is concerned.7-Eleven is a private company, the ownership of which is in the hands of the Withers and Barlow family. The 7-Eleven company which is US based has the license of operating and franchising the 7-Eleven stores IN Australia. The company opened its first store in Australia in 1977 and at present over 615 stores are being operated by the company in the states of Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and very recently it started its operations in Western Australia also. By means of these stores, 7-Eleven carries out over 185 million transactions during the course of a year which results in the generation of sales of almost $3.6 billion. Throughout the world, the company has been operating nearly 55,000 stores in 16 nations and opens almost six days in a day in some part of the world or the other (7-Eleven Stores, 2016). This report will take into account the management problems which are existing in the company in Australia. After the identification of these problems, framing of specific research questions will be done with the view of addressing problems or decisions of the management. A research program will also be designed for this purpose. Research will be carried out subsequent to the sourcing of data from secondary and primary. Thereafter an analysis of the findings will be done along with the identification of alternatives. For bringing improvements in the organizational performance, recommendations will be made. The persuasive report preparation will also be done for showing the manner in which the management can tackle the problem or the decision. Management Problem The biggest chain of convenience stores in Australia, 7-Eleven has been facing issues related to paying most of its staff wages which are as less as $10 per hour prior to tax and the own figures of the company indicate that almost two-thirds of the stores of the company have been ripping off the workers in this way. It has been revealed by the internal documents of the company that between the months of July and August in 2015, the payroll compliance was reviewed by the head office of 7-Eleven in 225 stores. As a result of this it was found out that 69 stores were facing issues in relation to the payroll. On the basis of the review of one month this is equal to one out of every four stores. These activities apparently extended beyond the case of wage frauds and included blackmails and passports as well as drivers licenses of the employees being withheld. The documents also revealed that laws are continuously being flouted and the staff is being underpaid even though they have been ca ught by Fair Work Ombudsman. Further investigations are still in progress (Ferguson et al., 2015). Research Questions What are the issues that the company is facing currently which have resulted in negative publicity for the organisation? What measures should the HR management of the company adopt in order to tackle the above issues? Designing a Research Program The framework which is chosen with the view of carrying out the study is known as the research design (Malhotra, 2011). The full plan in relation to the methods which the researchers will be using for the collection as well as the analysis of data in order to find the proper answers to the research questions will be contained in this part. Exploratory research design will be utilized in this study. The justification for using this design is that it will assist in detailed assessment of the reasons why the company has been getting negative publicity of late in Australia. This will also assist in finding out the measures which can be used by the companys HR managers in order to deal with the above issues. Research Strategy Research strategy comprises the plan for approaching the research questions (Neuman, 2004). The nature of the research strategy may be quantitative as well as qualitative. The study which is being conducted is exploratory in nature and its emphasis is on being descriptive in nature and hence qualitative research will be carried out. To give the researcher higher flexibility in the collection of data under natural settings, the design will be an emergent one (Creswell, 2003). Data Collection The instrument that was used for the collection of the data was an open ended questionnaire. There were five formal questions used for obtaining the responses from the participants who were selected for the study. Four HR managers of the company who are working across Australia were the respondents. The questionnaire was used so that good quality data could be collected and it was structures in accordance with the study so that data that was collected was relevant (Adler Clark, 2011). The questions on the issues related to business practices which are being faced by the company currently and the negative impact that it is having on it. They also included questions on the steps that the company is taking or needs to take for addressing these issues. The collected qualitative data was relevant from the perspective of the research questions. Secondary Research Data Reliable sources were utilized in order to collect secondary data for the study and then the information from the different sources was accumulated. The collection of secondary data for the study was primarily done from the various authentic websites and also the reports appearing in the different periodicals of the country. The publications as well as the academic journals which were relevant to the context of the study were also made use of in order to collect the secondary data. Data validation was done using the triangulation method. Sample for Primary Research The subset of the population that has been selected for the study forms the sample while the sample size is used to denote the number of respondents who comprise the sample (Adler Clark, 2011). For making a selection of the respondents, the method of convenience sampling was utilized and the managers were chosen on the basis of the ease with which they could be accessed by the researchers (Saunders et al., 2009). Secondary Research Reports have indicated that several franchisees of 7-Eleven in Australia have not paid the minimum entitlements that their workers have to the wages. They have also not been paid penalty rates for weekend as well as public holiday, loadings for the nightshifts and also the allowances which under awards that are applicable for a time period that are significant. Besides, employment records have not been maintained accurately and payroll records and time sheets have been fabricated to indicate that the employees have worked for lesser number of hours than they actually have. In some cases the vulnerability of the overseas students have been exploited and their visa restrictions have been used for keeping them silent. The revelations led to the revision of the business model that previously meant that the profits were shared in the ratio of 57:43 between the head office and the franchisees. In the revised models the stores get varied splits on the basis of their profits (Chung, 2016). Research also indicates that the non-compliance problem has a long history and some of them date back to the 1980s (Tham, 2016). Findings and Analysis of Primary Data HR managers of the 7-Eleven in Australia were interviewed for finding out their views on the business practices that were being followed by the franchisees of the company. The findings and the analysis were as follows Three of the four managers interviewed said that although there was a non-compliance of he federal laws with regards to minimum pay obligations and maintaining inaccurate records, it was the franchises of the company which were at fault and the company had nothing to do with the unfair practice. However, all of them were of the opinion that this issue was indeed having a negative impact and was resulting in negative publicity of the company. This, as per the four managers, the company needs to adopt measures for exercising a greater control over its franchises so that such a situation does not arise in future. The issues were being discussed at the top management level and the head office of 7-Eleven and soon the company was expected to come up with a solution to the problem and with measures that would help in controlling a further damage to its already tarnished image. Alternatives and Recommendations In light of the negative publicity that the organization has been facing, it is advisable that an audit is conducted and it should be considered that the business is unable to meet the requirements of minimum pay to its employees. The requirement for this situation is an action plan that should be put in place for rectifying the underpayments on a priority basis and to find out why the situation arose in the first place. The company needs to put in place suitable measures for ensuring that in future no such instances related to unlawful conduct occur and greater control needs to be exerted on the franchisees. It is recommended that the management reviews its business practices to resolve the issue and prevent further damage of the organizations reputation through negative publicity. The best way of combating this challenge will be avoid using the business models that are premised on the arrangements of illegal working. Additionally, the company should enter into a compliance partners hip with Fair Work Ombudsman in order to boost compliance with the federal laws related to the workplace and also review its operating model (McKeith, 2016). The company also needs to handle the complaints of its employees in a better way and keep a track of the demographics of the employees. Laws also need to be more strict for the franchisees (Colman et al., 2016). Self regulatory measures are needed in order to track down systematic non-compliance with the federal laws (The Conversation, 2016). Persuasive Report The case of 7-Eleven has highlighted the presence of non-compliance to the minimum pay obligations and maintenance of employment records by the organization which is a cause of major concern. The case is a good reminder to the HR managers regarding the need of ensuring that their business should meet the obligations of minimum pay to the employees of the organization and maintain employment records accurately. In case they fail to do these things, it can lead to a substantial amount of negative publicity like the one that 7-Eleven is experiencing currently. It might also lead to a number of sanctions for the business which might consist of civil penalties up to $54,000 for each breach along with the compensation orders for any sort of damage that might have been suffered due to the breach. Apart from this, the relevant HR managers as well as other individuals who might be having an involvement in this contravention may also be held liable personally and may be subjected to a civil pe nalty that might go up to an amount of $10,800 for every breach (Aldin, 2015). Thus, the HR managers of the company should audit their existing arrangements of pay in a careful manner in order to make sure that the obligations of minimum pay are satisfied and also the employment records are kept updated. In case of further clarities with respect to minimum entitlements which the staff needs to be provided with on the basis of the number of works that they put in, legal advice may be sought. A sustained change can take place in the behavior if 7-Eleven is able to drive it top-down. Greater control is needed over the franchisees and the company cannot wash its hands off from the mistakes that have been committed by the franchisees. Strong leadership along with strong focus is required for rebuilding a culture that will promote compliance (Australian Government, 2016). Bibliography 7-Eleven Stores, 2016. About 7-Eleven Convenience Stores. [Online] Available at: https://www.7eleven.com.au/about-us [Accessed 20 September 2016]. Adler, E.S. Clark, R., 2011. An Invitation to Social Research: How It's Done. Wadsworth Publishing. Aldin, M., 2015. LESSONS FOR HR MANAGERS FROM THE RECENT 7-ELEVEN SCANDAL. [Online] Available at: https://www.insidehr.com.au/lessons-for-hr-managers-from-the-recent-7-eleven-scandal/ [Accessed 21 September 2016]. Australian Government, 2016. Statement on 7-Eleven. Australian Government. Chung, F., 2016. Panel member says jury is out on whether 7-Eleven can survive without underpaying staff. [Online] Available at: https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/panel-member-says-jury-is-out-on-whether-7eleven-can-survive-without-underpaying-staff/news-story/8f9545ba197f4b58482d05c260ba5586 [Accessed 21 September 2016]. Colman, A., Wheelahan, F. Brooks, L., 2016. Stricter laws for franchisors? Responses to the 7-eleven wage scandal. [Online] Available at: https://www.corrs.com.au/publications/corrs-in-brief/stricter-laws-for-franchisors-responses-to-the-7-eleven-wage-scandal/ [Accessed 21 September 2016]. Creswell, J., 2003. Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approach. Thousand oaks, CA: SAGE Publications. Ferguson, A., Danckert, S. Toft, K., 2015. 7-Eleven: Investigation exposes shocking exploitation of convenience store workers. The Sydney Morning Herald, 29 August. Malhotra, N., 2011. Marketing Research: An Applied Orientation. Pearson. McKeith, S., 2016. 7-Eleven Scandal: 'Widespread Compliance Issues' Across Network, Fair Work Ombudsman Says. The Huffington Post Australia, 9 April. Neuman, 2004. Social research methods: qualitative and quantitative approaches. Boston: Allyn Bacon. Saunders, M., Lewis, P. Thornhill, A., 2009. Research methods for business students. Harlow: Pearson Education. Tham, J.-C., 2016. 7-Eleven is the tip of the iceberg in worker exploitation. So who's turning a blind eye? [Online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/may/12/7-eleven-is-the-tip-of-the-iceberg-in-worker-exploitation-so-whos-turning-a-blind-eye [Accessed 21 September 2016]. The Conversation, 2016. Can 7-Eleven be trusted to clean up its own mess? [Online] Available at: https://theconversation.com/can-7-eleven-be-trusted-to-clean-up-its-own-mess-59302 [Accessed 21 September 2016].

Qualitative and Quantitative Methodologies

Abstract Proponents of using quantitative or qualitative methodologies in the research process are inclined to point at advantages of their preferable paradigm while ignoring strengths of the other methods. Nevertheless, debates on the problem seem to be groundless because today researchers choose methodologies while focusing on the purpose of their studies, and they often mix methods to receive the most valid results.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Qualitative and Quantitative Methodologies specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In this context, inquiry concerns proposed by Patton to discuss the qualitative studies seem to be relevant to evaluate the quantitative methodology. From this perspective, it is rather difficult to determine the paradigm that can be discussed as more credible than the other one. That is why, modern debates are not as active as decades ago, and proponents of both quantitative and q ualitative methodologies propose to combine their features in one credible methodology. Introduction Current debates on the acceptability of using quantitative and qualitative methodologies and methods in science are based on the traditional opposition in the views of researchers who declare the advantages of different methodologies. According to Patton, the observed debate on selecting methodologies has its origin in the â€Å"long-standing debate in science over how best to study and understand the world† (Patton, 2001, p. 571). The debate is grounded not only on the problem of selection of methods but also on the opposition in theories and philosophies on which methodologies are based. Thus, the quantitative methodology refers to ideas of positivism, where the focus is on empirical factors and a distant researcher. According to Sale, Lohfeld, and Brazil, â€Å"the investigator is capable of studying a phenomenon without influencing it or being influenced by it† (Sal e et al., 2002, p. 44). The opposite situation is observed with references to the qualitative methodology because it is based on constructivism, the main idea of which is the construction of the knowledge based on the analysis of multiple realities (Sale et al., 2002, p. 45). Although the debate between proponents of qualitative and quantitative methodologies is still present in the scientific world, this debate is transformed into the discussion of possibilities to combine the qualitative and quantitative methods in order to receive the integrated inquiry which has strengths of both methodologies.Advertising Looking for critical writing on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More From this point, the purpose of this research paper is to evaluate the current debates on the acceptability of using quantitative and qualitative methodologies and to discuss the possibility of creating the effective integrated inquiry to overcome weaknesses and biases associated with using quantitative or qualitative methodologies. Assessment of typical inquiry concerns Developing the evaluation of the debates, it is necessary to discuss how researchers determine trustworthiness in relation to their methods and findings. Validity and reliability are the basic concepts which are used to discuss the effectiveness of quantitative methodologies. Boudah notes that these categories and concepts are not appropriate for discussing the qualitative methodologies because the qualitative data are usually presented in abstract notions (Boudah, 2010, p. 76). As a result, the main focus is on assessing credibility of the qualitative research based on three inquiry concerns formulated by Patton. The first important concern is the focus on â€Å"rigorous methods for doing fieldwork†; the second component is â€Å"credibility of the researcher†; and the third one is the â€Å"philosophical belief in the value of qualitative in quiry† (Patton, 2001, p. 570). At this stage, it is important to state why these aspects are determined as basic ones for discussing methodologies used by scientists. The focus on â€Å"rigorous methods for doing fieldwork† means using the most accurate methods and precise techniques in order to collect and analyze the data to receive credible and supported results (Patton, 2001, p. 570). From this perspective, the quality of the research directly depends on the quality of selected methods, tools, and techniques, thus, the quality of a methodology. This aspect is important to be referred to while developing the research because it creates the fundament for the investigation. The role of the researcher is also important because the quality of findings depends on the researcher’s training and experience in the field (Boudah, 2010, p. 76; Sale et al., 2002, p. 46). Patton concentrates on the discussion of the qualitative methodology, and the third criterion can be e xplained as the necessity of appreciating qualitative methods as primary techniques (Patton, 2001, p. 570). In this case, the third aspect cannot be discussed to evaluate quantitative methods. Still, the other two criteria can be used to discuss the appropriateness of the quantitative methodology.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Qualitative and Quantitative Methodologies specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Inquiry concerns related to qualitative versus quantitative inquiries The criteria proposed by Patton are the fundament to direct the researcher’s activities regarding his work with the qualitative methodology. Differences in working with the qualitative data are discussed by Boudah who states that â€Å"the researcher processes the data in a unique way, based upon training, experience, bias, and other factors. This is different from the processing of statistical data† (Boudah, 2010, p. 7 6). In this case, the choice of methods and the researcher’s experience affect the research process significantly. As it is mentioned in the assessment of traditional inquiry concerns, such two aspects as the quality of methods and credibility of the researcher should also be discussed in the context of the quantitative methodology because two paradigms have not only differences but also similarities. According to Sale, Lohfeld, and Brazil, two methodologies are similar because â€Å"they share the tenets of theory-ladenness of facts, fallibility of knowledge, indetermination of theory by fact, and a value-ladened inquiry process† (Sale et al., 2002, p. 46). It is important to state that modern experimental and exploratory studies focus on collecting not only quantitative data but also qualitative data. As a result, to evaluate evidence, researchers need to use elements of the qualitative methodologies in addition to quantitative techniques (Sale et al., 2002, p. 45). Consequently, such traditional quantitative methods as experiments receive the features of qualitative studies. In this situation, the focus on inquiry concerns formulated by Patton is helpful for scientists who were traditionally discussed as users of quantitative methodologies. The most credible methodology The active debates develop round the question of the methodologies’ credibility or validity. In order to support their vision of methodologies’ credibility and determine the most credible and acceptable paradigm, researchers discuss methodologies’ strengths and weaknesses. In this context, the qualitative methodology is often discussed as less credible than the quantitative paradigm. Patton claims that there is â€Å"a lingering bias† against the qualitative methodology in the scientific world, and as a result, the qualitative data seems to â€Å"carry the stigma of ‘being soft’† (Patton, 2001, p. 573). The researchers support the ir ideas while stating that qualitative methods are rather ‘subjective’ in contrast to ‘objective’ quantitative methods based on logic and facts because the quantitative data are presented in easily generalized numbers when the qualitative data are presented in abstract notions (Bryman, 2007, p. 9; Sale et al., 2002, p. 47).Advertising Looking for critical writing on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Dependence of the qualitative data on the researcher’s interpretation is considered as a main challenge for discussing the paradigm as providing the objective data. Patton states that â€Å"qualitative rigor has to do with the quality of the observations made by an evaluator† (Patton, 2001, p. 575). In addition, according to Kerlinger, numbers extremely matter in the research because â€Å"everything is either 1 or 0† (as cited in Berg Lune, 2012, p. 4). From this perspective, the researchers are inclined to discuss the qualitative researches as dependent on a range of subjective factors. Berg and Lune state that â€Å"qualitative researchers need to be more precise, more careful in their definitions and procedures, and clearer in their writing than most other scientists† (Berg Lune, 2012, p. 4). It is a strategy to make the qualitative methodology more appropriate for using in the scientific world. In this context, proponents of the quantitative method s state that this paradigm is more workable and appropriate for the research in fields of psychology, nursing, and social sciences (Berg Lune, 2012, p. 5; Boudah, 2010, p. 76). The numerical data associated with the quantitative research is clear and representative. Thus, to receive the objective results and findings, proponents of the quantitative methodology offer to use experiments and studies where the results are calculated with statistical methods (Sale et al., 2002, p. 45). However, Patton, as a proponent of the qualitative paradigm, proposes the counterargument while stating that â€Å"numbers do not protect against bias; they merely disguise it† (Patton, 2001, p. 574). In this case, the users of quantitative methods remain to be confused because â€Å"numbers convey a sense of precision and accuracy even if the measurements that yielded the numbers are relatively unreliable, invalid, and meaningless† (Patton, 2001, p. 573). Following the ideas proposed by Gel o, Braakmann, and Benetka, it is possible to state that there is a â€Å"fundamental issue which has been often ignored within quantitative research: the issue of the ontology and epistemology of variables† (Gelo, Braakmann, Benetka, 2008, p. 267). Variables presented in quantitative measures often include the qualitative information in them because there is often a focus on the relationship between variables that is observed at the level of both quantitative and qualitative data (Gelo et al., 2008, p. 268; Sale et al., 2002, p. 45). From this perspective, the discussion of the quantitative methodology as more credible because of the focus on numbers seems to be unsupported with the practice of scientists. In this context, it is impossible to choose the most appropriate or effective methodology because it is necessary to refer to the purpose of the research rather than to the presence or absence of numerical data in results. The most actively used methodology in the scientif ic community While discussing the credibility of qualitative and quantitative methodologies, researchers often notes that the quantitative paradigm is more appropriate because it is frequently used in the scientific community. According to Gelo, Braakmann, and Benetka, quantitative approaches prevail in the scientific world; and focusing on the field of psychology, investigators note that â€Å"quantitative approaches have always dominated mainstream psychological research† (Gelo et al., 2008, p. 268). However, the vision of Gelo and the group of researchers is discussed as irrelevant by Bryman because the focus on the qualitative research and personal experiences is the basis for psychology (Bryman, 2007, p. 9). The more convincing argument against the prevalence of quantitative methods is proposed by Boudah and Patton, who state that the qualitative paradigm is more actively discussed in the field of social sciences when it is necessary to make conclusions based on observat ions or interviews (Boudah, 2010, p. 77; Patton, 2001, p. 580). Furthermore, those quantitative and qualitative paradigms followed in the modern scientific research, especially with the focus on the field of psychology and social sciences, should be discussed as mixed because researchers are inclined to combine methods to receive more detailed results. Creation of one integrated inquiry Many researchers agree to stop debates on the effectiveness of qualitative and quantitative methodologies with creating an integrated inquiry that could address the needs of proponents of both perspectives (Boudah, 2010, p. 77; Bryman, 2007, p. 9). The main question formulated as a result of prolonged debates on the appropriateness of qualitative and quantitative paradigms is â€Å"how to combine the strengths of each in a multimethods approach to research and evaluation† (Patton, 2001, p. 574). The researcher continues his discussion of the necessity to propose a new approach to research whil e stating that it is necessary to focus on â€Å"more balance and a better understanding of the situations for which various methods are most appropriate as well as grounded experience in how to combine methods† (Patton, 2001, p. 586). While being developed, this mixed approach can be discussed as effective to be utilized in different areas of knowledge and practice because many issues are too complex to be explored only in the context of one paradigm, and these complex questions require the discussion of data â€Å"from a large number of perspectives† (Sale et al., 2002, p. 46). In this context, the development of the integrated inquiry is the most effective solution in order to end the debates on the effectiveness of qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Both methodologies can be discussed as helpful to present objective and credible results, and the researcher benefits while combining the approaches. Conclusion Debates on the effectiveness of quantitative and qualitative methodologies are the characteristic feature of the scientific world. In spite of the fact that strengths and weaknesses of both paradigms can be clearly identified, there is an opinion that the quantitative methodology is more appropriate to be used in the research process because it provides the objective numerical data. However, the proponents of the qualitative methodology argue that such statements are groundless because the qualitative paradigm also has many strong points, and it is actively used by researchers. Having evaluated the visions and opinions of supporters of different paradigms, it is possible to state that the modern debate is rather unfounded. From this point, it is almost impossible to determine the paradigm that can be discussed as most credible in the situation when researchers are inclined to focus on combining methods belonging to different paradigms. Today, the debate on the problem is based on the idea of developing a paradigm that could combin e the features of quantitative and qualitative methodologies in one credible methodology. References Berg, B. L., Lune, H. (2012). Qualitative research methods for the social sciences. New York, NY: Pearson Education Inc. Boudah, D. (2010). Conducting educational research: Guide to completing a major project. New York, NY: SAGE Publishing. Bryman, A. (2007). Barriers to integrating quantitative and qualitative research. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 1(1), 8-22. Gelo, O., Braakmann, D., Benetka, G. (2008). Quantitative and qualitative research: Beyond the debate. Integrative Psychological Behavioral Science, 42(3), 266-290. Patton, M. Q. (2001). Qualitative research evaluation methods. New York, NY: SAGE Publications. Sale, J., Lohfeld, L., Brazil, K. (2002). Revisiting the quantitative-qualitative debate: Implications for mixed-methods research. Quality Quantity, 36(1), 43–53. This critical writing on Qualitative and Quantitative Methodologies was written and submitted by user Isabell Wilkinson to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Lithification Defined and Explained

Lithification Defined and Explained Lithification is how soft sediments, the end product of erosion, become rigid rock (lithi- means rock in scientific Greek). It begins when sediment, like sand, mud, silt and clay,  is laid down for the last time and becomes gradually buried and compressed under new sediment. Sediments Fresh sediment is usually loose material that is full of open spaces, or pores, filled with air or water. Lithification acts to reduce that pore space and replace it with a solid mineral material. The main processes involved in lithification are compaction and cementation. Compaction involves squeezing the sediment into a smaller volume by packing the sediment particles more closely, by removing water from the pore space (desiccation) or by pressure solution at the points where sediment grains contact each other. Cementation involves filling pore space with solid minerals (usually calcite or quartz) that are deposited from solution or that enable existing sediment grains to grow into the pores. The pore space does not need to be eliminated for lithification to be complete. All of the processes of lithification can continue to modify a rock after it has first become a rigid solid. Diagenesis Lithification occurs entirely within the early stage of diagenesis. Other words that overlap with lithification are induration, consolidation, and petrifaction. Induration covers everything that makes rocks harder, but it extends to materials that are already lithified. Consolidation is a more general term that also applies to the solidification of magma and lava. Petrifaction today refers specifically to the replacement of organic matter with minerals to create fossils, but in the past it was more loosely used to mean lithification. Alternate Spellings: lithifaction

Proposal #1 Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

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