Virginia Woolfs Modernism Essay Example For Students

Virginia Woolfs Modernism Essay Virginia Woolf is regarded as one of the most significant authors of the modernist period. She experimented with different techniques, forms and structures and it is this experimentation and introduction of a new style that defines her as a modernist writer. Modernism was a cultural movement over the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries that was not only in literature but in art, music and architecture. It was a rejection of the traditional, conventional past and embodied experimentation and the challenging of established conventions. There were many factors that lead to the establishment of modernist characteristics such as WWI, Sigmund Freuds theory on psychoanalysis, Charles Darwins Theory of Evolution and the Industrial Revolution. These introduced a new way of thinking which was ideas of existentialism, the subconscious, and the sense of a lonely, isolated individual trying to make sense of a fragmented and almost alien society. I will explore these ideas further in this essay with discussion of how Virginia Woolf represents a modernist writer by using the following points. We will write a custom essay on Virginia Woolfs Modernism specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Virginia Woolf was influenced by events and developments to challenge the classic writing conventions, and Virginia Woolf not only used the conventions of the modernist period but developed them further. Virginia Woolf was influenced by events and developments to challenge the classic writing conventions. In the previous literary period, writers spoke in a third person omniscient voice with patriarchal values, religion and a clear unchangeable social hierarchy present. Sigmund Freuds theory of psychoanalysis was not the first but was the one that became popular and well-known around the world. Virginia Woolf became inspired by the writing of Freud and therefore incorporated the exploration of the subconscious and the underlying psychological and emotional motives of characters in her writings. The facets of Freudian aspects that Woolf mainly focuses on are especially evident through her use of stream of consciousness, where the thoughts and feelings of a character are written simply as a jumble of thoughts that however are still connected. The syntax gives a long flow of sentences and continuous access into the characters mind which, before this time, was not done. An example of this is in Woolfs novel Mrs Dalloway where it is narrated through the point of view of what is happening inside the characters minds. Another major event of the time was WWI. This novel is based post-WWI and consequently reflects the insecurities felt after this war. For example, in Mrs Dalloway Woolf writes in such a way that produces confusion for the reader, especially through the lack of closure in the novel leaving the reader more uncertain. Woolf also directly focuses on the war and its unsettling consequences in Mrs Dalloway as she talks about how a boy was killed and now his Manor House must go to a cousin. The traditional English hierarchy has been disturbed and the war has directly damaged their conventional world. This changing of conventions is a key factor of modernist writing. Another major occurrence in the modernist period that Virginia Woolf took inspiration from was the technological advancements which were the first stages of globalisation. The invention of the wireless and other communications made people feel so much smaller in contrast to the huge and growing world. This idea is emphasised by the discovery of other galaxies, playing with peoples conceptions of time and space. Ideas about time and space play a major role in modernist writing and the writings of Virginia Woolf are no different. In her novel Mrs Dalloway all the action happens over the course of one day. Novels before this time took much longer for the plot to unfold, from weeks to even decades. However Woolf also incorporates flashbacks which play with the idea of time further producing an unnerving effect from this change of tenses. The effect of Woolfs short time frame is that it varies with the readers expectations of the novel and changes the way they look upon the passing of time. .u7728c06665f3ecca0e548053ff2cd5c2 , .u7728c06665f3ecca0e548053ff2cd5c2 .postImageUrl , .u7728c06665f3ecca0e548053ff2cd5c2 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u7728c06665f3ecca0e548053ff2cd5c2 , .u7728c06665f3ecca0e548053ff2cd5c2:hover , .u7728c06665f3ecca0e548053ff2cd5c2:visited , .u7728c06665f3ecca0e548053ff2cd5c2:active { border:0!important; } .u7728c06665f3ecca0e548053ff2cd5c2 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u7728c06665f3ecca0e548053ff2cd5c2 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u7728c06665f3ecca0e548053ff2cd5c2:active , .u7728c06665f3ecca0e548053ff2cd5c2:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u7728c06665f3ecca0e548053ff2cd5c2 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u7728c06665f3ecca0e548053ff2cd5c2 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u7728c06665f3ecca0e548053ff2cd5c2 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u7728c06665f3ecca0e548053ff2cd5c2 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u7728c06665f3ecca0e548053ff2cd5c2:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u7728c06665f3ecca0e548053ff2cd5c2 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u7728c06665f3ecca0e548053ff2cd5c2 .u7728c06665f3ecca0e548053ff2cd5c2-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u7728c06665f3ecca0e548053ff2cd5c2:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Influence of Modernist Art EssayAnother interesting aspect is that the novel, instead of focusing on the unfolding of events, focuses on the characters and their thoughts and impressions of everything around them. This again relates both to the short time frame and also the stream of consciousness that Woolf uses in many of her writings, and is a key theme of modernist writing. Virginia Woolf was influenced by events and developments to challenge the classic writing conventions. Virginia Woolf not only used the conventions of the modernist period but developed them further. She was one of the first modernist writers so society took notice of her as a radical writer challenging the boundaries of writing. This was because her writing style and novel structure was different to what was previously used, for example the use of the short time frame and stream of consciousness allowing access into the readers head. These conventions had not been used before so Woolf was noticed as the author who moved the world into a new, radical, less traditional era. Woolf developed the conventions of the modernist period as her style changed subtly through each new novel that was published. The main way that this occurred in was that Virginia Woolf created inspiring impressions on her readers rather than recreating reality, and she experimented with her writing rather than conforming. Another example of how Woolf developed the conventions of the modernist period further is that she explores aspects of society that were issues at the time. She took inspiration from previous female authors such as Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters and examined women and their struggles in society. An example of this in her literary work is her creation of William Shakespeares sister, a woman named Judith. Woolf incorporated this into her extended essay A Room of Ones Own to try to get her point across about womens need for independence. Gender issues is one of Woolfs themes common to her works, along with the hierarchy of society and the consequences of war, as discussed in her novel Mrs Dalloway. The final way in which Virginia Woolf developed the conventions of the modernist period further is how she reflects her personal life within her work. Woolf had a nervous breakdown at age 13 after the death of her parents and from then on she was battling a mental illness for most of her life. This is incorporated in her work in her novel Mrs Dalloway where she incorporates most likely the experiences of herself into the character Septimus Smith who was shell-shocked from the war. Woolf imagined her novel Mrs Dalloway as a study of insanity and suicide; the world seen by the sane and the insane side by side. Mental illnesses were not something that were well known and widely accepted in Virginia Woolfs context, and Woolfs incorporation of this in her writings progressed the modernist era by the introduction of a new issue discussed. In these ways, Virginia Woolf not only used the conventions of the modernist period but developed them further. In this essay I have discussed the ways in which Virginia Woolf is regarded as one of the most significant authors of the modernist period using the two points that Virginia Woolf was influenced by events and developments to challenge the classic writing conventions, and Virginia Woolf not only used the conventions of the modernist period but developed them further. Virginia Woolfs Modernism Essay Example For Students Virginia Woolfs Modernism Essay Virginia Woolf is regarded as one of the most significant authors of the modernist period. She experimented with different techniques, forms and structures and it is this experimentation and introduction of a new style that defines her as a modernist writer. Modernism was a cultural movement over the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries that was not only in literature but in art, music and architecture. It was a rejection of the traditional, conventional past and embodied experimentation and the challenging of established conventions. There were many factors that lead to the establishment of modernist characteristics such as WWI, Sigmund Freuds theory on psychoanalysis, Charles Darwins Theory of Evolution and the Industrial Revolution. These introduced a new way of thinking which was ideas of existentialism, the subconscious, and the sense of a lonely, isolated individual trying to make sense of a fragmented and almost alien society. I will explore these ideas further in this essay with discussion of how Virginia Woolf represents a modernist writer by using the following points. We will write a custom essay on Virginia Woolfs Modernism specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Virginia Woolf was influenced by events and developments to challenge the classic writing conventions, and Virginia Woolf not only used the conventions of the modernist period but developed them further. Virginia Woolf was influenced by events and developments to challenge the classic writing conventions. In the previous literary period, writers spoke in a third person omniscient voice with patriarchal values, religion and a clear unchangeable social hierarchy present. Sigmund Freuds theory of psychoanalysis was not the first but was the one that became popular and well-known around the world. Virginia Woolf became inspired by the writing of Freud and therefore incorporated the exploration of the subconscious and the underlying psychological and emotional motives of characters in her writings. The facets of Freudian aspects that Woolf mainly focuses on are especially evident through her use of stream of consciousness, where the thoughts and feelings of a character are written simply as a jumble of thoughts that however are still connected. The syntax gives a long flow of sentences and continuous access into the characters mind which, before this time, was not done. An example of this is in Woolfs novel Mrs Dalloway where it is narrated through the point of view of what is happening inside the characters minds. Another major event of the time was WWI. This novel is based post-WWI and consequently reflects the insecurities felt after this war. For example, in Mrs Dalloway Woolf writes in such a way that produces confusion for the reader, especially through the lack of closure in the novel leaving the reader more uncertain. Woolf also directly focuses on the war and its unsettling consequences in Mrs Dalloway as she talks about how a boy was killed and now his Manor House must go to a cousin. The traditional English hierarchy has been disturbed and the war has directly damaged their conventional world. This changing of conventions is a key factor of modernist writing. Another major occurrence in the modernist period that Virginia Woolf took inspiration from was the technological advancements which were the first stages of globalisation. The invention of the wireless and other communications made people feel so much smaller in contrast to the huge and growing world. This idea is emphasised by the discovery of other galaxies, playing with peoples conceptions of time and space. Ideas about time and space play a major role in modernist writing and the writings of Virginia Woolf are no different. In her novel Mrs Dalloway all the action happens over the course of one day. Novels before this time took much longer for the plot to unfold, from weeks to even decades. However Woolf also incorporates flashbacks which play with the idea of time further producing an unnerving effect from this change of tenses. The effect of Woolfs short time frame is that it varies with the readers expectations of the novel and changes the way they look upon the passing of time. .u1c007653b19f3f0a612eff59516e9010 , .u1c007653b19f3f0a612eff59516e9010 .postImageUrl , .u1c007653b19f3f0a612eff59516e9010 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u1c007653b19f3f0a612eff59516e9010 , .u1c007653b19f3f0a612eff59516e9010:hover , .u1c007653b19f3f0a612eff59516e9010:visited , .u1c007653b19f3f0a612eff59516e9010:active { border:0!important; } .u1c007653b19f3f0a612eff59516e9010 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u1c007653b19f3f0a612eff59516e9010 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u1c007653b19f3f0a612eff59516e9010:active , .u1c007653b19f3f0a612eff59516e9010:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u1c007653b19f3f0a612eff59516e9010 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u1c007653b19f3f0a612eff59516e9010 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u1c007653b19f3f0a612eff59516e9010 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u1c007653b19f3f0a612eff59516e9010 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u1c007653b19f3f0a612eff59516e9010:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u1c007653b19f3f0a612eff59516e9010 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u1c007653b19f3f0a612eff59516e9010 .u1c007653b19f3f0a612eff59516e9010-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u1c007653b19f3f0a612eff59516e9010:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Modernism in British and Irish literature EssayAnother interesting aspect is that the novel, instead of focusing on the unfolding of events, focuses on the characters and their thoughts and impressions of everything around them. This again relates both to the short time frame and also the stream of consciousness that Woolf uses in many of her writings, and is a key theme of modernist writing. Virginia Woolf was influenced by events and developments to challenge the classic writing conventions. Virginia Woolf not only used the conventions of the modernist period but developed them further. She was one of the first modernist writers so society took notice of her as a radical writer challenging the boundaries of writing. This was because her writing style and novel structure was different to what was previously used, for example the use of the short time frame and stream of consciousness allowing access into the readers head. These conventions had not been used before so Woolf was noticed as the author who moved the world into a new, radical, less traditional era. Woolf developed the conventions of the modernist period as her style changed subtly through each new novel that was published. The main way that this occurred in was that Virginia Woolf created inspiring impressions on her readers rather than recreating reality, and she experimented with her writing rather than conforming. Another example of how Woolf developed the conventions of the modernist period further is that she explores aspects of society that were issues at the time. She took inspiration from previous female authors such as Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters and examined women and their struggles in society. An example of this in her literary work is her creation of William Shakespeares sister, a woman named Judith. Woolf incorporated this into her extended essay A Room of Ones Own to try to get her point across about womens need for independence. Gender issues is one of Woolfs themes common to her works, along with the hierarchy of society and the consequences of war, as discussed in her novel Mrs Dalloway. The final way in which Virginia Woolf developed the conventions of the modernist period further is how she reflects her personal life within her work. Woolf had a nervous breakdown at age 13 after the death of her parents and from then on she was battling a mental illness for most of her life. This is incorporated in her work in her novel Mrs Dalloway where she incorporates most likely the experiences of herself into the character Septimus Smith who was shell-shocked from the war. Woolf imagined her novel Mrs Dalloway as a study of insanity and suicide; the world seen by the sane and the insane side by side. Mental illnesses were not something that were well known and widely accepted in Virginia Woolfs context, and Woolfs incorporation of this in her writings progressed the modernist era by the introduction of a new issue discussed. In these ways, Virginia Woolf not only used the conventions of the modernist period but developed them further. In this essay I have discussed the ways in which Virginia Woolf is regarded as one of the most significant authors of the modernist period using the two points that Virginia Woolf was influenced by events and developments to challenge the classic writing conventions, and Virginia Woolf not only used the conventions of the modernist period but developed them further.

Definition and Examples of Direct Quotations

Definition and Examples of Direct Quotations A direct quotation is a report of the exact words of an author or speaker and is placed inside quotation marks  in a written work. For example, Dr. King said, I have a dream. Comparing Types of Quotations Direct quotations are commonly introduced by a signal phrase (also called a quotative frame), such as Dr. King said or Abigail Adams wrote, and are used in written and in audio or visual media, especially if an anchor or reporter is giving someones exact words without having a recording of the person actually saying it. For example, a newscaster would say, Dr. King said, and I quote, I have a dream unquote.   By contrast, indirect quotations also may have signal phrases leading into them, but the words are not what the person said or wrote word for word, just a paraphrase or a summary of what the words were, such as, At the March on Washington, Dr. King spoke of the dreams that he had for the nation. A  mixed quotation  is an indirect quotation that includes a directly quoted expression (in many cases just a single word or brief phrase):  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹King  melodiously praised the veterans of  creative suffering, urging them to continue the struggle. When you have a long direct quotation in a written work, such as more than 60 or 100 words or more than four or five lines, instead of using quotation marks around it, you may be told by your style guide or assignment parameters to set it off with indents on either side and to put the text in italics or make some other typographical change. This is a block quotation. (See the long quote in the next section for an example, though this sites style is to retain quote marks, even around block quotes.) When to Use Direct Quotes When youre writing, use direct quotes sparingly, because the essay or article is supposed to be your original work. Use them for emphasis, when the reader needs to see the exact words for analysis  when theyre evidence, or when the exact quote perfectly encapsulates the topic at hand more succinctly or better than you could. Author Becky Reed Rosenberg discusses using direct quotes when writing in the sciences vs. the humanities. In the first place, the general convention in the sciences and social sciences is that we use  direct quotations  as little as possible. Whenever possible,  paraphrase  your source. The exception is when the source is so eloquent or so peculiar that you really need to share the original language with your readers. (In the humanities, direct quoting is more important- certainly where you are talking about a literary source. There the original language  IS  the object of study very often.) (Using Direct Quotation. Writing Center at the University of Washington, Bothell) In news writing, dont be tempted to correct grammar or other errors when youre directly quoting your source- though you would want to comment in your text about factual errors the speaker made at the time of the statement. You can use ellipses to cut some things out of a direct quote, but even that should be done sparingly. In news, accuracy and proper context are paramount, and you dont want to look like youre doctoring the sources words. In essays and reports, anytime you use someone elses ideas in your work, either by direct or indirect quotations, that person needs either attribution or  credit, or else you are committing plagiarism.

Difference Between the UK, Great Britain, and England

Difference Between the UK, Great Britain, and England While many people use the terms ​United Kingdom, Great Britain, and England interchangeably, there is a difference between them- one is a country, the second is an island, and the third is a part of an island. The United Kingdom The  United Kingdom  is an independent country off the northwestern coast of Europe. It consists of the entire island of Great Britain and a northern part of the island of Ireland. In fact, the official name of the country is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The capital city of the United Kingdom is London and the head of state is currently Queen Elizabeth II. The United Kingdom is one of the founding members of the United Nations and sits on the United Nations Security Council. The creation of the United Kingdom heralds back to 1801 when the unification between the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland led to the establishment of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. When southern Ireland gained independence in the 1920s, the name of the modern country then became the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.   Great Britain Great Britain is the name of the island northwest of France and east of Ireland. Much of the United Kingdom consists of the island of Great Britain. On the large island of Great Britain, there are three somewhat autonomous regions: England, Wales, and Scotland. Great Britain is the ninth largest island on Earth and has an area of  80,823 square miles (209,331 square kilometers). England occupies the southeast portion of the island of Great Britain, Wales is in the southwest, and Scotland is in the north. Scotland and Wales are not independent countries but do have some discretion from the United Kingdom with respect to internal governance. England England is located in the southern part of the island of Great Britain, which is part of the country of the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom includes the administrative regions of England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Each region varies in its level of autonomy but all part of the United Kingdom. While England has traditionally been thought of as the heart of the United Kingdom, some use the term England to refer to the entire country, however, this is not correct. While its common to hear or see the term London, England, technically this is also incorrect, as it implies that London is the capital of England alone, rather than the capital of the entire United Kingdom. Ireland A final note on Ireland. The northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland is the administrative region of the United Kingdom known as Northern Ireland. The remaining southern five-sixths of the island of Ireland is the independent country known as the  Republic of Ireland (Eire). Using the Right Term It is inappropriate to refer to the United Kingdom as Great Britain or England; one should be specific about toponyms (place names) and utilize the correct nomenclature.  Remember, United Kingdom (or the U.K.) is the country, Great Britain is the island, and England is one of the U.K.s four administrative regions. Since unification, the Union Jack flag has combined elements of England, Scotland, and Ireland (although Wales is omitted) to represent the unification of constituent parts of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Support same-sex marriage or not support Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Support same-sex marriage or not support - Essay Example Interestingly, both sides have yielded substantively convincing reasons and justifications for their varied opinions and standpoints on this topic. This paper aims at making a comparison of two opposing editorials on the issue of gay marriages. The first article to consider is entitled: â€Å"Legalizing gay marriage would undermine Christian view of family, claims leading Catholic archbishop† written by Mario Ledwith, and it appeared in the Daily Mail on the 30th of December last year. The Daily Mail is a reputable daily British newspaper that enjoys the fourth largest circulation of about two million copies daily; since the year 1992, Daily Mail has been edited by Paul Dacre. According to this article, Archbishop Bernard Longley of the Birmingham Roman Catholic posits that if gay marriages are legalized, the conventional Christian perspective of family and the whole marriage institution will be undermined (Ledwith). Archbishop Bernard Longley further argues that every child deserves to be loved by two parents, both mother and father; no single child should be denied this incredible opportunity to experience the love of both parents. This is a justifiable reason for the church to remain opposed to the idea of gay ma rriages, despite the increasing popular opinions in support of the same. Marriage as a divinely willed institution must be respected and upheld as a heterosexual union of man and woman. Any attempts at reversing this divine order distort the truth, and this negatively influences individuals and the society at large. The second article that will be considered in this paper , â€Å"Gay marriage bill right thing to do, say Tory heavyweights in appeal to MPs† that appeared in The Guardian, on the 5th of February 2013, which has been co-authored by Nicholas Watt and James Maikle. The Guardian is a reputable daily British newspaper that is edited by Alan Rusbridger; and it enjoys a national presence, with a steady daily

Communication with people Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Communication with people - Essay Example The third story elaborates a persons perception about themselves while being in a relationship of any sort and holding healthy two-sided communication as an effective key of progress. The person identifies themselves as trustworthy or appearing as such so that the other person is comfortable to open up as well. The fourth story identifies everyone having the best intention but also acknowledging that this might not be the case with some people. If a person is good at his/her intentions, then it does not necessarily mean that others are good with their intentions a well. However, benefit of doubt should be given and one should believe in the goodness of everyone. The fifth story evaluates the person as someone who does not need constant communication to maintain healthy relationships. A constant need to interact digitally is not necessary in every relationship and it is sometimes good to be alone for personal reflective

Study on online gambling market Essay Example for Free

Study on online gambling market Essay For thousands of years, mankind has enjoyed spending money on games of chance. Today this has developed into a multi-billion dollar worldwide phenomenon- the gambling industry. While the total number of gambling enterprises has fallen in recent years the overall number of people employed in the industry has increases, suggesting that enterprises are now larger than they were a decade ago. The way people bet has been revolutionised of recent years with the online gambling industry taking over the traditional high street bookmakers. Betting exchanges on the internet where punters can offer bets to other punters. Meaning the average punter can now act as the bookie and say that a certain event will not happen. To understand the impact of the gambling industry, one has to consider the percentage of people that partake in gambling. Knowing it has been around for two millennia, it is interesting to observe today 80 to 85% of people will gamble in any given year. The gambling industry has evolved greatly in recent years due to the development of online gambling, this is clearly the reason for the rapid growth in the market. Along with new markets such as the online poker industry, that has taken the world in a massive fad with millions playing poker online. The gambling industry tends to be an industry in which people will use their disposable income, but the desire to win more and the increased joy from having a larger bet causes people to spend more money on gambling than they wish. This is a market driver for the industry but also the general increase in people gambling has become the main market driver in recent years. (Party Gaming) For the five year period from 2005 to 2009, it is estimated that revenues generated by the global online gaming market will increase to approximately $22. 7 billion, representing a compound annual growth rate of approximately 22 per cent. From this estimation of expected spending in the online gambling market, it shows a market with great potential. Introduction . The following report analyses the dynamic market within which gambling exists, and the way the online gambling industry beginning to takeover the gambling industry. From the report on the market it will be possible to have a clearer understanding of whether the market will continue to grow or whether the market can not continue to grow at such a rapid rate. The following report analyses the dynamic market within which online gambling exists. The report will focus on areas such as 1. PEST Analysis 2. Boston Matrix 3. Porters Five Forces 4. Competitors Analysis 5. SWOT Analysis 6. Shareholders Such consideration of the market will enable a clearer understanding of whether the market will continue to grow at such a rapid rate. Market Definition Market sectors There are four main gambling sectors that attract the vast majority if online gambling ? Online Poker ?Online Casinos ?Sports Betting ?Betting Exchanges Online poker and betting exchanges are dominating the market and have only been introduced in recent years to the online gambling market. Sports betting and casinos still have large market share of the market but growth has slowed down. The size of the online gambling market for 2004 was $8. 2 billion for the world. In 2004 in the U. K ? 7. 4 billion was spent in gambling. Even though stats are not that easy to compare it shows that online gambling has not yet dominated the gambling market and there is potential for further growth. PEST Analysis PEST Analysis is analysis of macro-environments that affects all firms. PEST stands for Political, Economic, Social, Technological factors of the external macro-environment. Such external factors are beyond most firms control and sometimes present themselves as threats. On the other hand changes in the external environment can lead to new opportunities; this is certainly true for the gambling industry. Political Political and legal factors are those controlled by ? governments, local authorities, or other trade or activity orientated regulatory bodies (Brassington and Pettitt, 2000). Gambling legislation is put in place in order to prevent consumers been taken advantage and also help control consumers with gambling problems. The internet is open to great abuse in all areas of the internet and gambling is no exception. Within five minutes it is possible to be gambling on the internet at as high stakes as one desires, this obviously has its dangers. Companies have recently been pushed to be more responsible for caring for their customers. Some of the companies now have a system which its customers can use. The system offers the customer control of how much they can deposit in a designated time period, this helps the customers control their spending. Though this may affect profits for a company, it gives the impression that they care for their customers, which promotes their company. The laws for online gambling are reasonably relaxed and with it been a worldwide market that anyone from any country can access it is hard to control such a market. There have been recent worries about illegal gambling carried out on Betfair with trainers and owners regarding the running of a horse to lose. Many bets would be taken on the specific horse resulting in a major movement in the market and the price . The in the know punters will know the certain horse that is going to lose the race and they then lay the horse to lose on betfair, guaranteeing that they will win. This has caused many investigation and question over betting exchanges. Economic This considers both the ?macro- and micro-economic environment conditions which affect the structure of the market (Brassington and Pettitt, 2000). With the UK expecting an increase in disposable income this is likely that more money is to be spent in gambling. The gambling market may, however, be susceptible to recessionary influences. In times of economic downturn consumers become more reserved in their spending. With the market been worldwide the economic stability of different countries should balance the market out at such times, but large consumers of the market such as the US may have an effect on the market. Interest rates and level of inflation must be considered as threats to the online gambling industry. Social In order to combat the issues surrounding gambling addiction, casino staff undergo training in order to identify problem gamblers. The Gambling Bill is to focus on social responsibility rather than on casinos. The resort casinos which the gambling bill allows are an issue as evidence from New Zealand suggests that the bigger the casino the bigger the risk of problem gambling. This kind of control on the internet is done in a different way and there is no obligation for companies to offer this service. It is only the leading companies who tend to offer protection against gambling addiction. The way it is done on the internet is to let customers set there deposit limit with a desired time period. Obviously this is not as well controlled as at the casino as employees can take control of the problem customers but on the internet that kind of control does not exist, which proves to be a real worry for the online gambling industry. Many online gambling companies cater for only English speaking consumers due to the large domination of the market from the U.S and the U. K. This restricts market growth in other countries but companies are changing towards catering for other countries, with casinos ahead of the game due to its global appeal. As gambling is seen as a use of leisure activity the market considers its success on the amount of leisure time consumers have but from research it is clear to see consumers feel no obligation to carrying out their gambling whilst at work, often a poker game in the lunch break or even whilst working, which creates extra revenue for the online gambling industry. It also emphasis the ease at which it is to gamble online, which is the main reason behind the success of the market. Technological Gambling has been revolutionised in recent years by technological change and this is the reason for the rapid growth in the industry, making it easier than ever to gamble. The internet has seen new systems such as Betfair, and online poker which is know an $8. 6 billion market. The idea of online gambling is the ease of placing a bet. Before people would have to go to the betting shop or the casino to gamble but with such easy access for customers to access there betting accounts it has a bee a revolutionising advancement in the gambling market. New software is constantly been developed to offer an enhanced experienced for the consumers. The betting exchanges offer the chance for consumers to act as the bookies by being able to lay their bets. This obviously offers a new exciting way for consumers to experience gambling and has helped to develop the market. With improved graphics companies are making it more like the real thing. Some of the casinos online are designed to make you actually feel like you are in the casino the same is done with online poker games and even sports betting is going down the same line with offering text and audio commentary for sports events. This encourages consumers to use the internet rather than go to the casino or the betting shops. Porters Five force analysis Mr Porter was a scholar and management consultant. His model is based on the insight that a corporate strategy should meet the opportunities and threats in the organisations external environment. Porter has identified five competitive forces that shape every industry and every market. These forces determine the intensity of competition and hence the profitability and attractiveness of an industry. The objective of corporate strategy should be to modify these competitive forces in a way that can improve the position of an organisation. Barriers to Entry New entrants into to the market are quite regular due to the low costs of setting up an online gambling site. However, in practice, there are significant barriers to building a large, successful online gambling firm, as the business model is dependent to a large extent on, amongst other things, a strong brand underpinned by liquidity and effective payment processing. The exceptions of success by new entries tends to be when a company has an innovative idea such as Betfair. They are offering something different to the customer. The key features of a successful online gambling firm are difficult to achieve due to the following: ? Player liquidity: a large number of players are required for online poker and betting exchanges, to provide customers with opposing players for poker or a price for betting exchanges. In addition, player liquidity means that the larger sites can offer a greater variety for its customers. ?Software control: ownership of software to provide the operator with greater control, improved margins and bespoke functionality, with the ability to develop high quality user interface and scalable systems which are critical for attracting and retaining customers. Payment processing expertise: to attract and maintain customers, sites must be trusted and must provide a wide range of methods to pay-in and withdraw funds. Such payment processing must also be quick and efficient whilst maintaining low levels of fraud. ?Customer support: responding to customer enquiries on a timely and efficient basis enhances the level of customer service and customer retention. To build and sustain a large online gaming business requires significant investment in customer service operations. Marketing and global reach: as competition increases, the leading operators have greater marketing resources with which to attract and retain customers and are increasingly becoming global brands in order to penetrate new geographic markets. Buyer power The buyer power of customers determines how much customers can impose pressure on margins and volumes. The gambling market is driven by consumer trends and companies need to identify these trends and implement their strategies to remain competitive. Promotional strategies are used to initially sign up a customer and once signed up they are likely to stay there if they like the lay up of the site. It is predicted that one in three people that sign up for a free bonus will use that company for their gambling. Threats of Substitutes This is no real concern for the online gambling market, the only substitutes is betting shops and casinos, but these where all put in place before the online gambling market was created, so there is no possibility of threats from this. Supplier Power The supplier in this market is the software developers, where many companies use the same software to run their websites and with a worldwide market suppliers are never short when it involves employees skills to create the products, unlike coffee that may be affected by poor weather conditions. The concern of software developers rising prices for their products may be an issue due to them feeling they are loosing out on profit with which some online gambling companies are creating a large amount of profit. Competitor Analysis Competitor analysis is a ? systematic attempt to identify and understand the key elements of a competitors strategy (Brassington and Pettitt, 2000). An understanding of competitors enables competitive advantages to be formed. Gambling is a highly competitive market which may discourage market entry and stifle innovation, it may similarly stimulate a range of strategies for promoting growth and with constant technological improvements markets may open in the future. The amount of online gambling companies available to consumers are very variant, this has made a very competitive markets with companies offering free bonuses and providing the latest in software technology. The online gambling market can be split up into 4 sub-markets, online poker, betting exchanges, sports betting, and casinos. Betting exchanges market is dominated by betfair. Betfair is the dominant player in the betting exchange market, with an estimated 86% market share by value. Betfair exchange boasts a high level of liquidity across a wide range of betting markets, and a professional customer service operation alongside a fully integrated telephone and internet betting service. These features, have served to act as a significant barrier to entry into the betting exchange marketplace. Several other betting exchanges were set up including Sporting options and Betdaq. Sporting options was no success and was closed with many people losing money in there betting accounts because the company were unable to pay them back, betfair stepped in to offer support for these people which helped betfair grow even more dominant in the market. While there are over 200 online poker sites in operation, the online poker market is dominated by a small number of large operators. For the current year to 5 June 2005, the top eight operators had an estimated combined market share of 95 per cent in terms of ring game rake, 92 per cent in terms of number of ring game players and 88 per cent in terms of number of tournament players, which illustrates the effective barriers to developing an online poker business. Of these operators, PartyPoker. com has been the clear market leader in terms of both revenue and number of players since mid-2003. The sports betting market is much like the poker market, as many companies exist but the market is dominated by several market leaders such as William Hill and Paddy Power. William Hill has had success due to it is reputation of stores in towns and cities all over the U. K. As for paddy Power the success has been from large amounts or promotion and innovative ideas to promote the company. The casino market also works on the same basis that there are few market leaders that dominate the market. The main market leaders are casino on net, Golden Palace and Ladbrokes casino; there are still many major competitors in the market but with less market share but have the potential to take more of the market share. Most traffic is driven to online casinos via marketing on television channels and bonus deals in order to get customers to sign up for the casinos. Boston Matrix The Boston matrix is a chart created by the Boston Consulting Group in 1970. This is a useful marketing tool when analysis of market growth-relative share is required; the growth and share of different online gambling methods can be compared. The markets on the internet consist of poker, sports betting, betting exchanges and casinos. Dogs These are products with a low share of a low growth market. They do not generate cash for the company, they tend to absorb it. There are no online gambling markets that are in this category, this shows a strong healthy market. Cash Cows These are products with a high share of a slow growth market. Cash Cows generate more than is invested in them. Sports betting and casinos markets have slowed down as the stars of the online gambling market have entered the market. Problem Children These are products with a low share of a high growth market. They consume resources and generate little in return. They absorb most money as you attempt to increase market share. These gambling games are fairly new to the market and have yet had a chance to grow. Stars These are products that are in high growth markets with a relatively high share of that market. Stars tend to generate high amounts of income. Betting and exchanges and online pokers have taken the market to the new levels of turnover and have set of a craze worldwide. Shareholders For nearly every industry, sustainability is a key objective. Creating a sustainable online gambling industry benefits all of the industrys stakeholders. In recent months we have seen the flotation of many online poker companies, which developed a great relationship between the stock market and online gambling. But in September this year PartyGaming warned its growth prospects may be not be as great as was suggested when it floated in July 2005. More than ? 2 billion was wiped of the value of its shares; they dropped 30% in value. This obviously had an effect on other online gambling company shares which saw a slide in share price as well. One indicator of the slowdown is that although there are still more people signing up to play poker online, their average spend is falling. This is a concern for the online poker market as it shows the growth is not sustainable and action must be taken to not just let the online poker market just a short fad. Chief Executive Richard Segal said as these trends continued, the group would adapt its marketing strategy and infrastructure to provide greater focus on customer retention and player value. SWOT Analysis ________________________________________ SWOT analysis is useful in auditing information in a systematic manner. It demonstrates how strengths and weaknesses can be understood in context with opportunities and threats. SWOT analysis helps to explain where the online gambling market is today, but also where it is likely to be in the future. ?Strengths 1. New innovations and improvements are a regular feature due to a highly competitive market and high demand from consumers. 2. The growth in new consumers is constant, especially with the current fad of online poker. 3. Consumers have more faith in using the internet which is helping the market to grow: new payment systems such as Paypal are trustful and they prevent, together with insurances and banks, consumers from online fraud. 4. The overheads are very low for new companies to enter the market of online gambling: create a webpage and buy a payment gateway is basically enough to have a gambling website. 5. Online gambling represent entertainment at home that can be accessed at anytime, from anywhere and by anyone. 6. Due to the diversity of gambling available bringing consumers into the market that would not potentially consider gambling (e.g. gambling on games such as Chess) is very easy. ? Weaknesses 1. Online gambling is likely to become quite a saturated market, and will only continue to grow at such a rate if innovations can be added to the existing offer: develop gambling in new areas such as politics, decrease the time between the deadline to place a bet and the event on which the bet is placed 2. Companies with poor marketing strategies will have to struggle to exist due to the amount of competition: new websites are issued quite every day without even proposing new possibilities for consumers. 3. In becoming stronger, more reputable organisations have the capability to over power smaller organisations or websites: this may occur in France in the next few years if La Francaise des Jeux decides to develop a wide-scale platform for online betting it will probably have a very negative impact on smaller competitors. 4. Gambling laws in several countries such as France or Italy constrain success of market with the social issues of gambling addiction. 5. Betting shops and Casinos when they are allowed by national gaming acts still have a high presence in the gambling market and stop people using the online gambling options as much. 6. It appears to be quite difficult for new company to enter the market place due to high competition and dominance of large firms controlling the market, unless with having an innovative idea: some small websites, for example, focus on the European market, they propose adapted hours for online tournaments or develop their pages or hotlines in many languages ?Opportunities 1. Can emphasis on the rapid popularity of online gambling and that anyone can do it. 2. It is highly potential to gain a lead on the market with new technology. 3. Innovative ideas such as celebrities even gamble online, e. g. www. celebritypoker. com offers the chance to play poker against celebrities. 4. Inexpensive start up costs for a new online gambling company. 5. Constant improvement in technology opens up opportunities in the market. 6. Broadband creating much more opportunity. 7. The market is worldwide so anyone who has access to the internet can be targeted. Threats ?Rapid growth of the market may cause gambling laws to be tightened affecting profit for companies. ?Negative publicity highlighting the dangers of gambling. ?Demand depends upon real income therefore downturns in the economy can have an adverse effect of demand. ?Some companies are in a weak position financially. ?Dominance of the market. ?Market dependant on technology, which is not always reliable. Conclusion ________________________________________ The future of online gambling is bright with estimates of $32 billion spent in the year of 2009 compared to $14 billion this year. The market has seen rapid growth in recent years and it is not possible for a market to sustain such rapid growth forever, but it is still likely to grow at such a rapid rate for several years to come but it will slow down gradually. Gambling laws vary in different countries but could prevent the growth of the market, due to worries such as gambling addiction. There will always be a strong market for online gambling but is likely to see more domination by larger companies keeping the barriers of entry difficult to succeed in the market. Online gambling is highly innovative industry with new ideas to draw more people into gambling with the latest idea of offering to be able to gamble on games of chess or snooker or backgammon It is possible to gamble on nearly everything, this just defines the potential of the market. References Textbooks Brassington, F. and Pettitt, S. (2000). Principles of Marketing. Websites www. quickmba. com/strategy/porter. shtml Five forces analysis diagram. www. gamblinglicenses. com Provided information on the gambling laws work. www. partygaming. com Provided stats on market size and useful information on the online poker market. www. bettingmarket. com Reviews of the online gambling market with stats of traffic on online sites. www. reports. mintel. com Provided a report on the gambling industry, with helpful information on market size. www. amadeus. bvdep. com Provided information on the market share of companies. www. thismoney. co. uk Provided information on the share situation for the market.

Of Revenge: Francis Bacon’s Optimistic Tale? Essay -- Of Revenge Essay

Of Revenge: Francis Bacon’s Optimistic Tale? Revenge and vengeance are basic tools of human instinct. Whether society chooses to accept or blind itself to this fact, it is an indisputable truth. Francis Bacon examines this truth in "Of Revenge", a view of society and literary characters that reflects the strive for vengeance. However, "Of Revenge" deeply underestimates the corruption of the human spirit and soul. It completely disregards the presence of the basic human instinct which thrives on the manipulation and destruction of others, for the sake of satisfaction. Though Bacon’s inferences to the book of Job or Solomon are perfectly viable to a character that chooses to take revenge after they have been wronged, to believe that "no man does evil just for the sake of evil" annihilates any complete sense of credibility that Bacon’s thoughts imply. The author’s aspirations of the seeking of revenge solely as a means of retribution for oneself, and not to satisfy the evil within the human soul, is a beautifu l and idealistic hope which belongs in some earthen utopia. Unfortunately, it has no bearing on the modern world. Though the beliefs of Bacon expressed in "On Revenge" fulfill the traits of characters such as Medea, they neglect the human thrive for meaningless vengeance in characters such as Shakespeare’s Iago. Euripides’s Medea uses the theme of the search for revenge in order to instigate the downfalls and deaths of many characters. This theme is expressed through the character of Medea, who fits directly into the mold laid out in the guidelines of "Of Revenge". Medea’s search for revenge commences after her husband, the famous Greek hero Jason, leaves her for... ...nge" Francis Bacon considers the good and evil sides of man, and thus draws conclusions given the relationship between the good and evil in a character is equal. Therefore, a character such as Medea, who possessed many virtuous qualities, as well as detestable ones, fits the mold of Bacon’s beliefs of the justification of revenge. However, Bacon disregards the fact that in some men, their is more evil than their is good, and the strength and tenacity of that man override moral views. It is this imbalance that leads characters like Iago to do "evil for the sake of evil" and though they are not justified in their search for revenge, they endlessly endeavor to disrupt the natural flow of good to satisfy their evil cravings. Bacon discounts this amoral view of the human race which irrevocably overshadows the conclusions he draws as to the justification of human vengeance.

Spending and Investing Practices

Introduction How come some people make lots of money, others basically maintain the status quo, and many are awash in debt? What makes the difference? Spending habits – the difference between needs, wants, and self-indulgence. Investing practices –how time and compound interest can create a fortune. Spending without planning is seeking instant self-gratification NOW. Over-spending creates a bondage that limits opportunities. We all have dreams, priorities, fears, and limited time. In large part these are the key factors that influence what we do with our money. After all, the money we have at the moment is limited.The key questions are: What are the things that are important to you now, five years from now, in 25 years, etc. How much money do you have at the moment that is beyond the basics? What are your best investment choices based upon your age and the time available? Financial Planning Definition The process of: managing your money and resources to achieve economic and personal satisfaction. The Financial Planning Process. Determining your current financial situation. What is your income, expenses, and debt? Developing your financial goals. What are your future plans for housing, transportation, medical, marriage, retirement, etc.Identifying courses of action. Evaluating each course of action. Every decision closes off other alternatives. Creating and implementing your financial action plan. Write it down. Continually review your plan and revise as necessary. Selecting Financial Goals Should contain time goals Short term goals of a week, month, six months, a year or two years. Medium term goals that may be achieved within five years. Long term goals such financing college for children, retirement plans, Should contain need goals Consumable product goals: food, clothing, entertainment, etc. Durable product goals: cars, furniture, appliances, sporting equipment, etc.Intangible purchase goals: health, education, leisure, relationships, etc. Goal -setting Guidelines Financial goals should be realistic. State in specific measurable terms Should have a time frame Should indicate the type of action to be taken. Influences on Financial Planning Stage of adult life cycle: young single, married, married with children, single parent, older 50+. Marital status, household size, and employment. Personal values and major events such as graduation, marriage, children, retirement, etc. Local and global economic conditions such as: consumer prices related to inflation. interest rates for borrowing money. oney supply printed by government. unemployment related to job availability. Investing In The Stock Market Investing started when someone had an idea that possibly would make money but didn’t have the financing to develop it. So he sought money from others who were willing to risk their cash in exchange for a share of the potential profits. When the idea proved profitable and looked as if it would generate an income for an extended period of time, outsiders would try to buy shares in the company by offering cash to the original owners. If several people start bidding for shares and the share owners were willing to sell, the price increased.What Is Bought & Sold in the Stock Market Stocks are shares of ownership in a company. Shareholders may benefit from company profits and a rising stock price. They may also lose their shirt if the company loses money and stock prices fall. Note, ‘Penny’ stocks that are low priced tend to be highly speculative with few buyers and sellers and high risk. Below are some well-known stocks. Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) hold a diversified portfolio of stocks and/or securities that are minimally managed. ETFs have the following advantages: ETFs are safer than stocks because an ETF is a basket of securities.With multiple securities, you aren’t subject to the wide array of risk including corporate scandals, after market earning reports, and other factors that affe ct individual stocks. ETFs may be traded during market hours. ETFs allow the use of limit orders and STOP-loss orders. ETFs have no penalties for early withdrawal and are ‘no-load’ (although usual broker fees apply). ETFs are passively managed so their expenses tend to be lower than comparable mutual funds. ETFs holdings are very apparent and portfolio changes are relatively infrequent. Options are available on some ETFs . Index Funds: securities that represent entire sectors:S&P 500 Index (SPY)| Dow Jones Industrial (DIA)| NASDAQ 100 (QQQQ)| Russell 2000 Fund (IWM). | Options are purchasable and sellable contracts that guarantee rights, but not necessarily obligations to buy or sell a security for an agreed upon price within a certain time period. Mutual funds: pooled money managed by professional money managers who charge for their services. Mutual funds are only traded after the market closes each day. Mutual funds cannot be protected from falling prices during the d ay. If the market is crashing, a sell order to get out is initiated only after the market has closed.No-Load Mutual Funds: no fees charged for buying or selling. On an average these tend to be more profitable than loaded funds. Loaded Mutual Funds: an upfront fee or exit fee is charged to enter or cash out a fund. Bonds: loans made to a company or government with a guaranteed return if bankruptcy doesn't occur. Often bonds are sold to raise cash to expand the business. Commodities: raw materials such as sugar, wheat, pork bellies, metals, etc. During economic expansion commodity prices generally rise due to increasing demand. During a recession or deflationary times the opposite is true except in the case of precious metals.Sometimes when people lose faith in their paper money they purchase gold or silver as insurance against devaluation of the dollar. Currencies: paper money that people believe has value. As the amount of paper money increases, the value of the paper money decrease s. With more paper money chasing goods, the rate of inflation rises (gas used to be 23 cents a gallon). REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts): publicly traded companies that own and manage investment-grade commercial real estate. REITs invest in office buildings, malls, industrial facilities, hotels, resorts, health care facilities, and self-storage.REITs provide a simple and inexpensive way to invest in commercial real estate without buying property directly. However, they are not very liquid. REITs provide a fairly reliable source of income. At least 90 percent of taxable income must be distributed annually to shareholders. Financial Participants Banks and Credit Unions typically manage accounts and provide services including checking, savings, loans, credit and debit cards, notary services, safe deposit boxes, etc. Brokerage Firms typically manage all types of trades (stocks, mutual funds, ETFs, etc. ) for a fee.Some are full service, providing advice and charging for their servi ces. Others are discount brokers that handle transactions for a minimal charge. Broker: a licensed professional who advises people about investments for a fee and may work for a brokerage firm. Stock and Commodity Markets are exchanges where stocks, options, securities, indexes, currencies, commodities, etc. are traded. Market Maker: a professional securities dealer who buys and sells stocks or commodities held in inventory and must ALWAYS provide a bid and ask price at which they will buy or sell something.Investors (speculators) are individuals who usually hold longer-term investments. Traders (scalpers) are individuals who usually trade quickly looking for quick profits. Momentum investors track prices and volume data to identify stocks trending higher. Market Timers try to time their investing so they’re buying at market troughs and selling at peaks. Growth Investors target stocks of companies that produce, and should continue producing, above-average earnings growth. Val ue Investors shop for bargains, hoping to buy low, as the cliche goes, and sell high.There are four market trends. Down trending markets in which security prices are falling. People typically do not know how to trade this market. Yet trading a down trending market is usually the most profitable. Security prices fall faster than they rise, typically taking 5 years to reach a high versus 3 months to lose most of the gain. High volatility markets in which security prices swing wildly from one extreme to the other. Day traders and professional traders are very active in this scenario. Up-trending markets in which security prices are rising.Most people invest in an up-trending market because of their optimistic outlook. This market ranks third in trading profitability. Sideways trending markets in which security prices trade within a fairly tight range with little fluctuation. It is important to note that . . . Money can be made or lost no matter the market direction Protecting Trades Wi th Stops Frequently novice traders fail to protect profits and lose money even though a security has bounced in and out of profitability several times. The use of a STOP is one way to protect an account.A STOP is a chosen price in which a trader wants to sell a security to prevent a further price decline. There are four kinds of STOPS. Automatic Hard STOP. This STOP is set immediately after the initial purchase and is not changed until it is deleted or adjusted. Market makers may see hard STOPS and often knock them out during trading by dropping the price suddenly and then raising the price shortly thereafter. Trailing STOP — a favorite. As the price of a stock rises, this STOP correspondingly rises. A Trailing STOP allows a winning stock to run while protecting against a loss if the price drops.Mental STOP. This STOP is written down but not placed with the brokerage firm because full-time traders may not want to be inadvertently stopped out of a trade due to a momentary larg e price swing. STOP Limit. A ‘Limit Order’ is an order to buy or sell at a specific price or better and is only ACTIVATED when the desired price is hit. Searching For investments Determine market trends. What are the current market trends with the Dow, S;P 500, etc. Select high-ranking industry in which money is flowing into it. Studies have shown industry ranking is responsible for at least 50% of a stock price movement.Scan For Higher Volume. Look for securities that trade more than 750,000 shares daily. A stock needs to be liquid; meaning that there are plenty of buyers when it is time to sell. Search For Top Contenders. The companies should be profitable, with low or no debt. Trading Volume Drives Trends When there is a dramatic change in the volume being traded daily compared to its average daily volume, PAY ATTENTION! Typically this means professional money managers are either buying or selling a security. Like a garage sale, when there are a lot of buyers, prices tend to stay put or rise.If there is an abundance of sellers, prices typically fall. Rising prices with high volume mean institutional professional money managers are buying. The larger the volume increase — 50% above average — the better chance it is a true breakout. During major breakouts it is not uncommon for new market leaders to show volume spikes from 200% to 1000%. Rising prices with little volume is often a sucker’s rally and novice buyers tend to be taken to the cleaners because the price rise lacks support by institutions. Falling prices with high volume mean institutional money managers are selling.Falling prices with little volume may mean a strong base of support is forming for a possible uptrend. Professionals tend to purchase heavily and then wait four to eight days before buying again. Trend Insights A trend is the direction of movement of a market or individual security. Trends are characterized by a series of zigzags that resemble a series of waves with peaks and troughs. There are three trends: An uptrend is a series of higher highs and higher lows. A downtrend is a series of lower highs and lower lows. A neutral trend is horizontal, or equal, peaks and troughs, and reflects a period of indecision.This is also known as the consolidation phase. If a trader is wrong about the trends — all other factors are basically worthless. What is popular one moment may be a ‘dog’ shortly thereafter. Trends are your friend. Money is always flowing somewhere! Large Market Trends are determined by an analysis of the buying and selling volume of the Dow, NASDAQ, S&P 500, Russell, etc. Sector Trends deal with an overall analysis of similar companies. Listed below are ETFs that cover sectors. Sector ETFs| Internet| HHH| Oil Service| OIH| Transportation| IYT| Telecom| IYZ|Real Estate| IYR| Big Tech| QQQQ| Software| PSJ| Media| PBS| Defense| PPA| Construction| PKB| Insurance| PIC| Financials| IYF| Nanotech| PXN| Alt. Ene rgy| PBW| Industry Trends are a subcategory of sector trends. This is where individual stocks are listed. Calendar Trends. Some things happen on a recurring basis which cause stock prices to rise and fall almost like clockwork. For instance, Christmas goods are usually shipped in August and September influencing the stock prices of UPS or FEDX. India’s wedding season increases the demand for gold. CAN SLIM COMPANY ANALYSIS CRITERIAWilliam O'Neil, founder of Investor’s Business Daily Newspaper (IBD), developed the ‘CAN SLIM’ investing analysis criteria that is based upon many years of research and readily displayed in IBD. The following is a summary of the analytical criteria used. C = Current Quarterly Profit Increases. Strong growth in earnings, more than any other factor, is what defines the market leaders that potentially are going to experience big price advances. IBD recommends looking for stocks with a profit gain of at least 25% compared to the same quarter of the previous year.IBD found that three of every four such stocks boosted profits by more than 70% in their most recent quarter BEFORE their big run-ups. A = Annual Earning Increases should be at least 25% for the last three to five years. Some of the biggest market winners had annual earnings growth of 50%+ before starting their big run-ups. A trend of three to five years of annual earning increases coupled with recent strong earnings in the last several quarters increases the probability of success in an up-trending market. N = New Products, Management, or Highs.It seems that anything new that makes our lives richer, extends our health, or increases our productivity is desirable. Old companies or newly created companies that provide these new things or new services tend to increase in value because of increase in sales. S = Supply & Demand. When there are plenty of buyers and few sellers, prices increase. When demand for stock shares increases, the company with the leas t amount of shares available will experience a greater price increase. The greater the number shares available (for sale) the less the price performance.Usually older larger companies with billions of shares are more sluggish than companies trading only 50 million shares. Note, the larger the percentage of ownership by management, typically the greater the growth potential. L = Leaders, Not Laggards. There are many ‘wannabes also-ran’ companies. Their price growth results are average at best or a flash-in-the-pan. Select best-of-breed stocks from the top three in strong industry groups with the best quarterly/annual earnings growth. Note, in a bull market correction, the stocks that drop the least are usually the best on rebound.I = Institutional Sponsorship. When big traders (mutual funds, pension plans, etc) are buying millions of shares, it is a good sign the price will run-up. But not all mutual funds are equal in quality. Follow the leaders of the best mutual funds . M = Market Direction. Track the trend averages using the S&P, DJIA, and NASDAQ. And Finally CFO: Corporate Fraud Officer. FIAT Money: Financial Instrument Administering Theft of Money Insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. – Einstein

State of Racism and Gender Discrimination

?State of Racism and Gender Discrimination What is discrimination? Discrimination is the prejudicial treatment of a different person or groups of people based on certain characteristics. In the United States there are seven protected characteristics or classes that are defined by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination Employment Act, and the American Disabilities Act that can not be discriminated against: race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, and disability. This paper focuses on two of the protected classes: race and gender discrimination. What is racism? Racism (also known as discrimination against a race or races) is a belief that all members of one racial group have superior characteristics or abilities specific to that group; it allows the ranking of races based on superiority and implies the importance of one race over the others (â€Å"Racism† 2008). Supremacy ideology is core to racism. In the 20th century, the face of racism was largely black and white; however, in recent times there have been examples of racism against Native Americans, Asian Americans, African Americans, Latin Americans, and some other immigrant groups (â€Å"Racism in the United States† 2008). Today, racism has become multi-colored and multicultural. Racism and racial discrimination are very powerful forces which unfortunately harm the whole economy. Racism can take place in many areas such as the job market, housing market, educational system, and health care services. Even today, racial discrimination against minorities (especially African Americans) can be found in the housing market (i. e. making renting apartments, taking out mortgages, and buying houses extremely difficult or even impossible in some areas). This is not to say, that there has not been significant attempts and progress made, in order to eliminate racial discrimination. Racial discrimination and segregation used to be legal across the southern states of the United States (â€Å"Martin Luther King and the fight against racism in the US† 2008). Many people have tried to stop racial discrimination throughout the history of the United States. One extremely influential and pivotal leader that many people are familiar with is Martin Luther King. While this paper is not a historic telling of Martin Luther King, his ideals are as influential today as they were then. He did not want people to be judged by the color of their skin but by the capability of their character. He tried to revive the Civil Rights movement in the mid 1950s. However, he was tragically assassinated on the balcony of his hotel in Memphis, Tennessee (â€Å"Martin Luther King and the fight against racism in the US† 2008). After his passing and after many fundamental changes in the constitution, African American communities are no longer limited in their rights from society (â€Å"Martin Luther King Jr. † 2008). Today, the eyes of ethics and the highest laws of the land bids society to stop racial discrimination in all its forms, along with other types of discriminations defined under title VII, ADA, and ADEA. Gender or Sex Discrimination is the belief that one gender is more valuable than the other, and can also create doubts in the abilities of a certain sex and exacerbate stereotypes (â€Å"Sexism† 2008). In most countries around the world, gender discrimination is illegal in most circumstances (Manohar 2008). In the United States, Title VII protects against gender and sexual discrimination. There are two types of gender discrimination: disparate treatment and disparate impact (â€Å"Gender or Sex Discrimination† 2008). Disparate treatment is treating people differently because of his or her sex (â€Å"Gender or Sex Discrimination† 2008). The other is disparate impact, when the company policy does not include certain individuals or does not include everyone equally (â€Å"Gender or Sex Discrimination† 2008). The fire department is a good example of disparate impact. The qualifications of the fire department are extreme (i. e. he ability to carry and lift a lot of weight), which makes it hard for women to qualify for a job as a firefighter (â€Å"Gender or Sex Discrimination† 2008). These requirements are important to becoming a fire fighter and many argue that they are more than necessary. However, this does not mean that the fire department does not want to work with women. It is just the policy to set the standards high. Another interesting example: A male employee was fired by his employer because he refused to work at night (â€Å"Small Business Encyclopedia† 2002). This company had a policy saying that women did not have to work at night because the company was located in a high crime area. The male employees had to work the night shifts for the company, while the women employees did not. The male employee in question filed a suit under Title VII against his employer claiming sexual discrimination. The company claimed that several female employees would quit if they were forced to work at night. The company also claimed the policy was a bona fide occupational qualification (BFOQ). This case is interesting because BFOQ can be used as a defense to allow certain discrimination. BFOQ is an exception provided by Title VII for jobs that require a specific religion, sex, national origin, or age as a reasonable necessity for normal operations of a business. Although BFOQ applies to the fire department qualifications, the courts deemed that the company who asked only its male workers to take the night-shift was could not use BFOQ as a valid defense (â€Å"Small Business Encyclopedia† 2002). In the workplace, sexual discrimination usually involves sex becoming a factor in deciding on who gets a job, promotion, or other benefits. Many researches have shown that women are treated unfairly compared to men in hiring, promotions, and benefits (â€Å"Small Business Encyclopedia† 2002). For instance, a young man, who dropped out from high school and does not have a degree, gets a job in a high position over a young woman who has her master’s degree. While the young woman is better qualified for the position than the young man, the man gets the job. This paradigm illustrates gender discrimination. The reverse has also held true. There have been cases where men have been discriminated against, as discussed above. There is also a particular form of sexual discrimination called sexual harassment. Sexual harassment includes inappropriate words or actions of a sexual nature to the opposite sex (â€Å"Small Business Encyclopedia† 2002). Courts expect managers to understand that sexual discrimination may exist in the workplace and companies to take proactive measures to ensure that the environment is free from sexual discrimination. The first law of any federal importance in the United States regarding discrimination was The Civil Rights Act of 1871, also known as the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871; it was mainly established to protect Southern African Americans from the abuse being delivered to them from the Ku Klux Klan. Although the Act had been interpreted by the courts many times, it had very little effect. For one, the Act was loosely defined and provided loopholes for state officials, who did not get litigated under the statue. However, this hole was patched up in 1961, when the Supreme Court of the United States decided Monroe v. Pape. The decision included several provisions to close the inadequacies found in the Civil Act of 1871. The Act is now one of the most powerful statues, in which the State and Federal courts may protect those whose rights are being violated. In particular, Section 1983 of the Civil Rights Act enforces the prohibition of public sector employment discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, and religion, but it rarely applies to the private sector. Eventually, the first Federal law to promote equal opportunity and prohibit employment discrimination in the United States was passed. The law is called the Executive Order 8802, also known as the Fair Employment Act. It was signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1941. The law promotes and ensures that all Federal agencies and departments involved with the defense industry were administered without discrimination to race, color, or nationality on the vocational and training programs being offered to its employees and contractors. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibited racial segregation in schools, public places, and employment regardless of race, color, religion, sex, or nationality. Originally conceived to help protect African Americans, it also explicitly included sections to protect women in the bill; as a result the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission was founded as well. At the time of its creation, this law was seen as one of the most important legislations that abolished all forms and respects of discrimination. During its time at the House Judiciary Committee, the bill was expanded and strengthened to include bans against racial discrimination in employment, segregation in all public facilities, and protection of the rights of black voters. The bill was later passed out to the House Rules Committee, at which the committee’s chairman Howard W. Smith expressed his intention in canning the bill. But after pressures from civil rights groups and movements, Chairman Smith finally let the bill pass through and it was brought to a vote. It passed in the House on February 10, 1964 and was sent to the Senate. During the bill’s stay at the Senate, a group of southern state Senators launched a two month filibuster trying to prevent its passage through the Senate. In compromise, a revised weaker bill than the House version was brought to the tables for Senate vote on June 10, 1964 and was passed. Originally conceived to help protect African Americans, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 also explicitly included sections to protect Women’s Rights in the bill. Added by Howard W. Smith of the House Rules Committee Chairman, it was first seen as a guise to prevent the bill from passing (since at that time it was normally conceived that some groups of men within the House and Senate would oppose Women’s Rights). The Bill was later successfully passed and marked the first time legislation was put into effect to protect women. The Civil Rights Act was later followed by the Civil Rights Act of 1968, commonly known as the Fair Housing Act of 1968; which expanded the prohibition of discrimination to include the housing sector. It specifically prohibited discrimination on the sale, rental, and financing of housing based on race, religion, nationality and later gender, and the protection of families with children and of the handicapped. The next important anti-discrimination law to pass was the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978. With more than 70% of women with children in the U. S. work force, the law was setup to protect women against discrimination due to their pregnancy (or intentions of becoming pregnant). Employers with prejudices against working mothers (due to the fear of lost productivity, extra costs, expenditures and accommodations associated with pregnant women) who might have been likely to discriminate against them were deterred. The Act also enables the distribution of a monetary pay-out as a result of discrimination against pregnant women. In 2006 alone, The U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission handled 4,901 claims with monetary amount awarded totaling about $10. 4 million (EEOC 2006). The Civil Rights Act was amended again for the last time in 1991, in an effort to address various limits imposed by past United States Supreme Court’s decisions on the rights of employees who had filed law suits against their employers. It was basically setup to bring forth the emotional distress damages caused by employment discrimination while setting a limit on the amount the jury could award (â€Å"List of Anti-Discrimination Acts† 2008). Before the 1991 Act was put into effect, a plaintiff could only sue their employer for discrimination and recover lost wages or salary, lost benefits, attorney fees, court fees, other legal fees, and other costs associated with reinstatement. To prevent from unreasonable court settlements, the punitive damages awarded was capped at $300,000 for most cases (excluding ethnic and/or racial discrimination) (â€Å"List of Anti-Discrimination Acts† 2008). The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission still handles thousands of discrimination cases every year. There is statistical evidence that suggests racial discrimination in the workplace is still commonplace. In 2000, the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) reported a study in North Carolina that states accusations of racial harassment on the job nearly quadrupled between 1996 and 2000. Mindy Weinstein, attorney at the EEOC office in Charlotte, North Carolina, says, â€Å"There's a new generation of workers today who were not raised in the civil rights movement, who may not have been aware of the laws that came about because of that time†¦ We think it's largely a reflection of what's going on in society as a whole† (â€Å"Racial Discrimination† 2008). Since Barack Obama’s win the 2008 presidential election, people would like to believe that racism has seen its last day; unfortunately this is not the case. According to the research of Brown University, during 1970 to 1994, when America liberalized their uncompetitive banking markets, it reduced the wage gap between blacks and whites. Economists call the wage difference between black workers and white workers the â€Å"racial wage gap† (most of which comes from bias). Gary Becker, a Nobel-prize winning economist, argued that prejudice of employees was economically inefficient. Brown University found that deregulation of the American banking industry increased competition and lowered interest rates on loans. People found it easier to start their own business. They found that in an initially high degree of racial bias, the black-white wage gap declined the most. This evidence shows competition itself can not eliminate racial discrimination. Competition can only reduce the bias from employers. Changing attitudes takes a lot of time and effort; even though Obama’s election victory denotes a change in history, there is still a long way to go (â€Å"Race and Red Tape† 2008). Wage gaps can be seen in between genders as well. Though a wage gap between white men and white women may be expected, it is surprising to see this is not the only wage gap that exits between the sexes. In other racial groups, such as African Americans, Latinos, and Asian/Pacific Islanders, men earn more money than women within their own respective race (U. S. Census Bureau 2000). According to a study, women working 41 to 44 hours per week earn 84. 6% of what men earn working similar hours; women working more than 60 hours per week earn only 78. % of what men earn working the same hours (Bureau of Labor Statistics 2002). More over, women tend to work longer before they receive promotions and get a higher pay. Most people think a higher education may increase women’s salary, but the evidence suggests otherwise. The data does not show a narrow gender gap in wages at higher levels of education. On the contrary, at the very highest levels of education, the gap is at its largest (Hilary M. Lips 2008). Racial discrimination is an important issue in the business world and is a genuine problem that still exists—and in some cases it’s getting worse. According to a study published in 1998 by the nonprofit group Catalyst called â€Å"Women of Color in Corporate Management: A Statistical Picture,† it was shown that minority women, while now accounting for almost a quarter of all women in the workplace, occupied only 15 percent of the management positions held by women. The study verifies that a combination of racial discrimination and the glass ceiling was a differentiating factor in those numbers (Racial Discrimination 2008). Glass ceiling is a symbolic phrase referring to an invisible cap preventing qualified women and minorities from progressing into key higher level management positions, or in some cases any management positions. These individuals describe the cap as a â€Å"glass ceiling† because they can see the opportunity that should be theirs through the glass, but due to the ceiling, they can not go any higher. In 1995 the Federal Glass Ceiling Commission described the American labor force as being segregated by gender and race, where â€Å"white men fill most top management positions in corporations† (Glass Ceilings: The Status of Women as Officials and Managers in the Private Sector 2004). The report affirms that the percent of women officials and managers in the private sector used to be 29% in 1990 and had increased to 36. 4% in 2002. Although this is an improvement, women embody 48 percent of all employees, but only 36. 4% of them are in key power positions. In the National Employment Summary released in 2005 by the EEOC, the average salary reported was $40,325. This report indicates that the median income of men is above average ($44,090) and the median income of women is below average ($36,417) (â€Å"National Employment Summary† 2005). The median salary for White and Asian employees was above average as well ($41,525 and $50,762 respectively); whereas Black, Hispanic, and Native American employees had median salaries below the average income (â€Å"National Employment Summary† 2005). When graphed, these findings show that White male population has an income graph that is skewed towards the right, whereas most minorities and women have a normal income distribution. The data here supports the idea that more White men are employed in higher paying jobs. The Federal Glass Ceilings Commission argues that: â€Å"The successful elimination of glass ceilings requires not just an effective enforcement strategy but the involvement of employers, employees and others in identifying and reducing ttitudinal and other forms of organizational barriers encountered by minorities and women in advancing to higher level management positions in different workplace settings. † (Glass Ceilings: The Status of Women as Officials and Managers in the Private Sector 2004) Racism and gender discrimination hurt not only the people discriminated against, but also the economy as a whole. It prevents good, qualified individuals from progressing and attributing to the market. As a result, l ess qualified or poorly qualified people get placed in key positions. This prevents business’ from reaching their potential, and thus prevents the nation from reaching its. These issues are not restricted to the United States. Racism can be found in all countries across the globe, and its effects can be devastating. Africa suffers from constant political unrest where attempts at genocide are commonplace. Will racism and gender discrimination ever come to an end? It is a difficult question to answer, especially since it is human nature to differentiate between â€Å"us† and â€Å"them† (â€Å"So stereotypes persist because we want them to† 2000). The hope and desire for America is that the definition of â€Å"us† truly changes to encompass all Americans (â€Å"from all walks of life†). Works Cited EEOC (U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission). 2006. Retrieved November 29, 2008, from: http://www. eeoc. gov/index. html Feinberg, Mark PhD. â€Å"So Stereotypes Exist Because We Want Them to†. American Psychological Association Public Interest Directorate. Retrieved November 29, 2008, from: http://www. apa. org/pi/oema/racism/contents. html â€Å"Gender or Sex Discrimination†. 008. Retrieved November 29, from: http://www. discriminationattorney. com/lawyer-attorney-1287322. html â€Å"Glass Ceilings: The Status of Women as Officials and Managers in the Private Sector†. 2004. U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Retrieved November 29, 2008, from: http://www. eeoc. gov/stats/reports/glassceiling/index. pdf Lips, Hilary M. â€Å"The Gender Wage Gap: Debunking the Rationalizationsâ € . Retrieved November 29, 2008, from: http://www. womensmedia. com/new/Lips-Hilary-gender-wage-gap. html â€Å"List of Anti-Discrimination Acts†. 2008. Retrieved November 29, 2008, from: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/List_of_anti-discrimination_acts#United_States Manohar, Uttara. â€Å"Gender Discrimination at Workplace†. October 24, 2008. Retrieved November 30, 2008, from: http://www. buzzle. com/articles/gender-discrimination-at-workplace. html â€Å"Martin Luther King and the fight against racism in the US†. 2008. Retrieved November 30, 2008, from: http://www. socialistworker. co. uk/art. php? id=14531 â€Å"Martin Luther King Jr. . November 30, 2008. Retrieved November 30, 2008, from: http://www. 123HelpMe. com/view. asp? id=42718 â€Å"National Employment Summary†. 2005. Retrieved November 29, 2008, from: http://www. eeoc. gov/stats/jobpat_eeo4/2005/jobs/UnitedStatesSummary. html â€Å"Race and Red Tape†. November 13, 2008. The Economist print edition. Retrieved November 29, 2008, from: http://www. economist. com/finance/displaystory. cfm? story_id=12597512 â€Å"Racial Discrimination†. November 29, 2008. Retrieved November 29, 2008, from: http://www. nswers. com/topic/racial-discrimination â€Å"Racism†. 2008. Retrieved November 29, 2008, from: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Racism â€Å"Racism in the United States†. 2008. Retrieved November 29, 2008, from: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Racism_in_the_United_States â€Å"Sexism†. 2008. Retrieved November 29, 2008, from: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Racism_in_the_United_States â€Å"Small Business Encyclopedia†. 2002. Retrieved November 29, 2008, from: http://www. answers. com/topic/gender-discrimination

A Critical Essay evaluating a published piece of research from a research skills and methods point of view The WritePass Journal

A Critical Essay evaluating a published piece of research from a research skills and methods point of view Introduction A Critical Essay evaluating a published piece of research from a research skills and methods point of view IntroductionPositivist Research PhilosophyQualitative and Quantitative Research MethodFrame AnalysisData CollectionSources CasesConclusionReferencesRelated Introduction The article that forms the basis of the methodology analysis of this paper is Balabanova and Balch (2010) titled Sending and receiving: The ethical framing of intra-EU migration in the European press. In brief, the article explores the role played by ethics of immigration control in Europe in communication processes. It examines how the news media in two European states, Bulgaria and the United Kingdom, frame intra-EU migration. As the article contains a section identifying the methodology used in the article, this will form the basis of analysis. Through examination of the methodologies identified therein, the effective use of these techniques will be critiqued, as well as those present in the article, which have not been identified in the section. This paper will explore the methodology used in the article from a broad philosophical approach to the methodology, to factors of analysis, research methods, data collection and appropriateness of the sources used. Positivist Research Philosophy Positivism is a structured approach to interpretation of research and the use of this methodology aims to replicate or test theory. Use of this methodology sees the researcher making certain interpretations about the data that will be collected. These interpretations will be quantified and generalised using some form of statistical analysis (Carter New, 2004) and thus its application within the natural sciences to the study of a subject in a social reality. This approach is deductive in nature where the research develops a theory and then subjects it to testing in the form of measureable hypotheses (Feyerabend, 1981). This has clear application in the current article as the authors are looking to interpret the data collected to draw certain conclusions about the role of the media in intra-EU immigration. Against this research philosophy it is possible to then examine the different kinds of research methods undertaken. This research philosophy is not identified in the article itself, however it is clear that there is a positivist approach taken to the research as there is a strong representation of certain interpretations made on the basis of collected data. Qualitative and Quantitative Research Method From the outset it is clear that the paper makes use of both qualitative and quantitative research methodology. The article identifies the approach used in testing the hypothesis as linking media framing with normative political theory in a systematic way. This approach superficially indicates the inclusion of qualitative research due to the very nature of normative theory. Qualitative research centers around the idea that meaning is socially constructed by individuals based on their interactions with the world and that the world is not based on positivist or quantitative assumptions (Merriam, 2002; 32). Qualitative research suggests that instead, reality is based on multiple interpretations that change over time, and researchers concern themselves rather with understanding these interpretations at a particular time.   This research in particular focuses on plurality of interpretations (Flick, 2009). If one understands normative theory as being prescriptive of how one ideally shoul d or ought to act, imposing a value judgment based on these interpretations (Over, 2004; 3), one can see the understanding of normative political theory as inherently qualitative in nature.   By contrast, quantitative methods of research are those which concern data analysed in terms of numbers (Punch, 1998). It is conceivable therefore that normative political theory may be assisted by quantitative research methods, however essentially this requires a value judgment on what political theory ought to be, is essentially positions itself within qualitative research by its very definition, as a value judgment requires the consideration of factors that typically fall within the realm of qualitative research, such as context and evaluation.  Ã‚   Arguably, the omission of this statement of methodology from the section in the article itself is justified through redundancy. That is to say, that to the extent that this is both understood as a methodology of normative theory application, as well as the assumptions made about this theory within the paper rather than a process of research or discovery as to what this theory is, perhaps the inclusion of this consideration in the methodology section is somewhat redundant and unnecessary. A mixed method of qualitative and quantitative research exists in this article further in the identification of content analysis as the primary method of analysis in the paper (Balabanova Balch, 2010; 386). Content analysis classified textual material by reducing it to manageable pieces of data by quantifying the occurrence of certain phrases or themes within a text (Weber, 1980). It is therefore clear that content analysis is quantitative to the extent that it attempts to quantify certain themes within the text itself. However, it is simultaneously qualitative in that it takes account of the context of text components, latent structures of sense, distinctiveness in individual cases and things that do not appear in the text itself (Ritsert, 1972). For this reason, the inclusion of qualitative content analysis in analyzing communication texts, such as the current case of media, these factors are important for including context in the process of analysis. This however is not the quali tative inclusion that is referred to by Balabanova and Balch (2010; 396), as the methodology section purports to include qualitative factors through qualitative reading of selected articles to identify the ethical position and the range of communitarian and cosmopolitan issues. Whilst it arguable that these factors are a necessary inclusion of qualitative factors in the research, this should not be the extent of this inclusion. This is a clear inclusion in the Balabanova and Balch (2010; 386) article if one considers the nature of sources analyzed as being media sources of a particular topic, particularly considering the ethical dimension thereof. There is a definitely inclusion of certain ethical judgments in the content analysis which is essential to the topic itself. To the extent therefore that the content analysis used in the paper is of mixed methodology, this is entirely appropriate given the multifaceted nature of the inquiry itself. By making use of the sources that take ac count of the context, particularly in the choice of sources, it is clear that there are features of qualitative content analysis present in the article. Frame Analysis A further method identified by the methodology section of the article is a framing analysis, which essentially works as a method of defining how an issue is problematised and the effect that this has on the broader discussion (Hope, 2010; 2). Framing, involves selection and highlighting of certain facets of events, making connections between them so that they promote a particular interpretation, evalua ­tion or solution (Entman, 2004). By framing an issue in a certain way the media organize and structure their presentation, in the process including and excluding ideas and argu ­ments to produce a coherent construction and understanding of the issue (Pan and Kosicki, 1993). Despite the inclusion of this methodology, it is questionable whether the authors have made use of this analysis method, as there is no evidence of a discussion involving the framing of the problem statement in a manner that is consistent with this methodology. This is a precise methodology involving various st eps of conceptualization from the primary framework, to the metaframes and finally, the issue frame leading to the problem statement. Essentially, this moves from a very broad general understanding of the issue and moves towards the very specific (Hope, 2010; 5). Whilst it is clear that Balabanova and Balch (2010; 383) have clearly stated their problem statement in the introductory paragraphs of the article, this is not however consistent with the steps of analysis used in a frame analysis. The introduction to the problem statement arguably is well reasoned from the onset, and there is no development or discovery of logic as the process enfolds. Therefore, it is fair to conclude that there is an adequate formation of the problem statement, however this is not done by a frame analysis which purports to form the foundation of the research itself. Data Collection It is arguable that the method of data collection used by Balabanova and Balch (2010) is a qualitative data collection method. This is so because generally empirical or first-hand research is undertaken in quantitative studies which involves the independent collection of data by the researcher, rather than analyzing data that is already available. To this extent, the authors have circumvented a number of logistical issues with regards to the ethics of empirical research. Generally speaking, empirical research must be accompanied by a statement of ethics to ensure that the appropriate ethical standards are adhered to when dealing with research participants. Qualitative data therefore is representative of language data or the experience of the participants of the study, whereas quantitative data is a collection of numbers and figures (Polkinghorne, 2005). Whilst, the article does make use of quantitative data in terms of the fact that it uses this data to form the basis of the analysis , it similarly makes use of qualitative data which can be described as an ‘account’ or ‘evidence’ of human experience (ibid). It stands to reason therefore, that if one considers the subject matter of the article, the findings are a reflection of an experience and otherwise described as evidence of a certain circumstance. To this extent, the quantitative figures are used as a supporting mechanism to add to the validity and reliability of these findings. Validity generally implies that the instrument must measure what it was intended to measure (Barbour, 2008). Therefore to the extent that this data collection method has been used to gather the appropriate evidence and therefore measure the topic of the article, it is a valid mechanism of doing so. The article however does not address the issue of data collection, although it is fairly evident that it is qualitative in nature considering that it was chosen from a specific demographic country, with specific interests in mind when collecting this data. There are certain superficial indicators of reliability in research relating to repetition or consistency in assertion. Golafshani (2003; 598) identifies three types of reliability referred to in research, which relate to, namely the degree to which a measurement, given repeatedly, remains the same, the stability of a measurement over time; and the similarity of measurements within a given time period. Arguably by the very nature of the means of analysis, namely content analysis, these results should prove to be reliable, as the subject of what this method measures is precisely the repeated incidence of specific themes and phrases within the data sampled. The reliability of the data therefore is reliant on the reliability of the tool of analysis in this case. It can be concluded that, despite the lack of discussion as to the reliability of the data, the nature of the test is one which is inherently reliability. This is mitigated further by the limited size of the population of the st udy itself. Sources Cases Generally speaking, it is not appropriate to rely solely on newspaper articles as the basis of academic findings, however for the purposes of the current research, particularly in that the article is based on the influence of the media on the perception of intra-EU migration. As a result therefore the use of these sources is appropriate. The reliability and validity of the research with regards to the sources is upheld in integrity, as there is the adequate inclusion of reputable academic sources, as well as the use of these newspaper sources which form the basis of the data analysis. Conclusion By and large the application of the outlined methodology in the article itself is successful. One could argue that the relevant theoretical considerations with regards to research methodology have been adequately addressed in the article given the length and depth of the subject matter. This however is not to say that the authors have not excluded the fundamental considerations of methodology that merit inclusion, such as more exploration of qualitative research methodology, which has been argued to contribute significantly to the outcomes of the study, yet are not sufficiently included. Despite this exclusion, the collection of data and the sources used to support the hypothesis of the article are sufficient and appropriate in the circumstance, considering that the topic at hand requires an inquiry into the opinions and role of the media in these circumstances. This is supported by a superficial, yet adequate methodological explanation that allows the reader a basic understanding of the methodology used in the paper. References Balabanova and Balch (2010) Sending and receiving: The ethical framing of intra-EU migration in the European press. European Journal of Communication, 25, pp. 382 408 Barbour, R.S (2008) Introducing Qualitative Research. Sage Publications: Los Angeles Carter, B and C. New (2004) Making Realism Work. Routledge: London Entman R (2004) Projections of Power: Framing News, Public Opinion, and US Foreign Policy. Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press Feyerabend, P.K. (1981) Realism, Rationalism and Scientific Method.   Cambridge: Cambridge University Press) Flick, U. (2009) An Introduction to Qualitative Research. (4ed) Sage Publications: London Golafshani, N. (2003) Understanding Reliability and Validity in Qualitative Research. The Qualitative Report, 8(4), pp. 597 607 Hope, M. (2010) Frame Analysis as a Discourse-Method: Framing ‘climate change politics’. Paper delivered to the Post-Graduate Conference on Discourse Analysis March 2010,University of Bristol. Merriam, S. (2002) Qualitative Research in Practice. (1ed) John Wiley Sons: New York Over, D (2004) Rationality and the Normative/Descriptive Distinction in Koehler, D. Harvey, N. (eds) ‘Blackwell Handbook of Judgment and Decision Making’ Blackwell: New York Pan Z and Kosicki G (1993) Framing analysis: An approach to news discourse. Political Communication 10(1): 55–75. Polkinghorne, D. (2005) Language and Meaning: Data Collection in Qualitative Research. Journal of Counselling Pyschology, 52(2), pp 137 145 Punch, K. (1998)  Introduction to Social Research: Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches. Sage Publications: London Ritsert, J. (1972  Inhaltsanalyse und Ideologiekritik. Ein Versuch à ¼ber kritische Sozialforschung. Frankfurt: Athenum Fischer Taschenbuch Verlag (as translated) Weber, R. (1980) Basic Content Analysis. (2ed) Sage Publications: London