The Immortalists Book Review for College

The Immortalists Review and Truth About the Book Immortalist by Chloe Benjamin is a novel of sweeping ambition and fiendish poignancy. Aptly titled, the book grapples with the matters of life and death as well as an expiry date ending the latter and initiating the former. Benjamin is keenly aware of the inherent sorrow underlying one’s failure to cheat mortality, and she is not ashamed to explore it in a gimmicky premise of her novel. In a sweltering summer of 1969, the Gold children – four siblings – gain a preview of their death. A Romany woman uses clairvoyant powers to predict the exact dates the siblings will die. And thus, the bittersweet novel starts unfolding. It relentlessly draws the readers inside the sticky, humid New York of yore and the cold future that is about to happen. In this reviews and discussion of the Immortalists book, I will argue that the absorbing novel milks the puzzling notions of uncertainty and fate to prepare its readers for a vicarious death experience, which makes the read terr ifyingly liberating. Buy Book Reports Online The Immortalists Analysis and Questions Everyone has dreamt of immortality. This much is certain. Everyone has realized the futility of the heady dream. This is also clear. But how does a person react when they see their death coming a mile off? Benjamin’s tackling of the doomy subject and the ensuing fame attest to the fact that the readers are interested in this kind of questions and answers. This notwithstanding, the rousing read is short on answers. It is up to the audience to make heads or tails of the themes and ideas laid out in the book. As such, the novel can be regarded as a whimsical quiz for book club discussion testing the readers’ ability to answer difficult questions, some of which might not even have been posed. What is it about? I believe that The Immortalists is about personal transformation inevitably following the dissolution of uncertainty. Benjamin nodes to the notion of destiny when she presents the group of children with spoilers – exact dates of their death. By revealing the gr uesome ending, the author removes the veil of uncertainty, thereby forcing her protagonists to shiver, panic, and, above all, change. When ending explained, there is nothing left but to change. What is the point of Immortalists book characters’ life if they have no recourse but to inch slowly to the center of the target drawn by destiny itself? Understanding this, the Gold siblings try to escape the fortuneteller’s ominous prophecies by altering the course and meaning of their life. As one could have guessed, it is not easy to pry open the relentless jaws of fate. The death-defying ambition driving the protagonists becomes their downfall, which often brings the Immortalists comparison to Frankenstein. Is the Immortalists a teen book? Hardly. Yet any teenager would be better off reading it. The Immortalists study guide on vicissitudes and certainties of life, which is recommended to anyone who is about to make important choices. Get Essay on The Immortalists Book Characters in the Immortalists What happens in the Immortalists hits unsuspecting readers in the left prefrontal cortex making them feel happy, and then delivers multiple stinging punches right to the amygdala dumping them in the abyss of sadness. The author throws a vibrant description of the city here and a lurid sex scene there to warm her way under the readers’ skin. Being caught in the florid details of the characters’ life, one stops worrying how do each die and starts living with them. But each death date has been predestined. When the first character – Simon – is getting crossed off a list, readers start feeling the cold undercurrent of the novel. Benjamin leaves them wondering: â€Å"Does Simon get AIDS in the Immortalists?† Then, the emotional piquancy of the novel spikes again when its plot veers toward the story of Klara magic obsessed character. How does Klara die in the Immortalists? Being a magician, the character thought that â€Å"there must be a loophole, a sec ret trapdoor.† Klara’s solution was to kill herself. She died. The readers participated in a magic trick: the abyss of sadness had a false bottom; they kept reading and kept falling. Daniel death was another trapdoor. There are many decent quotes from the Immortalists, but one that can be used in the stead of chapter summaries is provided by Daniel. It seems that he is the only Gold who realizes that â€Å"most people enjoy a certain level of impotence. But [†¦] we do have control – so much that it scares us to death.† The writer does not want to challenge his assumption. She immerses the readers into the rich story of Varya, as well as her relationships with Frida and Luke, only to let the reins go and end the book. She no longer controls the story – the readers do. It is up to them to decide how Varya die even if it scares them to death. Why is The Immortalists so Good? Is Critique Unwarranted? The novel has garnered largely positive feedback. Some literature connoisseurs have carped that Benjamin’s book is overrated and ridiculed it for being excessively metaphorical and mawkish. However, the novel’s success indicates that nobody has taken these unwarranted cavils to heart. It can be argued that the American readership was unswayed by the criticism because everyone enjoyed Benjamin’s candor and lightness of hand. And these two are the key ingredients in the ‘suspension of disbelief’ spell. The Immortalists gives the spellbound audience a chance to experience a vicarious and plausible death, which makes the book so imminently great and terrifying. Pay to Have a Book Review Done

The Role Of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome ( Pcos ) - 2046 Words

EPIDEMIOLOGY Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder that affects 4% to 12% of women of childbearing age.1 The proportion of individuals in a population with PCOS depends on the diagnostic criteria.2 According to the criteria implemented by the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology/American Society for Reproductive Medicine, PCOS is as great as 15% to 20%.2 As stated in The National Institute of Health Office of Disease Prevention Report, PCOS impacts about 5 million females of reproductive age in United States.3 The identification and management of the disease is estimated to cost $4 billion annually to the US health care system.3 As such, PCOS presents a major economic burden. This heterogeneous†¦show more content†¦COS may suffer include anxiety, depression, body dissatisfaction and a lower quality of life.6,7 ETIOLOGY AND PATHOPHYSIOLOGY PCOS is an oligogenic disorder that has a heritable factor of approximately 70%.3 Both genetic and environmental factors contribute to the phenotype of the disease.4 The pathophysiology of PCOS consists of defects in the hypothalamic-pituitary axis, secretion of insulin and the function of the ovary.3 Although, the cause of PCOS is an on going topic of research, it has been linked to insulin resistance and elevated androgen levels that contribute to hormonal imbalance.4 It is estimated that 60%-80% of women with PCOS, show insulin resistance and this percentage increases to 95% of women who are obese.8 Insulin resistance is a cause as well as an exacerbating factor for the development of PCOS.3 Insulin resistance contributes to metabolic disturbances, obesity and type 2 diabetes, as well as increased androgens, cardiovascular risks and anovulation.1 Insulin aids in regulation of ovarian function and overproduction of insulin causes the ovaries to produce high amounts of androgens.9 High levels of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) stimulate the ovarian thecal cells to produce a greater amount of androgens such as 17-hydroprogesterone, testosterone and progesterone.9 Furthermore, thecal cells contain a higher level of cytochrome P450 11A, CYP17 and 3-HSD2 genes.9 Increased androgens stimulate visceral adipose tissue to produce free fatty

Business Ethics In Firm Rana Plaza - Free Solution

Questions: On April 24 2013, 1134 people were killed and 2,500 were injured when the Rana Plaza building in Savar, Bangladesh collapsed on top of garment workers inside its factories. It would be known as the worst accident in the garment industry anywhere. This happened only five months after a horrific fire at a similar facility prompted leading multinational brands to pledge to work to improve safety in the countrys booming but poorly regulated garment industry. Labour groups, Western clothing companies, the Bangladeshi government and others have made some progress toward preventing similar tragedies, but more stillneeds to be done. There was never any doubt that improving working conditions in Bangladesh, one of the worlds poorest countries, would be incredibly difficult. The collapse of RanaPlaza was just one, though by far the worst in a series of industrial accidents in Bangladeshs garment industry, which has become one of the biggest exporters ofclothes to the United States and Europe because of its low wages. It was later discovered that 28 brands that sourced clothes from the plaza included Primark, Bennetton, Mango, Matalan and Bonmache, prompting public concern about the working conditions of garment factories around the world which contribute to western high street fashion stores. Ethical consumerism encourages people to think about how the products they buy are sourced and produced which are not harmful to the environment and society.This can be evidenced through simply purchasing eggs that are free-range or boycotting goods/companies which promote child labour or unsavoury working conditions. Ethical consumerism is a growing market. A recent report from the Co-operative Bank showed a third of UK consumers claiming to be concerned about ethical consumption, with a large number of the public willing to challenge and boycott companies which do not comply with ethical standards. You are required to write an analytical business report that covers the following tasks: Task 1 Discuss the ways in which companies, like the ones mentioned in the extract above, that sourced clothes from the Rana Plaza can help improve business practices to prevent recurrence of events of this nature. Task 2 Choose any company, research and evidence how they operate ethically, taking into account their approach to consumerism, values and environmental friendliness. Answers: Task 1 About the report: The essay analyses firm named Rana Plaza within the textile industry in Bangladesh. First part of the study has actually tried to analyze all the companies who have sourced or are sourcing from the Rana plaza and the way in which they can help themselves for improvement of business practices and prevention of recurrence of any such incident which took place in Rana Plaza (Allhoff and Vaidya, 2005). Research also has also attempted to evaluate all ethical issues that were involved in the firm as well as all actions which related firms need and requirement to undertake further smooth endurance. Analysis and evaluation of such ethical as well as social plus companywide issues will definitely ensure that companies properly understand each and every thing which went wrong in the Rana Plaza plus effectively keep themselves away from any similar incident or actions which could harm others in similar way (Boylan, 2001). In the second part an organization named Starbucks has been considered a s well as all activities of the firm regarding fundamental ethical concern such as CSR and consumerism, environmental friendliness as well as beliefs and values has been recognized as such actions will definitely propel Starbucks goals plus aims into the future (Cory, 2005). Introduction to incident: The vital disaster took place at the organization Rana Plaza which is situated within Bangladesh, where an eight storied building including six factories literally fell like the house of cards, killing approximately 1,134 labors. This case also has put a notice on health as well as safety issues in the textile industry (Gavai, 2010). This incident has forced the firms to think twice upon the ethics and morale they carry and also that whether the real ethics towards safety and security of employees in being maintained or not. Also as a result, media, government as well as consumers plus also few other stakeholders even are more and more holding clothing companies accountable for every health plus safety contravention within their supply chains (Harish Jyawali, 2015). Discussion: As shareholders who belong to textile industry plus apparel firms are open to elements of financial as well as reputational risks plus even danger that comes out of incidents attached to dangerous working conditions at the firms sites for production. Therefore, investors now require carrying a significant wager in heartening firms to execute proper health as well as safety actions and practices throughout their self plus also their suppliers operations (Hartman, 2005).Several factors in reality share the liability of disaster that took place in the Rana Plaza. Bangladesh that is considered as a state having very weak governance even faces several structural issues as well as problems like lack of some genuine rule and even regulation of the law,inadequate and very scarce assessment procedures, plus generally very unproductive admission towards justice for the victims of the work-connected incidents. The firm can now follow some simple steps and attain full safety and security as well as can become capable of avoiding any such incident that took place at Rana Plaza (Mitchell, 2009). These steps are: As the governance is weak in this nation firms must abide by rules of license and also insurances for all its staffs and stakeholders The firms must have a proper structure towards work The firms must lay down rules and regulations for itself and must abide by all of them and even make its staffs follow the same(Moon, 2001) Firms must try to indulge a good assessment and evaluation process where a timely evaluation of the building and premises and also of all equipments and tools used in the sites must be carried on. The firms must be very ethical when it comes to providing safety and security to staffs and also must provide all its staffs with good justice and equality (Morais et al., 2014). Working conditions intended for all the labors must be properly improved and maintained thereafter. Good ecological standards must be maintained Few energy saving procedures must be implemented while production on sites Employee health plus safety standards require to be uphold and correct arrangements for health as well as safety of employees must also be made Nevertheless, in immediate consequences of the factory tragedy, few firms amazingly spoke incomprehension related to whether the factories are really shaped along with their goods or else it is merely a saying.Undoubtedly, as an outcome of multinational organizations which outsourced production to the nations like Bangladesh, self-existing contractors often gave verdicts within complex plus vital chains of supply (Paliwal, 2006). Firms here should try to understand that the cost plus their differentials, in fact were real causes of outsourcing in the initial place, in the midst of fully developed and also few developing countries which showed conditions within the factories that were perhaps substandard, with being merely empirical proof which could disprove such things. Recommendation: The brands plus firms can actually sign Accord on Building Safety and staff security in Bangladesh which would even permit the staffs to discontinue work if via any source they feel that their safety is beneath threat. Textile industry also has not forgotten Rana Plaza case, and neither the consumers have. It is in fact vital to frequently ask questions plus seek out the brands and firms which are wholeheartedly trying to increase worker conditions (Wurgaft, 2003). Conclusion: The major responsibility was upon Bangladeshi authorities because they failed in correctly fulfilling their duties and compulsions towards protecting labors and making them aware of the incidents and risks and also activities towards saving lives from those risks. State of the Bangladesh, according to the national and international law should actually also try its best to save and protect all the human rights within authority because they even were unsuccessful in their responsibility which was about granting the rights as well as safety to the textile industry employees. Task 2 Introduction: Starbucks actually is a global coffee chain and coffeehouse in based in Seattle within United States in Washington. Along with almost 17133 outlets in 49 nations Starbucks is globes largest coffeehouse firm. Health plus safety of consumers and the workers is very important factor of all the ethical elements that must be followed within any organization (Cole, 2008). Every firms reputation vitally depends upon health plus safety of the consumers. Health plus safety is also legal requirement of government. Global firms have employees who belong to several nations thus all of them need to be valued a lot for attainment of better results (Snyder, 2006). Methodology: The method used here for collection of data is secondary data collection method. Information has been gathered from many secondary resources like from the magazines, firms website, journals, and even some books. Discussion (Findings): Consumerism- Starbucks cultural meaning successfully motivates its consumers to consume its products and also this has served like a good place to work as well as socialize. Starbucks has an extremely communal ecology and is an ideal place intended for developing as well as maintaining good relations. Culture plus consumption which are several forms towards consumerism has also shaped star bucks outlets through development of the social relationship. Furthermore, it also is acceptable for public to enjoy as well as utilize sophisticated ecology for all of their personal sources as while consuming delicious coffee (Quelch and Rodriguez, 2015). Starbucks in reality positions itself like a premium coffee seller, that sells variety of coffees as well as some beverages, both hot plus cold, along with some snacks and also sandwiches. Being a premium brand for coffee, it often relies on the target market carrying a major count of some middle plus high earners along with throwaway income to recurrent all the coffee houses. The firm ia also capable of instilling a feeling of actual upper-class reorganization into its consumers through the product as well as upbeat ecology and staff interactions. While customers decisions also are frequently influenced by some other factors, the coffee at Starbucks still is a major way towards expressing themselves optimistically. Not merely did the firm shape its consumers, it also encouraged socialization and communication. People here can fully utilized space intended for their personal means and can of course make it a community setting intended both for work as well as pleasure. Values - Starbucks believes that ethically performing business as well as doing things right is actually very significant for all kinds of organizational success. Business ethics also compliances within the firm and there are program organized within Starbucks which supports the firms mission as well as vision plus also helps the firm to safeguard the cultu re as well as reputation, via resource allocation intended for ethical decisions when they are on work. Ethical context is also used within this firm to develop plus expand actual awareness of benchmarks regarding the business demeanor, legal compliance, amenities, training and also political interest plus many more (Roth, 2005). Environmental Friendliness- The firm is actually not only acting for the betterment of ecology but is also inspiring all of its customers, staffs, and also supplier to take proper care of environment. Starbucks also suggest that their consumers should reuse all of their mugs to the maximum extent possible. The staffs here also are recommended to use a smaller amount electrical energy within stores of Starbucks. The staffs thus try to utilize freezer and lights as well as thermostat to the minimum level. The resources used by the firm to produce all of their goods are from the base of natural resource. Coffee and other products that the firm serves to its customers are actually without colorants and preservatives as well as additives, particularly for the coffee bean that is used by the firm. To ensure that Starbucks have excellent and best benchmark of the coffee goods in world firms vice president personally has spearheaded the firms efforts to protect top-notch beans of coffee to p rovide the firms mounting needs. The firm also tends to build good relations with all the growers as well as exporters and also checks on the agricultural situations and the crop yields, as well as hunts out for varieties plus sources which would also meet firms exacting benchmarks of quality as well as flavor (Shaw, 2005). Recommendation: Starbucks can aim to make use of solar energy which is really renewable form of the energy. This might also help the firm to go a long way towards ensuring that very less carbon emission exist in the ecology. The firm can also aim to undertake advertisements towards promoting all its impartial and equal healthy as well as beneficial diet. Such advertisements must hold the nutrition advice on many paths of overwhelming healthy as well as beneficial diets of the fast food that the firm supplies. Though Starbucks constantly utilizes the paper-oriented packs it has yet been destined for using paper-oriented packs in rouse of the global warming risk. Paper in fact is attained from trees and thus through using these packages, firm might also have been passing against environmental preservation requirements thus company needs to properly act upon such fact and then convince public on this part (Snoeyenbos, Almeder and Humber, 2001). Majority of outlets belonging to Starbucks actually have attained design of actual green restaurant that holds in suitably saving the energy to huge extent. This may also supply the company with opportunity to donate in decrease of carbon emission through investing in the energy competent blocks as well as buildings. Conclusion: Overall, it can be concluded that firm Starbucks has developed itself and has been successful in maintaining itself as extremely triumphant coffeehouse. As the firm it very popular for all its good tasting coffee, the firm is well known for its entire green symbol that it has embedded with vast much meaning at the back it. People are ready to spend premium amount more on the firm as it displayed type of feeling for upper-class, practical person. Through proper brand loyalty by the customers, Starbucks has turned to be a place of actual socialization. Though the firm still needs to amend itself on some issues it is well known for being ethically correct. In a nutshell here are all the details regarding ethical acts by Starbucks. References Allhoff, F. and Vaidya, A. (2005). Business ethics. London: SAGE Publications. Boylan, M. (2001). Business ethics. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Cole, G. (2008). Grande Expectations: a Year in the Life of Starbucks' Stock20081Karen Blumenthal. Grande Expectations: a Year in the Life of Starbucks' Stock . Loughton: Piatkus 2007. Management Decision, 46(4), pp.673-675. Cory, J. (2005). Activist business ethics. Boston: Kluwer Academic Publishers. Gavai, A. (2010). Business ethics. Mumbai [India]: Himalaya Pub. House. Harish Jyawali, (2015). My Screencast. [image] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrhPck8NOAM [Accessed 20 Mar. 2015]. Hartman, L. (2005). Perspectives in business ethics. Boston: McGraw-Hill. Mitchell, C. (2009). A short course in international business ethics. Petaluma, CA: World Trade Press. Moon, C. (2001). Business ethics. London: Economist. Morais, U., Pena, J., Shacket, K., Sintilus, L., Ruiz, R., Rivera, Y. and Mujtaba, B. (2014). Managing Diverse Employees at Starbucks: Focusing on Ethics and Inclusion. IJLD, 4(3), p.35. Paliwal, M. (2006). Business ethics. New Delhi: New Age International. Quelch, J. and Rodriguez, M. (2015). Rana Plaza: Workplace Safety in Bangladesh (A) - Harvard Business Review. [online] Hbr.org. Available at: https://hbr.org/product/rana-plaza-bangladesh-garment-tragedy-a/an/514034-PDF-ENG [Accessed 20 Mar. 2015]. Roth, J. (2005). Ethics. Pasadena, Calif.: Salem Press. Shaw, W. (2005). Business ethics. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth. Snoeyenbos, M., Almeder, R. and Humber, J. (2001). Business ethics. Amherst, N.Y.: Prometheus Books. Snyder, M. (2006). State of the Profession: The Starbucks Effect. Academe, 92(1), p.70. Wurgaft, B. (2003). Starbucks and Rootless Cosmopolitanism. Gastronomica, 3(4), pp.71-75.

Lifestyle Sustainability And The Environment Essays -

Lifestyle Sustainability And The Environment Table of Contents Introduction 3 The Issue 3 Why It Is Important 6 Parties Involved 8 Recommendations and Solutions 9 Conclusion 11 Lifestyle Sustainability Handout 12 References 13 Lifestyle Sustainability In a perfect ecosystem everything gives and takes equally, and the cycle of life is sustained perpetually. Our current lifestyle is not environmentally sustainable. We consume more and more of the earths resources and give very little, if any, in return. The Brundtland Commission defines lifestyle sustainability as being development that seeks to meet the needs and aspirations of the present without compromising the ability to meet those of the future. Many factors are contributing to how humankind uses the earths resources and how humankind views the goal of sustainability. Public opinion, government intervention, and manufacturers seem to have the largest influence in determining how the earths resources are used. In order to create a sustainable society, all of these factors mu st work in conjunction with one another in the utilization of technology and resources to insure that the same resources will be available to future generations. The Issue Mankind has always sought to control its environment. While most species must deal with the world as it is, man has the ability and the desire to change and adapt the environment to suit its needs. If its too hot, then a way must be found to be cool. If there isnt enough shelter, it must be built. If there isnt enough food, it is produced. If there are other creatures that are regarded as pests, they are eliminated. Many of the efforts to control these environmental factors are made at the expense of destroying the biosphere upon which mankind depends. Every person on earth puts a strain on the biosphere and the earths population is increasing exponentially. Scientists predict that by the year 2050 mankind will top 10 Billion people. Vital Resources are stressed by the dual demands of increasing population and inc reasing consumption per person. Around the world we see groundwater supplies being depleted, agricultural soils being degraded, oceans being over-fished, oil reserves being drawn down, and forests being cut faster than they can re-grow, (Nebel and Wright, 2000, p. 6). The largest percentage of the worlds population lives in developing countries. These developing countries oftentimes have not established environmental controls in their manufacturing and farming techniques. For example, the use of DDT, long since banned for use in the United States, still sees widespread use in many developing Nations. The use of DDT is dangerous not only to insects, but also to the entire food chain, of which man is unavoidably a part. This is not to say that developed countries are not polluting. In fact, many times it is the developed countries that are exploiting the environment intentionally for personal or commercial gain. The U.S., for example, is the world's number one producer of garbage and industrial waste. The 6% of the world's population living in the U.S. uses an estimated 25 to 50% of the world's nonrenewable resources and produces about 15 to 40% of the world's waste. (Sustainable America, 1996:143) Despite the fact that most countries do have constraints and limits set for pollution, they are still a long way from being environmentally friendly. Pollution comes in many forms: air, water, and land. Air and water resources can and should be considered global resources. The misuse of these is not localized due to the fluid nature of air and water which are constantly circulating and affecting not only the producer of the pollution, but also its global neighbors. While creating these pollutants, many times there is also a negative impact on sustainability in that there is a consumption of non-renewable resources, such as fossil fuels. The current trend of urban sprawl is causing the earths resources to be used at an unsustainable rate while also contributing to poll ution. Urban sprawl is the rapid expansion of metropolitan areas through building housing developments and shopping centers farther and farther from urban centers and lacing them together with more and more major highways. Widespread development that has occurred without any overall land-use plan. (Nebel and Wright, 2000, p. 648). Given that urbanization causes a loss

Structural Transformation Example

Structural Transformation Example Structural Transformation – Book Report/Review Example Macro & Microeconomics Structural Transformation Gary Gereffi’s article â€Å"Development Models and Industrial Upgrading in China and Mexico† explores the development strategies that China and Mexico employ in the quest for national development and industrial upgrading. Gereffi presents the dissimilarities and resemblances that exist between the models of structural transformation that the two countries use. While Mexico’s development model focuses on extensive privatization, foreign direct investment, and open markets, China’s development approach is statist and strategic in a way that promotes global value chains and economies of scale.I have learned that structural transformation drives regional job creation and growth, as evidenced in China and Mexico. In addition, advancements in structural transformation enable a country to provide ideas and opportunities to other countries undergoing development. There are several parts of the transformation proces s that are applicable in other countries learning the basics of structural transformation. Even so, before integrating structural transformations, it is necessary to address economic and social challenges that may affect a specific country. Factors such as corruption and wage inequalities are detrimental to the appropriate implementation of efficacious development models. It is obligatory to identify necessary policies that augur well with any intended structural transformation. For instance, policies on foreign direct investment and international trade must interrelate well with structural transformation. China has been prosperous owing to the appropriate political climate that promotes development and growth. In addition, technology is at the forefront of structural transformation, which results in industrial upgrading (Gereffi 46). Owing to the technological advancements, China has advanced its infrastructure, which reduces costs of transportation. In time, the whole process leve rages economies of scale, and results in lower labor costs from the available labor market, and an increased growth rate for a country. Gereffi, Gary. Development Models and Industrial Upgrading in China and Mexico. European Sociological Review, Volume 25, Number 1, 2009.

Types of Sampling Designs Used in Sociology

Types of Sampling Designs Used in Sociology Since its rarely possible to study an entire population of focus, researchers use samples when they seek to collect data and answer research questions. A sample is simply a subset of the population being studied; it represents the larger population and is used to draw inferences about that population. Sociologists typically use two sampling techniques: those based on probability and those that are not. They can generate different kinds of samples using both techniques. Non-Probability Sampling Techniques The non-probability model is a technique in which samples are gathered in a way that does not give all individuals in a population equal chances of being selected. While choosing a non-probability method could result in biased data or a limited ability to make general inferences based on the findings, there are also many situations in which choosing this kind of sampling technique is the best choice for the particular research question or the stage of research. Four kinds of samples may be created with the non-probability model. Reliance on Available Subjects Relying on available subjects is a risky model that requires a great deal of caution on the part of the researcher. Since it entails sampling passersby or individuals with whom researchers randomly come into contact, it is sometimes referred to as a convenience sample because it does not allow the researcher to have any control over the representativeness of the sample. While this sampling method has drawbacks, it is useful if the researcher wants to study the characteristics of people passing by on a street corner at a certain point in time, especially if conducting such research would not be possible otherwise. For this reason, convenience samples are commonly used in the early or pilot stages of research, before a larger research project is launched. Though this method can be useful, the researcher will not be able to use the results from a convenience sample to generalize about a wider population. Purposive or Judgmental Sample A purposive or judgmental sample is one that is selected based on the knowledge of a population and the purpose of the study. For example, when sociologists at the University of San Francisco wanted to study the long-term emotional and psychological effects of choosing to terminate a pregnancy, they created a sample that exclusively included women whod gotten abortions. In this case, the researchers used a purposive sample because those being interviewed fit a specific purpose or description that was necessary to conduct the research. Snowball Sample A snowball sample is appropriate to use in research when the members of a population are difficult to locate, such as homeless individuals, migrant workers, or undocumented immigrants. A snowball sample is one in which the researcher collects data on the few members of the target population he or she can locate and then asks those individuals to provide the information needed to locate other members of that population. For example, if a researcher wanted to interview undocumented immigrants from Mexico, she might interview a few undocumented individuals that she knows or can locate. Afterward, she would rely on those subjects to help locate more undocumented individuals. This process continues until the researcher has all the interviews she needs, or until all contacts have been exhausted. This technique is useful when studying a sensitive topic that people might not openly talk about, or if talking about the issues under investigation could jeopardize their safety. A recommendation from a friend or acquaintance that the researcher can be trusted works to grow the sample size.   Quota Sample A quota sample is one in which units are selected into a sample on the basis of pre-specified characteristics so that the total sample has the same distribution of characteristics assumed to exist in the population being studied. For example, researchers conducting a national quota sample might need to know which proportion of the population is male and which proportion is female. They might also need to know the percentage of men and women who fall under different age, race, or class brackets, among others. The researcher would then collect a sample that reflected those proportions. Probability Sampling Techniques The probability model is a technique wherein samples are gathered in a way that gives all the individuals in the population an equal chance of being selected. Many consider this to be the more methodologically rigorous approach to sampling because it eliminates social biases that could shape the research sample. Ultimately, though, the sampling technique you choose should be the one that best allows you to respond to your particular research question. There are four kinds of probability sampling techniques. Simple Random Sample The simple random sample is the basic sampling method assumed in statistical methods and computations. To collect a simple random sample, each unit of the target population is assigned a number. A set of random numbers  is then generated and the units of those numbers are included in the sample. A researcher studying a population of 1,000 might wish to choose a random sample of 50 people. First, each person is numbered 1 through 1,000. Then, you generate a list of 50 random numbers, typically with a computer program, and the individuals assigned those numbers are the ones included in the sample. When studying people, this technique is best used with a homogenous population, or one that does not differ much by age, race, education level, or class. This is because when dealing with a more heterogeneous population, a researcher runs the risk of creating a biased sample if demographic differences are not taken into account. Systematic Sample In a systematic sample, the elements of the population are put into a list and then every nth element in the list is chosen systematically for inclusion in the sample. For example, if the population of study contained 2,000 students at a high school and the researcher wanted a sample of 100 students, the students would be put into list form and then every 20th student would be selected for inclusion in the sample. To ensure against any possible human bias in this method, the researcher should select the first individual at random. This is technically called a systematic sample with a random start. Stratified Sample A stratified sample is a sampling technique in which the researcher divides the entire target population into different subgroups  or strata, and then randomly selects the final subjects proportionally from the different strata. This type of sampling is used when the researcher wants to highlight specific subgroups within the population. For example, to obtain a stratified sample of university students, the researcher would first organize the population by college class and then select appropriate numbers of freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors. This would ensure that the researcher has adequate amounts of subjects from each class in the final sample. Cluster Sample Cluster sampling may be used when it is either impossible or impractical to compile an exhaustive list of the elements that make up the target population. Usually, however, the population elements are already grouped into subpopulations and lists of those subpopulations already exist or can be created. Perhaps a studys target population is church members in the United States. There is no list of all church members in the country. The researcher could, however, create a list of churches in the United States, choose a sample of churches, and then obtain lists of members from those churches. Updated  by Nicki Lisa Cole, Ph.D.

Corporal punishment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Corporal punishment - Essay Example Although corporal punishment’s aim is to impose discipline, parents, guardians and the like must carefully re-consider its effects on the child’s emotional, psychological, and physical well-being. In effect, corporal punishment is not an option in disciplining a child, but is basically a threat towards the child’s overall development. By definition, corporal punishment is the deliberate infliction of pain, intended to correct behavior or to punish (Wikipedia, 2006). Various efforts in support of this corporal punishment attest that such form of discipline must be considered as the pains an individual suffer early in life is translated into feelings of emotional wholeness. Children who underwent corporal punishment strive harder to reach greater goals in life. Proponents of this concept emphasize that fact that it is the most effective form of discipline, particularly for uncontrollable and unmanageable children. Delinquent children are uncontrollable simply because they think their parents do not care about whatever they do. At times, they think their actions are admissible due to their parents’ lack of interest. On the extreme side, their parents do dissuade them against harm’s way, but in effect these types of children are still unthreatened by their parents’ disciplining ways. As the end justifies the means, corporal punishment becomes the only viable solution to delinquent children or to those children who have uncontrollable behavior. Furthermore, it is the easiest way to impose and manage discipline. In addition, parents’ use of harder forms of physical punishment may have less impact on a child, as opposed to the use of emotional violence. There are children who view corporal punishment as a way to feel the love and respect of their parents. By means of spanking, children are able to perceive that their parents still care for them; hence they still spend time and attention through the discipline they impose. If