The Research Prospectus by John Latham, Phd - 2106 Words

TH E R ES EARCH PROSPECTUS Getting the DNA of Your Research Design Righ John Latham, PhD Copyright 2005 All Rights Reserved Key Prospectus Components The Research Prospectus 1 TH E R ES EARCH PROSPECTUS Getting the DNA of Your Study Righ John Latham, PhD Copyright 2005 Introduction A research prospectus is a brief overview of the key components of a research study. These components together form the DNA of the research methodology design. The purpose is to build quality into the proposal process by getting this DNA right before launching into developing a full blown proposal. Experience suggests that if the DNA is right, the proposal comes together much easier, is more likely to be in ternally consistent, and requires†¦show more content†¦The typical format for this discussion is a literature review. The literature review outlines, discusses and analyzes the existing research ndings. At this point the prospectus the objective is to simply identify the main contributors to the topic and the key theories that are involved. Keep this very short! Level of Existing Knowledge Based on the literature review determine the current level of empirical knowledge on the topic. The level of knowledge will drive two decisions the applicability of hy potheses and the selection of an overall research approach. Hypothesis? While all research studies have questions all studies do not include hypotheses. The level of existing empirical knowledge will determine whether a hypothesis is appro priate. A hypothesis is not a wild guess it is a logical conclusion based on the previ ous research ndings identi ed in the literature review. A hypothesis is the predicted answer to a research question. The level of existing knowledge and the decision to include or not include hypotheses will drive the appropriate overall research ap proach. The Research Prospectus 4 Overall Research Approach Based on how much we know about the questions and the decision whether to use a hypothesis determine the overall research approach qualitative, quantitative, mixed. Identify the overall approach and the rationale for the approach. The Research Arc: Factors

King Lear vs. The Stone Angel Essay examples - 1831 Words

nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;It has been said that, â€Å"Rivers and mountains may change; human nature, never.†(worldofquotes.com) This is a quote that can be deconstructed when examining William Shakespeare’s King Lear and Margaret Laurence’s The Stone Angel. When reviewing the two books the main characters, King Lear and Hagar, are easily comparable. The first similarity becomes apparent when King Lear and Hagar are both developed as flawed characters. Secondly, because of their flaws the two characters become blind to reality. Thirdly, after being deceived by themselves and others as a result of their blindness, both characters seek refuge outside of their own homes. By leaving their homes the characters are able to gain perspective on†¦show more content†¦These qualities become apparent when Marvin and Doris talk to Hagar about selling their house. Being older themselves, Marvin and Doris decide that they can no longer provide Hagar with the care she re quires and that it would be in her best interest to move into the Silverthreads Nursing Home. When Hagar finds our she quickly states, â€Å"Doris--I won’t go there. That place. Oh you know all right. You know what I mean, my girl. No use to shake your head. Well, I won’t. The two of you can move out. Go ahead and move right out. Yes, you do that. I’ll stay here in my house.†(57) Hagar is showing that she has too much pride to move into a home where she would be carefully monitored and assisted but is also being irrational by saying that she would remain in her house without Marvin and Doris there to help her. When comparing King Lear and Hagar Shipley their similarities are shown in the flawed character traits that they both possess. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The next similarity shown between King Lear and Hagar is that as a result of their personal flaws, both characters become blind to reality. After Cordelia fails to adequately profess her love to her father she is banished and the kingdom in divided between Lear’s other two daughters Goneril and Regan. During his stay with Goneril Lear becomes enraged in her poor treatment of him. He decides he and his train of men will beShow MoreRelatedKing Lear vs the Stone Angel Blindness1504 Words   |  7 Pagesat all.(Kingslover) This is a quote that can relate the characters in The Stone Angel and King Lear. In the tragedy King Lear, written by William Shakespeare and in the novel The Stone Angel, written by Margaret Laurence, the term blindness has an entirely different meaning. It is not a physical flaw, but the inability of the characters to use their thoughts and emotions to see a person for whom they truly are. King Lear, Gloucester, and Hagar are prime e xamples of characters that suffered mostRead MoreEssay about King Lear vs. the Stone Angel1908 Words   |  8 PagesRivers and mountains may change; human nature, never.(worldofquotes.com) This is a quote that can be deconstructed when examining William Shakespeares King Lear and Margaret Laurences The Stone Angel. When reviewing the two books the main characters, King Lear and Hagar, are easily comparable. The first similarity becomes apparent when King Lear and Hagar are both developed as flawed characters. Secondly, because of their flaws the two characters become blind to reality. Thirdly, after being

Collapse Of The Vaults Beauvais Cathedral - Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Collapse Of The Vaults Beauvais Cathedral? Answer: Introducation Engineering failures are able to happen at different situations. In many cases, engineering failures have been able to happen since in past decades. Nevertheless, mitigation measures are usually required to be taken before the execution of the projects. Measures are usually taken in advance to ensure that the failures are prevented. Nevertheless, these measures are at times not able to withstand the failures and therefore not able to prevent such failures. Moreover, the engineering failures are able to happen on different situations and different ranges (Drysdale, 2011). Ranges on these failures are wide and are able to enhance the different aspects of the projects. The control of the engineering projects is critical to ensure safety of the structure. Engineers are able to enhance the safety of the structures by enhancing and considering different aspects of the projects. Medium and widespread engineering failures are common in many of the projects. Under these situations, many of th e projects are able to experience different failures under different situations. Medium level Under construction, buildings are meant to withstand fire situations and enhance their safety measures. Since long time, engineers were able to be designed to prevent the engineering failures under fire situations. Artillery fire was able to happen 10 May 1721 and therefore destroying St. Peter's church in Riga. The church was able to experience the fire, which enhanced the engineering failure. Masonry construction is meant to be able to withstand the fire effects at any instances. The masonry walling and structures are able to enhance the resistance into effects of fire and excessive heats. The structural capacity of the masonry should have the capacity to prevent the engineering failure. Wall thickness is one of the major preventive measure, which is usually in cooperated to enhance the failure. Enough coating is a key measure that should ensure that the failure of fire is prevented. The inherent risk from this failure is the collapse of the wall. The wall should be in strong posit ion in order to withstand such exposures and ensure that the wall does not fail. The fire is able to weaken the bonding materials and therefore causing the wall failure. Design flaws are key in ensuring that a proper mitigation program is achieved. The level of damage on this project was at medium level. The damage is able to define different levels and measures, which can be used to rectify the damage. At this project, reconstruction measures were taken to rectify the damage on this level (P?tersone, 2010). The damage was able to lead to complete reconstruction of the wall areas. This is because the bonding structure was weakened and this led to increase the damages. Masonry structures only withstand heat up to some levels and this plays a critical extend under which the damage was experienced on this structure. The fire effect was able to destroy the interior section of the church. The partition sections and walls were completed and led to the complete replacement of the interior section, which was termed as a medium damage level on the project (Drysdale, 2011). Fault on electrical sections are the major key causes of the fire, which was able to lead to the engineering failure. The low strength of the wall qualifies to be eng ineering failure because they are able to affect the strength of the members of structure. Limestone covering was also done during the reconstruction stage. This was a measure to be able to enhance the prevention of damage to the fire level. This is a preventive measure, which should be in cooperated earlier and would have enhanced the construction of the project. This pre-failure mitigation strategy would have worked to ensure that the damage and failure is prevented. Materials failure can also be highly attributed to the engineering failure on this project. The inability of the material to withstand such heat and therefore failing. Widespread Engineering failure is able to extend to a level, which the damage is higher and able to extend to other structures and properties within. Another key failure, which has been able to happen in the engineering sector, is the collapse of the Beauvais Cathedral church, which happened on 1284. The building was able while under construction and the fault was laud mostly on the engineers and masons who were on the site (Karl and Barnett, 2010). The failure was able to happen on the completed choir, where French masons were working on the Gothic style. In addition, the failure on this structure was also attributed to the foundation failures and wring spacing of the piers. On this note, it was noted that the designers had a large part to play on this engineering failure. The materials failures were attributed to the increased loading on the present piers and therefore led to the failure of the members (Maury and Robert, 1976). The analysis model for the loading, which the designers were able to apply, is thought to have played a key role in the resulting to the failure. The two-dimensional epoxy mode was applied and thought to have generated the loadings, which were not accurate. Proper design measures are the key methods, which could have been coupled to ensure that the failure is minimized. Moreover, additional or over designs are key areas, which are mostly key in many structures to ensure that the collapse is prevented. Additionally, the foundation was found to be more weak and unable to carry the masonry at the east and west terminations. This was able to lead to the collapse of the piers and causing large damage. Geotechnical engineering of the soil and foundation are key measures, which need to be carried before the commencing of any major superstructure works. This is a preconstruction measure, which could having played a key role to ensure that the failure did not occur. The geotechnical details would have given the key foundation construction measures, which could have enhanced the foundations to carry additional weight (Cruickshank, 1996). These extreme conditions at this project together coupled and increased the impact of the plane and therefore increasing the damage and causing the failure. Internal buttress were experienced on different locations and therefore increasing the need to more repair and damages, which needed to be amended. References CRUICKSHANK, D., ED. (1996). Sir Banister Fletcher's A History of Architecture (20th ed.). Architectural Press. p. 436. DRYSDALE, D., (2011). An Introduction to Fire Dynamics New York: Wiley Interscience, pp. 134140. KARL, B. P. AND BARNETT, H. M. (September 2010). "Completing Beauvais Cathedral" (PDF). Architectural Association School of Architecture. MAURY I. W. AND ROBERT M. (Jul., 1976). "The Collapse of the Vaults of Beauvais Cathedral in 1284," Speculum 51, no.3: 462-476. https://doi.org/10.2307/2851708 P?TERSONE, Z. (April 2010). "Chapter IX. Architecture, landscaping and engineering" (PDF). netherlandsembassy.lv. p.8. Retrieved 8.

John Stuart Mills liberty principle Essay Example

John Stuart Mills liberty principle Paper In order to critically examine this particular principle and its influence, it is necessary to look at the background of the principle so that it can be studied in context. John Stuart Mill developed the liberty principle in his work On Liberty (1). Mills definition of liberty is pursuing our own good in our own way and he believed it to be one of the most important elements of well-being. Mills conviction was that it was better that a man choose to live his life the wrong way than be made to live the right way. Mill was influenced by Alexis de Tocqueville, whose work, Democracy in America (2) opened Mills eyes to how democracy exposed liberty to new dangers. The driving force of democracy is the will of the majority and Mill was concerned that this left every aspect of life exposed to social scrutiny and regulation, and he feared the tyranny of the majority (3). He felt that democracy, if left unrestrained, could pose a threat to the minority and individual autonomy. The two great values of democracy; majority rule and minority liberty are often incompatible and Mill was one of the first to investigate this unresolved area in his essay On Liberty. We will write a custom essay sample on John Stuart Mills liberty principle specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on John Stuart Mills liberty principle specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on John Stuart Mills liberty principle specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer On Liberty concerned the nature and limits of power which can be legitimately exercised by society over the individual (4), he sought to distinguish the destructive oppression of minority views from the legitimate exercise of democratic power. Mills motivation was to seek an additional principle that would not leave matters to custom or popular morality. A principle that could define the areas in which it would be legitimate for society (or the will of the majority) to exercise authority, from those areas where people should have freedom (5). Mill hoped that On Liberty would offer potential guidelines for legislation and encourage a more tolerant culture. There are two main principles in the essay, the first being the liberty principle (or harm principle) outlined in the question. The principle advocates that the interference of liberty is only warranted where it is necessary in order to prevent harm to others. Mill qualifies the principle by saying it is only applicable to human beings in the maturity of their faculties, therefore excluding children or those who require care from others (6), and mentions that omissions to act having consequential harm may also be an exception. In On Liberty Mill raised his own concerns about the principles adequacy before offering his second principle. The reason for questioning his own ideal is to open the area up for discussion, to attain the readers understanding of the problem and engage her critical attention. He is not seeking to assert the infallible truth of this doctrine. The liberty principle is blunt in delivering its message but Mill feels the two objections he raised attacking its plausibility will not affect the second principle. His first objection was how can any action be purely self-regarding? Mill recognises the assumption that most, if not all of our actions will affect the interests of another. Mill accepted there is a right of society to ward off crimes by antecedent precautions, which runs contrary to liberty principle. He gave the example of drunkenness being justifiably prohibited where the person has a history of harming others when drunk (7), believing that the danger of harm would outweigh the individuals right to drink alcohol. The second objection to his principle was that society may have an obligation to intervene to prevent a person from self harm. Mill believed that government interference with the individual for paternalist reasons was indefensible, believing it can never be in the interests of the individual to suppress the exercise and development of her own abilities of critical choice, but realised that others may raise this objection. Mills second principle states that a person need only be subject to the will of the majority to prevent the violation of a distinct and assignable obligation to any other person or persons. A distinct and assignable obligation is a distinct expectation which another is obligated to honour. Not actions are caught under obligation and not all obligations are distinct and assignable, the types of harm Mill suggested warrant protection are those that violate our rights. Mills second principle is essentially a qualification of the first principle and a criterion to define actions that should be regulated and those which should not. What were Mills influences and how did his ideas develop? John Stuart Mill was the son of James Mill who was a disciple of John Bentham (8) and a believer of the mind being a tabula rasa (9) on which every experience is recorded. James Mill began his sons education at home with this new psychology in mind, and the experimental education consequentially led to his sons breakdown at the age of 21. During this period Mill developed his own take on the positivist (10) utilitarianism that had been drummed into him during his education. The principle of utility was a driving force behind Mills education. The utility principle is to promote the greatest happiness for the greatest number. Benthams chief interest was of its application to law reform and the prison service, James Mill applied it to politics and John Stuart Mill then actively reconstructed the principle to argue that the government should actively promote the general good. Mill derived the liberty principle from utilitarianism, and propounded the importance of the individuals self-determination and personal development. Bentham formulated the principle of utility in Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation (11). Despite viewing law and morality as separate issues he postulated that actions are to be judged morally right or wrong in accordance with whether they maximise pleasure or minimise the pain caused to those affected. Its performance must be more productive of pleasure or happiness, or more preventive of pain or unhappiness, than any possible alternative (12). Mill was an ardent supporter of Benthams utility principle but differed in that his approach was qualitative and not quantitative, because he was more concerned with the value of an outcome rather than the size of its effect. Mill did not think all pleasures were of equal value. Mills suspicion of collective mediocrity led him to suggest safeguards to ensure that the government and legislature did not become the organ of the tendencies and instincts of the masses. He advocated an enlightened and educated populace and plural voting for the educated (13). One of Mills significant influences was his partner and wife Harriet Taylor his partnership with her prompted him to advocate equal rights between men and women. (14). On Liberty had an affect in the debate that occurred between Patrick Devlin and HLA Hart. Professor HLA Hart supported Mills Liberty principle and used Mills thought in his argument with Lord Patrick Devlin. The debate began with the Wolfendon Report 1957 on homosexual offences prostitution. The report reverberates Mill where it says there must be a realm of private morality and immorality which is, in brief and crude terms, not the laws business (15) but also that the function of criminal law is to preserve public order and decency, to protect the citizen from what is offensive and injurious (16). Devlin rejected this idea and in The Enforcement of Morality (17) argued that an established morality is as necessary as good government to the welfare of society. He said that society should be allowed to prohibit anything which the right-minded or reasonable man regards as grossly immoral and that it was not necessary to prove something caused harm in order to do this. (18). He argued that society will disintegrate from within where there is no common morality, even more than it would crumble from external pressures, therefore society would be justified in taking steps to preserve the common morality in the same way as it does to protect its government. He asserted that legal enforcement of morals need only be used in certain cases since a citizen cannot surrender his whole life to societys scrutiny (19). Harts counter argument was in Law, Liberty Morality (20) where he stated that there was no evidenced to show that deviation from accepted sexual morality. is something which, like treason threatens the existence of society. Hart denied that the weakening of common morality will lead to societys downfall but does suggest that society may need certain basic rules to survive (21). He urged Devlin to consider the dangers of populism, and that the risk in democracy that the majority dictate how we live, should not be maximised. Hart postulated that restraint of immorality was not best achieved by a fear of legal sanction and warned that the enforcement of a moral code contradicts the spirit of moral value. Mills liberty principle has been followed in many subsequent works including that of Immanuel Kant (22) who arrives at a similar conclusion, and Jeffrie G Murphy in Another look at Legal Moralism (23) who argues that areas of private immorality (by consenting adults) should not be criminalised because there are no victims. James Fitzjames Stephen (24) criticised the liberty principle in the two areas Mill criticised the principle himself. Fitzjames Stephen believed that there are no self-regarding actions; every persons action affects another. He also argued the paternalist point, that society has right to interfere to protect the individual. I dont believe Mill intended the principle to be viewed as an infallible model and indeed took stock of these criticisms himself when writing On Liberty. Fitzjames Stephen also thought that the majority of men were weak and ill educated therefore sanctions were necessary in order to uphold morality. He berated the liberty principle as too crude in not taking into account the complexities of human relationships. It has been said that Mill has been misinterpreted and the ambiguity of some of the words used in On Liberty exasperate the problem. Mill did not define the word harm which could have the effect of two extremely different interpretations. What is to count as harming others? John Gray believes that harm is meant to mean injury to interests, and feels that the vital human interests that Mill had in mind were security and autonomy. The word interests is also undefined, where Mill says the individual is to be accountable only for those actions which are prejudicial in the interests of others, the exact scope of this statement has been the subject of much debate. John Reess interpretation of the liberty principle was that the interests of others must be affected injuriously in order for society to intervene. The liberty principle is often viewed as being vague and undefined (25). Critics have accused Mill of having an anti-democratic fear of popular government, in particular the potential for working-class opinion to be oppressive and perhaps violent, but it appears Mill was more concerned with middle-class conformity. The fear took root after reading Alexis de Tocqueville Democracy in America (2) America was a middle-class society, and Mill feared that it was also a society that did not care for individual liberty. Some critics like Isaiah Berlin (26) and Gertrude Himmelfarb have stated that due to Mills strict and unorthodox upbringing, and the imposition of classical utilitarianism upon him, he was unable to unshackle these chains of influence, which meant he remained inconsistent and with no coherent doctrine amongst his works. Himmelfarbs view was that there is no logical connection between the philosophy of utilitarianism and the liberty principle because the principle of utility justifies the sacrifice of an individuals liberty in order to maximise potential happiness for the greater good of society. Berlin put forward the same criticism of Mills mind being divided as individual liberty has only instrumental value in utility and cannot have priority over general welfare whereas in On Liberty, Mill states that individual freedom has intrinsic value regardless of its contribution to the general welfare. However Mill never felt torn between the competing principles in his own mind, but there are many examples of where the two may collide. An example being the prevention of heroin addiction; utilitarianism appears to encourage this kind of interference that the principle of liberty seeks to extinguish. Others have also felt that the two ideas do not equate with each other (27). Today with the development of modern technology and forensic science we are subject to all kinds of interference with our freedom in terms of the confidential information stored and analysed without the individuals consent. New types of surveillance and control are made possible by combining databases and by new technological advances. This information creates ever new sources of power and ever new possibilities of control in the post modern age (28). Balkin questions if this is a new form of totalitarianism, a prison constructed from access to information. Mill believed individualism should be regarded as having intrinsic worth, and is essential to happiness, and our right to privacy is part of our individualism and autonomy. Now our computer usage can be monitored, mobile phone records tapped into, our DNA can be taken and analysed without our consent (29), CCTV cameras monitor us (30), intimate details of multiple aspects of our lives are all stored and used to some degree and currently a database is being set up to store details of children and their families (31). The introduction of ID cards (32) will mean further intrusion and its functions will no doubt multiply ultimately changing the relationship between the individual and the state. Mill believed it was imperative that human beings should be free to form opinions and to express their opinions without reserve, but laws surrounding our right to protest have impinged on our freedom of speech and right to protest (33). The Terrorism Act in its ambiguity poses possibilities for abuse and can be used to quash ordinary political activity (34). The introduction of the Anti-Social Behaviour Order has led to much concern about its abuse by the state and its impingement on our liberties (35). ASBOs can be used as a tool for the government to appear as though they are being tough on crime whereas what they are actually doing is diminishing our rights and freedoms. The strange thing is that the majority of people seem unconcerned about this intrusion and have accepted it as part of the life we now live. People look at it as necessary for the prevention of crime; to prevent terrorism (the Terrorism Act), to prevent fraud (ID cards), to prevent anti-social behaviour (Asbos), and to prevent offence (Public Protest). Mill saw autonomy as a vital human interest, an essential part of the permanent interests of man as a progressive being. The Enlightenment sought to eradicate unthinking tradition and religious bigotry (28) and to understand and analyse society in terms of science and reason, and now because of technological advancements, we have arrived at a whole new set of restraints on our freedom.