Stay Safe! WordPress Plugin Vulnerabilities, and How to Avoid Them

Are you worried about WordPress plugin vulnerabilities sinking your site? A 2016 survey of hacked website owners by Wordfence found that 55.9% of WordPress websites (whose owners determined the hackers point of entry) were compromised due to plugin vulnerabilities. And that makes sense! Because while WordPress core may be secure, plugins add a wildcard that the WordPress core cant always account for.One of the reasons WordPress is so popular is the freedom it gives users to add any number of functions with the help of plugins. Users get to choose from close to 50,000 plugins available for free in the WordPress plugin repository. And thats not even counting the many third-party free and premium plugins. Scan for WordPress plugin vulnerabilitiesWPScan Vulnerability Database  is a good place to check if any plugin is a security threat. The service lists plugins and their known vulnerabilities. You can look up a plugin by name or filter all plugin vulnerabilities alphabetically. If you catch a given plugin in the list, first check the plugins listing page for an update. If theres no update to patch the vulnerability, you should delete the plugin for the time being if at all possible.Another way to catch these threats in time is to subscribe to paid services like, the aptly named, Plugin Vulnerabilities. Youll gain access to always up-to-date data as these services continuously monitor security threats and hacking attempts. And if youre using a plugin which is at risk, youll receive an email alert about it. Because you get the notification with this service, youre much more likely to be able to act quickly.You can also detect these threats by running a scan on your website from time to time. A plugin like Plugin Vulnerabilities will not only scan all your installed plugins, itll also notify you of the more common security issues.As for the threats that surface subsequently, you can opt to receive alerts. New threats crop up almost on a daily basis as  hackers tr y and target WordPress websites. For that reason, its important that you check for vulnerabilities frequently (or have a service do it for you).Choose the right pluginsNo plugin is 100% safe. But you can significantly reduce  WordPress plugin vulnerabilities by  learning to assess and select quality plugins before installing them. Pick  plugins only from reputed marketplaces like CodeCanyon, the WordPress Plugin repository, or third-party stores that you trust.  The WordPress repository vets each plugin before its available  to the public and CodeCanyon also has its own review system in place.So, what should you check to figure out if a plugin is good to install? Start with:Average user ratings.User reviews.Updates and compatibility.Active installations.Support and documentation.Weve covered analyzing these points in our earlier post,  so Ill skip discussing them in detail here. But you can keep these factors in mind before adding a plugin to your website:If you have the server resources to support it, you can install as many plugins as you want. Whats important is that the plugins are coded well. That being said, one badly coded plugin can bring the website down.An active change log section indicates that the author is supporting the plugin and is responsive to the needs of users. On the other hand, only a few entries in this section may simply mean that the plugin needs no changes or updates.There are hundreds of excellent free WordPress plugins. But keep in mind that premium plugins often have more responsive support and are up-to-date with the latest WordPress versions.Its a good practice to install plugins on a need only basis.Update plugins (and everything else) regularlyOne of the most popular attack vectors for hackers is an out-of-date WordPress plugin. A Sucuri analysis found that three popular out-of-date plugins were the cause of 18% of the hacked WordPress sites they looked at in Q3 2016.(Chart by Visualizer Lite.)In case youre wonderi ng, thats RevSlider, Gravity Forms and Timthumb. Its important to note that the plugin developers patched the vulnerabilities quicklybut enough people didnt update their plugins that the issue still led to a number of hacked sites.Heres the important takeaway:Even if you choose the right plugins to start with, if you dont keep those plugins updatedyoure still at risk.So how can you ensure your plugins are always updated? One way is to look for the update icon in your WordPress dashboard (pictured above). Another way is to enable automatic updates.To enable automatic updates for all or some of your plugins, you can use a free plugin called Easy Updates Manager: Easy Updates Manager Author(s): Easy Updates Manager TeamCurrent Version: 8.1.0Last Updated: October 17, 2019stops-core-theme-and-plugin-updates.8.1.0.zip 96%Ratings 2,544,808Downloads WP 4.6+Requires Additionally, for plugins that you purchase from CodeCanyon, try the free Envato Market plugin to help you automaticall y update the plugins.Delete unwanted pluginsAnother good way to stay safe is to delete inactive plugins that you no longer plan to use. While inactive plugins do not consume RAM, bandwidth or PHP, they do take up server space. And if present in large numbers, they can slow down your site. But the main reason why you shouldnt keep inactive plugins around is that they can be used to run malicious code on your website.Summing things up

Рow Golding presents Goody and Roger Essay Example

Ð  ow Golding presents Goody and Roger Essay Example Ð  ow Golding presents Goody and Roger Essay Ð  ow Golding presents Goody and Roger Essay Essay Topic: Religion Goody and Roger have a forbidden relationship throughout the novel because both are already in relationships. However, their affair could have been prevented or at least ended by Jocelin by stopping the building of the spire. Jocelin does not choose to do this but sacrifices many of his characters in order to get the spire built. He married Goody to Pangall to satisfy his own feelings and therefore set up Goody to unhappiness and her want for Roger. Therefore it is sin that brought the relationship together which shows the reader that the relationship is not a good one that may end in tragedy. Golding presents this sinful relationship by firstly talking about the individual characters of Goody and Roger; he talks about it as a major evil and talks about the pregnancy from the relationship. In chapter one the reader is given the view that Goody Pangall is a religious character and therefore we feel that she would not sin. Goody Pangall is a daughter in God. Goodys name also suggests that she is good instead of evil because of the Good in Goody. However, as we already know the relationship she has with Roger is not a good one but is evil. This contrast highlights the evil in Goody more because it is not expected. The reader can see indications of evil in Goody though because she has red hair. Red symbolises evil. Jocelin speaks of Roger as if he does not like him but the reader sees that Roger is the better person. For example, Roger listens to his workers for when talking to Jocelin he says, sometimes the army does the leading. However, Roger is a Pagan and therefore we see him to be evil. Therefore as Roger is evil and Goody is good when the two combine it gives and unusual relationship, but shows the kind of deception that is in the church. Things are not always what they seem. Goody has these feelings because of how her marriage with Pangall was formed; she cannot help but have feelings for Roger. Roger is a sexual character as he compared to a bull. Therefore he is attracted to Goody because as we have seen from earlier descriptions she is a very attractive person and Rachel cannot have children just as Pangall cannot give Goody a child. Rogers sexuality cannot be shown with Rachel because he cannot have a child that way. When Goody gets pregnant, Jocelin says that the blood of childbirth never ceases to flow showing how bad this relationship is and how unpleasant and painful it is for other characters to see such as Pangall. This relationship is wickedness. The pregnancy is a major evil but Jocelin mentioned that God wanted the relationship, for the spire however he did not want the pregnancy. When Jocelin mentions that God was prepared for the relationship for the spire, he actually meant himself but was trying to justify is with Gods will. Instead of the pregnancy being a good thing, because of the sign of new life, it is made to be evil. It can be compared to Mary and Joseph to show how bad it is. Mary became pregnant but however was still a virgin and carried Jesus. Therefore she was good and was chosen by God. Goody was married to Pangall however became pregnant by Roger. Their relationship can also be linked to the fall as female sexuality is shown to be tempting to males. Men would slide down the church like the fall of a mountain. This shows the fall of men from the church to hell. The four columns would open apart like a flower, the flower being the woman and then the men would fall because they tempt them. Goodys sexuality tempted Roger as Eve tempted Adam to eat the apple. The eating of the apple was wrong showing again that the relationship is wrong and that God will punish them. The relationship between Roger and Goody does not seem a very comfortable or equal one. Roger seems to be more powerful as she stood looking up at him. Goody is underneath him in power because she tempted him. However, she did indeed breakaway because she knows that the relationship is wrong therefore showing that the relationship is not a good one and is evil. They do not seem comfortable together but they feel they need to be together. She was still staring, her mouth open, showing that she is attracted to him however she also stood shaking her head showing she is ashamed and knows that it is wrong what she is doing. This relationship is an evil one which ends in tragedy of Goody Pangall dying and Roger ending up a drunk. This was Gods punishment to the sinful relationship. Golding presents the two characters as having their own fall however; it was created because of Jocelins sacrifice.

Bird Flu Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Bird Flu - Research Paper Example Only a few strains of three subtypes of the virus are highly pathogenic in human beings. These are H5N1, H7N3, and H7N7 (Leong et al, 2008). Of these, the H5N1, poses a threat to human beings and because of its deadliness, it is referred to as the most highly pathogenic avian influenza. This strain is remarkable for its ability to cause severe sickness and death among birds, especially domesticated birds ones like chickens, turkeys or ducks. History of the Bird Flu In 1918, the Spanish flu begun when a normal type of human influenza virus changed suddenly and became lethal. Scientists believe this virus was a mutated form of the avian influenza/bird flu virus. The first H5N1 outbreak occurred in 1987 but the first human incidence of illness from this deadly strain of avian influenza was reported in 1997 in Hong Kong. Eighteen people were infected and 6 of them died. Since then, over 560 cases have been identified globally with deaths exceeding 300 (WHO, 2011). These infections have b een severe and at worst, fatal. The years 2003, 2004 and 2005 are considered major H5N1 resurfacing and infection years (WHO, 2011). Method of Transmission Human infection of bird flu occurs primarily as a result of contact with the secretions or feces of sick poultry or, handling dead birds that had been infected by the virus. Because of this, people at high risk of infection include poultry farmers, other people working with poultry, and those who eat undercooked meat, eggs or/and blood from infected birds. Few cases of human-to-human transmission have also been reported but such transmissions require close and lasting contact with an infected person (Nettleman and Davis, 2011). Symptoms According to Pubmedhealth (2011), symptoms of bird flu infection among human beings depend on the strain of virus contracted. Typical symptoms for H5N1 virus include diarrhea, coughing, runny nose, difficulty in breathing, fever with temperatures of more than 38oC/100.4F, headache, muscle aches, s ore throat, eye infections and vomiting. These symptoms can progress to pneumonia and even result to respiratory failure. The virus causes acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), a dangerous and often fatal form of pneumonia. Where it Occurs Mostly in the World Since the identification of the highly pathogenic avian influenza, birds infected by the strain have been found in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Specific regions were the influenza virus have been found are Alberta, England, Germany Ukraine, South Africa, Malawi, Ethiopia, Australia, Ontario, Hong Kong, Wisconsin, Rostock, Maryland and Guryev ( Kawaoka, 1998). Countries that have reported human death as a result of the virus are Azerbaijan, Egypt, Indonesia, Cambodia, China, Iraq, Laos, Thailand, Turkey, Nigeria, Pakistan and Vietnam. Despite control measures, the virus continues to exist in some areas of Asia and Africa (WHO, 2011). Life History of the Microbe and Chances of Survival The symptoms of bird flu often show 2-8 days after infection. When the H5N1 virus enters to the human body, they multiply in the lower respiratory tract and as a result, they cause pneumonia. This in turn results to respiratory problems of various severities. This virus is hard to spread but lethal. This is unlike the H1N1 virus which replicates in the upper respiratory tract, making it easy to spread but less lethal. Bird flu infection triggers the body to produce antibodies against it during and

Effectiveness of Monetary Policy for the UK Essay

Effectiveness of Monetary Policy for the UK - Essay Example It therefore concerns the relationship between total supply of money and interest rates in a given economy. According to Julio, (2004) the main objectives of monetary policy are as follows: It creates more employment opportunities since the central bank can encourage the commercial banks to provide more loans to the sectors which will in return employ more people this reducing unemployment. Eurozone came into existence in 1998 after a meeting of eleven European Union members who agreed on the convergence principles. This was followed by the official launch of the euro as a common currency in 1st of January 1999. currently the Eurozone has over three hundred and eight million people and twelve member states which includes Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Italy, Ireland, Greece, Germany, France ( with the exception of pacific territories which uses CFP franc), Finland, Belgium and Austria. (ECB, 2001) Being a subset of the member states of the European Union Eurozone has adopted the euro as a common currency thus resulting in the currency union amongst the member states. The European Central Bank (ECB) carries the responsibility of monetary policy within this territory .With the monetary policy that is used by the Euro zone being the inflation targeting. The European Monetary Union (EMU) is very much operational with the UK being ambivalent on whether to join or not. By it being an economic and political issue monetary union has generated divergent views from the professional economists, business opinion and the general public opinion as to whether it would be important for UK to join. It is clear that presently European economic union is not a popular option in the UK. (Angeloni and Mojon, 2003) The Surveys conducted by the British Social Attitudes has regularly indicated that less than a fifth of individuals who have polled since 1993 would buy the idea of replacing the pound with euro a result that has been confirmed in the 1999 release. (Tommaso, 2004) However, it has been argued that most of this public opinion could be influenced in a favourable manner by the It has also been argued that public opinion could be favourably influenced by the pro-EMU business opinion revelations. This paper will look at the economic issue although it will still touch on the political issues emanating from joining

Impact of information technology on Revenue management Research Paper

Impact of information technology on Revenue management - Research Paper Example The aim of devising revenue management techniques is to deliver the fine product or service to the appropriate customer at the precise price. This system is based on analyzing the customer’s perception of the value that the product would provide and make straight the availability, placement and price according to that perception. This discipline became the need of every business rapidly. There could be many reasons for this. Even a kid whose is out for selling orange juice will have to analyze and predict the appropriate weather and time for selling his product. When we talk about giant businesses, the need for assessing customer demand and subsequently managing that demand is enormous and critical. A revenue management system is the answer to the question of such demand. Information technology has gained rapid importance and improved itself in all aspects from the invention of first computer ENIAC till present. The cost of installing and communicating through IT based equipme nt has been reduced incredibly. This remarkable reduction made it possible to use information technology equipment in commercial businesses in addition to government and military (Forester, 1985). As like other field, information technology has played a great role in improving the processes of revenue management. In this paper, we shall study the impacts that information technology has on the revenue management. This article is concerned with defining revenue management systems and their application. It will also explain that how well it can meet the consumer demand, how well it can be integrated with overall distribution channels and what role information technology is playing to enhance the overall progress of the revenue management systems. We will at the end, try to make some conclusions and recommendations about the development of decision support system of revenue management and how can it be helpful in maximizing the future profits of the company. Brief history of revenue man agement The concept of revenue management is not new to the business world. Every business that is selling some fragile product needs to flex the price of that commodity due to some uncertain environmental change or response to some competitor’s action or customer’s demand. Seats in airplanes, clothes (i.e. for summer and winter), rooms in hotels etc., all require revenue management strategies to be sold in a manner that maximize the overall wealth of the company. This field properly originated in US airline industry in start of 1970s. Bob Crandall of American Airline (AA) who put restrictions on discounted fares. After that yield management came into practice which is the foundation of revenue management. American Airline, with the help of other airlines further extended the yield management system by offering low fares to the cost sensitive passengers and high priced fares to the time sensitive passengers, giving maximum value to both type of travelers. The impact of practicing yield management was come into knowledge by year 1985. American Airline reported about 48 percent profit growth. This huge success attracted other industries to develop into the field of yield management (Haley and Inge, 2004). Purpose and benefits of implementing revenue management We discussed above that yield management evolved into the revenue management. As it became the standardized practice for the companies, its definition progressed. Revenue management is defined as the field which is concerned with answering the demand questions related to consumer behavior and system and set of methodologies required to make

Difference between Structured and Unstructured Observation

Difference between Structured and Unstructured Observation At the first step of this assessment I need to outline what is involved in structured observation. The two main strategies that researchers can usually use to record their observations of events are the structured and unstructured observation. The former involves the recording of events of predefined types occurring at particular points in time, or within particular intervals. Structured observation typically produces quantitative data (information about the frequency of different sorts of events or of the proportion of time spent on different types of activity). This form of observation typically involves different threats to validity. Among the dangers with structured observation is that the predefined categories used, will turn out not to be clearly defined, so that there is uncertainty in particular instances about which category is appropriate. There may also be relevant events that do not seem to fit into any of the categories. This, however, is only gained at the cost of the i nformation being collected on different cases or at different times often not being comparable (Research Methods in Education, Handbook, p. 44). Furthermore, structured observation is easy to be described but difficult to be appreciated without actually engaging in the process. Very simply, it involves placing an observer in a social setting to observe all activities defined as of interest to the research. In essence, the method is derived from participant observation in social anthropology and the distinction which is sometimes made between participant and non-participant observation does not fully hold in practice: some degree of participation is inevitable. As William Howard Russell, the Victorian war correspondent for the Times said I stand and look around, and say thus does it appear to me and thus I seem to see so does the structured observation. The structure of structured observation is imposed by the aims of the research in the same way as such aims impose structure upon any method of data-collection. Just as is the case when open questions are used in interviews or self-completed questionnaires the researcher using structured observation recognizes that not all of the structure can be determined in advance and that some structure must be imposed on the data after they have been collected (Roberts, 1975, p. 309). Researchers undertaking structured observational research usually look to use low-inference categories in other words, categories that can be applied to instances with a minimum of contestable judgement on the part of the observer in the hope of incurring only small elements of error and uncertainty. For example, low-inference categories for observing a meeting might include such things as Asks a question, Expresses agreement and Makes a proposal (E891 Educational Enquiry, Study Guide, p. 145). Furthermore, it is almost sure that some data obtained from structured observation contain errors, especially if observation is carried out under considerable pressure of time, leading the candidate to make wrong judgement in wrong boxes. However structured observation as a quantitative research has also been guided by at least some of the assumptions of positivism from laboratory experiments, through structured observational studies of classroom teaching, to large-scale social surveys of t he attitudes of teachers, students, parents, education managers and others. Indeed, over the course of the twentieth century, a great deal of educational research was influenced by a positivist approach concerned, for example, with identifying the relative effectiveness of different teaching strategies and techniques (Dunkin, 1974, p. 6). Coming to the second part of the assignment, I will try to introduce according to the best of my knowledge, the methodological philosophy of positivism. In concern to the tenets of logical empiricism, scientific progress in any discipline begins with the untainted observation of reality. This fact is expected to provide the researcher with an image of the real world from which cognitively generates an a priori model of the process to be investigated. The word positivism is nowadays used in such a wide range of ways that it has become almost meaningless, except that it is usually employed desperately to dismiss views or forms of research of which the speaker disapproves. The original meaning of the term contained some important elements. Widely, positivism can be characterised historically as a way of thinking about knowledge and enquiry that takes natural science, as it developed after the seventeenth century, as the model, and which seeks to apply the scientific method to new fields . Even though the term positivism was not invented until the nineteenth century, this idea was a central strand of eighteenth-century Enlightenment thinking, although it was by no means the only one and was certainly not accepted by all Enlightenment thinkers (E891 Educational Enquiry, Study Guide, p. 78). One of the main elements of positivism is the idea that it is the task of research to identify standard repeatable patterns between cause and effect, identifying particular pedagogical strategies that reliably bring about a desirable educational outcome. However, there are questions about whether such patterns exist, what character they have if they do, and how we can know them. Another feature of positivism is the idea that research must follow an explicit procedure, so that the idiosyncratic effects of who is doing the research can be eliminated and the replicability of the findings checked. Trying to build on this, the concept of evidence-based policy-making and practice is often promoted on the grounds that it is transparent, since it is guided by explicitly specified knowledge whose validity is open to inspection even though this idea is subjected to dispute. In contrast, the positivist philosophy, suffers from several limitations, especially when applied to social sciences. First, this approach, generalizes a universal statement of truth from observations of a certain number of positive instances. The strict inductionist approach is often inappropriate because speculation and creation of an a priori hypothesis are essential for a systematic procedure of theory building. Furthermore, the empiricist approach is based on the notion of pure observation, which is impossible in research, especially in social sciences, since observations are always subject to measurement errors. Finally, this approach assumes that knowledge is derived from an objective interpretation of assumptions, without any of the subjective biases or a priori knowledge of the scientist coming into play. Furthermore, positivists have tended to believe that the success of natural science in modern times has stemmed from scientists refusal to go beyond what can be supported by empirical evidence. It is easy to forget how radical an orientation this was in earlier centuries, and perhaps still is in some quarters. It challenges religious claims to knowledge about the world, various kinds of speculative philosophy that do not pay close attention to what is warranted by empirical evidence, and even any appeal to what is obvious to common sense. (E891 Educational Enquiry, Study Guide, p. 79). The third component of my essay is the strengths and weaknesses of structured observation in concern of positivism. Although positivism has been a recurrent theme in the history of western thought from the Ancient Greeks to the present day, it is historically associated with the nineteenth-century French philosopher, Auguste Comte, who was the first thinker to use the word for a philosophical position. In his study of the history of the philosophy and methodology of science, Oldroyd (1986) says: It was Comte who consciously invented the new science of society and gave it the name to which we are accustomed. He thought that it would be possible to establish it on a positive basis, just like the other sciences, which served as necessary preliminaries to it. For social phenomena were to be viewed in the light of physiological (or biological) laws and theories and investigated empirically, just like physical phenomena. Likewise, biological phenomena were to be viewed in the light of chem ical laws and theories; and so on down the line (Silverman et al, (2000), p.18). Furthermore, Comtes position was to lead to a general doctrine of positivism which held that all genuine knowledge is based on sense experience and can only be advanced by means of observation and experiment. Firstly, Positivism here implies a particular stance concerning the social scientist as an observer of social reality and second the end-product of investigations by social scientists can be formulated in terms parallel to those of natural science. This means that their analyses must be expressed in laws or law-like generalizations of the same kind that have been established in relation to natural. Positivists often had high hopes that science, and especially a science of human social life, would pave the way for substantial social and political progress, by undermining beliefs and practices that were based solely on superstition or tradition, and replacing them wherever possible with ones founded on scientific evidence. To a large extent, positivists have, adopted experimental physics as their model. As a result to this, it has been a strong tendency for them to insist that it is essential to use the experimental method, and the forms of statistical analysis modelled on it, to engage in the careful measurement of phenomena, and to look for causal or statistical relationships among variables. These commitments strongly imply the use of quantitative data (E891 Educational Enquiry, Study Guide, p. 89). Another characteristic of positivist philosophy is the view that, to develop knowledge, it is essential to follow special or transparent procedures or methods. The logic behind thi s is that it helps to eliminate the biases that can arise through the influence of the personal and social characteristics of the researcher. In addition, can achieve what is sometimes referred to as procedural objectivity. It also allows others to replicate the research, which in some regard is necessary in order to test whether the knowledge produced is sound, or whether it has been distorted by error or bias by the researcher. Furthermore, positivism is the idea that research should follow a set of explicit procedures, so that the idiosyncratic effects of who is doing the research can be eliminated and the replicability of the findings checked. Building on this, the concept of structured observation policy-making and practice is often promoted on the grounds that it is transparent, since it is guided by explicitly specified knowledge whose validity is open to inspection. The link between positivism and the notion of structured observation does not necessarily mean that the idea that educational research can and should be designed to make a significant contribution to educational policy-making and/or practice. Indeed, one sign that the positivists impose on this commitment is that positivism has influenced various forms of action research. This often requires enquiry to be integrated into educational practice, rather than being detached from it in the way that much ordinary research is (E891 Educational Enq uiry, Study Guide, p. 219). However, as in all methods so in this one strengths and weakness can be distinguished. Structured observation can provide good insights into how the different participants are behaving and interacting. In addition, may enable you to see things that are taken for granted by participants in the learning and teaching context. Their perceived lack of importance by participants may mean that they would not be picked up by other methods that explore participant perceptions. In addition to the above, the task of the educational investigator often explains the means by which an orderly social world is established and maintained in terms of its shared meanings and how do participant observation techniques assist the researcher in this task. As Bailey mention some inherent advantages in the participant observation approach: Observation studies are superior to experiments and surveys when data are being collected on non-verbal behaviour. In observation studies, investigators are able to discern ongoing behaviour as it occurs and are able to make appropriate notes about its salient features. Because case study observations take place over an extended period of time, researchers can develop more intimate and informal relationships with those they are observing, generally in more natural environments than those in which experiments and surveys are conducted. Case study observations are less reactive than other types of data-gathering methods. For example, in laboratory-based experiments and in surveys that depend upon verbal responses to structured questions, bias can be introduced in the very data that researchers are attempting to study. (Silverman et al, (2000), p.18). In contrast to the above, firstly, structured observation neglects the significance of contexts-temporal and spatial-thereby overlooking the fact those behaviours may be context specific. In their concern for the overt and the observable, researchers may overlook unintended outcomes which may have significance; they may be unable to show how significant are the behaviours of the participants being observed in their own terms. Furthermore, structured observations as a quantitative method in concern with positivism can be time consuming. Getting a representative picture of the implementation over the duration of a pilot or embedding phase of a change in learning and teaching will involve attending more than one learning and teaching activity or event. Continuing, its activities may affect the behaviour of those involved in it and hence what you observe. Participants may be concerned about what you are actually evaluating. Academic staff may be concerned the quality of their teaching is being evaluated and students may be concerned their academic performance is being assessed. The thinking that underlies participants observed actions cannot be observed. Finally, structured observations are therefore used with other methods that seek insight into this thinking. Being able to make sense of the context of evaluation in a limited amount of time with limited resources may require some knowledge of the academic discipline and its culture. At this part of my assignment, I will introduce the methodological philosophy of interpretivism. Interpretivism was introduced from German philosopher Max Weber. According to Max Weber from whom the interpretivist tradition is derived, the enterprise of social science could not be treated as similar to that of the natural science. He stressed on social action which means the study of meaning which the individual attaches to his/her actions. Interpretivisms starting point is its insistence on differentiating between the nature of the phenomena investigated by the natural sciences and the nature of those studied by historians, social scientists and educational researchers. Mainly, it argues that people in contrast atoms, chemicals or most non-human forms of life interpret their environment and themselves in ways that are shaped by the particular cultures in which they live. These distinctive cultural orientations shape what they do, and when and how they do it (E891 Educational Enquiry , Study Guide, p. 81). Interpretivist does not reject the idea of scientific or objective knowledge, but they question the notion that the methods employed by natural science used also in the study of society or social sciences. He stressed on social action which means the study of meaning which the individual attaches to his or her actions. Furthermore Interpretivist criticize Positivists for neglecting the fact that they are studying people who need to be explored in the ways they really think and act in different kinds of situations. Social institutions cannot be treated as separate entities or divorced from the subjective understanding or meaning that people have of them and society cannot be studied on the principle of causality as positivists stress, may make a great deal of sense in the natural world but according to the interpretivist, cannot be rigidly applied in the social world. People do not just react to external stimuli like biologically programmed living organisms. They actively interpret an d control the situation and control their behavior, acting on the basis of their interpretations of what is going on, what is the best course of action. Many different responses are possible. There are three different interpretations of a single event, e.g.; there is no consistent cause and effect relationship. Whatever the response, an observer cannot make sense of your response without interpreting the meaning you attributed to your teachers behavior, for it is this meaning that explains your response, not the observable event on its own. Interpretivists argue that all research methods involve complex forms of communication: therefore, coming to understand other people necessarily relies both on researchers background, cultural knowledge and skills, and on their willingness to suspend prior assumptions and allow understanding of other peoples orientations to emerge over the course of enquiry. Thus quite different ways of life and associated beliefs about the world can be located at different points in history and also coexist (peacefully or in conflict) at any time. Furthermore, this is not just a matter of differences between societies; there is also significant cultural variation within the large, complex societies in which most of us now live. Interpretivists argue that we cannot understand why people do what they do, why particular institutions exist and operate in characteristic ways, without grasping how people interpret and make sense of their world in other words, the distinctive nature of their beliefs, atti tudes and thoughts. Coming to this part of my assignment I need to mention the strengths and weaknesses of structured observation within the context of interpretivism. As we know, structured observation involves a researcher watching and listening to actions and events within a particular context over a period of time, and then making a record of what he or she has witnessed. A distinction is sometimes drawn between participant and non-participant structured observation, indicating that the role of an observer may vary a good deal. He or she may play a participant role in the setting or the events being observed, or may play no such role other than observer. The primary concern behind this distinction is reactivity in other words, the extent to which, and the ways in which, the behaviour of the people studied is shaped both by the fact that they are being studied in a given way and by the particular characteristics and participant role of the researcher (E891 Educational Enquiry, Study Guide, p. 121). Generally speaking, qualitative researchers use relatively structured observation as a supplement to other sources of data. Furthermore, researchers undertaking structured observational research generally seek to use low-inference categories in other words, categories that can be applied to instances with a minimum of contestable judgement on the part of the observer in the hope of incurring only small elements of error and uncertainty. For example, low-inference categories for observing a meeting might include such things as Asks a question, Expresses agreement and Makes a proposal. As a result, this is one of the reasons why interpretivism has encouraged a shift towards qualitative method. Qualitative methods are usually taken to mean unstructured or structured observation, ethnography, focus groups, and etc. that involve researchers in actively listening to what the researched say. The popularity of the term paradigm is traceable to Kuhns work on The Structure of Scientific Revolutions; 7 it can be defined as a total matrix of beliefs about theories, research questions and research data (Oakley, 1999, p.155). These observations and experiences are one way of representing the conflict between different ways of achieving knowledge about the world that amongst social researchers are known as qualitative and quantitative methods. A commonly accepted alliance has developed between research method and research subject, according to which qualitative methods are often used to privilege the experiences of oppressed social groups. What I argue is that this division of methodological labour is, firstly, socially and historically constructed and secondly is problematic in terms of the potential of qualitative methods to produce an emancipator social science with trustworthy knowledge claims. However, this qualitative method as all the other research methods has strengths and weaknesses points. Taking the advantages strengths at the beginning, I can definitely mention that usually the data is based on the participants own categories of meaning and the research is only useful for studying a limited number of cases in depth. Not only that, another major advantage of the method is that the researcher can describe complex phenomena something that you can rarely find in any other method. Structured observation is one of the most straightforward ways to gather information via the school or classroom having a strong connection with the researcher of interpretivism and get a picture of what happens. It is often a good way to begin to explore a situation you want to know more about. It can also be useful to add information to other sources of data you may be collecting for your action enquiry. However, it is important to be aware that as an observer you can often affect the situation you are trying to observe. Generally the role of the observer can be pure (unnoticed, part of the wallpaper) or participatory (e.g. participate in what is going on in the situation observed). The latter use qualitative, structured approaches of observation; the former might use a mixture of both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Whilst the pure observer uses an instrument (e.g. proforma) for the observation, the participant-observer is the instrument. One very common example could be the finding of the class teacher in finding out how children solve a multiplication problem. As a pure observer she or he will use an observation checklist, ticking boxes as she or he observes the pupil on a pre-determined problem-solving activity. Then, as the instrument himself or herself, she or he may ask the pupil what he or she did, why he did it, and may even set him another, but similar, task, to see if he uses the same strategy. By doing so, the teacher will influence the outcome, but in the context of teaching and learning this may be a valid method of structured observation. Taking the above simple example into consideration someone can definitely determine not only the strengths but also the weaknesses of the method used. From the point of strength, the researcher Can conduct cross-case comparisons and analysis and provides understanding and description of peoples personal experiences of the phenomena. Furthermore, the researcher can study dynamic processes, and determine how participants interpret constructs. In addition, qualitative researchers are especially responsive to changes that occur during the conduct of a study and may shift the focus of their studies. In contrast, biases can be developed. Data analysis is often time consuming and the results are more easily influenced by the researchers personal biases and idiosyncrasies. Meaning that all perceptual processes involving the taking in of information by observation and its subsequent internal processing are subject to bias. Our own interests, experiences, and expectations are likely to influen ce what we pay attention to and do make a conscious effort to distribute your attention widely and evenly. Finally, It is more difficult to test hypotheses and theories with large participant pools but knowledge produced might not generalize to other people or other settings (i.e., findings might be unique to the relatively few people included in the research study. Part six, is the last part of my assignment. The searching question in this part has to do with all of the discussion done on the previous sections. Up to now, structured observation was the core of our assignment and the way researchers develop their task. As a result, I have discussed the structured observation from the point of positivism and the quantity method on the one hand and the structured observation from the point of interpretivism and the qualitative method on the other hand. However since Gage wrote his fictional history, what has actually happened is in fact quite complex and varies across countries. The trend against positivism continued, and what we have called constructionism emerged as an important influence alongside interpretivism and critical research. However, in the early years of the twenty-first century, there have been signs of a second phase, the re-emergence of positivist ideas, partly as a result of calls for practice to become evidence-based. Neverthele ss, at present, much educational research continues to take a qualitative approach. Alongside, the revival in support for quantitative methods in some quarters, there have also been increasing calls for mixed methods or triangulation research that is, research that combines quantitative and qualitative approaches and more methods. The justification for this is often the kind of pragmatism to which Gage appealed. It is suggested that, by combining quantitative and qualitative methods, it is possible to gain the benefits of both and avoid the weaknesses of each when used on its own (E891 Educational Enquiry, Study Guide, p. 89). Coming to the point, the difference between positivism and interpretivism is rather subtle than a difference in focus, but it is still important. Examine the situation historically, the conflict between positivism and interpretivism dates from at least the middle of the nineteenth century, although it only arose clearly within the field of educational research during the second half of the twentieth century. Usually, positivists researchers have generally assumed that it is possible to document recurrent and standard patterns of relationship. At first between peoples background experiences and their attitudes, and then between their attitudes and their behaviour. On the other side of the coin, interpretivists researchers have suggested that these relationships are much more contingent and diverse, as the historians have emphasised the uncertain course of history and this is not simply the playing out of a set of universal laws. This is what Gage means when he says that interpretivist s reject the assumption of the uniformity of nature and linear causal models (E891 Educational Enquiry, Study Guide, p. 81). It is worth to mention an example at this point to raise the difference among them. Positivists assume that it is possible to document attitudes by getting people to respond to a standard structured questionnaire. Interpretivists, however, argue that all research methods involve complex forms of communication: therefore, coming to understand other people necessarily relies both on researchers background cultural knowledge and skills, and on their willingness to suspend prior assumptions and allow understanding of other peoples orientations to emerge over the course of enquiry. Further to the point I have raised concerning the two other methods, i.e., the mixed method or triangulation, I have the feeling I need to elaborate on at least at one of them. The triangulation, in social science, is defined as the mixing of data or methods so that diverse viewpoints or standpoints cast light upon a topic. The mixing of data types, known as data triangulation, is often thought to help in validating the claims that might arise from an initial pilot study. The mixing of methodologies, e.g. mixing the use of survey data with interviews, is a more profound form of triangulation. Denzin wrote a justification for triangulation in 1970 and is credited by some with initiating the move toward integrated research that mixes methods. However other authors in other contexts have used mixed methods research both before and after Denzins summary was written. For instance, Lenin used a mixture of quantitative data tables along with a political-economy analysis of charged words use d in his classic research monograph, The Development of Capitalism in Russia (1898). We would today say that his work used methodological triangulation of discourse analysis (a qualitative methodology), and survey data (a quantitative methodology), to study the end of the Russian peasantry and the early beginnings of working class conflict with employers in Russia (Wendy O., 2004, p.3). Continuing the above and according to researchers from case studies to econometric analysis, educational research has a long tradition of employing both qualitative and quantitative methods, but the usual juxtaposition of qualitative research against quantitative research makes it easy to miss the fact that qualitative research itself encompasses a multitude of different approaches. Qualitative work can be positivist: It can attempt to document practices that lead consistently to one set of outcomes rather than another, to identify characteristics that commonly are related to some policy problem, or to find strategic patterns that hold across different venues and with different actors. Qualitative work also can be interpretivist: It attempts to understand what general concepts like poverty or race mean in their specific operation, to uncover the conscious and unconscious explanations people have for what they do or believe, or to capture and reproduce a particular time, culture, or p lace so that actions people take become intelligible. In conclusion, observation methods are powerful tools for gaining insight into situations. As with other data collection techniques, they are beset by issues of validity and reliability. Even low inference observation, perhaps the safest form of observation, is itself highly selective, just as perception is selective. Higher forms of inference, whilst moving towards establishing causality, rely on greater levels of interpretation by the observer, wherein the observer makes judgements about intentionality and motivation. In this respect it has been suggested that additional methods of gathering data might be employed, to provide corroboration and triangulation, in short, to ensure that reliable inferences are derived from reliable data. References Dunkin, M.J. and Biddle, B.J. (1974) The Study of Teaching, New York, Holt, Rinehart and Winston. E891 Educational Enquiry, Study Guide, (2007), The Open University. Oakley, A., Peoples way of knowing: gender and methodology. In: Critical issues in social research, Hood, S, Mayall, B. Oliver, S., pp.154-170. Open University Press, 1999. Research Methods in Education, Handbook, (2003), The Open University. Silverman, David (2000). Doing Qualitative Research: A Practical Handbook. Sage Wendy, O. (2004) Triangulation in Social Research: Qualitative and Quantitative Methods Can Really Be Mixed, Causeway Press.

Murdstones in Charles Dickens Great Expectations :: Charles Dickens Great Expectations Essays

Murdstones in Charles Dickens' Great Expectations I think the Murdstones are the two main villains in the story. Mr.Murdstone, step dad of David, he is evil, cruel and treats David harshly. He hates David and wants him out of the way. Mrs Murdstone, sister of Mr.Murstone also vicious and self-centred. Both of them together ruin the early childhood of David and have control of the Copperfield family. The sheer evilness of the Murdstones resulted in the death of David's mother-Clara, although at one point he did love Clara, but her pretty house and her income probably added to her attractions in his eye. I think worst of all the Murdstones tormented David both physically and psychologically. Dickens is very clever in describing the appearance of the Murdstones, it very much relates to their ruthlessness. He describes the eyes of Mr.Murdstones as "à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. with his ill-omened black eyesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦." Already we are given a warning of impending disaster from the looks of his eyes. ". Shallow black eyeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦an eye that has no depth in it to be looked into" This just shows the wretched character he is. As much as I hate the character, I noticed that Dickens have put a touch of gentleness to the character of Mr.Murdstone. This is stated when David notices his 'handsomer' side. "à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦In spite of my misgivings, a very handsome man." I think this description is very cleverly done. It makes the character more real and life like so we can relate to. It emphasizes "never judge the book by its cover". Miss.Murdstone, sister of Mr.Murstone, doesn't perform well either, description wise. ". Gloomy-looking lady she was: dark, like her brotherà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦" This shows the similarities of the characters, not only connected by blood, but also by appearance and by heart. Jane Murdstone is stronger, colder, and more heartless than her brother. Dickens makes her seem inhuman by comparing her to metallic objects, especially locks, chains, and prisons. In a society where a spinster is a dependent creature, she uses her power over her brother to secure a home for herself. "à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Hard lack boxesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦" "Hard brass nail." ". Hard steel purseà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦" ". Jail of a bagà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦." ". Heavy chain." ". Metallic lady." All the above quotes describe the 'characters' of the things she carry and how they resemble her. The word "hard" have come up several times and so has anything that has got to do with it. This just shows how much wickedness she posses only in her belongings. I think the main feature in which Dickens expresses that really brings out the villainous of the characters are the things they do. Ever since entering the Copperfield household they have been controlling