sniper :: essays research papers

Quietly walking behind him in a dark alley, I could see him stalk a young schoolgirl. I didn't want my presence to be known. I could see him, fallowing her closely to her house. Right when she opened the front door of her house, he jumped towards her, and pushed her into the house, bolting the door behind him. My suspicions became clear. I knew what had to be done. I broke down the door, and grabbed a nearby coat hanger. (hehe) Scanning the room, I couldn't see anything strange. Making my way around the house, I could faintly hear a muffled scream from upstairs. I ran up, knocking down a vase on accident. (Freaking coat hanger) Breaking down another door (my foot started to hurt after this one) I could see him desperately trying to part her legs. I threw the coat hanger at him, hitting him right in the head. The impact threw him down to the floor, giving her a chance to get out of the room. It was just between us two now. He removed a knife from its sheath, and pointed it at me. I w asn't really ready for this, but I searched my pockets and I found a†¦ lighter. This is going great I thought to myself. He jumped at me, slicing me in the arm. My wound was bleeding very badly, and my arm began to numb. He jumped at me once again, but this time, I grabbed him by the arm and hit him at the elbow. His arm made a sharp cracking noise, and he screamed in pain. I kicked his knee, and another crack noise could be heard. At least now he won't be jumping at me anymore. I pinned him to the floor, and with a flick of my wrist, lighted the lighter. Pointing it towards his eye, I could see his eye slowly deplete its moisture, and in a few seconds, it was nothing more than a raisin. He struck at me again with his left arm, and hit me right below the eye. I fell back at the attack, and he was quickly on top of me, knife at my throat. I burned his other eye and he rolled back with his hand over his eye. I could already see that his eye was beginning to turn gray from the hea t. He threw the knife at me, and I kicked it away.

Becoming a Teacher Essay

Never has it crossed my mind’s eye to become a teacher. I would choose any other field or career except it. In fact, after my high schooling, I was so undecided of what course to take, of which way to go as if I was in the crossroad Robert Frost is pertaining to in his poem, â€Å"The Road Not Taken†. I was definitely certain I never wanted to be one; I would not get myself involved with it, not even in my wildest dream! But, should I say fortunately or unfortunately, because my relatives who are educators said I must be like them, and that I should follow their steps. According to them, there was no better profession for me other than teaching. Woe to me! My life seemed to be driven by my family’s beliefs. I had to obey. I had no choice. So I had a plan. I would go against the current, regardless of my kin. They would be the ones to provide for my allowance and miscellaneous fee. I was by then a scholar, a grant my relative also worked out. At first, I was just planning to finish the first semester and then I would shift to another course but I never had the chance because they didn’t allow me to. I finished the degree with recognition though I never really liked it. For me, it’s better than not having a degree at all. After graduation, I took the examination not because of the excitement to be a â€Å"professional teacher† but because it is the expectation from all the education graduates. I was so blessed to pass it at once. I had my license but I still got no plan to teach. I was working as a cashier in a gasoline station while my classmates were already teaching as PARA teachers. Whenever they see me, they would always ask when I plan to apply for ranking. I would only smile and say â€Å"I’m waiting for the right time.† Yet, at the back of my mind, was the fear of handling the obligation. Yes, I fear the responsibility of they say the noblest profession. I’ve seen it from m y auntie. She was coming home late in the afternoon. She was staying up late at night because of lesson plan and some paper works to be done. I didn’t want to experience the same. Those were the reasons why I never wanted the course. But, I was reprimanded. That was the only time I was moved. I decided to process my application. So happy I was, because I topped the ranking and was immediately hired as a regular-permanent by the government, and I was summoned to practice my teaching craft and skills at Sotero Baluyot Elementary School. Teaching there was never easy for me. I had to travel for a couple of hours to come to school so I get home only during weekends. It was the first time I left home for days and to think that it would be for years, I felt even sadder. I did the works at my best though. I have to like it I know. I became friends to the parents and to the students and I started to love the job. There, I had a student who was visually impaired. Her classmates used to tease her â€Å"bardo† which is an Ilocano term for â€Å"duling†. Because of that, she became a true loner. She rarely participated in class discussion though I’ve seen a real potential in her. I said to myself I had to help her. I trained her to join the quiz bee. She got second place in the district level and became one of the participants in the division level. After that event, she became active in our class. Her classmates started to befriend her. Other teachers begun to notice her and became one of the best in their subjects. Pupils never tease her again. In the graduation day, she was an awardee. After the ceremony she and her mother came and thanked me. I had two more graduations when I decided to apply for transfer to my home base. Luckily, it was granted quickly. When the parents and the students knew that I would be leaving soon they approached me and asked if I could stay for some more years. Though they know that somebody was coming as my replacement, they say they would always prefer me. I was happy for their sincerity. I wanted to stay but my parents want me to be with them too. That night, was the only time I felt I AM A PROFESSIONAL TEACHER. Thoughts came back to my mind. The moments with the parents†¦The experiences with the children..happiness..struggles..Somehow I made a difference in them and I know I am a professional. Yes! I have become a mother to lonely children, a doctor to those ill, a guidance counsellor to the erring pupils and a very jolly peer but , I am a professional teacher. I shape the lives of the young and impressionable children, inculcate values in them. I practice differentiated teaching styles so that students are learning best. I setup and design classroom to get and keep learners’ attention. I control emotions in most stressful situations. I am accountable to teaching profession, to the pupils, my co-workers and the society. I have never dreamt of this path but with this responsibility comes great pride and joy because I am a teacher..a professional teacher.

Information technology and animation - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 17 Words: 5204 Downloads: 4 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Statistics Essay Did you like this example? Introduction: Information technology (IT) plays a key role in creating knowledge [1] and supporting management towards decision making[2] and Visualization tools are computer applications that produce graphical representations that aid decision making. Visualization tools are used in IT based decision support systems (DSS) like the simple spreadsheets to complex computer-based systems like business intelligence system, enterprise resource management and reporting system, knowledge management systems, and expert systems; to help decision makers to solve structured ,unstructured and semi structured problems. In the digital era, decision makers have access to large amount of digital data which can be used by visual analytics software to support decision making. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Information technology and animation" essay for you Create order Well structured problem has clear path to solution but for solving ill structured problem, external representation of the data and the problem can reduce the effort in reaching an accurate solution[3]. Chief economist of Google Inc predicts that need for data visualization will be growing rapidly in the next few years. He writes. the ability to take datato be able to understand it, to process it, to extract value from it, to visualize it, to communicate itthats going to be a hugely important skill in the next decade. because now we really do have essentially free and ubiquitous data. So the complimentary scarce factor is the ability to understand that data and extract value from it Managers need to be able to access and understand the data themselves [4]. Independent researchers have predicted high future demand for visualization tools. Gartners research reports that in spite of global recession businesses are interested in investing in business intelligence (BI) platforms that are expanding their capabilities towards advanced data visualization, scorecards and interactive dashboards. It predicts BI markets compound annual growth rate (CAGR) through 2012 to be 7.0% for stand-alone BI platforms ([5]. Review of the literature on computer graphics as decision aid reports that the format in which data is presented to decision makers is critical to provide information for making decision[6]. As per the dual coding theory, cognition consists of two sub systems: Visual and Verbal[7-9]. The theory specifies that when information is represented visually, the recall is easier and the human brain can process changes in shape, color and motion parallely. As per the Central Capacity theory humans have limited working memory [10] and visualization of data (e.g. chart, diagram, graph) activates the visual component of the short-term working memory (visual working memory) to hold the visual objects for immediate attention. Both the theory recommend visual data representation to provide information to the users for making decisions as visual information is easier to store and recall. Visualization aids in perceptual information processing to identify exceptions, trends, patterns, relationship in the data (clusters, associations, causality etc), detect outliers and to summarize data perceptually [11]. Many complex business decision making need insight and insight is a sudden discovery of a solution to a problem which results in a subjectively catastrophic experience[12]. As competition in the knowledge economy gets fiercer, organizations are constantly trying to get new insights to gain competitive advantage. Effective visualization tools acts as external aids that supports thinking and building insight by providing graphs that represent information primarily through position, shape, color, size, location, movement and symbols, and that viewers decode that information by taking it in, organizing it, analyzing it and detecting patterns and structures perceptually[13]. Human brain is a powerful pattern-finding engine and effective graph make behavioral patterns, tem poral trends, correlations, clusters, gaps, and outliers visible in seconds and data graphics should amplify cognition and complement what humans do well[14]. Effective visualization tools are of great importance in supporting decision making as it amplifies cognition, perceptual information processing and facilitates knowledge generation. When visualization tools are inadequate decision making performance is impaired. A review of literature on computer graphics as decision aids has demonstrated that decision performance is effected by information presentation format[6]. Compared to static graph (SG) , Dynamic Graph (DG) facilitates in faster retrieval and recall of information [15, 16], information comprehension [16] required for decision making. One author writes If learners are in control of the speed of animation and can view and review, stop and start, zoom in and out, and change orientation of parts and wholes of the animation at will, then the problems of veridical perception can be alleviated [17]. However the use of dynamic interactive graph has increased in business decision making, its impact on decision making has not been explored extensively in the IS field. Both the IS literature and Accounting literature has emphasized the need for studying the role of presentation format in the efficiency and effectiveness of decision-makers decision quality in order to provide empirical evidence o n the effect of presentation format on decision quality [18] [19]. Previous research so far in the IS domain has extensively studied 2D, 3D graph, combining 2D-3D graph and animation with low data volume that are easily comprehensible in tables or graph. Gaining insight from high volume of business data can be challenging because the high density of the data makes it difficult to view all the data at once. On a typical computer screen the high volume data cannot be seen at once, the data has to be sliced to visually represent it on screen. A study done on functional mechanisms of online product presentation and its effect on online shopping reported that interactivity of product presentations is a design feature that influence (1) the efficacy of the presentations; (2) consumers perceptions of the diagnosticity of websites, their perceptions of the compatibility between online shopping and physical shopping, and their shopping enjoyment derived from a particular online shopping experience jointly influence consumers attitudes toward shopping at a we bsite; and (3) both consumers attitudes toward products and their attitudes toward shopping at a website contribute to their intentions to purchase the products displayed on the website[20].Thus Interactive display has a positive influence on decision making thus the first objective of this study is extend the work done in the past by studying whether the use of display which has bother interactivity and is dynamic impacts decision making, including reducing information overload when dealing with high volume of data. While indicating a positive l effect from the use of DID, on the basis of the theory of Cognitive Fit, which identifies that better performance results when the external representation corresponds to the nature of the task to be accomplished [21] this study argues that it is most effective when the qualities of the display corresponds to the salient features of the task. On Time is also an important component of information load[21] where information load is the volume of the data to be processed over the unit of time available for the task. The second objective of this study is to examine weather and how the effect of visualization tools on decision taking may be contingent on the time constraints- available time available for information processing. A prior study on 2D graph Vs table to examine the joints effects of presentation format and color on decision accuracy and efficiency under different time constraints [22] concluded that under low time constraints (15 min), tabular reports are better for accurate decision making and 2D graphs are better for faster processing. The combination of Table and graph were better than graph alone for decision accuracy. Under High time constraint (5 min)s color coding led to improved decision making. Decision makers are sometimes pressed for time which can result in information overload, which is the point at which information processing demands exceed the information processing capacity of the individual. This study investigates the moderating effect of time constraints on DID effe ctiveness on decision making in terms of the quality of the decision that the decision makers are able to make. This study uses the term High Time constraint (HTC) task to characterize the task that needs to completed in an environment when the decision makers are under time pressure and to distinguish it from Low time constraint (LTC) task where the decision makers are not under any time pressure to complete the decision making task. Next section contains the review of past work on DID and decision making done to arrive at the hypothesis on the overall impact of DID on decision making. The subsequent section presents a review of the previous litreature on the theory of Cognitive Fit which provides the foundation for our theories on the relationship between different task types and DID. Then the different task types with time constraints is explained along with the prediction about the moderating effects of task type on decision making. The research method for the proposed research is explained including the measurement of independent and dependent variables and the experimental design. Finally this paper concludes with the significance of this proposed study to both researchers and practioners. Theory and Hypothesis. The research model developed for this proposed study is shown in figure 1. The figure illustrates that DID enhances decision making. The effect of DID is more pronounced when the task is less time critical where the decision makers are not pressed for time and the effect of DID is limited when the task is time critical. The hypotheses supported by theory are developed below. Dynamic Interactive Display Businesses today are commonly using Dashboards, which is a combination of visualization tools that provide summarized and details reports of current status and alerts and creates situational awareness. The array of visualization tools that available today includes Tree Maps, [23], Node-Link diagram /Network diagram[24], Parallel coordinate Graph [25], Spark lines- Integrates text, and chart [26],Motion chart[27]. The present study focuses on visualization tools that provide dynamic and interactive display (DID) because in the recent time there has been staggering advances in visualization tools that are interactive and dynamic to support taking decisions and solving information-intensive problems in business. The DID chosen for this study is Googles Motion Chart, which is a flash based visualization tool that delivers dynamic chart with high level of interactivity for multidimensional data[28]. Motion charts are dynamic. The graph is said to dynamic when the graph consists of series of single frames, each showing incremental changes in the position, brightness, shape, color of the variables; shown in a sequence which give the illusion of movement[29, 30]. Graph Dynamism consist of two types of change : position or form [31, 32]. Translation change refers to change in position (from one location to another) and transformation change refers to the change in form ( in size, shape, color, brightness)[33]. Motion chart reflect both translation change and transformation change. It is dynamic as it has several indicators which show incremental change in color, location and shape over time. Graphical excellence consists of complex ideas communicated with clarity, precision and efficiency and are accurately perceived [14]. Animations are often not clear and complex or efficient ( too fast) to be accurately perceived and judicious use of interactivity may overcome this disadvantage [17]. Motion Chart provide high level of interactivity (i.e., the extent to which users can manipulate and transform the form and content of the graph in real time[34]. Interactivity is achieved when the users can control the speed of animation and can view and review, stop and start, can transform (change the way representation is rendered, such as zooming, panning or resizing), or manipulate (control the parameters during the process of image generation, i.e. filtering, visually encoding the variables based on color, shape). Decision Making Previous study on online shopping website has indicated that dynamic , interactive presentation of information has a positive effect on the shopping decisions ( intend to purchase, revisit the shopping website) of the consumers [20]. Decision making includes problem solving[2]. Problem solving involves mentally working to overcome obstacles that stand in reaching a goal and arriving at the solution to the problem involves identifying the problem, defining and representing the problem, formulating the strategy , organizing and reorganizing information, allocating resources, monitoring and evaluation[3]. Prior research has indicated that (1) task type, (2) individual characteristics, and (3) information presentation format have effects on cognitive processing for making decisions [6]. Decision accuracy, problem comprehension and satisfaction will be used to measure decision making performance. Decision accuracy is probably the most commonly used criterion for measuring decision making performance [22, 35-48]. It is suggested that compared to DG, Dynamic Interactive Graph should facilitate performance [49]. Therefore, this study proposes that DID can enable decision makers to be more accurate when evaluating high volume of data than Dynamic Display. H1. Compared to Dynamic Display, DID increases users Decision Accuracy Research in the Management field has not examined different types of visuals and its effect on graph comprehension in detail[6]. The effect of x-y and y-z relationship encoding on the time to comprehend information was studied with respect to2D and 3D line graph [50]. As per Pinkers theory of Graph Comprehension[51], different types of display are suited for extracting different classes of information, primarily because of two contrasting types of encoding mechanisms governing the graph comprehension process: (1) automatic conceptual message lookup processes and bottom up processing, and (2) inferential and top-down encoding processes. Simplified Flow diagram of the graph comprehension process is shown in Figure 2. Automatic conceptual message lookup is the acquisition of information using the bottom-up encoding processes where the required information is obtained from the graph easily from the graph by means of salient cues. For example the theory indicated that that trend in a line graph is encoded via the bottom-up encoding processes because the human eye can automatically extract the change perceptually. On the contrary, information that are encoded via the inferential and top-down encoding process , needs execution of deliberate and capacity-limited computations that requires effort and use of both short-term and long-term memory processing. Fulfilling comprehension tasks, such as making inferences and drawing conclusions about the data in the graph and selecting and organizing the information from the graph, requires integration of the retrieved and encoded new information. This study proposes that more scan and search operations are needed to visually locate and organize the new informa tion represented in the dynamic graph for both conceptual message lookup process and inferential process. The DID possesses interactivity and hence retrieving the information from the graph will be easier for the users by manipulating the data using overview, zoom, filter features of the display. Therefore, in response to the comprehension task, DID will be better than dynamic display. H2a. Compared to Dynamic Display, DID increases users graph comprehension for automatic conceptual message lookup process H2b Compared to Dynamic Display, DID increases users graph comprehension for inferential and top-down encoding process Next from the perspective of affective dimension, users form positive, neutral or negative attitude towards the perceived usefulness of the visualization tool in decision making. The study predicts that DID with interactivity and dynamic display of the multi dimensional data affects decision makers attitude regarding perceived usefulness of the tool more significantly in favor of the tool than dynamic graph. H3 Users attitude towards the perceived usefulness of the DID display differ from their attitude towards the perceived usefulness of the dynamic display. Theory of Cognitive Fit and Time constraints The theory of Cognitive Fit suggest that a match between External representation and users tasks is important for the realization of positive results from the display format [52]. While DID generally influences decision making, the degree to which DID affects decision making varies contingent upon the task types being examined. Decision makers may be faced with different types of tasks. Tasks for Problem solving can be retrieval, Communication of facts, Comparison of alternatives, Trend analysis, Recognition and recall, Problem finding, Problem comprehension and Problem solving[36]. When time in money decision makers have to make decisions fast and thus decision task can be time critical. In prior studies terms time pressure and time constraint are most commonly used interchangeably [53]. Prior research so far has not investigated the time-constraint tasks that are best supported by DID. For this study High Time Constraint (HTC) tasks are those that force the decision makers to perfo rm under high time pressure. It is different from Low time-constraint (LTC) task for which the decision makers are not under any time pressure to perform. These types of task types moderate the degree to which DDI affects decision making. Research suggests for HTC task , decision makers accelerated their processing, are more selective in processing and instead of evaluating one alternative at a time (depth based) the decision makers concentrate on attribute based ( breadth wide) pattern of processing[54]. Dynamic Interactive display (DID) have features that lets the users manipulate the data and retrieve details on demand but DID are complex because it provides access to several layers of data which the users can slice and dice. Therefore when DID is used with HTC task , decision makers are unable to accelerate processing as the complexity of the graph makes the users experience information overload , which affects their performance negatively. However when DID is applied to LTC task, then the interactivity is useful because access to several layers of information and availability of time lets the decision makers process information in depth. Thus DID for HTC task does not contribute as much to decision making accuracy, problem comprehension and perceived usefulness as it does for LTC task. H4. Increases in Decision accuracy, effected by DID, are more significant for LTC task than HTC task. H5a. Increases in users graph comprehension for automatic conceptual message lookup process, effected by DID, are more significant for LTC task than HTC task. H5b. Increases in graph comprehension for inferential and top-down encoding process, effected by DID, are more significant for LTC task than HTC task. H6. The impacts of DID on perceived usefulness towards decision making are more significant for LTC task than HTC task. Research Method The proposed study will employ a controlled laboratory experiment to empirically test the effects of DID on Decision making and the moderating effect of time-dependent task types to achieve a high degree of internal validity [55]. To simulate experimental display close to real experiences and to increase the generalizability of the findings, instead of developing a prototype of DID , we selected Motion Chart owned by Google Inc for the visualization tool to produce DID . Motion chart is a commercial product used in business. Experimental Design For this proposed study a within-subject factor along with a between-subject factor, 2X2 factorial design will be used. The within-subject factor, Display format, will have two levels: DID and Dynamic Graph. The between-subject factor, Task Type will have two levels: HTC and LTC (Refer fig 2). The within-subject design for the presentation format will enable control over individual differences like spatial ability[56], cognitive style, comprehension abilities, which could confound the results [6] and also economize on the number of participants required for this study. Fig 2 2X2 Factorial Design Because display format was a within-subject factor, different task type were employed for each display format. The different task will have the same difficulty level so that this study can control for difference in task difficulty to have an effect on decision performance. Different task will control for the learning effect that could happen by repeatedly making the same type of decision with same task using different display format under different time dependent task. The participants might not use the interactive features provided in the DID even though it is provided to them. To control for that, the task assigned to DID will require manipulation of the data to arrive at the correct solution and the participants with the correct result will be rewarded with Bonus gift certificate to motivate them to use the interactive features of DID to arrive at the optimum result. Prior use and practice with a display format has an effect on performance [57] hence to control for that this study will allow participants to have experience with the visualization tool by giving them a brief 15 mins hands on training with the product. As discussed earlier this study uses the term First, the pretest will be conducted with a pilot group that will be demographically similar to the experiment participants to determine the average time required by the subject to reach the optimum solution. Based on this average time the two limits will be chosen to arrive at the High time constraint and low time constraint condition. HTC task is a financial decision making task that will be given to the subjects which involve both bottom up encoding and inferential processing under the High Time constraint in an environment when the decision makers are under time pressure. When there is insufficient time to complete a task, decision performance becomes unpredictable[58] and to control for that the subjects in the HTC treatment will be given a time limit which will be close to the average time required to reach the optimum solution so that they get sufficient time. Low time constraint (LTC) task is a different financial decision making task that will be given to the subjects which involves both bottom up encoding and inferential processing where the decision makers are not under any time pressure to complete the decision making task. Half of the participants were assigned to Dynamic graph with HCT task and DID with LCT task and the other half in reverse order. Participants were assigned randomly to each condition to reduce potential extraneous effects in the experiment. Participants For the main experiment the participation will be voluntary and the subjects will be selected from the pool of graduate and undergraduate students taking courses in finance, economics or business in a large university. To motivate the subjects to participate in this study they will be offered gift certificates. to encourage their participation in the experiment. The participants will have to fill out a standard form about their demographics, if they have experience with Motion charts, number of years at the university. For the results to have external validity, this study proposes to conduct the experiment with handful of executives from the industry who are entrusted with the task of decision making to increase the generalizability of results. Measurements The study will use the decision accuracy to measure the decision quality of the decision making performance. As discussed earlier this is a common measure used to measure decision making performance. To measure the problem comprehension this study will employ a validated comprehension study which has been used in prior studies on effects of information formats [59, 60]. To measure perceived usefulness of the display this study will use the validated survey used in prior studies to predict system usage [61]. Data Analysis Cronbachs Alpha will be used to assess the reliability of the constructs. A repeated measure ANOVA will be run to analyze the effects of information display on decision making. Separate t-test will be conducted to compare the mean difference between DID and dynamic display for each of the task type to examine the nature of interaction effects. Significance of this Research The proposed study can contribute to both theory and practice. By a controlled laboratory experiment , it will empirically test the impact of Dynamic Interactive Display (DID) in decision making performance for high volume of data. Although DID today are available in a number of areas like accounting and finance (Electronic financial statements using XBRL eXtensible Business Reporting Language), geography (E.g. Active Maps), education (E.g. web based active textbook with animated interactive figures), medicine (E.g. Medical imaging), architecture (Floor plan, building plan) but the review of the literature suggests that the impact of DID has not been explored intensively in the IS field. This proposed study aims to provide empirical test of the theory of Cognitive Fit, in supporting that the impact of IT is limited which is contingent on whether a particular IT application, such as DID, is a good match with the requirement of processing high volume of data to complete a given task. The current study provides useful guidelines for design and use of dense, interactive visualizations towards effective business decision making. If Business want to want to improve decision making performance with high volume of data they can do it with DID. However, because there are so many visualization tools available for use that it is difficult to select the one that is useful for decision making under different time pressure. This proposed study will provide guideline for the usefulness of use DID for HTC and LTC task. These suggestions might help the decision makers and Visualization tool to enjoy the benefits of DID for the appropriate time-dependent task. The proposed study in crucial to understand whether DID has positive effects on decision making and if yes then under what conditions. Interaction can becomes become a powerful tool where users need to filter and zoom on subset of data. There might be information overload and the users might feel lost in the data. There can be added cost in giving access to several levels of data. We also need to understand if providing interactive display is appropriate for tasks which need to be completed under high time pressure and requires processing of high volume of data. This proposed study attempts to imply that DID might not be usable for all decision making context and it is important to understand when it is the most appropriate and use it accordingly to support decision making. References: 1. Shneiderman, B., Creating creativity: user interfaces for supporting innovation. ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction (TOCHI), 2000. 7(1): p. 114-138. 2. Todd, P. and I. Benbasat, The impact of information technology on decision making: A cognitive perspective. Framing the domains of IT managementProjecting the future through the past, 2000. 3. Yahaya, A., Problem Solving. unspecified. 4. DeSanctis, G., COMPUTER GRAPHICS AS DECISION AIDS: DIRECTIONS FOR RESEARCH*. Decision Sciences, 1984. 15(4): p. 463-487. 5. Paivio, A., Dual coding theory: Retrospect and current status. Canadian Journal of psychology, 1991. 45(3): p. 255-287. 6. Sadoski, M. and A. Paivio, Imagery and text: A dual coding theory of reading and writing. 2001: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. 7. Paivio, A., Mental representations. 1986: Clarendon Press Oxford [Oxfordshire. 8. Kahneman, D., Attention and effort. 1973: Prentice-Hall Englewood Cliffs, NJ. 9. Carpenter, P. and P. Shah, A model of the perceptual an d conceptual processes in graph comprehension. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY APPLIED, 1998. 4: p. 75-100. 10. Weisberg, R., Metacognition and insight during problem solving: Comment on Metcalfe. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 1992. 18(2): p. 426-431. 11. Cleveland, W. and R. McGill, Graphical perception: Theory, experimentation, and application to the development of graphical methods. Journal of the American Statistical Association, 1984: p. 531-554. 12. Tufte, E., The visual display of quantitative information. 1983. Envisioning information, 1990. 13. Rieber, L. and M. Boyce, The effects of computer animation on adult learning and retrieval tasks. Journal of Computer Based Instruction, 1990. 17(2): p. 46-52. 14. Morrison, J. and D. Vogel, The impacts of presentation visuals on persuasion. Information Management, 1998. 33(3): p. 125-135. 15. Tversky, B., J. Morrison, and M. Betrancourt, Animation: can it facilitate? International Journal o f Human Computer Studies, 2002. 57(4): p. 247-262. 16. Abdolmohammadi, M., J. Harris, and K. Smith, Government financial reporting on the Internet: The potential revolutionary effects of XBRL. Journal of Government Financial Management, 2002. 51(2): p. 24-31. 17. Debreceny, R. and G. Gray, The production and use of semantically rich accounting reports on the Internet: XML and XBRL. International Journal of Accounting Information Systems, 2001. 2(1): p. 47-74. 18. Vessey, I. and D. Galletta, Cognitive fit: An empirical study of information acquisition. Information Systems Research, 1991. 2(1): p. 63. 19. Eppler, M. and J. Mengis, The concept of information overload: A review of literature from organization science, accounting, marketing, MIS, and related disciplines. The Information Society, 2004. 20(5): p. 325-344. 20. Shneiderman, B., Tree visualization with tree-maps: 2-d space-filling approach. ACM Transactions on graphics (TOG), 1992. 11(1): p. 92-99. 21. Atallah, G., et al., Ne xt Generation Network Management Technology. 1994. 22. Inselberg, A., et al. Parallel coordinates: a tool for visualizing multi-dimensionalgeometry. 1990. 23. Tufte, E., Sparklines: Intense, Simple, Word-sized Graphics. 2004, May. 24. Rosling, H., A. Rosling-Ronnlund, and O. Rosling. New software brings statistics beyond the eye. 25. Roncarelli, R., The Computer animation dictionary. 1989: Springer New York. 26. Sundberg, P., Animation in CALL: Learning to think in the fourth dimension. Paper Presentation CALICO, 1998. 98. 27. Lowe, R., Selectivity in diagrams: Reading beyond the lines. Educational Psychology, 1994. 14(4): p. 467-491. 28. Lowe, R., Animation and learning: selective processing of information in dynamic graphics. Learning and Instruction, 2003. 13(2): p. 157-176. 29. Lowe, R., Extracting information from an animation during complex visual processing. European Journal of the Psychology of Education, 1999. 14: p. 225-244. 30. Kiousis, S., Interactivity: A concept explic ation. new media society, 2002. 4(3): p. 355. 31. Jiang, Z. and I. Benbasat, Research Note Investigating the Influence of the Functional Mechanisms of Online Product Presentations. Information Systems Research, 2007. 18(4): p. 454. 32. Remus, W., An empirical investigation of the impact of graphical and tabular data presentations on decision making. Management Science, 1984: p. 533-542. 33. Benbasat, I. and A. Dexter, An experimental evaluation of graphical and color-enhanced information presentation. Management Science, 1985: p. 1348-1364. 34. Benbasat, I. and A. Dexter, An investigation of the effectiveness of color and graphical information presentation under varying time constraints. MIS Quarterly, 1986: p. 59-83. 35. Lee, J., J. MacLachlan, and W. Wallace, The effects of 3D imagery on managerial data interpretation. MIS Quarterly, 1986: p. 257-269. 36. Amer, T., An experimental investigation of multi-cue financial information display and decision making. Journal of Information Systems, 1991. 5(2): p. 18-34. 37. Volmer, F., Effect of graphical presentations on insights into a companys financial position: an innovative educational approach to communicating financial information in financial reporting. Accounting Education, 1992. 1(2): p. 151-170. 38. Carey, J. and E. White, The effects of graphical versus numerical response on the accuracy of graph-based forecasts. Journal of Management, 1991. 17(1): p. 77. 39. Umanath, N. and I. Vessey, Multiattribute Data Presentation and Human Judgment: A Cognitive Fit Perspective*. Decision Sciences, 1994. 25(5-6): p. 795-824. 40. Montazemi, A., et al., On the effectiveness of decisional guidance. Decision Support Systems, 1996. 18(2): p. 181-198. 41. Dennis, A. and T. Carte, Using geographical information systems for decision making: Extending cognitive fit theory to map-based presentations. Information Systems Research, 1998. 9(2): p. 194. 42. Dull, R. and D. Tegarden, A comparison of three visual representations of complex multidimensional accounting information. Journal of Information Systems, 1999. 13(2): p. 117-131. 43. Vance Wilson, E. and I. Zigurs, Decisional guidance and end-user display choices. Accounting, Management and Information Technologies, 1999. 9(1): p. 49-75. 44. Jarvenpaa, S., The effect of task and graphical format congruence on information processing strategies and decision-making performance. Management Science, 1989. 35(3): p. 285-303. 45. Chan, S., The use of graphs as decision aids in relation to information overload and managerial decision quality. Journal of information science, 2001. 27(6): p. 417. 46. Ferguson, E. and M. Hegarty, Learning with real machines or diagrams: Application of knowledge to real-world problems. Cognition and Instruction, 1995. 13(1): p. 129-160. 47. Kumar, N. and I. Benbasat, The effect of anchoring and encoding on information representation: A comparison of 2D and 3D graphs. MIS Quarterly, 2004. 28(2): p. 255-281. 48. Pinker, S., A theory o f graph comprehension. Artificial intelligence and the future of testing, 1990: p. 73-126. 49. Vessey, I., Cognitive Fit: A Theory-Based Analysis of the Graphs Versus Tables Literature*. Decision Sciences, 1991. 22(2): p. 219-240. 50. Maule, A. and O. Svenson, Time pressure and stress in human judgment and decision making. 1993: Plenum Press New York. 51. Johnson, E., J. Payne, and J. Bettman, Adapting to time constraints. Time pressure and stress in human judgment and decision making, 1993: p. 103116. 52. Singleton, R., et al., Approaches to social research. 1999: Oxford University Press New York. 53. Large, A., et al., Effect of animation in enhancing descriptive and procedural texts in a multimedia learning environment. Journal of the American Society for Information Science, 1996. 47(6). 54. Rieber, L., Animation in computer-based instruction. Educational Technology Research and Development, 1990. 38(1): p. 77-86.

Honor as the Theme in Homer’s The Iliad Essay - 2033 Words

There are different forms and examples of exemplary and classic literature which have been deemed as significant works that are highly esteemed worldwide. These examples of literature would awe the world with how much literary skill they entailed when they were composed and written: attention to details as to formation of characters, the most crafty of plots, the most eloquent speeches and lines, the most astounding of twists of scenes, and most of all, the most universal and meaningful of themes. The theme of any literary work is what makes it great as it should be able to encompass the immense diversity of the world and as it would be able to transcend the boundaries of religion, age, race, gender, etc. Two examples of this great and†¦show more content†¦While this circumstance may be easy enough to understand, such setting or background in the plot actually entails more history: Even before Paris was born, a prophecy was carried out that the handsome prince would cause th e destruction of Troy; thus, King Priam and his queen banished the baby to be raised in the wilderness. Later on, as a shepherd, he encountered the three goddesses, Hera, Pallas Athene, and Aphrodite, and set the motion of what would be the war that extinguished the Trojan line—Paris was to decide who is the most beautiful of the goddesses. Each goddess tried to bribe him with promises of power, riches, fame, and glory, but it was Aphrodite who succeeded in the end as she promised Paris that he can have the most beautiful mortal, Helen. This simple arrangement would then serve as the catalyst of a war that would kill thousands of Trojans and Greeks as soon it is revealed that Paris has stolen Helen and the gods and goddesses of Olympus have each taken sides on the war which would further complicate the lives of the people of Troy and Greece. (Buck Jr. , 11-12) The Iliad opens in the predicament of the Greeks who have somehow incurred the wrath of the gods. It is here that Aga memnon, supreme commander of the Grecian army, demand that Achilles give up his â€Å"prize† (Briseis) to replace his own â€Å"prize† (Chrysies) which he has to give up to appease the gods. Agamemnon has toShow MoreRelatedExamples Of Glory And Glory In The Iliad1054 Words   |  5 Pages2017 Glory and Honor in Homer’s Iliad Thesis: Great honor comes with great responsibility. Glory should come with wisdom. Homer presents this idea in various ways. This theme is woven through The Iliad showing the foundation of dignified heroes and self-glorification. Introduction: I. Honor and glory A. Heroic actions B. God-like glory II. Social Status A. Greek Society B. Recognition and influences III. Mortality and immortality A. Glory after death B. Ongoing honor Conclusion Read MoreThe Era Of Homer By Homer911 Words   |  4 Pagesand they were put into writing by others. Homer’s stories show us the first glimpse of documented information of Greek myth and religion. Most important was the creation of Homer’s writing style named the Homeric epic. He was the first author to write epics and his writing style held strongly as the first major literature of its type in western civilization. Homer is considered a groundbreaking author of his time period because of his reoccurring themes and characteristics, his creation of the epicRead MoreGreek Mythologies: Gods and Mortals in Greek Literature1714 Words   |  7 Pagessociety; however, the role of the divinities in human affairs is particularly accentuated in most, if not all, Greek mythologies. Nevertheless, each author displays the role of divinities and supernatural differently, as Homer in The Odyssey and The Iliad displays direct interaction between the supernatural divinities and th e mortals. On the other hand, Sophocles’ Antigone lessens such interactions and emphasizes the human role, while Thucydides’ History of the Peloponnesian War completely ignores theRead MoreAnalysis Of Homer s Epic Of The Iliad And Odyssey903 Words   |  4 PagesWith this personal narrative, I will analyze two themes from Homer’s epic’s pertaining to the Iliad and the Odyssey. I have chosen hospitality (Xenia) and shame (Aidos) as the subject of interest, and will focus on these as a main source of the topic. Xenia is the ancient Greek word for â€Å"hospitality†, which is the consideration and kindness shown to those who are far from home and/or associates of the person bestowing xenia upon them. The rituals of hospitality created and conveyed a reciprocalRead MoreMorality In Hesiod And Homers Theogony And The Iliad763 Words   |  4 PagesIn ancient Greece, the two poets Hesiod and Homer wrote dramatic stories outlining the nature of the Greek gods with their main works Theogony and The Iliad. They each offer descriptions of order, morality, and justice in the world, but there is a stark difference between each author’s work; Homer’s mythology features much more authoritative deities than Hesiod’s, ultimately establishing a more political, absolutist social order. The gods’ interactions with each other and with the human world areRead MoreIliad - Self image1193 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿The Iliad Essay Prompt 1. Complete one take home essay. Provide textual evidence, specific lines and incidents from The Iliad that proves your thesis. You may also draw from The Odyssey. Use in text parenthetical documentation according to MLA standards. The style guide that many colleges use is DianaHacker.com. We will use this style guide for both MLA format and grammar and mechanics. If you have any questions about MLA format, refer to DianaHacker.com. This paper needs to read asRead MoreAnalysis Of Homer s Iliad 1382 Words   |  6 PagesRyan Doerhoff History of Greece Dr. Kirkland September 5, 2014 Document Analysis The primary documents that will be focused on in this analysis come from Homer’s Iliad. Homer is venerated today as the greatest of Greek epic poets, as his works had a colossal impact on the history of literature. Through his epics, Homer brings us first hand into the culture of the Greek world in the eighth century B.C. It is important to note that at this time very few had the privilege of an education, and lackedRead MoreHonor, Glory, Legacy Of The Iliad1735 Words   |  7 PagesHonor, Glory, Legacy How important is it to be honored? To gain glory in this life? To secure a lasting legacy? To the Greeks and Trojans in Homer’s famous epic, The Iliad, these were the most important things in life. The Greeks of Homer’s time believed that personal honor and glory was just that, personal. Honor and glory belonged to the individual who was skilled and accomplished enough to obtain it for himself. This honor and glory was held in the highest regard, and the worldview that honorRead More The Character Achilles in Homers The Iliad993 Words   |  4 PagesThe Character Achilles in Homers The Iliad The first book of The Iliad, appropriately titled the Rage of Achilles, sets the scene for the remainder of the epic (selu.edu/Academics/Depts/WritingCenter/The_Growth_of_Achilles.htm). This rage is invoked by pride, a theme of pivotal importance for the Greeks. Pride is the source of the conflict between Achilles and Agamemnon in Book 1. The incident that provoked Achilles rage took place in the tenth and final year of the Achaean attack on TroyRead MoreExistentialism And Akhilleus : State Of Affairs1182 Words   |  5 Pagesand Akhilleus’ State of Affairs in Homer’s Iliad Existentialism is a philosophy that deals with human existence. This philosophy is a complex subject that asks questions about life that include meaning, purpose, choice, morality, ideology, and individuality. When reading other texts one could easily make connections to existential themes within the book’s literary tropes. Occasionally, some books have an overloaded abundance of existential themes. Homer’s Iliad is one of the books that comprise of

Causes Of Unemployment In Australia - 1149 Words

Analyse the causes of unemployment, its effects on the Australian economy and how they are addressed through use of macroeconomic policies. Unemployment refers to when an individual is actively seeking work and is aged 15 years or over, but is unable to find work (not hired). There are many causes and effects of unemployment that result in different actions being made by the Australian government through their use of both monetary policy as well as fiscal policy. The unemployment rate is calculated by measuring the number of unemployed over the total labour force (anyone 15 years or older who currently has a job or is actively seeking) [x100]. While the government does not aim for 0% unemployment as this has negative consequences, it is†¦show more content†¦E.g. Cyclone Debbie, which tore down many banana plantations in Queensland, rendering those farmers who worked there and were unable to work after the cyclone were/are seasonally unemployed as the environmental conditions do not suit their needs. An increase or decrease in the unemployment rate can have a multiple effects on the Australian economy, both beneficial as well detrimental to the economic conditions and the societal outlook. An increase in the unemployment rate means that more individuals do not have an income, thus meaning many households suffer reduced disposable funds. This causes a decrease in the level of aggregate demand within the economy and therefore reduces economic growth. This in turn causes a slower circular flow of income, meaning that households may be forced into or past poverty, as a result of the lowered income generated, reducing the living standards and quality of life. The downturn experienced by the economy can also offset many individuals seeing them not wanting to return back to the workforce due to the lack of jobs available, making them long-term unemployed rather than cyclically unemployed, or if the firm initially was promoting structural change, structurally unemployed. Combined with poverty, the aspect of unemployment can lead to other severe mental health issues and illness reaching extremes. To combat highShow MoreRelatedUnemployment Of The Australian Economy1077 Words   |  5 PagesIn the Australian economy, trending unemployment rates are a prevailing socio-economic issue. With the labour market central to unemployment and the distribution of jobs, many factors arise as the key influences on unemployment. With an incredible number of industries facing high demand by consumers, it is speculated that employment would feature an increase to compensate. However, many factors of the labour market contradict this and instead increase unemployment. Factors such as the level of economicRead MoreUnemployment : Unemployment And Unemployment1573 Words   |  7 PagesINTRODUCTION What is unemployment? Unemployment happens when a man who is effectively looking for employment is not able to find some kind of employment. Unemployment is regularly utilised as a measure of the economy’s wellbeing. The most regularly referred to gauge of unemployment is the unemployment rate. This is the quantity of unemployed persons divided by the quantity of individuals in the work force. The unemployed are those individuals capable, accessible and willing to work at the goingRead MoreAustralia and the Great Depression1704 Words   |  7 PagesWhy did Australia lead the world into Depression in the late 1920s and suffer its effects so gravely and for so long? Australia suffered significantly during the Great Depression of the late 1920s. Australia was one of the worst effected countries in the World. This essay will look at why Australia lead the world into Depression in the late 1920s and why it suffered from its effects for so long. A depression is defined as A period of drastic decline in a national or international economy, characterizedRead MoreAustralia s Lack Of International Competitiveness1644 Words   |  7 Pagesthat seeks to promote sustainability on the external accounts so that Australia can service its foreign liabilities in the medium to long run and avoid currency volatility. Australia has persistently had a high CAD around 4.2% of GDP since the mid 1980s. Australia has also experienced a rising terms of trade to 130.0 in late 2011 due to the commodities boom as a result of the industrialization of the BRICs, whereby Australia has experienced high export and national income, but has resulted in lessRead MoreInvestigative Report On Labour Market Trends1690 Words   |  7 PagesWhat is Unemployment? The workforce is separated into two sections, the employed and the unemployed. An individual is defined as being employed if they work for one or more hour each week. An individual is defined as unemployed if they are currently available for work, currently searching for work and are unable to find it. As a result of an individual being unemployed, labour resources are not being utilised to their full potential in an economy. Nature, Causes and Effects of Unemployment UnemploymentRead MoreThe Issue Of Gender Income Inequality1060 Words   |  5 Pagesissues concerning income gender inequality in regards to age that are occurring in Australia within the past few years. Corresponding to the information by Australian Bureau of Statistics (Cited in Workplace Gender Equality Agency, 2015,p.3), the gender pay gap difference between both genders in Australia is currently 18.8% and has been static between 15% and 19% for the past two decades. There are several causes that could impacts on income gender inequality which includes: 1.1 Ability to workRead MoreEconomics Is All About The Allocation, Unemployment, Economic Growth And The Value Of The Dollar1487 Words   |  6 Pagesmake. Economics decides how much goods and services are bought and sold for, how many people have jobs, how much a currency is worth and much much more. At the moment Australia s economy is healthy and isn t too far below or above other countries.This essay will discuss Australia s economic mechanisms such as inflation, unemployment, economic growth and the value of the dollar. It will then compare them historically to the US, UK, China and Japan and interpret their meanings for society as a wholeRead MoreUnemployment in Australia Through a Conflict Perspective.1340 Words   |  6 PagesUnemployment is a social problem in Australia, which affects a majority of society in many ways. Not only can it cause financial debt to families, but from there it can cause family breakdowns, social isolation, shame and it can even lead to violence. The Conflict theory perspective explains how unemployment can be caused by class and power by focusing on the inequality within society. The inequality sequentially predicts that the poorer members of society struggle to find employment, to be ableRead MoreUnemployment And Its Effects On The Economy1452 Words   |  6 PagesUnemployment occurs when a person who is actively seeking employment but unable to find work. It is often used as measure of the health of the economy and has been one of Australia’s most serious long term economic challenges in recent decades. Economic growth is an ongoing process of increase in the production capacity of goods and services over a period of time. This determines economic wealth and individual living standards. These two economic issues have been a continuous matter within AustraliaRead MoreUnemployment And The Unemployment Rate1368 Words   |  6 PagesUnemployment happens when individuals are without work and effectively looking for wo rk. The unemployment rate is a predominance s measure of unemployment and it is figured as a rate by separating the quantity of unemployed people by all people right now in the work power. During periods of recession, an economy usually experiences a relatively high unemployment rate. Economists distinguish between various overlapping types of and theories of unemployment, including cyclical or Keynesian unemployment

Pearl Harbor Attacked Essay Example For Students

Pearl Harbor Attacked Essay Attack on Pearl Harbor At 7:53 AM, the aerial onslaught began with the second wave perpetuated at 8:55. A radiogram was sent from the Commander in Chief of the Pacific Fleet: Air raid on Pearl Harbor. This is no drill. Within two hours, the carnage had concluded leaving 2,403 people dead in the smoldering ruins. Almost two hundred planes and eight battleships also laid crippled in the channel. As horrific as the crime scene was, many people still ponder if it was actually a complete surprise. Evidence supports the fact that Roosevelt had been warned several times about Japans idea to attack the harbor. Many believe that he lured them in by anchoring most of the Pacific Fleet there. Franklin Deleanor Roosevelt was not a moral man, and he wanted to go to war. In addition, most of the ships left in Hawaii were old and outdated. Roosevelt did not particularly want to enter war with Japan; he wanted to fight with Germany. However, in his campaign promises he pledged not to send our soldiers overseas unless attacked. In order for Hitler to declare war on the United States, we had to appear beatable. Upon the destruction of our Pacific Fleet we appeared just that. We declared war on Japan and Germany declared war on us. Roosevelts plan ran well. Americans were irate about the terror in the tropics, and so Roosevelt got his war. In his speech Franklin said, No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people and their righteous might will win through to absolute victory. Our absolute victory came with Trumans thumbs up to drop the atomic bomb. This forced Japan to surrender to the powerful U.S. Brett Berry Words / Pages : 303 / 24 .

Theorist of Modern Novel free essay sample

In the early twentieth century the modernist novel exploded literary conventions and expectations, challenging representations of reality, consciousness and identity. These novels were not simply creative masterpieces but also crucial articulations of revolutionary developments in critical thought. In this volume Deborah Parsons traces the developing modernist aesthetic in the thought and writings of James Joyce, Dorothy Richardson and Virginia Woolf. Considering cultural, social and personal influences upon the three writers and connections between their theories, Parsons pays particular attention to their work on: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ forms of realism the representation of character and consciousness gender and the novel concepts of time and history. An understanding of these three thinkers is fundamental to a grasp of modernism, making this an indispensable guide for students of modernist thought. It is also essential reading for those who wish to understand debates about the genre of the novel or the nature of literary expression which were given a new impetus by Joyce, Richardson and Woolf’s pioneering experiments within the genre of the novel. We will write a custom essay sample on Theorist of Modern Novel or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Deborah Parsons is a senior lecturer and chair of postgraduate programmes at the University of Birmingham, UK. Her principal interests are in Modernism and visual and urban culture. The books in this series offer introductions to major critical thinkers who have influenced literary studies and the humanities. The Routledge Critical Thinkers series provides the books you can turn to first when a new name or concept appears in your studies. Each book will equip you to approach these thinkers’ original texts by explaining their key ideas, putting them into context and, perhaps most importantly, showing you why they are considered to be significant. The emphasis is on concise, clearly written guides which do not presuppose specialist knowledge. Although the focus is on particular figures, the series stresses that no critical thinker ever existed in a vacuum but, instead, emerged from a broader intellectual, cultural and social history. Finally, these books will act as a bridge between you and their original texts: not replacing them but rather complementing what they wrote. In some cases, volumes consider small clusters of thinkers working in the same area, developing similar ideas or influencing each other. These books are necessary for a number of reasons. In his 1997 autobiography, Not Entitled, the literary critic Frank Kermode wrote of a time in the 1960s: On beautiful summer lawns, young people lay together all night, recovering from their daytime exertions and listening to a troupe of Balinese musicians. Under What they repeated was largely hearsay; hence my lunchtime suggestion, quite impromptu, for a series of short, very cheap books offering authoritative but intelligible introductions to such figures. There is still a need for ‘authoritative and intelligible introductions’. But this series reflects a different world from the 1960s. New thinkers have emerged and the reputations of others have risen and fallen, as new research has developed. New methodologies and challenging ideas have spread through the arts and humanities. The study of literature is no longer – if it ever was – simply the study and evaluation of poems, novels and plays. It is also the study of the ideas, issues and difficulties which arise in any literary text and in its interpretation. Other arts and humanities subjects have changed in analogous ways. With these changes, new problems have emerged. The ideas and issues behind these radical changes in the humanities are often presented without reference to wider contexts or as theories which you can simply ‘add on’ to the texts you read. Certainly, there’s nothing wrong with picking out selected ideas or using what comes to hand – indeed, some thinkers have argued that this is, in fact, all we can do. However, it is sometimes forgotten that each new idea comes from the pattern and development of somebody’s thought and it is important to study the range and context of their ideas. Against theories ‘floating in space’, the Routledge Critical Thinkers series places key thinkers and their ideas firmly back in their contexts. More than this, these books reflect the need to go back to the thinkers’ own texts and ideas. Every interpretation of an idea, even the most seemingly innocent one, offers its own ‘spin’, implicitly or explicitly. To read only books on a thinker, rather than texts by that thinker, is to deny yourself a chance of making up your own mind. Sometimes what makes a significant figure’s work hard to approach is not so much its style or content as the feeling of not knowing where to start. The purpose of these books is to give you a ‘way in’ by offering an accessible overview of these thinkers’ ideas and works and by guiding your further reading, starting with each thinker’s own texts. To use a metaphor from the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889–1951), these books are ladders, to be thrown away after you have climbed to the next level. Not only, then, do they equip you to approach new ideas, but they also empower you, by leading you back to a theorist’s own texts and encouraging you to develop your own informed opinions. Finally, these books are necessary because, just as intellectual needs have changed, so the education systems around the world – the contexts in which introductory books are usually read – have changed radically, too. What was suitable for the minority higher education system of the 1960s is not suitable for the larger, wider, more diverse, high-technology education systems of the twenty-first century. These changes call not just for new, up-to-date, introductions but for new methods of presentation. The presentational aspects of Routledge Critical Thinkers have been developed with today’s students in mind. Each book in the series has a similar structure. They begin with a section offering an overview of the life and ideas of the featured thinkers and explaining why they are important. The central section of the books discusses the thinkers’ key ideas, their context, evolution and reception: with the books that deal with more than one thinker, they also explain and explore the influence of each on each. The volumes conclude with a survey of the impact of the thinker or thinkers, outlining how their ideas have been taken up and developed by others. In addition, there is a detailed final section suggesting and describing books for further reading. This is not a ‘tacked-on’ section but an integral part of each volume. In the first part of this section you will find brief descriptions of the key works by the featured thinkers, then, following this, information on the most useful critical works and, in some cases, on relevant websites. This section will guide you in your reading, enabling you to follow your interests and develop your own projects. Throughout each book, references are given in what is known as the Harvard system (the author and the date of a work cited are given in the text and you can look up the full details in the bibliography at the back). This offers a lot of information in very little space. The books also explain technical terms and use boxes to describe events or ideas in more detail, away from the main emphasis of the discussion. Boxes are also used at times to highlight definitions of terms frequently used or coined by a thinker. In this way, the boxes serve as a kind of glossary, easily identified when flicking through the book.