Using the Subjunctive Past in German

Most of the time, teachers and textbooks manage to make the subjunctive mood (der Konjunktiv) more complicated than it needs to be. The subjunctive can be confusing, but it doesnt have to be. Early on, every beginning student of German learns this common Subjunctive II verb form: mà ¶chte (would like), as in Ich mà ¶chte einen Kaffee. (Id like a [cup of] coffee.) This is an illustration of a subjunctive verb form learned as vocabulary. No complicated rules to learn, just an easily memorized vocabulary phrase. Much of the subjunctive can be handled this way, without worrying about complex rules or formulas. Past Subjunctive Why is it, if you ask a native speaker of German to explain the use of the subjunctive, he or she will most likely (a) not know what the subjunctive is, and/or (b) not be able to explain it to you? This, despite the fact that this same German (or Austrian or Swiss) can and does use the subjunctive all the time — and if you had grown up speaking German, you could, too. What Is the Subjunctive II? The past subjunctive is a verb mood used to express uncertainty, doubt, or a contrary-to-reality condition. It is also frequently utilized to reflect politeness and good manners — an excellent reason to know the subjunctive. The subjunctive is not a verb tense; it is a mood that can be used in various tenses. The past subjunctive (another name for the Subjunctive II) gets its name from the fact that its forms are based on the past tense. The Subjunctive I is called the present subjunctive because it is based on the present tense. But dont let those terms confuse you: the subjunctive is not a verb tense. The opposite of the subjunctive is the indicative. Most sentences that we utter — in English or German — indicate a statement of fact, something that is real, as in Ich habe kein Geld. The subjunctive does the opposite. It tells the listener that something is contrary to reality or conditional, as in Hà ¤tte ich das Geld, wà ¼rde ich nach Europa fahren. (Had I the money, I would travel to Europe.) The implication is clearly, I dont have the money and Im not going to Europe. (indicative). One problem for English-speakers trying to learn the Konjunktiv is that in English the subjunctive has practically died out — only a few vestiges remain. We still say, If I were you, I wouldnt do that. (But Im not you.) It sounds incorrect to say, If I was you... A statement such as If I had the money (I dont expect to have it) is different from When I have the money (its likely I will have it). Both were and had (past tense) are English subjunctive forms in the two examples above. But in German, despite some setbacks, the subjunctive is very much alive and well. Its use is important for conveying the idea of conditional or uncertain situations. This is usually expressed in German by what is known as the Subjunctive II (Konjunktiv II), sometimes called the past or imperfect subjunctive — because it is based on the imperfect tense forms of verbs. Now, lets get down to business. What follows is not an attempt to cover all aspects of the Konjunktiv II but rather a review of the more important aspects. Here are some examples of how the Subjunctive II can be used in German. The Konjunktiv II is used in the following situations: As if, contrary to reality (als ob, als wenn, als, wenn)Er gibt Geld aus, als ob er Millionà ¤r wà ¤re.He spends money as if he were a millionaire.​Request, obligation (being polite!) — usually with modals (i.e., kà ¶nnen, sollen, etc.)Kà ¶nntest du mir dein Buch borgen?Could you lend me your book?​Doubt or uncertainty (often preceded by ob or dass)Wir glauben nicht, dass man diese Prozedur genehmigen wà ¼rde.We dont believe that they would allow this procedure.​Wishes, wishful thinking (usually with intensifying words like nur or doch - and conditional sentences)Hà ¤tten Sie mich nur angerufen! (wishful)If you had only called me!Wenn ich Zeit hà ¤tte, wà ¼rde ich ihn besuchen. (conditional)If I had time, Id visit him.​Replacement for Subjunctive I (when the Subjunctive I form and the indictative form are identical)Sie sagten sie hà ¤tten ihn gesehen.They said they had seen him. The last two lines in the traditional German song, Mein Hut, are subjunctive (conditional): Mein Hut, der hat drei Ecken,Drei Ecken hat mein Hut,Und hà ¤tt er nicht drei Ecken,dann wà ¤r er nicht mein Hut. My hat, it has three corners,Three corners has my hat,And had it not three corners, (if it didnt have...)then were it not my hat. (...wouldnt be my hat)

Pro-Gun Rights Essay - 2086 Words

â€Å"Shall Not Be Infringed† â€Å"When Governments fear the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny.† (Beck 35). This quote is from one of the greatest men in the history of the United States of America, Thomas Jefferson, the father of the Declaration of Independence, and the third President of the United States. The validity of his statement is not only historical, but as pertinent today as it was when spoken anew. It is learned in schools across the nation, although the importance of the words depends on the teacher, school, and region of the country. During the revolutionary period, King George learned this same concept the hard way, â€Å"†¦an armed populace is a populace that will not be pushed around.†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦show more content†¦Investigating all ten of the amendments to the Bill of Rights, only the second specifically ensures that this be expected. The only true power that the people of a nation can have over their government is the ability t o remove it if it becomes more powerful than the people. This is a belief that is continuously defended or confronted around the world and throughout history. Unfortunately, when the people have an army standing between them and the government, the means to fight become very important, albeit difficult. The federal government of the United States, when they attempt to create laws on gun control, does not have the law on their side. Thanks to the founding fathers of the United States, this right is ensured through time. They understood that any form of government can become corrupt and eventually the people will need a legal way to ensure that they can take back their personal liberties if it becomes necessary. In the period of time before the United States became the young country it is today, in order to secure and protect established borders, the colonists were in need of the assistance of the standing army of King George, the British Red Coats. As soon as the colonists decided to revolt excessive taxation and other mandates being imposed on towns and states,Show MoreRelatedA Pro Gun Rights Activist1621 Words   |  7 PagesOn the 8th of March 2016 Jamie Gilt, a pro-guns rights activist was shot in the back by her four year old child. She had previously developed an online presence where she claimed that guns were not only safe around children but absolutely necessary for their protection. She argued with commentators on her Facebook page ‘Jamie Gilt for Gun Sense’ that children should be taught to use guns and the day earlier posted â€Å"Even my 4 year old gets jacked up to target shoot with the .22†. She had left a loadedRead MorePro Gun Control Debate: Our Right to Safety Essay885 Words   |  4 PagesPro Gun Control Debate: Our Right to Safety Many arguments for and against gun control in our country revolve around the second amendment. Unfortunately the majority of those arguments are based on an individual’s perception of what the second amendment means. The second amendment was adopted into the United States Bill of Rights in 1791, which was 222 years ago. The second amendment states, â€Å"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of free State, the right of the people to keepRead MoreEvolution of Gun Culture in America933 Words   |  4 Pagesmodern and contemporary culture is a rapidly changing trend, whereas the deeper culture of political values and beliefs change more slowly. This is the case with what is termed as the gun culture in the United States of America. The gun culture in America is predominantly divided into the ‘pro-gun right group’ and the ‘pro-gun control group’. These two groups contend against each other for social and political resources, and thi s is struggle that is infamous in the contemporary American culture. Each groupRead MoreThe Issue Of Gun Control Laws1407 Words   |  6 Pagesno exact definition of mass shootings, but most sources believe it is when four or more people are shot in one location. Citizens in America are easily able to obtain a gun and the growing issue is whether this should change and stronger laws in place. Although citizens believe gun control laws take away second amendment and right to protect themselves, mass shootings are increasing yearly and action needs to happen to prevent the next attack. America’s at a high with the country beingRead MoreGun Control Is Needed1472 Words   |  6 PagesGun Control Is Needed Regulation of guns is a necessary action that needs to be taken in order to save lives. A good definition of gun control is needed to understand the sides and issues. Gun control is an effort to stop the rise in violent crime by strengthening laws on the ownership of firearms. Persons in the group against gun control believe that gun control is wrong, and that it is a violation of constitutional rights. Those in favor of gun control believe that gun control is goodRead MoreGuns, Ammunition And Its Negative Effects On Society944 Words   |  4 PagesIssue Question: can the availability of guns, ammunition and its negative effects on society be a thing of the past? Claim: An analysis of the United State gun culture reveals their negative effects on society. Thesis paragraph: In the wake of recent killings and mass shooting in sandy hook and other locations across the country and communities, there has been public cries for the need for stricter gun laws and regulations. Gun violence has become a major problem facing the country. Day inRead MoreThe Debate Over Gun Control1732 Words   |  7 Pages The topic of gun control has become very popular in recent years as there is now more controversy than ever about the role that guns play in today’s world. I have come to be interested in this topic because it seems like not a day goes by anymore where there isn’t a newspaper published with an article slandering either the pro or anti gun control activists. Going into this topic, I was assuming that I would end up reading about a lot of school shootings and how it is just guns that are causingRead MoreDemocrats Vs. Republicans 20161324 Words   |  6 Pagesthings you might disagree with but they might have things you like, yo u should vote on the one you think is the lesser of two evils based on them and not a bias opinion. I took the time to find where they stand on three topics, immigrants, abortion, and guns. There are many more issues that they stand, I just want to give you a general idea so you can vote when you’re educated on the topic. Here are the candidates and where each individual stands. Hillary Clinton is a democrat. She want to make it soRead MoreThe Battle Of Gun Control847 Words   |  4 Pages Gun Control  refers to laws or policies that regulate the manufacture, sale, transfer, possession, modification, or use of firearms in order to  control  crime and reduce the harmful effects of violence. (http://definitions.uslegal.com/g/gun-control/) US Legal Definitions. The gun control debates and issues started hundreds of years ago. First, in 1873 the State of Georgia passed a law to ban handguns and this law was thrown out, because it was ruled unconstitutional. Second, in 1865 several SouthernRead MoreGun Rights And Gun Control1405 Words   |  6 PagesGuns right now in the nation of the United States of America are at the center of a heated debate on how they should be handled. With Civilians and politicians alike arguing over how they should be regulated we have many arguments for the pros and cons of both sides. Gun control is now one of the most talked about subject in the country due to the vast amount of mass murders and school shootings that have been taken place in recent years. However, even with all this gun violence taken place it seems

Curfew Law in Arizona free essay sample

Many cities in the state of Arizona have put a curfew on all kids. Kids under the age of 16 cannot be out unsupervised between 10 pm and 5 am. Kids 16-18 cannot be out during 12 am to 5 am. Our country is a free country and allows parents to control their own kids how they choose. Who is to tell a parent how to raise their kid? The government should not be allowed to bully parents and give them rules for their own kids. These curfews are not allowing parents to control their kids to their liking. Many people feel curfews hurt teens rights, are unconstitutional and ineffective. Studies show that curfew do not lower the crimes that teenagers commit. Curfews hamper the teen’s right for free speech by not letting them congregate at certain hours. They go against what America was built for religious, political and economic freedom for all. . The 1st amendment states the right of the people peaceably to assemble. This amendment is broken by having a curfew. Many people believe curfews stop the crime rate in juveniles. However if a teenager is going to break laws what is to stop them from breaking the curfew law along with it? A curfew does nothing but restrict law-abiding citizens. The curfew law is the easiest law for teens to break, on purpose or on accident. Sometimes things such as car accidents happen, causing traffic. This later causes a teen to be late for curfew, and are caught and charged as juveniles for something that was not even their fault. Curfews are just setting teens up to be charged as juvenile delinquents. Anything that can be done during curfew can be done after and before curfew. This law is just keeping teens away for a few hours until curfew is up and they go do drugs, drink, etc†¦ Thus there is no point to a curfew. When a child is at home during curfew they will become bored and try and figure out ways to be entertained. Some may include breaking curfew or getting high or drunk. The more teens are bored the more they think of breaking curfew. Youth are criminalized by such laws simply for being outside of their houses. In effect, this makes the house function as a prison. A study conducted on behalf of the U. S. Department of Justice found that curfew laws did not lead to a reduction in the amount of youth victimized during any hours. Limiting the freedom of mobility of an entire subset of people based on incorrect assumptions, this is unacceptable. A fine of 50 dollars has been put in place for breaking of curfew. Is this really going to pay for the extra patrol cars out during curfew? Is our cities money going to the right place? Why are we paying more money just to trap our teens in their house between certain hours? Curfews waste tax payers money. Our parents have to pay for polices overtime salary. How many police officers actually catch juveniles past curfew? Its not just the money either, our police have better things to do than driving around catching teenagers out past curfew. DUIs are huge now a day and should be put first before curfew for teens. How many DUIs have been happening without getting caught due to the police placing their attention elsewhere. Curfews may cause some teens to return home in time for curfew but then later sneak out without their parents knowing, which is worse than staying out past curfew because if something happens the parents have no idea where their child is. As a parent would you rather have your kid out all night knowing where he/she is or sneak out and find out that 3 teens were killed on the news and have no idea if it was your child. Gangs are associated with teens all the time now a days. Gang violence will not be stopped by having a curfew. Most gang activity is during curfew. If a teen joins a gang then they are going to break curfew thus not changing anything in gang related violence. Teenagers in this day and age are constantly stressed and overwhelmed by school. hey get home at 3:30 or later if participating in after school activities. Then they do homework for 1-3 hours. So by the time a teen can relax its already 6 or later. How are a couple of hours of free time out of the house going to give a teen time to distress and relax? A stressed teen is a ticking time bomb waiting to explode. It may explode in many different ways such as violence, suicide or breaking curfew. If a curfew is not put in place many students will have th e time to distress and turn the timer off. These statistics are based on violent crimes in a non-curfew city. Most crimes are committed immediately after school not during the hours that some cities have a curfew. On non-school days the most violent crimes are committed between 6 pm and 9 pm. The crime rate is up when curfew is not on. If crime rates are down during the hours curfews are put in, then what is the point having a curfew? The Justice Policy Institute looked at the effect of curfews in several California cities and concluded that the curfews which have gained widespread popularity around the country in recent years are more of a public relations tool than a crime-fighting tool. Even though curfew arrests of young people in California rose from 5,400 in 1989 to 21,200 in 1996, the JPI found that there was no corresponding decrease in youth crime rates. The researcher concluded that this was true for any race of youth, for any region, for any type of crime. The reading of crime reports show that teen crime rate went up 53% during the school year, but dropped during the summer when suspended. When the curfew was suspended the crime rate dropped! So the curfew did the exact opposite it was meant to do. Where is the point in having a law that makes crime increase? Criminalizing harmless behavior to prevent crime has long been the norm particularly for young people, despite often, dubious evidence of its effectiveness. Many times people assume obvious correlations exist between youth behavior and social problems and remove their constitutional rights with the very minimal, or almost no evidence it is necessary. The most blatant example of this is the use of curfew laws. Not every teen is a law breaker. Some teens are law abiding citizens. You cannot judge teens based on the few bad ones. Placing a curfew just makes one more law for the juveniles to break and one more for the law a biding to follow and obey. It’s not fair and is unequal. If a curfew is put in place it should be put in place for already juvenile delinquents but not for the law abiding. Use graph†¦. the peak of this graph is at 3 pm on school days which is when our school is released. And if you know anything about our school this is when the crime rates are at its high for our students at cchs. On non-school days the rate only goes higher than school days when most kids are asleep for school the next morning. This would make sense but as soon kids usually start waking up, around 6, school days wins again. Parents rights to parenting their kids their way is taken away by a city curfew. Curfews hurt the right to free speech by not allowing them to conjugate during certain hours. The first amendment is broken because the right for the people to peaceably assemble is not given to teens when a curfew is in place. Cities without curfew have fewer crimes during the times curfews are put in place in other cities. Crime rates have increased or stayed the same with a curfew in place. Our tax payers’ money is being wasted on paying police men vertime to patrol at night to find teens breaking the curfew law. The curfew law is just another law for juveniles to break and for law abiders to obey. It is only restricting those who are loyal to the law and given teenage attitudes, it’s just another way for kids to try and act cool. In America no religion is rejected and there are new religions popping up everywhere, this law could interfere with religious holidays and celebrations. Also it has been proven that age does not determine mental capacity and whether or not kids should be allowed out past a curtain time shouldn’t be determined by their age.

Critical Review of Two Research Articles

Summary Askehave, A. (2007). The impact of marketization on higher education genres – the international student prospectus as a case in point. Discourse Studies, 9(6), 723-742 (qualitative method).Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Critical Review of Two Research Articles specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Marketization changes the nature and prospects of higher education. Askenave (2007) suggests that marketization in education means that running schools adopt market practices, which influence and change the nature of discursive practices. The goal of the study is to evaluate the extent to which marketization of education affect discursive practices. Using the principles of genre and Critical Discourse Analysis, Askenave (2007) analyzes the international student prospectus and the extent, to which it reflects free market values. First, the author compares the genres and discursive practices in the intern ational student prospectus from four different countries – Australia, Finland, Japan, and Scotland. Second, Askenave (2007) uses the international student prospectus from the University of Sterling and analyzes its language. The results of Askenave’s (2007) analysis are not surprising. First, the international student prospectus imitates the language and discursive practices of market advertising (Askenave, 2007). Second, higher education facilities use the international student prospectus to promote themselves as the sources of unique experiences and innovative practices for clients (Askenave, 2007). Universities turn into consumer-driven organizations that do not set any standards and do not ask anything in return (Askenave, 2007). Given that language and social practices are mutually dependent, the use of promotional language in the international student prospectus may change the long-term nature and professional position of higher education institutions, which will hardly be beneficial for either students or staff (Askenave, 2007).Advertising Looking for term paper on linguistics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Cheung, M. (2008). ‘Click here’: The impact of new media on the encoding of persuasive messages in direct marketing. Discourse Studies, 10(2), 161-189 (quantitative method). The Internet is gradually becoming the principal mode of communication in organizational and business environments. Therefore, the influence of the Internet on persuasive messages and marketing communication needs to be reviewed. Cheung (2008) examines the impact of the Internet on how persuasive messages in sales letters are encoded. Cheung (2008) analyzes â€Å"the extent to which the use of new media influences the overall interactional or social strategy or credibility enhancement and persuasion in the context of sales promotion† (p.161). The author uses genre analysis to examine pers uasive messages in 160 sales letters (80 prints and 80 emails) that were randomly selected from a large database over a six-month period. Cheung (2008) uses the Lingual-Belief Interaction Model as the basic conceptual framework. Cheung (2008) concludes that texts written for one and the same communicative purpose (e.g. persuasion) display considerable similarities in the discourse structure. Simultaneously, the new media affects the ways in which persuasive messages in sales letters are encoded. First, any act of persuasion always involves the concepts of text, context, and belief; a persuasive message cannot be successful, unless viewers make a favorable correlation between what they see in the text and what is true in the context (Cheung, 2008). Second, new media change the structure and presentation of the sales discourse, which is no longer formulaic or standardized (Cheung, 2008). Users of new media must organize persuasive messages in ways that make key information visible (Ch eung, 2008). New media add dynamism and interactivity to the existing sales discourse strategies (Cheung, 2008).Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Critical Review of Two Research Articles specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Method Askenave (2007) describes the research method as the genre analysis of text organization and rhetorical moves, which is followed by an in-depth examination of the most important rhetorical features of the student prospectus borrowed from the University of Sterling. The researcher writes that the genre of international student prospectuses received little professional attention and needs to be examined in more detail (Askenave, 2007). Askenave (2007) writes that, for the purpose of the study, she intends to compare four instances of the international student prospectuses in terms of genre consistency and rhetorical moves. Askenave (2007) further performs an in-depth analysis of the rhet orical features and moves in one specific international student prospectus. The researcher does not involve any human participants but provides a detailed description of the international student prospectuses and their genres. The context plays a crucial role in the analysis of student prospectuses, because Askenave (2007) reconsiders genres, text organization, and rhetoric in the context of marketization of higher education practices. International student prospectuses were the only materials used in the research, and a brief analysis of the procedures followed in the conducting of the study was performed. According to Askenave (2007), Swalesian genre theory was the point of departure in the study. The author defines the key criteria (rhetorical moves) of the scientific analysis but does not explain the procedures used in the examination of the four student prospectuses. Askenave (2007) considers how lay-out and images, lexico-grammar and move structure work together to assign iden tities and relations to the university and its students. The author does not acknowledge any ethical difficulties and does not cite anyone in the methodology and analysis section. The researcher provides little detail and makes the task of replicating the study virtually unachievable. The method answers all research questions, and there is no triangulation of the findings. The four prospectuses are used in a cross-cultural genre analysis, but the criteria by which the author chooses the four prospectuses are unclear. Therefore, the risks of selectivity bias are very high (Patton, 2002).Advertising Looking for term paper on linguistics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The study is well designed but the gaps are obvious: Askenave (2007) should have been more detailed in her discussion of the study design, to facilitate its replication. Also, the method of the study lacks empirical justification, which may be due to the lack of previous findings in the context of international student prospectus analysis. Cheung’s (2008) approach is similar to the one used by Askenave (2007): the author performs genre and rhetorical moves’ analysis of persuasive messages in sales letters. Cheung (2008) assumes that printed sales letters and sales emails belong to one and the same genre, given the similarities in their social function and communicative purpose. In explaining the study approach, the author extensively relies on theoretical and empirical literature relating to genre analysis, including the works of Upton and Connor (2001), Bhatia (2001), and Swales (1990). The author includes the list of the rhetorical moves but does not discuss any spec ific procedures to be followed in the study. Cheung (2008) uses quantitative methods of data collection and analysis. The context plays a very important role: the study is situated in Hong Kong, which serves the gateway and portal for international business in Asia (Cheung, 2008). However, that the study is situated in Hong Kong may limit the reliability and generalizability of the research results, since they may not easily transferable to other cultural and generic contexts. The study participants are specialist informants from 10 different companies (Cheung, 2008). At the time of the study, all informants were responsible for marketing and sales communication in their companies (Cheung, 2008). The choice of the respondents was justified by the fact that they could share some information about the target viewers for their sales texts (Cheung, 2008). The author describes the criteria used to select the texts and provides a detailed description of the data collection and analysis pr ocedures. Unfortunately, how Cheung (2008) develops the list of rhetorical moves to be used in the study remains unclear. Nevertheless, the study is easy to replicate and the method answers the research questions. Cheung (2008) describes the data analysis procedure in detail. Cheung (2008) does not discuss any ethical considerations and concerns, and there is no triangulation of the findings. The study is well designed but the lack of ethical details is one of its major limitations. The study involves human participants, who need the fullest information about the study, its goal and expected outcomes. However, Cheung (2008) does not mention the importance of informed consent, which makes the results of the study less convincing. Cheung (2008) writes that the subjects could provide valuable information about their experiences of working with sales texts. Surprisingly or not, no information regarding ethical considerations or informed consent is included. Cheung (2008) actually suppor ts a thesis that there is a serious gap within ethical practices in applied linguistics research (Fox et al, 2006). Article Critique Language is an ever changing phenomenon. The rationale for Askenave’s (2007) study is clear: marketization imposes new demands on higher education institutions and changes their professional and educational roles. Consequentially, higher education institutions, and universities in particular, borrow and adopt free market practices to meet their needs (Askenave, 2007). The researcher justifies the study by the need to explore the influences of marketization on the discursive practices in higher education. It should be noted, that no comprehensive theoretical framework was used to support the analysis. This is, probably, because the concept and phenomenon of marketization is relatively new. Askenave (2007) provides a brief insight into previous research of the international student prospectus as a genre which, according to the author, is very spor adic and scarce. Askenave (2007) uses Swalesian genre theory, which treats genre as a set of shared communicative practices and explains the ways in which particular genres can unfold. What research questions Askenave (2007) seeks to answer is difficult to define. Generally, any study or research project is designed to define problems and provide solutions or strategies that could be effective in helping to solve those problems (Patton, 2002). However, no effective interventions can be developed, unless research questions are clear. Askenave (2007) suggests that her analysis is a relevant contribution to the debate regarding the changes in higher education practices under the influence of marketization. The research findings contribute to the current knowledge of the international student prospectus as a genre. Yet, Askenave (2007) should have been more specific and detailed in the development of the research goals, questions, and/ or hypotheses. The article is well-structured. The second part of Askenave’s (2007) article is a case study of the international student prospectus from the University of Sterling in Scotland. According to Perry (2002), case studies are frequently used in applied linguistics research and can shed light on complex linguistic phenomena. Unfortunately, Askenave (2007) provides little information about the methodology. As a result, replicating Askenave’s study is virtually impossible. Simultaneously, the thoroughness of the author’s analysis cannot be overstated. Askenave (2007) describes the process and results of the genre analysis in detail. This is particularly the case of the international student prospectus from the University of Sterling, which covers most of the article. Askenave (2007) performs examines the prospectus’s lay-out and design; move structure in the Sterling prospectus is analyzed; the author analyzes its lexical and grammatical structures and experiential meanings. The latter, according to the researcher, play a crucial role in the analysis of the international student prospectus as a genre. The lack of the ethical angle is one of the main gaps in Askenave’s (2007) research. Failure to obtain informed consent is essentially the same as failure to adopt a ‘participant-centered perspective’ (Fox et al, 2006). The author explores multiple modes and phenomena, creating a multifaceted but confusing picture of the international student prospectus and its generic features. Finally, it is not clear what criteria the author used when choosing the four international student prospectuses for a cross-cultural genre examination. The research findings contribute to the existing knowledge of the international student prospectus but leave many questions unanswered. The future research must concentrate on the development of effective measures of validity and reliability in applied linguistics studies. The overall opinion about the article is dubious. On the one hand, the study can serve the starting point in the analysis of the international student prospectus and the changes, which the genre undergoes under the influence of marketization in higher education. The topic is extremely interesting and valid, since more universities want to borrow free market practices from the corporate world and consumer-driven organizations. On the other hand, the study points out the major inconsistencies and pitfalls in applied linguistics studies. Selectivity bias reduces the validity and reliability of the findings, because the criteria for choosing the target texts are unclear. The author does not try to operationalize or standardize the research findings (Patton, 2002). No consideration is given to internal and external validity threats. Whether or not the results of the study can be successfully generalized to other international student prospectuses is unclear. Askenave (2007) does not report any research limitations and, therefore, leaves little roo m for methodological improvements. These problems warrant the need for further research into the international student prospectus and its generic characteristics. These gaps and inconsistencies are also justified by the fact that the current state of literature about the international student prospectus is relatively scarce (Askenave, 2007). Therefore, the best method of the student prospectus analysis is yet to be discovered. The article is just another attempt to shed light on a complex linguistic phenomenon. Unlike Askenave (2007), the methods and results of Cheung’s (2008) study produce a solid scientific impression. One reason for this is that Cheung (2008) employs quantitative methodology, which creates a picture of reliability and validity. Quantitative methods of research, particularly in applied linguistics, are believed to be more reliable and easily generalizable, compared with the qualitative methods of analysis (Davies Elder, 2005). Davies and Elder (2005) sugge st that qualitative studies in applied linguistics are associated with uncontrollable observations and are difficult to generalize to larger populations. Certainly, not all qualitative studies are as bad and unprofessional as Davies and Elder (2005) describe them. However, that most quantitative studies lack subjectivity and provide relevant statistical information cannot be denied. Cheung’s (2008) study demonstrates numerous advantages but, unfortunately, is not without limitations. First and foremost, Cheung (2008) clearly articulates the purpose of study and the main research questions. According to Cheung (2008), the study attempts to examine the differences and similarities between discourse structures in the two corpora. Cheung (2008) tries to relate these differences and similarities to broader, generic considerations. In this study, Cheung (2008) attempts to answer two research questions: what is the impact of new media on the encoding of persuasive messages in sales emails?; how does the use of new media influence the overall interactional or social strategy or credibility enhancement and persuasion in the context of sales promotion? (p.163) The research questions and study goals are clear and easy to understand. The method helps to answer these research questions. Cheung (2008) is extremely detailed in the discussion of methods and their relations to the research questions and objectives. Cheung’s study is beneficial and interesting in the sense that it provides a detailed discussion of the conceptual framework and clearly states the criteria for choosing sales letters and subjects. According to Cheung (2008), there was no limit set for the text length; furthermore, all letters had to exhibit the features of being a unified textual whole; finally, the researcher selected sales and promotion texts that were presented through one of the two methods – either solely through written text or written text supported by graphical illustra tions (Cheung, 2008). In this way, Cheung (2008) created conditions needed to replicate the study in a different cultural context. In many instances, the research methodology in Cheung’s (2008) study is similar to that in Askenave (2007). Like Askenave (2007), Cheung (2008) applies to genre moves, which often serve the main strategic elements of rhetorical analysis. However, unlike Askenave (2007), Cheung (2008) creates a clearer theoretical picture of the rhetorical moves and their implications for linguistic research. Cheung (2008) performs a detailed literature review and evaluates the current theoretical basis. As a result, the author prepares the reader for understanding the theoretical framework, the basic concepts, the results of the study, and their implications for the future research. The research is detailed and well-organized. All information is presented in a comprehensive and coherent manner. The format of the article follows the basic conventions of scholarly w riting, with an introduction, a detailed observation of the conceptual frameworks, theoretical underpinnings, methodology, and results. Unfortunately, neither Askenave (2007) nor Cheung (2008) provides recommendations for the future research. As a result, both studies look static. They do not fit in the continuity of linguistic changes and their relationship to social practices. The lack of an ethical dimension is a common problem in both articles. The absence of ethical concerns in Askenave (2007) is quite understandable, since the author does not involve any human subjects. By contrast, Cheung (2008) conducts interviews with 16 corporate specialists, all of them being either directors or managers in marketing and sales. Another problem is in that the study involved sales and promotional texts coming from 117 companies situated in Hong Kong (Cheung, 2008). Given the specificity of the Korean and Chinese cultural environments, the study results may not be generalizable to other cult ural contexts. Therefore, the future research must examine the generic features and rhetorical moves in sales and promotional texts in other countries/ cultures. Cheung (2008) does not provide any ideas for the future research, although the author’s contribution to the future study of applied linguistics could be of value. The article produces a dubious impression. On the one hand, the study is extremely interesting and unique. The analysis of the rhetorical moves in sales and promotional texts helps to understand how the emergence of new media re-shapes the discursive landscape in organizational and marketing communications. On the other hand, the lack of the ethical dimension and directions for the future research create a vision of incompleteness. The study lacks dynamism, implying that research into applied linguistics is static by nature. When Cheung (2008) concludes that â€Å"a sales discourse is still a sales discourse† (p.184), the study ceases to be a relevan t contribution to language dynamics but turns into a body of information that is separated from the rest of applied linguistics research. Conclusion One question that bothers readers in both studies is how to use their results in practical contexts. There is a persistent impression that both studies produce knowledge for the sake of knowledge – the researchers try to understand how the linguistic world operates and explain various linguistic phenomena (Patton, 2002). Simultaneously, the questions and phenomena under research can hardly be called â€Å"basic†, since the use of language in international student prospectuses (Askenave, 2007) and sales and promotional texts in Hong Kong’s companies (Cheung, 2008) are serious practical problems. Again, the static nature of both studies is too obvious to ignore. Both researchers explore complex linguistic phenomena but do not provide any practical suggestions. How to use their findings to improve discursive practices remains unclear. The researchers explore the concepts and phenomena in a limited space and time but do not link them to broader linguistic contexts. Their studies resemble a one-time practice which has little or nothing to do with the future science. Language is a highly dynamic concept. New media, language and cultural forms cause profound shifts in language practices; the latter, in turn, change the meaning and scope of various social practices. The reciprocal link between language and social practice has been abundantly established (Askenave, 2007). Unfortunately, not all researchers can reconsider their findings in practical terms. Askenave (2007) and Cheung (2008) make an invaluable contribution to applied linguistics research, but the future research must validate their findings in new cultural and media contexts. References Askenave, I. (2007). The impact of marketization on higher education genres – the international student prospectus as a case in point. Discourse St udies, 9(6), 723-742. Cheung, M. (2008). ‘Click here’: The impact of new media on the encoding of persuasive messages in direct marketing. Discourse Studies, 10(2), 161-189. Davies, A. Elder, C. (2005). The handbook of applied linguistics. Wiley-Blackwell. Fox, J., Artemeva, N., Darville, R. Woods, D. (2006). Juggling through hoops: Implementing ethics policies in applied language studies. Journal of Academic Ethics, 4, 77-99. Patton, M.Q. (2002). Qualitative research and evaluation methods. NY: SAGE. Perry, FL. (2002). Research in applied linguistics. NY: Taylor Francis. This term paper on Critical Review of Two Research Articles was written and submitted by user Abigail Dixon to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Great Train Robbery of 1855 essays

The Great Train Robbery of 1855 essays On May 16, 1855, a train owned by the South Eastern Railway, traveling from London to Folkestone, the perfect crime took place. A group of four men succeeded in robbing the train of 12,000 of gold, weighing two hundred pounds, while it was being transported from London, England to Boulogne, France. The plan was in development for many years by two career criminals, Edward Agar and William Pierce. When the two men first discussed the possibility of robbing the train, they decided it was too risky. Yet, neither man could dismiss the idea of the heist. Later, at a chance meeting by Pierce and Agar, the heist was revisited and the two agreed that it would be possible if they could obtain copies of the safe keys. Realizing they needed help, they recruited two employees of the railroad, James Burgess, a guard, and William George Tester, a clerk. The execution of the crime was near perfect and they were successful in the heist. No arrests were made at the time. Edward Agar was late r arrested for check fraud. During Agars incarceration, Pierce reluctantly promised to take care of Agars son and the childs mother, Fanny Kay, but did not honor the promise. Upon hearing this, Agar turned witness against Pierce, Burgess and Tester. If not for one broken promise, all involved would have remained at large, save for Edward Agar. The Great Gold Robbery of 1855 was the most brilliant crime to date, and would have remained unsolved but for a broken promise. In the late 1840s, William Pierce was working as ticket printer for the South Eastern Railway when he met Edward Agar (Yousof). Both men had committed many petty crimes before they met. In conversation, Edward expressed curiosity about the security and procedures surrounding the transport of gold. Pierce explained to him how the gold shipments were sent. Due to a failed robbery attempt on the Great Western Railway, new heightened security measures were implem...

Development, experience and completition of distance learning course Essay

Development, experience and completition of distance learning course - Essay Example Distance learning broadens ones capacity of thought and it helps one to have the zeal to find out knowledge and meet concepts individually. Throughout this program, knowledge gained was through observation, experimentations, research, and experimentations. For application of knowledge, one had to be keen on observation to ascertain the truth value of existing knowledge because not all knowledge is necessarily. Observation was of great help since they aided one to have a clear insight of the real world in relation to the theoretical knowledge. There was also a broader experimentation of various phenomena. The experimentation method helped one to be sure and to prove true or disapprove the hypothesis that were covered the common knowledge. This also helps in distinguishing fallacies and general knowledge which have not been verified. In most cases, one had to conduct research to find out the cause and effects of certain phenomena so as to come up with effective conclusions and deductio n. Also, experiences that one gained from interacting with various issues and challenges also helped one to unlearn the previous knowledge and to learn new ones. All these experiences and concepts defined one journey of learning throughout the entire period of the distance learning program. Throughout this period, ones performance was not good throughout. At some point the performance was good and at other times, the performance was averagely low but at the end of the entire program the overall performance was marked by distinction. This was because of one’s capability of adapting to the system and one’s ability to adjust to the environment and to the course requirements. There were times when there were courses which required one to carry out laboratory tests and some required one to conduct research. In the event that one was to be at the laboratory to conduct the experiments, it was difficult to make clear observation and to draw the right conclusion as there was no body to offer explanation to what was going on. Research that needed one to go to the community to find out the aspects of various phenomena also was marked with various challenges. This is because the community was not ready to give proper information and those who did gave irrelevant information that led to an irrelevant conclusion. This impacted negatively on the overall outcome of the result. However, studies which required observation and the critical analysis of books and just the general study of concepts were of great advantage to my performance. It was a great experience to read through books and to learn new concepts that were brought forth. These conceptions helped in dealing with the fallacies and the misconception that the society has had for a long time. The tangibility of the knowledge gained through literature enabled one to be a student of high aptitude and acuity of performance. For learning to be effective, it has to be maintained, retained, and one has to continu e with the search of knowledge. To enable one achieve these, one has to study widely. It is through study that one’s knowledge and concepts get challenged. Wide reading helps one to have different perspectives and approached towards something. This gives one the authority to speak on an issue from an open minded view. Wide study also keeps one relevant to the changing times, for example, science keeps on

The Role of Motivation in Project Management Dissertation

The Role of Motivation in Project Management - Dissertation Example Engineering and construction is one of the primary factors of human evolution and therefore, the evolution of the society through construction depends on success of project management. Consequently, project management depends on the ability of the project managers to generate, nurture, and maintain high levels of motivation in all levels of project management. Although motivation on the base level where practical work happens is usually taken as the most fruitful target for motivation, other levels of project management including the highest project managerial levels needs to be equally motivated. The proposed study is overwhelmingly important to the author and the primary focus will be on the role of motivation in success of project management in the construction industry. Much of the insight on role of motivation in project management can be found on authentic books and authoritative internet sources. Different theorists and researchers have exhaustively explored theories of motivation in different aspects. Various definitions of motivation theories will be explored in the light of motivation and its influence on success of project management. However, only motivational aspects relating to motivation in construction industry will be discussed. ... Objectives 1. To make a profound research on literature discussing the field of motivation and correlate the information that will be obtained to success in project management in the construction industry. Key areas of consideration to achieve the above objective will include a) Theories of motivation b) Motivation factors c) Motivation as it applies to project teams d) Project management and teams 2. To ascertain the role of motivation in project management by looking at practical case studies. Key areas to be considered are a) How the project was carried out b) Motivation issues within the case study c) How the motivation issue was addressed d) Outcome of the motivation in relation to success or failure of the project Hypotheses 1. Motivation has a direct effect on the success of project management initiatives in the construction industry 2. Construction companies that adopt proficient motivation strategies record increased success in their project objectives Purpose of Study Effic ient management of construction projects is increasingly becoming more important as competition in the construction industry increases. The modern world is presenting more challenges for construction industry thereby increasing performance pressure on construction project managers. This increases the need for project managers to increase the output of project teams by any possible means. Since motivation is one of the greatest tools of meeting the objectives of project teams, a clear understanding of the relationship between the two concepts becomes overwhelmingly important. It is therefore, the purpose of this study to make profound investigation into the relationship between motivation and success of project teams with the purposes of shedding