Qualitative and Quantitative Research in Social Care Policy And Practice Essay Example

Qualitative and Quantitative Research in Social Care Policy And Practice Essay Research is generally a form of systematic inquest that leads to acquiring knowledge about a problem or a new phenomenon. Research can be conducted in various ways   e.g. by academic discipline, method of data collection or case studies. There are various types of research some of them can be categorised as evaluative research, action research, case study research, experimental research, community profiling, social research, systematic reviews, quantitative research, qualitative research and scientific research etc. In social work and social care research, the relationship between research, practice and theory development (new knowledge) is a more dynamic one with each dimension usefully informing the others. Social care research has been influenced by professional and disciplinary developments. The nature and purpose of social work research is now focusing on its distinctive contribution to the scope of social scientific research (Center for Human Service Technology 2006). This pa per will deliberate on social care research from qualitative and quantitative perspectives. Moreover, this paper will also scrutinize how both types of research is used in social care, for example in making policies, in evaluating projects or in direct practice.Research MethodsQualitative research is one of the two major approaches to research methodology in social science. Qualitative research involves investigating participants opinions, behaviors and experiences from the informants points of view. On the other hand, quantitative research is the systematic scientific investigation of quantitative properties and phenomena and their relationships. Quantitative research is widely used in both the natural and social sciences, including physics, biology, psychology, sociology, geology, education, and journalism. The objective of quantitative research is to develop and employ mathematical models, theories and hypotheses pertaining to natural phenomena. Qualitative research can be differ entiated from quantitative research in that it does not rely on quantitative measurement and mathematical models, but instead uses logical deductions to decipher gathered data dealing with the human element. Its downside, compared to quantitative research, is that it is more expensive, has smaller sample sizes and is hard to measure.Quantitative research methods are widely used in social care and facts finding about certain social issues. But qualitative research is found more appropriate and useful for policy evaluation. The understanding for the contribution of qualitative research   to policy formulation, evaluation, and of what they bring to policy analysis, both alone and in association with quantitative methods. Nonetheless, there are no categorically agreed standards regarding what constitutes quality in   qualitative policy evaluation methods. In qualitative research there has been a growing emphasis on ways of   formalising quality standards, and a large number of set s of guidelines (Spencer Liz 2004 p.10)Social Care Research For Making Positive Changes For Service UserRecently, service user involvement in health and social care research is considered as a right, not a privilege, and as an activity that has positive outcomes for both the individuals and the research activity concerned. Training is therefore considered a key principle of service user involvement, because that people who are ‘novice’ researchers may need to gain some specific skills and knowledge in order to work effectively. Training for service user involvement in research is not so easily available. There are relatively small number of initiatives that actively provided training and most of these had been recently established. Most of initiatives existed within a collaborative working environment. Universities are the most common training provider.Service users can identify two key questions that they may ask of training. They may ask about the purpose and selectio n of particular persons. Training is most valued when it had a clear purpose, when it is centered around specific research tasks and real research problems, and above all when it is linked to a defined and real research project or role. Of key importance, in highly rated initiatives, service users’ contributions/roles in the training and research clearly and explicitly drew upon their experiences as service users. These contributions ranged across a large part of the research process, but in all cases there was a clear purpose to the contribution. Such training and information for service user can improve the quality of service by using qualitative and quantitative research techniques.Social Care Research Policy MakingQualitative research is inquisitive in nature and various   procedures are used such as in-depth interviews and focus group interviews to gain insights. Qualitative work is continuously in a dynamic flux, but moving toward some end-point in an evolutionary wa y. Qualitative efforts make use of that part of the person concerned with true spirit and   significance of things. It is not just an exercise in truth or falsehood. But these investigations are attempts at interfacing with concerned aspect of the real issue. They are, therefore, interpretations and not truths in the positivistic sense (Jones K. 2004).While looking for information, researchers instinct may turn to books. However, many primary research books are typically of more use in providing a setting, in giving the theoretical background to research, or presenting a review of the literature. If the area of study deals with current issues, then it is important to gain current and up-to-date knowledge. It is quite possible that while doing research review, researcher may not get the required material in books but it is easy to get current information in journals than books. While   searching journals it should be remembered that they vary greatly in purpose and depth. It is t herefore quite important to take some well-known titles in social work, community care, brief reports on topics of current concern ( Macwilliam Stuart 2003 p.9). A qualitative research study can involves following elements (Spencer 2004): ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     A review of literature on qualitative research methods, including a review of the ways in which different methods and approaches are used in evaluations. This will also involve reviewing existing quality standards frameworks. ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In depth interviews with a range of qualitative research practitioners, academics andresearchers who have written about qualitative research from a theoretical perspective, commissioners and funders of qualitative research, and policy-makers who have used qualitative research evidence in the development and evaluation of policies. ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The development of a proposed set of standards or a quality framework, which incorporat es as fully as possible the various perspectives generated by the first two stages. ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Holding of workshops with the groups involved in the in-depth interviews, reviews, critiques and refining the framework. ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     The application of the framework to a small number of research reports to assess its utility, followed by further refinement of the framework.In qualitative research there is a strong rationale for using an evidence-based approach. Social care research can provide us with evidence upon which to base decisions taken at all levels of social care management or policy   perspectives. Such research and information can be used for policy making and decision making in following ways (Macwilliam 2003 p.9): ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The qualitative research can inform decision-makers by providing required knowledge about the relevant issue. ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It can strengthen and su pport practitioners decision making by giving confidence to their arguments about services required. ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It supplies material for use in service reviews and joint reviews. ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Qualitative research can support the review processes that requires the service providers to prove that the services they are delivering are evidence-based and can achieve required results. ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Qualitative Research results can provide information to service users and carers of what the research says about the interventions, services or treatments they are receiving. It empowers service users and carers by getting them directly involved in the research process and using the findings to inform service development. ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The research results can help   managers and commissioners decide which services, approaches and interventions to support. ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The resear ch results can provide staff with background information on conditions and illnesses that their clients may be experiencing. ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The research results can provide staff with new and innovative practice ideas.What is EvaluationIt is not enough to just conduct qualitative and quantitative research and forward some recommendations and information for policy makers and mangers. But the most important phase of any research is the evaluation and appraisal process. A framework for appraising the quality of qualitative research or quantitative research is very important. The framework can be developed with particular reference to evaluations concerned with the development and implementation of social policy, programmes and practice. It should be   devised as part of a programme of research conducted on behalf of policy makers. The evaluation of the research should involve the following: ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A review of quantitative or literatu re on qualitative research methodology. ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A review of present frameworks for assessing quality in the research work. ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Investigative interviews with a variety of people who have an interest in quality assessment of research and/or policy-related evaluations. ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Drawing the inferences and viable suggestions.Brief Example of Use of Research for Policy Making and EvaluationThe government in UK has taken various policy initiatives on the issues related to health and social care. Department of Health, has set out the priorities for the government’s ten-year National Service Framework (NSF). The new policy framework includes enhancing the role which the mental health nurses can play in improving dignity in care for people of all ages. The policy makers understand that   there are still deep-rooted negative attitudes and behaviours towards older people which impact on their experie nce of and quality of care. The government is currently reviewing its policies for achieving sustainable improvement in the experiences of older people using public services. The Commission for Social Care Inspection report published on 6 February 2006 concludes that care homes are not providing adequate medication. The correct medication provided to older people can make a huge difference to their quality of life (Department of Health 2006).ConclusionIn the social sciences, qualitative research is a broad term that describes research that focuses on how individuals and groups view and understand the world and construct meaning out of their experiences. Qualitative research methods are sometimes used together with quantitative research methods to gain deeper understanding of the causes of social phenomena, or to help generate questions for further research. Unlike quantitative methods, qualitative research methods place little importance on developing statistically valid samples, or on searching for statistical support for hypotheses.

Henry David Thoreau and Martin Luther King Jr Essay Essays

Henry David Thoreau and Martin Luther King Jr Essay Essays Henry David Thoreau and Martin Luther King Jr Essay Essay Henry David Thoreau and Martin Luther King Jr Essay Essay There is no uncertainty that there are many similarities between Martin Luther King Jr. and Henry Thoreau though they did non populate in the same century. King himself declared that he was greatly influenced by Thoreau’s essay on civil disobedient. The two civil right militants had similar thoughts on justness in the society. It is besides believed that Thoreau’s work was besides influenced by Ralph Emerson who initiated the ideas about transcendental philosophy in him. Although some people believe that King was more influenced by Mahatma Gandhi. the great Indian leader. it is of import to observe that the thoughts of Gandhi were based on the thoughts put frontward by Thoreau. Furthermore. King stated that while in college. he read Thoreau’s try on civil disobedient which inspired really strong feelings on him ( Arsenault. pg 62 ) . The chief difference between Thoreau and King is the context in which each one of them operated. It is besides of import to observe that King was most vocal a century after Thoreau had left the scene. Thoreau was an writer historiographer and a philosopher in the nineteenth century. One of his most celebrated books other than the civil disobedient essay was the Walden which had the chief subject as simple life. Thoreau was besides a white American since his gramps was a Frenchman. He was opposed to the unfairnesss against the minority in the society in the mid 19th century which included African Americans being used as slaves and the Mexican American war. On the other manus. King was a reverend. He is considered to be the greatest civil militants in America in the twentieth century. He was the leader of African Americans civil rights motion. In the mid twentieth century. there was no bondage in the United States but the African Americans were segregated and discriminated by the dominant race. King mobilized African Americans in protest lucifers and civil disobedient as a manner of contending for justness in the society ( Powell. pp 26 ) . Despite the two militants working in different centuries. they changed the civil rights traditions of civil rights and reforms in the American society. Thoreau was the first individual to present the thought of civil disobedient as channel of forcing for reforms in the American society. Since the publication of his essay on civil disobedient in the mid nineteenth century. his thoughts have transformed activism in the whole universe. The most celebrated influence of Thoreau thoughts was on King’s missive which he wrote while in prison in Birmingham. In the missive. King provinces that Thoreau essay convinced him that non collaborating with what is evil is every bit indispensable as cooperation with what is good. This is a clear indicant that King’s thoughts on civil rights motion were straight borrowed from Thoreau’s thoughts. The missive did non merely back up the thought on non violent civil disobedient in human rights protest but besides expounded on the thoughts introduced by Thoreau in the nineteenth century ( Schroeder. pp 1 ) . Thought the two militants had different positions on the rights and freedom of all in the society. their positions were based on the same thought. The basic thought was that the laden demand to take an active function in the battle against their rights. They were more concerned about the unequal intervention of the minorities in the society either being enslaved or segregated. While Thoreau advocated for individualized rights. King advocated for public consciousness of the freedoms and rights for the good of all ( Chernus. pp 305 ) . Though the missive from Birmingham by Martin Luther King Jr. was based on the same thought with the civil disobedient essay by Thoreau. the two writers were different on all facets. However. this does non contradict the fact that both played an of import function in procuring freedom for the African Americans. Thoreau aided in procuring freedom for the fleeting slaves in the nineteenth century through his strong unfavorable judgment against bondage while King led non violent protest lucifers and civil disobedient against the Jim Crows Torahs that segregated African Americans. They both held a strong place that unfair Torahs should be opposed by the multitudes ( Powell. pp 26 ) . The effectivity of civil disobedient and peaceable direct action in the 2nd half of the twentieth century led by King was inspired by the effectivity of the attack in India led by Gandhi. Thoreau’s thoughts had been proved to be effectual in India. King reintroduced Thoreau’s thoughts into the American protest traditions which were really effectual. The bequest of the two great work forces is still apparent in the American society every bit good as other societies of the universe today. It is common for conservationists. civil rights militants and same sex matrimony protagonists to raise the words of King and Thoreau to support their places ( Powell. pp 26 ) . It is incontestable that Thoreau in the nineteenth century and King in the twentieth century played an of import function in the battle for African American rights. They introduced the thought of civil disobedient in the American society which proved to be effectual. Though both of them were radically different. there thoughts on civil rights and civil disobedient were really similar.

The Safety and Reliability Issue of Robotic System with Artificial Research Paper

The Safety and Reliability Issue of Robotic System with Artificial Intelligence - Research Paper Example Since artificial intelligence is dissimilar to human intelligence, it is incapable of taking independent decisions. Moreover, it is incapable to respond properly in unfamiliar situations. Artificial intelligence need to be advanced a lot before human can trust it for doing independent works. INTRODUCTION â€Å"Robots are physical agents that perform tasks by manipulating the physical world. They are equipped with sensors to perceive their environment and effectors to assert physical forces on it†1. The huge success of robots in doing extremely risky works with utmost precision has developed huge interests in the scientific world about using robotic systems for artificial intelligence. Even though human like behavior cannot be expected from robots, it is widely believed that robots can match human intelligence to a much closer level than once anticipated. It is a fact that robots need human supervision or intervention for safe functioning. However, current robots need less supe rvision from human elements and they are intelligent enough to make necessary changes in its functioning based on the changes in the environment. Robots are currently used for people to conduct remote controlled video conferencing, navigation, rescuing, assisting and lifting of soldiers in the war fronts etc. It is difficult to define artificial intelligence or AI in few words. Generally speaking "Artificial intelligence is the science of making machines do things that would require intelligence if done by men" 2. The history of artificial intelligence started along with the discovery of computers in by Charles Babbage. Even though the possibilities of using artificial intelligence or robots are infinite, still people have many concerns about the reliability of using robots for artificial intelligence purposes. After all, robots are machines and machines cannot think as human does. It should be noted that even well experienced individuals are struggling to take appropriate decisions in this ever changing world. Under such circumstances, the reliability of depending artificial intelligence for executing complex jobs which need logical and quick decision making is highly questionable. This paper analyses the Safety and Reliability issue of Robotic System with Artificial Intelligence. SAFETY AND RELIABILITY ISSUE OF ROBOTIC SYSTEM WITH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE Incredible speed in execution is the major advantage of robots controlled by artificial intelligence. Moreover, robots exhaust much slower than humans and therefore it can perform huge volumes of works compared to humans and that also within no time. In manufacturing units, robots can perform complicated works with utmost precision so that manpower requirements can be reduced considerably. Robots with artificial intelligence can handle million of calculations within seconds and therefore, it can perform preprogrammed jobs with ease. Because of the above ability a computer or robot can beat a human in a chess match. The development of mobile robots was driven by the desire to automate transportation in production processes and autonomous transport systems. The former lead to driver-less transport systems used on factory floors to move objects to different points in the production process in the late seventies. New forms of mobile robots have been constructed lately like insectoid robots with many legs modeled

Global Strategic Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Global Strategic Management - Essay Example The transformation of local issues and phenomenon into the global ones are known as globalization. The process of unifying people of different culture identities and societies occur in the element of globalization. The entire process of globalization is basically a combination of different factors which are economic, socio-cultural, political and technological. However, globalization is usually referred to as economic globalization and it is related with the concept of integration of national economies into international arena where there are different factors like capital flows, mitigation, foreign direct investment and etc (Stiglitz). Strategists and economist suggests that organizations focuses a lot on globalization and international organizations which are termed as multinationals have to comply with the process of globalization because through this strategy they can enhance their profits and they can they experience growth in both the short and the long term. Different scholars believe that globalization is a wide spread term and this term can be taken and defined into number of ways. However, economic concepts of globalization depicts that the removal of trade barriers between different countries to initiate a proper flow of goods. This phenomenon is not new and it initiated in the 19th century but slowly and gradually this phenomenon gained momentum and different countries and organization started to adopt this phenomenon. Strategic management on the other hand is an important element for the organizations of today's world and strategic management allows the organizations to opt for new and modernized methods and how they can excel in this competitive world. Strategic management is the phenomenon of implementing decisions that are usually of cross functional nature and these functions enable the organization to achieve the long term goals of the organization. The organization's mission, vision and objectives are identified in the strategic management processes (Hitt, Ireland and Hoskisson). Different approaches are used by different organization like business balance score card, situational analysis, matrices and etc. Globalization and its impact on businesses The effects of globalization are far reaching and it is considered as a complex phenomenon and it is considered as a hotly contested issue in global and corporate arena. This phenomenon is considered to be irresistible at one end and organizations and different companies have to campy with this but on the other this element is considered as a source of contemporary ill. The corporate effects of globalization are wide and varied and organizations have to transform themselves in order to face the challenges of globalization. Organizations have to adopt a novel approach because they have to comply with the changes (Steger). These organizations hav

Which decision of the UK Supreme Court since 1st January 2012, Essay

Which decision of the UK Supreme Court since 1st January 2012, relating to any aspect of Commercial Law, do you think the court got wrong and why - Essay Example In this case, Virgin Atlantic used Zodiac Seats for allegedly infringing the European Parent. At the same time, Zodiac filed an opposition challenging the validity of this patent at the European Patent office. Initially, the UK court ruled that the patent was valid and had not been infringed. Upon an appeal filed by Zodiac, this ruling was reversed and the patent was found to be valid and infringed. Zodiac then appealed to the Supreme Court claiming that principle of res judicata should not apply (Slorach & Ellis, 2012). The Supreme Court assessed the effect of the patent that had been declared invalid. In its judgment, it decided that the invalid patent could not be infringed and that Zodiac was entitled to claim that Virgin had suffered no loss in terms of damages. The controversy in this decision lies in the fact that the Supreme Court challenged the rational of the commercial certainty principle that was used by the court of appeal. The Court commented that in any given situation, only half the parties involved in an action demand commercial certainty. This meant that the decision impacted on the damages and patent litigation in the United

Mutation Testing by Using Formal Method

Mutation Testing by Using Formal Method Jaspreet Singh Abstract Mutation testing was introduced in 1970’s in the field of software testing as a process of testing the test suites by intentionally seeding errors i.e. mutation operators, into the original program’s source code. Its main purpose is to verify the functionality of the test cases which are executed with the aim of catching the variations between the program and the mutants. It’s extremely essential to improve the efficiency and adequacy of test cases. Hence, the goal is to make the mutant program fail. This paper depends upon the literature survey of mutation testing by using formal methods. Keywords- Mutant, Code, Program, Test cases, Kill, PIMS. I INTRODUCTION Since 1970’s, this technique is used by developers for validating the test cases as well as the test data generation. It’s a well know process to computer scientists for years. But due to heaviness of the method, it demanded huge computational power which reduced its usability. But the advancements in software engineering and the era of increased computational power, has laid it continue to serve as the most powerful method of verifying the functionality and performance of test suites. The objective is to improve the aptness and efficiency of test cases where the programmer will intentionally alter the original program’s source code by injecting a faulty piece of code known as a mutant, into it. The resultant code is referred to as mutated code. The mutation procedure will create many versions of the original program. Each version is known as a mutant. The execution of a mutant will verify the proficiency of the test case. If the output of the original program wi ll vary with that of the mutant one causing each faulty version to fail [1]. The resultant mutant is killed and the test case is saved considering it an adequate one. More the number of mutants killed by a test case, the better is the competency of the test case. Mutation testing is proficient in testing programs at the unit level, integration level and the specification level. It has been applied to many programming languages like C, C++, etc. and is a part of white box test technique [2]. II LITERATURE SURVEY Initial concepts of mutation were introduced by Richard Lipton in a class term paper titled â€Å"Fault Diagnosis of Computer Programs†. The first referred publications were presented in the late 1970’s ; the DeMillo, Lipton. PIMS was one of the first mutation testing tools [3]. It originated the basic procedure typically used in mutation analysis of creating mutants, obtaining test cases from the users, and then executing the them on the mutants to conclude how many mutants were killed. The most widely used tool among researchers was the Mothra mutation toolset [3], which provided an integrated set of tools, each of which performed an individual, separate task to support mutation analysis and testing. Several variants of Mothra were created in the early 1990s, including one that implemented weak mutation [4], and several distributed versions. A compiler-integrated mutation tool for C was also developed [5], and tool that was based on program schemata [6]. However, thes e tools were primarily used by the researchers who developed them and the only widely used system besides the original version of Mothra has been the Proteum mutation system for C [7]. A Formal Methods Formal methods are techniques based on mathematics and formal logic. It supports automated consistency checking and testing specifications. It helps finding defects when applied to good quality software. Such methods allow large number of classes of test cases having finite proof with support least dependence on subjective reasoning [8]. B The benefits of using Formal Methods include: Product-focused measure of correctness: The use is used for the of Formal correctness of a system. Early detection of defects: Formal Methods can be applied to earlier detection and elimination of design defects and associated late cycle rework. Guarantees of correctness: Unlike testing, formal analysis tools go through all possible execution paths through the system. If there is any way to reach a fault condition, a tool will find it. In a multi-threaded system where concurrency is an issue, formal analysis can explore all possible interleavings and event orderings[13]. Fig-1 Formal Methods such as model checking examine more system behaviors for safety violations than testing alone III NOTIONS OF FORMAL PROOF: A Mathematical proof: A formal proof is a complete and convincing mathematical argument, presenting the full logical justification for each proof of set of theorems B Machine-checked proof: A formal proof is evidence accepted by a proof checker showing that a conjecture is a valid consequence of given axioms. C Hilbert proof: A formal proof in a theory is a sequence of formulas, each of which is either an axiom of or a direct consequence of preceding formulas in the sequence by virtue of a rule of inference associated with the underlying formal system[14]. IV TYPES OF MUTANTS We define the following classification of mutants as follows: A Killed Mutant; which was killed by a test case which was specifically written to kill it. The concept behind mutation testing is that modifying the source code of a given unit (or mutating it) should cause the test that operates on that unit to fail. Example : Method and Corresponding Unit Test //original code under test public class Example { public boolean is LessThanThree(int number) { return (number Example : Mutated Method public class Example { public boolean isLessThanThree(int number) { return (number > 3); } } Notice that with this mutation, the method testLessThanThree would fail because the mutated method now returns the boolean number > 3, which in this case would be false and the assert statement is checking to see that the desired result is true. The method TestLessThanThreeFail would not fail, however, because 3 is not greater than 3 and the returned boolean would be false, which is what the assert statement is checking for. Because testLessThanThree failed, this mutant is said to be killed; the mutation caused the test to fail, which means the test is adequately catching this kind of mistake[12]. Dead on Arrival (DOA)- Mutant that was killed by the initial test suite found in the test bed. Ignored Mutant which a study participant encountered but did not kill. Living-Mutant which could not be killed due to time constraints (whether or not the mutant was encountered). Crossfire- Mutant that was killed by a test case intended to kill a different mutant. Stubborn.-Mutant that cannot be killed by a test case due to logical equivalence or language constructs. B Ordering Mutants: Let P be an implemented program and P’ be a first order mutant that differs from P at location l. A test case, t1 can distinguish P form P’ provided the following necessary and sufficient conditions hold on executing P and P’ with starting state t1: This has 3 properties: The execution must reach location l ( ); The evaluation of expressions at location l in P and P’ must result in different values at least once ( ) ; The final states on termination of execution of P and P’ must be different ( ). Properties (a) and (b) follow by observing that the location must be reached and in the case of a c-location the two executions must result in two different states if they are to be distinguished. 1) Process of Mutation Testing NO YES YES NO Fig. 2 Working of Mutation process The process of mutation analysis is shown in fig. 2. Steps are as follows: The program is being fed as an input and is executed. The resultant is checked . If the resultant indicates successful completion of the program, then terminate. If not, then create mutants (mutated code). A mutant, as previously mentioned is an intentionally altered program by the programmer. It is fed by some errors termed as mutation operators. Test cases are created to the system to be executed on the program. Execute the test cases against the mutant. If the output of the mutant is correct, then execute the test case on each version of the mutant. If not, then again the output of the original program is checked. Compare the output of the original source code with that of each version’s. A decision is made after determining the output of the original code with that of the mutated one. If the output differs, then the test is considered to be an adequate one and is executed on each of the mutants of the program The mutant that is detected is marked as dead/killed. Whereas, output being same indicates inadequacy of the test case and the program. 2) Mutation Operators- Taxonomy of mutation operators: 3)Statement Mutations: The mutant is produced by replacing the keywords in the statement, like While to do while While to For Example for Switch statement: Program Switch Statements case 0: i++; case 1: i = 4; Mutant: case 1: i++; case 0: i = 4; Operator Mutations The mutant is produced by changing the operator in the original source code. For ex: a=1, b=0 If (a b) { C=1; } else { C=0;} The condition mutation operator would replace with the mutation operator || and gives us the following mutant: If(a||b) { C=1; } else { C=0;} Variable Mutations Replace each variable with another variable declared in the same scope (variable types should be the same). Constant Mutations In constant mutations, the mutant tends to fail as there is no mutation operator to be replaced Ex: If (1) { printf (â€Å"How are you?†); } Else {printf(â€Å"I am fine.†);} In this case, mutation testing fails. [2] Example Original piece of a code: c=a+b; where a=3and b=2 Putting the values for a and b, it will result in 3+2=5 Now, possible mutants are c=a-b; , c=a/b; and c=a*b; Such mutations are mostly easier for a test suite to recognize if (a == b) { //do something } will be mutated to if (a != b) { // do something } Here, == is replaced by !=. V PROS AND CONS Mutation procedure is widely acceptable as an essential way to determine the fault-detecting effectiveness of the test sets. Now software developers and testers everywhere can enjoy the most powerful error- detection capabilities with the speed and ease of use of an automatic running debugging tool [9]. But, at the same time it pertains some disadvantages also, which are as follows: A PRO’S: Providing the testers with a target- One of the major advantages of mutation testing is that it provides the tester with a target. The tester has to generate a test data with the aim of killing all the generated mutants. Therefore, we can generate an adequate test data set that is capable enough to detect errors in the program.[10] Bringing more confidence in customers and testers- The customer also benefits from this technique , as he receives a more reliable and bug free software. This will increase confidence in them which will profit your company where it matters most. Mutation Testing originated as a means of creating more effective test suites by which the tester can be more confident that his program is adequately tested. It’s a powerful fault-based testing approach for competent programmers. B CON’S: Computationally expensive due to lack of automated tool..Mutation Testing is complicated and time-consuming to perform without an automated tool. Often, there are massive number of mutants that are generated for a original program as number of mutants is directly proportional to the mutation operators applied. Hence it is computationally expensive to run. The test cases on each and every mutant. It is also expensive to compile and execute every mutant [9][10]. An example of this is shown in Table No. 2 given below. Table 2 Increase In Computational Cost Such mutants only contribute in increasing the computational cost as the efforts needed to check if mutants are equivalent or not, can be very high even for small programs against the test cases. [2] Equivalent Mutants, one of the biggest problems- Syntactically different from the original program. But, semantically the same. Consider the example given in Table No. 3 given below: The equivalent mutant is generated by changing the operator Table 3 Equivalent Mutants Manual equivalent mutant detection is quite tedious- The other barrier to more widespread use of mutation testing is the amount of manual labor involved in using this technique. Hence, developing mutation adequate test cases can be very labor-intensive.[2] VI CONCLUSION This paper provides a detailed review of mutation testing .It covers the objective, Analysis of previous mutation systems, Formal Methods, working of mutation testing and efficient test case generation, Taxonomy of mutation operators and its Pro’s and Con’s . Mutation testing has given a great contribution in the field of software testing and provided the testers with a matured and affordable technique in detecting best test suites. Future Scope Our future scope is to develop a more advanced mutation testing approach that minimizes the issue of computational cost up to a certain level with the aim of killing all the possible mutants and thereby generating good test cases. REFERENCES [1] Yue Jia ans Mark Harman. An Analysis and Survey of the Development of Mutation Testing. IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering, King’s College London, Centre for Research on Evolution Search and Testing (CREST), Strand, London, WC2R 2LS, UK, 2010 [2] Hiralal Agrawal , Richard A. DeMillo, Bob Hathaway, William Hsu, Wynne Hsu, E.W. Krauser, R.J. Martin and Aditya P. Mathur, â€Å"Design Of Mutant Operators For The C Programming Language†, Software Engineering Research Centre, Department of Computer Sciences, Purdue University, W. Lafayette, IN 47907, Revision 1.02, March 20, 1989. [3] D. M. S. Andre. Pilot mutation system (pims) user’s manual. Technical report GIT-ICS-79/04, Georgia Institute of Technology, April 1979 [4] A.J Offutt and S.D.Lee. An empirical evaluation of weak mutation. IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering , 20(5): 337-344, May 1994. [5] R.A. DeMillo, E.W.Krauser, and A.P. Mathur. Compiler-integrated program mutation. In Proceedings of the Fifteenth Annual Computer Software and Applications Conference (COMPSAC’ 92), Tokya, Japan, September 1991. Kogakuim University, IEEE Computer Society Press. [6] R. Untch, A.J. Offutt, and M.J. Harrold. Mutation analysis using program schemata. In Proceedings of the 1993 International symposium on Software Testing, and Analysis, pages 139-148, Cambridge MA, June 1993. [7] M.E. Delamaro and J.C. Maldonado. Proteum – A tool for the assessment of test adequacy for C programs. Proceedings of the Conference on Performability in Computing Systems, pages 75-95. July 1996. [8] A. Jefforson Offutt, A practical system for mutation testing: Help for the common programmer, ISSE Department, George Mason University,Fairfax, VA 22030, 1994. [9] S. Madiraju ,S. Ramakrishnan and A.J.Hurst, â€Å"Towards Automated Mutation Testing†, March 2004. [10] A. Jefferson Offutt and Roland H.Untch, Mutation : Uniting the orthogonal, A. Jeerson Offutt ISE Department, George Mason University Fairfax, VA USA, Roland H.Untch, Department of Computer Science Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro, 2000. [11] David L. Dill, â€Å"Formal Methods Specification and Verification Guidebook for software and computer systems† Vol. 1, Computer Science Department, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, July 1995. [12] Ben Smith and Laurie Williams, â€Å"Software Engineering†, Department of computer science North Carolina State University. [13] Murali Rangarajan, â€Å"Formal Methods†,Honeywell Laboratories 3660 Technology Drive Minneapolis, MN 55418. [14] James G. Williams and Marshall D. Abrams, â€Å"Formal Methods And Models†.

The Consequences of Drinking And Driving Essay -- Alcohol, drunk drivi

Driving under the influence has affected many people's lives and families. Today I would like to talk to you about the problems of drinking and driving, and why it is a concern for all of us. Driving under the influence is one of the most common and dangerous situations you can put yourself or someone else in. The fact is that drinking and driving is a huge deal and can leave a long trail of broken dreams and hearts. If you drink and drive, not only are you putting yourself at risk, but your passengers and the pedestrians outside of your vehicle. According to the most recent statistics by the National Commission Against Drunk Driving states that 17,000 Americans die each year in alcohol- related traffic crashes and 600,000 Americans are injured (NCADD). That's is and average of one fatal accident every thirty minutes. Every thirty minutes someone's life has ended and his or her family and friends left to weep. Anyone of these accidents could easily be a family member, relati ve, or neighbor. Most of these alcohol-related crashes are not just cuts and bruises. People are paralyzed, severely disfigured, or have lost the ability to live out a normal life with work and having fun are now activities that now rely on the aid of others. There is plenty of reasons alcohol and driving does not mix. The body is a very complicated organism with everything needing to go just right for it to function properly. Alcohol only affects how your body functions negatively. Alcohol is a downer that reduces activity in the central nervous system. The person exhibits loss muscle tone, loss of fine motor coordination ( Net Biz Mentor). Depression and alcohol also do not mix. When people get depressed from everyday life they have the ten... ...up in jail because they are one tenth of a point over the legal limit. So try to manage your life, by not drinking and driving. If you do go out for a drink, try to go somewhere that you can reach either on foot or by public transportation. Think about sharing the driving and on different days with a group of people so that you can take turns at driving. If you do drink even though you meant not to, and you went out with your vehicle, consider taking a taxi and leaving your vehicle behind. This is a whole lot better than living with the guilt and shame of having killed a person or even a friend. Do you really want to be known as the person who has killed someone because of your stupidity? Work Cited -Mothers Against Drunk Drivers. Drinking Driving and Other Drugs. Homepage. 20 June 2003.

Empire On The Development Of British Essay

In 1715, Great Britain ended the War of the Spanish Succession as an emergent imperial power, with a new base at Gibraltar and her naval victory at Malaga. Over the next century, she became as a true world power. Her emergence as an intellectual and scientific power helped stimulate the growth of her empire, and in the empire in turn fostered the blossoming of the scientific and intellectual life in Britain. , England’s quest for colonies came late. In 1600, she had no permanent settlements outside of Europe. 1 In the seventeenth century, however, this had changed dramatically, with the settlement of the colonies in North America, of sugar plantations in the Caribbean, and the beginnings of a large scale slave trade between West Africa and the New World. 2 In these colonial enterprises, the English proved themselves more efficient in supplying the necessities than did their rivals, and were thus largely able to exclude other countries from trade with these colonies. 3 Further, almost from the outset, the English were interested in preserving the territories they seized. Very early on they showed a remarkably sophisticated and highly practical understanding of potential environmental problems involved with settlement and cultivation. Well before other settlers, the British learned to protect forests to prevent drastic erosion. Learning this, they fostered ways to work with the tropical environment rather than against it. 4 The colonies in the Caribbean, with their sugar and tropical produce, and Newfoundland, with its vast quantities of fish, were especially profitable. 5 On the other hand, by the mid-sixteenth century, exploration of the Pacific had all but stopped. The sheer size of the ocean and the difficulties of navigating it intimidated mariners. The few voyages that were made into the Pacific were often largely buccaneering ventures, which brought back wild accounts of these tales for the reading public in England. 6 While English diplomats trying to keep peace sometimes paid lip service to Spain’s claim of the entire Pacific Ocean,7 the course of advancement would not be stayed. An important reason for the influence that the expansion of the empire had on the intellectual climate in England was the influence that the intellectual climate in England had on the expansion of the British empire. In terms of timing, the English came late to the business of exploration. When they turned their energies to exploration, they were already absorbed in the Enlightenment and the Scientific Revolution. The English translated the Bible into English and quickly followed this with the production of other major works such as Homer into English. They also began producing their own works, including William Turner’s Herball of 1651. In a remarkable flowering of her intellectual prowess, the English produced many of the finest minds of the age, Isaac Newton, William Herschel, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, David Hume, Adam Smith, Joseph Priestley, and Robert Boyle to name only a few of these luminaries. A great deal of the English learning was driven by pragmatic considerations. Navigation required expertise in astronomy and cartography. As the colonists settled property, they needed competent surveyors, a need that Raleigh recognized, dispatching a mathematician to help map the new world. Knowledge of new rocks, plants, and animals was essential to determine what could be exploited. 8 Coming out of this intellectual ferment, British attitudes about colonies and exploration were very different from those of earlier explorers, notably the Spanish. The English did less to proselytize to the natives they found,9 but early on made science a part of their efforts. They did not find the gold that drove Pizarro; Spain produced no match for James Cook or Joseph Banks. 10 The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge was a key to intellectual ferment and exploration. Chartered 1662, Royal Society won praise as the finest intellectual body in Europe. British exploration and settlement often involved scientific efforts. Discoveries, ranging from observations of native peoples to a growing interest in exotic plants and animals fed the intellectual climate, which in turn injected new energy into exploratory efforts. 11 By contrast, Spain had the Inquisition, proud that fewer works were published in Spain in the eighteenth century than had been published in the sixteenth. An oppressive censorship meant that in every field of intellect except orthodox theology, Spain lagged behind the rest of Europe.

Free Essays on William Blake

â€Å"The human abstract† written by William Blake depicts actual human nature while, satirically, its title suggests the human ideal. With the help of a group of critical materials, the theme and symbolism of the poem, through my point of view, will be divulged, verse-by-verse and stanza-by-stanza, through the images conveyed by the poet. One must keep in mind that Blake placed this poem among his â€Å"Songs of Experience† for it is a realization through the experience of man that, much like the saying â€Å"a doctor can not exist without disease†*, evil must be present in our world for there to be good as the first stanza illustrates. â€Å"Pity would be no more, If we did not make somebody Poor: And Mercy no more could be, If all were as happy as we;†* It begins with a quite severe criticism of innocence through its’ divine attributes such as â€Å"pity† and â€Å"mercy†. Out of this context, these can be considered quite noble feelings, but here, they stem from the â€Å"poor† and the unhappy created by human society that is precisely addressed by â€Å"we† at the beginning of the second verse. The first and third verses, pronounced as calamities, unveil that, to the speaker, these attributes are â€Å"more important than the happiness of all†* perhaps because they provoke an â€Å"alleviation of sorrow†* for the person acting mercifully or feeling pity for another. Hence, the structure of the last verse â€Å"as happy as we† to emphasize the inequality of joy. â€Å"And mutual fear brings peace; Till the selfish loves increase. Then Cruelty knits a snare, And spreads his baits with care.†* The â€Å"divine attributes of innocence†, in the second stanza, undergo a sinister metamorphosis to prepare for â€Å"Blake’s naturalistic fall of man†*, much like the traditional fall commonly known as the story of Adam and Eve, it involves a tree. Man is seen as such a chaotic creature that only fear of one another can... Free Essays on William Blake Free Essays on William Blake â€Å"The human abstract† written by William Blake depicts actual human nature while, satirically, its title suggests the human ideal. With the help of a group of critical materials, the theme and symbolism of the poem, through my point of view, will be divulged, verse-by-verse and stanza-by-stanza, through the images conveyed by the poet. One must keep in mind that Blake placed this poem among his â€Å"Songs of Experience† for it is a realization through the experience of man that, much like the saying â€Å"a doctor can not exist without disease†*, evil must be present in our world for there to be good as the first stanza illustrates. â€Å"Pity would be no more, If we did not make somebody Poor: And Mercy no more could be, If all were as happy as we;†* It begins with a quite severe criticism of innocence through its’ divine attributes such as â€Å"pity† and â€Å"mercy†. Out of this context, these can be considered quite noble feelings, but here, they stem from the â€Å"poor† and the unhappy created by human society that is precisely addressed by â€Å"we† at the beginning of the second verse. The first and third verses, pronounced as calamities, unveil that, to the speaker, these attributes are â€Å"more important than the happiness of all†* perhaps because they provoke an â€Å"alleviation of sorrow†* for the person acting mercifully or feeling pity for another. Hence, the structure of the last verse â€Å"as happy as we† to emphasize the inequality of joy. â€Å"And mutual fear brings peace; Till the selfish loves increase. Then Cruelty knits a snare, And spreads his baits with care.†* The â€Å"divine attributes of innocence†, in the second stanza, undergo a sinister metamorphosis to prepare for â€Å"Blake’s naturalistic fall of man†*, much like the traditional fall commonly known as the story of Adam and Eve, it involves a tree. Man is seen as such a chaotic creature that only fear of one another can...

Why Teachers Need Plot, Emotion and Story

Why Teachers Need Plot, Emotion and Story Why Teachers Need Plot, Emotion and Story Why Teachers Need Plot, Emotion and Story By Michael Students like stories. Teachers know that stories keep their interest. But plot, emotion, character, conflict and theme the tools of a fiction writer can be power tools for educators as well. Having an attitude in class Learning theorists have taught that students learn when they feel the need to; that in a sense, they create their own learning. Because emotion and character come from who we are, a lesson with a story motivates students to learn. When a problem is part of a story when it involves people finding a solution feels more urgent. When a California textbook talks about California earthquakes, California students pay attention. When two geological plates slip past each other and the earth quakes under the ocean, thats interesting to some students. But when it causes a tsunami and destroys peoples homes, that introduces conflict, plot, and emotion. Students remember information better in a story form. It helps me remember that Napoleons 1812 invasion of Russia was unsuccessful when I imagine how he must have felt afterwards. For one thing, he must have felt cold which helps me remember the invasion ended in winter. Even math teachers need plot, emotion, and story. Children can understand a word problem better when there is a story line to it. I may not remember the exact answer to a mathematical word problem about John preparing dinner in the kitchen, but I might remember or estimate whether John ends up with too much or too little. Will John get his fill with two cups of food, or must he squeeze by on only half a cup? When the plot (and a hungry boy) depend on the answer, children are more likely to want to understand it. The story makes the problem more interesting to the student. If the teacher or textbook takes no attitude toward the subject, students may not bother to take one either, or even pay any attention. The lecturer ends up sounding like a washing machine, and students can tell he or she is probably not trying very hard. Using emotion to get into college I remember new vocabulary words because I categorize them according to how they make me feel. I may not know the exact definition of equanimity but I know its a happy word. Im not sure I can define opprobrium either, but I know its not a happy word. I didnt learn either word from a dictionary but from my reading, where I have gathered their general meaning by repeatedly seeing them either in happy or unhappy contexts. This technique of finding emotion is at the center of the strategy I teach for taking standardized college entrance exams such as the SAT. It works because many verbal test questions are little stories, with plot and emotion. 14. Though many Americans in late 1864 viewed Lincolns Emancipation Proclamation with opprobrium, they greeted the capture of Atlanta with _______________. a. indifference b. elation c. derision d. trepidation As long as I have the feeling that opprobrium is not a happy word, I can answer that question correctly even if I hardly understand anything else. I dont have to know the history of the American Civil War, the role of President Abraham Lincoln, what the Emancipation Proclamation was, or even what, who, or where Atlanta is. I just need to imagine a crowd of Americans in 1864 hearing the latest news. The key to understanding this class of question is the conjunctive adverb though, which always tells us that the second clause carries a different emotion than the first clause. Now I know that the answer in the second clause must be a happy word, because the first clause has an unhappy word. So to answer the question correctly, I simply need to choose the happy word from the list. Again, I dont need to be able to define any of the words in the list, only to recognize whether they are happy words or not. To make the process simple, I mentally translate the question into: Though the first thingamabob was [not happy], the second thingamabob was __________. a. not happy b. happy c. not happy d. not happy I could use the same simplification technique with the conjunction but, as in The first thingamabob was [attractive, safe, whatever], but the second thingamabob was [the opposite]. The construction not only but tells us the opposite of though, that the second clause is giving us more of the same emotion as in the first clause: Not only was the thingamabob [useful], but it was [very useful, essential]. I use the slang word thingamabob to mean that it doesnt even matter what the thing actually is. What matters is the emotion in the clauses. It may sound like a vague technique, but by using it, I have achieved almost perfect scores on similar test sections in the PSAT, SAT, and GRE. Why tell stories? History is one of my favorite subjects. Even in elementary school, I would read ahead in my history book it had stories, after all. But at an earlier point in my life, I didnt appreciate history. History can be boring when teachers dont relate facts to human nature. I remember asking a teacher why we needed to study it. I wondered why we needed to learn about events that happened to other people long ago. My teacher explained that the stories of others can help us when were in similar situations. I read about a doctor who never expected to use what he had learned in his History of Medicine class, until he found himself in a prison camp without modern tools and treatments. In times of prosperity, we can draw lessons from other prosperous societies. When hard times come, its useful to know how other generations weathered hard times before us. A story is not just a way to make a lesson more interesting. A story can be the lesson itself. In December 1948, Israeli troops found the main road blocked to the central Egyptian garrison in the Negev desert. But Israeli general Yigael Yadin, an archaeologist by training, knew where a second road was. It had been abandoned thousands of years before, but with a little work, his troops made it through because their general knew old stories. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Business Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Synonyms for â€Å"Leader†Awoken or Awakened?50 Plain-Language Substitutions for Wordy Phrases

Engineering - Quality Management Research Paper

Engineering - Quality Management - Research Paper Example Looking back to the early 1980s a revolution, which can be perceived as a not-so-quiet, has been in effect in the global business. This has been an ideas revolution involving the questions of how to do business. The revolution can be said to be largely spearhead by three individuals, that is, Joseph Juran, Philip Crosby as well as W. Edward Deming. Thesis Statement The purpose of this paper is to access the similarities and the differences from the works of Deming and Crosby in quality management. On similarities, the paper will address; Customer Requirement as an important standard, the responsible quality management, goal of Quality as well as management Perspective. On the aspect of differences, the paper will address; The Basic orientation to quality, the question of what is Quality, implementation’s chief elements, inspection/ Defect control, improvement Basis, management perspective and cost of quality Discussion Similarities Customer Requirement as an important standard According to the work by Deming, he is of the view that the presence of a consumer is brought about by a necessity and as such, it is the most vital aspect of a system of production, that is, where there are no consumers, what then is the need for production? Crosby’s work define quality as conforming to certain set of specifications, which have been stipulated by the management of an organization and not some concept of goodness full of vagueness. The specifications entailed in quality are not made arbitrary either (Baxter & MacLeod, 2008). As such, they ought to be set in accordance with the needs as well as wants of the customers. The responsible quality management team According to the work advanced by Deming, it advances that quality is designed in the boardroom. In his notion of quality, he says that ideas such as; sincerity, hard work, personal responsibility as well as decency, indeed are responsible for the changed management world. He says that it is unsubstantial to just perform a task to the best of your capacity. It is necessary that one becomes aware of what he is working on. Crosby work indeed shares the same notion (Baxter & MacLeod, 2008). According to him, improvement in quality ought to commence from the top. In order to come up with a manufacturing process, with no defect, or what he term as zero defects, then the management of any organization must then set the suitable atmosphere and the tone whereby the employees will easily follow. If the management fails to establish a production system with zero defects, then it is not closer enough to a quality product. Goal of Quality In both works, they advance that quality improvement is an unending process. In Deming’s work, it is suggested that in order to meet and exceed the needs of a customer, it is necessary that there are continuous improvements. In the same notion, Crosby points out that the continuous improvements must be enhanced and as such, it should be done by setting a production with zero defects (John & Barnes, 2006). Though both works share common grounds in regard to the quality management, the largest part they share are the differences on the notion of quality management. Management Perspective In both works, drawing of comparison is mentioned

Accreditation of City College of San Francisco Research Paper - 1

Accreditation of City College of San Francisco - Research Paper Example Besides that I have incorporated pathos since there is an element of persuasion in argumentation and what better way to persuade than to appeal through the emotions of your opposition. The use of pathos has been juxtaposed with the use of logos since the opposition is one of the high intellects. Juxtaposition, therefore, is my second rhetorical device. The largest community college in California seems to have landed itself in big trouble. It faces the daunting prospect of losing its accreditation, a decision that would mean no more financial aid for its students and possibly the closure of the institution itself. The reasons for these are mainly fiscal trouble and mismanagement. Evaluators are not happy with the way City College allocates its budget, nor with the fact that it has a very few administrative staff, most of which, is untrained. According to Roberts, 92% of City College’s budget is spent on salaries and benefits with retirement benefits spiraling out of control, much of its one-time working capital is used to fund operational expenses and has a small number of administrators who are too inexperienced to run a big institution such as City College (Roberts). The Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges has given its verdict based on these reasons, the President of the Commission, Barbara Beno said, â€Å"Only accredited colleges can receive public funding under state law. However, City Colleges failure to fix serious, long-standing problems of leadership and fiscal planning means that the accrediting commission could vote as early as next June to yank the schools all-important certification† (Asimov). Losing accreditation would therefore mean no more public funding for one of the largest institutions in California, no chance of financial aid for its 90000 students and the dire prospect of closure. In fact, City College will also not be able to transfer credits,