Understanding Business And Management Research

Question: Describe about the Understanding Business And Management Research? Answer: Introduction Research methodical approaches are different for the different organization. Inter-organizational collaborations have become an important part of the organizational strategy and to counter with faster business dynamics and risk of uncertainties. The present conditions in the global market have opened the way for using different methodical approaches for analyzing market problems. Research methods include tools like collecting data then filtering them to find the appropriate ones. After that, the correct data are taken from analysis and vague data are trashed out. Different analytical tools and statistical packages are used for derivation and analysis. These techniques help to define the data and derive the full proof analysis of the problems. Research methods are there to make the analysis process more modernize. Modern approaches are helping to define the problems by more practical formulas and statistical packages. Using of graphical representation, diagram, and chart assists in ad ding more dimension to the approach. Statistical packages like SPSS, SAS, advanced Excel, STATA, and R are used to make the analysis more viable and trustworthy. These modern systems have enabled more pathways to interrogate problem cases (Larson-Hall 2015). Literature review of research methodologies 1) First Method (Quantitative) The methods and procedures maintain some rules and regulations in the analysis process. These processes are mainly maintained less plagiarism, procedures to minimize grammatical errors. However, these rules change year after year, but one should be aware when amending the task. The specific aims of methodical analysis are to provide a balanced with on the topic of research. It should be able to provide critical analysis of the research information. A good knowledge of theory and practical are needed for better analysis. The topics related with debate, and general arguments should be discussed in a way that it would reflect in the literature. For masters level project works relevant research method and techniques should be used. The material delivered should be analyzed through qualitative and quantitative methods. The understanding of research reports and the information is needed to improve the quality of the analysis (Liamputtong 2013). Quantitative tools are of enormous importance and instrumental in applying existing management and business theory. Practical problems should be countered by using more data from various authentic sources to make it more trustworthy. The theoretical and practically oriented research adds critical understanding to the body of work of the management task. The methods also include some social activities to promote further awareness to the problem topic. Study and module programs are there to help in further study on the topic of research. The learning outcome must include following models. A proper development of understanding is required for research design. The study should be done in an appropriate manner. Evaluate and justify systemically analyzing the quantitative and qualitative data. Ranges of tools are used to collect information. These instruments are recording, interviewing, reading, collecting data, communication, etc. Skills are also needed to analyze individual problems (Finley 2014). Interpersonal skills: These include skills like readiness to accept responsibility, employee flexibility, openness, etc. Team working: Skills like respecting others, giving proper support to colleagues, contributing to teamwork are included in Team working. Written Skills: Literature knowledge and writing skill are of enormous help in delegating research related tasks. IT Skills: Computer knowledge, knowledge about information technology, familiarity with word processing, spreadsheet, and file management skills is important. Experience in the work environment: Work experience is needed as employees with experience can handle critical tasks more easily than a newcomer. Fresh candidates also need skill enhancement classes, technical support, and skill training sessions to make them aware of the system (Zhu 2014). Numerical Skills: Mathematical knowledge, knowledge about statistics and numerical problem solving in practical contexts are needed to better reinvestment of delivering results. Presentation skills: Ability to deliver the result, approaching clients about their views, co Business awareness: Analyzing facts and situations and applying appropriate solution to counter the problem is needed. A general awareness of the marketplace and the challenges help to minimize problems. There are certain objectives in defining different methodologies used to define problem situations (Pickard 2012). Identify and describe important philosophies that help to analyze business problems and management issues. Outline comparative strengths and weaknesses of the main research methods Evaluate, derive and interpret qualitative data Understand and apply correct statistical packages to perform detailed analysis on quantitative data Present further research-oriented works to help future researchers to understand the depth of the subject matter Critical thinking is needed in verbal and literal form Mainly statisticians to amend any type of analysis use quantitative Methods. They use different statistical packages like STATA, R, SPSS and SAS for analysis. These techniques are perfect for evaluating any problem analysis. The quantitative methods have helped the companies to identify their problems by numerical stats. 2) Second Method (Qualitative) Basic Research Applied Research The purpose is to expand knowledge, using universal principles, relating principles with current problem topic. Significant finding and value analysis in respect to society is also needed. In applied research improved understanding of particular business, related problems are needed. Another key purpose is to look out for result-oriented solutions. Knowledge limited to problems may affect in finding the accurate result, so vast knowledge on the various subject is helpful. Research objective should be to relate the problems in relevance with management and organization. The context of basic research is to undertake result based on people concept. Choice of topic and relevancy of problem should be determined by the researcher. A flexible time scale is also an important aspect in this context. In applied research, the research program is undertaken by people based on the variety of setting included in organization and management. The originator should understand the context of the task. Specific time scales are needed to find in this context. There are four types of research problems can be found. These can be reporting, descriptive, explanatory and predictive. Good research is that where the research has distinguished the set of problems accurately and has clearly defined the symptoms and problems. In a pure research, it is wise to separate clearly the dilemma of research and address the research problem appropriately. The researcher should provide a complete research proposal (Chang-Richards et al. 2012). The research design should be thoroughly done without any mistake. The explanation should be done accordingly to help the audience to understand the construction of problem sample. Sampling methodology and proper data collection are two best procedures to access any difficult problem. There might be some limitations in the analysis, but those need to be told frankly. Frankness shows that the result of the research is trustworthy, and customers can use the result to evaluate the problems. The high ethical standard shoul d be maintained to protect any dissolution in the problem statement of the case. Safeguards are needed to be in place to protect the research results. Some participants, key findings, appropriate clients and validity of the organization should be looked after carefully so that no unethical things arrive. The studys methodology and limitation area should reflect the thought process of the researcher and researcher should give an insight of his thinking in the research paper. It can help the students and readers to see the depth of the problem (Hibbert et al. 2014). Ethics should be there to restrain and concern about the accuracy of the result. An adequate analysis is needed for decision makers to sufficiently analyze the collections of the study. Qualitative methods are mainly theory oriented and specific formulas are followed in analysis purpose. Qualitative methods are concerned about the quality of the analysis. It solely follows to maintain the guidelines when amending the task. The results from the analysis might not be the perfect outcome but it can guaranty about the quality of the task. Third Method (Qualitative + Quantitative) Finding presented unambiguously in the words, tables and graphs. Findings should be logically interpreted. It should logically facilitate research program, and the decision should be taken after mangers evaluation. The conclusion should justify the matched details. Another thing is that researcher should provide own experience and credentials with the report. In research, related topic referencing should be present. Referencing is needed to justify the credential and viability of the findings. It creates a trust factor in the mind of the readers. To assess any problem researcher should use journal articles, books and authentic website sources to help in analyzing the complexity of the problem (Gacula Jr 2013). Theoretical knowledge It is developed by systematic reflection Research knowledge It is manufactured through systematic investigation Practical knowledge It can be developed though taking actions Tools for thinking 1. Concepts 2. Metaphors 3. Models 4. Theories 5. Ideologies 6. Perspectives 7. Assumptions Primary Research tools Secondary research tools Tertiary research tools Reports Theses Conference Emails Company reports Some government journals Unpublished manuscript Journals Books Newspapers Government publications Index Databases Dictionary Bibliography Encyclopedia Catalogues A good review method includes, Explanation Literature should mention and discuss the related problem statements It mentions theoretical ideas and gives further explanations It summarizes previous studies and investigates the current problem statement. Comparison It analyzes previous studies It discusses theoretical ideas mentioned in the pretext of earlier studies Evaluation It demonstrates how the current study fits with previous studies, and it also shows new contributions This process is a mixed procedure followed by the analytic teams for proper analysis. The mixture of quantitative and qualitative methods has been proved as the best method to counter any specific problem. The problem statement analysis and amending the task is a dual responsibility for the statisticians. They are now approaching the task in a mixed manner to enhance the result better than pervious times. Analysis Assumptions Positivism Interpretivism Reality Tangible Socially constructed Research goal Explaining Understanding Knowledge generated General, average and representative Relative meaning Subject research relationship Rigid separation Interactive Focus Average Specific Desired information Should have a particular problem Problems they confront with Method Content analysis Interviews Research design should be made after revaluing these things, Investigate the research problem Attempt to explore the study Explore the objectives Obtain the information Outline procedures for every research activity Guiding the selection of sources Verifying research question The research design is all about, the kind of answers the study is looking for. What techniques have been used. The sampling procedure that is being used, time, and constraints are there to deal with. The design can be classified into four sectors. These are descriptive study and predictive study, cross-selection studies and longitudinal studies (Sderlund et al. 2011). It can further classify into two topical areas; these are statistical studies and case studies. The environmental selection has three perspectives. These are field conditions, laboratory conditions, and simulations (Creswell 2013). Evaluation To evaluate the techniques, there are methods like, Qualitative techniques Elite interviews Primary data Secondary data Surveys Telephonic survey Personal survey Electronic survey Web-based survey Postal survey Focus groups Composition of groups Quality outcomes Two-stage design Exploration Explanation In-depth interviews With students or clients Observation Observing various results and data Descriptive study To answer and to provide accurate account of current state of affairs The main steps in quantitative research Theory Hypotheses Research design Derived measures of concepts Selecting sites for research Selecting respondents Collect data Process data Analyze data Findings Write up findings Findings Concepts are as follows, Building blocks of theory Labels that give elements to social world Categories Useful concepts are, To provide an explanation of a certain aspect of the social world Standing for things, we want to explain Basis for measuring changes and variations To improve response rates to mail questionnaire Good covering letter Mailing Clear instructions Start questions with welcome word Introductory sentence Greetings Open questions Monetary incentives Personalized covering of letter Statistical graphs like histogram, polygon, ogive and pie charts are used for graphical representation. Statistical formulas like Mean, population mean, sample mean, variability, ANOVAs, Range, Variance and central tendency are used for the analysis process. Statistical tools like SPSS are used in this area. IBM has acquired the use of SPSS. It has terms like nominal, Cardinal and scale. Coding is used for each variable to assign numbers. EDA is used to explain and examine descriptive statistics and frequency distribution (De Vaus 2013). Conclusion It can be concluded that use of various methods has helped to analyze any problem more efficiently than previous times. In modern times, many statistical packages have been derived to help the analysis more productive. It has highlighted the importance of using the benefits to good effect. These tools have been precious for keeping the trust factors in the mind of readers and students. Data collection techniques have been a key instrument to collect accurate data from reliable sources to further track down the importance of the problem topic. Research has found since the last decade or so the practical results have been very frequent than previous years. It has stamped a sense of approval for the instruments, which have been used to analyze problematic situations in an organization. References: "Information, knowledge, systems management",Information, knowledge, systems management,[Online]. Bouncken, R.B., Gast, J., Kraus, S. and Bogers, M., 2015. Coopetition: a systematic review, synthesis, and future research directions.Review of Managerial Science,9(3), pp.577-601. Chang-Richards (Alice), Y., Rapp, R., Wilkinson, S., von Meding, J. Haigh, R. 2015, "Call for papers: International Journal of Project Management",International Journal of Project Management. Cohen, L., Manion, L. and Morrison, K., 2013.Research methods in education. Routledge. Creswell, J.W., 2013.Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approach. Sage publications. De Vaus, D., 2013.Surveys in social research. Routledge. Finley, S., 2014. An Introduction to Critical Arts-Based Research Demonstrating Methodologies and Practices of a Radical Ethical Aesthetic.Cultural Studies Critical Methodologies, p.1532708614548123. Gacula Jr, M.C., 2013.Statistical methods in food and consumer research. Elsevier. Hibbert, P., Sillince, J., Diefenbach, T. and Cunliffe, A.L., 2014. Relationally reflexive practice a generative approach to theory development in qualitative research.Organizational research methods,17(3), pp.278-298. Hinton, P.R., McMurray, I. and Brownlow, C., 2014.SPSS explained. Routledge. Larson-Hall, J., 2015.A guide to doing statistics in second language research using SPSS and R. Routledge. Liamputtong, P. 2013,Qualitative research methods,4th edn, Oxford University Press, South Melbourne. Pickard, A., 2012.Research methods in information. Facet Publishing. Riff, D., Lacy, S. and Fico, F., 2014.Analyzing media messages: Using quantitative content analysis in research. Routledge. Rouder, J.N., Morey, R.D., Speckman, P.L., and Province, J.M., 2012. Default Bayes factors for ANOVA designs.Journal of Mathematical Psychology,56(5), pp.356-374. Sderlund, J., Lenfle, S., Linkpings universitet, Fretagsekonomi, Filosofiska fakulteten Institutionen fr ekonomisk och industriell utveckling 2011, "Special issue: Project history: International journal of project management",International Journal of Project Management,vol. 29, no. 5, pp. 491. Strategic Management Society 2011, "Global strategy journal",Global strategy journal,[Online]. Valeri, L. and VanderWeele, T.J., 2013. Mediation analysis allowing for exposuremediator interactions and causal interpretation: Theoretical assumptions and implementation with SAS and SPSS macros.Psychological Methods,18(2), p.137. Wahyuni, D., 2012. The research design Maze: Understanding paradigms, cases, methods, and methodologies.Journal of Applied Management Accounting Research,10(1), pp.69-80. Zhu, J., 2014.Quantitative models for performance evaluation and benchmarking: data envelopment analysis with spreadsheets(Vol. 213). Springer. Zikmund, W., Babin, B., Carr, J. and Griffin, M., 2012.Business research methods. Cengage Learning.

How to Write Your Own General Partnership Law Sample Essay

How to Write Your Own General Partnership Law Sample EssayAre you looking for a general partnership law sample essay to help you write your own? You can do this in one of two ways. You can either obtain a general partnership law sample essay from an attorney or you can write it yourself.In general, I tend to recommend that people attempt to write their own general partnership law sample essay for the following reasons. First of all, writing is generally a more fun experience than reading.Secondly, writing your own essay is extremely satisfying as well. Writing it yourself affords you complete control of the essay and also makes it much easier to proofread and edit. After you've completed it, you'll probably find it is far more concise and to the point than you could have written by reading a sample essay.Now, there are a couple problems with sample essays that you'll want to be aware of. The most obvious is that you aren't really paying attention to the questions that the sample essa y asks you to answer. If you don't know what a third party insurance policy actually is, you're going to be hard pressed to answer any of the questions that are asked in the sample essay.Another problem is that you really aren't being given enough to work with to provide you with an honest and clear analysis of what the general partnership law requires of you. Essentially, you can only answer a handful of questions at a time while reading the sample essay, so it really is important that you take some time to think about the questions asked.The bottom line, if you intend to write your own general partnership law sample essay, is that you need to take some time to prepare for this process. You need to get some information regarding what the sample essay is trying to teach you and what you should expect to learn.In addition, you need to take some time to study the sample essay. Study both to learn as much as possible and to gain insight into how it works and to help you be as prepared as possible when you finally sit down to write your own. Finally, if you really want to write your own, don't forget to include a few tips for effective writing!

Parallels Of Latin American Culture Essays - Pedro Pramo, Juan Rulfo

Parallels Of Latin American Culture There is an uncountable amount of references of Latin American culture found within the literature, Pedro Paramo by Juan Rulfo, and No One Writes To the Colonel by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. The question is; can the reader whose cultural experiences are based in the United States of American relate and make relevant to themselves the aspects of Latin American Culture? Through the comparison of sport, such as cock-fighting, a Latin American pastime, The roles of a small town vs. a large urban American city, and the part the Patron plays in the community, it can be seen that the United States reader does not have the Latin American experiences necessary to easily relate to many of the situations presented in the texts. Cock-fighting is an important sport in No On Writes to the Colonel, and is referred to many times through out the book. Cock-fighting is used as a means for economic gain and an improvement in ones standing in the community. Cock-fighting in the story is viewed in different lights. To some, the fights represent the risk of gambling and the decaying state of the society. These people would see the violent and greedy nature of the sport as the peoples last resort for economic stability with a high price to pay; morals and decency. The other side of the spectrum would view the sport as a highly entertaining pastime that has monetary as well as social benefits. A man could become rich and respected off the fighting ability of his trained animal. Interestingly enough there is a highly similar sport in the United States that faces these exact clashing viewpoints; for example, the highly regarded and disregarded sport of professional wrestling. One side of the United States population would cite this activity as an immoral and disgusting sport that feeds on the lust for money and violence of a lower-class group of individuals. However, the opposing side views it merely as a good laugh and an easy and entertaining outlet for mans inscrutable appetite for gambling. These two parallels between Latin American culture as presented in these two texts and United States culture, obviously give the U.S. reader the ability to make the situations and pastimes presented in the book relevant to themselves. In Pedro Paramo , the plot is based around an extremely small and isolated town named Comala, in the midst of the Mexican landscape. This setting is often presented in Latin American literature because it is only there where small towns are isolated from each other and the rest of the world because of barriers in the terrain and communication, as well as tradition. The city of Comala, and isolated and desolate ghost city is not questioned or uncommon when viewed in Latin American literature, however there is very little like this to be found in the United States. The United States reader would know that throughout the U.S. landmass even small distant cities are connected to the tangle of communication, commerce and tourism that is America. It is because the U.S. reader has never been in an environment as isolated and completely separated from a mainstream society as seen in Comala in Pedro Paramo, it is hard to really relate to that type of setting. This is one example of the vast differences between the two cultures that interferes with the readers ability to connect with the relevance of some of the material in Latin American literature. One more example that demonstrates the effect that the differences in the cultures of Latin American and the United States have on the readers ability to relate to the text, is the role of a Patron in a community. Throughout both of the texts the Patron plays a very important part. He is feared, he is respected and he is the corrupt owner of towns and their inhabitants. In the Latin American culture it is not considered to be a monopolistic type of situation, rather more of a community leader controlling the town. In a land of free enterprise and a place where the government has control over the amount of control that one person can have over the people, the readers in the United States have very little to relate to when it comes to the role of the Patron. Although the Patron plays a very solid role in Latin American society, there is very little comparison to something of that sort in the U.S. Once again there seems to be one more

Pride and Prejudice Passage Mimick

Pride and Prejudice Passage Mimick Free Online Research Papers Note from the author: This was for my European Lit. class. We were suppose to pick a passage from Pride and Prejudice and write a mock passage for it. It was 2:30 in the afternoon, and two Northwood High students, Suzan and Charlie, were spending their free 7th period outside at the lunch tables. Charlie decided that he wanted to do his European history homework because he had a test the next day. Suzan just sat next to him, staring. While Charlie was doing his homework Suzan tried to start a conversation, but failed miserably. â€Å"That is a huge book that you’re reading†¦you must be like uber smart!!† gasped Suzan. â€Å"It is what all European history students must read Suzan.† Charlie curtly replied. â€Å"You must mean like the life history, the real history. You must be the smartest in your class, because you write super neat!† Charlie, however, did not reply. He just continued doing his homework. â€Å"I like your pen too; the dice at the end of the pencil is like awesomely cute.† Charlie gave Suzan a pointed look that obviously stated he was getting rather annoyed at this situation; nevertheless, Suzan took no heed. â€Å"Look at the small birds, they’re small.† yelled Suzan, â€Å"They are small birds.† â€Å"Yes, small birds.† â€Å"You’re hand writing is neat, you know that. It’s like so neat you didn’t even have to use the lines on you’re paper! It takes such a long time to fill out a whole paper with notes and stuff! You’re so neat and smart!† â€Å"Yes, it is tedious work, but it is work that I need complete. And furthermore, I like to be well organized and prepared for all my classes, as you commented before.† stated Charlie. â€Å"WOW! It’s like you know what I’m thinking. I was thinking the exact same thing before you said anything. It’s like you’re psychic or something!† He was silent. â€Å"You know I was wondering, did you finish that essay we had in English. That really long essay. I mean, how could a teacher give out so much homework? And that math teacher, gosh! He just sat there and read his newspaper, he didn’t teach the class anything!† â€Å"We do not have the delight of being in the same English class. And besides, I would believe that your mathematics teacher gave you a warm up then a test.† â€Å"OH! It was a test! How could I forget? No wonder nobody said anything and it was so quiet, and I was wondering why everyone was like looking at me weirdly.† â€Å"It seems so.† â€Å"You know, you seem like the talkative type. And you’re such a fantastic conversationalist. We should do this often† There was a slight pause. â€Å"Perhaps† was the reply. â€Å"OH MY GOSH that is such a wonderful idea.† The bell suddenly rang, signaling the end of school and ending their â€Å"discussion†. Charlie packed up his belongings, said a civil good-bye to Suzan and walked off to his ride. Research Papers on Pride and Prejudice Passage MimickStandardized TestingThe Spring and AutumnAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeMind TravelPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyQuebec and CanadaHip-Hop is ArtPETSTEL analysis of IndiaEffects of Television Violence on Children19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided Era

The Reasons Surrounding the Global Financial Crises Essay

The Reasons Surrounding the Global Financial Crises - Essay Example The essay "The Reasons Surrounding the Global Financial Crises" talks about the Great Depression which occurred in 1930 and was triggered off by the sharp and unprecedented decline in the American stock exchange, the Americans wrapped themselves up around Hoover blankets they had no jobs and the unemployment rate went completely out of control. The recent economic meltdown gave rise to a plethora of economic problems; it was triggered off by the subprime crisis. This paper will shed more light on the subprime crisis. Barrack Obama had to issue a bailout package to save the economy of America, earlier the credit rating of America was triple A but after the recession, it became double A which means America is less likely to pay its debt than earlier. Such news often sends panic waves across the world. The financial crisis triggered off because of the subprime crisis, subprime refers to excessive borrowing and the inability to pay back the debt. â€Å"Several times recently, Treasury Secretary Paulson has claimed that the "root cause" of the current financial crisis is "the housing correction." (Root Cause of the Financial Crisis) The people in the US took loans from banks and other major financial institutions and invested that money into the housing sector but the prices of their houses declined sharply and they were unable to pay their loans back. Institutions like Lehmann Brothers and others went bust because they could not recover their loans and the ever-increasing debt affected them immensely.

Reflective report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Reflective report - Essay Example For this reason, the central role of any forensic investigator is not only in executing investigation to unearth the truth about a mystery, but also to apply his or her prowess to seize and safeguard obtained evidence. In this reflective report, I will emulate on the role and function of a forensics investigator when performing a forensic investigation and the responsibility that the forensics investigator has for seizing and safeguarding evidence. The report entails two segments: the first one being a topic of Peter’s material and second is on a topic from Nick’s material. I have selected Digital Forensics and Systems Analysis and volatile memory topics from Peter and Nick’s topics respectively. As a result, the objective of this reflective report is to explain the knowledge and experience I have gained in the unit on the role and function of a forensic investigator in reference to my selected topics. The module on the role and function of a forensic investigator and particularly the understanding about Digital Forensics and Systems Analysis has been instrumental to me in several ways. Typically, a digital forensic is an investigation process that uses scientific and technological knowledge to examine digital objects and consequently develop and test theories. It can be invoked, in a court of law, to respond to questions about incidences that occurred. Considering the credibility that such evidence demands, I have gained substantial lessons from the unit on digital forensics and systems. Of the many lessons, some of the significant ones include an understanding of the types of digital analysis, digital investigation models, and digital crime scene investigation processes. Through this module, I realised that in digital forensic investigations, the investigator often encounters many digital data formats that subsequently demand different models of analysis.

Geological Applications of the Stable Isotopes of Nitrogen

Geological Applications of the Stable Isotopes of Nitrogen Bruce Botton Hard rock, geological applications of the stable isotopes of nitrogen. Introduction. Gammon and Ebbing book of general chemistry define isotope as â€Å"an atom with the same number of protons, but differing numbers of neutrons. So isotopes are just different forms of a single element.†[ Gammon, Ebbing. (2005). (8th ed., p. 467)] There are two broader definitions of isotopes, light isotopes are elements that are lighter (contain less neutrons) than the common more stable element (eg. 12O,26S and 34Cl) and Heavy isotopes are the atom contains greater number of neutrons than the most common form( eg. Fe, Cu and Zn). Focusing on light stable isotopes in low temperature environments such as H, C and O and with specific reference to Nitrogen isotopes. Below are a few properties of light stable elements: They are usually of low atomic masses. The mass difference between the heavy, uncommon isotopes and the common light isotopes is usually very large. The lighter elements form bonds with more covalent properties. These light elements form a large number of compounds that are found in the natural environment. Exist in more than one oxidation state. The relative abundances of isotopes are high enough for precise determination of isotropic ratios by mass spectrometry. Sedimentary rocks, low grade igneous and metamorphic rocks (ie. That form at temperatures of 350 degrees Celsius and less) are the type of rocks that we are expecting to find these stables isotopes of interest. Any temperature above this constitutes as high temperature geochemistry. The use of isotopes in analysis of rocks is of increasing popularity, it uses the variations in isotope abundance of various elements to determine certain properties of a rock. These properties that are available are origin and age of the rocks; air or water bodies and even to see if there has been any mixing of magmas to change the composition of the rocks. Stable isotope geochemistry is mainly focussed on the isotropic variations from mass dependant isotope fractionation as compared with radiogenic isotope geochemistry which uses the products of natural radioactive decay (eg. Half lives). Equation 1. Enrichment factor equation. Many isotopes the amount of fractionation that an atom or body of molecules undergoes is very small (both kinetic or equilibrium), so small measured in parts per thousand or less. The formula above shows us the enrichment factor that is present in a sample. This formula uses the ratio of heavy isotopes to light isotopes as compared with a standard sample. So for nitrogen we will be using 15N/14N For the purpose of this assignment, we are focusing on the use of nitrogen and its two isotopes 14N and 15N in the analysis of hard rocks. Nitrogen is a colourless, odourless tasteless and most commonly a diatomic non metal gas, it actually makes up 78% of the Earth’s atmosphere. Not only is it over three quarters of our atmosphere but it is a part of all living tissues and is an essential part of life as it is part of DNA and therefore important in the genetic code and the evolution of life. The nitrogen cycle (figure below) is an essential part of existence on earth. Nitrogen cycle. Figure 1 . Schematic diagram of the Nitrogen cycle.[ Petrucci, et al (2002). (8th ed., pp. 887–889). Prentice Hall.] There are 9 stages of the nitrogen cycle, there is no start point the nitrogen cycle is a complex, continous and simultaneous system. Nitrogen fixation: this is a chemical processes by which atmospheric nitrogen is transformed into organic compoundsby microorganisms. N2 à ¯Ã†â€™Ã‚   NH4+ à ¯Ã†â€™Ã‚   N-org Ammonification: this process is a conversion of organic nitrogen to ammonium by bacteria. N-org à ¯Ã†â€™Ã‚   NH4+ Nitrification: this is a process by which a nitro group is substituted for another group in organic compound. NH4+ à ¯Ã†â€™Ã‚   NO2 à ¯Ã†â€™Ã‚   NO3 Assimilation: is the conversion of nutriment into a usable form that is incorporated into human tissue and organs after digestion NH4+ à ¯Ã†â€™Ã‚   N-org Dentrification: is a process by which microbacteria breaks down a nitrate to produce N2. NO3 à ¯Ã†â€™Ã‚   NO2 à ¯Ã†â€™Ã‚   NO à ¯Ã†â€™Ã‚   N2O à ¯Ã†â€™Ã‚   N2 Volatilization: in this instance it is when liquid ammonium is transformed into ammonia gas. NH4+ à ¯Ã†â€™Ã‚   NH3 gas Case studies: Nitrogen isotopes in peridotitic diamonds from Fuxian, China: the mantle signature. Nitrogen is of low abundance in the earth’s mantle due to lack of knowledge. But fibrous diamonds are a N rich form and are associated with MORB vesicles these have been tested and give a ÃŽ ´Ã‚ ­15N value of -5†°, the reason for a negative value is due to it being a relative value to the external sources (atmosphere) This has lead people to believe in the heterogeneous accretion model of the earth. In Pierre Cartigny et al experimental procedure they separated diamonds into broad categories, type 1 has no nitrogen and type 2 does not contain any Nitrogen. These abnormalities are linked to diffusion process and might help tell us if diamonds formed in multiple steps. The nitrogen and the ÃŽ ´15N were measured with accuracy  ±2.5% and 0.5% respectively. After IR analysis 25% of the diamonds taken from Pipe 50 were determined as type 2 , and the remainder a mixture of type 1 and 2 diamonds. These ‘mixed diamonds’ are separate platelets compacted together, this zonation of the aggregated states of type 1 and type 2 platelets conform that the octahedrally shaped diamonds growth was over a extended period. 25% of the samples that were analyzed were found to have a lower value of a ÃŽ ´Ã‚ ­15N the in previous works ranging from -12†° to -25†° and the nitrogen concentrations vary from 0 to 1473 ppm. Below figure 2 shows us the ÃŽ ´ 15N histogram which show us fibrous diamonds from all over the World and the octahedrally shaped diamonds from pipe 50, the result as can be seen is that they are based around the same value ( -7†° and -5†°). These results are coincidently similar to the ÃŽ ´13C; this shows us that the fractionation of stable nitrogen isotopes during non fibrous diamond growth is unlikely. The growth of octahedral shaped diamonds should be seen as a large open system with limited supply of volatiles and periods of time in which resorption can occur. Geochemical evidence shows fibrous and peridotitic diamonds originate from similar sources, believed to be the convecting asthenosphere with values of ÃŽ ´Ã‚ ­15N being -5  ± 2 and -4.5  ±1†° respectively. If we wanted to strengthen this argument we would have to look at Diamonds that are found in the lower mantle. These diamonds would originate from a less degassed mantle, this would mean that there wou ld be little to no nitrogen present. If the nitrogen content is controlled by rate of growth rather than the carbon nitrogen ratio of the fluid, this means that there will be little or no correlation between N and ÃŽ ´Ã‚ ­15N, and even less between ÃŽ ´13C and nitrogen which is present in this case. [ Geà ¢ochimie, et al. (1997). Terra Nova, 9(4), 175–179.] Figure 2. histogram comparing ÃŽ ´15N values of diamonds from pipe 50 kimberlites and previously analysed fibrous diamonds.[ Geà ¢ochimie, et al. (1997). Terra Nova, 9(4), 175–179.] Concentrations and isotope ratios of carbon, nitrogen and sulphur in the ocean floor basalts. The concentration of stable isotope ratios in fresh basalts on the sea floor provides us with information on abundance and isotope ratio of volatile elements in the upper mantle and crust. Samples were taken from less than 10mm from billow basalt ridges and then other samples were taken from the inner portions of the pillows where the groundmass ranges from glassy to crypto-crystalline. The isotropic ratios ÃŽ ´ was atmospheric nitrogen and the uncertainties was  ±1†°. The contents and the ratio of nitrogen present in the ocean floor basalts range from 0.3 – 2.8 ppm and from -0.4†° – 0.8†°. The nitrogen that was attained was of one order of magnitude bigger than the blank nitrogen cycle. This said but the uncertainties in the experiment were rather large  ±1†°, this is due to the small sample sizes. This said, the discrepancy of the isotope ratios should not be taken to be significant but the uniformity of the isotropic ratio and their similarity to the N2 ­ in the air should be emphasized. Nitrogen’s most common form in igneous rocks is in the form of N2 ­ and ammonia. When nitrogen vapour is in contact with magma it would most likely exist as N2, but if it is in the magma it will most likely be in the form of ammonia. The nitrogen in the magma itself will most likely escape as N2 from ascending magma and decreasing confining pressure and will act as a alkaline cation when undergoing fractional crystallization and therefore will be more evolved in a more evolved magma. As Degassing and fractional crystallization proceed NH+4 is enriched relative to N ­2, and NH3 would become depleted and more enriched in 15N this means that 15N/14N in igneous rocks increases with decreasing nitrogen content. According to Sakai, H et al. The average ÃŽ ´ 15N of magmatic crust, atmosphere and sedimentary rocks are 4.2, 0 and 5.2†° respectively. Therefore the global distributions of nitrogen isotopes have been interpreted as the result of out gassing of magma and fractiona tion between N2 and NH+4. ÃŽ ´15N found in MORB are close to the crustal values and therefore can be said to support the above model. Conclusion: Finally in conclusion we can see the importance of nitrogen not only in the atmosphere and our very being. But we can see that there are uses for the stable isotopes in the continued attempts to try and understand the Earth’s history and origin. Reference list: Gammon, Ebbing. (2005). General Chemistry. (R. Stratton, Ed.) (8th ed., p. 467). New york: Charles Hartford. Geà ¢ochimie, L. De, Physique, I. De, Vii, U. D. P., Cnrs, U. R. A., Cartigny, P., Boyd, S. R., Harris, J. W., et al. (1997). Nitrogen isotopes in peridotitic diamonds from Fuxian , Chinaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¯: the mantle signature. Terra Nova, 9(4), 175–179. Petrucci, Harwood, Herring. (2002). General Chemistry. (J. Challice, Ed.) (8th ed., pp. 887–889). Prentice Hall. Sakai, H., Des Marais, D. J., Ueda, a, Moore, J. G. (1984). Concentrations and isotope ratios of carbon, nitrogen and sulfur in ocean-floor basalts. Geochimica et cosmochimica acta, 48, 2433–41. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11540821 Sharp, Z(2007), Principles of stable isotopes Geochemistry. Prentice Hall,NJ.