Data Collection And Data Analysis Physical Education Essay

Data Collection And Data Analysis Physical Education Essay The research method plays an essential role in addressing the research objectives with reliable and valid data. This section illustrates how and why a certain approach chosen to answer the research questions. The methodology of this research bases on research onion model (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2012). The structure of this chapter follows the layers of the research onion model. Figure 0.: The research onion Source:  © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2008 (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2012, p.108) 3.1. Research philosophy Selecting the research philosophy is a necessary stage in the research process because it is important to reflect the perspective of a researcher and it also influences directly on the choice of research strategy and research methods (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2012). In business and management research, the popular philosophies includes positivism, realism interpretivism and pragmatism (Creswell, 2008; Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2012). Thus, this research should determine the suitable philosophies based on the philosophy theory and the research questions and research objectives stated above. Regarding the theory philosophy, Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill (2012) discuss that there are two key points of view including ontology and epistemology. Firstly, based on ontology, the nature of reality or being of researchers view about the positivist is objective, external and independent with social factors, but researchers view about the interpretivist is subjective, social constructed and changeable depend on the participants (ibid.). On the other hand, on the way of thinking about epistemology, the valid knowledge of researchers view about the positivist focuses on causality, reducing phenomena to simplest elements, data and facts; but researchers view about interpretivist concentrates on social phenomena, feelings attitudes and detail of situations and subjective meaning (ibid., p.119). These viewpoints between ontology and epistemology are difference, and each of them will impact on the way of thinking about the research process. Additionally, the pragmatist research philosop hy tends to be the combination of both positivist and interpretivist. The positivist philosophy is appropriate choice for this research owing to the research objectives to examine the relationships among measurements of an e-learning system success and the using e-learning system of students to support their KM. Regarding ontology view, the e-learning system is an objective and singular. Furthermore, collecting data to analyse the e-learning system success in this research proves that it is positivism based on epistemology view. However, investigating students attitude can use interpretivism but it is reasonable with positivism. 3.2. Research approach Due to positivistic philosophy and the research questions to test theory and the prior researches discussed in the literature review chapter, this research is suitable with deductive approach. This approach includes 5 progressive stages: (1) inferring hypotheses from the theory (test relationship among variables in the e-learning system success); (2) proposing the relationships among variables in this research (e.g. users attitude positive impacting on system acceptance); (3) testing operational hypotheses (using statistical software to estimate hypotheses); (4) discussing the outcome to confirm the theory; and (5) altering the theory based on the findings (Robson, 2002 cited in Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2012, p.124-125). Furthermore, the detailed progress of this research based on this deductive approach is illustrated in figure 3.2 (Maylor and Blackmon, 2005). Figure 0.: The deductive approach process (Maylor and Blackmon, 2005,p.56) 3.3. Research strategy Creswell (2008) stated that research strategy significantly influence on the direction of the research, as a result, the choice of research strategy is essential in research progress. The factors impact on the selected strategy including the research questions and objective, the choice of research philosophy, research approach and other resources such as time constraint, finance or data access (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2012). Due to the selected deductive approach, experiment, survey, ground theory or case study are the research strategies that can be applied for this research. Experiment strategy tends to concentrate on a specific group. Moreover, case study is often used in specific research for a period of time. Hence, both experiment strategy and case study are not suitable for this study due to of the research questions. Because this study is developed on the previous researches in difference context, the ground theory strategy is not appropriate with this research. On the other hand, the survey approach is the most rational choice for this research within limited time. Survey strategy can be defined as a specific sampling from the population and the structured questionnaires are designed to test theory (Malhotra and Birks, 2007). This strategy is suitable to test the relationships between variables in research objectives using quantitative data method (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2012). In additi on, this survey strategy also appropriate with cross-sectional time horizon studies (Easterby-Smith et al. 2008; Robson 2002 cited in Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2012). Alternatively, the survey strategy also has some limitations such as irrelevant or inaccurate responses of the questionnaire or possibly insufficient sample. The number of responses may not achieve the target of at least 95% of confidential level because people are not able or willing to answers the questionnaire (Girden and Kabacoff, 2010). Understanding the potential drawbacks of the survey strategy is vital that result in well preparing in data collection plan. 3.4. Research choices Due to the selected positivistic research philosophy as well as deductive approach, the mono method with quantitative approach is the research choice of this study. Using mono method seems to be adequate because this is not ground theory and experiment research strategy. Additionally, referring the section 2.2 of the literature review chapter, the mono method with only quantitative research approach tends to be used in almost previous researches to measure the e-learning system success and to test the research model. Hence, the theory and research framework of based on previous researches are tested in this research in the context of the University of Southampton with the quantitative approach. 3.5. Time horizon This research has been conducted in three months. Thus, it is appropriate with cross-sectional time horizon owing to time constraint. Cross-sectional researches are appropriate to study specific phenomenon at specific time while longitudinal researches are suitable to study change and development over a long period of time (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2012). 3.6. Research design: Data collection and data analysis This  section aims to describe detail about the quantitative approach to collect and analyse primary data with sampling method, questionnaire design, pilot testing, data collection and data analysis sub-sections. 3.6.1. Sampling method The context of this research is the University of Southampton. Therefore, all students and alumni of the University who has used the e-learning system at the University can participate on this research. Due to applying survey research strategy in this research, the most suitable sampling method for this study can be probability samples. Based on the probability sampling method (another name is representative sampling), the research questions and objectives can be achieved by evaluating statistically the characteristics of the population from the sample (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2012, p.213). In this research, the population which is all students using the e-learning system at the University of Southampton is generalised from the sample which is the students participating in the questionnaire. The most appropriate sampling technique for this study is simple random sampling but the sampling frame size and the cost and time consuming of this sampling technique is high (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2012). Hence, multi-stage can be used as the sampling technique to save time and cost. In the first stage of this sampling technique, the list of schools at the University of Southampton is drawn. Then, in the second stage, a simple random sample of students can be selected by chosen schools. In fact, the selected schools may be not random because it is not acceptance to help of all schools at the University to broadcast the survey to their students. This study uses online questionnaire as a result of sharing questionnaire easily via emails or social network (such as Facebook). Indeed, several schools at the University are willing to help sending the questionnaire to all their students email. Higher Education Statistic Agency summary that there are more than 23,000 students at the University of Southampton in 2010/2011 (HESA, 2012). Thus, the population in this study can be more than 100 thousands because both students and alumni has been used the e-learning system at the University since at least 4 years. This research targets to achieve 95 per cent confidence level and 5 per cent margin of error. Thus, referring to figure about sample sizes for different sizes of population at a 95 confidence level, the minimum sample size is 383 (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2012, p.219). 3.6.2. Questionnaire design Designing a questionnaire is a vital stage in data collection technique to support positivism methodology, deductive approach and survey strategy in business and management research (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2012). The questionnaire technique is used to test the reliability and validity of hypotheses proposed from research objectives and research framework (Neuman and Neuman, 2011). There are many benefits of using questionnaire technique in research. For instance, it is an effective and economical approach to collect primary data (Patten, 2001). It also provide clear result in tabular to analyse easily (ibid.). Moreover, it can be managed anonymously and asynchronously (ibid.). The type of questionnaire in this research is self-administrated online questionnaire due to the convenience and effectiveness of broadcasting as well as preparing data. The online questionnaire is designed on the iSurvey platform which is endorsed by the University of Southampton (www.isurvey.soton.ac.uk). Because iSurvey is a high quality tool and many advantages such as no cost, secure, friendly interface, ease of use, reliability and stability, it is used to design questionnaire by almost students of the University. Following the questionnaire research a practical guide of Patten (2011), the designed questions are clear, short, simple and avoided common errors. Due to the willing help and limited time of participants, only necessary questions are presented in the questionnaire. Moreover, the questionnaire is designed with a short time to complete (around 10 minutes). The validity of questions in questionnaire can lead to accurate data after collecting, and the reliability means the consistence of collected data (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2012). Bourque and Clark (1994, cited in Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2012) stated three effective methods to design individual questions that are adopting questions used in other questionnaires; adapting questions used in other questionnaires; and developing own questions. Thus, rich literature review significantly supports questionnaire design with high reliability and validity because the questions in questionnaires are tested in the previous researches. Moreover, clear questions in questionnaire are recommended to discuss with others and test pilot studies (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2012). The questionnaire is designed with three sections. The first section to ask about the basic information of participant, the most important question in this section is that Have/had you used the e-learning system (Blackboard, Moodle, Medis, ECS, or others) of the University of Southampton? If participant select option No, they will complete the questionnaire. At the second section, the questions are self-developed question to conduct descriptive statistic regarding using e-learning system of students to facilitate their KM. The content of these questions in this section is classified by attribute and behaviour. These questions based on the theory on literature review regarding e-learning system success and KM. They also have been recommended by friends who are studying PhD and have much experience with questionnaire design; and test in pilot study. The final section in the questionnaire aims to test the research framework and research hypotheses. This section includes 32 items and all adopt 5-point Likert scale (from 1 strongly disagree to 5 strongly agree). All items are adapted and adopted questions used in prior researches regarding e-learning system success and e-learning system as a tool to support KM (for example, items are referred and adapted from Lin, 2007; Lin, 2007, Liaw, Chen and Huang, 2008; Liaw, Huang and Chen, 2007 ; Wang and Chiu, 2011). The scales have been tested by previous researchers as discuss in the section 2.2 and 2.4 of the literature review chapter. Thus, the reliability and validity of the instruments are high because of revealed in public papers. Furthermore, the participant information sheet and only consent form are stated in the welcome page of the online questionnaire to introduce briefly regarding this research, researcher, research questions, contact of researcher and Ethic Committee, and a participants consent to taking part in the survey. Additionally, the a debriefing page is stated at the ending page of the online questionnaire in order to give thanks to participants as well as introduce briefly about this research such as research hypotheses and papers closely related to this study. The full questionnaire is stated in Appendix 1; and the e-mails which are sent to several schools of the University and to fellow students to collect data are stated in Appendix 1; and. 3.6.3. Pilot testing and assess validity A pilot study (pre-test) conducts a small part of sample to test the questionnaire before delivering the questionnaire to collect primary data from sample. Implementing the pilot test is crucial, especially when researchers lack of experience within designing a survey questionnaire as well as data collection approach (Yin, 2011). According to Vaus (2002), in term of pilot test, individual questionnaire items need to evaluate the variation, meaning, redundancy, scalability, not-response and acquiescent response while the whole questionnaire should test the flow, question skips, timing and interest and attention of respondents. The pilot test also aims to enhance questions in the questionnaire and it can do more than one time. Moreover, after completing the questionnaire, participants of pilot test can comment to refine the questionnaire where which questions can be misunderstood, silly or difficult (Sapsford, 2006). Additionally, the reliability and validity of items in questionnaire can be assessed with the pilot test. Factor analysis also can do in this pre-test to remove low quality items in the questionnaire (Fowler, 2008). The pilot test to improve the questionnaire in this research was conducted two times. At the first time, the questionnaire was designed with only 2 first sections. The link of the questionnaire was sent by email and Facebook to 20 participants which are students at the University of Southampton. After that, some respondents gave much valuable feedback used to enhance the instruction as well as individual questions in the questionnaire. Because of almost self-developed questions in section 2 of the questionnaire, some questions were recommended by participants who have much experience in designing survey and statistic research. For example, in the question to ask about benefits of using e-mail function of the e-learning system, the kind of question should be changed from multiple choice questions to check box question because respondents can want to select all options. Another example is that some questions such as Yes or No questions had been improved to the open ended questions to i nvestigate in deep why Yes or No option is selected. On the other hand, some participants who studying in English subject at faculty of Humanities at the University had contributed much valuable advice regarding the language including grammar and words choice of the instruction part as well as individual questions. Additionally, the overall appearance and organisation of the questionnaire had been commented. The time consuming to complete the two sections of the questionnaire was calculated in this first pilot test around 4 minutes. After conducting the pilot test, individual questions were changed to be clearer and easier to understand. At the second time of the pilot testing, the completed questionnaire had been design with the final section. Because 50(+/-20) is the typical sample size at the pre-test stage, the link of the questionnaire was sent to another 40 students (Cooper and Schindler, 2010). After that, there are 32 completed answers with no missing from participants because having 02 PhD students do not use the e-learning system at the University and 6 missing answers. The alert participants if they have left any questions blank function of the iSurvey was not turned on that is the main reason of missing answers in pilot test. Therefore, this function is setup in the main data collection. From the data collection, the consistence of the multi-item scales question was tested by SPSS. This pilot data is also very useful to study data analysis in practice with SPSS and AMOS model test software. Furthermore, overall feedback from almost respondents about the questionnaire is that all questions are clear and ea sy to understand because the questions in the first two sections had been updated after the first pilot test and all questions in section three have been adapted and adopted from prior researches. Statistic from iSurvey administrative site, from 8 to 10 minutes is a typical time to complete the questionnaire. 3.6.4. Data collection The completed questionnaire version, the Ethic, Risk, consent forms, the information sheet and debriefing sheet has been submitted to the Ethic committee. After approved by this committee, the questionnaire is broadcasted to students and alumni at the University of Southampton. Initially, e-mail including the questionnaire link is sent to all schools at the University in order to request a help spreading out the questionnaire to students at these schools via the e-mail system of the University (Appendix 2). Several schools (such as English, Music, Modern language at the faculty of Humanities; Law and Management school at the faculty of Business and Law; faculty of Medicine; Education, Mathematics and Social Sciences school at the faculty of Social and Human Sciences) have been agreed and helped to send the questionnaire to all their students. They replied a confirmation e-mail while some other schools sent a sorry e-mail which means cannot help to deliver the online questionnaire. Secondly, the link of the questionnaire is shared to some Facebook fan page of the University of Southampton such as the University of Southampton Alumni, SUSU group, Southampton Management School Alumni fan page; and some Facebook group such as Vietnamese Society at the University of Southampton group; Badminton, Tennis and Table Tennis at the University of Southampton group. The data are collected during 15 days from the 2nd of August to the 16th of August 2012. 3.6.5. Data analysis Both descriptive statistics and inferential statistics to analyse quantitative data are used in this research. Initially, this study conducts descriptive statistics to report the averages, the dispersion, and the central tendencies of the data collected (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2012). After that, the research framework and hypotheses are tested by two-phased approach for Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) (Schumacker and Lomax, 2004; Hair et al. 2006 cited in Wang and Chiu, 2011). In term of technology for data analysis, Microsoft Excel, IBM SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Science) and IBM AMOS (Analysis of Moment Structures) software are used. SPSS which is well-known computer programme widely used to carry out statistical analysis in Social Science. AMOS also is a powerful tool and easy-to-use with graphical interface design to analyse model fit. Thus, using these tools can accomplish quickly the results with the highest accuracy. However, lack of basic skills in using SPSS and AMOS software can be the problem affecting the research progress. Nonetheless, due to the booming sharing knowledge in the internet, many online instruction video clips are available on Youtube and tutorials in the internet today. Thus, these tools can be controlled fundamentally in the short period of time. The strategy to analyse data is stated below: Analyse the descriptive statistic in SPSS Test the reliability of items by using reliability analysis in SPSS Analyse factor analysis to find and delete the unnecessary items in SPSS Conduct confirmation factor analysis (CFA) to measure research framework in AMOS Evaluate structure research framework and calculate hypotheses in AMOS. 3.7. Summary This chapter explained about the selected research method base on the theory, literature review and the research questions and objectives. This research is appropriate with positivistic philosophy and deductive approach. Mono method with quantitative approach is suitable choice to conduct this research. Cross-sessional is the time horizon determined for this research. This chapter also discuss detail regarding data collection and analysis with choosing sampling technique, designing questionnaire, testing pilot study, collecting data strategy and analysing data strategy.

Leon Battista Alberti

Discuss Alberti ‘s treatise on Architecture in relation to San Andrea in Mantua. In peculiar, discourse the function of humanistic doctrine in his work giving careful attending to the inquiry of proportionLeon Battista Alberti ( 1404-72 ) was a true ‘Renaissance ‘ adult male. He was a talented dramatist, mathematician and sportsman trained in Law. As the individual in charge of the buildings commanded by the Pope, he had the juncture to compose one of the greatest plant of the theory of architecture De Re Aedificatoria ( On Building ) . Most of it was completed in 1452 and printed in 1485. In the Ten books of the Art of Building Alberti has explained the utility of a roof and wall for homo. He said that it helps us to come near to one another and besides turn together. Therefore we should be thankful to designers non merely because they provides us a safe and welcome topographic point but besides for its many inventions, which are utile to both persons and the populace and the besides provide our day-to-day demands ( page 3 ) . Commissioned by Ludovico II Gonzaga, the church was begun in 1462 harmonizing to designs by Leon Battista Alberti on a site occupied by a Benedictine monastery, of which the bell tower ( 1414 ) remains. The edifice, nevertheless, was finished merely 328 old ages subsequently. Though ulterior alterations and enlargements altered Alberti ‘s design, the church is still considered to be one of Alberti ‘s most complete plants. The intent of the Renaissance edifice was to incorporate the pilgrims who visited it during the banquet of Ascension when a phial, that the faithful argue contains the Blood of Christ, is brought up from the crypt below through a hole in the floor straight under the dome. Harmonizing to tradition the â€Å" Most Cherished Blood † was brought to Mantua by the Roman centurion Longinus and is preserved in the Sacred Vessels. It was held with high regard during the Renaissance which is merely show on Holy Friday. Humanitarianism is the perusal of the classics ( Grecian and Latin ) and integrating their thoughts into 1s ain. It is the cultural motion of the Renaissance architecture. Most renaissance classical architecture shows more â€Å" lucidity † than the older 1s, because it emphasizes clean lines, geometric forms, symmetricalness. It argues whether that is more â€Å" enlightened † than mediaeval architecture. It was more thought out, possibly ; more consistent, more systematic. Alberti had many doctrines when planing for edifices, and like the plants of Vitruvius, created text that gave direction on how to construct, but saved chief accent on the ornament and the exterior aesthetics of the construction. One rule that Alberti made usage of was a system of Proportionality that he developed utilizing systematic harmoniousness of musical ratio, to do his edifices appealing. Defined as â€Å" the precise and right lineation, conceived in the head, made up of lines and angles, and perfected in the erudite mind and imaginativeness † , this theory and â€Å" lineamenta † were cardinal in Alberti ‘s procedure of design. Alberti believed that the â€Å" Lineamenta † stood as an lineation and allowed proportions to be perceived in the design, where â€Å" The really same Numberss that cause sound to hold that concinnitas, delighting to the ears, can besides make full the eyes and head with fantastic delectation. Reapplying accent on the â⠂¬Å" humanistic attack to plan † The tie with the humanistic manner of design is a changeless subject throughout Alberti ‘s 10 books, and the â€Å" beauty of Buildings † besides features to a great extent. Albert ‘s definition, Beauty resides in a sound harmoniousness of all the parts within a organic structure, so that nil may be added, taken away, or altered, but for the worse. It is a great and holy affair, all our resources of accomplishment and inventiveness will be taxed in accomplishing it ; and seldom is it granted even to Nature herself, to bring forth anything that is wholly complete and perfect in every regard. ( VI, two, 156 ) . Alberti ‘s position of what Beauty is has connexion to the analogy of theanthropism, seeing â€Å" Man † as a constituent that uses energy to function and make good. This doctrine maintains that Alberti believed that work forces were made in God ‘s image and similitude, Godhead of the existence, and through this idea, understood that what qualities make a edifice â€Å" beautiful † opens the way to the path of all Knowledge and the original beginning of beauty to pull from, God himself. In his treatise nature is used as inspiration, where â€Å" the ground of Nature † permits an designer to look into into the characteristics of the natural universe, including adult male ‘s influence, to go better equipped to perceive and do usage of â€Å" Concinnitas † , ( which Alberti refers to as â€Å" the partner and psyche of ground † ) to associate presenting nature as the beginning of art in architecture and the nature based Torahs embedded in the outside universe. As in the San Andrea, Mantua the fa & A ; ccedil ; fruit drink of the church is finely decorated with curves and fluxing forms on the ordered columns, pulling from Alberti ‘s treatise and its counsel on how to non merely make a edifice, but how to do its beauty reflect that of God ‘s love and NatureRefrences:sacredarchitecture.org/authors/carroll_william_westfall/ -Carroll William Westfall ( Journal entry 16 )hypertext transfer protocol: //www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/S. _Andrea.htmlMarvin Trachtenberg and Isabelle Hyman. Architecture: from Prehistory to Post-Modernism. p295-6MentionsTitle: On the Art of Building in Ten Books Writer: Leon Battista Alberti Translator: Joseph Rykwert, Neil Leach, Robert Tavernor Published by the MIT Press Cambridge, Massachusetts London, England hypertext transfer protocol: //www.albertiefirenze.it/english/leon_battista_alberti/index.htm hypertext transfer protocol: //eng.archinform.net/projekte/4126.htm

University Store Case

FIFO or LIFO In the case, the university Store provided plenty of goods and services with various costs. They frequently have their costs, selling prices and discounted prices changed. This process would contain a large amount of work since the Store kept large number of books. Although the Store has planned to record data by establishing a new software system, they used the retail method easing and simplifying inventory tracking. Comparing the FIFO or the LIFO method, the retail method would be the better to value Inventory with two major reasons. One reason is that GAP would accept the report under the retail method.While applying the FIFO or LIFO method, the Store would calculate historical percentages to estimate ending Inventory cost. However, they would use the â€Å"current cost-to-retail† ratios, which are more acceptable and reliable for GAP financial report. The other is that the Store could be easy to record inventory. The Store could record numbers including the to tal cost and purchase retail value, costs and retail prices, and total sales in a period. Also, the Store sometimes marks up the original sale prices, which should be marked down before calculating ending Inventory.By acquiring same Information, cost-to-retail percentage in FIFO or LIFO method are able to be calculated with omitting beginning inventory or only using beginning inventory respectively. Causes and Procedures for Inventory Obsolescence The Store realized that they needed to consider the inventory obsolescence problem. They have found the large volume of â€Å"inactive† books, which could re-adopt in the next semester or could not be returned to publishers. The major causes of this problem could be divided Into four parts. Firstly. E turnover rate of returns manager was significantly high in the recent years, causing difficulties to clear the unneeded textbooks before the new edition published. If the textbooks became obsolete and unable to be returned to publisher s, they would be stored in the bookstore or the warehouse, making losses in the financial report. The first procedure to improve the problem could be to find the reasons of high turnover rate like large workload, high-pressure environment or unexpected salary. Then, the Store should address the problem with different strategies depending on the reasons. Secondly, the Store distributed little employees to work on arranging the inactive textbooks since total employees were insufficient. This problem caused the obsolete books would stored increasingly making financial losses. To solve the problem, the Store could recruit more employees in order to pay more attention on the Inactive textbooks If the Store has ability to hire more. Moreover, the Store tried to actively pay back the used books In order to lower costs. TLS caused the Store would possibly obtain the unneeded books, which professors would stop using next semester.These textbooks would be unable to return to the publishers an d would become losses for financial reporting. The procedure solving the problem could be firstly asking professors or teachers whether the used textbooks would be continually used in the future. Next, the Store would be able to decide which book should pay back depending on their requirements and recommendations. Last but not least, the would lower sales of textbooks recently. If the Store obtained the same number of a specific textbook with decreasing usage, the books would become inactive causing financial losses.In order to solve the problem, the Store could establish a survey about the decreasing demands or possible cancellations of the books. After that, they could estimate the future inventory of fewer books with low demands. Inventory Practices Cause Misstatement Risk of Inventory While calculating the inventory value, some practices would possibly increase the risk of misstatement. At first, errors would appear in recording different costs, selling prices and price changes in sale while organizing hundreds of products.The Store should arrange at least two employees to check the values are correct although they eve already faced the problem of insufficient employees, which would cause individual workload increases. Secondly, the part-time workers with insufficient training and frequent turnover rate would create calculating mistakes. Although heavy reliance of part-time employees could lower the operating cost, it would increase the risk of inventory misstatement. To detect this possible misstatement, the Store should hire more full-time employees or provide a position to monitor the process of switching different part-time employees.Also, the revisions of college extols were published more frequently, which increase the risk of inventory misstatement. The Store needs to obtain the information about the time the revision would be published in the future and content comparison with old version. Likewise, the textbook demand is hard to determine or estim ate since currently students are able to purchase cheaper from different sources like friends or online. The Store can provide some promotion or sale to attract the students. It can obtain small volume of inventory, and then decide to purchase more depending on the demand.

Margaret Atwood A Social Activist - 1225 Words

Margaret Atwood: a Social Activist Through Feminist Literature The 1980s signified the continuation of an era of social and political upheaval in the United States of America. At the forefront was a socially conservative agenda that aimed to rescind women’s rights only ratified less than a decade before, a marked display of the nation’s desire to uphold traditional values that defined the preceding generation (Franà §oise). Among the devastating political climate, however, was Margaret Atwood: a voice that refused to be silenced, a progressive storyteller who interwove her writings with feminist themes that pushed boundaries and defied the status quo. Her prolific writing career is full of poems, essays, short-stories, and novels that†¦show more content†¦My mother is a very lively person who would rather skate than scrub floor. (Oates) From the very beginning, Atwood was destined to question and confront ideas rooted in the past and fortunate enough to have parents who acknowledged their daughter’s inquisitive and imaginative mind. Aside from her family, gothic and supernatural literature influenced Atwood from an early age. Unconventionally witty and resourceful, the heroines depicted in Grimm’s Fairy Tales were fascinating and complex to young Margaret. Her writing and poetry took form with the assistance of Edgar Allan Poe, whom she cites as her first influence in high school (Oates). Canadian writers such as Leonard Cohen, P.K. Page, Anne Wilkinson - in addition to many others - helped to mold Atwood’s distinct, expressive style (â€Å"Waterstone’s†). It is evident, then, that she honed her writing skills through the abundance of quality reading material that was at her disposal. Margaret Atwood’s greatest influence on the literary world is undoubtedly her progressive views on feminism and misogyny. The Handmaid’s Tale, her most notable work, is an examination of a totalitarian society that lawfully dehumanizes women, whose sole purpose is to breed and reproduce (Napierkowski 114-115). Grounded in reality, this novel portrays complex female characters that endure the same suffering as many people did at the time: During my visits to several countries behind the IronShow MoreRelatedThe Life and Achievements of Margaret Eleanor Atwood Essay1687 Words   |  7 PagesMargaret Eleanor Atwood, one of the most acclaimed and idolized writers’ to date. Atwood was born in Ottawa, Ontario, on November 18th, 1939 in the Ottawa General Hospital. Two and a half months after the beginning of the Second World War (Atwood). She is a renowned novelist and poet; furthermore writer of short stories, critical studies, screenplays, radio scripts and books for children (Gale). Margaret Atwood is a living inspiration to many writers today. 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Dystopian novels often feature societal norms taken to dangerous extremes. Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale contains each and every feature of a typical dystopian novel, though she prefers to refer to it as social science-fiction. Ideological and social conditions taken to extremes enforced by authoritarian regimes, social trends isolated or exaggerated, and stability being secured through impossible ideals are all features highlighted in this novel. Atwood wrote TheRead MoreThe Age Of Lead By Margaret Eleanor Atwood920 Words   |  4 PagesMargaret Eleanor Atwood a Canadian poet, novelist, literary critic, essayist, and environmental activist was born in Ottawa, Canada in 1939. She grew up in Northern Ontario, Quebec, and Toronto. She received her undergraduate degree from Victoria College at the University of Toronto and her master’s degree from R adcliffe College. WRITE ABOUT HER WORK AND CRITICAL REACTIONS TO HER WORK.( How was she received?) A short story â€Å"The Age of Lead† by Atwood explores woman’s relationship with her elusiveRead MoreTheme Of Satire In The Handmaids Tale1649 Words   |  7 PagesThe Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood is a dystopic satire in which present tendencies are carried out to their intensely unpleasant culmination. In the novel, the protagonist and narrator, Offred, originally lived an ordinary life in America until an oppressive, patriarchal theocracy governed by Christian fundamentalists—a group of extremists, applying a strict adherence to Christian doctrine to all facets of society—took over. Due to the increase in toxic pollution and radiation, there is widespreadRead MoreFrida Kahlo Feminist Theory Essay1267 Words   |  6 Pagesfeminist, journalist, and political activist. Instead of committing to a conventional, stereotypical path, she furthered her life into more complexities, self-taught learning, and the possibilities of feminism in the la te 1960s and early 1970s. When asked what it truly means to be a woman, she replied that â€Å"[the answer] for all women seems to lie in the ability to cultivate one’s skeptical self: [women] must trust their own and other women’s experiences over social myths† (Heilbrun). Finally, artistsRead MoreThe Year Of The Flood1677 Words   |  7 PagesIn Margaret Atwood’s novel The Year of the Flood, several saints are mentioned during Adam Ones speech for Pollination Day namely Saint Suryamani Bhagat of India, among so many others, because of her contributions to forest preservation (Atwood 276). Atwood may have chosen to incorporate Bhagat, an environmental activist, as a saint in her novel considering that The Gardeners had devoted this festival to the mysteries of plant reproduction, especially that of those wondrous trees, the angiospermsRead MoreThe Dystopian Novel By Margaret Atwood1991 Words   |  8 PagesThe dystopian novel written by Canadian author Margaret Atwood, is a twisting futuristic forecast of what a religious intolerant society is leading itself into with a totalitarian government with traditional Old Testament values, who do not see women as anything more than vessels to continue the human population. This story spins from a government takeover to the oppression of women under the rule of the new theocratic government known as The Republic of Gilead, whose agenda was to reclaim the dying