Proof of Unreliability in the Cask of Amontillado

Michael Ljubsa ID# 1790093 Rashmi Jyoti ENGL-103 CU85 Word Count: 998 Proof of Unreliability in The Cask of Amontillado Edgar Allan Poe is an author known for his pieces of literature which capture the element of mystery. Many times, scholars debate over the true meaning behind his texts as they are often written as narratives. This combination of an unclear meaning behind his work and the fact that his stories are narratives often leads to the question of, â€Å"To what extent can the narrator be relied upon? † The same issue arises in Poe's, â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado†.The story is a reflection of the past, involving a plot that evolves into a murder mystery involving two gentlemen, Montresor and Fortunato. The story is told from Montresor's point of view, recalling an event that occured fifty years ago. Montresor secretly despises Fortunato due to past â€Å"insults† that are claimed to be unforgiveable. Montresor demands revenge for these acts and plans Fo rtunato's murder and later tricks him into death. The story provokes questioning as to whether the narrator of the story can be relied upon to accurately display the events described.In Edgar Allan Poe's, â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado†, Montresor does not provide enough insight into the information that remains with hidden meaning. He fails to provide significant causes for action due to the lack of description and proof, and the arugment of whether Montresor could be considered insane also arises. Montresor only further confuses the reader by pointing out all the obvious irony surrounding the two main characters Montresor and Fortunato. Therefore, the narrator's accounts cannot be considered reliable.The lack of Montresor's ability to explain the past and why he feels such a hatred towards Fortunato is why his account of the story cannot be relied upon. â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† begins with Montresor providing his own reason for wishing death upon Fortunato. The two first lines read, â€Å"The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as best I could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge†(218). Right from the start the reader is confused as to what this â€Å"insult† actually is, as it remains to go unexplained for the remainder of the story. In her article discussing â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado†, Elena V. Baraban asks, â€Å"Why did he do it? (47) The intrigue of the story comes from attempting to answer this seemingly simple question. Many stories would provide a motive and reason for such horrendous acts; however, Montresor provides no such explanation for the murder he commits. It can be continually questioned as to what this â€Å"insult† was, as no rational person would avenge an insult with murder. The narrator's reliabilty is questioned even further considering Montresor withstood â€Å"thousand injuries† borne upon him by Fortunato. It seems as though Montresor was not remotely bot hered by these injuries, which reiterates the question of: Why did he do it?What exactly made Montresor take Fortunato's insult in such a disrespectful and hateful way that would make him wish death upon Fortunato? This confusion proves the narrators unreliability. A second idea supporting the notion that Montresor is an unreliable narrator is the seemingly apparent insanity of Montresor. Restating the thought of Montresor murdering Fortunato over an insult supports the idea of Montresor being insane. An instance where Montresor could be viewed as insane would be where he is imprisoning the helpless Fortunato behind a brick wall that he has constructed. I placed my hand upon the solid fabric of the catacombs, and felt satisfied. â€Å"(222) The gratification that comes of ease over Montresor as a result of his murder makes insanity a high possibility for a motif behind his actions. Montressor's fulfillment is also shown when he states, â€Å"My heart grew sick; it was the dampness of the catacombs that made it so† (223). Even after fifty years, Montresor feels absolutely no remorse for his actions. Such a lack of sorrow and guilt, even after fifty years, could only be found with a psychopath. Montresor's insanity makes his description even more unreliable.Another aspect of the story that makes Montressor unreliable is all the irony that he brings to our attention. We find that Fortunato is named ironically, as Fortunato, closely resembles the word â€Å"fortunate†. This man resembling the word â€Å"fortunate† actually ends up having a very unfortunate death as he is manipulated by Montresor and gets buried alive. Additionally, Fortunato wears a jest costume complete with the cap and bells. This provides early signs that Fortunato is to become a fool. On the other hand, Montresor wears a silk black mask showing the readers that he is indeed the dark, manipulative figure in the story.Another example of irony is how the setting of the story is initially the carnival, and quickly turns into that of the dark, damp, catacombs. All of these examples make the story sound too ironic in a sense, therefore, its credibility is hard to trust. This, along with other ironic events such as the Montresor family crest meaning, â€Å"No one insults me with impunity†(220), and Fortunato drinking a wine named De Grave (grave), proves this story's undependable plot. It can be clearly seen that the narrator provides a recollection of events that are obviously unreliable.The fact that no reason for cause is shown by the narrator, as well as the likelihood of the character playing the narrator being unquestionably insane, proves that the story is unreliable. These factors, in addition to the confusion resulting of endless irony would make any logical reader question the validity of the narrators accounts. A story such as â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† shows readers that narratives require some sense of background information and that the character narrating should be viewed as logical, in order to be considered reliable.Also, the plot must not be twisted by some sort of other element, such as irony, which was seen in this story. A combination of such factors will allow readers to depict the narrators accounts as an accurate portrayal. References: Baraban, Elena. â€Å"The Motive for Murder in ‘The Cask of Amontillado. † Rocky Mountain Review of Language and Literature. 58. 2. (2004): 47-62. Print. Poe, Edger Allan. â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado. † Portable Literature: Reading, Reacting, Writing, Eighth Edition. Ed. Michael Rosenberg. Boston: Wadsworth, 2012. 218-223. Print.

Behavioral and Cognitive Learning

In behavioral theory, learning involves changes or modifications in our behavior which had in turn been influenced, strengthened or weakened by the environment or other external influences. The introduction of reinforcers greatly impacts behavior. Cognitive theory, on the other hand, posits that individuals are actively involved in the learning process. Rather than external influences, learning depends on already existing prior knowledge.Following this logic, this means that each student after a straight lecture will leave the room carrying with him different sets of new knowledge. A major difference between the two theories is that proponents of behaviorists suggest that learning is involuntary while cognitive learning contends that people are in control of their own learning. For believers of the behavioral theory, the approach to training would be the regular use of contiguity and reinforcers.Contiguity is based on association of experiences that occur in sequence. This is much li ke Pavlov’s dog which salivates in the presence of food. When food was preceded by the ringing of a bell, the dog soon salivates at the ring of the bell. Introduction of reinforcers is another method employed by the behaviorists. This involves a reward-and-punishment scheme on ending or strengthening behavior. Hence, if you do well as a participant, you would probably receive a positive reinforcement so as to further strengthen such behavior.For trainers who employ the cognitive learning theories, they will most likely provide lessons organized in a way that would take into consideration a student’s experience and stage of development such that prerequisite trainings may have to be recommended to be taken first before moving on into an advanced stage. General skills will be taught first, reasons and motivations for tasks will usually be provided and group work promoted. Reference Michigan State University. (2005). Teach online. Retrieved January 15, 2008, from http://t eachvu. vu. msu. edu/public/designers/what_is_learning/index. php? page_num=5. Behavioral And Cognitive Learning In behavioral theory, learning involves changes or modifications in our behavior which had in turn been influenced, strengthened or weakened by the environment or other external influences. The introduction of reinforcers greatly impacts behavior. Cognitive theory, on the other hand, posits that individuals are actively involved in the learning process. Rather than external influences, learning depends on already existing prior knowledge.Following this logic, this means that each student after a straight lecture will leave the room carrying with him different sets of new knowledge. A major difference between the two theories is that proponents of behaviorists suggest that learning is involuntary while cognitive learning contends that people are in control of their own learning. For believers of the behavioral theory, the approach to training would be the regular use of contiguity and reinforcers.Contiguity is based on association of experiences that occur in sequence. This is much li ke Pavlov’s dog which salivates in the presence of food. When food was preceded by the ringing of a bell, the dog soon salivates at the ring of the bell. Introduction of reinforcers is another method employed by the behaviorists. This involves a reward-and-punishment scheme on ending or strengthening behavior. Hence, if you do well as a participant, you would probably receive a positive reinforcement so as to further strengthen such behavior.For trainers who employ the cognitive learning theories, they will most likely provide lessons organized in a way that would take into consideration a student’s experience and stage of development such that prerequisite trainings may have to be recommended to be taken first before moving on into an advanced stage. General skills will be taught first, reasons and motivations for tasks will usually be provided and group work promoted. Reference Michigan State University. (2005). Teach online. Retrieved January 15, 2008, from http://t eachvu. vu. msu. edu/public/design

Journal Entry Essays

Journal Entry Essays Journal Entry Essay Journal Entry Essay In the article â€Å"Urban and rural students swap places to learn about different lives†, which appeared on CNN.com on May 23, 2007, the issue of education and how students learn to overcome their differences through awareness. This particular news story deals with two groups of students from Alaska who are part of an exchange program to help bring awareness to students about the differences in the way each group lives. One group is from a tiny Eskimo village in Alaska, and the others from a suburb of Anchorage. Each group lives a completely different way of life despite the fact that they all live in the same state. The educators in this case felt that through the exchange program students could learn to appreciate the different ways of life that each lives and to learn more about the world around them and their neighbors. The rural teens were amazed at how many varieties of food there were in the supermarkets and how less expensive it was, and were amazed at the different s tores and even the indoor plumbing. The urban teens were shocked by the exact opposite in the rural village, yet they all learned to appreciate not only the way of life of the other teens, but to appreciate what is special about themselves and their life.I selected this article because it deals with education and how educators are trying to overcome some of the differences that exist in society and some of the social, political, and racial inequalities. Through the exchange program teens of different cultures get to learn about each other through their time with their host families and in the different area, and also get an education about people who are their neighbors, in a sense. The teachers responsible for this program are hoping to bring unity to Alaska and to connect it to classroom curriculum ranging from healthcare to economy. I was attracted to this story because it is a beautiful example of how education and understanding can lead to more acceptance amongst people of diff erent social groups, as in the case with the Eskimo children and the other Alaskan children. This is an important social issue because if more educators would adopt similar methods then we could foster more understanding amongst different groups within our own nation. This innovative approach shows a social solution that can help many other educators around the country if they were to implement this type of program to help children of different races, religions, income levels, and nationalities within our own country learn to appreciate and understand each other.Journal Entry # 2The article â€Å"Gold Star wives help a new generation of war widows† that appeared on CNN.com on May 26, 2007 is an interesting look at the way that our own suffering can be a basis for helping others in similar situations. The article deals with the social issue of war and how it affects not only the people in the midst of the war but the wives, husbands, and children that are left behind by the me n and women who die in the war in Iraq. I was attracted to it because of the closeness to Memorial Day and the fact that is encourages people to reach out to others going through problems.This article is about a woman named Marie Speer who lost her husband in WWII and how she founded this organization called Gold Star Wives, which was established to help war widows in many various ways, from friendship and compassion, to helping lobby for benefits for the wives and husbands of those lost in the war. The women of this organization have all lost husbands to war and know how it feels, but instead of doing nothing they reach out to others through the organization. This is an example of how we as Americans, no matter what our thoughts on politics and the war, can use our own compassion to help others, no matter our situation in life. It also shows how, no matter the generational difference, some things, like losing a spouse in the war, can link us to those who dealt with similar things b efore us. The war in Iraq is a major social issue right now, politically, but the social impact of this is felt greatly by the spouses of the men and women fighting in Iraq. This article gives us a look at how we can come up with solutions to some issues by reaching out to people who are in pain. While this organization is not a solution to the war, it is a help to people.Journal Entry # 3The article â€Å"The First Steps† by Alex Tresniowski, et al, appears in the May 7, 2007 issue of People Magazine and is a look at the healing process that is happening at the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg, Virginia following the massacre that killed 33 students in Norris Hall on April 16th. This article is unlike many of the others because instead of dealing with the dark, brooding gunman or all of the mistakes and issues that led up to the shooting, it deals with how the students affected will take steps to heal and help create a better environment for all students on campus. This ar ticle was interesting to me because it was not just another doom and gloom article about the tragedy but point out what was being done right by the Virginia Tech students, faculty, and campus administrators to help the college heal. Violence has become such a huge social problem in our society and this issue was made even more glaring by this particular school shooting. The article’s look at the counseling being offered, the changes in the college, and most especially the way that the community, parents, and students are all reaching out to each other as a means of healing is incredible. It also shows how they are hoping to eliminate loners and outcasts like the shooter by reaching out to their fellow classmates in need. Instead of dwelling on the bad, they are looking for something positive to come out of the tragedy.I was attracted to this article because of the hopefulness that it leaves the reader with, especially concerning something as troubling as the Virginia Tech Mas sacre. This is such an important social issue because it is so prevalent in our nation and what makes people commit violence is still not really understood. It is hard to remember that out of the pain of such an event there can come something wonderful and positive, like a new spirit amongst people or a greater awareness of the signs of mental illness. Also, just simply being out to reach out to others. It’s relation to the social issue of violence also attracted me because that is such a large problem in our society, and the solutions given are interesting and uplifting.Journal Entry #4The article â€Å"Global Fund Saves 1.8 Million Lives† appeared on the ONE.org website on May 24, 2007. The ONE is a new poverty campaign that aims at helping â€Å"to make poverty history†. Some new bills have been passed recently, including education-related issues, and it has become well-known in the press because of publicity gained from its appearance on American Idol and at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C. in 2006. This particular article deals with the response from the American Congress and how much money they have given to the Global Fund in support of the various programs that are helping to end world hunger, poverty, and disease.In summary, this article is about the money grants given to ONE.org and the Global Fund, both of which are dedicated to ending poverty, hunger, and disease in third-world nations around the world. Because of the insistance of ONE.org and other organizations the United States has pledged hundreds of millions of dollars towards helping their cause and there has been some great progress, including many lives saved because of insecticides, medicine, food, and nets that help to protect people from the things that harm them in other countries.This story attracted me because I really feel strongly about ending world poverty and giving everyone in the world a chance at a good quality of life. I feel that we in th e United States are especially responsible for helping others who are less fortunate. The issue of poverty is an important social issue that is dealt with not only around the world, but in our own country as well; however, this article is especially interesting because it gives ideas on how we can help. The article talked about how just donating insecticide-treated nets to families with children can help to stop disease and that 3,000 people every day are saved just by this one program. One person can be saved simply by donating one net. It’s important to understand how we can get involved, even if we have limited means ourselves.Journal Entry # 5The article â€Å"U.N. Presses for Peace in Darfur† appeared on the Los Angeles Times website on May 27, 2007 and deals with the conflict in Sudan and how the U.N. is trying to create a change for the better in that country by encouraging peace within its borders. The article talks about the ongoing conflict in Sudan and the t ypes of terrible violence going on there, particularly amongst the militia and rebel groups. The article is about the U.N.’s push for Sudan to call a cease-fire and to start peace talks so that the violence can end. It also talks about the many peacekeepers who are proposed to go in and help create a more stable nation for the people who live there under violent conditions.The social issue that is happening right now in Darfur is critical. There has been genocide happening there fore years and many people live in refugee camps because their homes, land, and country have been filled with so much violence and war for so long. This article deals with the social issue of war, as well as poverty, and global inequality. The war going on there has created a global inequality unlike any other nation, and has caused so many people to descend into poverty and hunger. People are dying everyday because of the conflict and while the U.N. is taking notice they are not able to convince Darf ur to stop the violence and create a better nation for the men and women who live there.I was attracted to this article because it is about an issue that is really at the forefront of the minds of many right now because of the publicity it has gotten from celebrities and the media. This article also has some solutions in it that are interesting, pointing out what is being done by the U.N. to help bring peace to Darfur, including the unification conference between the African Union and the U.N. that has happened recently. While Darfur is still a social problem, the involvement of the U.N. in the peace process is encouraging.Journal Entry # 6The article â€Å"Trial set to begin in Mississippi civil rights-era case† by Jerry Mitchell appeared the USA Today on May 24, 2007 and deals with the case of a man who is facing charges for killing two African-American teenagers in 1964. In the past few years there has been a push in Mississippi to bring to justice former klansmen and othe r racists who killed civil rights workers and African-Americans during a time and in a place where discrimination was so abundant that no one would convict them. This case is one of these, and is an interesting look at how the justice system can be corrupt and yet, today, we can try to make things right.James Seale is 71 years old now, but in 1964 he was arrested and admitted to beating Henry Dee and Charles Moore, two black teenagers who were hitchhiking and picked up by a vehicle of klansmen, including Seale. They were beaten to death and then weighted down and thrown into the Mississippi River. Seale was arrested and interrogated and admitted to beating them and even admitted that God knew he killed them to an FBI agent, but told authorities they would have to prove it. In the deep south in 1964, he was never prosecuted and charges were dropped. Today, however, authorities in the South are looking to make right on the racial injustice that took place there by prosecuting the kill ers now in hopes of showing the world that the new South doesn’t let people go for killing another person just because of the color of their skin.This article attracted me because racial inequality has always been such a problem in the U.S. and the fact that so many people got away with murder in the South just because they killed black people has always haunted the nation. Now, as a social solution, prosecutors are setting out to change that by punishing these people now for the sins of the past in the hopes that the deaths of so many during the civil rights-era can be vindicated. The criminal justice system is looking past race in Mississippi and doing what is legally and morally right.

American Civil War Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

American Civil War - Term Paper Example On the other part, North states were against slavery. The South wanted the new states to be slavery states, but the North wanted such states to be Free states. The southerners preferred wanted new territories to be granted the right to vote on whether they would be Free states or slave states according to the state’s rights. The issue of slavery was heightened by the North abolition movements such as the Free-state movements of Kansas. The southerners claimed that the federal government was prohibited by the tenth amendment from interfering with their right to own property and slaves. The southerners believed that the US constitution denied the states the right to act independently and decide whether to implement certain federal acts (Arnold and Wiener 19). The election of Abraham Lincoln as the President also stirred the slavery debate after he asserted that slavery should be abolished. South Carolina seceded from the Union with other seven states thus forming the Confederate States of America (CSA). The civil war broke after the secession of South Carolina and other south states that created the Confederate Constitution that granted more autonomy to the states. In February 1861, the south started seizing federal forts and repulsed the supply ships. Lincoln was inaugurated in March 1861 and vowed to fight secession of the south (Kingseed 41). Fort Sumter was attacked in April 1861 and the southern commanders allowed the Union troops to leave the fort safely. President Lincoln called for army volunteers and proclaimed a blockade of the south thus leading to the Bull Run battle in July 21, 1861. The Bull Run was the first major battle that was fought at Manassas Junction near Washington, D.C. The north lost the battle and the troops retreated to the capital. In the battle, Gen McDowell of north led 30,000 men against 22,000 southern troops but ultimately the North lost and Lincoln replaced McDowell with Gen McClellan. The battle of Shiloh was fought in Ap ril 1861 in Tennessee whereby both sides incurred heavy casualties with Gen Grant overcoming the southern forces (Kingseed 76). Another significant event was the Peninsular Campaign of March-July 1862 that occurred in South Virginia whereby Gen McClellan attacked Richmond via the South, but assumed defensive tactic rather than pressurizing for victory. In September 1862, the Antietam battle occurred in Maryland whereby more than 23,000 troops from both sides died with southern troops led by Gen Lee retreating to Virginia (Kingseed 88). In the same month of September 1862, President Lincoln announced the Emancipation Proclamation after the Antietam victory by claiming that all rebelling states would be finally freed and European nations should not participate in the war as it would amount making a decision on the issue of slavery (Rees 99). In July 1863, Vicksburg surrendered to Gen Grant and all the Mississippi River became under control of the Union forces. In March 1864, Gen Grant assaulted Richmond in Washington, DC and marched on with the fight even though he lost 55,000 soldiers in Central Virginia after encountering Gen Lee troops in his march to Richmond in May 1864. In the Atlanta to Savannah battle of September-December 1864, Gen Sherman of Union troops destroyed the railway lines, burned crops and destroyed all the buildings in order to demoralize the southern troops. In January, 1865, the confederacy

Does Violent Video Gaming Have an Effect on Children Research Paper

Does Violent Video Gaming Have an Effect on Children - Research Paper Example Kim et al (2010) have mentioned that â€Å"excessive playing of video games may result in impaired academic performance (Kim et al, 2010). It is an accepted fact that most of the modern videogames are thought provoking and hence it can improve children’s skills such as numerical ability, problem solving, decision making, synthesis, analysis etc. At the same time, it should be noted that spending too much time for playing videogames may have detrimental effect on children as far as the academic achievements of the children are concerned. The increased influence of video games will force the children to decrease the time spent for learning academic topics. In other words, children who spent more time for playing videogames may spent little time for doing their home works, assignments or project works. Failure in doing home works may result in poor academic performances of the children in schools. Poor academic performances of the children may generate criticism from family and teachers which may generate frustration in the minds of children. Increased frustration may often come out in the form of violent behaviors. In other words, even nonviolent videogames can generate violent behavior indirectly among children. Children may discuss the themes of the violent videogames they played even at schools and they may try to implement it in their real life also. For example, Grand Theft Auto is one of the most popular videogames among children at present. The theme of this videogame is a motor vehicle theft as the name indicates. Same way Mortal Kombat is another videogame in which the major theme is fighting. Such videogames will definitely encourage children to do the same activities in their real life as they... Children of current generation are not much keen in playing physically hardworking sports and games; they are more interested in spending as much time in front of the computers, mobile phones or television sets for playing videogames. According to Gouzouasis et al (n. d), â€Å"the type of extra-curricular activities like playing an instrument versus playing video games has differential effects on the person’s skill acquisition and personality development†. The themes of majority of the videogames currently available are violence. Many people believe that violent videogames play a vital role in the personality development of children. Moreover, many of the school violence incidents are happening as a result of the increasing influence of violent videogames upon children. Children who engaged in playing violent videogames may try to practice violence in their real life also. At the same time many other people believe that violence in videogames may not affect childrenâ⠂¬â„¢s attitude or character very much. Videogames playing may have some utility as far as the mental development of the children are concerned. However, playing violent videogames may always affect the children negatively. Unknowingly children may develop violent behaviors as a result of continuous playing of violent videogames. Since children have less awareness in segregating good and evil, they may often try to practice the themes they observed in the violent videogames in their real life. Many of the school violence incidents are taking place as a result of the increasing influence of violent videogames upon children. In short, videogame playing, especially the violent videogame playing should be restricted among children. Parents and teachers should focus more on student activities and they should assist the children in the selection of videogames for playing.

Genetically modified organisms Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Genetically modified organisms - Essay Example Closely related to GMOs are transgenic organisms, a subset of GEOs comprising of organisms to which DNA originating from a different has been inserted. Historical Background to GMOs Production of a GMO generally involves addition of new genetic material to the genome of an organism. This process is known as genetic engineering. Two major discoveries have contributed to the development of genetic engineering; coming up with the first recombinant bacterium in the year 1973, as well as the discovery of the DNA. This first recombinant bacterium was made from an existing bacterium E. coli was had an exogenesis Salmonella gene. The emergence of genetic engineering aroused a lot of concerns about its potential risks. These risks were first discussed in details in the Conference held in 1975. The meeting’s main recommendation was that the government establishes a body to oversee the research in this field till the safety of this technology was assured. The first company to employ the technology of recombinant DNA was founded by Herbert Boyer. The company which was named Genentech was able to create an E. coli strains that could produce the human protein insulin by 1978. A field test was carried out in 1986, which involved using genetically engineered bacteria called ice-minus bacteria to offer protection to plants from damage by frost. This was done in a small company of biotechnology by the name Advanced Genetic Sciences of Oakland, situated at California. Monsanto Company also proposed a field test of a genetically engineered microbe for a pest resistant protein but the proposal was dropped. Organizations such as WHO and FAO issued a guidance on how to asses the safety of genetically food and plants between the late 1980s and the early 1990s. The experimental planting of genetically modified plants began in Canada and United States towards the end of 1980s. It was not until the mid 1990s that the first commercial large scales cultivation of genetically enginee red plants was approved. There has been an annual increase in adoption of the engineered plants by the farmers ever since. Production Process As stated earlier, the production of a GMO generally lies on the principle of adding a new genetic material into the genome of an organism. Insertion or deletion of genes is referred to as genetic modification. The genes that are inserted mostly comes an organism of from a different species and this is a case of horizontal gene transfer. The gene transfer may occur in nature if for any given reason an exogenous DNA passes through the cell membrane. To artificially do this, one may either attach the genes to a virus or insert the extra DNA physically into the intended host’s nuclear by the use of a tiny syringe, or using very tiny particles which are fired from a device called gene gun. The natural methods of gene transfer such as the capacity of the Agro bacterium to transmit genetic material to the nuclei of plants cells or the capacit y of lent viruses to relocate genes to the nuclei of animal cells animal cells are may also be used.[3] Environmental Issues and Ethical Some environment and ethical concerns have been raised with regards to GMOs. Some environmentalists have raised concerns that could lead to some detrimental and adverse effects on

Method of Data Analysis Essay Example for Free

Method of Data Analysis Essay The researcher made use of SPSS version 15. 0 to be able to compute for the statistics required. For the degree of importance and actual performance of Body Shop, the descriptive statistics of means, standard deviations, and frequency distributions were generated. The Pearson product moment correlation coeffiecients were likewise computed; the bigger is the magnitude of the r-value, the stronger is the relationship between two variables. The sign denotes the direction of the relationship – that is, whether they are directly or inversely proportional (Salkind 2000). 3. 1 Conclusion. The present study purposively selected 150 respondents for its telephone interviews. Secondary data were the basis for the literature review and the design of the questionnaire. The latter was both face and content validated. 5 respondents were used to pilot test the instrument to ensure clarity of questions. SPSS 15. 0 was used for the statistical computations. ? Chapter 4 Results and Discussion 4. 1 Introduction This chapter presents the statistical results gathered from the survey questionnaires, and a substantive discussion of these results, culling from the literature in Chapter 2. 4. 2 Results Table 2. Gender: Frequency and Percentage Breakdown. The table shows that all of the respondents were female, accounting for 100% of the sample. Table 3. Age: Frequency and Percentage Breakdown. When asked about their age, majority of the respondets (42. 7%) answered that they were between 21-25 years old. This is followed by the 26-30 years old category (36. 0%); 31-35 years old at 10. 7%; then by 20 years old and 35-40 years old both at 5. 3% Table 4. Have You Purchased a Body Shop Product in the Past 12 Months? All of the respondents likewise expressed that they have purchased at least one Body Shop product over the past 12 months. Table 5. Means and Standard Deviations: Importance of Factors which Affect Cosmetic Product Choice. When asked to rate the importance of the factors that affect their choice of cosmetic products, the items were rated as follows, in descending order: the degree to which the product is environment-friendly (X= 4. 52, sd=. 59); the customer service of the store personnel (X=4. 32, sd=. 65); the sales promotions used for the product (X=4. 31, sd=.65); the values espoused by the company who sells the product (X=4. 16, sd=. 67); Having a globally renowned brand name (X= 4. 16, sd=. 59); trendiness or fashion sense represented by the product (X= 4. 11, sd=. 64); recommendations or positive feedback I garner from my friends, family and acquaintances (X=4. 05, sd=. 68); competitive price of the product (X= 4. 05, sd=. 61); the degree to which the product espouses â€Å"natural† rather than artificial (X=4. 00, sd=. 66); quality of the products (X=3. 88, sd=. 71); the convenience of going to the store location (X=3. 84, sd=.59); the variety of product offerings in the store (X= 3. 59, sd=. 59); Attractiveness of the packaging (X=3. 21, sd=. 52); information on the product’s label (X=3. 17, sd=. 80); and media advertisements of the product (X=2. 73, sd=. 86). Table 6. Means and Standard Deviations: Actual Performance of Factors which Affect Cosmetic Product Choice. On the other hand, when the respondents were asked to rate the actual performance of Body Shop through the same factors, the following are the results in descending order: the degree to which the product is environment-friendly (X=4.57, sd=. 49); The customer service of the store personnel (X=4. 48, sd=. 60); the degree to which the product espouses â€Å"natural† rather than artificial (X=4. 37, sd=. 58); the values espoused by the company who sells the product (X=4. 37, sd=. 67); having a globally renowned brand name (X=4. 20, sd=. 69); quality of the products (X=4. 14, sd=. 74); recommendations or positive feedback I garner from my friends, family and acquaintances (X=4. 11, sd=. 78); the sales promotions used for the product (X=4. 05, sd=. 75); the convenience of going to the store location (X=3. 94, sd=.60); Trendiness or fashion sense represented by the product (X=3. 90, sd=. 72); the variety of product offerings in the store (X=3. 79, sd=. 52); competitive price of the product (X=3. 63, sd=. 70); attractiveness of the packaging (X=3. 58, sd=. 49); information on the product’s label (X=3. 36, sd=. 66); and media advertisements of the product (X=2. 73, sd=. 85). Table 7. 1 Paired Means and Standard Deviations of Factors. Table 7. 2. T-test Results of Pairwise Comparisons of Importance and Actual Performance. The following pairwise comparisons are significant at the . 01 level: Quality of the products (t=-5. 92, p=. 00), the customer service of the store personnel (t=-3. 85, p=. 00); the variety of product offerings in the store (t=-6. 23, p=. 00); the convenience of going to the store location (t=-4. 07, p=. 00); attractiveness of the packaging (t=-7. 69, p=. 00); the degree to which the product espouses â€Å"natural† rather than artificial (t=-6. 12, p=. 00); the values espoused by the company who sells the product (X=4. 37, sd=. 00). In all these items, Body Shop has exceeded the degree of importance attached by the respondent on the factor. In contrast, the following factors are those in which Body Shop did not quite meet client expectations based on the degree of importance they have assigned to each: competitive price of the product (t=8. 66, p=. 00); trendiness or fashion sense represented by the product (t=3. 73, p=. 00); and the sales promotions used for the product (t=3. 98, p=. 00). There are no significant differences on the following items: brand (t=-. 816, p=. 416); the degree to which the product is environment friendly (1. 465, p=. 145); and positive feedback garnered from significant others (t=-1.070, p=. 287). These suggest that Body Shop has met expectations of the respondents based on the degree of importance they have attached to each factor. Table 8. Correlations among Patronage of Environmental Friendly Products, Social Responsibility of a Company, Patronage of Products and Companies that Care for the Environment, and Overall Satisfaction on Body Shop. The correlation results show that patronage of Body Shop products because of their being environment friendly is significantly correlated with their being a socially responsible company (r=. 397, p=.00). This means that patronage of Body Shop products increases as well with positive perceptions of their company as being socially responsible. Moreover, such patronage is also positively and significantly correlated with their expressed support for companies that espouse care for the environment (r=. 533, p=. 00). None of the statements were significantly related to overall satisfaction of Body Shop products, which suggests that there are other determinants of satisfaction apart from espousing environment friendliness and corporate social responsibility.