Questions for Women's Sabre Fencers

[Morra[PrFC]]

I am writing a research paper for school on women's sabre fencing. I have found many books on fencing, but none of them mention much, if anything, about women's sabre. I am specifically looking for information regarding changes and advancements made in the sport, and, if applicable, difficulties overcome. Anything anyone could provide (in addition to answering the following questions), preferably personal experience, would be very helpful. (The paper is due Friday...)

Thank you very much!


Name:
Division:
Age:
When did you start fencing?
Why did you start fencing?
With which weapon did you start and why?
If applicable, when and why did you switch to sabre?
Why do you fence/compete?
What does competition mean to you/what do you get out of it?
Do you feel stigmatized/marginalized as a women's sabre fencer?
What was the competitive field like in women’s sabre 5-10 years ago/when you started?
What is the competitive field like in women’s sabre now?
Do you feel that other fencers have changed their views of women's sabre during that time?
What do you think of the IOC’s decision concerning women’s sabre in the last Olympiad?
What do you think of the IOC’s decision concerning women’s sabre in this Olympiad?

(Thanks to sabrepoet for helping me write these questions!)

[Saber-Psycho]

That is an excellent survey but do you really expect young fencers to post all that personal information for everyone to see??
I think you need to have an email address to send it to and promise confidentiality.

[Morra[PrFC]]

Okay. Good point. If people actually want to answer this question, they can email me.

[Jeric]

It might be better if you asked people who weren't sabreists or female and then PRETEND that they are.

Jeric

[oiuyt]

Riiiiiight, let's suggest that we teach people the wrong way to go about experimenting. I know Christina wouldn't do this, but what if your reply had been to someone who would? You've now helped teach them that this kind of falsifying of data is acceptable, and perhaps even the right thing to do.

I had a friend who a few years ago was taking an electronics course that included building different types of circuits and running experiments. Her data didn't fit the expected results. Her TA suggested that she "adjust" the data to better conform. Yeah, THAT'S what we want to be teaching people....

Crap like this -- taking the easy way because it's easier -- is a HUGE problem. People like you who promote such falsification and/or lying are only crippling the people you're "helping" with such suggestions.

Christina- Talk to Arianna, she'll undoubtedly have good insights and would probably be willing to be interviewed for your paper.

-B :)

[Peach]

Surveys are notoriously unreliable as sources of data PERIOD, whether people fudge the data or not. They are popular research instruments (several people in my Ph.D. program used them) because they seem easier and are apparently (though the appearance is illusory) quantifiable.

[Morra[PrFC]]

Mr. Baker - Thank you! I'll try to get in touch with Ms. Klinkov.

Ms. Turner - It's not really supposed to be a survey. I don't need quantifiable data - just information that I can quote in a paper. I was actually hoping that you'd reply, seeing as how you seem to be quite knowledgeable. If you're interested in providing any information, either through the message board or email, I would really appreciate it.

[epeemike81]

Originally posted by Morra[PrFC]
Mr. Baker .... Ms. Klinkov .... Ms. Turner

Hey, Christina, has anybody ever told you that you are WAY too formal??

Oh, wait... I think at the very least both "Mr. Marcel" and I have.

-m

[Morra[PrFC]]

Hah. But in regards to you, I don't call you MR. Eskin - just Eskin - and everyone does that.

..and as for Mr. Baker, Ms. Klinkov, and Ms. Turner, I see it more as (deserved) respectfulness rather than formality... although there is probably a very fine line between the two.

[Peach]

Ack! I'm Delia--to pretty much everybody aged 10 to 100, except my elementary school students & their parents, who call me "Mr.--Mrs.--Uh, oh, Dr. Turner," and fencers I'm refereeing, who invariably call me "Sir" at least once in a bout.

I was just blethering about research validity. Don't mind me. I occasionally have these attacks, which are far less frequent than when I had just finished my degree. I'm pretty nearly recovered now.

I'll respond to your survey when I have a moment, I promise.

[KShan5[PrFC]]

Originally posted by Peach
Surveys are notoriously unreliable as sources of data PERIOD, whether people fudge the data or not. They are popular research instruments (several people in my Ph.D. program used them) because they seem easier and are apparently (though the appearance is illusory) quantifiable.

Wait, Ph.D. taht is like work huh??? A dissertation, noooooooooooooo.

[Zelda]

NO NO NO NO more disseratations (sorry bad MSc experience which is on going).

[Peach]

It's been five years now and I can actually think about research without actually projectile vomiting.