The elastic scattering of6;7Li,12;13;14C,14N,16O and28Si from a number of nuclei between12C and208Pb have been studied within the framework of the 3-parameter formalism of the Strong Absorption Model (SAM) of Frahn and Venter. The description to elastic scattering data by the model parameters Λ, Δ and μ is fairly reasonable throughout the whole angular range. The interaction radiusR and surface diffusenessd are determined from the best fit parameters. The mean standard nuclear radius parameterr0 extracted from this study is 1.61 fm, in good agreement with literature quoted values, while the diffusenessd is fairly constant. The inelastic scattering of14C from40Ca and88Sr and14N from24Mg and28Si populating the lowest 2+ state and also the inelastic scattering of14C from40Ca leading to the lowest 3- state have been analyzed using the parameters obtained from the elastic scattering with no further adjustment at all. The quadrupole and octupole deformation parameters β2 and β3, respectively, are extracted from the analyses. The deformation parameter values are in reasonable agreement with previous studies.