Effect of Domestic Violence on Children and Young People

Effect of Domestic Violence on Children and Young People The Nature of Domestic Violence Domestic violence has been defined as: a continuum of behaviour ranging from verbal abuse, physical, and sexual assault, to rape and even homicide. The vast majority of such violence, and the most severe and chronic incidents, are perpetrated by men against women and their children. (Department of Health [DoH] 2000) In most cases the violence is against women by their partners or spouse and affects children belonging to one or both of them. Children can become victims of domestic violence either through being directly targeted or witnessing scenes of domestic violence between parents and their partners. At least 750,000 children a year witness violence within the home, and nearly three quarters of children on child protection registers live in households where domestic violence occurs. (Dept. of Health, 2003). Abuse and violence may be physical, emotional, psychological, financial or sexual, and may be constant or spasmodic. Yet domestic violence is experienced by individuals from every class, race, religion and culture the world over (British Medical Association [BMA] 1999). While severe cases of domestic violence can often lead to women being hospitalised, others remain undetectable to the public eye, leaving women who live in constant fear of their partner or spouse, trying to avoid degradation. A study by Mayhew found that psychological and emotional abuse might be constant whilst the physical violence is intermittent (Mayhew et al 1996). For the child or young person this becomes a way of life one without stability or security and this can lead to behavioural problems and even crime. The focus of this dissertation is on the impact of domestic violence on the lives of children and young people. Research took place in the Hammersmith and Fulham area of London. The main body of research is secondary, from journals, books, and internet sources. The primary research is in the form of 2 sets of questionnaires handed out to 40people. The first questionnaire uses a design based on a survey done by Doctors from the University of Arizona, which has already proven tube successful and reliable. The questionnaire consists of four questions: Have you ever been in a relationship with someone who has hit you, kicked you, slapped you, punched you, or threatened to hurt you? CURRENTLY? When you were pregnant did anyone ever physically hurt you? Are you in a relationship with someone who yells at you, calls you names, or puts you down? (Wahl et al 2004: 25). The questionnaire was carried out on a random sample of the public. 20were handed to people outside Fulham Broadway tube station during rush-hour. People were only given the form if they said they had children, and were asked to fill it in on their way home from work or when they got back, and were given an sae. This method was chosen for reasons of personal safety as opposed to going round door to door. If the respondent answered yes to all questions then they were said to have suffered a prolonged period of domestic violence. In order to investigate the effects of domestic violence on adolescents questionnaire was devised for teenagers (see Appendix 1) and 20 were handed out at a youth centre in Hammersmith to be filled out anonymously. The forms were then collected at the end of the day. The second section of primary research was designed to be more specific. It was decided to approach an association specifically setup for women who have suffered domestic violence, which is actively involved in policy work in the UK. The chairwoman was approached and asked whether she could arrange for a sample preferably those with family in a black community who would consider completing questionnaire for a research study on domestic violence and its effects on young people and children. The chairwoman gave the researcher four names and email addresses of people who were willing to be contacted. However, the respondents and the association were to remain anonymous for reasons of confidentiality and security. The respondents used pseudonyms for their responses. As the sample was small, yet relevant, it was decided to use a more lengthy questionnaire, and interview the four subjects in more depth about their experience. Aside from the emotional effects, questions were designed to explore how domestic violence can be detrimental to learning and health. (see Appendix 2). Organisations and Government Policy There are many voluntary organisations such as Shelter, which provide counselling and places of refuge for women and children suffering domestic violence. Beneath are listed other services in the Hammersmith and Fulham area: Refuge provides a Freephone 24-hour National Domestic Violence Helpline Community efforts, such as the ‘Peace Week.’ The protection from Harassment Act 1997 Prosecutions from the Criminal Justice Act 1998 where the victim need not appear in court, but her statement used instead. Developing police strategy for collecting evidence at the scene (Home Office 2000). What happens to children in cases of Domestic Violence? The aftermath of domestic problems can be as damaging as the incidents or episodes themselves. Children can be present during an arrest of apparent, witness a parent breaking restraining orders and their reactions to court decisions. In these situations children can be used as pawns or in worst cases even be taken as hostages. (Devote and Smith, 2002 ). In a qualitative study on the effects of domestic violence on children, McGees (2000) study, along with other research, revealed that: Children do not have to experience physical abuse to experience long-term negative effects of living where extreme controlling behaviour and abuse are the norm. In order to protect themselves, children may take the father’s side in an argument, and may themselves be abusive to their mother (Kelly 1996). Children regularly experience a sense of total powerlessness, wishing they could assist their mother, which may produce harm to their long-term emotional wellbeing. This may later cause revenge fantasies, but at the time often leads them to have an overpowering need to stay in the room. (Shipway 2004: 116). It is not unusual for the child or young person to blame themselves for what is happening to their mother, particularly as the partner may have used their behaviour as a reason for losing his temper. (Ibid). Young people sometimes fear social services will remove them from the home if it is known violence and abuse exists. Gaudi (2001:27) provided evidence confirming that two-thirds of the residents in refuges are children. However, this does not account for the hundreds who are afraid to report violence. The threat of leaving their family home, however unstable, is often not well received by children, and many would rather put up with domestic violence than remove themselves from it. Domestic Violence in the Black community Domestic violence in the black community has been recognised as being less likely to be reported mainly because women and young people do not wish to threaten the stability of their position within their community. Women from African Caribbean communities are less likely to report their experiences and therefore they experience prolonged abuse over a long, or sometimes indeterminate, time frame. One of the critical debates concerning domestic violence is the idea of ‘getting used’ to a way of being treated and thus for it to become the norm within family life. An article written by a survivor of domestic violence said of her early years in Jamaica: ‘in my experience it was commonplace to hear of or even witness women/men being beaten by their spouses or partners in public view.’ (Unknown author.http://www.2as1.net/articles/article.asp?id=49.). She comments of violence in the UK, saying that ‘particularly within the Black community, the fighting may not overspill onto the streets but it does occur, behind closed doors.’ Black communities in London are well established and people living within them rely on the social structure of their area. The idea of leaving the area to live in a refuge where they might not understand English speaking people so well is an intimidating prospect for many. Thus, some women who do not speak English might delay seeking help, finding the language a barrier between them and British speaking organisations. Interpreters can be used, but involving a third partying a woman’s private life can be an off-putting idea. Furthermore, religious or cultural beliefs might forbid divorce, and religious community leaders mostly being men, only some speak out about domestic violence. In the case of migrant women and children who suffer domestic abuse there often is the threat of not being able to stay in the UK if they separate from their partner. An even greater threat is that the partner might abduct the children and take them abroad. (GreenwichMulti-Agency Domestic Violence Forum. 2003). One of the most powerful psychological effects of domestic violence, physical or verbal, is the victim’s distorted perspective of their abuser. Often women will make excuses for the person who attacks them blaming it on themselves or on drink or drugs or other stresses within their relationship. This comes with an inability to prioritise their personal safety and wellbeing, and that of their children, believing that the emotional attachment between the family members might be enough to overcome the presence of violence. Consequently, the effects of the mother’s decision to remain within the abusive relationship means that the child remains continually at risk from psychological and physical hurt. The effects of exposure to violence in the home are extensive and not always immediately evident. For the individual exposure to domestic violence can precipitate personality disorders, addictive disorders, substance abuse, and even physical disorders. And as studies have shown, many violent individuals have themselves been victims of domestic violence and abuse, unable to break out of the cycle. Children and adolescents with violent parent(s) are without the presence of a mentor on which to model their behaviour. This can lead to further social problems such as an inability to integrate with peers. A young person who has experienced the insecurity of a violent home life might seek security in other forms such as substance abuse, and gangs and gang violence. Statistics The Home Office survey 2004 reported on a questionnaire used by the2001 British Crime Survey. It asked a nationally representative sample of 22,463 women and men aged between 16 and 59 whether they had been subject to domestic violence during their lifetime and during the preceding year. For relevance to this dissertation the following graphs were selected from the survey: Source: Home Office Survey 2004: 12. The survey surmised that since the age of 16 45% of women and 26%of men were subject to domestic violence at least once in their lifetime. (Home Office 2004: 8). Of these 18.6% were subject to force, meaning pushing, shoving, or physical harm. The British Crime Survey estimated that 13% of women and 9% of men had been subject to domestic violence in the 12 months prior to interview. (p.8). Furthermore, 12.9 million incidents of domestic violence acts had occurred against women in that year. Violence against children In 90% of cases of domestic violence children are in the same room or the next room.(Hughes 1998) In 40% 60% of cases of domestic violence child abuse is also occurring ( Stark Flit craft 1998) The NCH study found 75% of mothers said their children had witnessed domestic violence, 33% had seen their mothers beaten up, 10%had witnessed sexual violence (NCH, 1994). (http://www.womens-aid.org.uk/statistics.php). Immediate effects of Domestic Violence on Children and Young People A report by the Department of Health concluded that: For many women and their families the effects of domestic violence will be catastrophic, the damage to their physical and psychological wellbeing may be deeply damaging, and on occasions fatal. (Department of Health [DoH] 2000: 12) Victimisation by a parent of a child or young person can lead to the individual becoming so controlled and inhibited that they are unable to make even the simplest decision or act without permission, responding with complete obedience to every order given and every rule imposed. Abuse can encumber every part of their life, leading in cases to suicide seeming like the only escape. Some people express their self-disgust and powerlessness through alcohol or drug abuse, or self-mutilation, exhibiting signs of severe depression and complete dependency on the abuser.(Shipway 2004: 1). Because of the variety of forms which domestic violence can take its difficult for research to cover all areas. For example, there can be negative effects from being an observer. Research by Fantuzzo and Mohr noted this and thus instead of using the term ‘victim’ used ‘exposure.’ This was used in the context of the experience of watching or hearing domestic violence; being directly involved; calling police; and the experience of the aftermath of scenes which might include seeing injuries or bruising on a parent and observing maternal depression. (Fantuzzo and Mohr 1999: 22). Work by Hester et al found that childrens responses differ among members of the same family who are witnessing or experiencing the same abuse. They also said that it is hard to discern the impacts of living with domestic violence on children, because some of the consequent behaviours also occur in children experiencing other forms of abuse and neglect. (Hester et al. 2000:44) The following is a list of negative effects taken from Shipway 2004: 117): Secrecy Confusion Fear Mistrustful Blaming themselves Nightmares In addition Hester et al. (2000:44) found that whilst some children have poor social skills others attain a high level of social skills development with an ability to negotiate difficult situations. Child’s ability to cope with abuse should never be underestimated; neither should the childs attachment to the abusive parent which, for some, may continue to be strong. (Ibid). Children’s responses to witnessing domestic violence will depend on age, race, class, sex, stage of development, and the support of others.(Women’s Aid). Children may feel angry at their mother or father for not protecting them, as well as blaming them for causing the violence. Others may be so concerned about their mothers distress that they keep private their own grief (Saunders, 1995. From Women’s Aid). Long Term effects Research by Fantuzzo and Mohr concluded that children who live in violent households are at greater risk of being maladjusted. (Fantuzzoand Mohr 1999: 22.) Some of these problems include: Behaviour Modelling In very young children through to adolescent age, behaviour is often modelled on people who the individual spends significant time with. Piaget in his 1972 publication noted that children’s play behaviour involves modelling on those around them, and eventually to reproducing that behaviour at any given time or place . As children grow up the parent figure becomes a role-model and if an abusive relationship exists then this trust is taken away. In study conducted by American researchers on aggression and violence in adolescent boys, 15 interviewees were asked questions which sought to identify areas for improvement concerning intervention and prevention. Participants disclosed that their aggressive responses to provocation were frequently modelled on responses that they had seen exhibited bothers, particularly those observed among immediate and extended family members. For example, a respondent called Dan said the following about his father: He gets mad too quickly. Hell get aggravated and hell just explode and thats when the fights start. Well argue and then Ill get mad and tell him some stuff and then hell get mad and just start yelling and then like one of us will go after the other, and then were fighting so my mother will try to break it up or call the police. (Ballot et al 2002: 221). Not all interviewees connected their behaviour with their families, however, there were many family interactions which involved aggression and domestic violence. It is perhaps the impact of what children witness that remains with them and encourages them to learn negative behavioural responses more quickly. As Brian explained, When I was younger, I didnt have a very organized family at all, so I looked towards the people on the streets. Thats when it gets you in trouble. Social Integration The abused childs unstable, often dangerous, home environment is likely to limit the childs development of social skills, self-confidence, and experience of positive interactions (Herrenkohl etal., 1995). Taken from Cooper 1999: 10). Children who grow up in a violent, unpredictable family have a `world view in which potential threat is constantly present. The child’s ability to play and integrate with others is severely impaired as they are, if you like, watching their back in case of attack. Play is an important medium of self-expression for the young child, especially during the preschool years when language is still developing. It is the way in which children explore the world around them and learn to recognise and understand objects and people. Because play is sensitive to environmental conditions, the childs physical and social environment will either support or limit his or her play opportunities. Unfortunately, when a child is exposed to a chronically violent, abusive, or neglectful home environment, his or her opportunities for play development and play experiences are severely disrupted. (Cooper 1999:10). The physically abused or neglected child is more likely to show delayed language, cognitive, and motor development, and as a consequence, delayed play skills (Ibid). Cooper suggests that the preschool child will internalise the experience of domestic violence, and may view himself or herself as the cause. As a result, the preschool child may act in destructive ways, such as deliberately destroying other childrens games or toys, in order to attract negative attention. (Ibid). A 1989 study by Fagot et al found physically abused preschool children’s free play with peers to be more disruptive, aggressive, and antisocial than the play of other, non-abused children. (Ibid). Fantuzzo found that aggressive play behaviour, and a lack of empathy with fellow children, is likely to further isolate and prevent the abused child from learning appropriate social skills (Davis Fantuzzo, 1989: 227-248). Structure Children living in a dysfunctional family unit where violence occurs will often experience a lack of structure and organisation to their daily lives. The study by Ballot et al found that the boys ‘felt safe ‘in the institution as they had a chance to lead ‘orderly, less chaotic lives than the ones they experienced in their homes and on the streets.’ (Ballot et al 2002: 17). Every child will cope with exposure to domestic violence in their own unique way. Indeed, many children might at first not appear to have been adversely affected. It is only later, or in certain situations that their inner emotional state might be revealed. Indeed, although there is a varying number of possible negative health and social outcomes for children who have lived in an abusive home, not all children manifest these characteristics in their later life. The young mind can be resilient and adaptable: It is important to remember that some children remain perfectly well-adjusted despite living with abuse and that a majority survive within on clinical or normal levels of functioning. (Millender and Morley1994:4) Results from Primary Research Of the 20 questionnaires handed out to a random sample of respondents, who were asked only to fill out and return the form if they had children. 8 were returned. The results are set out below: 1. Have you ever been in a relationship with someone who has hit you, kicked you, slapped you, punched you, or threatened to hurt you? 2. CURRENTLY? 3. When you were pregnant did anyone ever physically hurt you? 4. Are you in a relationship with someone who yells at you, calls you names, or puts you down? 7 out of 8 women said they had been in a relationship where they were threatened or hurt 3 out of 8 women said they were currently in a violent relationship 6 women who said they had been abused while pregnant, which implies that their children could have been born into a domestically violent household. 6 out of 8 women said they were in an emotionally abusive relationship These statistics for the Fulham area are quite high. Nearly half of respondents said they had experienced prolonged domestic abuse. It would be useful to conduct a further study on another random sample to see if the two sets of results would correlate. Because under half the sample returned the questionnaires it cannot be said to be representative sample of the Fulham area. Nonetheless the findings do give a surprising insight into the lives of black women in London, showing that abuse, in any form, is a regular occurrence in some people’s lives. Furthermore, because these respondents had children it’s likely that their children have witnessed domestic violence. Future research might look into establishing a comparison study on 20 women who do not have children in an attempt to see whether more cases of abuse occur within relationships where children are present. Questionnaire on teenagers Of the 20 forms which were filled in 9 respondents said they had been involved in or witnessed cases of domestic violence in their lifetime. 1. Have you ever been involved in or witnessed scenes of domestic violence in your family? Was this age 1-5/6-14/15-present? Or all of the above? 2. Were these scenes between your parents/partners? Did they ever directly involve you? Yes: 4 No: 5 3. Were you ever physically hurt during these episodes? Yes: 3 No: 6 4. Were you verbally abused during these episodes? Yes: 9 No: 0 5. How did your experience affect your daily life: 1. Made you shy†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..2 2. Made you sad†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.9 3. Made you angry†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦5 4. Made you aggressive towards others†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦3 6. Do you believe your experience to have been detrimental to your ability to enjoy and participate in school? 1. Yes†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..3 2. No†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦6 2 out of 9 respondents said they had witnessed or experienced domestic abuse throughout their lives. Just under half of respondents said that they were directly involved in scenes of domestic violence and all respondents said they were verbally abused. The highest percentage(100%) said they had felt sad, while just under half felt aggressive towards other people. Interviews The four cases of domestic violence all revealed the problem of domestic violence to be one associated with isolation and taking place within the privacy of the home. All respondents admitted that they believed domestic violence to have negatively affected their children. Particularly poignant were the accounts of children becoming withdrawn, another aggressive, and another blaming her mother. All these findings are consistent with the secondary research presented in the first section of this dissertation. The interviews provided a surprisingly good response. Some people might be reluctant to admit to the presence of violence in their domestic life, especially if it involves their children, in fear of admitting that they are (directly, or indirectly) causing their child to be unhappy. However, all four respondents answered openly and honestly about their experiences. Conclusion This dissertation has looked into a cross section of the population in the Hammersmith and Fulham area of London. Teenagers and women who were known to have experienced abuse were asked questions about their experiences and both reported feelings of sadness and aggression. Random sample of women with children also revealed that nearly half of the population had experienced a domestic violence act of some kind in their lives. The findings were consistent with the secondary research, such as the study by Piaget 1972, and Cooper 1999, both of which found that young children had difficulty in play activities and social integration, both at pre-school and primary level. The study by Ballonet al on aggressive teenagers also correlated with the responses from the questionnaires handed out at the youth centre. It is not possible to say that there are more domestic violence cases in black communities or that they are caused by demographic and stress factors. A study by Richardson et al on the prevalence of domestic violence against women looked for a correlation between demographic factors and domestic violence. They concluded that black women were least likely to have ever experienced domestic violence compared to their white female counterparts.(Richardson et al 2002:274). The interview with the British mother found that the violence she had experienced was mostly verbal and did not involve physical force directed at her. Out of the four women she was the only one still tube with her husband with whom she had fought with. This is not consistent with the secondary research presented at the beginning which suggested that more black women stayed with their spouses in fear of what might happen if they left. Future research might explore the marital status of black women in the Hammersmith and Fulham area and the stability of the family unit. Interviews with more than one member of a family might also be useful in order to gain a different perspective on the same incidents. To conclude, domestic violence appears to have a negative impact on children and young people. Initial responses might be guilt, fear, sleeplessness and a desire to protect their mother. In pre-schoolchildren the learning ability and playfulness is often damaged by the experience of domestic violence. In children of all ages research has shown that behaviour is modelled on what they see around them, and this can lead to anti-social behaviour to peers and strangers. Longer-term effects include an inability to trust other people, withdrawing from social situations, depression, and in worse cases aggression on the streets, and drug and alcohol abuse. Effect of Domestic Violence on Children and Young People Effect of Domestic Violence on Children and Young People The Nature of Domestic Violence Domestic violence has been defined as: a continuum of behaviour ranging from verbal abuse, physical, and sexual assault, to rape and even homicide. The vast majority of such violence, and the most severe and chronic incidents, are perpetrated by men against women and their children. (Department of Health [DoH] 2000) In most cases the violence is against women by their partners or spouse and affects children belonging to one or both of them. Children can become victims of domestic violence either through being directly targeted or witnessing scenes of domestic violence between parents and their partners. At least 750,000 children a year witness violence within the home, and nearly three quarters of children on child protection registers live in households where domestic violence occurs. (Dept. of Health, 2003). Abuse and violence may be physical, emotional, psychological, financial or sexual, and may be constant or spasmodic. Yet domestic violence is experienced by individuals from every class, race, religion and culture the world over (British Medical Association [BMA] 1999). While severe cases of domestic violence can often lead to women being hospitalised, others remain undetectable to the public eye, leaving women who live in constant fear of their partner or spouse, trying to avoid degradation. A study by Mayhew found that psychological and emotional abuse might be constant whilst the physical violence is intermittent (Mayhew et al 1996). For the child or young person this becomes a way of life one without stability or security and this can lead to behavioural problems and even crime. The focus of this dissertation is on the impact of domestic violence on the lives of children and young people. Research took place in the Hammersmith and Fulham area of London. The main body of research is secondary, from journals, books, and internet sources. The primary research is in the form of 2 sets of questionnaires handed out to 40people. The first questionnaire uses a design based on a survey done by Doctors from the University of Arizona, which has already proven tube successful and reliable. The questionnaire consists of four questions: Have you ever been in a relationship with someone who has hit you, kicked you, slapped you, punched you, or threatened to hurt you? CURRENTLY? When you were pregnant did anyone ever physically hurt you? Are you in a relationship with someone who yells at you, calls you names, or puts you down? (Wahl et al 2004: 25). The questionnaire was carried out on a random sample of the public. 20were handed to people outside Fulham Broadway tube station during rush-hour. People were only given the form if they said they had children, and were asked to fill it in on their way home from work or when they got back, and were given an sae. This method was chosen for reasons of personal safety as opposed to going round door to door. If the respondent answered yes to all questions then they were said to have suffered a prolonged period of domestic violence. In order to investigate the effects of domestic violence on adolescents questionnaire was devised for teenagers (see Appendix 1) and 20 were handed out at a youth centre in Hammersmith to be filled out anonymously. The forms were then collected at the end of the day. The second section of primary research was designed to be more specific. It was decided to approach an association specifically setup for women who have suffered domestic violence, which is actively involved in policy work in the UK. The chairwoman was approached and asked whether she could arrange for a sample preferably those with family in a black community who would consider completing questionnaire for a research study on domestic violence and its effects on young people and children. The chairwoman gave the researcher four names and email addresses of people who were willing to be contacted. However, the respondents and the association were to remain anonymous for reasons of confidentiality and security. The respondents used pseudonyms for their responses. As the sample was small, yet relevant, it was decided to use a more lengthy questionnaire, and interview the four subjects in more depth about their experience. Aside from the emotional effects, questions were designed to explore how domestic violence can be detrimental to learning and health. (see Appendix 2). Organisations and Government Policy There are many voluntary organisations such as Shelter, which provide counselling and places of refuge for women and children suffering domestic violence. Beneath are listed other services in the Hammersmith and Fulham area: Refuge provides a Freephone 24-hour National Domestic Violence Helpline Community efforts, such as the ‘Peace Week.’ The protection from Harassment Act 1997 Prosecutions from the Criminal Justice Act 1998 where the victim need not appear in court, but her statement used instead. Developing police strategy for collecting evidence at the scene (Home Office 2000). What happens to children in cases of Domestic Violence? The aftermath of domestic problems can be as damaging as the incidents or episodes themselves. Children can be present during an arrest of apparent, witness a parent breaking restraining orders and their reactions to court decisions. In these situations children can be used as pawns or in worst cases even be taken as hostages. (Devote and Smith, 2002 ). In a qualitative study on the effects of domestic violence on children, McGees (2000) study, along with other research, revealed that: Children do not have to experience physical abuse to experience long-term negative effects of living where extreme controlling behaviour and abuse are the norm. In order to protect themselves, children may take the father’s side in an argument, and may themselves be abusive to their mother (Kelly 1996). Children regularly experience a sense of total powerlessness, wishing they could assist their mother, which may produce harm to their long-term emotional wellbeing. This may later cause revenge fantasies, but at the time often leads them to have an overpowering need to stay in the room. (Shipway 2004: 116). It is not unusual for the child or young person to blame themselves for what is happening to their mother, particularly as the partner may have used their behaviour as a reason for losing his temper. (Ibid). Young people sometimes fear social services will remove them from the home if it is known violence and abuse exists. Gaudi (2001:27) provided evidence confirming that two-thirds of the residents in refuges are children. However, this does not account for the hundreds who are afraid to report violence. The threat of leaving their family home, however unstable, is often not well received by children, and many would rather put up with domestic violence than remove themselves from it. Domestic Violence in the Black community Domestic violence in the black community has been recognised as being less likely to be reported mainly because women and young people do not wish to threaten the stability of their position within their community. Women from African Caribbean communities are less likely to report their experiences and therefore they experience prolonged abuse over a long, or sometimes indeterminate, time frame. One of the critical debates concerning domestic violence is the idea of ‘getting used’ to a way of being treated and thus for it to become the norm within family life. An article written by a survivor of domestic violence said of her early years in Jamaica: ‘in my experience it was commonplace to hear of or even witness women/men being beaten by their spouses or partners in public view.’ (Unknown author.http://www.2as1.net/articles/article.asp?id=49.). She comments of violence in the UK, saying that ‘particularly within the Black community, the fighting may not overspill onto the streets but it does occur, behind closed doors.’ Black communities in London are well established and people living within them rely on the social structure of their area. The idea of leaving the area to live in a refuge where they might not understand English speaking people so well is an intimidating prospect for many. Thus, some women who do not speak English might delay seeking help, finding the language a barrier between them and British speaking organisations. Interpreters can be used, but involving a third partying a woman’s private life can be an off-putting idea. Furthermore, religious or cultural beliefs might forbid divorce, and religious community leaders mostly being men, only some speak out about domestic violence. In the case of migrant women and children who suffer domestic abuse there often is the threat of not being able to stay in the UK if they separate from their partner. An even greater threat is that the partner might abduct the children and take them abroad. (GreenwichMulti-Agency Domestic Violence Forum. 2003). One of the most powerful psychological effects of domestic violence, physical or verbal, is the victim’s distorted perspective of their abuser. Often women will make excuses for the person who attacks them blaming it on themselves or on drink or drugs or other stresses within their relationship. This comes with an inability to prioritise their personal safety and wellbeing, and that of their children, believing that the emotional attachment between the family members might be enough to overcome the presence of violence. Consequently, the effects of the mother’s decision to remain within the abusive relationship means that the child remains continually at risk from psychological and physical hurt. The effects of exposure to violence in the home are extensive and not always immediately evident. For the individual exposure to domestic violence can precipitate personality disorders, addictive disorders, substance abuse, and even physical disorders. And as studies have shown, many violent individuals have themselves been victims of domestic violence and abuse, unable to break out of the cycle. Children and adolescents with violent parent(s) are without the presence of a mentor on which to model their behaviour. This can lead to further social problems such as an inability to integrate with peers. A young person who has experienced the insecurity of a violent home life might seek security in other forms such as substance abuse, and gangs and gang violence. Statistics The Home Office survey 2004 reported on a questionnaire used by the2001 British Crime Survey. It asked a nationally representative sample of 22,463 women and men aged between 16 and 59 whether they had been subject to domestic violence during their lifetime and during the preceding year. For relevance to this dissertation the following graphs were selected from the survey: Source: Home Office Survey 2004: 12. The survey surmised that since the age of 16 45% of women and 26%of men were subject to domestic violence at least once in their lifetime. (Home Office 2004: 8). Of these 18.6% were subject to force, meaning pushing, shoving, or physical harm. The British Crime Survey estimated that 13% of women and 9% of men had been subject to domestic violence in the 12 months prior to interview. (p.8). Furthermore, 12.9 million incidents of domestic violence acts had occurred against women in that year. Violence against children In 90% of cases of domestic violence children are in the same room or the next room.(Hughes 1998) In 40% 60% of cases of domestic violence child abuse is also occurring ( Stark Flit craft 1998) The NCH study found 75% of mothers said their children had witnessed domestic violence, 33% had seen their mothers beaten up, 10%had witnessed sexual violence (NCH, 1994). (http://www.womens-aid.org.uk/statistics.php). Immediate effects of Domestic Violence on Children and Young People A report by the Department of Health concluded that: For many women and their families the effects of domestic violence will be catastrophic, the damage to their physical and psychological wellbeing may be deeply damaging, and on occasions fatal. (Department of Health [DoH] 2000: 12) Victimisation by a parent of a child or young person can lead to the individual becoming so controlled and inhibited that they are unable to make even the simplest decision or act without permission, responding with complete obedience to every order given and every rule imposed. Abuse can encumber every part of their life, leading in cases to suicide seeming like the only escape. Some people express their self-disgust and powerlessness through alcohol or drug abuse, or self-mutilation, exhibiting signs of severe depression and complete dependency on the abuser.(Shipway 2004: 1). Because of the variety of forms which domestic violence can take its difficult for research to cover all areas. For example, there can be negative effects from being an observer. Research by Fantuzzo and Mohr noted this and thus instead of using the term ‘victim’ used ‘exposure.’ This was used in the context of the experience of watching or hearing domestic violence; being directly involved; calling police; and the experience of the aftermath of scenes which might include seeing injuries or bruising on a parent and observing maternal depression. (Fantuzzo and Mohr 1999: 22). Work by Hester et al found that childrens responses differ among members of the same family who are witnessing or experiencing the same abuse. They also said that it is hard to discern the impacts of living with domestic violence on children, because some of the consequent behaviours also occur in children experiencing other forms of abuse and neglect. (Hester et al. 2000:44) The following is a list of negative effects taken from Shipway 2004: 117): Secrecy Confusion Fear Mistrustful Blaming themselves Nightmares In addition Hester et al. (2000:44) found that whilst some children have poor social skills others attain a high level of social skills development with an ability to negotiate difficult situations. Child’s ability to cope with abuse should never be underestimated; neither should the childs attachment to the abusive parent which, for some, may continue to be strong. (Ibid). Children’s responses to witnessing domestic violence will depend on age, race, class, sex, stage of development, and the support of others.(Women’s Aid). Children may feel angry at their mother or father for not protecting them, as well as blaming them for causing the violence. Others may be so concerned about their mothers distress that they keep private their own grief (Saunders, 1995. From Women’s Aid). Long Term effects Research by Fantuzzo and Mohr concluded that children who live in violent households are at greater risk of being maladjusted. (Fantuzzoand Mohr 1999: 22.) Some of these problems include: Behaviour Modelling In very young children through to adolescent age, behaviour is often modelled on people who the individual spends significant time with. Piaget in his 1972 publication noted that children’s play behaviour involves modelling on those around them, and eventually to reproducing that behaviour at any given time or place . As children grow up the parent figure becomes a role-model and if an abusive relationship exists then this trust is taken away. In study conducted by American researchers on aggression and violence in adolescent boys, 15 interviewees were asked questions which sought to identify areas for improvement concerning intervention and prevention. Participants disclosed that their aggressive responses to provocation were frequently modelled on responses that they had seen exhibited bothers, particularly those observed among immediate and extended family members. For example, a respondent called Dan said the following about his father: He gets mad too quickly. Hell get aggravated and hell just explode and thats when the fights start. Well argue and then Ill get mad and tell him some stuff and then hell get mad and just start yelling and then like one of us will go after the other, and then were fighting so my mother will try to break it up or call the police. (Ballot et al 2002: 221). Not all interviewees connected their behaviour with their families, however, there were many family interactions which involved aggression and domestic violence. It is perhaps the impact of what children witness that remains with them and encourages them to learn negative behavioural responses more quickly. As Brian explained, When I was younger, I didnt have a very organized family at all, so I looked towards the people on the streets. Thats when it gets you in trouble. Social Integration The abused childs unstable, often dangerous, home environment is likely to limit the childs development of social skills, self-confidence, and experience of positive interactions (Herrenkohl etal., 1995). Taken from Cooper 1999: 10). Children who grow up in a violent, unpredictable family have a `world view in which potential threat is constantly present. The child’s ability to play and integrate with others is severely impaired as they are, if you like, watching their back in case of attack. Play is an important medium of self-expression for the young child, especially during the preschool years when language is still developing. It is the way in which children explore the world around them and learn to recognise and understand objects and people. Because play is sensitive to environmental conditions, the childs physical and social environment will either support or limit his or her play opportunities. Unfortunately, when a child is exposed to a chronically violent, abusive, or neglectful home environment, his or her opportunities for play development and play experiences are severely disrupted. (Cooper 1999:10). The physically abused or neglected child is more likely to show delayed language, cognitive, and motor development, and as a consequence, delayed play skills (Ibid). Cooper suggests that the preschool child will internalise the experience of domestic violence, and may view himself or herself as the cause. As a result, the preschool child may act in destructive ways, such as deliberately destroying other childrens games or toys, in order to attract negative attention. (Ibid). A 1989 study by Fagot et al found physically abused preschool children’s free play with peers to be more disruptive, aggressive, and antisocial than the play of other, non-abused children. (Ibid). Fantuzzo found that aggressive play behaviour, and a lack of empathy with fellow children, is likely to further isolate and prevent the abused child from learning appropriate social skills (Davis Fantuzzo, 1989: 227-248). Structure Children living in a dysfunctional family unit where violence occurs will often experience a lack of structure and organisation to their daily lives. The study by Ballot et al found that the boys ‘felt safe ‘in the institution as they had a chance to lead ‘orderly, less chaotic lives than the ones they experienced in their homes and on the streets.’ (Ballot et al 2002: 17). Every child will cope with exposure to domestic violence in their own unique way. Indeed, many children might at first not appear to have been adversely affected. It is only later, or in certain situations that their inner emotional state might be revealed. Indeed, although there is a varying number of possible negative health and social outcomes for children who have lived in an abusive home, not all children manifest these characteristics in their later life. The young mind can be resilient and adaptable: It is important to remember that some children remain perfectly well-adjusted despite living with abuse and that a majority survive within on clinical or normal levels of functioning. (Millender and Morley1994:4) Results from Primary Research Of the 20 questionnaires handed out to a random sample of respondents, who were asked only to fill out and return the form if they had children. 8 were returned. The results are set out below: 1. Have you ever been in a relationship with someone who has hit you, kicked you, slapped you, punched you, or threatened to hurt you? 2. CURRENTLY? 3. When you were pregnant did anyone ever physically hurt you? 4. Are you in a relationship with someone who yells at you, calls you names, or puts you down? 7 out of 8 women said they had been in a relationship where they were threatened or hurt 3 out of 8 women said they were currently in a violent relationship 6 women who said they had been abused while pregnant, which implies that their children could have been born into a domestically violent household. 6 out of 8 women said they were in an emotionally abusive relationship These statistics for the Fulham area are quite high. Nearly half of respondents said they had experienced prolonged domestic abuse. It would be useful to conduct a further study on another random sample to see if the two sets of results would correlate. Because under half the sample returned the questionnaires it cannot be said to be representative sample of the Fulham area. Nonetheless the findings do give a surprising insight into the lives of black women in London, showing that abuse, in any form, is a regular occurrence in some people’s lives. Furthermore, because these respondents had children it’s likely that their children have witnessed domestic violence. Future research might look into establishing a comparison study on 20 women who do not have children in an attempt to see whether more cases of abuse occur within relationships where children are present. Questionnaire on teenagers Of the 20 forms which were filled in 9 respondents said they had been involved in or witnessed cases of domestic violence in their lifetime. 1. Have you ever been involved in or witnessed scenes of domestic violence in your family? Was this age 1-5/6-14/15-present? Or all of the above? 2. Were these scenes between your parents/partners? Did they ever directly involve you? Yes: 4 No: 5 3. Were you ever physically hurt during these episodes? Yes: 3 No: 6 4. Were you verbally abused during these episodes? Yes: 9 No: 0 5. How did your experience affect your daily life: 1. Made you shy†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..2 2. Made you sad†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.9 3. Made you angry†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦5 4. Made you aggressive towards others†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦3 6. Do you believe your experience to have been detrimental to your ability to enjoy and participate in school? 1. Yes†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..3 2. No†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦6 2 out of 9 respondents said they had witnessed or experienced domestic abuse throughout their lives. Just under half of respondents said that they were directly involved in scenes of domestic violence and all respondents said they were verbally abused. The highest percentage(100%) said they had felt sad, while just under half felt aggressive towards other people. Interviews The four cases of domestic violence all revealed the problem of domestic violence to be one associated with isolation and taking place within the privacy of the home. All respondents admitted that they believed domestic violence to have negatively affected their children. Particularly poignant were the accounts of children becoming withdrawn, another aggressive, and another blaming her mother. All these findings are consistent with the secondary research presented in the first section of this dissertation. The interviews provided a surprisingly good response. Some people might be reluctant to admit to the presence of violence in their domestic life, especially if it involves their children, in fear of admitting that they are (directly, or indirectly) causing their child to be unhappy. However, all four respondents answered openly and honestly about their experiences. Conclusion This dissertation has looked into a cross section of the population in the Hammersmith and Fulham area of London. Teenagers and women who were known to have experienced abuse were asked questions about their experiences and both reported feelings of sadness and aggression. Random sample of women with children also revealed that nearly half of the population had experienced a domestic violence act of some kind in their lives. The findings were consistent with the secondary research, such as the study by Piaget 1972, and Cooper 1999, both of which found that young children had difficulty in play activities and social integration, both at pre-school and primary level. The study by Ballonet al on aggressive teenagers also correlated with the responses from the questionnaires handed out at the youth centre. It is not possible to say that there are more domestic violence cases in black communities or that they are caused by demographic and stress factors. A study by Richardson et al on the prevalence of domestic violence against women looked for a correlation between demographic factors and domestic violence. They concluded that black women were least likely to have ever experienced domestic violence compared to their white female counterparts.(Richardson et al 2002:274). The interview with the British mother found that the violence she had experienced was mostly verbal and did not involve physical force directed at her. Out of the four women she was the only one still tube with her husband with whom she had fought with. This is not consistent with the secondary research presented at the beginning which suggested that more black women stayed with their spouses in fear of what might happen if they left. Future research might explore the marital status of black women in the Hammersmith and Fulham area and the stability of the family unit. Interviews with more than one member of a family might also be useful in order to gain a different perspective on the same incidents. To conclude, domestic violence appears to have a negative impact on children and young people. Initial responses might be guilt, fear, sleeplessness and a desire to protect their mother. In pre-schoolchildren the learning ability and playfulness is often damaged by the experience of domestic violence. In children of all ages research has shown that behaviour is modelled on what they see around them, and this can lead to anti-social behaviour to peers and strangers. Longer-term effects include an inability to trust other people, withdrawing from social situations, depression, and in worse cases aggression on the streets, and drug and alcohol abuse.

The Roman Family: Center of Roman Society :: Ancient Rome Roman History

The Roman Family: Center of Roman Society The Roman family after the advent of Christianity has been widely discussed in Roman History. Different historians have looked at the topic in different ways. There are two articles at hand, which deal with this very topic. Brent Shaw, The family in Late Antiquity: The Experience of Augustine and Douglas O'Roark, Parenthood in Late Antiquity. Both historians are looking at the family in late antiquity, after the time that Christianity was introduced to the Roman society. Through an analysis of the two essays and references to the classical period it can be seen that: The Roman family has always been an important institution in their society, it's composition, roles and the functions changed little after the advent of Christianity. The Essays Each of the historians has a solid central argument, and their essays are laid out well. Shaw seeks to show the structure and the functions of the Roman family in late antiquity. He also seeks to clear up misconceptions of the Roman family. O'Roark's argument seeks to show the closeness of the parents and children in the Roman family. The important thing to realize is that both of these essays are looking at the Roman family in the same period, late antiquity, after the advent of Christianity. Also important to note is both of these essays to not specifically talk about the impact of Christianity on the family. The essays can be used to reference against each other and against the Roman family in the Classical period. Information on the Classical period is given in G. Nathan's article: Two Traditions. With the three essays one can come to a good conclusion about the impact of Christianity on the Roman family. In interest of paper length the essays have been narrowed down to include only central topics. First looking at similarities, then differences. Children This is the first main aspect of the family that both historians look at. The first point Shaw brings up is that main purpose of childbearing. This was for the wife to produce a heir for the husband . The father organized the whole house around this, in preparation a son to take everything over when he died . O'Roark states that a major factor in having children was to love and to care for them . He however cannot deny that before this the realization is that the father must have children to pass everything on to .

Research Report Example

1. 0 Introduction 1. 1. Background of Research Nowadays, we can consider written form of message is the most effective as written communication will not change and the message to be delivered will always be consistent with no reduction or addition information in the message when compared to the messages conveyed through speech from one person to another. It is no wonder most important data is stored in written form. According to Knowles in the book of Patterns of Spoken English: An Introduction to English Phonetics, written language has the advantage that it is permanent so that it can be studied conveniently and at leisure, but spoken language is more elusive. In other words, written language looks like an imperfect version of spoken language. Since written communication is the most widely used to convey important messages, does the spelling errors in written communication will affect the message to be delivered? Nowadays, brief messages but important are often delivered in written form. For example, if a company wants to introduce their new products to the market, the company would choose to make use of sign board and written communication. The question now, if the sign board has spelling errors, does it have an impact on the message to be delivered and thus affect the sale of their products? There are many factors that cause English spelling errors in the sign boards. One of the factor is the mother tongue. In Malaysia, people come from a various races and ethnicities. Therefore, we are also have different native languages. The Malays with their Malay language, Chinese with their mandarin and many more. Since English is a second or third language in our lives, we often to misspell the word in English. In addition, a person who produces these signs are not concerned about spelling in their advertising. Sometimes the person responsible for making the sign board that using English language also does not have a good command of English. From the problem that we face, how one can prevent this problem? Among the solutions that can be taken is to use software or a spell checker before making billboards that use English. In addition, these signs should be going through the process of inspection or proof read the words. For someone that want to make their own sign board for the purpose of their small business, they can carefully and slowly read their writing out loud. Often your ear will hear what your eye did not see. Read your writing, sentence by sentence, from the last sentence to the first sentence. This technique interrupts the logical flow of the prose and neutralizes any impression of correctness arising from your knowledge of what you meant to say. Also, one can use their dictionary to check any words of which they are unsure, and to check for the spelling. This is a brief overview of the research that we want to conduct. Every point will be discussed further in more details and with an analysis. 1. 2. Statement of Problem The purpose of this research is to study the importance of spelling in advertisement. First of all, why spelling is so important when we want to convey a message in the form of written communication? Spelling is important because it aids in reading. It helps cement the connection that is shared between sounds and letters. Delivering very important information, for example information about the security at construction sites, but there is spelling errors in the signs. That would be a dangerous thing for anyone who cannot receive the message. In addition, if there are spelling errors in signs that seeks to promote a business, it will affect their business. Bad spelling gives others a bad impression about you or about your business. No matter what you say, if the spelling is poor, the reader will notice this before anything else. Punctuation errors often go unnoticed, but everyone notices spelling errors. Then, if the tourist that use English as their mother tongue read the sign board that have a spelling error, it will give a bad impression to our country. Then what will happen if the spelling errors are found in the sign board that is from a prestigious university. For example a parking sign board in a Cambridge University. The sign boards misspell the words ‘college’ to ‘collage’. This is a not a serious spelling errors, but it affect the reputation of the academic institution itself. 1. 3. Objectives of study i. To investigate the factors of spelling errors in advertisement. ii. To discover the impact of spelling errors in advertisement. iii. To find the most effective solution to avoid spelling errors. Research Questions i. Do spelling errors in advertisement prevent the message from being conveyed? ii. What are the factors that lead to spelling errors in advertising sign board? ii. What is the impact of spelling errors to the readers? iv. Which sectors are usually having spelling errors in their ad signs? (business or informative) v. Which sectors of the advertising sign board that have spelling errors are most affected? vi. How is the best way to avoid spelling errors in advertising signs? 1. 4 Significance of the study Sometimes, the wrong usage of language will cause different meaning for something. Somehow, nowadays, people are influenced by the foreign language, mother-tongue language, broken language, and other that cause the misuse of advertisement. Advertisements language usage is important because it is going to be a tool to remind or inform the others about certain information. A wrong use of language in advertisement sign board will cause troublesome to the reader or user in terms of understanding. 1. 5 Limitations of study The main scope of the study will be the student of UTHM. We choosing 20 respondents for engineering field and 20 respondents form Non-engineering filed. Initially, we will set the hotspot place like library, food court, bus stop, and etcetera. We are going to use questionnaire to collect data. The main constraint will be how to approach the students for them to spend time answering our questionnaire. Meanwhile, we also face problem of time management for going to the hotspot places in UTHM. Besides that is also having limitation of getting the field of study cause we need find 20 respondents for engineering field and 20 respondents form Non-engineering filed to fulfills the task. 1. 6 Definition of terms The main concept of our research is to identify the suitability of the usage of language in advertisement or sign board. This concept has been proposed due to too many confusing, annoying, and funny word or arrangement in all over the world. Our research has been decided due to the important of the advertisement and sign board. This is because of the wrong use of language to express something will be different for the original meaning and very confusing. In our proposal, we are using some abbreviation. They are as follows: a. UTHM : University of Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia b. FKEE : The Faculty of Electrical and Electronics Engineering c. FSKTM: Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology d. FPTPK: Faculty of Technology Management and Business 2. 0 Literature Review Spelling skill is a very important tool especially in conjunction with writing. As Croft (1993) states â€Å"the only possible justification for learning to spell is that accurate spelling is necessary for effective writing. † A misspelled word will quickly take the mind of the reader away from the meaning of the message. Spelling is necessary for good communication too. Kyte (2001) explored the causes of common spelling errors. These included carelessness, mispronunciation, phonrtic errors, homonym confusion and handwriting errors. Because of the citizen of our country, there are many dialect. The Pronunciation of a given word may vary widely while the spelling is the same. Mother tongue interference is cause of spelling error. Wilkins observes â€Å"When learning a foreign language an individual already knows his mother tongue, and it is this which he attempts to transfer. The transfer may prove to be justified because the structure of the two languages is similar – in that case we get ‘positive transfer' or ‘facilitation' – or it may prove unjustified because the structure of the two languages are different – in that case we get ‘negative transfer' – or ‘interference'. (Wilkins, 1999) â€Å"English spelling has traditionally been difficult for those who teach it as well as those who must learn it† (Johnston, 2000). Lack of simple one-to-one letter/sound correspondences in words and apparent exceptions to spelling rules contribute to spelling errors. â€Å"Due to the complexity of the task, it cannot be assumed that students will absorb good spelling practices without explicit instruction† (Gentry, 2001). The spelling of words in the English language is difficult for even the most adept students. In addition, students must be able to see an advantage to learning Standard English in order to develop a desire to spell correctly. â€Å"Though spelling may be difficult, it need not be dull. It is, indeed, by no means the least interesting element in the structure of our rich, living, and complex language† (Vallins as cited in Johnstone, 2001). â€Å"Spelling errors provide a visual representation for students, processing of linguistic information as well as their knowledge of English orthography †. (Henry, 2003) Chiang T. H. (1981) and Chiang P. J. (1993) explore the errors in Chinese college and senior high school student English compositions. They points out three prominent features in the error of vowel substitution: â€Å"first, errors often occurs in non-stressed syllables; second, the substitute letter(s) and the target letter(s) are often pronounced the same or similarly; last, a target letter may be replaced by its phonetic symbol†. They explores the errors through the data from a vocabulary translation test. In this test, students are asked to translate Chinese words into English equivalents. They find five types of spelling errors: (1) substitution (one or more letters are substituted with others, e. g. rabbit/ ribbit, present/prasent), (2) omission (one or more letters are missing from the target words, e. g. bigger/biger, August/Augst), (3) transposition (one or more letters are misplaced, e. g. minute/miunte, first/frist), (4) addition (extra letter is added to the target word, e. g. October/Octorber, pencil/pencial, bench/beanch), and (5) combination of the above. One of the most applicable solution to avoid spelling error in advertisement is proofreading. Proofreading is a highly complex process, it is a process of inspection. It involves more than just reading text. In proofreading, the reader must be trained to look consciously at what he would normally need to ignore–features of the code itself† (Shaughnessy, 2003). Proofreading involves looking closely at orthographic structures in words and using morphological information to check their correct usage. This is a highly developed skill. The purpose of this literature review is to study the causes of spelling errors, not solely at the advertisement area but also spelling errors in writing documents and so forth. Within this review, I argue that spelling is important to the development of written language skills. This has implications for academic performance in curriculum areas that rely on written language for assessment purposes. Students who have poor spelling skills often limit the quantity and quality of their written language in an effort to minimise errors. â€Å"Because of this, they may judge themselves, and be judged by others to be less capable than they really are, in the area of language expression† (Moseley, 1993). 3. 0 Methodology 3. 1 Sample The report is aimed at student of engineering student and non-engineering student (undergraduate) who study in UITHM. We have completed the data collection through questionnaire distributed to UTHM students, mainly divided to two groups. First group is engineering students (FKEE, FKMP, FKAAS) and the other is non engineering students (FTMM, FPTPK, FSSM). We have collected 40 samples of respond from this two groups, each 20 respectively. 3. 2 Data Collection We have gathered the data needed by employing observation. Observation is done to monitor the errors of spelling in advertisement in the closest area. It is also conducted to have wider understanding on â€Å"what’s going on† from taught material point of view. The observation done several times before finally we found an imprecise answer to what we were seeking for. That were the factors and the impact of spelling errors in advertisement. Participant observation is regarded in the best position to collect data about the observable features of the most effective solution to avoid spelling errors. The students will be investigated during the gap time between classes. It will be carried on in the hotspot area around UTHM. 3. 3 Data analysis As the result of the observation, the first method, the data would be analyzed by firstly comparing the data collected from each student. It have been done with the focus of evaluation of the material given in its role to evaluate what the effect of spelling error in advertisement . Then it would be classified into several categories which are constructed into more systematic arrangement of each After that, as the result of the each answer calculation, the researcher will transform it to percentage. The data will be shared in the form of tables and graps. 3. 4 Instrument The instruments refer to the method used in testing our hypothesis or answering our researched question. The instrument that we used is a survey in the form of questionnaire. We created the questionnaire based on our statement of problem and hypothesis. Then we gave the questionnaire to the students and ask them to answer. After that, we collected our questionnaire and analyzed our data. From the questionnaire, we had different opinion from respondents. Besides that, we also searched internet to get more information about this task . 3. 5 Research Procedure SELECT THE BEST TOPIC BRAINSTORM FOR TOPIC FORM A GROUP SUBMISSION OF REPORT ANALYZE THE DATA COLLECT THE QUESTIONNAIRE FORM QUESTIONNAIRE RESEARCH DISTRIBUTE THE QUESTIONNAIRE Firstly, we are divided into several groups by our own choice. Secondly, we have conducted the first meeting for brainstorming ideas to find the right topic. Only after several meeting, we found the most suitable topic which is â€Å"Spelling errors in advertisement†. Thirdly, we started the research by finding more information about our topic from the internet. To assist our data findings, we have made some questionnaires that are next distributed to the respective samples. Next, we have collected the data in the questionnaires and divided them into several specialized groups to make it clearer for analysing. 4. 0 Data Analysis The bar graph states the number of respondents answering the questionnaires distributed according to gender and section of study which are non-engineering and engineering students. Among the non-engineering students, the female students are the major respondents and same goes to the engineering students. The bar graph compares the number of respondents who have and have not seen or read billboards or signage with spelling errors on it. It seems that most of the respondents from engineering courses have seen some. While only six respondents from the non-engineering course stated that they have never seen it in live. Factors of spelling errors in advertisement according to the students’ point of view. Factors| Engineering| Non-engineering| Influenced by mother-tongue language. | 10| 10| No careful consideration on advertising messages that they want. | 11| 13| The person making billboards or signage sometimes is not expert in English. | 8| 7| Others| 2| 2| Discussion This statement or question was introduced to collect the point of view of students about the factors of spelling error in advertisement. Our respondent consisted of two groups of students, which is from engineering field and non-engineering field. Respondent can choose one or more factors in the question or choose others if they consider the spelling error of advertisement is caused by other factors. According to the data distribution, the main factor of spelling error in advertisement is caused by no careful consideration on advertising messages that they want. This recorded a highest percentage of 35. 48 in engineering students and 40. 63% in non-engineering students. On the other hand, both 10 votes from two different fields of students that suggested the spelling error in advertisement was influenced by mother tongue language. The data recorded a total of 31 votes from engineering students and 32 votes from non-engineering students respectively. This is an important factor that leads to the spelling error because the respondent is from multi-racial and have their own mother tongue language. Next, the person making billboards or signage sometimes is not expert in English also stands a high percentage. 25. 81% engineering students and 21. 88% non-engineering students support this factor of causing spelling error. Last but not least, both 2 votes from two field of students on others factor that caused this phenomenon to happen. In conclusion, there are many factors that caused this phenomenon to arise and we cannot conclude solely single factor that lead to this problem. The data collected also shown a quite equal percentage from each factor and this has proven the spelling error is caused by several factors. Table 4: Sector of (profitable or non – profitable) that are often has spelling error in their advertisement. Students| Sector of advertisement| | Non – profitable (informative)| Profitable (business)| Engineering| 13| 7| Non – engineering| 16| 4| The bar chart shows the sector of advertisement(profitable or non-profitable) that often has spelling error in their advertisement. 80% of Engineering student show it is from non-profitable sector while 20% show it is from profitable sector. For non-engineering students, 65% show it is from non-profitable sector while 35% show it is from profitable sector. The result from engineering and non-engineering students almost same for question which sector of (profitable or non – profitable) that are often has spelling error in their advertisement. They agreed that profitable sector are often has spelling error in their advertisement. Table 5: Understanding Level of The Students On Advertisement Containing Spelling Errors. Students| Understanding Level of The Students On Advertisement Containing Spelling Errors. | | Yes| No | Engineering| 19| 1| Non – engineering| 15| 5| The bar chart shows the understanding level of the students on advertisement containing spelling errors. 95% of Engineering student stated that they understand the real message that the ads even if the advertisement has spelling error while 5% stated that they do not understand the ads . For non-engineering students, 75% of non-Engineering student stated that they understand the real message that the ads even if the advertisement has spelling error while 25% stated that they do not understand the ads. The result from engineering and non-engineering student almost same for understanding level of the students on advertisement containing spelling errors. They agreed that they still can understand the real message that the ads even if the advertisement has spelling error. Table 6: Sector of advertisement (profitable or non – profitable) that most affected by spelling error in the advertising. 1-no influence 2-partially influence 3-strongly influence) Students| Level of Influence| | Non-profitable (informative) advertisement| Profitable (business) advertisement| | 1| 2| 3| 1| 2| 3| Engineering| 6| 8| 7| 7| 4| 10| Non – engineering| 4| 1| 9| 9| 5| 12| Discussion From the data, we found that most of our respondent said that profitable (business) advertisement are most affected by the spelling error in their advertising. This represents 62. 37% of our entire respondent vote. From this 62. 37%, 44. 83% are represented by the non- engineering student’s respondent. While the rest are from the engineering student’s respondent. From 62. 37% that said profitable (business) advertisement are most affected by the spelling error, 37. 93% of them put level 3 which level 3 is represent strongly influence. Only 44. 83% of our respondents said that non-profitable (informative) advertisement are most affected by the spelling error. The difference is almost 20%. From the analysis made, we can assume that most respondents said that profitable (business) advertisement are the most affected by spelling errors in their advertising because it involves the profitability of the business. Compares to non-profitable (informative) advertisement, even the message cannot be conveyed successfully it will not cause loss in investment like business. Students’ Opinion About The Effect Of Spelling Error In Advertisement To The Business. As we observe the figure above, we can know the students opinion about the effect of spelling error in advertisement to the business. If we look it more detail and deeply, he percentage of students who agree with the statement above is nearly same which is about 37. 5% -42. 5% which is from the engineering and non-engineering students. Other than that, the number of students who are not agree with the statement is a small amount only which is only 20% which is from the engineering and non-engineering students. Besides that, the students who agree with the statement by saying yes for the respective question is actually they might do not understand the message or not confident with the advertisement where it happens in the daily life in the aspect of business world whereas, the number the students who aren’t agree with the statement by saying no is trying to mean that the advertisement is not affected, they still can understand the message. Besides, they are trying to mean that the spelling error is easy to fixed and recognize and lastly they can be presented as a creative thinker. What do you think is the most suitable applicable solution to avoid spelling error in advertisement? * Use software, spell checker to check your word * Proof read before advertise (go through possess of inspection) * Native speaker (fluent in English) who guides to prevent bad translation Figure 8 Table 8 Students| Software checking| Undergo process of inspection| Native speaker| Other| Engineering Students| | 8| 12| 0| 0| Non-Engineering Students| 9| 7| 3| 1| Total| 17| 19| 3| 1| Discussion: The data obtain by questionnaire method. 20 respondents for engineering student and 20 respondents for Non-engineering student. From the table, we can see clearly that the â€Å"proof read before advertise â€Å"having the highest rate of choice that is 19 out of 40 respondents. After that follows by â€Å"use software, spell checker to check your word† with 17 respondents choice. Then is the native speaker with only 3 respondent’s choice. They a respondent give respond other which state that â€Å"check carefully first†. According to the analysis, we can make hypothesis that engineering student do not face problem of native speaker. Besides that, we also can predict that undergo process of inspection is more effective way to solve the problem. 5. 0 Conclusion In a nutshell, the research of this project had been done perfectly and we able to achieve all the objectives of the study. First of all, we would like to explain the main objective of the study which is to investigate the factors of spelling errors in advertisement. In this view of opinion, we can observe the research from the questionnaires which given to the engineering and non-engineering students for the purpose of this study which is the factors of spelling error in an advertisement wise. Secondly, we move to the next step of this study which is to discover the impact of spelling errors in an advertisement. By referring to this statement, we can say that the impacts are wrong information will be delivers to the readers and could create some confusion among the messages and fail to attract attention from the readers. Thirdly, adding with the next objective of this study which is to find the most effective solution to avoid spelling errors. If we look deeply and open our eyes and mind frankly, we can get to the meaning of tis statement which can be said this is another alternative method to deliver certain message to the readers correctly and accordingly, besides that can be said that by doing or creating some effective method to avoid such mistakes is to reduce the popularity of people getting confuse of some advertisement. Finally, I would like to combine this and try to compare in our daily life things, there are advantages and disadvantages whenever and whatever we do in our life time journey. Thus, what I’m is trying to is we as a educated community should concern and aware about this problem and prevent this thing to stay on and destroy our future generation’s language and their capability in the reading and grammar usage wise . We should do and react towards this problem in a big group and not depending someone ,its like we are saving and do not want the proper grammar usage to be extinct fully. Suggestion There are many ways to overcome or prevent this type of problem to be continued or occurred in the publics or medias. One of the way is by checking the advertisement before it shows to the public and there should be an checking errors team such as Quality Control(QC) team in any company projects work, such as the flow of the pattern and stages of grammar checking. Besides that, if let say there is an error in the advertisement which already showed or advertise, immediately change it through in another alternative way which we can say as a back up way to overcome such problem. Lastly, we as a creative thinking person should able to understand the purpose of an advertisement and try ourselves to correct it if there is any error in an advertisement such as erased such error occurred advertisement and change it to the proper sentence. 6. 0 Reference Chapter 2. 0 UW-Madison Writing Centre. (2009) Writer’s Handbook http://writing. wisc. edu/Handbook/index. html. The University of Wisconsin-Madison. Retrieved 11 Dec, 2011 Seymour, P. (1997). Foundations of orthographic development. In C. A. Perfetti, L. Rieben, & M. Fayol (Eds. ), Learning to Spell. Research, theory and practice across languages (pp. 319-338). NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Asociates. Sloboda, J. A. (1980). Visual imagery and individual differences in spelling. In U. Frith (Ed. ), Cognitive processes in spelling (pp. 231-250). London: Academic Press Inc. Ltd. Beck, I. L. (2006). Making sense of phonics: The hows and whys. New York: The Guilford Press. Bertucci, C. , Hook, P. , Macaruso, P. , & Bickley, C. (2003). Vowel perception and production in adolescents with reading disabilities. Annals of Dyslexia, 53, 174-197. Birsh, J. R. (Ed. ). (1999). Multisensory teaching of basic language skills. New York: Paul H. Brookes. Chapter 3. 0 McNeil, P. & Chapman, S. (2005) Research Methods. 3rd Ed. Routledge: Oxon Chapter 4. 0 Gillhooly, V. (2008) Business English-Charts, Graphs & Diagrams. Learnwell Oy Website: www. thelanguage. com. Retrieved 12 Dec, 2011 Caprette, D. (Aug 2007) Writing about Graphs. Rice University. Website: http://www. ruf. rice. edu/~bioslabs/tools/report/reportform. html. Retrieved 16 Dec,2011

Academics versus Writing Centered Classes - 1784 Words

One of the biggest debates in composition theory seems to be the notion of fostering the â€Å"creative impulse† versus â€Å"structure† in the writing classroom. We have run into this argument time and again in class, and it is waged on a larger scale in the â€Å"Bartholomae and Elbow Debate† in terms of academic versus writing centered classes. In class we have discussed â€Å"structure† as grammar, and the â€Å"creative impulse† as the desire students have to break the rules of language in their own creative endeavors. Bartholomae and Elbow provide us with natural extensions of this argument in their own debate. The â€Å"academic classroom† according to Bartholomae is more beneficial to students, as they gain a sense of intertextuality and learn how to write and†¦show more content†¦Their writing, as well as that of other authors, made me want to respond (as all great writing should do). And yes, I actually felt the need for ac ademic writing, writing that would respond to literature, that would take different paths to discover meaning in it. Elbow presents some important concerns with the way that academic writing is handled in the University system, and I have certainly experienced some of these problems first hand. It is important not to let a few antiquated teaching methods scare one away from all academic writing, however. â€Å"I must fight the tradition of treating these readings as monuments in a museum, pieces under glass.† (Elbow 491). It can definitely be said that many teachers of literature do just that. Students are not allowed to question the validity of what has been written in any way and in a very Modernist approach, there is one correct hidden meaning that we may gain access to in a text, and if a student comes up with anything else, they are wrong, and they have insulted a work much greater than them in the canon. This is not the way to introduce students to academic writing. This method will only serve to do exactly what Elbow says, make students â€Å"skeptical and distrustful† of their own power over language. The teacher must not have the ultimate say in how a piece of literature is interpreted in the classroom. Rather, they should be a guide. Elbow’s concern is thatShow MoreRelatedStudent-Centered Learning Methods vs. Teacher-Centered Learning Methods1198 Words   |  5 PagesStudent-Centered Learning Methods vs. Teacher-Centered Learning Methods Abstract The different types of student-centered learning methods are described and compared to teacher-centered approaches. Different studies were researched with mixed results. Student-centered methods, when applied to secondary education students and above, provide social and emotional value to the students and improve reasoning and creative ability. 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