Selected Topic
I selected the topic of domestic violence because it is a pressing issue on which the public cannot agree. The controversial depiction of abuse as an attempt to educate a child does not allow this problem to be eliminated. Thus, it was important for me to address this issue and gather more information on the ways of its prevention and amelioration. I still find the topic of domestic violence interesting as it has many other underlying themes that can be studied further.
For instance, the role of the mother and other relatives in children’s treatment is a complex issue that requires more research (Katz, 2015). Moreover, Swanston, Bowyer, and Vetere (2014) investigate the way children express their thoughts and experiences about violence, which can also be discussed more thoroughly. Finally, the techniques to detect children suffering from abuse, presented by Münger and Markström (2017), may help medical professionals to deepen their knowledge.
Research Skills
I have learned to assess the materials accessible to professionals in the field to determine their viability and quality of research. An expert needs to find the latest information about the problem and make sure that it has sufficient evidence and logical judgments. Otherwise, poorly-researched or unchecked works may lead to incorrect conclusions. When performing research by oneself, it is necessary to choose the correct way to collect and analyze data. I learned that each study could yield different results if the research strategy did not reflect the objectives of the study. For instance, surveys help assess subjective opinions and personal experiences of people, but they cannot always show the full picture.
Peers’ Feedback
After receiving feedback from my peers, I improved the definitions of the problem and its possible solutions. First of all, several theories define the problem of domestic abuse differently, and the provided feedback allowed me to see how multiple people viewed the issue of domestic violence. While the opinions of most people did not vary from each other significantly, their analysis allowed me to see little details of the problem that I may not have noticed on my own. For instance, I saw that some people noted the necessity to make the discussion about domestic abuse persuasive without turning people away. It affected the way I described possible interventions.
Works of Classmates
Reviewing the research of others always gives one the ability to see different points of view. Even if two people share one opinion, their interpretation of an issue may be different. While some people see one side of the problem, others may notice completely different aspects. Therefore, when I read the works of my classmates, I was able to see their worldview on the issues that they discussed. It also helped me realize my position on those topics as well as my study. This practice allowed me to see the scope of my research and the information I used in the paper.
In my classmates’ works, I saw many individual strategies for delivering information in a cohesive but persuasive way. I saw that the way people perceived data could change the narrative and make the topic easy or hard to understand. While it was clear to me that a logical structure of the paper is essential in making it appealing and readable, I saw how significant it was by reviewing the projects of others. For example, I understood that the first sentence of every paragraph should be not only illustrative of the whole part but also easy to use for its summary.
References
Katz, E. (2015). Domestic violence, children’s agency and mother–child relationships: Towards a more advanced model. Children & Society, 29(1), 69-79.
Münger, A. C., & Markström, A. M. (2017). Recognition and identification of children in preschool and school who are exposed to domestic violence. Education Inquiry, 6, 1-17.
Swanston, J., Bowyer, L., & Vetere, A. (2014). Towards a richer understanding of school-age children’s experiences of domestic violence: The voices of children and their mothers. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 19(2), 184-201.