DOCSLIB.ORG

The Effects of Student Behavior Alteration Techniques on Student Motives to Communicate, Student Talk, and Student Learning

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Effects of Student Behavior Alteration Techniques on Student Motives to Communicate, Student Talk, and Student Learning Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports 2013 The Effects of Student Behavior Alteration Techniques on Student Motives to Communicate, Student Talk, and Student Learning Christopher J. Claus West Virginia University Follow this and additional works at: https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd Recommended Citation Claus, Christopher J., "The Effects of Student Behavior Alteration Techniques on Student Motives to Communicate, Student Talk, and Student Learning" (2013). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 4956. https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/4956 This Dissertation is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by the The Research Repository @ WVU with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Dissertation in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you must obtain permission from the rights-holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/ or on the work itself. This Dissertation has been accepted for inclusion in WVU Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports collection by an authorized administrator of The Research Repository @ WVU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Effects of Student Behavior Alteration Techniques on Student Motives to Communicate, Student Talk, and Student Learning Christopher J. Claus Dissertation submitted to the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences at West Virginia University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Communication Studies Scott A. Myers, Ph.D., Chair Matthew M. Martin, Ph.D. Melanie Booth-Butterfield, Ph.D. Megan R. Dillow, Ph.D. Danette Ifert-Johnson, Ph.D. Department of Communication Studies Morgantown, West Virginia 2013 Keywords: student behavior alteration techniques, student motives to communicate, student talk, student learning Copyright 2013 Christopher J. Claus ABSTRACT The Effects of Student Behavior Alteration Techniques on Student Motives to Communicate, Student Talk, and Student Learning Christopher J. Claus This dissertation addressed the effects of students' perceived effectiveness of and likelihood to use student behavior alteration techniques (BATs) on students' motives to communicate with their instructors, student talk (i.e., willingness to talk, out-of-class communication), and student learning (i.e., cognitive learning, affective learning, state motivation, and student communication satisfaction). Results revealed t.hat student perceived effectiveness of, and likelihood to use, student BATs did not influence, student talk or student learning, but indicated some significant relationships with the students' motives to communicate with their instructors. Specifically, the relational, functional, participatory, and sycophancy motives were generally related to the perceived likelihood to use some prosocial BATs. The relational, functional, and participatory motives were not significantly related to the perceived effectiveness of, or likelihood to use, any of the antisocial BATs; however, the sycophancy motive was related positively to the perceived likelihood to use one antisocial BAT. The excuse-making motive was generally related to the perceived effectiveness of, and likelihood to use, antisocial BATs, but was not related negatively, as hypothesized, to the perceived effectiveness of, and likelihood to use, prosocial BATs. Collectively, the results of this dissertation revealed three prominent issues in regard to the examination of student prosocial and antisocial BATs. First, the situational demands of the classroom (e.g., instructor communicative behaviors, outcomes of the classroom assigmnent), more than students' motives to communicate or willingness to engage in student talk, may affect their students' perceived effectiveness of, and likelihood to use, student BATs. Second, students' perceived effectiveness of, and the likelihood to use prosocial and antisocial student BATs are not related to gains in their learning. Third, it appears that students use BATs infrequently. Overall, the lack of significant relationships may be due to the fact that students' perceived effectiveness of, and likelihood to use the BATs, are not closely associated with other student communicative behaviors, but perhaps related directly to the students' own personality traits or the immediate situational factors of the classroom and instructor. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................... ii LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................................. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...................................................................................................vi CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................ ! Power in the Classroom .............................................................................................. 2 Power in t..l-te Classroom Series I-VII .............................................................. 3 Student Behavior Alteration Techniques .................................................................... 8 Evolution of Student BATs ............................................................................. 8 Student BATs Typology ................................................................................. 9 Student Motives to Communicate with their Instructor. ............................................ II Student Talk ............................................................................................................... l6 Willingness to Talk (WTT) ............................................................................ 17 Out-of-Class Communication (OCC) ............................................................ 18 Student Learning ........................................................................................................ 20 Rationale .................................................................................................................... 24 Hypotheses 1-2 .............................................................................................. .27 Hypotheses 3-4 ............................................................................................... 28 Research Questions I ..................................................................................... 30 Research Questions 2 ..................................................................................... 31 Hypotheses 5-6 .............................................................................................. .32 Summary ................................................................................................................... .32 CHAPTER II: METHOD ..................................................................................................... .34 Participants ................................................................................................................ .34 Procedures and Instrumentation ................................................................................. 34 Data Analysis ............................................................................................................ .42 Summary .................................................................................................................... 42 CHAPTER III: RESULTS .................................................................................................... .44 Hypotheses 1-4 ........................................................................................................... 44 Research Questions 1-2 .......................... : ................................................................... 54 Hypotheses 5-6 ........................................................................................................... 54 Summary .................................................................................................................... 56 CHAPTER IV: DISCUSSION .............................................................................................. 51 Limitations and Directions for Future Research ........................................................ 66 Conclusion ................................................................................................................. 68 REFERENCES ...................................................................................................................... 70 APPENDICES ....................................................................................................................... 87 IV A. Recruit.ment Script ................................................................................................. 87 B. Cover Letter ........................................................................................................... 88 C. Dissertation Questionnaire ..................................................................................... 89 D. Students Behavioral Alteration Techniques and Messages Typology ................. lOO E. Student Conununication Motives Scale ............................................................... ! 04 F. Student Willingness to Talk in Class Scale ......................................................... ! 05 G. Out-of-Class Conununication
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Cults of Personality, Preference Falsification, and the Dictator's
    Cults of personality, preference falsification, and the dictator's dilemma Charles Crabtreex, Holger L. Kerny, and David A. Siegelz Abstract: We provide a novel rational explanation for why cults of personality exist: they solve the dictator's adverse selection problem in assigning subordinates to roles within the regime. Participation in a cult of personality is psychologically costly whenever it involves preference falsification, with the costs varying across individuals. Importantly, low psychological costs of preference falsification are correlated with traits the dictator values, such as unscrupulousness and ruthlessness, which we collectively term disposition-based competence. Under a wide variety of circumstances, this correlation makes participation in cults of personality informative from the dictator's point of view, allowing him to hire loyal and competent subordinates for the most important regime positions. In contrast to earlier formal work, our model implies that dictators can use cults of personality to avoid the loyalty-competence trade-off when promoting subordinates. We thank Quintin Beazer, Jens Grosser, Timur Kuran, Andrew Little, Eddy Malesky, Melanie Manion, Arturas Rozenas, Rory Truex, Nils Weidmann, and participants at the 2017 MPSA Conference and the 2017 ESTA workshop at Konstanz University for their very helpful feedback. x PhD cand., Department of Political Science, University of Michigan. y Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Florida State University. z Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, Duke University. In 2001, Saparmurad Niyazov, who ruled Turkmenistan from 1985 to 2006, announced the publication of his first book. Called Ruhnama (The Book of the Soul), it contained answers to \all of life's questions" and became required reading in all schools, universities, and workplaces.
    [Show full text]
  • J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter: 14 Ways of Looking at Genius
    J. K. Rowling: 14 Ways of Looking at Genius Item Type Book Authors Widdicombe, Toby Download date 30/09/2021 22:47:19 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/11122/12186 J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter: 14 Ways of Looking at Genius Ed. Toby Widdicombe § Tobold Press § This is the book J. K. Rowling: 14 Ways of Looking at Genius. It was compiled and edited by Toby Widdicombe, Ph.D., Department of English, University of Alaska Anchorage in June and July 2021. This book is licensed under a Creative Commons by-nc-nd 4.0 license. See https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ for more and detailed information. The guidelines for this book are these: ✓ You may share the material in any medium or format as long as you give appropriate credit. ✓ You may not use the material for commercial purposes. ✓ If you remix or transform the material, you may not distribute the modified material. 2 Abbreviations CS Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets DH Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows GF Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire HBP Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince OP Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix PA Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban SS Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone 3 Contents Elsa Snodderly, “What Muggles and Magic Can Teach Us about Tolerance” 7 Roslyn White, “An Examination of Abuse in the Harry Potter Septet” 17 Jack Butto, “What Makes Harry Potter a Memorable Character?” 53 Mackenzie Lindeman, “The Production of a Functioning Society” 61 Charlene Ducut, “Sex, Sexuality, and Love in J.
    [Show full text]
  • Elections Have Consequences
    LIBERTYVOLUME 10 | ISSUE 1 | March 2021 WATCHPOLITICS.LIVE. BUSINESS. THINK. BELIBERTY. FREE. ELECTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES BETTER DAYS AHEAD George Harris CENSORSHIP & THE CANCEL CULTURE Joe Morabito JUST SAY “NO” TO HARRY REID AIRPORT Chuck Muth REPORT: SISOLAK’S EMERGENCY POWERS LACK LEGAL AUTHORITY Deanna Forbush DEMOCRATS WANT A 'RETURN TO CIVILITY'; WHEN DID THEY PRACTICE IT? Larry Elder THE LEFT WANTS UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER, NOT UNITY Stephen Moore THE WORLD’S LARGEST CANNABIS SUPERSTORE COMPLEX INCLUDES RESTAURANT + MORE! Keep out of reach of children. For use only by adults 21 years of age and older. LIBERTY WATCH Magazine The Gold Standard of Conservatism. Serving Nevada for 15 years, protecting Liberty for a lifetime. LIBERTYWATCHMagazine.com PUBLISHER George E. Harris [email protected] EDITOR content Novell Richards 8 JUST THE FACTS George Harris ASSOCIATE EDITORS BETTER DAYS AHEAD Doug French [email protected] 10 FEATURE Joe Morabito Mark Warden CENSORSHIP & THE CANCEL CULTURE [email protected] 11 MILLENNIALS Ben Shapiro CARTOONIST GET READY FOR 4 YEARS Gary Varvel OF MEDIA SYCOPHANCY OFFICE MANAGER 12 MONEY MATTERS Doug French Franchesca Sanchez SILVER SQUEEZE: DESIGNERS IS THAT ALL THERE IS? Willee Wied Alejandro Sanchez 14 MUTH'S TRUTHS Chuck Muth JUST SAY “NO” TO HARRY REID AIRPORT CONTRIBUTING WRITERS John Fund 18 COVER Doug French ELECTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES Thomas Mitchell Robert Fellner 24 COUNTERPUNCH Victor Davis Hanson Nicole Maroe Judge Andrew P. Napolitano 26 LEGAL BRIEF Deanna Forbush Ben
    [Show full text]
  • Objectivity, Sycophancy and the Media Reality in Nigeria
    The African e-Journals Project has digitized full text of articles of eleven social science and humanities journals. This item is from the digital archive maintained by Michigan State University Library. Find more at: http://digital.lib.msu.edu/projects/africanjournals/ Available through a partnership with Scroll down to read the article. Africa Media Review. Vol. 3 No. 1. 1988 © African Council on Communication Education Objectivity, Sycophancy and the Media Reality in Nigeria Olnmuyixva Ayodele ABSTRACT Against the backdrop of the familiar yet peculiar African political scene, where, from country to country, military dictatorships struggle (without real success), at wearing smiling faces; or where democracies strap of such full armour as to brook no opposition, this article discusses objectivity In the media. Objectivity is the state or quality of not being influenced by personal bias, prejudice, feelings and opinions. Objective news-reporting Is that which is devoid of inferences. Judgement and slanting. Yet modern journalism is not altogether a professional practice in which the operators become, simply, automatons - unthinking, unfeeling and Olumuyiwa Ayodele is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Applied Arts and Sciences, The Federal Polytechnic, Bida, Nigeria. 106 without emotion. Objectivity is thus a relative term - relative to the system that exists. The position adopted by this article is that objectivity in news presentation is not a myth, nor a mere philosophical abstraction, but an attainable media goal which the journalist must strive for, even in the face of opposing realities. Six factors which the journalist and the media must grapple with, if objectivity is to be meaningful and a worthwhile journalistic pursuit, are presented.
    [Show full text]
  • The Culture of Military Clampdown on Youth Demonstrations and Its Repercussions on the 21ST Century Nigerian Youths
    European Scientific Journal September 2018 edition Vol.14, No.26 ISSN: 1857 – 7881 (Print) e - ISSN 1857- 7431 Dead or Dormant? Docile or Fractured? The Culture of Military Clampdown on Youth Demonstrations and its Repercussions on the 21ST Century Nigerian Youths Charles E. Ekpo Institute for Peace and Strategic Studies, University of Ibadan, Nigeria Cletus A. Agorye History & International Studies, University of Calabar, Nigeria Doi:10.19044/esj.2018.v14n26p74 URL:http://dx.doi.org/10.19044/esj.2018.v14n26p74 Abstract The history of military regimes in Nigeria is synonymous with the history of suppression, repression, extricable use of violence, impunity and blatant trampling on fundamental human rights. Exclusive of J. T. U. Ironsi’s short six months in office, every military dictator in Nigeria had propelled himself to the rein through dubious and anti-people means. It was therefore not fortuitous that these praetorian guards, possessing the powers of ‘life and death’, trampled on, subdued, and caged the ‘bloody civilians’ whose social contract they had successfully usurped. Being the most affected, Nigerian youths had in several scenarios, occasions and events staged protests, demonstrations and marches to register their discontentment and resentment towards the military dictatorships. The reactions from the military governments were always violent, brutal, dreadful and aptly horrific. Military regimes went extra miles to enforce authority, legitimacy and acceptability. Whether through killing, maiming, blackmailing, bribing or threats, the youths had to be forced or cajoled into submission. This work focuses on military clampdown on youth demonstrations during the military era. It argues that the various repressive regimes had nurtured a docile and sycophantic youths who either display lackadaisical attitude over issues bothering social contract or are ignorant and nonchalant about governance in the country.
    [Show full text]
  • Workplace Bullying and Harassment
    Law and Policy Remedies for Workplace Bullying in Higher Education: An Update and Further Developments in the Law and Policy John Dayton, J.D., Ed. D.* A dark and not so well kept secret lurks the halls of higher education institutions. Even among people who should certainly know better than to tolerate such abuse, personnel misconduct in the form of workplace bullying remains a serious but largely neglected problem.1 A problem so serious it can devastate academic programs and the people in them. If allowed to maraud unchecked, workplace bullies can poison the office culture; shut down progress and productivity; drive off the most promising and productive people; and make the workplace increasingly toxic for everyone who remains in the bully dominated environment.2 A toxic workplace can even turn deadly when stress begins to take its all too predictable toll on victims’ mental and physical health, or interpersonal stress leads to acts of violence.3 Higher education institutions are especially vulnerable to some of the most toxic forms of workplace bullying. When workplace bullies are tenured professors they can become like bullying zombies seemingly invulnerable to efforts to stop them while faculty, staff, students, and even university administrators run for cover apparently unable or unwilling to do anything about the loose-cannons that threaten to sink them all. This article examines the problem of workplace bullying in higher education; reviews possible remedies; and makes suggestions for law and policy reforms to more effectively address this very serious but too often tolerated problem in higher education. * This article is dedicated to the memory of Anne Proffitt Dupre, Co-Director of the Education Law Consortium, Professor of Law, Law Clerk for the U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Marty Baron Commencement Address
    00:06 - Chairman Lamb, President Kelly, Dean Toyoda, 00:11 Provost Sandell, and Professor St. Amand, 00:15 thank you all very much for inviting me back to Boston 00:18 and thank you to all the graduates for inviting me back 00:22 to Boston to be with you on this glorious day 00:26 and in this spectacular setting. 00:30 Fenway is a hallowed arena of achievement and joy 00:34 and common purpose. 00:36 Those are the very subjects I want to discuss with you today 00:41 but first things first. 00:42 Deepest congratulations to all of the graduates 00:45 on your achievements. 00:48 As your achievements are recognized in this ceremony, 00:51 you can look back with justifiable pride 00:54 because you have worked hard to reach this day 00:57 and you can look forward with hopeful anticipation 01:00 toward a fulfilling life. 01:03 Congratulations as well to all the family and friends 01:06 who are here physically or in spirit to celebrate with you. 01:12 Throughout your years at Suffolk University, 01:15 they have been by your side, supporting you. 01:19 We owe them our gratitude for all they have done 01:22 to contribute to your success. 01:25 Please give them a round of applause. 01:28 (crowd applauds) 01:37 My own graduation from university was 45 years ago. 01:42 Memories are a little faint now 01:44 but I do remember something clearly. 01:47 I was eager to get on with my life.
    [Show full text]
  • Adopting 68 Texts Recommended by Third Committee, General
    MEETINGS COVERAGE AND PRESS RELEASES 18 DECEMBER 2014 GA/11604 Adopting 68 Texts Recommended by Third Committee, General Assembly Sends Strong Message towards Ending Impunity, Renewing Efforts to Protect Human Rights Sixty-ninth session, 73rd & 74th Meetings (AM & PM) GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEETINGS COVERAGE Sending a strong message to end impunity and to renew efforts to promote and protect human rights, especially for vulnerable groups, the General Assembly adopted 61 resolutions and seven decisions recommended by its Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) while deferring action on one draft resolution on the situation of human rights in Myanmar pending the issuance of budget implications. Across a landscape of issues, including crime, refugees, intolerance and women’s advancement, as well as relevant areas concerning the post-2015 sustainable development agenda, the Assembly adopted 50 draft texts without a vote. Among them was a package of texts about young people, including calls to action on literacy, early or forced marriage and on the rights of the child. Expressing concern at the high number of unemployed youth, estimated globally at 74.5 million in 2013, with most living in developing countries, the Assembly adopted a new resolution by which it decided to designate 15 July as World Youth Skills Day. It also adopted without a vote a new text on protecting children from bullying. Recognizing that bullying, including cyberbullying, could be expressed through violence and aggression and that bullying in any form could have a negative impact on the rights of children and their well- being, and aware of the need to prevent and eliminate bullying among children, the Assembly, by the text, urged Member States to, among other things, promote and invest in education as a powerful tool in promoting tolerance, a sense of dignity, mutual understanding and respect.
    [Show full text]
  • Toxic Versus Cooperative Behaviors at Work: the Role of Organizational Culture and Leadership in Creating Community- Centered Organizations
    TOXIC VERSUS COOPERATIVE BEHAVIORS AT WORK: THE ROLE OF ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE AND LEADERSHIP IN CREATING COMMUNITY- CENTERED ORGANIZATIONS Jacqueline A. Gilbert Middle Tennessee State University, USA Norma Carr-Ruffino San Francisco State University, USA John M. Ivancevich University of Houston, USA Robert Konopaske Texas State University, USA Recent headlines highlight the literal toxicity spewing from companies such as BP (oil spill), Hillandale Farms (salmonella poisoning), and W.R. Grace (vermiculite/asbestos poisoning). These incidents bring to mind an earlier rash of visible and high profile executives from such companies as Enron, WorldCom, and Tyco, who made headlines because of their self-centered, covetous, and irresponsible behavior towards shareholders and employees (Ivancevich, Duening, Gilbert, & Konopaske, 2003). Scholars suggest that such toxic behavior on the part of organizational leaders and managers exerts a negative impact on employee and firm productivity (Goldman, 2008; Vega & Comer, 2005). In this paper, we define the concept of a toxic workplace and discuss what factors contribute to its development. When leaders in organizations routinely display toxicity toward their employees (exhibited through excessive employee monitoring, micro-management, and politically-motivated performance appraisals), the outcomes will be radically different than from organizations in which community or collaboration is practiced. We argue that managers and leaders should attempt to reduce the amount of toxic influence within their organizations while consciously attempting to cultivate a community-centered organizational culture. We develop several testable propositions that explore how these two contrasting organizational models may influence important human resource and organizational outcomes. We conclude the paper with a discussion of community-centered organizations and provide suggestions on how to test a sample of our propositions with future research.
    [Show full text]
  • President-Elect in Springfield (1860-1861)
    Chapter Seventeen “I Will Suffer Death Before I Will Consent to Any Concession or Compromise”: President-elect in Springfield (1860-1861) During the four months separating his election from his inauguration, Lincoln faced the daunting challenge of Southern secession. Though he would not officially take power until March 1861, his party looked to him for guidance. Like most Republicans, he was startled when the Cotton States made good their supposedly idle threats to withdraw from the Union.1 Should they be allowed to go in peace? Should they be forcibly resisted? Should they be conciliated or appeased? What compromise measures might preserve national unity without sacrificing the party’s principles? Radicals like Zachariah Chandler believed “all will be well” if Lincoln would only “‘Stand like an Anvil when the sparks fall thick & fast, a fiery shower,’” but some Republicans feared that he would not do so.2 A few days after the election, Charles Francis Adams viewed Southern threats to secede as a means “to frighten Mr Lincoln at the outset, and to compel him to declare himself in opposition to the principles of the party that has elected him.” Adams confessed that the awaited the president-elect’s 1 David M. Potter, Lincoln and His Party in the Secession Crisis (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1942), 75-80. 2 Zachariah Chandler to Lyman Trumbull, Detroit, 13 November 1860, Trumbull Family Papers, Lincoln Presidential Library, Springfield. Chandler was quoting, somewhat inaccurately, from a poem by George Washington Doane. 1875 Michael Burlingame – Abraham Lincoln: A Life – Vol. 1, Chapter 17 reaction “with some misgivings,” for “the swarms that surround Mr Lincoln are by no means the best.”3 Adams need not have worried, for Lincoln sided with the “stiff-backed” Republicans in rejecting any concession of basic principle, just as he had rebuffed those eastern Republicans who two years earlier had supported the reelection of Douglas.
    [Show full text]
  • Student Misbehaviors and Teacher Techniques in Online Classrooms: Instrument
    Student Misbehaviors and Teacher Techniques in Online Classrooms: Instrument Development and Validation A dissertation presented to the faculty of the Scripps College of Communication of Ohio University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy Li Li August 2012 © 2012 Li Li. All Rights Reserved. This dissertation titled Student Misbehaviors and Teacher Techniques in Online Classrooms: Instrument Development and Validation by LI LI has been approved for the School of Communication Studies and the Scripps College of Communication by Scott Titsworth Associate Professor of Communication Studies Scott Titsworth Interim Dean, Scripps College of Communication ii ABSTRACT LI, LI, Ph.D., August 2012, Communication Studies Student Misbehaviors and Teacher Techniques in Online Classrooms: Instrument Development and Validation Director of Dissertation: Scott Titsworth In an attempt to better understand communication dimensions of classroom management, an extensive amount of literature in communication has explored compliance-gaining strategies used by teachers (e.g., Kearney, Plax, Richmond, & McCroskey, 1985; McCroskey & Richmond, 1983; Richmond& McCroskey, 1984). The purpose of this project was to partially replicate and extend that line of research to an online context. Specifically, the current program of research included three studies that developed a scale of students’ online misbehaviors (the SOMs scale), a scale of online teacher alteration techniques (the OBATs scale), and then explored relationships between those scales and various classroom communication processes and outcomes. The pilot study inductively developed initial typologies for the two scales. The second study further refined the SOMs scale by employing both an exploratory factor analysis and a confirmatory factor analysis. Four factors were established: Seeking Unallowed Assistance, Internet Slacking, Aggressiveness, and Lack of Communication.
    [Show full text]
  • The Doon School Weekly (May 20, 2017)
    Established in 1936 The Doon School WEEKLY Saturday, May 20, 2017 | Issue No. 2469 “What Others Letters to the The Clash at For Promises Think” 3 Editor 4-5 Cardiff 56 to Keep 9 Editorial: To Edit, Not Censor Arjun Singh Last week, the Editorial Board received feedback that critiqued the Weekly for publishing pieces that opined on the systems within our School, with similar remarks directed at the Week Gone By. While the Board welcomes being held accountable for our publication, it is necessary to find common ground with our critics and respond to their apprehensions through a two-way dialogue. Isn’t that, after all, what the Weekly is: a forum for commentary and discourse? As I’d mentioned in my first Editorial, the new leadership of the Weekly has sought to change the manner in which this publication had been previously run. For one, the Weekly in the past had been reluctant to publish articles that expressed the real attitudes and opinions of students – however controversial they may have been. The Weekly had slowly become a forum where articles on current affairs would dominate our pages, with a few creative pieces and, practically, no other genres. Not only had our readership declined, but we neglected to fulfil what we see, as journalists, one of theWeekly’s most important duties: to represent the beliefs held by a wide section of students as well as the truth, regardless of public opinion. Indeed, we have made efforts in this direction, which has contributed to the perceptible uptick in readership since our term began.
    [Show full text]