Sample Annotated Bibliography – Topic: Bullying - pre-1995
Atlas, R. S . & Pepler, D. J. (1998, Nov.). Observations of Bullying in the Classroom. The
Journal of Educational Research, 92, 86-100. Retrieved Oct. 20, 2004, from Gale
Expanded ASAP Academic Database
Relevance:
Objective: The authors wanted to see how prevalent bullying was in the classroom, and to observe what it was like. They also wanted to ascertain the characteristics of bullies, and how the relationship of bully to victim operates in the classroom setting.
Method: Natural observation using video cameras and microphones to record bullying as it occurs naturally was the method used in this study. Taping took place for 28 hours at one school in Toronto. The students were described as being from various cultural backgrounds and low to middle income groups. The students were aware of being filmed. The students also wore microphones. Teachers identified the subjects for the observation: they were designated as either aggressive or non-aggressive, and some were observed solely for comparative purposes.
Conclusions: Results show that 53% of the bullying was verbal, 30% physical, and 17% combination of the two. Boys and girls bullied at the same rate. Results also showed that 65% of bullying was direct, while 29% was indirect. These rates held true for girls and boys. Gossip as a method of bullying was used equally by girls and boys. More boys than girls were victims. Aggressive subjects were more likely to be involved in bullying incidents. More often than not bullies were taller and heavier than their victims. In 85% of cases of bullying, peers were involved in some capacity, from onlookers to active participation. Peers intervened to stop the bullying 14% of the time; teachers intervened 11% of the time. Bullying occurred much more frequently during solitary tasks than when the teacher was leading the entire class in a lesson. The authors’ main conclusions were that bullying is “pervasive” in the classroom, teachers generally don’t know it’s going on at the time, and other children are unlikely to intervene.
Reliability:
Debra Pepler is a Professor of Psychology at York University in Toronto, Ontario. She is considered the innovator of the observation method used in the above-mentioned study, thus her studies of bullying are considered to be groundbreaking. Her main focus of study is children and adolescents, whether in the school context or in the home. She is a principal investigator for the Teen Relationships Project, an initiative that studies the way Canadian teens relate to each other in such forms as bullying, harassment, and dating violence. The purpose of the project is to improve teen relationships and make them healthier. She is the author of numerous studies, including one for the Toronto Board of Education on teacher intervention in instances of bullying. All of these factors qualify her precisely as an expert on bullying because her primary research deals with aggressive behaviour in children and teens. Her first hand clinical experience also deals directly with this group. She works as a psychologist, seeing patients who either are bullies or are family members of bullies. Her article would make a credible addition to the textbook.
Rona Atlas is a graduate student associated with York University’s LaMarsh Centre for Research on Violence and Conflict Resolution which specializes in issues of relationships and how they can become healthier. Her background is in psychology. Her master’s thesis, “Naturalistic Observations of Bullying in the Classroom” (1994) was done under the supervision of Debra Pepler. Atlas is also highly credible as an author on bullying as she has done primary research on the issue and works with an institute that studies aggressive relationships.*
The Journal of Educational Research has been published for more than 100 years, aimed at an international audience of teachers, counselors, administrators and curriculum writers. Submissions are “blind reviewed,” meaning that reviewers do not see the name of the author. Its articles focus on educational studies related to trends, procedures, practices and verification of previous research. Given its long history aimed at a focus group that would be interested in issues related to bullying, it can be considered a reliable source.
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