Critical Reading and Evaluation of Alcohol Consumption Report

This report provides a critical evaluation of research conducted by Magda Pieczka and Emma Wood on the issue of alcohol consumption among young people in Scotland. The research aimed to address the rising misuse of alcohol and its social impact, proposing a new model to tackle sensitive issues. Pieczka and Wood utilized dialogic PR theory and action research to investigate health communications, focusing on community-based approaches and peer learning. Their project, "AlcoLOLs," involved engaging with high schools and employing dialogic and deliberative techniques to educate youths about the negative impacts of alcohol consumption. The researchers' work, which included surveys, interviews, and the implementation of inquiry cycles, provided valuable insights and led to recognition from various health and education organizations. The report highlights the researchers' contributions to public relations, emphasizing the importance of dialogue, relational knowledge, and the application of both theoretical and practical approaches to address the issue of excessive alcohol consumption in Scotland. The essay evaluates the research based on the structure proposed by Godfrey, emphasizing the critical analysis of the research project and its successful achievement of its objectives, including the effective communication methods and techniques employed.

Critical Reading and
Evaluation

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Underpinning the research...............................................................................................................1
Essay................................................................................................................................................4
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Alcohol consumption in young people living in Scotland is creating a major social issue
in the country. The aim of the research was to communicate a new model which was generated
by researchers Pieczka and Wood’s to deal with sensitive issues and risk behaviours. The misuse
of alcohol was rising in Scotland. In order to deal with this issue, two researchers named Magda
Pieczka and Emma Wood, developed a new model that helped government and health providers
to eradicate the issue. According to this context, this report is based on the work done by these
researchers. Further, to evaluate Pieczka and Wood’s use of dialogic PR theory and action
research to research health communications on the issue of alcohol consumption and young
people.
Underpinning the research
The research was made in order to provide information to the government of Scotland by
establishing the Scotish Youth Commission on Alcohol (SYCA). It was a 12-month project
which was proposed by the law in which youth and young people of Scotland conducted their
own inquiry into social problem of alcohol in Scotland. The researcher lays emphasis on the
public relations and stated that it is a two-way communication process. Professional maintenance
of a favourable public image is known as public relation. The main motive of communication is
and health promotion is to create awareness among people about their health and impacts of over
consumption of alcohol. The work of Pieczka and Wood is to eradicate negative impacts of high
consumption of alcohol in youths and young people of Scotland. The aim of their research is to
communicate negative impacts of over consumption of alcohol on health and social life of every
person living the country. For this the researchers surveyed young people of the country
efficiently and effectively. The data was collected from Scotish Youth Commission on Alcohol
(SYCA) and through interview from young population of the country (Pieczka and Wood 2013).
Pieczka and Wood implemented community based approaches to examine, investigate
and solve the problem which concerned the government of Scotland. The approach was based on
recognition of dialogue as a method of both inquiry and formation. The project named
“AlcoLOLs” was embarked by the researcher in the mid of 2010 as “Peer Learning through
Dialogue: Young People and Alcohol”. They approached various high schools in the city of
Edinburgh, Scotland in order conduct the project. The research project continued for many years
1

and researcher surveyed youths and teens of various schools in order to communicate them the
negative impacts of alcohol consumption. Researcher implemented both dialogic and
deliberative techniques to communicate and educate the youth and teens about the extensive use
of alcohol. The goal of the research was to educate young people about over consumption of
alcohol and its negative impacts on social life. Researchers worked with AlcoLOLs to develop
dialogic facilitation tools which they utilise to communicate with the participants and examine
their behaviours without revealing their personal information. Through public relation techniques
and approaches, both the researcher was succeeded in meeting their research goals. The research
was much effective that the researchers was complimented and invited in the Scotland's largest
teacher conference, National Health Service Professionals and a conference organised by the
charity group.
The action research of project was based on periodical cycle of inquiry also known as
“inquiry cycles”. The cycle was moving between reflection and action (Pieczka and Wood
2013). The researcher visualises inquiry cycle as planning, action, observation, reflection and
conceptualisation. In the first period of periodical cycle, i.e. from 2010-2011, the researcher
focused on planning phase, in second year which was from 2011-202, researchers with
AlcoLOLs embarked the deliberative meeting process with students of Portobello High School.
In October 2012, final phase of cycle embarked in which the research project was able to secure
funding to be extended in five more schools in Edinburgh. In the whole inquiry cycle, reflective
knowledge has been generated and displayed in abundance. The researcher was communicated
by the peer about how excessive drinking of alcohol in school, destroyed her relationship.
Through observation and reflection approach, researcher gained variety of these issues faced by
young people through over consumption of alcohol. Through reflection and representational
knowledge, researcher acquired information about the social issues faced by the numerous pupil
residing in Scotland.
On the basis of reviews of peers and participants, Pieczka and Wood communicated and
enacted public relation theories and approached in order to convey the information and educated
youths and students of Scotland about over consumption of alcohol (Pieczka and Wood 2013).
Albeit, both researcher faced various ethical issues such as balancing equality with difference,
whilst dialogue as a method which was set up to maintain the difference as well as to exclude
power. This implies that the researcher also faced multiple issues in order to educate the young
2

people of Scotland about the optimum consumption of alcohol. The action research produced
fruitful knowledge in collaborative manner for the researcher, on the basis of which they were
able to meet their research goal in effective and efficient manner. High consumption of alcohol
was one of the major problem and issue in Scotland. The researchers named Magda Pieczka and
Emma Wood made efforts in order to educate the youth and other natives of country to increase
awareness regarding over consumption of alcohol in their daily routine of life.
The research conducted by researcher made efficient contribution in the field of public
relations in three different ways, firstly they efficiently provided an example of dialogic practice
from which both theoretical and practical lessons can be learned (Pieczka and Wood, 2013).
Secondly, they encouraged fresh reflection on one of the key concepts in public relations and
relationship. Thirdly, they reshaped their thought process in the way through which they dealt
with knowledge production and knowledge application in public relation. The researchers
believed despite prominence of dialogue as one of the fundamental concepts in public relations,
it remains rather opaque as public relation practice. Thus, the motive of the project was to
carefully analyse the current conditions and problems faced by the young citizen of Scotland due
to over consumption of alcohol drinks. They constantly present in their research about the
importance and significance of relationship in communication management. Their research
efficiently provided the fruitful alternative approach to thinking about the phenomena of the
relationship by focusing on relational knowledge. Thus, this implies that both the researcher was
efficiently provided the importance of public relation approaches in order to deal with issue of
high alcohol consumption in the county. Thus, researcher main motive to communicate and
provide education about the negative impacts of over consumption of alcohol was accomplished
in efficient and effective manner.
Conducting of research project provides both the researcher and health practitioner
detailed knowledge of importance of public relation approaches and techniques. The dialogic
theory of public relations not only assist in theoretical manner, but also provides supports in
practical way. Adaptation of pragmatic approach of public relation assist in improving the
overall health environment in the country and also helps in communication of knowledge and
education in effective and efficient manner (Pieczka and Wood, 2013). From this, it can be
understood that the ongoing health care practitioners and other researcher can take help from the
approaches and techniques of public relations in order to eliminate the different types of issues.
3

The researchers named Magda Pieczka and Emma Wood thoroughly studied and examined
behaviours of young people and teens after seeing excessive consumption of alcohol in Scotland
by surveying in various schools of country. With the help of public relations theories and
approaches, they took an initiative to communicate and provide education to the young ones
about the negative impacts of over consumption of alcohol. They utilise dialogic and deliberative
techniques in order to communicate with students. They investigated every student behaviour
through their reviews and opinions and proposed the following research article on which this
reflection is based on. The theory of public relation leads the researcher to particular conclusion
that public relation theory bifurcates and reinforced those who possess the knowledge and
education and those to whom this education will be applied. This implies that public relation
theory is very essential for the practitioner who practices public health care as their profession.
With the help of public relation theories, the practitioners working in health care institution will
able to treat their patient efficiently and effectively.
Essay
The essay is summarised on the structure which is proposed by Godfrey in his book
written on How to Use Your Readings in Your Essays’ Basingstoke (Godfrey, 2009). From study
and investigation of the research project prepared by Pieczka and Wood on Action research and
public relations: Dialogue, peer learning, and the issue of alcohol the essay will cover the critical
evaluation of the research. In the following research, the researcher deals with the major issue of
over consumption of alcohol among youths and teens of Scotland. The issue faced by the
government of the country where young people were constantly attracted towards alcoholic
drinks. In the following research, the researchers focused on the investigating the young teens
and students in order to provide education about negative impacts on high consumption of
alcohol in their day to day life. They laid emphasis on utilising public relations theories in order
to communicate the knowledge to the students. The action research project embarked by them in
2010 in one of the largest public funded school of Scotland. Their they inquire about the young
students who constantly attracted towards alcohol consumptions. They acclaimed the change in
behaviours of those students who consume excessive alcohol and those who does not consume
alcohol. With the help of public relations techniques like dialogic and deliberative, they
efficiently provide resourceful information to the students about the negative impacts of over
consumption of alcohols.
4

This research project not only aid in reducing the amount of social issues faced in the
country due to over consumption of alcohol, but also provide benchmark to future practitioners
to understand the concepts of public relations. Thus, it implies that the research project
successfully accomplishes the aim and objectives.
Moreover, the investigation conducted by the following researcher was complimented
and praised by in various conferences held in Scotland. The effective communication methods
and techniques supports the researcher in order to articulate the necessary and vital information
to the students and young population of the county. The aim of the research was to communicate
the knowledge about the negative impacts of alcohol usage through peer learning and public
relations theories. With the help of the techniques, researchers Pieczka and Wood investigated
the behaviours of youth and teens, they acquired information from the reviews given by the peers
and participants. Thus, this implies that the researchers efficiently examined and investigated the
behaviours and experience of every students and teens. On the basis of it, they proposed certain
policies regarding consumption of daily alcohol within young people in order to obliterate the
social issues which was rapidly rising in the country.
Public relations techniques play an important role in order to articulate vital information
and also helps the researcher to efficiently communicate the necessary education and knowledge
about the negative impacts of over consumption of alcohol. With the help of both theoretical and
practical approaches of public relations, researchers were able to accomplish their desired
objectives and completed their research efficiently and effectively.
Conclusion
From the above report, it can be concluded that public relation theories and techniques
are very essential in order to articulate vital information in large public. In accordance with this
context, the critical reading and evaluation of research done by Magda Pieczka and Emma Wood
on Dialogue, peer learning, and the issue of alcohol efficiently. Further, it can be understood that
both the researchers have done excellent work in order to communicate and educate the youth of
Scotland about the negative impacts of over consumption of alcohol. Moreover, on the basis of
book written by Godfrey on how to summarise the essay, the research was summarised in
effective and efficient way.
5

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Godfrey, A (2009) ‘Why and how should you summarise?’ in How to Use Your Readings in Your
Essays’ Basingstoke, Palgrave. pp. 40-47
Pieczka, M and Wood, E. (2013). Action research and public relations: Dialogue, peer learning,
and the issue of alcohol. Public Relations Inquiry. 2(2) 161-181
6