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Annotated Bibliography Of Matlon Guide Sources On The Use Of Humor In Public Speech, James Joseph Callahan

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Information And Voting Cues In The Decision Making Process Of The Illinois Legislators 89th General Assembly, Farida H. Kapasi

Masters Theses

The most important variable in a decision making situation is the role of information. On the strength of information received, choice between competing alternatives is made. One decision making situation that receives intense scrutiny, and is a subject of much debate is the passage of bills into laws. Legislative decisions are arrived at in a highly charged political environment. This paper explores the role of information and informants in the legislators' institutional and environmental arena, and the personal characteristics of the legislators that influence the decision making process.

The proceedings of the 89th Illinois General Assembly was observed and the …

The Effects Of Presentational Mode And Gender On Rating Errors In Classroom Speech Evaluation, Nicole L. Turley

Masters Theses

There is extensive research on speech evaluation in the area of speech communication. This study explores the effects of presentational mode and gender on rating errors in speech evaluation. Subjects were students enrolled in an introductory speech course at Eastern Illinois University. After compiling 1072 speech evaluation sheets, a 2x2x3 factorial analysis of variance was conducted. Results concluded that raters in a pre-presentational mode will be more positively lenient than raters in a post-presentational mode and raters in a control group; female raters were more positively lenient than male raters in the traits of language, material, delivery, analysis, and voice; …

Self-Disclosure Among Women In Similar Crisis Situations: Case Studies, Stephanie J. Butler

Masters Theses

Using volunteers who were single mothers of young children who were products of unplanned pregnancies in a non-marital situation, six interviews were conducted and disclosure and narrative communication patterns were observed. Each interview was videotaped and observations and comparisons were made about the subjects interviewed. Common themes identified included an overall willingness to discuss the father of the child, a correlation between the relationship with the father and the feelings felt toward the father, worries about money, the importance of talking to other people, a feeling that mother and child were a "package deal" in that if a man they …

Lyrics And A Social Movement: The Rhetorical Influence Of Bob Marley's Lyrics On The Rastafarian Movement And Universal Culture, Kurt B. Roberts

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Deconstructing Myths About Rap Music, Andrea Scott Morgan

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

A Rhetorical Criticism And Analysis Of President Ronald Reagan's Inaugural Address: Applying The Burkeian Dramatistic Pentad Approach, Marzuki Jamil Baki Bin Haji Mohamed Johar Bachik

Masters Theses

It is no accident that Ronald Reagan rose to the pinnacle of power at a moment when there was a rising wave of intellectual pessimism. Numerous theories were being offered as to why the trajectory of the American experiment has passed its apogee. Reagan's greatest gift to his country has been his soaring sense of possibilities. To see where he got it, look at what he has seen in a long life. However, a great communicator will communicate complicated ideas, hard choices and bad news. Reagan has had little aptitude and less appetite for those tasks. But, then, communication is …

Mentoring Relationships Amongst Women In Public Relations, Kristen Kahles

Masters Theses

Mentoring is an old tool used to advance the education and/or careers of individuals that dates back to ancient Greece; it has recently reemerged in organizational and business settings. I examine mentoring relationships among women in the public relations profession. In this study my purpose is to determine how women are affected in a same sex mentoring relationship in the public relations field. One hundred surveys were distributed to female practitioners in the New York and Chicago areas. Thirty-five were returned, yielding a 35% response rate. In addition, six in depth interviews were conducted with six female public relations professionals …

English Proficiency And Intercultural Communication--A Study Of Chinese Students' Ability To Adapt To American Culture, He-Ping Cheng

Masters Theses

Modern technologies have brought our world to the brink of a Global Village. In the modern world, intercultural communication becomes an indispensable part of human activities. In the environment of foreign language study, intercultural communication skills are intertwined with the language education in order to prepare students for the needs of intercultural communication. There is no exception with teaching English as a foreign language in China. Started in the early 1980s, intercultural communication is a hot topic among scholars in the field of language education. However, despite the efforts made to raise the English learners' intercultural awareness, Chinese students still …