Digital Commons Network^™

The Perfect Model: Exploring Gender Differences Within Commercial Graphic Design Preferences, Adeline Roberts

Undergraduate Theses

Personal preferences within graphic design are heavily shaped by social factors, including cultural practices. This project explores the effect of gendered-based experiences on visual design preferences, through investigating men’s and women’s preferences regarding graphic design elements, and the source of these opinions. The data was then used to create two educational images, which mimic contemporary magazine covers, visually illustrating the effects of gendered marketing and experiences on personal design preferences. These images were then attached to an interactive website, so that the findings and pieces from this project can be easily accessed by future audiences.

Vinyle Zine: The Execution Of The Pedagogy Of Pro-Blackness, Kandice Fowlkes

Master of Arts in Professional Writing Capstones

Vinyle zine, is a Black literary magazine pedagogically driven to increase cultural literacy within the African-American community. In order to do this, this magazine must have the foundation of Pro-Blackness as a driving force towards advancing Black people in the ways this platform can offer its service. Vinyle zine allows Black individuals to practice using writing and any art form as their medium of expression –a tool that has been utilized to extol African American truths and increase cultural knowledge. By encouraging expression in art and provoking cultural knowledge, Vinyle zine will continue to encourage Black artists and writers to …

Gender Based Violence And All It's Erasure, Ana Sofie Martinez

Honors Theses

Part one of three

of a radical act

against

gender-based violence

Meet Me In The Middle Ages: Engaging With Fantasy, Reality, And Collaborative World-Building, Amanda Greene

MFA in Illustration & Visual Culture

This critical essay accompanies and describes my thesis project, Medievalia Miscellany, a magazine for middle-grade readers which explores the world of medieval fantasy through art, comics, stories, and activities. Throughout the essay, I use my own term “archaeological upcycling” to discuss and explore a variety of relationships between ideas of parts and a whole. I then use it to characterize the way stories are created out of many different parts and how these parts help a reader to relate to both the world of the story and the world in which they live. I describe the genre of medieval fantasy …

Shiso: Asian Culture In San Luis Obispo, Natalie Elise Tsoi Rockhold, Mia Lee Candy

Graphic Communication

There is a serious lack of representation on the subject of Asian culture and history in SLO. This magazine aimed to put a spotlight on this topic, with the unique lens of both authors also being mixed-race and how that factored into us finding a cultural community. Through our use of applied design we demonstrated and developed our technical skills in Adobe CC and tactile skills in printing and binding. We created a printed magazine which incorporated cultural elements into its design. We aimed to reflect a strong message in a captivating visual medium, and used personal skills in web …

Uncovered Magazine: A Magazine Prototype And Business Plan, Avery Bowman

Honors Theses

Through developing a skin care magazine prototype and business plan, this thesis aims to show how a print magazine can be successful to a young audience. By studying the history and development of both magazines and skin care and focusing on today’s industries, now is the perfect time to launch a skin care magazine. Uncovered Magazine will not only focus on filling this gap, but also will aim to empower women to find beauty in their natural skin.

Media’S Portrayal Of Women And Its Impact On Body Image And Self-Esteem, Hannah Bareis

Marketing Undergraduate Honors Theses

This project addresses the portrayal of women in media and its damaging effects on body image and self-esteem. It raises two critical questions: What negative impact is media creating on women? What can be done to combat these destructive effects?

According to a study done by Common Sense Media, "American teens use an average of 9 hours of media daily, not including for school and homework" (Common Sense Media, 2015). This data, along with many others, shows the severity of media exposure to teens. This has brought a valuable discussion to the table. How has this impacted female body image, …

Whose Expectation? Ideal Beauty And The Cultural Construction Of The American Woman, Ameliea Rose Dulaney

Honors Theses

My research project “Whose Expectation? Ideal Beauty and the Cultural Construction of the American Woman” explores the cultural and political climate of American society over the last four centuries, analyzing how ideal beauty standards have worked in the lives of American women over the years, examining (1) how they have been negotiated by women at different times of cultural and political flux, (2) how, although beauty has long been an integral aspect of feminine identity, it has become even more so with the introduction of new technologies (advertising, tv, makeup, etc.), and (3) how as a result, the definition of …

Just Country: A Magazine Prototype And Business Plan, Clare Wojciechowski

Honors Theses

Through this thesis, I have aimed to understand how a print magazine can be successful in the digital age of 2021. In coming up with the concept of Just Country, I saw an area of popular interest that is not served well in the magazine industry. Through thorough research of magazines and country music, I have developed a business plan as well as a prototype for Just Country: The 21^st Century Country Music Magazine.

Girl In Action: Junior Bazaar, 1945-1948, Rose D. Bishop

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis provides an overview of Junior Bazaar, a short-lived magazine for teenage girls published by Hearst between 1945-1948. Under the supervision of art director Lillian Bassman the magazine featured a variety of aesthetic devices — such as photomontage, asymmetrical layouts, the selective use of color, and playful placement of graphic forms — in efforts to distinguish itself from other publications on the market and construct a visual space specific to its teenage readers. Bassman’s unconventional stewardship of Junior Bazaar made room for an up-and-coming set of photographers, including Richard Avedon, Robert Frank, Diane Arbus, Louis Faurer, and other …

From Invisibility To Normativity: Lgbt Families' Representation In Parenting Magazines, Claire James

Sociology Theses

My research compares the visibility of LGBT-parented families in the articles of two types of parenting magazines:an LGBT-based parenting magazine as well as a heteronormative-based magazine. Using a content analysis, I investigated each magazine’s portrayal of LGBT-parented familiesby analyzing articles regarding LGBT-parented families, the articles’ rhetoric, and how such language caters to or delineates from heteronormativity. As a conclusion to my extensive research, I elucidate the differences between familial representation in heteronormative parenting magazines and LGBT representative parenting magazines to define homonormative parenting and its divergence from heteronormative parenting. Using a sociological lens, my research also answers the questions how …

Special Interest Magazine Publishers’ Digital Strategies For Reader Engagement, Patricia Axford

Theses

This research study is intended to examine the strategies that special interest magazine publishers are utilizing to develop engaging reader experiences. In addition, the role of reader input in the curation and creation of interactive content for these publications is also investigated. Published research has indicated that reader interest in specific topics increases the likelihood of engagement with the publication, resulting in prolonged readership. Furthermore, studies suggest that interactivity has a positive effect on entertainment value, visual appeal, service excellence, and a return on investment with regard to readers. Digital technologies enable publishers to provide readers with bundled offerings with …

Mave Magazine, Lauren Adams

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

A fashion magazine featuring original photography, articles, advertisements, and graphic design

Sonder: Exploration Of The Relationship Between Digital Media And Graphic Design Through The Creation Of Print And Digital Publications, Elisa Leigh Vandergriff

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Sonder is an exploration of the relationship between digital media and graphic design through the creation of print and digital publications. At it’s very foundation, Sonder is a travel magazine with both a physical print publication and a digital publication designed for a tablet. It includes photography, articles, poetry, and travel tips. The print and the digital versions contain the same content, but explore different methods of presentation.

Seeking Representations Of Afrocentric Beauty: A Comparative Content Analysis Of Advertisements In Essence Magazine, Roy Phillips Jr.

Journalism Undergraduate Honors Theses

This comparative content analysis will investigate how African American women are depicted in Essence magazine advertisements and seeks to answer the research question: Are the characteristics of advertisements in Essence magazines significantly different when under complete corporate ownership compared to being under primarily African American ownership? The specific goal is to examine the extent to which Afrocentric or Eurocentric depictions are being reinforced, if at all, and to observe if depictions of African American women are shifting or are immobile. To do this, the study will compare advertisements in Essence magazines in 2001, when the magazine was 51 percent Black-owned, …

Urban Geography, Gentrification, And Memory Of The Black Panther Party: An Essay In Photographs, Mikayla A. Kraus

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This creative project is a magazine which focuses on and highlights the politics and contributions of the Black Panther Party to the Black Liberation Movement in Oakland. The magazine is titled “Black Panther” as a homage to the Panthers’ newspaper that published 537 issues during the time they were active. Divided into five sections, the magazine includes the political profiles of Panther leaders in Oakland, a walking photo tour of significant and historical sites related to the Black Panther chapter in Oakland, a dissection of the anti-imperialist and Black Marxist theories practiced by the Panthers, a highlight of the Panthers’ …

Women And Children First: American Magazine Image Depictions Of Japan And The Japanese, 1951-1960, Alexander Adorjan Somogyi

Honors Papers

By the close of the American Occupation of Japan in 1952, Japan was a sovereign nation, a lingering World War II menace, and much needed Cold War ally of the United States. American magazine print media imagery and advertising therefore had to erase its earlier wartime propaganda depictions of the Japanese while rebranding Japan as a harmless friend to the U.S. In the hundred years after Commodore Matthew Perry’s opening of Japan in 1853, American magazines have utilized several visual trends, stereotypes, and tropes in order to cast the Japanese as peaceful, simple, and eager followers of U.S. culture and …

Smadmag, Rachel Petty

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

A magazine showcasing the work done in James Madison University's School of Media Arts & Design.

On The Cover Of The Rollin’ Stone: How Rolling Stone Magazine Frames Politics And News, Ashley Anne Walter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Rolling Stone magazine is a significant artifact spanning throughout American pop culture; yet it has fought to be considered a legitimate news source in American media. This thesis study examines how Rolling Stone frames news and politics, and how the magazine portrays itself as being political, through its front covers. Research has shown that magazine covers “communicate,” “visually summarize” and work “as an advertisement to attract customers” (Kang & Heo, 2013). The purpose of this study is to understand how Rolling Stone presents itself as a legitimate news source and how the covers convey the publication’s identity. A mixed-methods …

Retellings : A Collection Of Nonfiction Essays., Jennifer Kiefer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is a collection of nonfiction essays, extending both into the realms of journalism as well as into more traditional creative nonfiction essays. While each piece is based in true stories, each piece has its own style. As such, this collection is an exploration of different forms of and takes on the nonfiction essay. It is divided into four chapters, one for each essay. The first half encompasses journalistic pieces previously published in Louisville Magazine, one in the August 2016 issue and one in the February 2017 issue. The first piece is a literal retelling of three medical stories, …

War Time Memories Of Shojo (Girl) - An Analysis Of A Japanese Girls' Magazine, Shojo No Tomo, And Its Readers, Ai Yamamoto

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study researched a Japanese girls’ magazine, Shojo no Tomo (A Friend of Girls), which was published before WWII and republished in 2009. By focusing on the republication of the magazine after more than 50 years, the study shohow Japanese women remember their girlhood during the war and how this memory is reconstructed. To discuss reconstruction, this study examines not only what is remembered but also what is forgotten. For this research, it analyzed original issues of the time that the republished issue especially focuses on, and intervieformer readers. Also, it analyzed the republished issue and interviethe editors of it. …

Radiate: A Faith-Based Magazine For College-Age Christian Women, Kayla Head

Undergraduate University Honors Capstones

Radiate exists to provide the college-age Christian woman with a faith-based resource; to strengthen her walk with Christ, the magazine will offer support, encourage growth, provide information, and include uplifting content. In addition to the mission statement, Radiate has three core convictions that serve as keys to the heart of how it hopes to serve its readers: to walk alongside you during this transitional season of life, to foster growth in your relationship with Jesus Christ and other Christ-followers, and to educate you about issues and conversations within Christian culture. The idea for this project came out of a personal …

Gay And Lesbian Travel Writing: A Present In Need Of A Different Future, Michael Verdirame

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The first half of this thesis will detail the history of travel, as well as the primary reasons why people travel and why it is such a lucrative industry. This will be followed by an account of the history of travel writing, with a specific emphasis on the various types of avenues available to travel writers and the reasons why people feel compelled to write about their travels. The first half will then conclude with a content analysis of three current gay and lesbian travel publications available on different media platforms--Passport Magazine as an online magazine, Man About World as …

A Conjoint Analysis Of Reader Preference For The Layout Of Tablet Editions Of Magazines, Stephanie Fallon

Theses

The tablet is an emerging channel for content delivery. One industry that is tapping into the potential of tablet content is the magazine industry. Little research has been conducted regarding what readers favor in digital magazines, especially with regards to layout. This thesis aimed to investigate reader preference for the layout of digital editions of magazines in the women's lifestyle genre, designed for the Apple iPad, with a focus on the attributes of image to white space ratio, grid, body typeface, and body text point size.

This study took a quantitative approach in addressing the proposed research question while incorporating …

Text Size Impact Of Responsibility Messages In Magazine Alcohol Advertisements Among College Students, Sumin Shin

Masters Theses

Although warning labels on products and in advertising have been much studied and discussed in the past several decades, the effect of text size on recall of these messages has been largely ignored, particularly with regard to alcohol advertising. Guided by the bottom-up model of visual attention processing, this study hypothesizes that a responsibility message with larger text attracts more consumer attention and creates greater message recall. One hundred twenty three magazine alcohol ads were collected in preliminary research, and the average size of their responsibility messages was found to be approximately 6 points. An experimental survey of college students …

The Magazine Industry Is Becoming Mobile, Alex Maxwell

Graphic Communication

Are magazine publications seeing an increase in profits since the rise of the mobile magazine application? My investigation focused on magazine publications that feel that producing their product for use on a tablet is worth the increase in resources. These applications allow the consumer to read their purchase on an array of electronic tablets, which are arguably beneficial for magazine publications in the future.

This study helped me discover that “developing a digital replica of a magazine is extremely cost effective because postage and material costs are no longer required.” (H. Glassie, Senior Project - Alex Maxwell, January 14, 2013) …

Characteristics Of Quality Agricultural Magazine Capstone Courses Based On The Five R'S Model, Traci Nicole Rushing

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to assess students' and instructors' perceptions regarding the value of an agricultural communications magazine capstone course at three universities that were identified as exemplary in an effort to describe the characteristics leading to the course's success. Using a qualitative survey methodology, the investigator administered an open-response survey, conducted personal interviews with purposively-selected students in each course and the instructors, and made field observations. Both the interviews and the surveys consisted of six, in-depth questions crafted after Andreasen's (2004) of a successful magazine capstone course. Based on students' and instructors' perceptions through the lens of Andreasen's (2004) model, …

The Relationship Of Women's Magazines And Their Websites: A Comparative Analysis Of Print And Web Content, Allison Walker Ruff

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

With the digital expansion of magazines, it is essential to determine how a magazine's online and digital content compares to its print content. The editorial strategy for print content versus Web content could make a difference in consumers' brand attachment and loyalty to a magazine. Magazines must have a dynamic online strategy that offers a different experience than printed material in order to gain new relationships and strengthen those relationships people already have with the brand. A comparative analysis of the print content versus the online website content of four separate women's publications can help determine if each magazine is …

The Making Of A Movement: A Qualitative Content Analysis Of The National Trust For Historic Preservation Magazine From 1949 To 2010, Katherine Marie Ferguson

All Theses

For over 60 years, the National Trust for Historic Preservation has published a magazine. Covering issues from preservation legislation to sustainability, this publication has been the predominant voice in the preservation movement. But what has it been saying, really? This study applies a communications approach to examine the messages the National Trust magazine has presented to its members and the public and studies the role this type of marketing tool has played in the movement for more than half a century.
This research identifies seven important eras in communications for the magazine. Trends in the kind of news being reported, …

The Art Of The Distinguished: How Fashion Magazines Influence The Definition And Understanding Of Modern Glamour., Hayley Black

All Theses

While the fashion world, including its influential print publications, is no stranger to inquiries about social status, aesthetics, and self worth, there is currently room for the examination of what type of appeals create and sustain the concept of 'glamour' in modern society. This study investigates how fashion magazines construct the idea of glamour to influence readers' understanding and definition of this term as well as its own placement on the social spectrum of sophistication through a visual analysis of the fashion spreads of four contemporary fashion magazines. Using Bourdieu's understanding of taste and distinction, John Berger's understanding of visual …