Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Identity And Image: A Miss America Case Study, Melissa C. Connell

Theses and Dissertations

Through brochure copy and other communication channels, such as electronic media, organizations strive to effectively echo the company's beliefs, attitudes and values. Target audiences perceive the company in certain ways based on this media projection. Sometimes the image a company believes it has established is far different from the one the public sees.

As organizations aim to achieve this identity/image alliance, critics assert that the Miss America Organization has failed to meet the stated standards. In recent years, the Miss America Organization has received criticism from former contestants, politicians, feminist groups and some of its 80 million viewers for its …

Student Use Of Computers In The Media Center: Does It Support Educational Goals?, Janet B. Hill

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the ways students from study halls used computers in a media center at 22 student workstations. A shift toward use of computers and electronic resources for recreation and for research had been observed. A study was initiated to determine what students accomplish during these periods and if their use benefited learning.

The first research method employed was a direct observation of 1264 students visiting the media center during 64 different periods over a three-week time period. Students were observed and the kinds of applications used were counted. In a second method, ninety-seven students from across the school's …

Universities And Their Communities: What Fosters Positive Town-Gown Relations?, Nicole M. Spagnolia

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis was to decipher what solutions and approaches have worked in solving conflicts between colleges and their communities and make the information available to other schools.

A review of research related to this study was conducted in conjunction with in-depth interviews with college relations personnel from various institutions. The information gathered was then used to conduct primary research in the form of a mail survey.

The mail survey was sent to 400 college relations personnel from across the country. The survey was used to discover what conflicts colleges are experiencing with their communities and how they …

A Study Of The Measurable Benefits Of "Content" Web Sites For Companies In The Sports Collectibles Industry, Brian S. Cahill

Theses and Dissertations

Many public relations professionals have used the internet to feature information on "content" web sites. These sites, which companies were spending thousands of dollars per year to create and maintain, were not used for commerce, but for marketing and public relations use.

This study examined the measurable benefits of "content" web sites of companies in one industry, the sports collectibles industry. All companies in this industry were included in this study. This study used the sports collectibles industry as a microcosm of all companies which were using "content" web sites.

Through a mail survey, data were collected to reveal the …

Motivational Functions Of Volunteerism: Similarities And Differences Between Low & High Risk Communities, Deborah L. Cole

Theses and Dissertations

A functional approach provides a framework for identifying psychological and behavioral aspects associated with decision-making, experiences, and consequences. The functional approach to volunteerism suggests that different people, or sub-populations, may actually be motivated to serve based upon individual and varying personal, social, and psychological functions. The purpose of the study was to investigate any motivational differences or similarities between adults living in high at-risk and low at-risk communities with regard to volunteerism.

High and low at-risk communities were identified by the seven community at-risk indicators suggested by the Carnegie Council on Adolescents. Those communities with three or less indicators were …

The Study Of Methods Used By Public Relations Firms To Assist In Attracting And Maintaining Clients, Donna M. Field

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the methods that public relations firms use to do public relations for themselves to attract new clients and to maintain existing clients. The author researched and analyzed whether public relations firms do public relations for their respective firms, the methods used, as well as the reasons why or why not.

A survey was sent to 60 public relations firms belonging to Pinnacle Worldwide, Inc., an international corporation of independent public relations firms with offices in major cities throughout the United States and the world. Forty-seven responses were received.

The results of the …

What Employees Want To Know During Times Of Organizational Change, Stacy Smith Napolitano

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine what issues or topics are most important to employees during times of organizational change. It is important for managers to effectively communicate these issues, especially in today's changing business world.

The author conducted this research by surveying employees at organizations going through major change. The respondents were selected randomly from employee lists at each organization. The sample size was 315. The data was collected through inter-office mail at each location and sent to the author, who tabulated it using the Microsoft Access computer program. The results were tabulated by overall results, gender, …

Establishment Of Public Relations Programs In New Jersey Public Schools, Liberty Delgado Harshaw

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to determine effectiveness of public relations methods through use in a centralized, decentralized or coordinated plan. Survey research of public schools in New Jersey studied the following areas:

1. Superintendent training in public relations
2. Establishment of policies
3. Type of programs - centralized, decentralized, or coordinated - and reasons why used
4. Methods of communication used
5. Success of public relations program
6. Feedback methods used to evaluate effectiveness of programs
7. If no PR program existed, reasons why and intentions for implementation of future programs.

The survey was mailed to the superintendents of 594 operating public school districts in …

A Context Analysis Of Same-Company Advertisements In Gay And Lesbian Publications Compared With Mainstream Publications, Sharon Ann Follmer Miken

Theses and Dissertations

In a content analysis, this study reviewed and analyzed advertising placed by national corporations in lesbian and gay magazines. The presumption was that the homosexual population is a viable niche that is being targeted by corporations with a segmented marketing approach. The purpose was to determine if these companies changed the content of these ads in any way to address the needs of the gay consumer.

The two most prominent national magazines that serve the lesbian and gay population in the United States are The Advocate and Out. From these two magazines was drawn a universe of national corporations that …

How Are Hospitals Disseminating Their Patient Confidentiality Policies To Their Employees?, Sally Sapega

Theses and Dissertations

Depending on a patient's illness, as many as 100 health professionals and administrative personnel may have access to the hospital record, all with a legitimate reason. Many people are understandably concerned about confidentiality because of the range of information in medical records that is often necessary to ensure an accurate diagnosis and successful treatment -- including very personal information about a person's physical, mental, and sometimes even emotional well-being. This thesis examined how 20 Delaware Valley hospitals communicate their patient confidentiality policies to their employees. The survey specifically asked the channels through which their confidentiality policies are communicated (i.e. training …

A Content Analysis Of New Jersey Law Firms' World Wide Web Site Home Pages, Karen Kaufman

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to analyze the content of New Jersey law firm home pages on their World Wide Web sites in order to compare and contrast selected variables.

Previous studies and information on legal Web site presence on the World Wide Web was researched.

Fifteen Web sites were studied to compile an initial list of variables. The variables were adjusted based on research of the law firms and browsers' opinions. Twenty-nine variables were selected.

Major Web sites researched were the National Law Journal, the Indiana University School of Law, and the American Bar Association. None led to …

A Study Of The Correlation Between Internal Communication Programs And Employee Morale, Gary L. Brown

Theses and Dissertations

This study analyzed the relationship between internal communication programs and employee morale. Fifty-three communication professionals were contacted to determine:

• whether their company had an internal communication policy
• whether supervisory staff were trained to communicate effectively
• whether supervisory staff were held accountable for communicating with their subordinates
• the perceived benefits to internal communication programs.

Telephone interviews and mailed surveys yielded the following major conclusions:

• Ninety-five percent of the respondents felt there is a direct correlation between internal communication and employee morale.
• Five percent of the respondents felt there is an indirect correlation between internal communication and employee morale.
• Seventy-seven percent of …

A Multicultural Curriculum For The Third Grade In The Library Media Center At The Rieck Avenue School, Millville, N.J., Joyce A. Rankin

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis project developed a multicultural curriculum for the third grade classes at the Rieck Avenue School, Millville, New Jersey, which adhered to the Core Curriculum Standards. The question to be answered was "How can third graders achieve an historical understanding of the varying cultures of New Jersey, the United States, and the world through the library media center curriculum?" Because of the changing demographics of our country and the increase of minority students in our schools, it is imperative that students learn how to appreciate, understand, and interact with people who are ethnically, racially, and culturally different than themselves. …

Student Evaluation Of Internet Resources, Kathleen Donoghue

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated a means by which high school students were taught to critically analyze information found on the Internet. Many students view the Internet as an information resource and regard what they find there as authoritative. It is necessary for students to develop strategies that will assist them in identifying information that is relevant, reliable, and accurate. In this study, 18 students were provided with sample checklists to use as a guide in evaluating Internet resources. After guided practice in the classroom, each student examined four web sites that were pre-selected by the instructor and varied in characteristic properties. …

The Function Of Illustration In The Books Written By Maurice Sendak And Mercer Mayer, Christy L. Kaciuba

Theses and Dissertations

This study describes the function of illustration in the books written by Maurice Sendak and Mercer Mayer. Fifty children between the ages of four and six years old, together with a parent, listened to two books by each author, during three storytime sessions. Children's spontaneous responses to the readings were recorded on videotape. Response was defined as the comments and gestures children made in regard to the readings. Two identical 10-question surveys, one for the books by Sendak and one for the books by Mayer, were administered to parents and children after the storytime session. Responses collected from the data …

A Study Of The Effects Of The Use Of Computerized Sources On Elementary Student Research Projects, Betty Jane Oliva

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine elementary students' abilities in the information gathering process and the impact of the use of computerized resources on these abilities. Did the use of computerized research technology improve students' results? How well did students make use of this technology to find information? Would students effectively combine the use of computerized and print sources for information? What effect did the inclusion of computers have on the students' attitude towards the research assignment? Four classes of fourth grade students were combined into two groups. Students were assigned to research answers to 50 questions. Each …

A Study Of The Circulation Patterns And Lifestyle Demographics Of Year-Round Residents Who Use The Ocean City Free Public Library, Judith C. Perkins

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project was to determine if adult lifestyle behaviors, as identified in the 1990 U.S. Census, could be linked with circulation statistics for fiction and nonfiction books, and thereby, used to assist acquisition librarians in the purchase of library materials. The project, a partial replication of the Davis and Altman (1997) study, focused on the book selections made by adults at the Ocean City Free Public Library in Ocean City, NJ. The methodology included the examination of circulation records for these subjects during December, January, and February 1992-1997, and relating these choices to the spending potential index …

A Cognitive Approach To Teaching Research Skills, Christine M. Wilson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project was to develop a method for teaching research skills to sixth graders that would be appropriate for their cognitive abilities and prepare them for the research skills required by the seventh grade curriculum. Three classroom teachers and fifty-seven sixth grade students participated in this project. A short research project served as a pretest and inventory for knowledge of research skills. A unit of research skills and project preparation was then taught to the students in a series of eight lessons. Each skill modeled during the lessons provided concrete student learning. Examples of content materials and …

The Role Of The School Media Specialist As Perceived By Teachers, Principals, And School Media Specialists, Veronica M. Gaskill

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the role of the school media specialist as perceived by principals, teachers, and school media specialists. According to the current literature, the role of the school media specialists is multi-faceted. The role includes teacher, information specialist, technology person, and instructional consultant. A survey was prepared to determine if principals, teachers, and media specialists perceived the role in the same way. Two principals and thirty-five teachers were surveyed for this project. Three school media specialists were interviewed. The participants were from two districts in Atlantic County in the state of New Jersey. There …

Developing Criteria For Choosing Bibliographic Databases In High School Libraries, Darlene Michel

Theses and Dissertations

This study developed criteria for choosing bibliographic databases for high school libraries. A survey was conducted to find out students' opinions about the databases that they use in school to access books, periodicals, and newspaper articles. The survey covered frequency of database use, favorite and least favorite databases, reasons for using the databases, desirable and undesirable characteristics of databases, and types of searching that were used. The survey was administered to 85 students in four 11th grade college-preparatory English classes after a class period devoted to database searching for an assignment. All students completed and handed in the survey. Conclusions …

A Survey Of The Familiarity Of Gloucester County Secondary School Librarians, Child Study Teams, And Special Education Teachers With Assistive Technology, Dianne Clement

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this survey was to assess the familiarity of Gloucester County high school librarians, child study team members, and special education teachers about different types of adaptive technologies. Two hundred twenty-one surveys were sent to the 13 school districts in Gloucester County. Eighty-four participants responded. The largest response was from librarians. Results indicated that all three groups were more unfamiliar than familiar with the technology on the survey. Librarians were the group with the most overall familiarity response, 31%. Child study teams and special education teachers were very close in familiarity responses with 26%. Taped text, large-print materials, …

The Status Of Internet And World Wide Web Use In The Elementary Schools Of Gloucester County, New Jersey, Christine A. Rohrman

Theses and Dissertations

Are schools preparing students for the new age of communication, where the Internet and World Wide Web will be an efficient way to access information? The purpose of this study was to determine the status of Internet use in the elementary schools of Gloucester County, New Jersey. Data was collected using a survey questionnaire sent to the library media specialists of the 48 elementary schools. They were asked if there was Internet access in their school building and if not, were there plans to have Internet access by the year 2001. Other questions about the Internet involved computer equipment available, …

Comparing The Effectiveness Of Video New Releases And Written News Releases, Art Keegan

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if Video News Releases (VNRs) are more effective than written news releases in offering reportable news to television newsroom decision-makers. To answer this question, 45 television newsroom decision-makers from 13 states and the District of Columbia were surveyed. The survey was conducted over the telephone and presented nine questions to decision-makers regarding their usage and storage of VNRs and written news releases. Decision-makers were identified as television news personnel knowledgeable in the usage rate and storage length of VNRs and written news releases.

The study analyzed the responses of all the newsroom …

The Public Relation Firm's Perception Of The Internet's Effect On Its Growth And Profits, Tina Blasberg

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to learn if the public relations firm believed that using the Internet had a recognizable effect on its growth and profits. The study attempted to show that if the public relations firm saw that its net profits increased, client base grew, and, as a result, employees' paychecks increased, then it perceived that using the Internet had a positive effect on its growth and profits.

The sample originally selected consisted of 317 United States public relations firms, a sample which consisted of small and large firms ranging from 10 employees up to 100 employees. A …

A Fund Raiser's Guide For Gaining Access To Corporate Givers, Patricia L. Pfleger

Theses and Dissertations

This project identified, through both primary and secondary research, techniques for local United Way organizations to effectively gain access to key executives at mid-size corporations. The secondary research found that the trend in corporate giving is to demand much more recognition for philanthropy. Many corporations are combining charitable donations with their marketing efforts to target present or future customers.

Primary research was conducted using mail questionnaires, which were sent to fund raisers and corporate givers, listing possible techniques for making contact with corporate givers. A list of recommended techniques for fund raisers to use was then compiled.

Recommendations for fund …