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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Continuing To Do The Work: An Examination Of The Experiences Of Students Of Color In Collegiate Speech, Tennisha Sonsalla
Continuing To Do The Work: An Examination Of The Experiences Of Students Of Color In Collegiate Speech, Tennisha Sonsalla
All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects
This thesis examines how the experiences of students of color in the collegiate speech community are inextricably linked to their race. Students of color, unlike white students, face unique challenges in the predominately white speech community. Using qualitative interviews to uncover the experiences of students of color who have participated in collegiate speech, this project details 6 major themes: Internal Pressures, External Pressures, Navigating Voice, Issues of Representation, Team Dynamics, and Survival Strategies. As well as implications, limitations,and suggestions for future research.
Assessing Competitive Oral Interpretation Speakers: What We Expect Students To Learn, Kelsey Johnson
Assessing Competitive Oral Interpretation Speakers: What We Expect Students To Learn, Kelsey Johnson
All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects
Forensic coaches believe and argue oral interpretation events are educational in nature and provide robust learning opportunities for the competitors who participate in oral interpretation. However, while many scholars claim oral interpretation events are educational, learning outcomes (LOs) do not exist to measure what is learned. Therefore, to measure if oral interpretation competitors are learning, I led focus groups consisting of North Dakota speech coaches to determine what we can expect competitors to learn by participating in the oral interpretation events sanctioned by the North Dakota High School Activities Association (NDHSAA). Using thematic analysis of the focus groups, I illuminated …
Using Bourdieu In Communication And Forensics Research, Stephen P. Hagan
Using Bourdieu In Communication And Forensics Research, Stephen P. Hagan
All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects
As norms in the forensics community are often unspoken and have few identifiable starting points, habitus and Bourdieu seems an apt place to begin an analysis. Further, such analysis can serve as a potential case study for broader applications of Bourdieu to communication studies. Thus, my goal is to provide an overview of Bourdieu’s work through his interconnecting ideas of habitus, field, and cultural capital and use those concepts to discuss college forensics as a case study of how communicative norms and attitudes are shaped in small collective social structures such as forensics. Building from that application, I explore ways …
What Traits Are Learned?: Determining The Levels Of Argumentativeness And Verbal Aggressiveness In Competitive Parliamentary Debate, Lisa Leigh Roth
What Traits Are Learned?: Determining The Levels Of Argumentativeness And Verbal Aggressiveness In Competitive Parliamentary Debate, Lisa Leigh Roth
All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects
Competitive parliamentary debate is a popular and important form of debate in the United States. This study surveyed individuals who competed, and individuals who have never competed, in parliamentary debate were surveyed to understand if parliamentary debate increases argumentativeness and decreases verbal aggression in students who competed in the event. When it comes to verbal aggressiveness, competitive parliamentary debate participants did score lower in verbal aggressiveness then those who have not competed in parliamentary debate. However, there was not a significant difference in verbal aggressiveness with those who have more parliamentary debate experience and those with less experience. Additionally, competitive …
Physical Challenges In Forensics: An Autoethnography Advocating For Accommodations On Behalf Of Speakers With Physical Challenges In Competitive Speech Environments, Elise Mccauley Row
Physical Challenges In Forensics: An Autoethnography Advocating For Accommodations On Behalf Of Speakers With Physical Challenges In Competitive Speech Environments, Elise Mccauley Row
All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects
The realm of competitive forensics is filled with challenges including written and unwritten rules and norms, multiple categories with different guidelines for each, a distinct culture only people intimately connected with the activity can navigate without conscious effort, and a basic knowledge of the ever-changing world of communication. For competitors who struggle with physical disabilities, the challenges are beyond daunting. Using the method of autoethnography, this paper investigates how students with physical challenges can successfully participate through accommodation and how speech coaches can advocate for their physically-disabled speakers and request and implement the best accommodations.
Sit, Stand, Speak: Examining The Perceptions Of The Basic Public Speaking Student On Normative Forensic Practices And Their Effect On Competitor Credibility In Oratory, Katie Marie Brunner
Sit, Stand, Speak: Examining The Perceptions Of The Basic Public Speaking Student On Normative Forensic Practices And Their Effect On Competitor Credibility In Oratory, Katie Marie Brunner
All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects
This paper examines basic public speaking students' perceptions forensic competitor credibility based on normative factors present within the forensic community. Anecdotal and experiential evidence provided this researcher with reason to believe that the unwritten rules and normative expectations of forensics were so far-removed from what students were used to seeing in their classrooms and in the media, that they could have a negative impact on a competitor's ethos, from the basic public speaking students' perspective. This research was performed in an attempt to determine whether these anecdotal and experiential assumptions were accurate and also to gain insight into the how …
"It's Not About You": Exploring The Liminal Experiences Of Graduate Forensic Coaches, Christopher Paul Outzen
"It's Not About You": Exploring The Liminal Experiences Of Graduate Forensic Coaches, Christopher Paul Outzen
All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects
The following document is a capstone thesis project focusing on the unique experiences of graduate forensic coaches through lens of liminality, a performance theory used to describe a sense of being between social identities when going through a rite of passage. The author contends that this liminal experience has unique characteristics which are important to consider in the context of identity and forensic culture. In order to gather data, the author utilized qualitative, semi-structured interviews with current graduate forensic coaches. The resulting interviews were interpreted using a process of open coding to determine key themes of the experience. The author …
Going Public: An Organizational Autoethnographic Exploration Of The International Public Debate Association, Adam Matthew Key
Going Public: An Organizational Autoethnographic Exploration Of The International Public Debate Association, Adam Matthew Key
All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects
Historically, a trend has been demonstrated in intercollegiate debate. Debate organizations begin with a focus on rhetoric aimed at a public audience and within an average of two decades devolve into a highly technical format marked by a high rate of speed, use of nuanced technical jargon, and an overreliance on evidence. The focus on competitive success, culture, and judges are examined as contributors to this trend. The International Public Debate Association was created to sociologically combat the excesses of its predecessors, though sixteen years after its creation it is beginning to show symptoms of the same disease that afflicted …
First-Generation College Students: Forensics Fulfilling A Family Support Function, Elizabeth Kate Stoltz
First-Generation College Students: Forensics Fulfilling A Family Support Function, Elizabeth Kate Stoltz
All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects
One in three students is a first-generation college student. First-generation college students are continuing to increase in enrollment each year. Previous research has explored the communication challenges and communication patterns of first-generation college students. However, research has not explored if an activity like forensics can fulfill a family support functions for first-generation college students. This project used a qualitative retrospective survey of open-ended questions was used to collect data. Themes emerged relating to the first-generation college student experience, the forensic team experience, and the forensic team as a family. The thesis concludes with conclusions and a presentation of future research.
Older, Wiser, Novice: An Autoethnographic Study Of Nontraditional Students' Participation In Collegiate Forensics, Laura Kathleen Pelletier
Older, Wiser, Novice: An Autoethnographic Study Of Nontraditional Students' Participation In Collegiate Forensics, Laura Kathleen Pelletier
All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects
There is a growing trend in nontraditional college student enrollments in the United States. Older, nontraditional students are currently the majority on many college campuses. Due to the constraints on nontraditional students' time, they are often unable to spend as much time on campus as traditional students and are unable to fully partake in campus life and socialization. Cocurricular activities, such as collegiate forensics, can be time consuming activities which for nontraditional students, especially those who have children, may seem like an impossible fit for their already busy schedules. Because college demographics continue to change and there are a growing …
Tying It All Together: An Autoethnographic Exploration Of Lgbtq Forensic Competitors, Alyssa Barrie Reid
Tying It All Together: An Autoethnographic Exploration Of Lgbtq Forensic Competitors, Alyssa Barrie Reid
All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects
It is a common held belief amongst the intercollegiate forensic community that it breeds a culture of affirmation towards marginalized identities. However, as a competitor I never felt confident portraying my LGBTQ identity while at a forensic tournament. This prompted me to employ interviews of former LGBTQ competitors to explore how they managed their identity. Using grounded theory and autoethnography I uncovered themes related to gender, sex, sexuality, and gender identity performance as they confronted and interacted with forensic competition.
Forensics And The Basic Communication Course: A New Path To Satisfying Learning Outcomes, Benjamin Walker
Forensics And The Basic Communication Course: A New Path To Satisfying Learning Outcomes, Benjamin Walker
All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects
Forensic scholars have long written about the educational benefits of forensics, but very few have attempted to tie the activity to learning objectives from the curriculum. This thesis seeks to determine if collegiate forensics can offer the same learning opportunities as one of the most common and fundamental communication classes in the discipline: the basic communication course. This research uses experiential learning as a pedagogical framework for forensics in attempting to answer if forensics can offer the same learning opportunities of the basic communication course, and if so, how the activity does this and what the students actually learn. Likert …
Defining Success: Examining What It Means To Be Good In Forensics, David J. Brennan
Defining Success: Examining What It Means To Be Good In Forensics, David J. Brennan
All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects
For decades college students have been competing in forensic activity (forensics), spending countless hours researching, writing, and performing speeches. Forensic scholars have never created an overarching definition of what it means to be successful in forensics. A survey was created and sent out on the individual events listserv, asking competitors and coaches to define success. Analysis reveals both competitors and coaches believe success in forensics is a combination of competitive achievement, building communication skills, and personal growth.