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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

The Lived Experiences Of Transmasculine Speakers: A Phenomenological Investigation Of Vocal Quality And Function In Relation To Gender, Micah Wylie May 2022

The Lived Experiences Of Transmasculine Speakers: A Phenomenological Investigation Of Vocal Quality And Function In Relation To Gender, Micah Wylie

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study was to learn how transmasculine individuals perceive the quality and function of their voices, and how those perceptions influence how they experience gender identity and communicate with others. This qualitative study adopted a hermeneutical phenomenological approach that involved using content analysis and thematic analysis to describe and interpret phenomena. This approach assumes that the researcher is not biased, but is a part of the world being studied and, therefore, understands the phenomenon by interpretive means. Saturation was achieved when all relevant information was introduced, and patterns of information had been identified. Sixteen interviews were conducted. …


Rhetorical Genealogy And The Ethics Of Eugenics, David Mark Thomas Jan 2020

Rhetorical Genealogy And The Ethics Of Eugenics, David Mark Thomas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation strives to critique contemporary rhetoric on eugenics. In recent years, scientists succeeded in mapping the human genome and subsequently developed new gene editing technologies. To situate current ethical discourses about eugenics, I trace histories of these discourses at several scales of society – from the macroscopic level of the body politic to the meso level where modes of assessment have been deployed purportedly to accurately evaluate human characteristics to the microscopic level of the gene. I employ Foucauldian genealogy to highlight how, despite marked differences over time in specific eugenic discourses and practices exist, the underlying rhetoric has …


Assessing Competitive Oral Interpretation Speakers: What We Expect Students To Learn, Kelsey Johnson Jan 2020

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 …


Let’S Be Perfectly Clear About Ambiguity: Exploring Instructor Use Of Strategic Ambiguity To Enhance Student Work And Learning Outcomes, Anna M. Wright Jun 2019

Let’S Be Perfectly Clear About Ambiguity: Exploring Instructor Use Of Strategic Ambiguity To Enhance Student Work And Learning Outcomes, Anna M. Wright

Theses and Dissertations

Instructors often desire to be clear in their teaching. However, a new area of research raises the possibility that instructors can use ambiguity strategically in courses and assignments to foster improved learning outcomes in students. This study uses quantitative research methods to explore how student characteristics affect learning outcomes when presented with varying levels of instructor messaging regarding clear and ambiguous assignments. Specifically, the measured student’s tolerance for ambiguity, mindset, as well as learning orientation and grade orientation as well as the impact instructor messaging regarding assignments has on student’s learner empowerment and affective learning. Findings suggest that instructor messaging …


Argument Education In Higher Education: A Validation Study, Paul E. Mabrey Iii May 2017

Argument Education In Higher Education: A Validation Study, Paul E. Mabrey Iii

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Argument education can play an important role in higher education for leadership development and responding to increasing calls for post-secondary accountability. But to do so, argumentation teachers, scholars, and practitioners need to develop a clearer definition and research agenda for the purposes of teaching and assessing argumentation. The research conducted here contributes to this project by first establishing a definitional construct and observable behaviors associated with learning and practicing argumentation. Second, an argument education assessment instrument was created based off of the literature-supported definition of argumentation. Third, debate and argument education subject matter experts reviewed the definition, behaviors, and assessment …


An Assessment Of Communication Strategies In Edinburgh, Scotland: A Focus On News Outlets Used By Select Audiences, Alexandria N. Mcleod May 2017

An Assessment Of Communication Strategies In Edinburgh, Scotland: A Focus On News Outlets Used By Select Audiences, Alexandria N. Mcleod

Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to discover which media outlets selected Edinburgh, Scotland consumers were using and why they chose those outlets to gain information. This study was conducted using a survey instrument with convenience sampling (N = 39) in Scotland during the summer 2016. It was found that social media is the primary source for news and timeliness is the most important factor when choosing a news source. Another objective for the study was to determine peak viewing times and primary topics of interest. Peak viewing times were observed to be mornings and evenings primarily. Primary topics …


Eportfolios, Google Drive, And Cognitive Process Theory, Sarah Elizabeth Carl Oct 2016

Eportfolios, Google Drive, And Cognitive Process Theory, Sarah Elizabeth Carl

English Theses & Dissertations

ePortfolios have gained popularity in higher education to document learning, assessing, and career showcasing. This thesis discusses how ePortfolios can be used in first-year writing classrooms to show writing processes using Google Drive, a non-ePortfolio platform and its connection to Linda Flower and John Hayes’ cognitive process theory. The thesis shows how a professor could use Google Drive as an ePortfolio platform through assignments.


An Investigation Into Native And Non Native English Speaking Instructors' Assessment Of University Esl Student's Oral Presentation, Rubaiyat Jabeen Jan 2016

An Investigation Into Native And Non Native English Speaking Instructors' Assessment Of University Esl Student's Oral Presentation, Rubaiyat Jabeen

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This thesis aims to conduct a mix-methods investigation into native English-speaking teachers (NESTs) and non-native English-speaking teachers (NNESTs) assessment of university level English as a second language (ESL) student's oral presentation. To collect data for this study, all faculty members and instructors currently teaching in at the departments of English and Communication Studies at Minnesota State University, Mankato (MNSU) were invited to participate in an online survey using Qualtrics Survey Software (Qualtrics). After receiving email invitations, altogether 31 people provided their consent to participate. Among the 31 teacher-participants, there were 19 NESTs and 12 NNESTs. The participants then took part …


Raising The Standard: An Assessment Of Peer Collaboration As An Enhancer Of Speech Evaluation Fidelity, Terrell Kody Frey Feb 2015

Raising The Standard: An Assessment Of Peer Collaboration As An Enhancer Of Speech Evaluation Fidelity, Terrell Kody Frey

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the state of speech evaluation training in the basic communication course at Illinois State University. Specifically, a new type of pedagogy known as the "peer workshop" is integrated into the course as a potential supplement to the speech evaluation training procedures. Quantitative and qualitative methods reveal how the course has become engrained into the academic expectations of the student body and identify written peer feedback as a necessary focus of future training in the classroom. Specific theoretical and pedagogical implications, as well as limitations and future directions, are discussed in detail.


Assessing The Effectiveness Of Public Speaking Instruction On Students Cognitive Learning, Skill Development, And Communication Apprehension, Gilberto A. Castillo May 2010

Assessing The Effectiveness Of Public Speaking Instruction On Students Cognitive Learning, Skill Development, And Communication Apprehension, Gilberto A. Castillo

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of public speaking instruction on students’ cognitive learning, skill development, and communication apprehension. Participants in this study included 140 undergraduate students at a university in the Southwestern United States. Hypotheses and research questions focused on determining whether public speaking instruction makes a difference for students who receive instruction as opposed to students who do not on three learning outcomes: cognitive, behavioral, and affective. Results of the study are discussed. Conclusions, limitations, and topics for further research are addressed.


Exploring The Media's Negative Effects On Body Dissatisfaction And Self Esteem Among Adolescent Girls, Aliscia Doriety Jan 2010

Exploring The Media's Negative Effects On Body Dissatisfaction And Self Esteem Among Adolescent Girls, Aliscia Doriety

All Capstone Projects

Research has suggested that adolescent girls may be influenced by the media to such a degree that their body image and dissatisfaction tends to increase, as exposure to media increases. In the current study, 75 adolescent girls completed a questionnaire evaluating self-esteem and body image to determine if there were other factors that related to the media's overwhelmingly strong influence. The study concluded that there was a positive correlation between other variables such as, family, which had a stronger influence than media.