Rhetoric and Composition Commons^™

“Pro-Woman, Pro-Life”: Framing Of The Anti-Abortion Movement, Olivia Rivet

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

This project on the “Pro-Woman, Pro-Life" framing of the Anti-Abortion Movement uses James Paul Gee's theoretical lens on discourse analysis. My research corpus is comprised of historical, legislative, news, editorial, and film data. This project focuses on when the term "Pro-Woman" first appeared in the anti-abortion discourse and how it has been used to reinforce the Pro-Life stance. I argue that the phrase -- "Pro-Woman" -- is a discoursal strategy to appeal to women who are ideologically aligned with the Pro-Choice movement. According to the Pro-Woman, Pro-Life framework, no "feminist" would want to support a practice, such as abortion, that …

Embracing Our Inner Weird Barbie, Kayla Mackney

KUCC -- Kutztown University Composition Conference

No abstract provided.

The Trial Of Abraham And The Trembling Of The Audience: Rereading The Aqedah, Michael Zhaohan Tang

Classical Mediterranean and Middle East Honors Projects

This thesis reexamines the Aqedah narrative from Genesis 22:1–19, focusing on the conveyance of emotions and the portrayal of characters in a story that lacks explicit descriptions of thoughts and feelings. Approaching the text through a literary and narratological lens, I propose that through phraseological techniques like diction and parataxis and compositional strategies such as allusion and juxtaposition, the text captures the psychological depth of biblical characters, thereby enhancing its emotional impact on the audience. I dissect the narrative into eight scenes and within each scene, I conduct close readings to identify and analyze subtle lexical choices and rhetorical devices. …

Unequal Punishment Of Women And Minorities In The Workplace, Jorden Woodson

KUCC -- Kutztown University Composition Conference

No abstract provided.

From Content To Composition: Equipping Non-Writing Instructors For Interdisciplinary Writing Proficiency, Taylor Weintrop

Theses

Academic writing is a fundamental component across disciplines in higher education, serving as a critical mode of communication and assessment of student understanding, proficiency, and mastery of course content. Despite its ubiquity, the responsibility for explicit writing instruction is often regulated to composition courses frequently housed within English departments, leading to a systemic and normative view that isolates writing development to a single field. This thesis critically explores the literature on writing studies, focusing on disciplinary attitudes toward writing, interdisciplinary movements, and how writing transfer occurs as students traverse academic fields. Along with the comprehensive literature review, this project includes …

Cracking A Back Is Not Rehabilitation: A Comparative Analysis Of Chiropractic Vs. Physical Therapy, Lauren M. Radack

Student Scholar Showcase

There is an increasingly common belief among the general public that chiropractic care is more successful in treating injuries than physical therapy. Research shows that chiropractic care cannot be compared to physical therapy due to their different skill sets, knowledge of treatment, and applications; therefore, one modality cannot be determined better than the other. While the two domains are incomparable, individuals continue to feel pressured to select between chiropractic care and physical Therapy. Analyzing the influence of the false claims and misinformation that surrounds rehabilitation services, the belief that physical therapy treatment is able to be replaced by chiropractic treatment …

The Power: Gender: A Superhero Or A Scapegoat?, Zoe Winfield Berken

KUCC -- Kutztown University Composition Conference

No abstract provided.

Slot Machine Addiction: The Untold Story Of Contradictions Between Self And America's Neoliberal Risk Society, Melanie C. Falconer

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The ability to take risks is nothing short of heroism in the modern United States which thrives on a diet of hyper mobility, technological progress, and globalized, deregulated “free” markets. Such relentless instability affirms scholarly contentions that the U.S. is now a “risk society.” Indeed, in Gambling with the Myth of the American Dream: The Pokerization of America, rhetoric scholar Aaron Duncan suggests that media stories of modern poker tournaments signify a collective desire to grapple with this heightened modern “chanciness” within our established gambling lore and make it cohere with our deeply cherished notions of American individualism. While Duncan …

Schedule & Program Booklet, English Department, Kutztown University

KUCC -- Kutztown University Composition Conference

The program for the 2024 Kutztown University Composition Conference.

Implementing Writing Activities In A Postsecondary Tutoring Program For Students With Intellectual Disabilities, Milya Maxfield

Master's Theses

Peer mentors who work with students with intellectual disabilities at the post-secondary level are uniquely situated in their roles both as students and as tutors to assist their students not only with their academic work but also in modeling learning strategies one-on-one. This brief study, including both quantitative and qualitative survey data, establishes a baseline for tutors’ self-confidence when it comes to their own writing and tutoring their students in writing. It further examines the impact of a professional development learning opportunity on tutors’ ability to potentially practice and model a writing strategy in their sessions with their student population. …

Oer Presentation To Kcc English Department, Rachel Ihara

Publications and Research

This was for a short presentation to the KCC English Department intended as an overview of the various open access resources in use currently.

Ztc English 111: Introduction To College Writing Syllabus, Nicolette Guida

Open Educational Resources

This is a syllabus for a first year college writing course. This is also ZTC course (or "zero textbook cost" course). Course texts are only open-access materials and texts that are readily accessible online.

This course focuses on the power of language in our society. Students analyze the importance of rhetoric for both writers of language and consumers of language. They consider how language can be used to make meaning of the world, construct and express identity, persuade or manipulate others, and how language has evolved with technology. Students develop critical reading and academic writing skills through workshops and writing …

Persuasive Essay Assignment For Freshman Composition, Danny Katch

Open Educational Resources

A persuasive essay is a piece of writing that aims to get people to agree with your point of view. Your task for this assignment is to write an essay of 500-750 words that aims to convince others to change a policy or take an action around an issue related to the politics of language.

Developing Intercultural Competence And Cultural Capital: Applying Virtual Reality To Study Abroad Pedagogy, Jenifer Butler

English Theses & Dissertations

As the world becomes increasingly globalized thanks, at least in part, to the ubiquity of digital technology, scholars in discourse and new media must explore the possibility of learning and composition to expand pedagogical practices and opportunities. This project uses study abroad programs and education as a test case for establishing the feasibility of easily incorporating existing virtual reality (VR) technology into the classroom. It examines the theoretical and technological question of whether advancements in virtual reality have achieved the potential for practical pedagogical applications, and if virtual technology can provide responsible, accurate, and educational access to concepts as complex …

Hozier, Tiktok, And Sapphic Rhetoric, Sophia Marie Kovalcik

English Theses & Dissertations

Through the process of social circulation and critical imagination, Sappho’s poetry, which maintains rhetoric that women, nature, and love are related to ritual and feminine divinity, intersects with queer digital rhetoric. Via discussion of feminist spirituality rhetoric, Marie Cartier’s lesbian theology, and rhetorical and literary analysis of Sappho’s lyrical fragments, I explore her Ancient Greek mythological, cultural aesthetics. I then connect sapphic rhetoric to two contemporary artifacts that represent or influence contemporary feminist, digital, and queer identities: the lyrics of the Irish musician Andrew Hozier-Byrne, known as Hozier and TikTok comment sections surrounding Hozier’s music and concert clips.

“Where Have All The Women Gone?” Circulating Rhetoric In Country Music Playlists, Rachel Van Hofwegen Willis

English Theses & Dissertations

Mainstream country music has a gender problem—female artists have gone missing from the industry. Industry insiders like radio programmer Keith Hill have alternately blamed female stars for not producing good music or pointed the finger at audiences who they say rate songs by female artists poorly. These explanations are, however, insufficient to explain country’s missing women, and scholars like Jada Watson have shown that country music discriminates against female artists by squeezing them from music circulation. Her studies examine representation in radio airplay to show how women have lost ground in the industry through their elimination from radio. My research …

Beyond The Pitch: Exploring The Process Of Entrepreneurial Sales Communication, Gracemarie Mike Fillenwarth, Emily Nolan

College of Communication & Creative Arts Departmental Research

No abstract provided.

The Myths Of Plato: Socratic Kenosis And The Call Of Beauty, Daniel Edward Shirley

Master of Arts in Classical Studies

The myths of Plato have been inordinately subordinated to the “intellect” of Plato since the eighteen-thirties. The ancient Christian tradition of interpreting stories and scriptures with symbolic understanding serves as a potentially primary hermeneutical pattern that could correct the modern tendency of subconscious materialism. To restore the Platonic myths, there are two foundational arguments to be made about the myths. The first is that these myths are kenotic in function. Observing the Socratic call to self-emptying, especially in the cosmological image of the World Axis, challenges modern assumptions concerning the second goodness of Platonic myth. The second argument is the …

"We Are Bad Feminists!": Understanding Genre And Rhetoric In (Post)Feminist Dramedy Television, Cailin Rolph

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Centered on Lena Dunham’s Girls (2012) and Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Fleabag (2016) this thesis examines the use of genre conventions in dramedy to facilitate feminist critiques of postfeminist ideals. In conducting a case study of feminist rhetoric present in the shows Girls and Fleabag, this thesis addresses a gap in genre studies concerning the social and political potency of the dramedy genre. The thesis utilizes rhetorical critique, through generic methods, to identify the specific techniques used by Dunham and Waller-Bridge. Through its analyses, this thesis argues that dramedy can uniquely operate as a work of social action and critique, using …

A Rhetorical Criticism Of "Fleabag": Tragicomedy And What It Means To Be A Feminist, Morgan Ashley White

Communication Studies

This essay conducts a rhetorical criticism of the television series Fleabag, analyzing how creator and star Phoebe Waller-Bridge uses tragicomedy to dismantle the notion that there is one right way to be a feminist. After providing background on Waller-Bridge, the history of feminism, and the creation of Fleabag, the essay closely examines several key scenes from the show. It demonstrates how Waller-Bridge employs humor intertwined with serious subject matter to highlight the complexities and contradictions women face in navigating conflicting societal expectations around gender. Through the flawed yet honest portrayal of Fleabag herself and her interactions with other nuanced female …