Digital Commons Network^™

Drought And Food Security In Kenya: Content Analysis Of The Nation And The Standard Newspapers 2018-2019, Mark Simiyu Namaswa

Master of Arts in Digital Journalism

The study is motivated by repetitive cycles of drought and food security crises in Kenya where there seems to be no solution in dealing with cyclic but erratic weather patterns. The study focused on examining patterns of coverage and prominence of drought and food security stories in two major Kenyan newspapers, The Nation and The Standard and if these trends were event-driven or influenced by among other factors, politics or alters by humanitarian organizations or the scientific community. This study sought to explore media coverage of drought and food security in Kenya over the entire year 2018 and year 2019. …

Coverage Of Climate Change Issues In Kenyan Print Media: A Case Of Daily Nation And Standard Newspapers, Esther Wanja Mungai

Master of Arts in Digital Journalism

Climate change is an issue of public interest and given the adverse effects of climate change, concerted efforts are imperative as different stakeholders work on solutions. The media with its power to set and build agenda is very critical, especially in its coverage of climate change. This study sought to analyse the extent to which climate change stories are given prominence, the nature of climate change stories, and drivers of climate change stories in The Daily Nation and The Standard between 2018 and 2019. The study was anchored on the agenda setting theory to examine prominence accorded to climate change …

Place Of Solutions Journalism In Coverage Of A Crisis: Examining Reporting Of Covid-19 Pandemic In Kenyan Newspapers, Rebecca Mutheu Mutiso

Master of Arts in Digital Journalism

The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in Kenya in March 2020 created an unprecedented challenge to media houses. Media coverage of the disease raised questions on the best approach that can be used for reporting the Covid-19 crisis and whether journalists should only report the reality of the social and economic impact of the pandemic or they have a duty to also tell stories on the responses to the crisis, an approach referred to as solutions journalism. The study’s objectives were: - (i) examine the major themes in the coverage of Covid-19 pandemic in Kenya’s media, (ii) to explore the …

A Content Analysis Of The Coverage Of Covid-19 In The First Seven Days, Chrystal Celestine Kerubo Onkeo

Master of Arts in Digital Journalism

This study explored how the Kenyan print media covered Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the first seven days after the first infection was confirmed in Kenya. The was guided by the following research objectives: - (i) To find out the prominence the Kenyan media gave COVID-19 stories in the first seven days following the announcement of patient zero, (ii)To identify the frames that were predominantly used by the media in the coverage of COVID-19 following the announcement of patient zero, and (iii)To examine the extent to which COVID-19 stories published in the first seven days following the announcement of patient …

Viability Of Digital Subscription In Uganda: An Analysis Of Chimpreports’ Paywall, Alex Taremwa

Master of Arts in Digital Journalism

Digital Media in Uganda is experimenting with subscription-based models as an alternative to the traditional advertising model and as a recovery plan from the effects of COVID-19. The objectives for this study were: to identify critical success factors for subscription-based models in digital media platforms, to analyse audience consumption habits vis-a-vis payment for digital content on ChimpsReports, to establish the effect of paywalls on the financial bottom-line of ChimpReports, and to establish the barriers to subscription uptake among digital media in Uganda. The theoretical framework adopted the political economy of the media and the disruption of innovations theories to investigate …

The Impact Of Data Smog On Editorial Processes: An Assessment Of Journalists’ Coverage Of Covid-19 Pandemic In Kenya, Anita Chepkoech Tesot

Master of Arts in Digital Journalism

This study examined the impact of data smog on editorial processes with a focus on how journalists’ coverage of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19 pandemic in Kenya was impacted by the avalanche of data against the backdrop of misinformation and disinformation. The study was guided by three objectives: (1) to assess the impact of data smog on the sourcing of Covid-9 stories, (2) to examine how journalists covering Covid-19 cope with data smog, and (3) to assess the extent to which data smog impacted the quality of Covid-19 coverage in Kenyan media. The study used two related theoretical frameworks: The …

Whatsapp In The Newsroom: Utilisation Of Whatsapp In Journalistic Practices In Kenya, Valerie R.A. Koga

Master of Arts in Digital Journalism

Over the years, technological innovations have become useful in communication and influenced the way people work (UNCTAD, 2018), with social media applications becoming more acceptable for use at work (Agur, 2019; Azeema & Nazuk, 2017; McIntyre & Sobel, 2019). Many newsrooms in Kenya have integrated the use of social media applications in news production. As a result, the social media application WhatsApp has been domesticated by journalists and is widely used as a tool for news gathering and a channel for communication and for news production as a whole. Thus, the study sought to find out what motivates journalists to …

Jr. And Sr. High At-Risk Students Within Poverty: Formation Of The Mentor-Mentee Program In Addressing Their Needs, John J. Noggle

Doctor of Ministry Projects and Theses

In the Spring of 2015, I was driving toward Southwest Arkansas to my new appointment at Stamps First United Methodist Church. As I was driving further south on Highway 71, I began to notice how poverty-stricken South Arkansas was. Towns that were once the commercial service centers to their communities contained empty store buildings and little economic life. It was then that I knew that the majority of children in South Arkansas were At-Risk children in poverty. I felt a call in my Spirit to help those in need by developing a plan of action to help them in meeting …

The Cognition And Enjoyment Of Transmedia Journalism Vs Print Journalism, Lea Crittenden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Transmedia journalism is a growing way to get news stories to readers with the new technology of social media platforms. This study, through surveys and a blog, measured information retention/cognition and preference of the interactive platform(s) and the print platform to see which type of transmedia journalism is preferred more to readers and easier for readers to retain more information. The sample was 31 Digital media undergraduate and graduate students concurrently enrolled in the University of Central Florida's Nicholson School of Communication and Media in the Games & Interactive Media program. All participants received at least one story platform consisting …

Terrorism, Trauma, And Memory: Constructing National Identity At The 9/11 Museum And The Oklahoma City National Memorial And Museum, Caroline L. Whittenburg

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

This thesis undertakes an analysis of the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and the 9/11 Museum in New York City, New York, focusing on the construction of an idealized citizen that is mobilized as a defense against terrorist threats. Employing rhetorical field methods, I focus on how these spaces work symbolically and materially to shape visitors’ sense of national identity. I pay careful attention to how message construction relates to whether the terrorist threat is framed as internal or external, and how that influences what it means to be American. This argument is grounded through …

The End Or Beginning? Either Way, The Credits Are Not Rolling Yet!, Robert M. Capraro, Mary Margaret Capraro, Jacqueline Leonard, Chance Lewis, Melva R. Grant, Marlon James, Eduardo Mosqueda, Jamaal Young, Ali Bicer, Tarcia Hubert, Alesia Mickle Moldavan, Susan Ophelia Cannon, Hyunkyung Kwon, Michael S. Rugh, Jonas L. Chang

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

(First paragraph) Thank you to all our reviewers, editorial board members, authors, and those who chose the Journal of Urban Mathematics Education (JUME) as their outlet of choice this past year. JUME has had many recent successes, and we in the editorial team plan to release the salient performance data for the journal. For JUME to advance its mission, we believe that accountability and transparency are essential. To this end, our readers will from now on receive an annual progress report about JUME in our first issue of each year.

Laugh Until It’S No Longer A Scandal: The Use Of Humorous Apologia To Reframe Crisis Narratives On Saturday Night Live, Vanessa S. Hills

Masters Theses

This thesis examines the role of humor-based apologia as a crisis communication strategy for celebrities. Using a rhetorical method, it explicates the role that humor plays in shaping crisis narratives in response to kategoria within the context of Saturday Night Live. Four case study analyses determine whether the generic parameters of apologia include the use of a humor-based apologia or whether humorous apologiae should be classified as a unique subgenre. These findings further the body of research on apologia and highlight the need for additional research on the effectiveness of humor as a crisis communication strategy.

Implementing A Food Pantry At Butler University, Brooke Blevins

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Hundreds of universities across the United States have taken steps to combat food insecurity among their students by opening an on campus food pantry. As the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic brought on many new and unexpected challenges, Butler University made the decision that it was time to open a food pantry on campus to support students who may be struggling to find consistent and affordable food. Through analysis of other university pantries and determining the need of Butler students, the pantry opened in March of 2021 offering free, non-perishable food to any and all Butler students. This thesis outlines …

Bulldogs In Crisis: How Butler University Strategically Leverages Its Live Mascot Program During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Emilene Jean Smith

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

This study examines the utilization of higher education live mascot programs from a crisis communication perspective during the Fall 2020 semester amidst the dynamic contextual backdrop of COVID-19. Pulling from theories of relationship marketing and risk management, this research uncovers several best practices for mascot crisis communication including serving as a voice of empathy and as an ambassador for best practices. By looking specifically at Butler University’s live mascot program, this case study analyzed university social media, interviews and artifacts in order to understand how Butler utilized its live mascot program as part of its Fall 2020 semester COVID-19 communication …

An Analysis Of The Factors That Impact Medicaid Recipient Tobacco Quit Rates, Raegan Winder

Schultz-Werth Award Papers

Background and Objectives: Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of disability and disease in the United States. Individuals of low socioeconomic status are more likely to use tobacco, suffer from tobacco related illness, and fail to quit or stay quit. Medicaid recipients enrolled in the South Dakota QuitLine have significantly lower quit rates than participants who aren’t enrolled in Medicaid. The purpose of this paper is to review the factors that impact Medicaid recipients’ ability to quit or stay quit.
Methods: Tobacco use and demographic data were collected at enrollment and seven months post-enrollment using standardized assessments for 16,323 …

Health Communication Support In Baseline Health Literacy Research, Owen Manahan

Senior Honors Projects

Health literacy refers to the ability to obtain, understand, and use health information to make good health decisions. Improving health outcomes in Rhode Island requires removing health literacy barriers.

In the spring of 2019, researchers at the University of Rhode Island and Rhode Island College received funding from the Rhode Island Executive Office of Health and Human Services to assess health literacy in Medicaid beneficiary outpatient health centers. Such research has never before been conducted in Rhode Island. Researchers administered a modified health literacy assessment to collect self-reported data on patient health status, measure patient confidence in accessing health information, …

This Is Your Brain On Facebook: An Analytical Approach To Social Media And Autonomy, Armina Sharif

University Honors Program Senior Projects

This paper examines how data mining and microtargeting on Facebook undermine its users’ autonomy, that is their capacity to make their own free and deliberative choices. Facebook profiles a user by creating a psychological model of their preferences (beliefs and values). It then frames the content that appears in a user's News Feed on the basis of this model and thus shapes their preferences. This shaping of preferences has implications for the user’s autonomy. To show this I will apply John Christman’s conception of autonomy that focuses on how external covert influence can interfere with a user’s independent process of …

Beyond Representation: Disney/Marvel's "Black Panther" As A Womanist Text, Daphne M. Watson

University Honors Program Senior Projects

Disney/Marvel’s Black Panther (Coogler, 2018) is touted as a cultural phenomenon for its predominately Black cast and crew and its portrayal of Blackness and Africa in progressive and noble ways. However, Black Panther’s demonstration of the tenets of Alice Walker’s Womanism bears deeper examination. The superhero movie Black Panther is relevant culturally and scholarly, not only because it broke domestic and international box office records, nor because a predominately Black cast and crew led these achievements, but because these firsts are achieved through a film driven by strong themes of Womanism.

A Study On The Impact Of Social Media Marketing In The Event Industry: Executing A Marketing Plan, Adrian N. Bradley

Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

Marketing is a large part of growing one’s business or event. The objective of this study was to gain an understanding of how social media marketing increases brand loyalty, attendance, and engagement within current and potential guests over traditional event marketing methods. Through this study a data collection survey for the University of Arkansas’ Hospitality Management annual event Students Mastering the Art of Hospitality (SMASH) to gather information on the effectiveness of e social media marketing’s influence on their attendees. Unfortunately, due to a global pandemic SMASH was canceled and the researcher and honor’s committee thought it to be best …

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, …

Psychological Scene Gist And The Perception Of Sustainable Business Models Via Digital Media Audit, Shelby Hansen

Marketing Undergraduate Honors Theses

The technology space is giving rise to new business models that impact how we interact with companies, the causes we are interested in, and even our perception of how we process information. Within those contexts, I will be using the psychological concept of scene gist to explore the sustainable business model of clean beauty and investigate the technological ways that these companies interact with Gen Z consumers via social media. Gen Z consumers want to interact with companies who are socially responsible and who contribute to causes they believe in. The clean beauty trend is spearheading efforts to eliminate harmful …

Raj Soin College Of Business Monthly Update - May 2021, Raj Soin College Of Business, Wright State University

RSCob Monthly Update

The RSCoB Monthly Update highlights various happenings within the University community from Student updates, to faculty updates.

Leadership, Job Stress And Uncertainty Among Nurses During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Impacts And Implications In Lieu Of Pertinent Theoretical Constructs, Davis Woodson

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on practicing nurses in the United States. The study considered the effect of communication, self-efficacy, intolerance to uncertainty, and life satisfaction on nurses’ job satisfaction; additionally, this study considered the extent to which nurses perceived organizational response efficacy was predicted by their perceptions of communication and perceived threat susceptibility. A total of 191 nurses participated in the online survey. The study revealed that life satisfaction was positively predicted by communication, self-efficacy, and life satisfaction in multiple regression analyses. Perceived communication positively predicted perceived organizational response efficacy …

College Students’ Use Of Social Media And Its Effects On Well-Being During Covid-19, Virginia Pressly

Honors Theses

Beginning in the late 2000s, social media began its ascent into mainstream media. Today, it has become a part of our daily routines. Due to its prevalence and nature, social media has been directly linked to deteriorating mental health in teens and young adults for some time. Many of the studies previously conducted studied Millennials. However, today’s generation of young people, Gen-Z, has a very different relationship with social media and the internet. In 2020, when the world was hit with the COVID-19 pandemic and most work and school went virtual, social media became that much more prevalent in our …

Perceived Support And Connectedness In Greek-Letter Organizations During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Julia Bishop

Honors Theses

The goal of this project is to assess whether or not students involved in the fraternity and sorority life community at The University of Southern Mississippi feel supported and connected in their respective chapters. To understand students’ perspectives in this area, a survey was developed. The survey included questions pertaining to the experiences of Greek-letter organization members with the chapter environment, efforts of chapter leadership, and personal feelings of connectedness during the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey was sent out to all 26 fraternity and sorority chapter presidents at The University of Southern Mississippi, including the College Panhellenic Council, National Pan-Hellenic …

Extreme Far-Right Murder-Suicide Attacks In The U.S. And Germany: A Comparative Storyline Analysis, Hayden Lucas

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Despite increasing empirical research on suicide terrorism since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, prior studies have focused primarily on radical Islamic terrorism in non-Western contexts. As a result, less is known about how murder-suicide attacks committed by other ideological movements unfold, particularly the extreme far-right in North America and Europe. Researchers have begun to theorize the social and psychological processes believed to play a role in the radicalization of suicide terrorists. However, the observable, situational processes shaping radicalized individuals when planning, preparing for, and executing suicide terrorism remain underexplored. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to identify intervention points by …

Envisioning A New Pakistani Home: Gender, Class, And Identity In Women’S Urdu Journals, 1947-1960, Mehreen Jamal

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The women’s journals published in Urdu during the first decades of Pakistan were vital to understanding the middle-class aspirations for a new national identity, since independence raised concerns among the dutiful citizens for the reformation of the new society, particularly concerning private lives. The writers and readers of these journals belonged to a generation whose lives and ideas had been formed by the Muslim reform literature of late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. From the independence of Pakistan in 1947 to roughly the 1960s, writers in women’s journals engaged in refashioning the ideas of a new Pakistani middle-class respectability, foreseeing …

Season Pass: Southern Miss Sports Report, Mackenzie Hamilton

Honors Theses

Season Pass: Southern Miss Sports Report is a creative activity investigating the process of producing and releasing a weekly sports report. The series is composed of twenty-four two-to-three-minute episodes that recap the highlights, scores, and performances of Southern Miss Athletic teams. In addition to the sports reports, the show includes feature stories that provide insight into the lives of Southern Miss Athletes and Athletic Staff outside of the sports world.

Season Pass aired weekly on Southern Miss Athletics’ Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts from the beginning of September 2020 through mid-March 2021. In this manuscript, I detail the pre-production, production, …

Defending Judge Roy Moore: A Case Study Of Persuasion Resistance Strategies., Stephen F. Brockman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explored what kind of persuasive resistance strategies people used when faced with information that was contrary to their existing belief system. A typology of resistance strategies as articulated by Fransen, Smit, & Verlegh (2015), was used to guide the development of a coding system. I coded the public quotes of supporters of a political candidate after sexual misconduct allegations came to light. The first research question investigated was: What kinds of persuasion resistance strategies were Roy Moore supporters most likely to use? The second was: What kinds of persuasion resistance strategies used tended to co-occur? The most important …

Black Men Wanted: An Instrumental Case Study Exploring The Situational Factors Related To The Retention Of African American Male High School Teachers., Christopher Kevin Flores

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As the nation’s high school student population becomes increasingly diverse, the declining number of minority teachers, particularly African American male teachers is becoming an area of concern. This instrumental case study of African American male high school teachers in the Fayette County Public School system in Lexington, Kentucky sought to identify the motivations for teaching, the barriers prior to and during teaching, as well as the roles these individuals are asked to fulfill in their schools. Using purposeful sampling, 10 individuals participated in semi-structured interviews aimed at providing insight to the three research questions related to motivations, barriers, and roles. …