Digital Commons Network^™

Adapting Qualitative Methods During The Covid-19 Era: Factors To Consider For Successful Use Of Online Photovoice, Nadia Rania, Ilaria Coppola, Laura Pinna

The Qualitative Report

The pandemic has led researchers to adapt their research methods to the social distance imposed to combat COVID-19. Technology created many difficulties in reaching certain population targets, however it was often the only way during the lockdown to do more research. Both quantitative and qualitative researchers made use of remote data collection methods that allowed researchers to mitigate the challenges of physical distancing and improve the researchers' toolbox. This paper aims to highlight the factors to consider for successful use of online Photovoice. The participatory action research project involved 130 young adults who took part in a Photovoice online activity …

Setting The Scene For Racism: A Burkean Analysis Of Twitter In The Time Of Covid-19, Jieun Son

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Social media platforms facilitate high-speed information sharing among digital technology users. But unregulated production of content across social media raises questions about the credibility of this content. During the COVID-19 pandemic, viral phenomena such as misinformation and conspiracy theories about the virus have spread rapidly across the globe, prompting misunderstanding, bias, and, at times, extreme actions both online and off. This thesis examines how language choices in social media posts function as a mode of action that not only can misinform but can serve to target certain groups for bias during a time of crisis. Specifically, it uses Kenneth …

Acehnese Attitudes Towards Their Heritage Language: A Qualitative, Inter-Generational Study, Zulfadli Abdul Aziz, Yunisrina Qismullah Yusuf Dr., Naula Aulia

The Qualitative Report

Due to the dominant position of Indonesian as the national and official language, local languages have been less favoured amongst their native speakers. Even one of the most widely used languages in Aceh Province, Acehnese seems to be neglected by younger generations, especially in urban areas. This study investigates the practice, attitudes, and maintenance of the Acehnese language. Three generations of Acehnese women were interviewed in-depth on their language use. Most respondents, in this study, still use Acehnese in their daily communication. All respondents in the first generation and most in the second generation obtain a positive attitude towards Acehnese …

Qualitative Virtual Team Research As Training Method In A Postgraduate Program In Administration, Queila R S Matitz, Camilla Fernandes, André R R Contani, Beatriz L. Zanoni, Rafael Budach, Weber H. Radael, Joyce A R Santos, Samantha Frohlich, Ana C V Carvalho

The Qualitative Report

This study is a retrospective review of methodological strategies employed during a virtual team-based training qualitative study about the emergent process of adapting to remote education among students and professors from a Master Management Program. The aim of this study was to test the technique of collaborative research as an educational and training strategy for Ph.D. students of management who are inexperienced in qualitative inductive research carried out in a virtual environment. A professor and eight Ph.D. students formed the research team and applied a qualitative inductive approach. As a result, 18 methodological steps emerged, which required just over one …

Navigating Methodological Concerns At The Data Collection Stage: Lessons From A Qualitative Indian-Irish Adoption Study, Sahana Mitra Dr., Valerie O'Brien Dr.

The Qualitative Report

This paper was written to describe the experiences of the researchers in designing cross-cultural research on the culturally sensitive topic of adoptive parenthood, a field in which there is a dearth of literature. Taking the experience and examples from an Indian-Irish study on domestic adoptive parenthood, the paper details the steps as to how the researchers used their own relationship with adoption, and the different cultural contexts to which they belonged, as a starting point in designing and implementing this research. The discussion utilizes a conceptual framework involving insider-outsider positioning, reflexivity and five philosophical assumptions (ontology, epistemology, methodology, axiology, and …

Affirming Strength-Based Practices In Disability And Inclusion: A Shared Autoethnographic Study Of The Experiences Of A Teacher, Alina Kewanian, Edwin Creely, Jane Southcott

The Qualitative Report

In this autoethnographic article we focus on the issues of “disability” and “inclusive education” and the challenges of being positive and affirming in this area of research and practice. As a teacher, I (Alina) continue to encounter regularly the dominant deficit view of “disability,” in spite of the extensive body of literature that advocates for the rights of people with disabilities as well as the benefits of inclusive education best built on strength-based thinking. The autoethnographic methodology allowed me to explore my experiences as an educator and reflect on specific events, presented through four vignettes that capture how my beliefs …

Playing Through The Motions: A Stylistic Analysis Of Brand Identity On Tiktok, Anthony Laboriel

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

The short-form video-sharing application TikTok has blossomed from a standard piece of social media into the multi-use platform known in households around the world. A consideration of how brand identities are created in online spaces has much to offer scholars in communication studies and rhet/comp. This project examines how brand identity and audiences are formed through analyzing successful brands and the content they post. My research applies a stylistic analysis, drawing from theories proposed by Ethan Bresnick, Donald Murray, and Carolyn Mae Kim, to observe five well known pages on TikTok: Chipotle, the National Basketball Association (NBA), Netflix, The Washington …

The Challenges Of Implementing Action Research In A Divided Context: A Field Account, Olubunmi Damilola Akande

The Qualitative Report

Action research is mainly concerned with the entrenchment of social change through social interventions that involves the beneficiaries as key participators. The study documents the experience of the researcher in conducting action themed research in two adversarial communities in North-Central Nigeria. The core goals of the study are to draw attention to the usefulness of this approach for peacebuilding research and to also shed light on some of the complexities associated with this kind of research. A research diary was employed to document events and reflections as they unfolded during the fieldwork. A combination of a harsh social climate and …

The Variability Of Seawater Carbonate Chemistry In Two Florida Urban Mangrove Ecosystems, Alexandrina R. Rangel

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions into the atmosphere are yielding serious impacts across the world’s ocean, including ocean acidification, sea level rise, and increasing seawater temperature. However, these changes are not occurring uniformly across all marine ecosystems. Coastal ecosystems, such as mangroves, already experience extreme and variable environmental conditions due to natural biogeochemical and physical processes. The goal of this study was to document small-scale variability in two urban mangrove ecosystems to gain insight into how ocean acidification will manifest within these systems. Using a stand-up paddleboard, a suite of sensors, and traditional bottle sampling techniques, we measured …

Experiences Of An Exercise Program: Perspectives From Breast Cancer Survivors, Yvonne Anisimowicz, Lauren Rudy, Ryan Hamilton, Erin Mcgowan, Travis Saunders, Melanie Keats, Scott Grandy, Courtni Ruth-Anne Soucy, Danielle Bouchard

The Qualitative Report

Few studies have examined how breast cancer survivors experience an individually tailored group exercise program designed to help mitigate physical and psychosocial challenges and improve health outcomes. This research used qualitative interviews to provide insight into what motivates breast cancer survivors to join an exercise program, what they hope to gain from exercise programs, the barriers they experience to participation, and their overall satisfaction with the program. Thirty-three breast cancer survivors from Atlantic Canada completed semi-structured, qualitative interviews following the completion of a twelve-week supervised exercise program, and thematic analysis was applied to transcripts of the interviews. Our findings suggest …

The Distribution, Composition, And Management Of Drifting Fish Aggregating Devices (Dfads) In The North Atlantic Ocean, Erin E. Kimak

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Drifting Fish Aggregating Devices (dFADs) are a gear accessory utilized on a global scale by commercial fishers to increase catch size and efficiency of target pelagic fishes such as tuna and dolphinfish. Despite their widespread use, there are few scientific estimates of the total number of abandoned or beached dFADs in the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Basin or the compliance of dFAD use with t-RFMO recommendations. Previous studies have utilized the modeled drift trajectories of dFADs to predict beaching probability and location, but this study is the first of its kind, analyzing true beaching events. This study identifies the beaching …

Effects Of Covid-19 On Global Research In Stem, Michelle Hoang, Santanu De

Biology Faculty Articles

A global public health emergency like the Coronavirus Infectious Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic requires accurate and timely data collection in the research community. High impact research in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) has been prioritized in the fight against COVID-19. The present study investigated the impact of COVID-19 on STEM research and the collaboration between global research institutions and industries. It was noted that COVID-19 had caused significant delays in non-COVID-19-related research projects and the onset of several remote studies. Most importantly, researchers in the STEM fields directed their attention and expertise to help mitigate virus transmission, treat patients, …

Acquiring English Then Reacquiring Indonesian: A Study Of Family Language Policy, Aris Bahari Rizki, Muchamad Sholakhuddin Al Fajri

The Qualitative Report

This study investigates how family language policies are shaped and developed in five Indonesian scholars’ families who live in England. More specifically, it analyses parents’ attitudes towards children’s bilingualism and second language development focusing on the investigation of factors that can influence parental language ideologies and the patterns of language practices within the families. Data were obtained from participant observations, fieldnotes, and semi-structured interviews. All the data were then analysed using inductive analysis approaches proposed by Cohen et al. (2011) and Thomas (2006) which include reading the transcripts several times, identifying the texts related to the purpose of the study, …

"We Can (All) Be Heroes" The American Monomyth And The Problem With A Queer Captain America, Carlos Rodriguez Rosa

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

The quintessential superhero is an American Monomyth; a figure who is selfless, cunning, and headstrong, seeking nothing for themself in favor of the collective. What this figure is not, however, is queer. This project examines how queer audiences utilize slash fanfiction to queer the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Captain America in order to “write back” to the canon that excludes them. This thesis does not simply look at what fans do within slash fanfiction; rather, it explicitly examines how the practice challenges the original text the piece is responding to. The project applies a queer rhetorical analysis, utilizing José Esteban Muñoz’s …

Queer Rhetorical Agency In Fort Lauderdale Tourist Lgbtq+ Advertisements, Jordan I. Guido

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

The following case study focuses on the implicit and explicit rhetorical messages in LGBTQ+ focused travel advertisements following Waitt and Markwell’s (2014) observations of LGBTQ+ advertisements increasingly gaining prominence within the mainstream promotional material. The case study investigates the queer messaging within Fort Lauderdale’s national 2015-2017 Hello Sunny Campaign; heralded for its groundbreaking LGBTQ+ and Trans representation. The scholarship that informs this study are at the intersections of composition and rhetoric, queer composition, and queer tourism studies. The methodology for the case study includes a rhetorical analysis incorporating a new materialistic lens. The two promotional images were analyzed for their …

Halmos College Graduate Academic Calendar 2021-2022, Halmos College Of Arts And Sciences (Hcas)

HCAS Academic Calendars

No abstract provided.

Lessons Learned In Abruptly Switching From In-Person To Remote Data Collection In Light Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Crystal M. Walker, Loretta Alexia Williams, Trimika Bowdre

The Qualitative Report

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, a research study that utilized in-person focus groups to collect qualitative data was abruptly shifted to videoconference focus groups to minimize risk to subjects. Protocol amendments consisted of using an online scheduling tool to arrange focus groups by Zoom, providing electronic versions of consent forms and demographic surveys, and highlighting security features of the videoconference software. Lessons were learned from making an abrupt switch from in-person to remote focus groups. Making this type of shift is not simply a matter of switching for researcher convenience but includes determining the appropriateness of an abrupt switch …

Returning Veterans’ Experiences Of A Holistic Therapeutic Program, Elda C. Veloso Ph.D, Angela Yehl, James Pann, Jacob Connolly, Stephen Grabner, Lyndsey Zoller, Nicole Staley, Renata F. S. Goldhagen

The Qualitative Report

Since 2001, over 2.7 million U.S. military service members have been deployed (Wenger et al., 2018). Many of these soldiers have encountered serious challenges readjusting upon their return home and many may not access the services needed to achieve successful reintegration. Current literature calls for holistic approaches to service provision, involving collaboration of support services to address the underutilization of services. To better understand the gap in treatment utilization, a qualitative approach was used to examine returning veterans’ experiences of an intensive and holistic service delivery program implemented in coordination with local veterans’ organizations. Within the study, a generic qualitative …

Sexual Conflicts In Sand Tiger Sharks Carcharias Taurus (Rafinesque, 1810) In An Artificial Environment, Elizabeth Claus, Alan Henningsen, Mahmood Shivji, Bradley Wetherbee

Biology Faculty Articles

Understanding reproductive behaviours and the environmental conditions that facilitate reproduction is important for successful reproduction in managed care. Complex reproductive behaviours have been observed in both aquarium and free-ranging elasmobranchs. Sexual conflicts, including pre-copulatory behaviours in sand tiger sharks Carcharias taurus in managed care have been previously documented. This study reports observations that corroborate the previous accounts of reproductive behaviours as well as describing novel consexual conflicts between males and detailing the male dominance hierarchy in six sand tigers at the National Aquarium. The observations suggest that male behaviours are not strictly pre-copulatory, as consexual male conflicts occurred to the …

Understanding Students’ Self-Management Skills At State Islamic University In Indonesia, Safrul Muluk, Saiful Akmal, Desi Andriana, Habiburrahim Habiburrahim, Muhammad Safwan Safrul

The Qualitative Report

The success of students in undertaking their studies depends, among others, on their ability to manage and organize their activities and time. This qualitative research examined students’ self-management skills in the English Language Education Department, Ar-Raniry State Islamic University, Aceh, Indonesia. We looked at students’ motivational and behavioral strategies and scrutinized their time management, emotion, effort, and social and learning environments, and the impacts on their academic performance and social involvement. Three areas closely related to students’ self-management skills, namely academic achievement, academic awards, and social involvements were explored to understand factors contributing to their achievement. To gather the data, …

The Role Of Support System: A Phenomenological Study Of Pre-Service Teachers’ International Teaching Practicum, Amrita Kaur, Muhammad Kamarul Kabilan, Hairul Nizam Ismail

The Qualitative Report

Professional and personal gains related to international teaching practicum (ITP) of pre-service teachers’ (PST) are evidenced in literature. However, challenges faced during ITP have the potential to function as stressors, which may inhibit PSTs’ learning and harm their emotional and psychological wellbeing, which in turn may influence their identity as future teachers and intention to continue as teachers. In the current study, we used interpretive phenomenological approach to examine 12 PSTs’ experiences of the provision of support system during international teaching practicum (ITP). We collected data for this study using in-depth phenomenological interviews and reflective journals. The positive experiences and …

Throwing Pebbles While Waiting: An Autoethnographic Exploration Of Mental Health And Colonialism, Kelly Limes Taylor, Rita Sørly, Bengt Karlsson

The Qualitative Report

In this article, three scholars jointly investigate questions of Western colonization and mental health. While their areas of interest and experience vary, the authors discuss oppression as a common thread connecting their ideas about mental health and its medicalization. In line with Toyosaki et al. (2009), the researchers did a community autoethnography, performing written dialogue as a dynamic research method. Using a sequential model, Kelly Limes Taylor wrote about her experience, passed it on to Rita Sørly and Bengt Karlsson. Karlsson added his story to the previous writing, and he passed it on to Sørly for further addition of stories. …

Experiences Of Iranian Women With Prenatal Diagnosis Of Fetal Abnormalities: A Qualitative Study, Fahimeh Ranjbar, Fatemeh Oskouie, Shahrzad Hashemi Dizaji, Maryam Gharacheh

The Qualitative Report

Women are more likely to be diagnosed with congenital anomalies due to advances in new technologies in medical science. Following prenatal diagnosis of fetal abnormalities, women may be forced to make decisions about whether to continue a pregnancy with fetal abnormalities. This can be a dilemma for the women. The aim of the study was to explore women’s experiences of prenatal diagnosis of fetal abnormalities. A qualitative study was conducted in a referral women’s hospital in Tehran, Iran in 2018. Participants were a purposeful sample of 15 women with prenatal diagnosis of fetal abnormalities. Data were collected by individual, in-depth …

Visualizing Amino Acid Substitutions In A Physicochemical Vector Space, Louis R. Nemzer

Chemistry and Physics Faculty Articles

A three-dimensional representation of the twenty proteinogenic amino acids in a physicochemical space is presented. Vectors corresponding to amino acid substitutions are classified based on whether they are accessible via a single-nucleotide mutation. It is shown that the standard genetic code establishes a “choice architecture” that permits nearly independent tuning of the properties related with size and those related with hydrophobicity. This work sheds light on the metarules of evolvability that may have shaped the standard genetic code to increase the probability that adaptive point mutations will be generated. An illustration of the usefulness of visualizing amino acid substitutions in …

A Crack In The Looking-Glass Self: Hearing And Socialization, Grace Keyes

The Qualitative Report

A significant problem of classic theories of socialization, such as Cooley’s looking-glass self, is that such theories fail to consider biological factors such as hearing in the process of socialization. To address this problem, I raised a two-pronged question: how does deafness affect social interactions upon which much of socialization is dependent and can the experiences of one person’s lifelong socialization help uncover limitations of a classic theory of socialization? The key study participant in this instrumental case study is an individual with moderately severe hearing loss and whose lifelong experiences were collected primarily through ethnographic field techniques. Findings from …

Conducting Field Work With Microfinance Programs’ Participants In A Non-Western Setting: A Reflexive Account, Mohammad Shahjahan Chowdhury

The Qualitative Report

While volumes of procedural guidelines are available on how to conduct fieldwork, in practice a researcher encounters various challenges and dilemmas in the field. This paper presents a holistic view of the puzzles this researcher encountered in gaining access, negotiating positionality, application of the pre-determined methodology, and ensuring ethics during his fieldwork with microfinance program participants in a non-Western setting. This paper contributes to the fieldwork literature by enhancing a researcher’s understanding of the unanticipated challenges.

Experimental Evidence That Metapopulation Structure Can Accelerate Adaptive Evolution, Partha Pratim Chakraborty, Louis R. Nemzer, Rees Kassen

Chemistry and Physics Faculty Articles

Whether the spatial arrangement of a population influences adaptive evolution has been a long-standing question in population genetics. In contrast to standard population genetic models, evolutionary graph theory (EGT) predicts certain topologies amplify (increase) the probability that a beneficial mutation will spread in the population relative to a well-mixed population. Here, we test these predictions empirically by tracking the fixation dynamics of an antibiotic resistant mutant under positive selection as it spreads through networks of different topologies both in vitro and in silico. We show that star-like topologies involving bi-directional dispersal between a central hub and peripheral leaves can …

Escaping The Escapism: A Grounded Theory Of The Addiction And Recovery Process In Online Video Gaming, Jayson Carmona, Jason Whiting Phd

The Qualitative Report

The purpose of this grounded theory study was to describe the experience of people who struggled with self-described addiction to World of Warcraft™ (WoW). WoW is a massive multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), and many players have shared their stories of compulsive use and recovery efforts on two different websites: www.wowdetox.com, and a Reddit forum called /r/noWoW. We analyzed 140 unique posts on these sites to develop a process model describing how posters experienced addiction and recovery from WoW. We used grounded theory methods to create a model with categories including, time sink, impairment in work and relationships, and …

And Still I Rise: Protective Factors For Black Counseling Psychology Doctoral Students From Predominantly White Institutions, Jessica L. Elliott, Jason D. Reynolds, Minsun Lee

The Qualitative Report

In this study, we sought to understand which protective factors Black doctoral students from predominantly White institutions (PWI) utilized to persist in their counseling psychology doctoral programs. Past research has examined the potential obstacles these students encounter and the importance of the mentor relationship in the doctoral process. In this study, we sought to explore the factors that motivate Black doctoral students to complete their respective programs, as well as important features in their relationship with their advisor. There were four males and three females with ages ranging from 22 – 41 (M = 27.57 and SD = 6.63) …

Investigating The Memorization Of The Quran Using The Grounded Theory Methodology, Nikhat Parveen

The Qualitative Report

Grounded theory methodology was utilized to investigate the process of memorization of the Quran in India from a psychological perspective as it occurs in the absence of semantic comprehension of the Arabic language. Data collection methods included participant observation in a seminary, semi-structured interviews with students and teachers of memorization, study of documents employed during the learning process, and practical demonstrations. Sample comprised of thirteen individuals including students and teachers. Data coding and analyses resulted in a large number of open codes, and eleven axial code categories besides a selective code that gave a comprehensive summation of the research study …