Digital Commons Network^™

A Communication Guide For Ex-Offenders, Richard Anthony Contreras

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Incarceration rates and the release rate of ex-offenders into the community are both increasing. Studies have shown, on a consistent basis, that, while incarcerated, ex-offenders experience lower literacy levels than the general population, suffer emotional and mental distress from a harsh prison life, and suffer from the negative effects of public perception. Ex-offender anger abounds. These factors interfere with an inmate’s ability to communicate effectively. Notwithstanding, upon release from custody, how do we help such ex-offenders communicate? Many handbooks exist to help former inmates. However, the vast majority only offer assistance with locating government social services agencies, obtaining documents, and …

Study Exploring How Hospitals Can Support Speaking Up To Reduce Error And Enhance Safety, Nicole Julienne Hall

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Using a mixed methods approach, this study identified how hospitals can better support nurses to speak up when they are faced with patient safety concerns in the clinical setting.

Understanding The Factors Influencing The Perception Of Organizational Sustainability Among Healthcare Professionals (Hcps) Post The Patient Protection And Affordable Care Act, Funso A. Olufade

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Background and Purpose of the Study: Healthcare costs in the United States has continued to increase annually, and new policy's attempt at protocol changes in healthcare practices does not ensure quality care delivery. An example of these policies include provisions and new guidelines under the 2010 healthcare legislation, - The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). The premise with the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is increased healthcare access for patients. However, not responsibly balancing the increased demand with the escalating cost of care creates an unsustainable system (Department of Health & Human Services, 2015). Healthcare organizations, including hospitals …

Emotional Tweeters: What Causes Individuals To React During A Crisis? A Mixed-Methodological Analysis Examining Crisis Response Tweets To The 2018 Stoneman Douglas High School Shooting, Gabriel John Fiore Iii

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

All entities and individuals can use, design or generate content appealing to emotions to maximize message saturation, audience reach, and engagement on Twitter during a crisis. The purpose of this study was to identify which specific emotion(s) yielded the highest engagement during the 2018 Stoneman Douglas High School Shooting. Specifically, tweets conveying the emotional appeals of fear, anger, empathy, and advocacy were measured in terms of average likes, retweets, replies, and overall engagement using a content analysis and the constant comparative method. Results revealed which emotional appeal(s) yield the most likes, retweets, replies, and overall engagement with tweets.

A Church’S Approach To Intercultural Communication Encounters In Short-Term Missions, Carolotta Anweiler

Communication ETDs

The prevalence of short-term mission trips by churches and/or faith-based organizations has increased tremendously (Howell & Door, 2007, Anaheier & Themudo, 2005). However, no research has been completed on the training offered to in preparation for these types of trips, specifically, training for intercultural trips. I joined a church on their short-term mission experience to examine as a participant observer how they were trained to interact with people of another cultural group and then, how the training affected the interactions on the trip.

Through the use of Grounded Theory, I examined the discourse used in the trainings offered and throughout …

Understanding Lists: Umberto Eco's Rhetoric Of Communication And Signification, Susan Mancino

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project, Understanding Lists: Umberto Eco’s Rhetoric of Communication and Signification, begins and ends with an observation and warning suggested throughout Eco’s work: lists are the origin of culture and the Internet as the Mother of All Lists threatens to end culture. To understand this warning, I turn to Eco’s work on lists, contextualized within a 2009 exhibition at the Musée du Louvre and in an illustrated collection, The Infinity of Lists. This project offers an analysis of Eco’s understanding of lists concurrent to his commentary on the social and cultural implications of the algorithmic-obsessed Internet age. To understand …

An Exploration Of The Rapid Prompting Method For Students With Autism, Shea Manship

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

The Rapid Prompting Method (RPM) was created by Soma Mukhopadhyay as an attempt to provide a way for individuals with autism to learn and communicate. The method has been said to give students with autism a means of communication. A facilitator quickly provides verbal prompts to the individual, who then spells out messages on a letter board or a keyboard. Very little research has been done on RPM, and it is not considered an evidence-based method. Many professionals believe that RPM is not a valid method of communication, largely due to the striking similarities it has with Facilitated Communication (FC). …

Climate Communication Through A Community Perspective, Kathryn Mcgee

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

This project utilized psychology and science communication strategies to develop creative, locally framed climate change messaging. Through an online survey of 300 Gloucester County, VA residents, community themes of place attachment, environmental connection, risk assessment and climate change acceptance were recorded. Using the results from the survey I created a website, https://guidinggloucester.wixsite.com/home, which serves as an avenue for communicating with Gloucester residents. The website displays the results of the survey, explains climate change information that is relevant to Gloucester County, and gives examples of local actions to help increase engagement in climate solutions. In addition to the website, I …

Diverse Students’ Perceptions Of The Proactive Circle Process In A Restorative Practice Intervention, Shana M. Little

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

Restorative practices have been introduced as a school wide intervention to reduce the cultural disparity in school discipline. The purpose of this intervention is to promote healthy student-teacher relationships. The research on restorative practices as an intervention for minority students has shown to be effective, through school discipline data and teacher report. The current study used individual interviews with high school students to explore their perception of restorative practices, specifically proactive circles, and its effectiveness. Results showed cultural differences in student’s understanding or perception of proactive circles. Additionally, participants believed proactive circles helped or improved their communication skills and social …

Elements Of Creativity: A Study Of The Dimensions That Make For An Effective Advertisement, Amanda Johnson

Senior Honors Theses

The advertising world is made up of many facets, such as creativity, networking, and thought leadership. At the center of these processes lies advertising creativity, a term used to describe an ad or element of an ad that is particularly novel and noteworthy. The contents of this thesis address the challenges academics and professionals have with establishing criteria to measure creativity, while considering the value of evaluating creative ability through a variety of processes. To do this, three case studies of award-winning advertisements were conducted in order to develop a profile of an effective ad. Results indicate that successfully creative …

The Cowl - V.82 - N.24 - May 3, 2018

The Cowl

The Cowl - student newspaper of Providence College. Volume 82, Number 24 - May 3, 2018. 32 pages.

A Green Dialogue For Aging Society, Dian Tan

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

This thesis addresses the issue about disconnections of communication between human to human, and human to environment. It seems like we got connections with other people via various smart devices, meanwhile we are so disconnected with the people and environment where we are currently living. Technologies sometimes hinder the communicating ability of human. Architecture could become a media that contains more messages send to human, helping on the communication between human to human, and human to environment.

Think Before You Click: An Analysis Of Facebook As A Source Of News, Lauren Malone

Honors Projects in Communication

The purpose of this study is to analyze how millennial college students perceive and interpret the news-related content that is posted on the social networking website Facebook. The news that this study is focused on is related to major events in American politics, especially this past Presidential election. One research question was developed to compete this study: what influence are news stories being shared on Facebook having on millennials? In order to determine the answer to this question, focus groups with college students at Bryant University were held in which the students were asked to evaluate a news article and …

Name Of The Game: A Media Analysis Of Concussion Terminology In Documentary Film, Kaitlyn Graham

Honors Projects in Communication

This project explores the way concussions are communicated to us through the use of documentary film. By examining the use of concussion related terms, as well as the tone and general word choice, it can be seen that there are certain words and phrases that are commonly left out, and others that are used too much. The differences in the usage of these words and tones reflects the current concussion crisis occurring in many contact sports around the world. This media analysis was conducted with the goal of finding trends in how concussions are discussed depending on the sport and …

Agricultural Information Needs And Food Access In The Stann Creek District Of Belize, Sam Harris

Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to describe agricultural information sources available to farmers and to describe food access and availability for the people of Dangriga, Stann Creek, Belize. This study used descriptive survey research methods with convenience sampling of the general public (n=22) and of farmers (n = 38) in the summer of 2017. Farmers use a variety of agricultural information sources with the extension service cited most often, followed by friends and fellow farmers. Weather, lack of information, pests, and inadequate access to capital were of primary concern for farmers. Face to face meetings were …

Instagram Influencer Engagement And The World Of Social Media, Miranda Zangara

Senior Honors Projects

Social media has become a driving force in today’s world by connecting people all over the globe in an instant. Instagram is one of the leading platforms in social media with almost one billion users to date. Instagram has evolved exponentially post creation and has become a tool that many individuals utilize when marketing a product, a brand, an organization, or themselves. It is imperative to understand how to use this platform, what variables affect your success, and what strategies can be implimented to reach your goals in creating a presence in the world of social media.

This project uses …

Instagram Use And Its Effect On Well-Being And Self-Esteem, Briana Trifiro

Master of Arts in Communication

Over the last ten years, social media has become an integral facet of modern society. In particular, image-based social networking sites such as Instagram have become increasingly popular among adolescents and young adults. However, despite this proliferation of use, the literature remains divided regarding the potential impacts of social media, particularly in regards to image-based platforms. The present study sought to analyze the relationship between social media usage patterns and its subsequent effects on user self-esteem and well-being. However, the study’s results show that, despite the existing literature, intensity of Instagram use serves as a mediating variable in this relationship. …

The Challenge Of Anonymous And Ephemeral Social Media: Reflective Research Methodologies & Student-User Composing Practices, Sara Elyse West

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This project seeks to provide a framework for navigating anonymous and ephemeral research spaces to theorize student-user composing practices on these social media platforms. This project reflects on and builds from the difficulties that arose during a previous project for which I collected data from a space that was both ephemeral and anonymous. That experience led me to the questions of use and research methods that I consider in this project, wherein I rely on critical reflective research practices to provide an effective methodology for examining the type of data in question. In this work, I consider how past and …

Velleity, Yiyun Chen

Theses

The work Velleity is an installation of photographs presented on the gallery wall along with a photobook, which explore the process of self-reflection and self-discovery. This experimental work is a form of meditation, which reveals itself through the process of walking photographing, and repurposing into a work of art. The photobook, with its textual references and adaptation of color, develops the concept of the images and text as the language to describe the seemingly unexceptional moments of everyday life. Visualizing the experience as a person navigating different cultures, social expectations, and realities, ponders my displacement in the past and present, …

Improving Teen And Pediatric Provider Communication Through Education And Technology, Kathy A. Connor-Prows

Doctoral Projects

Navigating healthcare can be daunting as an adult, but doing so as a teenager can seem virtually impossible. Until the age of eighteen, parents of children of all ages initiate, schedule, and accompany their children to see their pediatrician for virtually all appointments. Over time, children and their parents develop a special bond with their pediatrician and too frequently, this relationship becomes abruptly severed as their teen turns eighteen years old and is thrust into adult medicine. As healthcare providers, we expect healthcare consumers (including teens) to know how and when to initiate, schedule, and get themselves to an appointment. …

Visible Practices Of Christian Community In Online Video Small Groups, Joel Peter Jupp

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Obstacles Non-Native English Speakers Experience In Aviation, Joseph Sturgis

Honors Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine if there are challenges associated with the comprehension of aviation content in the English language for international students in flight training. The researcher conducted a study by interviewing four international students enrolled in flight training at the Bowling Green State University Aviation Studies program utilizing a qualitative and quantitative survey questionnaire. Results revealed that there is a correlation between an international student’s Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) score and the challenges encountered with effective communication. The discussion and subsequent findings revealed connections between ILR scores and perceived student challenges. Additional connections between the …

The Cowl - V.82 - N.23 - Apr 26, 2018

The Cowl

The Cowl - student newspaper of Providence College. Volume 82, Number 23 - April 26, 2018. 24 pages.

Examining The Effects Of Technology On Face To Face Communication, Trina L. Rogers

COLA Research and Creativity Conference

This study analyzes the communication styles using different types of technology. More specifically, how these types of technology may create problems within face to face communication. The study will be conducted through an online based survey analysis. The goal of this study is to increase knowledge about how people have become dependent on technology and the way this technology has effected face to face communication in our society.

Examining Effective Provider-Parent Communication Of Bad News, Charmarie Adkins

COLA Research and Creativity Conference

This study will examine patient-provider communication from a parent’s perspective. Research shows communication between patients and providers to be important; however, when a child is too young to understand their diagnosis, the parent must be the focus of the patient-provider communication process. Parents often report not having effective communication with their children’s physicians, especially when the doctor shares bad news about the child’s health. The need for effective communication becomes especially important when the provider must give the parents important information to help them make the best decisions about their child’s current and future health decisions. This research project seeks …

Understanding Trump's Improvisational Presidency, Richard Holtzman

History and Social Sciences Faculty Journal Articles

Much has been made recently of Donald Trump’s improvisational presidency. Through tweets and public comments about border security and Syria, the president appears to be making policy on-the-fly. This behavior is nothing new for Trump. As USA TODAY (April 5) reported: “From transgender troops in the military to immigration and tax cuts, Trump has a habit of winging it: announcing (or tweeting) a policy pronouncement, and leaving it to aides to fill in the details (or somehow walk it back).”

The Cowl - V.82 - N.21 - Apr 12, 2018

The Cowl

The Cowl - student newspaper of Providence College. Volume 82, Number 21 - April 12, 2018. 28 pages.

The George-Anne, Georgia Southern University

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Identification Of Right Leadership Style For Agile Teams, Aashik Sekharan

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this research is to identify trends within leadership techniques applied in agile projects that lead to project success. Certain motivation and productivity drivers need to be defined in order to understand how to evaluate key project success metrics. My research approach involved reviewing papers that studied theoretical leadership frameworks in decision-making, motivation and information sharing. The methodology applied includes creating a mock project scenario, in which two leadership styles (authoritarian vs. servant) will be tested to understand the relationship between leadership, project performance and team morale. The project will have two team leaders applying the leadership style …

Emojis And The Law, Eric Goldman

Faculty Publications

Emojis are an increasingly important way we express ourselves. Though emojis may be cute and fun, their usage can lead to misunderstandings with significant legal stakes—such as whether someone should be obligated by contract, liable for sexual harassment, or sent to jail.

Our legal system has substantial experience interpreting new forms of content, so it should be equipped to handle emojis. Nevertheless, some special attributes of emojis create extra interpretative challenges. This Article identifies those attributes and proposes how courts should handle them.

One particularly troublesome interpretative challenge arises from the different ways platforms depict emojis that are nominally standardized …