Education Commons^™

News Deserts And Voter Turnout: How Local News Shortages Decrease Voter Participation, Lauren Penington

Honors Theses

How does local news impact a county’s registered voter population, associated voting patterns, and political participation? Electoral turnout is one of the most studied topics in political science, and substantial research exists into demographic factors — including race, age, and socioeconomic status — that influence an individual’s likelihood to vote. Recent studies have begun to examine the impact of societal factors — such as the internet, social media, and news — on an individual’s ability to and likelihood of fulfilling their civic obligation. This paper explores the relationship between expanding news deserts and decreasing voter turnout, proposing that as a …

Ouachita Students Win Multiple Awards At Midwest Model United Nations Conference, Addie Woods, Ouachita News Bureau

Press Releases

Seven students from Ouachita Baptist University’s Department of Political Science participated in the Midwest Model United Nations, held Feb. 22-25 in St. Louis, Mo. Each received recognition for excellence.

Ouachita’s delegates were Caroline Derby, a senior communications & media/multimedia and political science double major from Arkadelphia, Ark.; Katie Henry, a junior political science and history double major from Little Rock, Ark.; Elise Hicks, a senior political science major from Benton, Ark.; Noah Sanders, a senior Christian studies/biblical studies & theology and political science double major from Little Rock, Ark.; Sarah Spakes, a senior political science and public history double major …

Ouachita Junior Izzy Baughn Wins Award At Midwest United Nations Conference, Julie Shands, Ouachita News Bureau

Press Releases

Ouachita Baptist University student Izzy Baughn, a junior communications & media/strategic communications and political science double major from Jonesboro, Ark., earned an award for Best Position Paper in the United Nations Environmental Assembly during the Midwest Model United Nations, held Feb. 23–26 in St. Louis, Mo. Ouachita’s team also earned an honorable mention award for Best Delegation.

In addition to Baughn, Ouachita’s student delegation to the Model UN included Maddie Bailey, a senior political science major from Bauxite, Ark.; Caroline Derby, a junior communications & media/multimedia journalism and political science double major from Arkadelphia, Ark.; and Anna Roussel, a senior …

Practicality Or Principle: A Comparative Study Of The Origin Of Legal Protections On Gun Rights, Robert (Rj) Haskin

Honors Theses

This study examines the legal protections of the right to bear arms as an extension of John Locke’s principles of government. Whereas most studies of the right to bear arms focus on the contemporary practical consequences of an armed populace, I focus on the foundations of the right and how it has been exercised across the diverse circumstances of the U.S. and Azerbaijan to achieve the ideal of self-determination. Specifically, I detail and compare the political histories of each country leading up to their independence and how they obey Locke’s precepts. Given that the chief commonality between the two countries …

How Much Difference Can We Make? Assessing The Change In Students’ Critical Thinking In A Private Political Science Program In Egypt, Yasmin Khodary

Political Science

The purpose of this study is to determine the change in students’ levels of critical thinking (CT) through comparing the results of second- and fourth-year students. The study also investigates the factors that are statistically significant in explaining the change, if any, in students’ CT. In doing that, the study determines whether or not the use of assessment criteria that encourage CT influences or triggers any change in students’ CT. The study employs mixed methods, combining quantitative methods with qualitative ones. Quantitative data were collected using the California CT Skills Test in order to investigate the change in students’ levels …

Opening Up To Oers: Electronic Original Sourcebook Vs. Traditional Textbook In The Introduction To American Government Course, Shawna M. Brandle

Publications and Research

Traditional American Government textbooks are expensive and often unpopular with students. New technologies and Open Educational Resources (OERs) open up the potential for change, but questions of quality are ever present: can OERs really help students learn better, or are they just cheaper? I developed an OER based on original sources and compared student learning outcomes with the OER section to those in a free digital textbook section. While the OER I created did not work as well as I had hoped, I nonetheless developed a redesign of my course and my approach to teaching, which is the true benefit …

Alumna Passes On Passion, Support For Teaching Career, Sarah Gardner, Dave Albee

Press Releases

As an undergraduate at Dominican, Katie Smith ’07 was an Honors student, a double major in History and Political Science who once considered pursuing entering law school.

Pols: 450: Research In Biology, Psychology, And Politics—A Peer Review Of Teaching Project Benchmark Portfolio, Ingrid J. Haas

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

This benchmark course portfolio provides an overview of student learning in Research in Biology, Psychology, and Politics (Political Science 450). This is an upper-level undergraduate course focused on training students to conduct research in the interdisciplinary area of political psychology. Enrollment in the course is primarily advanced political science majors, or students from related majors (i.e., psychology) with an interest in politics. This course focuses on developing understanding of research methods and application of appropriate methods to small group research projects. In addition, the course helps to improve student confidence in ability to engage in the research process and understand …

Oral History Interview With Roberto Mariano: Conceptualising Smu, Roberto S. Mariano

Oral History Collection

The interview covered: first involvement with SMU, founding dean for School of Economics, vision, curriculum, faculty development, faculty recruitment, research, pioneer students, postgraduate programmes, challenges.

Biography:

Dean, SMU School of Economics, 2007–2010
Founding Dean, School of Economics and Social Science, SMU, 2002–2007

Professor Roberto S Mariano was appointed as dean of the new School of Economics and Social Sciences in 2002. He oversaw the intake of the inaugural classes of the economics and social science bachelors programmes in 2002 and 2004 respectively, and also served as the vice provost of research and deputy director of the Wharton-SMU Research Centre. His …

Sabbatical Leave Proposal, Allen Hartter

Sabbaticals

I wish to study the teaching of participatory democracy in entry level political science courses - Introduction to Political Science and American National Government. I believe that many Americans are distrustful of their elected leaders and cynical toward their governmental institutions. Signs of this malaise are declining voter turnouts, the success of negative campaigning ads, and the low level of discourse on talk radio shows. These conditions, if lasting, undermine democratic government's reliance on citizen participation.

Faculty who teach political science in the most democratic of higher learning institutions, the community colleges, should, I feel, analyze these factors to determine …

Taylor University Bulletin (October 1962), Taylor University

Taylor University Bulletin (1912-1963)

The October 1962 edition of the Taylor University Bulletin, published by Taylor University in Upland, Indiana.

Taylor Alumni Magazine (December 1957/January 1958), Taylor University

Taylor University Bulletin (1912-1963)

The December 1957/January 1958 edition of Taylor Alumni Magazine, published by Taylor University in Upland, Indiana.