Communication Commons^™

Forum Introduction: Organizational Communication Scholars As Public Intellectuals, Kathleen J. Krone, Lynn M. Harter

Department of Communication Studies: Faculty Publications

We remain optimistic when we read, write, ask, and answer questions. When a journal comes across our desks, we select an article or two to peruse and hope the arguments will transform how we see things. We hope the work will inspire us, offer new ways of thinking about a salient issue or question, and foster edifying dialogue about lived problems. In short, we muse, how does this scholarship enable stakeholders to understand, feel, and grapple with the experiences being expressed? What does the research awaken or evoke in those who consume it? What paths does the scholarship carve? What …

Family Journals, Deborah J. Weitzenkamp

Kimmel Education and Research Center: Faculty and Staff Publications

Whether you are writing a journal or are helping an elderly relative write, this NebGuide will provide tips on how to make that process work.

Have you ever wished that you could read about the lives of your grandmother or grandfather? Where did they live? What were their lives like? How did they meet their spouse? What were the major turning points in their life? A family journal can answer those questions for generations to come. A family journal provides descendants with a firsthand account of family members’ lives, but the benefits begin long before the journal is read. Research …

Reaching Out To Off-Campus Students Via BlackboardTm: A Consortial Library’S Experience, Niyati P. Pandya

E-JASL: Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship (1999-2009, Volumes 1-10)

Abstract

Recent changes in information technology have opened new learning opportunities to educational institutions as they strive to serve the information and education needs of the millennial generation. More academic programs are now offered in non-traditional environments, which require a stronger focus on this generation’s information-seeking behavior. This forces librarians to undertake fresh approaches toward library instruction. According to guidelines from the Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL), library resources and services “must meet the needs of all their faculty, students, and academic support staff wherever these individuals are located, whether on a main campus, off campus, in distance …

Knowledge Management In Health Science Libraries, Mayank Trivedi

E-JASL: Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship (1999-2009, Volumes 1-10)

Abstract

Knowledge management in health science institutions is a major issue today. Health science professionals are routinely dealing with evidence-based medicine and problem-based learning. Health Science Librarian has a significant role in the decision making of clinical practice. The article focuses on the principles, strategies, components and barriers of knowledge management with special aspect in relation to Health Science Institutions.

Reaching Students With Facebook: Data And Best Practices, Daniel Mack, Anne Behler, Beth Roberts, Emily Rimland

E-JASL: Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship (1999-2009, Volumes 1-10)

Abstract

This paper presents data on Facebook inquiries one librarian received over the course of a semester at Pennsylvania State University and discusses best practices for Facebook use as an outreach tool. We discuss ways to reach out to our users through this Social Networking Community and encourage reference questions and requests for research consultations. We recommend that library professionals whose positions require them to interact with undergraduates seriously consider making use of Facebook.

Teaching And Supporting Endnote At The University Of Tennessee: Designing Online Alternatives To High Demand Classes, Teresa B. Walker, Jane S. Row, Travis Dolence

E-JASL: Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship (1999-2009, Volumes 1-10)

Abstract

The University of Tennessee Libraries, like many libraries, has taken the lead on campus in teaching the use of bibliographic management software. One of the challenges of bibliographic instruction is conveying to the user that the instruction is relevant. The challenge we faced with bibliographic instruction for EndNote was somewhat different. Our users, mainly faculty and graduate students, did see the importance of our instruction to their research. The popularity of the classes created a demand that was difficult to meet by classroom instruction alone. We addressed this problem with the creation of an online tutorial that provides on-demand, …

Evidence-Based Anything: Priorities For Librarians, T. P. Hutchinson, A. J. Meier

E-JASL: Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship (1999-2009, Volumes 1-10)

Abstract

This paper discusses the key ideas that librarians need to know about the movement for “evidence-based” policy and practice. The most important is the methodological quality of research, particularly the importance of randomized controlled experimentation in estimating the effectiveness of interventions. In the early stages of the spread of evidence-based ideas into a new area, librarians will have clients who have a limited appreciation of these ideas, and who may not be clear about the different interpretations of this phrase (e.g., specifically referring to the pre-eminence of randomization, versus a wish for some empirical data). It may also be …

Self-Efficacy And Use Of Electronic Information As Predictors Of Academic Performance, Adeyinka Tella, Adedeji Tella, C. O. Ayeni, R. O. Omoba

E-JASL: Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship (1999-2009, Volumes 1-10)

Abstract

Students’ ability to find and retrieve information effectively is a transferable skill useful for their future life as well as enabling the positive and successful use of the electronic resources while at school. It is a known fact in this digital era that any student at the higher level who intends to better achieve and go further in academics should have the ability to explore the digital environment. Students are increasingly expected to use electronic information resources while at the university. Research was undertaken to determine the level of influence of self-efficacy and the use of electronic information resources …

Librarianship And The Fulbright Fellowship: Challenges And Opportunities For American Librarians And Polish Libraries, Maria Anna Jankowska

E-JASL: Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship (1999-2009, Volumes 1-10)

Abstract

This article reports on personal observations and experiences gathered while teaching, working and consulting with librarians, students, and faculty during the author’s Fulbright Senior Fellowship in Poland. It discusses multiple opportunities and rewards for American librarians willing to serve as Fulbright Fellows including professional growth, knowledge sharing, meeting new people, experiencing new library cultures, traveling, and increasing the appreciation and visibility of librarians to the academic world. Additionally, it presents a short history of Polish academic libraries and the challenges they are currently facing.

Review Of The Broidered Garment: The Love Story Of Mona Martinsen And John G. Neihardt, By Hilda Martinsen Neihardt, Timothy G. Anderson

College of Journalism and Mass Communications: Faculty Publications

Hilda Neihardt supplements familiar anecdotes with her own observations and with stories she heard around her parents' kitchen table as a child. Having spent years as the valiant custodian of her father's legacy, she tells the tale not only of the writer who would become the poet laureate of Nebraska but also of a sculptor who essentially gave up her art for his, a woman who, raised in fine homes in New York and Germany, moved to tiny Bancroft, Nebraska, to join not only a new husband but also a forceful mother-in-law. It is a story--of making not only poetry …

Debate As A Weapon Of Mass Destruction, Eric English, Stephen Llano, Gordon R. Mitchell, Catherine E. Morrison, John Rief, Carly Woods

Department of Communication Studies: Faculty Publications

This year’s intercollegiate policy debate topic calls on affirmative teams to overrule one of four Supreme Court decisions, including Ex parte Quirin, the precedent frequently invoked to justify homeland security policies such as military tribunals for Guantanamo detainees.8 In arguing to overturn Quirin, debaters employ a variety of approaches. Most teams contend that the Supreme Court’s 2006 Hamdan v. Rumsfeld decision, while helpful, does not go far enough in limiting the scope of military commissions. In this view, leaving Quirin on the books enables a troubling expansion of presidential power, with the potential to destroy transatlantic relations and abrogate …

Ready Yourself For Newsroom Cuts:The Eight "Rs" Of Preparation For These Uncertain Times, Carla Kimbrough

College of Journalism and Mass Communications: Faculty Publications

One really cannot escape the reality: Newspaper and magazine industries are shrinking. Layoffs and buyouts are frequent occurrences. We see it in headlines, coast to coast. We hear from colleagues. Sometimes, we experience it ourselves. So, what if you are presented a pink slip? What are you to do? If the day comes and you are on the list to go, here are some "Rs" to help you through this time.

Fitting Disposition Codes To Mobile Phone Surveys: Experiences From Studies In Finland, Slovenia And The Usa, Mario Callegaro, Charlotte Steeh, Trent D. Buskirk, Vasja Vehovar, Vesa Kuusela, Linda Piekarski

UNL-Gallup Working Papers Series

Using mobile phones to conduct survey interviews has gathered momentum recently. However, using mobile telephones in surveys poses many new challenges. One important challenge involves properly classifying final case dispositions to understand response rates and non-response error and to implement responsive survey designs. Both purposes demand accurate assessments of the outcomes of individual call attempts. By looking at actual practices across three countries, we suggest how the disposition codes of the American Association for Public Opinion Research, which have been developed for telephone surveys, can be modified to fit mobile phones. Adding an international dimension to these standard definitions will …

Forum: Twenty Years Of Mcq: Forum Introduction, Kathy Krone

Department of Communication Studies: Faculty Publications

In this issue we celebrate the 20th anniversary of Management Communication Quarterly. To do so we invited the previous editors to reflect on their experiences providing leadership for the journal. In what follows, each editor looks back on his or her vision for MCQ, how his or her hopes for the journal were realized (or not), and the challenges he or she faced during his or her tenure as editor. Management Communication Quarterly approaches its 21st year rooted in their collective experience of working to establish the journal’s reputation for quality, interdisciplinarity, and internationalization. Although its interdisciplinary roots …

Impact Of Information Technology Innovations On Resources And Services Of Management Institute Libraries In Mumbai: A Librarians’ Approach, Satish Kanamadi, B. D. Kumbar

E-JASL: Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship (1999-2009, Volumes 1-10)

Abstract

Management libraries are facing a piquant situation and unforeseen challenges in this age of information technology. They are reeling under pressure to fulfill their obligation of meeting the diverse information needs of clientele. IT has brought in sweeping changes in the traditional way libraries are functioning. Libraries need to evaluate, measure the impact of information technology on them. This will equip them with the knowledge of turning this information Technology into a boon for improving their services. This paper is one such attempt with reference to management libraries affiliated to University of Mumbai, Mumbai City, India.

Garbage In, Garbage Out: The Effect Of Library Instruction On The Quality Of Students’ Term Papers, Susan Hirst, Joseph Leonard

E-JASL: Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship (1999-2009, Volumes 1-10)

Abstract

The authors report the results of a study which used citation analysis of students’ term papers to determine the effectiveness of a library instruction session. The research was conducted during the 2004-2005 school year. In each semester, two sections of the same class received a library instruction session, while the third section of the class did not. Bibliographies of the students’ term papers were then examined to determine if the numbers and types of sources cited differed between the two groups. Library instruction was determined to be effective, in that students receiving library instruction were significantly more likely to …

Looking For A Link: Comparing Faculty Citations Pre And Post Big Deals, Donald Taylor

E-JASL: Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship (1999-2009, Volumes 1-10)

Abstract

Big Deals expand an institution's access to scholarly literature, with usage statistics showing that previously unavailable journals receive significant usage. To determine if faculty use these new e-journals in their research, the Simon Fraser University (SFU) Library analyzed SFU citation data to journals from selected Big Deals for two years prior to signing a major Big Deal (1993 and 1998) and for two consecutive years following the Big Deal (2004 and 2005). Pre Big Deal, the percentage of citations to journals that are part of Big Deals but were previously not subscribed to was an average of 2.6%. Post …

Multiple Roles Of Academic Librarians, Justine Alsop, Karen Bordonaro

E-JASL: Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship (1999-2009, Volumes 1-10)

Abstract

This exploratory research study seeks to investigate the phenomenon of academic librarians working in other paid roles on university campuses in addition to working as librarians. Its purpose is to explore how prevalent this phenomenon might be, to discover what other types of paid positions librarians are engaged in, and to ascertain what the perceived advantages and disadvantages could be of working in dual roles on campus. An online survey was administered and results point out that some academic librarians are engaged in working in multiple roles on campus. Furthermore, a majority of those surveyed saw a number of …

Gender-Linked Stereotypic Content In Youth Magazines, Devon Cadwell Bazata

College of Journalism and Mass Communications: Theses

This study evaluates youth magazines aimed at or read by three different target audiences--boys, girls, boys and girls--and examines whether the magazines reinforce gender stereotypes, and whether the intended audience makes a difference in that reinforcement or lack of it. First, this study established a theoretical framework upon which the selection of the target age group for the sample was based. Piaget and Kohlberg's seminal work, and Gilligan and other feminist theory, is considered in the context of the results. Second, it defined stereotypic, counter-stereotypic, and gender-neutral attributes based on five previous peer-reviewed studies dating from 1957-1975, and confirmed the …

News Groups Must Innovate Or Die, Carla Kimbrough

College of Journalism and Mass Communications: Faculty Publications

Without dedication to and movement in innovation, the newspaper industry will surely die a slow and painful death.

Innovation is something our industry struggles with, but most realize we must innovate or die. The American Press Institute launched Newspaper Next, a project designed to research and test new business models. API is working with Innosight, a consulting and training firm founded and led by Harvard Business School professor Clayton Christensen. Doing business the old way just won't do anymore. API and its Newspaper Next task force, Gannett and the Atlanta Journal- Constitution are examples of taking that realization seriously and …

Procrastination: The Death Of Opportunity, Carla Kimbrough

College of Journalism and Mass Communications: Faculty Publications

Piers Steel, a University of Calgary business professor, recently released a study that took him 10 years — more time than he expected. His paper, "The Nature of Procrastination: A Meta-Analytic and Theoretical Review of Quintessential Self-Regulatory Failure," was published in the American Psychological Association's Psychological Bulletin. Steel, a professor of human resources and organizational dynamics, devoured previous studies, reports and 691 correlations to figure out why we procrastinate. Fifteen to 20 percent of the general population are procrastinators, and the prevalence is growing, Steel concluded.

An Examination Of Everyday Talk In Stepfamily Systems, Paul Schrodt, Dawn O. Braithwaite, Jordan Soliz, Stacy Tye-Williams, Aimee Miller, Emily Lamb Normand, Meredith Marko Harrigan

Department of Communication Studies: Faculty Publications

This study explored frequencies of everyday talk in stepfamilies and the extent to which such frequencies of talk differed according to family relationship type. Participants included a parent, stepparent, and stepchild from 114 stepfamilies. Across relationship types, stepfamily members reported catching up, joking around, and recapping the day’s events most frequently and interrogating family members least frequently. Significant differences in frequencies of everyday talk across different relational dyads emerged for all three members of the stepfamily system. However, relatively few differences emerged in stepchildren’s reported frequencies of everyday talk with their stepparents and their nonresidential parents.

Scrutinizing Cataloging Copy, Julie Banks

E-JASL: Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship (1999-2009, Volumes 1-10)

Abstract

In order to determine if cataloging copy today is as acceptable as past copy, the researcher compared additions and corrections to a random sample of monographic copy that corresponded to the books that went through the cataloging department during 2006 at Southeast Missouri State University with previously reported editing work from several libraries. The outcome was that more editing was required today, but it was not possible to identify whether this was due to the rapidly changing cataloging environment or to the higher level of editing performed.

Developing A Web-Based Evaluation Tool For Purchasing Electronic Resources: A Librarian-Faculty-Student Partnership, Peter Linberger, Lori Jean Fielding, Frank J. Bove

E-JASL: Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship (1999-2009, Volumes 1-10)

Introduction

“While the principles of collection development, which were developed in the world of print publications, do not change radically with new publishing technologies, methods of decision making and specific selection guidelines must be adjusted significantly to incorporate new publishing formats” (Demas).

The goals of acquiring and maintaining a good collection of resources that directly benefit teaching and research at a university are important ones. It is nearly impossible for most library budgets to acquire every available electronic research database and the task of deciding which of these resources to purchase has been mostly left to librarians. In order to …

What Students Do When They Study In The Library: Using Ethnographic Methods To Observe Student Behavior, Doug Suarez

E-JASL: Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship (1999-2009, Volumes 1-10)

Abstract

How do we know what students are really doing in the library when they are studying? This paper reports on a study that used qualitative methods to assess what students were doing during the winter term at Brock University. The goals were to try and establish if they were engaged in their studies when using the library and to see if the library nurtured academic engagement in its study areas.

Marketing Of Information Services And Products In University Libraries Of Punjab And Chandigarh (India): An Exploratory Study, Amritpal Kaur, Sarita Rani

E-JASL: Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship (1999-2009, Volumes 1-10)

Abstract

The present study has been undertaken to assess the attitude of users towards the marketing of information services and products of university libraries. A well-structured questionnaire was distributed among the library users of four universities of Punjab and Chandigarh viz Panjab University, Punjabi University, Punjab Agricultural University and Guru Nanak Dev University. The responses were gathered from 1237 users (241 teachers, 271 research scholars and 725 postgraduate students). The findings of the survey reveal useful facts about marketing of information products and services. 61% of the respondents are willing to pay for developed information services and 57% for developed …

A Faculty Led Response To The Crisis In Scholarly Communications, Michael Boock

E-JASL: Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship (1999-2009, Volumes 1-10)

Abstract

Oregon State University’s recent response to the crisis in scholarly communications recognizes that teaching faculty must be involved in communicating an appropriate response to their faculty colleagues. As authors, editors, and peer reviewers, direct faculty action can encourage publishers to lower costs and can enhance the availability of research. The author discusses the work of a faculty-led task force that communicates information about unsustainable journal costs to faculty peers and the actions that can be taken to counteract this trend. In particular, the author discusses the use of academic unit publication reviews to effectively communicate journal cost variations to …

Problematized Providing And Protecting: The Occupational Narrative Of The Working Class, Kristen Lucas

Department of Communication Studies: Faculty Publications

The daunting challenges of making ends meet can have serious implications for members of the working class, particularly in terms of dignity. The ability to provide is tied inextricably to personal dignity; threats to the ability to make ends meet are threats to dignity. For example, Riggs explains that, by and large, society imposes a mandate upon men that they fulfill the role of "breadwinner" by providing for their families financially. Due to societal pressures, the inability to fulfill breadwinner duties can have serious impacts on masculine identity for men (Buzzanell and Turner). Ongoing threats can damage self-esteem. In an …

Renovating The Republic: Unified Germany Confronts Its History – Both Deep And Recent – As It Defines Itself For The 21st Century, Katie Backman, Joel Gehringer, Kyle Harpster, Katelyn Kerkhove, Tiffany Lee, Hilary Stohs-Krause, Teresa Prince, Matt Eichinger, Emily Ingram, Tanna Kimmerling, Heather Price, Ewelina Skaza, Brady Jones, Nels Sorensen Jr., Stephanie Sparks, Rachel Anderson, Megan Carrick, Justin Petersen, Chris Welch, Timothy G. Anderson, Charlyne Berens, Nancy Anderson, Frauke Hachtmann, Bernard Mccoy, Michael Farrell, Bruce Thorson, Mr Hahn

College of Journalism and Mass Communications: Student Media

Germany and America go way back.

German soldiers fought in the American Revolutionary War, and German settlers already had begun finding their way to America before the colonies became a nation. By the 1850s, many Germans had settled in the Midwest, and they followed the frontier west to the Great Plains. Germans were the largest group of immigrants arriving in Nebraska between 1854 and 1894, and by 1900, almost 20 percent of the state was first- and second-generation Germans.

For the past year, a group of University of Nebraska-Lincoln journalism students has closely examined this foreign country that, perhaps more …

Rhetorical Counterinsurgency: The Fbi And The American Indian Movement, Casey Ryan Kelly

Department of Communication Studies: Faculty Publications

In 2007, Federal Bureau of Investigation agents Joseph H. and John M. Trimbach published a tell-all book to expose the crimes of American Indian Movement (AIM) and dispel contemporary myths about Bureau conspiracies against Indian activists. The book provides an insiders’ account of the agents’ participation in the investigation of AIM and attempts to correct what they characterize as popular revisionist history accusing the FBI of gross injustices against Indian Country. The agents argue that as far as AIM is concerned, in the halls of academia, “There is a market for blurring the historical lines between fact and fiction” (2007, …