Communication Commons^™

Brunswick Educational Access Television Social Media Campaign, Nicole Rhoades

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This social media campaign is to be executed by student managers within the Brunswick Schools Video Program. The Video Program provides journalistic experience to young students by immersing them in print and broadcast journalism that is provided to the Brunswick-area through Brunswick Educational Access Television.

Migrant Labor In Dubai Stories Of Betrayal, Survival And Struggle For Acceptance On Foreign Land, Mrudvi Parind Bakshi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Over the last couple of years, migrant labor rights in Dubai have been under constant scrutiny. Repeatedly criticized for mistreating its vast unskilled-labor force, Dubai has put into place many recent initiatives to uplift their conditions. This research focuses on what it is like to be a part of the migrant labor force in the city. The lives of three characters in the migrant community are explored at length. When migrant workers are acknowledged and made to feel involved with the greater community outside the labor force they seem more content, are able to deter alienation, and are better able …

The Role Of Media In Promoting Good Governance And Building Public Perception About Governance: A Comparison Of China And The United States, Juan Liu

Wayne State University Dissertations

The media plays three key roles in promoting good governance: watchdog, civic forum and agenda-setter. Despite decades of scholarship, there is little systematic effort to examine the empirical relationship between the media and governance. Moreover, scholars conceptualized governance with their interests and scope of work. Regardless of political system, this dissertation puts forth a new definition of good governance, and explores how controversies or issues framed by the media can be employed to initiate debates among citizens to enhance their own understanding of the political process, in particular the performance of the government.

The first study utilized framing theory to …

Issue Ownership And Framing Of Digital Privacy On Twitter, Ashik Shafi

Wayne State University Dissertations

The issue ownership theory states political parties tend to emphasize the issues they are perceived to own in a bid to gain an advantage in public opinion. Although tested on different established political issues and in mass communicational settings, the theory has not been adequately tested for new and evolving political issues and on social media. This study attempts to test issue ownership theory and examine episodic and thematic media framing in Twitter conversations of US senators regarding the issue of digital privacy. Combination of computerized and manual content analysis is used to download and analyze all US senators’ tweets …

Mass Shootings As Issue Management Exigencies And Focusing Events For Public Policy Debates, Melvin Gupton

Wayne State University Dissertations

This content analysis of multiple mass shooting cases examines a crisis genre that is not as frequently studied as other crises such as natural disasters or organizational exigencies. Though just as rich with stakeholders’ communicative exchanges and neatly traversing the three crisis stages, mass shootings have yet to be fully elaborated. To further the examination of these crises, this dissertation identifies those actors who hold the principal stakes in the aftermath of a mass shooting incident, and explores what these stakeholders are saying. By applying focusing events and issue management theories, it uncovers the prominent public policy issues reported in …

Using Conversation Analysis In Data-Driven Aviation Training With Large-Scale Qualitative Datasets, William A. Tuccio, Maurice Nevile

Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research

This paper contributes to a growing body of work related to the Conversation Analytic Role-play Method (CARM) by studying the primary flight instruction environment to create training interventions related to radio communications and flight instruction practices. Framed in the context of conversation analysis, an approach to the detailed analysis of naturally occurring interaction, the large-scale, long-duration qualitative audio/video data collection and coding methodology is discussed, followed by trends identified in the ongoing study. The concept of CARM “trainables” are discussed with examples. The study shows that large-scale qualitative datasets may be leveraged to produce valuable data-driven training interventions.

Hillary Rodham Clinton And Shifts In Gendered Rhetorical Style, Mackenzie Lombardi

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Hillary Rodham Clinton is arguably the most visible and controversial female political figure of our time. As First Lady, the Senator from New York, the Secretary of State, and a two-time Presidential candidate, the rhetorical space around Clinton is saturated with cultural assumptions of gender, power, and politics. In many ways Clinton is emblematic of the infamous “double bind” that all women who seek to challenge normative gendered roles must inevitably face. Much academic and cultural focus has been centered on the ways in which Hillary Rodham Clinton is a subject of gendered rhetoric. This paper, instead, builds on the …

Comparing Ourselves To Friends On Social Media: The Role Of Perfectionism And Body Esteem, Alexandra Wiegand

Summer Community of Scholars Posters (RCEU and HCR Combined Programs)

No abstract provided.

Communicating Gis And Climate Impacts With The Public Using Data.Gov Geospatial Data, Sara Amirazodi

Summer Community of Scholars Posters (RCEU and HCR Combined Programs)

No abstract provided.

Infodemiology For Syndromic Surveillance Of Dengue And Typhoid Fever In The Philippines, Ma. Regina Justina E. Estuar, Kennedy E. Espina

Department of Information Systems & Computer Science Faculty Publications

Finding determinants of disease outbreaks before its occurrence is necessary in reducing its impact in populations. The supposed advantage of obtaining information brought by automated systems fall short because of the inability to access real-time data as well as interoperate fragmented systems, leading to longer transfer and processing of data. As such, this study presents the use of realtime latent data from social media, particularly from Twitter, to complement existing disease surveillance efforts. By being able to classify infodemiological (health-related) tweets, this study is able to produce a range of possible disease incidences of Dengue and Typhoid Fever within the …

Learning Language And Vocabulary In Dialogue With The Real Audience: Exploring Young Writers’ Authentic Writing And Language Learning Experiences, Ewa Mcgrail, J. Patrick Mcgrail, Alicja Rieger

Research, Publications & Creative Work

Purpose: To explore the potential of conversations with an authentic audience through blogging for enriching in the young writers the understanding of the communicative function of writing, specifically language and vocabulary use.

Design: We situate our work in a language acquisition model of language learning where learners develop linguistic competence in the process of speaking and using the language (Krashen, 1988; Tomasello, 2005). We also believe that language learning benefits from formal instruction (Krashen, 1988). As such, in our work, we likened engaging in blogging to learning a language (here, more broadly conceived as learning to write) through both natural …

Socialization And Retention: The Effects Of Socialization Tactics On New Hires And Longitudinal Employment, Katie Zarback

Masters Essays

No abstract provided.

Social Media As A Recruitment Tool For Isis, Abdullah Almutairi

Masters Essays

ISIS entered public consciousness as a splinter group from Al-Qaida, both of which have been associated with random, unwarranted acts of violence and terror in the post 911 world. ISIS carved out its own “caliphate” hence the name ISIS, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria destroying both its subject territories cultural treasures and subjugating its people. Americans tend to think of ISIS as having sprung up in a power vacuum in a wave of self-radicalization. News reports featured barbarous acts of barbarism all committed in the name of the self- proclaimed state’s interpretation of Islam. However, behind this incongruous …

Ice Breaker - Human Bingo, Jill Strauss

Open Educational Resources

No abstract provided.

Exporting Gender Bias: Anglo-American Echoes In Swedish Advertising Creative Departments, Jean M. Grow

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

“A Certain Stigma” Of Educational Radio: Judith Waller And “Public Service” Broadcasting, Amanda R. Keeler

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

This paper explores Judith Waller’s radio programming philosophy over her career that began in 1922 at WMAQ Chicago. In the 1940s, representing the interests of her employer NBC, Waller began to use the phrase “public service” as a way to break free of the “stigma” of educational radio. The concept of public service programming shifted during the 1930s and 1940s in the US, redefined and negotiated in response to assumptions about radio listeners, the financial motivations of commercial radio, and Federal Communications Commission rulings. This paper brings renewed attention to the past and present political economy of media in the …

Absent Generation: A Study On The Lack Of Participation Of The Leaders In Social Networks, Herbert Cleber Cadeira

Master's Theses

Purpose

This present action-research analyses the absence of participation of youth leaders from the Brazilian East Union (ULB) in social networks and propose an action plan to promote the participation of these leaders in social networks, in order to facilitate communication, strengthen bonds, and to make stronger ties with the new generations.

Method

During the action-research process, dialogs and seminars were developed with the participation of thirty (30) youth leaders of the ULB. The instrument used for data collection was a semi-structured interview and applied the content analysis technique. The theorical references that support the actions and analyses relied on …

Phenomenological Study Of Adult Lived Experiences After The Loss Of A Parent And Its Effects On The Perception Of Those Adults, Victor Khaula

Master's Theses

Some things are never truly understood in life until you have the personal experience of living through them. This qualitative research was aimed at understanding the adult-lived experience after parental loss and how living through such an experience led those adults to change their perception about bereavement. The major question was “Why did the death of my mother communicate things to me that I never understood when I ministered to those who had lost their parents?” Experiencing the death of my mother was studied in relation to the lived experiences of three other Seventh-day Adventist adults from my university who …

Am I White Enough?, Sarah Dahsohl Im, Risd Archives

Racial Justice

Representasian Campaign poster created by RISD Alumni Sarah Dahsohl Im. REPRESENTASIAN is a campaign made to raise awareness about the lack of diversity in Hollywood, specifically criticizing the whitewashing of Asian characters. Creating a visual system that was cohesive, bold, and easy to recognize was key. The color yellow and white paint were used as the main design elements. The deliverables for this campaign were accessable across print and digital platforms. Stickers, posters, and social media posts were spread with the hashtag #representasian. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with peers responding with their own experiences with whitewashing and others …

Hydraulic Fracturing In The United States: A Framing Analysis, Kenneth Stephen Cardell Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

This research considers the issue of hydraulic fracturing, a controversial method of extracting natural gas from shale and coal deposits. The technology, commonly referred to as “fracking,” has only been employed on an industrial scale since the late 1990s and is increasingly becoming the focus of news coverage. In this thesis research, a representative sample of both national and regional newspaper coverage on the issue of hydraulic fracturing is analyzed, looking at several key elements of framing. This study also examines differences in issue framing between the national elite press and regional news sources, as well as based upon partisanship. …

The Allure Of Isis: Examining The Underlying Mechanisms That Helped The Islamic State In Iraq And Syria, Alexander Luchsinger

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the effects of exposure to media content related to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and its effect on support for the group. Using a survey of Muslim adults living in the United States (N = 396), this study sought to understand the influence of media exposure on identification, empathy and attitudes toward ISIS, and how they relate to behavioral intention to support the group. Using social cognitive theory as a theoretical framework, these relationships were assessed using mediation analyses to measure the relationships between variables. Findings indicate that identification, empathy, and attitudes are all …

Student To Student Marketing And Engagement: A Case Study Of The University Of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries Peer Guides, Joan M. Barnes

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Faculty Publications

This chapter examines an undergraduate student peer guide employment program that works to promote the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL) Libraries’ services and resources. As a part of this program, students engage peers by staffing booths at recruitment events, posting on social media, planning and implementing library events, and gathering feedback from students using surveys or other methods. Each peer guide is assigned to lead an area and to collaborate with the remaining peer guides on projects as needed. There have been challenges and successes within the UNL Libraries peer guide program, including the influence peer guides have on the creation …

Faculty Perceptions Of Teaching Information Literacy To First-Year Students: A Phenomenographic Study, Lorna M. Dawes

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Faculty Publications

This study examines faculty perceptions of teaching information literacy and explores the influence of these perceptions on pedagogy. The study adopted an inductive phenomenographic approach, using 24 semi-structured interviews with faculty teaching first-year courses at an American public research university. The results of the study reveal four qualitative ways in which faculty experience teaching information use to first year students that vary within three themes of expanding awareness. The resulting outcome space revealed that faculty had two distinct conceptions of teaching information literacy: (1) Teaching to produce experienced consumers of information, and (2) Teaching to cultivate intelligent participants in discourse …

Communicatively Constructing The Bright And Dark Sides Of Hope: Family Caregivers’ Experiences During End Of Life Cancer Care, Jody Koenig Kellas, Katherine M. Castle, Alexis Johnson, Marlene Z. Cohen

Department of Communication Studies: Faculty Publications

(1) Background: The communication of hope is complicated, particularly for family caregivers in the context of cancer who struggle to maintain hope for themselves and their loved ones in the face of terminality. In order to understand these complexities, the current study examines the bright and dark sides of how hope is communicated across the cancer journey from the vantage point of bereaved family caregivers; (2) Methods: We analyzed interviews with bereaved family caregivers using qualitative thematic and case oriented strategies to identify patterns in the positive and negative lived experiences when communicating about hope at the end of life; …

“Love Needs To Be Exchanged”: A Diary Study Of Interaction And Enactment Of The Family Kinkeeper Role, Dawn O. Braithwaite, Jaclyn S. Marsh, Carol L. Tschampl-Diesing, Margaret S. Leach

Department of Communication Studies: Faculty Publications

Family kinkeepers enact an important role centered on interaction and maintaining family relationships. The researchers studied kinkeeping communication in light of mediated communication, topics engaged, and kinkeepers’ assessments. Thirty-four self-identified kinkeepers kept an interaction diary over 2 weeks. Their 275 reports represented 1,487 interactions using largely mediated communication channels (text, telephone, e-mail, social media), centered on everyday activities, rituals, and health and safety. Despite potential complications of the role, kinkeepers reported high agreement and openness with family members, little conflict, and overall satisfaction with their interactions. Implications of these findings, new directions for researchers, and the important mediated role of …

Perceived Benefits And Challenges Of A Multiethnic-Racial Identity: Insight From Adults With Mixed Heritage, Jordan Soliz, Sierra Cronan, Gretchen Bergquist, Audra K. Nuru, Christine E. Rittenour

Department of Communication Studies: Faculty Publications

The purpose of this inquiry was to explore the lived experiences of multiethnic-racial individuals (i.e., individuals with parents from different ethnic-racial groups). In-depth interviews were conducted with 29 adults from the United States with mixed ethnic-racial backgrounds ranging in age from 18 to 52 (female n = 20, male n = 9). We identified a number of themes related to perceived benefits (e.g., pluralistic world views, stronger sense of self) and challenges (e.g., identity tensions, communal concerns) of having a mixed heritage. Findings are discussed in terms of four considerations for ethnic-racial identity of individuals with mixed ethnic-racial backgrounds: emphasizing …

How Selective Amnesia Brought Us The First Black Socialist President Of The United States, Kristen Hoerl

Department of Communication Studies: Faculty Publications

Post-Racial Amnesia during President Obama’s 2008 Inauguration

My interest in public memory explains why news coverage leading up to President Obama’s inauguration rankled me. The endless news cycle kept repeating trite statements that announced that the civil rights struggle had ended. Reports quoted public officials and former civil rights activists who described Obama’s election as the “fulfillment,” “embodiment,” “culmination,” and “validation” of Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream. The inauguration took place the day after Martin Luther King Day, and Obama delivered a pre-inauguration address in front of the Lincoln Memorial, the same location where King delivered his 1963 speech. Given …

Postmodern/Poststructural Approaches, Jennifer J. Mease (Also Peeksmease)

Department of Communication Studies: Faculty Publications

Postmodern and poststructural approaches to organizational communication are marked by an emphasis on ruptures, disjunctions, tensions, instabilities, and other inconsistencies as a part of everyday organizational life. This emphasis is part of an attempt to question, critique, and often compromise the normalized, mundane power structures that regulate organizational life. By questioning and critiquing, these approaches reveal norms and power structures as contingently constructed with particular interests at play. This contrasts with more traditional assumptions that treat norms and power structures as natural, neutral, and stable constructions.

Poststructural and postmodern approaches to organizational communication find their roots in broader philosophical movements …

The Role Of Familiarity In Shaping Country Reputation, Dane M. Kiambi

College of Journalism and Mass Communications: Faculty Publications

This study examines inputs that contribute to country concept, specifically the country reputation of Ghana among Americans. The results of a structural equation model indicate that familiarity is a key mediator between participants' experiences with the country and Ghana's country reputation. It is found that the participants' experiences with Ghana affected the reputation of that country positively but indirectly through the mediating role of increased familiarity. Practitioners of international public relations and public diplomacy could benefit from the use of strategies and tactics that would increase the familiarity of the U.S. public with sub-Saharan African countries.

African American Veterans Storytelling A Multisite Randomized Trial To Improve Hypertension, Thomas K. Houston, Gemmae M. Fix, Stephanie L. Shimada, Judith Long, Howard S. Gordon, Charlene Pope, Julie E. Volkman, Jeroan Allison, Kathryn Delaughter, Michelle Orner, Barbara G. Bokhour

Communication Faculty Journal Articles

Background: Disparities in hypertension control persist for African American Veterans.

Objective: To enhance cultural relevance of hypertension control self-management education, in a multisite, stratified randomized trial, we tested an interactive Veteran-to-Veteran storytelling digital video disk (DVD) intervention created with Veteran partners, versus an education-only DVD comparison.

Methods: At 3 VA facilities, African American Veterans with uncontrolled hypertension were randomized to storytelling DVD intervention or didactic comparison DVD and followed for 6 months. We hypothesized that follow-up blood pressure (BP) would be lower among Veterans in the intervention group.

Results: African American Veterans (N=619) were 92% male, 39% over age 65, …