Communication Commons^™

Assessing The Impact Of Environmental Health Risk Communication On Cancer Screening Intentions Among Private Well Owners In Rural Communities, Victoria A. Clower

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Background: Cancer is a leading cause of death in Georgia, with rising incidence in rural counties where many residents rely on unregulated private wells. These wells may contain contaminants such as radon, lead, nitrate, and arsenic, all linked to increased cancer risk. Limited research has explored how environmental exposure awareness influences cancer prevention behaviors such as screening. Guided by the Champion Health Belief Model, this study examined psychosocial and environmental predictors of screening intent among private well owners. Methods: Well Aware was an 11-week quasi-experimental study among 60 private well owners in southeast Georgia. Participants who attended educational listening sessions …

Post Opera, Suzy Lykins

Theses and Dissertations

Post Opera is a spell and work of embodied research which explores medicalization, desire, labor, and belief. Through methods of performance, sound, text and installation, I facilitate encounters of trans-femininity, spiritual power and connectivity. An opening wound, a set of psychic scalpels, sutures and bandages prepare this text for your consumption, take care to digest her well.

You Go, I Will Wait, Rasim Bayramov

Theses and Dissertations

On the other side of the coast, a hand is waiting. On the other side of the shore, someone is waiting for you to come. This space between you and them is an asymptote. The more you wait, the colder the pan is to the hand. But the salt of the sea will cover and warm your hand. There’s much to play with while you wait. The destination is only a promise, a figure disillusioned. Waiting spaces are enchantingly altering

in their premise. A bureaucratic fantasy with no avail and no ending. Systematically accumulated levels of power and control lies …

Reply Stop To Stop, Molly A. M. Garrett

Theses and Dissertations

Over the course of 8 years working in progressive political strategy, 2015–2023, I became increasingly critical of the systems, formulas and tools we were using to communicate with voters. Reply STOP to Stop is documentation of my time at graduate school, of wrestling with ideas of political design, language, communication and distribution. I analyzed my past work — all the texts, emails, social media posts, print ads, web banners, videos and other miscellaneous scripted content — and wondered if we would all be better off without it. Would elections be fairer, would there be less fake news, more community building? …

The Sisu Of It All: Authentic Application Of Vital Skills, Samantha Hull

STEMPS Faculty Publications

The article focuses on the integration of multiliteracy and media literacy within the Finnish education system and the role of school librarians in supporting this initiative. Multiliteracy is defined as the ability to obtain, combine, modify, produce, present, and evaluate information across various contexts and tools, fostering critical thinking and learning skills. The Finnish national curriculum emphasizes collaboration between classroom teachers and librarians to enhance educational experiences, with public libraries serving as vital partners in promoting lifelong learning. The article highlights the importance of creating authentic learning environments where students can practice real-world skills, ultimately preparing them to be engaged …

Exploring Advancement Department Staff Perspectives On Strategic Communication And Philanthropic Donor Giving At Public Universities, Miranda Hodges

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study investigated advancement staff perspectives on how donor communication impacts philanthropic giving at higher education institutions. The purpose of this study was to identify the communication practices that are most influential for philanthropic donor giving. While prior research has examined university marketing efforts, why alumni give back, and how affinity for a university compels donors to give, there is a research gap in how strategic communication impacts donor behavior at public universities. Eight university advancement staff members (N=8) from public universities across the Southeast United States were selected through purposive sampling and interviewed via semi-structured interviews. After interviews, …

Teaching Documentary Filmmaking As Social Advocacy: The Case Of The Yangon Film School, Violet Valdez, Mon Mon Myat

Department of Communication Faculty Publications

This is a descriptive case study of Yangon Film School (Yangon, Myanmar) in a setting of protracted civil conflict that has persisted since 1968. It examined the school’s approach in the teaching of documentary filmmaking and analyzed key aspects of the school’s operations. Findings show that the documentary filmmaking taught in the school was informed by social advocacy. This was fostered through the students’ participation in films commissioned to the school by civil society organizations and the practice of participatory filmmaking. The school stood out in the Myanmar setting for its dual character as a training center and a production …

Investigating Post-Adoption Abandonment Of Mental Health Mobile Applications Among Young Adults, Donald Harris

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

The rising prevalence of mental health issues among young adults has driven increased interest in Mental Health Mobile Applications (MHMAs), which offer accessible and cost-effective solutions to traditional barriers such as financial limitations, stigma, and restricted healthcare access. Despite their promise, MHMAs frequently experience high rates of attrition and abandonment, significantly limiting their long-term effectiveness. Employing a mixed-methods, multi-stage research design, this dissertation explores the determinants of MHMA abandonment among young adults, emphasizing the interplay between technological inhibitors and enablers, individual user characteristics, and the mediating roles of user satisfaction and perceived usefulness.

Study 1 utilized quantitative text analysis, including …

Climate Change In The Local News: The Role Of Community Characteristics In Shaping Themes And Diversity, Hyerim Jo

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Despite widespread recognition of climate change and its localized impacts, research on how local media cover this topic remains limited. The first study of this dissertation analyzes 15,788 opinion articles published from 2013 to 2020 by 391 local newspapers in the United States to examine their volume, topics, and thematic emphases. Using automated text analysis methods, including Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) and Analysis of Topic Model Networks (ANTMN), the study identifies 11 topics and three overarching themes. Findings indicate that the volume, topics, and themes evolved over time, likely influenced by the severity of climate-induced hazards and political and socioeconomic …

The Bitch And The Boogeyman: Violence Against Women And Gendered Morality In American Slasher Films, Davis A. Smith

Theses and Dissertations

This research examines the relationships between on-screen depictions of violence in American slasher horror films and depictions of gendered morality of victims. Slashers are a subgenre of horror film that arose out of the exploitation cinema movement of the 1970s that are characterized primarily by the presence of one or more human killers inflicting violence on a group of protagonists, typically through the use of bladed weapons. Data collected comes from a comprehensive set of thirty-six American slasher films that received a wide theatrical release, with exemptions for films whose primary genre is not slasher and only selecting three films …

Hit Me, Baby, One More Time: A Critical Discourse Analysis Of The Celebrity Gossip Magazine Shaming Of Britney Spears, Anna Drabik

Comm-entary

Britney Spears is an American pop star who rose to fame in the late 1990s at the age of 17 with her music, performances, and fashion. Spears was a prominent figure.

in celebrity gossip magazines, a genre which grew to prominence alongside and, in many ways, because of Spears. The distinct aesthetic and style of celebrity gossip magazines involved stories, blurbs, and images which wielded praise and shame—directly and indirectly—as tools to enforce norms and expectations for both female celebrities and female readers. Through a critical discourse analysis of 378 People and Us articles throughout the first ten years of …

The Third Person Effect: Misinformation And Disinformation Of News On Racism, Jody-Ann Kadine Tyson

Dissertations and Theses

The increased proliferation of misinformation and disinformation has been a cause for concern in the 21st century, as it has had significant repercussions on societal systems and the overall livelihood of individuals. Additionally, a 2016 study revealed that 84% of the American respondents are confident in their ability to detect misinformation and disinformation, while 64% believed that misinformation and disinformation made others confused about current affairs and events (Barthel et al., 2016). These results confirm that some people are not cognizant of the effects of media messages on themselves, but on others (TPE). Due to this implied ignorance, the spread …

Diaspora Politics And A Rising China: Ambivalent Ties Amid Geopolitical Changes, Jiaqi M. Liu

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Over the past decade, the rise of China on the global stage has witnessed the emergence of members of the Chinese diaspora as new meso-level actors in mediating Sino-Western relations. As part of China’s burgeoning “public diplomacy” around the globe, Chinese migrants organize cultural events to establish grassroots and semi-official exchanges between China and the West. This chapter provides a state-of-the-art examination of so-called “diasporic public diplomacy” whereby the Chinese diaspora plays an increasingly important role in promoting China’s soft power abroad. Based on long-term fieldwork in a prominent emigrant community, I analyse how Chinese national policies envision two specific …

Teacher Perception On The Implementation Of A Culturally Responsive Ela Curriculum, Erica Tate Dial

Theses and Dissertations

While the principles of culturally responsive and culturally relevant teaching hold transformative potential, they can only be fully realized if educators are genuinely equipped and empowered to implement them. This qualitative study examined teacher perceptions of an English Language Arts curriculum through the lens of culturally relevant and culturally responsive teaching. A diverse group of teachers, varying in experience, age, gender, and race, were interviewed to gather a range of perspectives on the implementation of this curriculum. The study focused on addressing the following research questions: 1. What are teachers’ perceptions of culturally responsive and culturally relevant instruction and academic …

Academic Entitlement: Why Gen Z Students Believe They Deserve Good Grades For Academic Success Regardless Of Their Performance, Clinton Stephen Mawusi

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This thesis explores how Generation Z college students at Northern Illinois University (NIU) understand, negotiate, and express academic expectations and experiences, particularly concerning their sense of academic entitlement. Drawing from semi-structured interviews with 20 full-time undergraduate students across diverse academic disciplines, this qualitative study employed Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-phase thematic analysis approach to identify patterns in students’ perspectives on grades, effort, and faculty relationships. The findings reveal detailed tensions between students’ desire for recognition of effort and their awareness of institutional standards of academic merit. Participants shared insights into classroom interactions, grading policies, use of campus resources, and the …

For Her Horror: Sociopsychological Gratifications Obtained By Fem Fans Of The Slasher, Brooke Eaglesong Wilson

Masters Theses

Those who side with the unjustified killer in slasher films are doing so to fulfill sociopsychological needs that are not being met in social reality. There were three main findings found in this study. First, participants sided with the unjustified killer in slasher films to gratify needs that were not being fulfilled in their careers such as the need to perform without having to consult mentors, not unlike how the unjustified killer murders victims without discussing with others. Second, participants sided with the unjustified killer in slasher films to gratify needs in their romantic relationships such as the need to …

Understanding First-Generation College Students’ Perceptions Of Sorority Recruitment, Megan Morecraft

Masters Theses

This study explores first-generation college students’ discovery of sororities, influences for going through a recruitment process, and motivations for selection. There is a gap in the literature when it comes to first-generation college students and greek organizations, specifically sororities, and this study aides in bridging the gap and providing information regarding strategies for recruitment and marketing practices. With more informed practices on first-generation student populations, an increased quality of marketing and programming could be implemented, as well as retention. This study and its findings allow for more intentionality and enhancements to occur, especially when promoting the greek experience and sorority …

Critical Analysis Of The “Mother, Daughter, And Doll” From Boushra Almutawakel’S, Samantha Dempsey

Comm-entary

No abstract provided.

Brewdog Case Study, Kate Daugherty-Miller

Comm-entary

No abstract provided.

Mythic Criticism Of Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse, Grace Cushing

Comm-entary

No abstract provided.

Clandestine Captains Of Culture: How Making Music For Your Community Can Influence Global Culture Explored Through The History And Legacy Of Dj Screw, Aristides Estevao

Comm-entary

No abstract provided.

Nine Dragons, Bailey Fraser

Comm-entary

No abstract provided.

A Feminist Critique Of Promising Young Woman, Farrell Hoffman

Comm-entary

No abstract provided.

Roll The Film, Play The Music, Lauren Sutton

Comm-entary

No abstract provided.

Public Health: The Ethical Potential For Applied Neuromarketing, Olivia Buzzell

Comm-entary

No abstract provided.

The Pussyhat And Performative Activism: What Happens When Protest Becomes Fashionable?, Layla Hanissian

Comm-entary

No abstract provided.

Shattering The Glass Ceiling: Comparative Narratives Of Women Leaders In Public Relations In Ghana And The United States Of America, Adriana Kukuwaa Adu

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This study explores the lived experiences of women in public relations (PR) leadership roles in both Ghana and the United States, focusing on the cultural, institutional, and societal barriers that shape their professional journeys. Employing a qualitative research design, the study involved ten women in senior PR positions, five from each country, through in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis identified six key themes: institutional barriers and gendered expectations; double standards in leadership communication; the influence of stereotypes; mentorship and support; intra-gender competition; and leadership agency and optimism. Guided by Social Role Theory, Glass Ceiling Theory, Feminist Standpoint Theory, and Transformational Leadership …

From Gossip To Guidance: Analyzing Student Posting On Yik Yak, Mikayla Nemgar

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This study examines how college students at Minnesota State University, Mankato, use the anonymous social media app Yik Yak, and what they discuss within it. Using qualitative content analysis, 963 anonymous posts were collected and coded into five initial categories: (1) Seeking and Sharing Information, (2) Giving Raw and Unfiltered Opinions, (3) Attempting to Socialize, (4) Seeking Belonging, and (5) Complaining. The findings show that most posts expressed raw opinions, followed by seeking for belonging. Sub-themes emerged in these two categories, which offered more specific examples of how students use Yik Yak. These trends provide insight into how anonymity may …

White Coats And Scrubs: Bridging The Gaps In Accommodation, Tristan Stauffacher

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Effective communication between nurses and physicians is critical for patient safety, yet these interactions often occur within hierarchical structures that can hinder open dialogue and collaboration. This study explores nurse-physician communication through the lens of Communication Accommodation Theory (CAT), specifically focusing on how nurses accommodate their communication using the framework’s strategies. Drawing on qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with registered nurses, this study identifies key themes including convergence, organizational silence, and maintenance as strategies that nurses engage in. The findings of this study reveal that accommodation choices are not solely motivated by intrinsic goals but can be motivated by external …

The Romanticization Of Human-Vampire Relationships: How 'Twilight' And 'The Vampire Diaries' May Prime Young Women To Accept Dating Violence, Natalie M. Bowen

UROP Posters

The first literary vampire can be traced back to 18th century Germany, with Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s poem “Die Braut von Korinth,” but the stereotypical features of a vampire are traditionally accredited to Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Modern vampires, such as Edward Cullen and Stefan Salvatore of the Twilight and The Vampire Diaries series respectively, have managed to win the hearts of teenage girls all across America with their sex appeal and charismatic nature. According to Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory, individuals learn new behaviors by modeling and imitating the actions of those around them. This comprehensive literature review investigates the connection …