Communication Commons^™

The ‘For Youth’ Page: Analyzing Tiktok Content Feeds For College-Aged Users, Hadiyah Mohamed

Honors College Theses

This study analyzes the content college-aged users encounter on TikTok’s “For You” page to understand the ways platform design and user-generated content shape prolonged engagement. Existing research frames doomscrolling largely as a compulsive behavior driven by algorithmic design, often overlooking the role of content itself and why it resonates with young adults. Through qualitative content analysis, 150 videos were collected across three TikTok accounts: scrolling from a personal account, a neutral new account, and a new account under the #CollegeTok tag. Videos were rigorously coded in a spreadsheet for narrative descriptions, topics, captions, hashtags, and tone to capture the themes …

Exploring John Maxwell’S 16 Undeniable Laws Of Communication As A Possible Framework For Public Speaking Success: A Qualitative Content Analysis Of The Top 20 Ted Talks And Their Alignment With The Principles, Kevin C. Mcintyre

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The qualitative content analysis aimed to discover whether Maxwell’s 16 undeniable laws of communication are applied to the top 20 TED Talks of all time based on view count catalogued on the TED website and inform a framework for public speaking success. Through the lens of Fisher’s narrative paradigm of coherence and fidelity, while situated in Craig’s rhetorical tradition, which builds on ethos, pathos, and logos, the study examined the gap in workplace competence moving beyond theory to practical guidance. Additionally, the study was guided by three research questions that were answered in the study. Through an immersive multimodal examination …

The Trust Equation: Users, Companies, And Safety In The Online Dating World, Hayley Solomon

Student Theses and Dissertations

Digital dating platforms have become essential to modern-day relationship formation, yet concerns about user safety, harassment, deception, and accountability have intensified distrust, particularly among women. This study explores (1) how women’s personal experiences of danger shape their perceptions of dating apps’ trustworthiness, (2) how women explain the nature of trust and distrust in these digital environments, and (3) how communication professionals can design messages that promote safety and strengthen trust on dating platforms. Using a qualitative study design, four focus groups with three participants each were conducted with heterosexual cis-gender women aged 18–50 who had used Hinge, Tinder, or Bumble …

Exploring John Maxwell’S 16 Undeniable Laws Of Communication As A Possible Framework For Public Speaking Success: A Qualitative Content Analysis Of The Top 20 Ted Talks And Their Alignment With The Principles, Kevin C. Mcintyre

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The qualitative content analysis aimed to discover whether Maxwell’s 16 undeniable laws of communication are applied to the top 20 TED Talks of all time based on view count catalogued on the TED website and inform a framework for public speaking success. Through the lens of Fisher’s narrative paradigm of coherence and fidelity, while situated in Craig’s rhetorical tradition, which builds on ethos, pathos, and logos, the study examined the gap in workplace competence moving beyond theory to practical guidance. Additionally, the study was guided by three research questions that were answered in the study. Through an immersive multimodal examination …

The Impact Of Instagram Exposure On The Beauty Standards And Body Images Of Young Black American Women, Chiquila Tonelle Arrington

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of the phenomenological study was to explore the impact of Instagram exposure on the beauty standards and body image of young Black American women. Drawing from literature highlighting the negative psychological effects of social media, such as comparison, body surveillance, and negative emotions, the research aimed to capture the experiences of Black women navigating beauty ideals in digital communication spaces. The study focused on Instagram because of the visual nature of the content and its alignment with the visual nature of the construct of beauty. The study explored behaviors, intentions, and habits associated with Instagram use.

The research …

Beheld To Behold: A Rhetorical Theology Of Otherness In Acts, Hannah E. Gross

Masters Theses

The phenomena of otherness foundationally grounds this work. A micro-concept of Martin Buber’s I and Thou Theory, otherness is central to this study particularly as it is rhetorically situated in the work of Acts. The research draws from ideological criticism to produce a rhetorical theology. Findings uncover two primary relational dynamics of otherness: (1) God to the believer to the unbeliever and (2) God to the believer to the believer. These constructions of dialogical engagement in Acts are donned witness and withness, offering keen insight on a rhetorical theology of otherness.

Operation Evil Empire: The Strategic Weaponization Of Rhetoric In Psychological Warfare, Sabrina Marie Smith

Masters Theses

The Cold War redefined warfare around information, ideology, and perception. Victory depended less on territory and more on legitimacy. In 1983, Cold War tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union were extremely high. President Ronald Reagan’s “Evil Empire” speech emerged at a critical juncture, marking a pivotal moment when U.S. foreign policy embraced assertive ideological confrontation. The rhetoric of this speech did more than address the American public; it served as a strategic instrument aimed at weakening Soviet ideological cohesion. It became a turning point in U.S. Cold War rhetoric, targeting both the Soviet leadership and its oppressed …

Infotainment And Youth Political Perceptions In Pakistan: A Qualitative Uses And Gratifications Study, Sara Anwar

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The research presents the problem of infotainment as a media genre and its contribution to the political perceptions, civic behavior, and cultural attitudes of youth in Pakistan. The uses and gratifications theory, situated within the sociopsychological tradition and the transmission model of communication formed the basis of the research where the integration of information and entertainment was viewed as a process that changes the political awareness among the youth. A qualitative exploratory research design was utilized. Twenty-five semi-structured interviews were conducted with students at the university who participated in the study because of purposive selection. NVivo software was used to …

To My Fellow White Women, With Love..., Hailey N. Otis

Feminist Pedagogy

No abstract provided.

Examining Diversity Messaging Practices Of Division I Athletic College Sports Communicators, David Cassilo

Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics

In recent years, college athletic communication departments have been tasked with more messaging related to race and diversity. This research used semi-structured interviews to understand the message creation practices of Division I athletic communication departments when generating diversity and social justice messaging. The research was examined within the context of the theory of racialized organizations. Interviews were conducted with 11 athletic communication staff members at Division I universities. Five themes were constructed related to diversity and social justice messaging of athletic communication departments at Division I universities. These are (a) a White world, (b) need to represent collegiate athletes, (c) …

Sticker Or No Sticker, That Is The Question: A Test Of Two Competing Hypotheses, Dongdong Yang, Yi Luo, Marylou Naumoff

College of Communication and Media Scholarship and Creative Works

Stickers, as an important nonverbal communication affordance on social media, have been understudied in Western contexts. This study employed an online survey (N = 300) to test two competing hypotheses—the social compensation and withdrawal hypotheses—to examine how personality traits influenced sticker use for emotional expression and self-presentation among U.S. college students. Results demonstrated that when communicating with a new friend on their mobile messenger, participants used stickers more frequently for self-presentation than emotional expression. Moreover, loneliness was positively related to neuroticism and negatively related to agreeableness and extraversion. Neuroticism was negatively related to sticker use for both emotional expression and …

The Impact Of Social Media On Social Inclusion: A Case Study On Gun Violence, Ruolin Xu

Honors Scholar Theses

As TikTok increasingly becomes a primary platform for everyday communication and even an important venue for political communication, concerns have emerged about the potential negative effects of its algorithmic design. Prior research suggests the effect of echo chamber that social media may reinforce users' pre-existing attitudes by repeatedly exposing them to belief-consistent contents and limiting opportunities to encounter diverse viewpoints. Such selective exposure can undermine social inclusion by reducing individuals' openness toward people who hold different backgrounds or political beliefs. Meanwhile, gun control, as one of the most polarizing sociopolitical issues in the US, provides a particularly relevant context for …

Assessing Leadership In Business: A Critical Investigation Of Lorne Michaels, Emily Laput

Honors Scholar Theses

This thesis critically investigates the leadership effectiveness of Lorne Michaels, the executive producer behind the comedic institution Saturday Night Live (SNL). For nearly half a century, Michaels has cultivated a unique and high-pressure environment credited with launching the careers of numerous comedic actors. Drawing upon Kouzes & Posner's Five Principles of Exemplary Leadership framework and peer-reviewed research, this analysis examines the balance Michaels strikes between fostering innovation and exercising strict control. Ultimately, this thesis aims to provide a nuanced understanding of Lorne Michaels' leadership, assessing its effectiveness within the dynamic and often volatile environment of live television production and …

“I Can Gossip With Anybody, I Can’T Chisme With Everybody”: Chisme, Gossip, And Identity In Latina-Americans, Alexa B. Romero

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

As individuals adjust to their belonging to two distinct cultures, there are various ways of adapting to their navigation of the two cultures (Berry, 1980). The way(s) an individual chooses to adjust to their two cultures can have varying effects on identity. When directly translated, chisme (Spanish) means gossip. Although the two include overlap in function and uses, chisme offers unique purposes for the Latinx community and further, Latina-Americans (González Ybarra & Player 2024; Gutierrez, 2017; Uribe, 2025). By using the communication theory of identity (Hecht, 1993) the purpose of this thesis was to investigate the role of chisme and …

How To Talk To A Seahorse: Communication In Transmasculine Gestational Experiences As Told Through Narrative, Emerson Armstrong

Communication ETDs

Transmasculine experiences before, during, and after pregnancy were evaluated using focus groups and autoethnographic research. As transgender people are more likely to experience inequality in healthcare encounters, this project aims to shed light on, and counter sensationalized accounts of male pregnancy, as transmasculine gestational individuals sought normalization in their experiences of pregnancy. Seven focus groups consisted of 90 minute sessions, with a total of 15 participants. Transcripts were analyzed using a trans narrative approach to find a greater understanding about identity construction, challenges, and changes around trans pregnancy. Asking about communities and healthcare experiences worked to create a complete picture …

Grappling With Parenthood In 2025, Elisa Muyl

Capstones

In 2024, I became a parent for the first time. Within the first year of my child's life, president Trump was elected for a second term and came into office on the back of a right-wing project to “restore” the American family as the central unit of American life. I knew instinctively that the values and policies this project espoused would not work for my family or many others. At the same time, I was grappling with a profound sense of social alienation and the lack of structural support for new parents, exacerbated by the way that community is sustained …

Fake News Y Redes Sociales: Cómo El Algoritmo En Torno A La Migración Afecta La Salud Mental, Maria F. Alarcon

Capstones

Las redes sociales son la principal fuente de información para migrantes latinos en Estados Unidos, pero también son un terreno fértil para fake-news que afectan la salud mental y desinforman.

Security Blanket: An Idea Of "Home" Across The Housing Spectrum, Willa D. Odefey

Capstones

Security Blanket: an idea of "home" across the housing spectrum addresses the logistical and emotional gaps left by policy-makers who prescribe a one-size-fits-all approach of housing to New York City’s houseless crisis. Independent living can be a major adjustment for people who have never lived on their own (eg. lived with parents, were formerly incarcerated, were in long-term hospital care), and shelters do not adequately prepare residents for the life-building steps after move-out. I asked New Yorkers experiencing homelessness where they are now, what home means to them, and what it would or has taken to ground themselves as they …

How Armenia And Azerbaijan Are Lobbying For Influence In D.C., Gibran C. Boyce, Dawn Kikel

Capstones

In the wake of President Trump taking office, foreign government agencies and U.S.-based non-profits serving Armenian and Azerbaijani interests have been hiring lobbyists in Washington, D.C. as part of their concerted efforts to curry favor, gain influence, and seek policy changes that would benefit the rival post-Soviet nations.

¿Cómo Se Dice, "Liberty And Justice For All Cannot Exist Without Equal Access For All" En Español?, Turner Denise Reynolds

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Trust, Influence, And The Two-Step Flow Of Communication: How Msu Jmc Freshmen Navigate Information Networks In The Digital Age, Caroline Blakeman

Honors College Theses

This study examines how Murray State University students in the Journalism and Mass Communications department engage with information and interpersonal trust through the lens of the Two-Step Flow of Communication. Using a quantitative survey, participants reported how they receive and evaluate information across six domains: politics, healthcare, education, international conflict, religion, and campus news. The survey also explored participants’ own perceptions as “opinion leaders” within their social networks. Findings reveal that coworkers, family members, and religious associates were consistently rated as high-trust sources of information. In particular, trust in religious associates showed a notable pattern: participants who expressed higher levels …

Media Disparity? Analyzing The Media Coverage Of Violent Vs. Non-Violent Crimes In Central Arkansas, Alicia Dorn

Theses and Dissertations

The media's disproportionate coverage of violent crimes compared to non-violent crimes may create a skewed public perception of crime rates and safety in Central Arkansas, potentially influencing policy decisions and community relations. This research examines whether news outlets in Central Arkansas cover violent crimes more frequently than non-violent crimes and compares this coverage to actual crime statistics from law enforcement agencies. The study aims to understand the potential impact of media representation on public perception of crime. The study employed a mixed-methods content analysis of three major Central Arkansas newspapers (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Pine Bluff Commercial, and Hot Springs Sentinel Record) …

Journey Through, Cathan B. Tautfest

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

Journey Through is the Master's Portfolio for the University of Montana for Author Cathan Tautfest. This paper serves as the capstone graduation requirement for students of the School of Social Work. Over the final semester of the Master's program, this Portfolio was created, reviewed by committee, and defended before its publication. This Portfolio is a culmination of three years and thousands of hours to demonstrate mastery of the ten Social Work competencies, the elements of Social Work Practice, and critically reflect on time spent in the School of Social Work's Master's of Social Work (MSW) program. This Portfolio reflects on …

Are We Leaving Donors Behind? An Evaluation Of Accessibility Of Higher Education Donor Webpages And Leadership Priorities, Lauren E. Baldwin

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

This study investigated the web accessibility and readability of U.S.-based nonprofit higher education institutions (HEIs) across the Foundation home, donation, and contact pages of selected websites. Utilizing a combination of manual verification and computer-automated analysis techniques, this study analyzes (n=101) institutional websites. Quantitative analysis reveals these webpages frequently contain WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility error types that are likely to affect the perceivability, operability, and understandability of the user’s experience, especially for individuals with disabilities or limited English proficiency. Further, these tests reveal significant differences by sector across multiple WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility error types, indicating that …

An Axe To The Funny Bone: Curated Instability And Horror-Comedy Intersections In American Storytelling, Samantha Box

Masters Theses

Funny. Terrifying. Subversive.

Horror-Comedy twists and bites at the intersection of two incredibly reactive genres— with both Horror and Comedy being well known for the political and social discourses they embody and reinvent through story. While prevalent in American popular culture, scholarly analysis of this hybrid space barely exists beyond a small number of Film Studies investigations. Despite this lack, Horror-Comedy works continue to be successfully produced. This thesis unpacks the vibrant relationship between fear and laughter in contemporary American storytelling through Horror-Comedy, maintaining a focus on structural dynamics and the audience-disarming results of simultaneously applying horror and humor to …

When Writing Becomes Community: Reflections On The She Writes Circle For Racialized Graduate Students, Bahareh Razavian

Critical Internationalization Studies Review

No abstract provided.

The Cowl - V. 89 N. 10 - December 11, 2025

The Cowl

The Cowl - student newspaper of Providence College. Vol. 89 No. 10 - December 11, 2025. 24 pages.

Disclosures, Disclaimers, And Disinformation Advertising, Areeb Asif

Northwestern Journal of Law & Social Policy

Every regular internet user in the United States has been exposed to fake news at some point. Most of them, if not all, would agree that this problem needs a solution. Nevertheless, even as fake news has taken on unforeseen prominence in recent years, very little concrete action has been taken to curb its impact on American society. Some scholars have chalked this up to the Supreme Court’s expansive conception of the First Amendment, which makes it incredibly challenging to regulate political speech. Others posit that the problem is Section 230, which allows platforms to profit from fake news without …

Tonight’S Top Story: Analyzing English And Spanish-Language National And Local Newscasts For Content Differences, Esteban N. Serrano

Honors Program Theses and Research Projects

Spanish-language media alongside its equivalent English-language counterpart, assumingly operate with reporting facts truthfully. However, no studies have compared the accuracy of equitable reporting between English and Spanish-language news, particularly television newscasts. Limited existing research claims that differences, such as the structure of news stories and their placement in a broadcast, may skew a narrative for those who prefer to absorb Spanish-language news in comparison to those who absorb English-language news. In this study, through use of mixed methods, U.S. market’s English and Spanish broadcast news-affiliated stations are examined to draw conclusions on whether or not there are differences in news …

Lindenwood Digest, December 10, 2025, Lindenwood University

Lindenwood Digest

This edition of the newsletter focuses on end-of-semester updates and upcoming holiday activities as the university concludes the fall term. In "Porter's Post-It," the President reflects on finals week and outlines his upcoming travel to the Department of Education in Washington, D.C..

Key administrative announcements include a call for Computer Science project proposals for Spring 2026 and the introduction of new accountability plans regarding Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for staff and academic administrators. The digest highlights campus events such as the Salvation Army Toy Drive, holiday performances at the Scheidegger Center, and employee wellness "Brown Bag" sessions. Additionally, the newsletter …