Communication Commons^™

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 …

Charting A Path For Writing In Aviation: The Intersection Of Wac And Collegiate Flight Training, Kayla D. Taylor, Lindsey Ives

Graduate Student Works

Understanding how genre conventions shape written communication within collegiate flight programs is an emerging area of WAC research. Collegiate flight students, who will enter the aviation industry in a variety of roles, must be able to write in various genres, including incident and accident reports, in ways that allow a range of readers to partake in a proactive safety culture. This study explored how supplemental discipline-specific guidance affected the writing quality of incident report narratives composed by students at a flight school within an accredited university in the United States. Participants were either given no guidance, bullet-point guidelines, or examples …

Exploring The Stem Career Identity Development Of Black Women Across Their Lifespan, Veronica Hurd

Theses and Dissertations

Although STEM is the fastest-growing career sector, Black women are grossly underrepresented as they account for 2.5% of the workforce. Research highlights that this underrepresentation is due to racialized structures in K-12, postsecondary, and career settings that restrict Black girls’ and women’s STEM opportunities. While macrosystems such as hegemonic ideologies, attitudes, and social conditions shape Black girls’ and women’s opportunities in STEM, they continue to persist and achieve their career goals. To explore these barriers and Black women’s persistence in this industry, this study draws from the autobiographical memories of 10 Black women in the field or formerly in the …

A Theoretical And Empirical Adaptation Of Signaling Theory For Digital Communication: Examining Organizational Brand Identity And Credibility, Victoria Barbeisch

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This dissertation adapts signaling theory for digital communication and tests its relevance in strategic communication, specifically concerning unobservable organizational traits like brand identity values. Signaling theory explains how parties with unequal information (senders/signalers and receivers) use signals to bridge knowledge gaps and influence decision-making. While rooted in biology and economics, its application in computer-mediated communication (CMC) remains limited. This research addresses this gap through two primary aims. Aim 1 presents the first comprehensive theoretical adaptation of signaling theory for digital communication, consolidating fragmented research across multiple disciplines. Aim 2 investigates the theory's relevance in strategic communication related to unobservable brand …

Rethinking Rural Identity: Reimagining Rural Politics, Matthew B. Kirk

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This work chiefly consists of a genealogical critique of rural identity. Tracing the development and deployment of the concepts of rurality and rural consciousness, I argue that our current depictions of rurality as “spatial other,” replete with its harmful stereotypes, stem from a misconception about the nature of power. Political theorists’ and political scientists’ appraisals of rurality suggest that the set of actions that define rural politics are a product of their relative powerlessness. Rural locales’ removal from the center of power in urban spheres means that rural politics is reduced to reactionary, violent, and conservative political thought and engagement. …

Sealing The Deal: A Case Study Of A Private, Southeastern, Regional College’S Student Onboarding Practices, Alicia R. Gaston, Kristen Meyer, Tyler Ogden, Jennifer Perkinson, Casey Yocum Michaels

Doctor of Education Capstones

Each year, higher education institutions offer support to new, incoming students through an onboarding process that requires dedication and collaboration across multiple departments. Offering streamlined guidance and clear communication throughout the onboarding process is essential to ensure incoming students understand action steps without becoming overwhelmed with new terminology, processes, and environments. This explanatory case study is set to understand the current communication practices and technology use across onboarding departments at Brightside College – also referred to as Brightside or BC (pseudonym). The research team aimed to understand Brightside's onboarding staff's perspective of current processes and practices. With emphasis on the …

The Power Of Presence: Body Image In Disney's The Little Mermaid, Megan Chatelain

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This study explores how body image is represented in Disney’s The Little Mermaid across its 1989 animated film and the 2019 and 2023 adaptations. Grounded in Gerbner’s Cultivation Theory, the research examines how repeated media exposure shapes audience perceptions of morality, beauty, and identity—particularly through the portrayal of body size. Using a triangulated qualitative approach—reflexive journaling, content analysis, and survey responses—the study reveals consistent patterns: thin characters are depicted as virtuous, desirable, and heroic, while larger-bodied characters are often cast as villainous, comedic, or morally flawed. These associations were recognized by participants across all methods and confirmed through both reflective …

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 …

Vaccines And Publics: A Variety Of Engagement Experiences, David H. Lee

Publications and Research

This chapter is about some of the sites and scenes where members of the public are exposed to (and engage in) vaccination discourse. To preview, after a brief introduction, we begin with messaging models of communication, followed by the move from messaging to engagement. Next, case examples of public engagement with vaccines are introduced, from pandemic influenza preparedness in the U.S., to polio eradication initiatives in India, and then to COVID-19 public engagement events in England. Settings of public engagement are noted, including online, in churches and museums. Then, there’s a section about communication and public participation, seen as either …

What We Owe Each Other: An Examination Of Social Exchange Theory And Public Perception Of Healthy Relationships, Sarah R. Korbich

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

This study uses prior literature on social exchange theory and uses various frameworks to examine the public’s perception and comprehension of SET through examining user-generated content on TikTok. Social exchange theory is based upon the idea that when interacting with other persons, you are exchanging rewards and costs. This study was guided by two questions that explore how social exchange is generalized and understood by the public, and how well the public’s ideas of positively contributing to a healthy relationship aligns with operational measures of SET. This study’s intention is to encourage SET’s usage in application to relational contexts as …

Exploring Comparative Media Analysis And Its Application To Ghana, Eric Asiedu

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This paper analyzes how Ghana’s media system (newspapers, radio, TV, and online news)works and compares it to Hallin and Mancini’s 2004 influential model, “Comparing Media Systems”. Their study mainly focused on Western countries like the United States and Europe. This paper tests its applicability to Ghana, located in West Africa. The paper examines four main areas of Ghana’s media: how media industries are set up and run, journalistic professionalism, how closely media outlets are connected to political parties, and how much the government controls or influences the media. The research found that Ghana’s media system has unique characteristics that differs …

Meme Wars As Socially Situated Learning: Learning In Online Communities Of Hate, Conspiracy, And Insurgency, Kevin M. Clark

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

Learning is important in a pluralistic democracy, to enable citizens to make informed decisions. However, with the rise of the internet and social media, we need more than ever to understand how learning is shaped by social context and intertwined with issues of identity and belonging. One theoretical framework that addresses these social aspects of learning comes from the work of Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger on socially situated learning in communities of practice. This article focuses on what many would consider to be the darker side of learning—the rise of hate, disinformation/conspiracy, and insurgency in online communities. Specifically, it …

A Content Analysis Of Doubt: How Latter-Day Saints Interact Online When One Of Their Own Seeks Answers, Leilani Naomi Mascio, Ronald Smith

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

This content analysis examines how members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) interact with doubting members in online forums, focusing on Facebook and Reddit. Analyzing 1,115 comments from four public posts (August 2024–January 2025), six emergent themes characterize these interactions: (1) normalizing doubt, (2) thought-terminating clichés, (3) bringing back to the fold, (4) hierarchical escalation, (5) attributing doubt to Satan, and (6) emotional reasoning. Findings reveal that LDS members overwhelmingly dominate these discussions, employing doctrinal language, personal narratives, and appeals to authority to reintegrate doubters. Notably, non-member interference was rare, suggesting moderated or self-selected engagement. The …

Tackling Paradoxes And Double Binds For A Healthier Workplace: Insights From The Early Covid-19 Responses In Quebec And Ontario, Daniel Côté, Amelia León, Ai-Thuy Huynh, Jessica Dubé, Ellen Maceachen, Pamela Hopwood, Marie Laberge, Samantha Meyer, Meghan K. Crouch, Joyceline Amoako

Études primaires

The urgency of managing the COVID-19 health crisis in workplaces led to tensions, work overload, and confusion about preventive measures. This study presents a secondary analysis of qualitative data on paradoxes and double binds (PDBs) experienced by precarious essential workers in Canada who interacted with the public and their supervisors. Based on 13 interviews from a larger qualitative dataset, we examine how workers navigated public health recommendations and organisational demands during the pandemic. Findings reveal multiple organisational and managerial PDBs—both COVID-19-related and pre-existing—that contributed to psychological distress and compromised well-being. We argue that PDBs represent a significant occupational health hazard …

Exploring Career Advancement Experiences Of Black Women In The National Used Car Industry, Christina Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

Black women’s workplace experiences in the national used car industry affect their career advancement opportunities. How can we account for these experiences and outcomes? Using intersectionality as a theoretical framework, this thesis examines how overlapping identities, such as race and gender, intersect to create unique experiences of oppression or privilege. Intersectionality as a theoretical framework can also explain the double marginalization that Black women often experience in specific industries, as the stereotypes associated with their race and gender combine and contribute to fewer opportunities for career advancement. As a result, Black women must be diligent when confronted with the stereotypes …

Cross-Cultural Narratives: A Comparative Analysis Of "Yo Soy Betty, La Fea" And "Ugly Betty", Marcos Falck Hernandez

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the cross-cultural adaptation of the Colombian telenovela Yo soy Betty, la fea (1999–2001) into the American dramedy Ugly Betty (2006–2010), by analyzing how the latter reimagined the original narrative to address U.S.-specific cultural dynamics. Through qualitative analysis and literature review of the narrative structure, this study shows how “Ugly Betty” expanded its predecessor’s critique of beauty standards to explore Latino identity, multiculturalism, and workplace diversity in America. While both series center on an unconventional protagonist navigating the fashion industry, “Ugly Betty” uniquely foregrounds the experiences of a Mexican American family, offering nuanced depictions of immigration, cultural assimilation, …

Social Media Strategy For The Continuing And Professional Education Program, Kayla Ford

Theses and Dissertations

Continuing and Professional Education (CPE) allows adults to pursue professional or personal development opportunities outside of a college degree. When it came to marketing these opportunities, CPE relied more on traditional marketing from a lack of digital marketing professionals, creating a weak social media presence. To help elevate their social media presence, a social media marketing strategy approach was utilized to improve CPE’s digital presence by setting objectives that focus on engagement, awareness, and as well as a campaign that focuses on the importance of continuing education. Data from research studies and professional articles specializing in digital marketing directed what …

Minds, Made Up Or Malleable? Covert Commands At The Eclipse Of Vaccine Communications, David H. Lee

Publications and Research

Abstract: Although millions have died from SARS-CoV-2 illness, COVID vaccines are credited with stemming the tide. Vaccinations and boosters significantly decrease the incidence of severe illness and death (even if they don’t usually prevent COVID-19 infection). Despite the success of global vaccination efforts, frequent reports of vaccine hesitance and refusal suggest that public health communications need improvement.

The chapter begins by acknowledging adverse events associated with COVID vaccination, including rare cases of anaphylaxis, GBS, and myocarditis. An inoculation-theoretic rationale is offered for this admission of vaccine risks: just as immune defenses mount when organisms are exposed to pathogens, so too …

Media Framing Of The Local And National News Coverage Of The East Palestine Train Derailment, Lauren Delo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This research examined digital news coverage of the East Palestine train derailment to determine the frames and dominant frames used in both local and national coverage of the disaster, and whether these frames differed over time. Specifically, this research used a content analysis of digital newspaper articles from five media outlets—three national level and two local level—and applied the frames identified from Colistra’s (2010) study of print news coverage of the 1972 Buffalo Creek mine disaster. Results revealed significant differences between the most frequently used frames between local and national coverage, shifts in frame usage over time within each media …

Utilizing The Spatial Evaluation Of Language And Flexibility For Youth (Self-Y) In Clinical Case Conceptualization, Katelyn Frahm

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often experience challenges with restricted and repetitive behaviors, relating directly to challenges with psychological flexibility (Hyman et al., 2020; Hayes et al., 2006). Unfortunately, the history of applied behavior analysis has extended harmful implications of treatment that have focused on compliance training and punishment, often worsening psychological flexibility (Sandoval-Norton et al., 2019). Research is calling behavior analysis to combine flexible approaches, such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, with technologies exploring the intricacies of individual relational networks (Hayes et al., 1999; Hayes et al., 2022; Hayes & King, 2024). The present study introduced the …

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 …

Digital Orthodoxy And Political Populism In Eastern Europe: How Orthodox Media Facilitate Political Mobilization, Dmytro Garaschuk, Oleh Sokolovskyi

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article examines the intersection of Orthodox digital media and political populism in Eastern Europe, focusing on how religious institutions utilize digital platforms to facilitate political mobilization, reinforce nationalistic narratives, and undermine democratic institutions. Drawing on a comparative analysis of six countries–Russia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Georgia, and Montenegro–the study identifies a shared ideological matrix that fuses populist rhetoric with theological motifs. The research highlights the strategic use of digital media by Orthodox actors to construct moral binaries, sacralize political resistance, and disseminate disinformation framed in religious language. Particular attention is given to the role of the Russian Orthodox Church and …

Co-Creation, Interpretations And Engagement With A Movement-Based Symbol For Climate Justice: A Qualitative Inquiry, Kai Reimer-Watts

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The climate crisis demonstrates with complete clarity the need for massive systems-level changes towards far more sustainable societies. Global and local emissions need to decline rapidly to mitigate intensifying climate breakdown, accompanied by climate and sustainability solutions, to secure a far more stable, safe, and just future for all people and all life. Within these changes, engaging in our communities is essential to support and co-create broader solutions to help advance more sustainable societies, reduce negative impacts of a changing climate, and to move towards cultures and systems that recognize natural limits and centre care for people and planet.

‘Climate …

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 …

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

Undergraduate Research 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 …

Empowering Crisis Information Extraction Through Actionability Event Schemata And Domain-Adaptive Pre-Training, Yuhao Zhang, Siaw Ling Lo, Phyo Yi Win Myint

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

One of the persistent challenges in crisis detection is inferring actionable information to support emergency response. Existing methods focus on situational awareness but often lack actionable insights. This study proposes a holistic approach to implementing an actionability extraction system on social media, including requirement gathering, selection of machine learning tasks, data preparation, and integration with existing resources, providing guidance for governments, civil services, emergency workers, and researchers on supplementing existing channels with actionable information from social media. Our solution leverages an actionability schema and domain-adaptive pre-training, improving upon the state-of-the-art model by 5.5% and 10.1% in micro and macro F1 …

Effects Of Actualized Language Policy On Ukrainian Stability, 1989-2022, Dawn Hersey

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This dissertation seeks to generate a new perspective of the complicated relationship between actualized policy and stability through looking at Ukraine’s language policies and stability in a mixed manner approach that includes both primary and secondary sources. Russia justified its irridentist activities through claiming to protect Russian nationals within Ukraine’s borders: language policies within Ukraine appear to be a trigger for Russian antagonism. Neither Russian irridentism nor Ukrainian nationalism are being considered as right or wrong in this dissertation: the intent is to highlight trends, patterns, and perceptions in alignment with Ukrainian language policy. This dissertation does not present a …

Personalizing Heat Information For Adults Over 65, Bruce C. Pollock Jr

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

In the lead-up to extreme heat events, federal agencies, such as the National Weather Service (NWS), issue products and messages that advise people as to expected impacts, duration, and protective actions of the hazard. Within social media graphics, words such as “elderly” are used but are not defined by age. This can complicate personalization of risk to a hazard, such as extreme heat. I conducted focus groups across the United States and found that the term "elderly” was not understood among the general population. Additionally, I found that definitions of aging were tied to concepts such as mobility, resource access, …

Gendered Images In Online Political Advertising Videostyles: A Case Study Of 2024 Taiwan Presidential And Parliamentary Elections, Chia-Heng Chang

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Despite the increasing visibility of female politicians in Taiwan, the resurgence of the #MeToo movement ahead of the 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections underscores the enduring influence of patriarchal norms and gender stereotypes within Taiwanese society. Prior research in political communication has documented how gendered expectations shape voters’ perceptions of politicians’ appearances, behaviors, and perceived competence in addressing political issues. These expectations, in turn, inform how candidates strategically construct their public personas during electoral campaigns. This dissertation contributes to this body of scholarship by analyzing how Taiwanese political candidates perform gender through political advertising. Integrating the videostyle framework, gender schema …

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 …