Communication Commons^™

“We Need A Showing Of All Hands”: Technological Utopianism In Make Magazine, Susan Currie Sivek

Faculty Publications

Make magazine is a quarterly publication focused on do-it-yourself projects involving technology and innovation. The magazine also sponsors a biannual event, the Maker Faire, that brings “makers” together to share their knowledge. As a strategy for building audience loyalty and identification with the magazine, the Make products are skillfully crafted. However, they also invoke ideals such as environmentalism and nationalism in a potent mix that not only engages readers, but also represents an additional cultural demonstration of the phenomenon of technological utopianism.

Engaging With Environmental Justice: Governance, Education And Citizenship., Bernardo Heisler Motta, Michael Cotton

Faculty Books

Engaging with Environmental Justice: Governance, Education and Citizenship presents a range of works about the impact of science, economy, laws, education, practice, and policy on social groups and their surrounding environments. The chapters in this E-book go from the philosophical underpinnings of the causes of environmental injustices to case studies of the empirical work of practitioners who faced first hand the successes and failures of environmental practices and research. As a true inter-disciplinary compilation, this volume shows the links and the gaps between theory and practice and between viewpoints and disciplines. It exposes both the current fragility of the current …

Measuring Scholarly Metrics, Gordon R. Mitchell, Scott Church, Travis Bartosh, Getachew Dinku Godana, Rachel Stohr, Sarah Jones, Adam Knowlton

Department of Communication Studies: Faculty Publications

The following chapters explore six contemporary metrics of scholarly authority (Journal Impact Factor, Web of Science citations, h-index, SCImago, article download usage data, university press book publication), considering each metric’s strengths and weaknesses as measurement tools, and speculating on the consequences their widespread utilization of each might mean for the field of Communication, the academy, and society. Leaving the task of a systematic meta-analysis of scholarly metrics for another day, this report instead is designed to work as an entry point for readers interested in how the advent of new digital measurement tools carry potential to compete with traditional gold …

An Immigrant, Not A Worker: Depiction Of The 2006 ‘Day Without An Immigrant’ Protests In Printed Media Of The United States, Teal Ruthschild

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

writing about the Day Without an Immigrant (DWI) Protests within the year of the 2006 protests are analyzed in order to understand narratives on labor activism of documented and undocumented immigrants in the United States. DWI protests marked an anticipated ‘turning point' in collective action among immigrant workers in the United States. Content analysis was employed to ascertain the portrayal of the protesters by a variety of print media sources. Both univariate and multivariate procedures utilized find that charged rhetoric of racialized anti-immigrant sentiment is present in most sources regardless of the ‘political leaning' of the press, reaffirming the status …

Epideictic Rhetoric In The Service Of War: George W. Bush On Iraq And The 60th Anniversary Of The Victory Over Japan, Denise M. Bostdorff

All Faculty Articles

This essay explores the relationship between epideictic discourse and war through the analysis of George W. Bush's August 20, 2005, address at the Naval Air Station near San Diego, ostensibly to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Allied victory over Japan. The case also serves as an exemplar for how Bush routinely interwove epideictic appeals with collective memories of World War II in order to promote the Iraq war and deflect criticism of his policies there. Bush praised the greatest generation and linked it to the current generation; blamed and dehumanized enemies of the past and present; advocated for war …

Social Networking Sites: What They Are And How To Navigate Them (Leader Guide), Maria Deguzman, Deborah J. Weitzenkamp Dr., Anita Hall, Deanna Vansickel-Staudt, Car Mun Kok, Jessica Lake

Kimmel Education and Research Center: Faculty and Staff Publications

The use of social networking sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn has dramatically increased in recent years. Today, over 50 percent of teens and 35 percent of adults in the U.S. are using at least one type of social networking site. If used well, these sites can have many personal and professional benefits. Social networking can be a fun way to communicate with others, and an effective way to expand one’s social and professional connections. It is important to practice good judgment and proper “netiquette” when developing personal profiles and interacting with others through such sites. This community program will …

Influences Of Decision-Making: A Qualitative Analysis Of Primiparae's Birthing Plan Decisions, April Nicole Blount

Communication Theses - Archive

In the U.S., the rate of delivery by cesarean section has increased more than 50% since 1996. On the other hand, home births increased 5% since 2005 and continue to be on the rise. Previous research is limited in examining the factors that influence the choices surrounding the birthing plan. Existing research indicates that few women ask questions and make an effort to learn about birthing options as they prepare for delivery. The common perception is that medical events dictate what will eventually happen; thus, responsibility is relinquished to the healthcare provider. This study used 12 in-depth interviews with primiparae, …

Affective Labor And Governmental Policy: George W. Bush's New Freedom Commission On Mental Health, Kristin A. Swenson

Scholarship and Professional Work - Communication

As affective labor is becoming more dominant in contemporary capitalism, the affect of the body politic is increasingly important. This article argues for a theory of the affective state apparatus to account for the state‟s role in governing the affect of the population. An analysis of George W. Bush‟s Achieving the Promise: Transforming Mental Health Care in America reveals that an affective state apparatus functions to capture, constitute, and circulate the affects of the population. This article contends that an affective state apparatus operates through the very intimacies of our bodies in order to produce ever more efficient and productive …

Zaftig: A Magazine Prototype And Accompanying Business Plan, Alexandra Wagner Pence

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Currently, there is no voice or home for plus-sized women within the mainstream media. The media industry reflects and promotes an increasingly thin ideal, one that multiple studies have concluded is causing negatiVe self-perception and low self-esteem among young women nationwide. This is especially true for the full-figured woman, whom society tells that she is not skinny enough, and therefore not good enough. This thesis project sets out to prove the host of social benefits that could and would be offered as a result of the instatement of a mainstream women's interest magazine geared specifically towards young plus-sized women. To …

The Role Of Conflict Management On Virtual Team Performance And Satisfaction, Pilar Pazos, Anil Ustun, Rolando Delaguila

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

The role that input factors from project planning processes play on conflict emergence and conflict resolution in virtual teams is not well understood. Of particular interest for this paper is the role that factors during planning stages play in preventing interpersonal conflict, supporting conflict resolution and ultimately enhancing team outcomes in virtual team settings. This study examines the relationships among commitment to team goals, conflict management and team outcomes in virtual teams. First we provide an in depth review of relevant empirical findings. Next, we describe a study examining the relationships between three sets of variables: 1) goal commitment, 2) …

Visual Rhetoric And The Promotion Of Scientific Ideas: The Strange Case Of The Prion, Carol Reeves

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

In the field that investigates infectious brain diseases such as mad cow disease, the verbal and visual packaging of scientific visuals associated with identifying the agent, prion, its processes, and structure served the community ritual of establishing belief in a highly unorthodox phenomenon. Visual promotion fed into cultural expectations of single agents and simple processes, even though the actual agency and disease process have proven highly complex and perhaps unknowable.

The Case Of The Dangerous Detective, Ronald S. Green, D. E. Wittkower

Philosophy and Religious Studies

No abstract provided.

Using Science Fiction To Teach Science Facts, Stephanie N. Putt

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Hugo Gernsback, the publisher of one of the first science fiction magazines and the man whom some people label as the godfather of modern science fiction, defined science fiction as "a charming romance intermingled with scientific fact and prophetic vision" (cited in Westfahl, 1998, pp. 38-39). If science fiction truly includes scientific facts, it can have serious implications for the teaching of science to students, as well as implications for the general reader. Studies by Negrete and Lartigue, as well as by Stanhope, Cohen, and Conway, have provided evidence that information learned through narratives can be retained for a longer …

Defining Success: Examining What It Means To Be Good In Forensics, David J. Brennan

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

For decades college students have been competing in forensic activity (forensics), spending countless hours researching, writing, and performing speeches. Forensic scholars have never created an overarching definition of what it means to be successful in forensics. A survey was created and sent out on the individual events listserv, asking competitors and coaches to define success. Analysis reveals both competitors and coaches believe success in forensics is a combination of competitive achievement, building communication skills, and personal growth.

Nbc Peacock Winter 2011, Peacock North Staff

NBC Peacock North Newsletter

Highlights include: Jeff Zucker to be Luncheon Speaker -- Comcast Takes Control -- Skip Dresch and Mike D'Avi Retire -- Silent Microphones -- New Members

A Comparison Of College Students' Perceptions Of Older Tattooed Women And Younger Tattooed Women, Laura Raymond

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The study examined how college students perceive older versus younger women based on their tattoo status (i.e., no tattoo, feminine tattoo, or masculine tattoo). A randomly assigned sample of 376 responded to a survey involving a 2 X 3 experiment designed to assess the impact of age (older versus younger) and tattoo status on four dependent measures: credibility, promiscuity, and attractiveness. Results indicate that older and younger women are perceived differently depending on their tattoo status. Not wearing a tattoo may lead to a more favorable perception of older women than wearing one, but wearing a feminine tattoo may engender …

Communication Apprehension Vs. Social Phobia And Related Conditions A Correlational Study, Christine M. Donaldson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Of all social situations, public speaking is the most prevalent fear in both the general population and among social phobic individuals (Mannuzza, Schneier, Chapman, & Liebowitz, 1995; Stein, Walker, & Forde, 1996). The fear of public speaking is referred to as communication apprehension (CA) by members of the communication field; in other programs of study, this condition has been categorized and conceptualized in a wide variety of ways ranging from stage fright to reticence. Several scholarly fields including communication, social psychology, the health sciences and the social sciences, seek to find an explanation and effective intervention for this prevalent condition. …

Strategic Communications Planning For Non-Profit Organizations: A Data-Based Application Of A Seven Step Model, Christina Hoogendam

Communication Studies

Strategic communications planning is a vital part of numerous successful and efficient organizations, yet it is often times an avoided topic of discussion in other organizations. It is common for businesses to see communication planning as a task that will only be touched upon once immediate, more important jobs are completed and attended to, yet thinking strategically provides a strong framework for businesses to thrive upon. Whether an organization has been in business for twenty years or is just beginning to erect the first office-building wall, strategic communications planning should be seen as an essential building block for success.

From …

Smart Health For Autism In Northwest Ohio Survey Summary [Slides], Louisa Ha, Lynne Elizabeth Hewitt, Linell Weinberg

School of Media and Communication Faculty Publications

Slides from a presentation given by Louisa Ha, Lynne Hewitt and Linell Weinberg in 2011.

Saving The Home Of The Tadpoles One Tree At A Time: A Framing And Pedagogical Analysis Of Wangari Maathai's Green Belt Movement, Anke Thorey Wolbert

Wayne State University Dissertations

While often mistaken for `just' an environmental organization, Kenya's Green Belt Movement (GBM) is engaged in environmental protection, feminism, human rights, education, sustainable development, democratic participation, and peace issues, amongst others. This diverse approach to social change makes it sometimes difficult to place the GBM within current social movement theory. To further our understanding of the GBM's unusual approach, this dissertation examines the framing efforts of the GBM's leader, Nobel Peace laureate Wangari Maathai, as well as the organization's educational practices. Leaning on Entman's (1993) and Kuyper's (2006) definitions of framing, this project analyzes the development of the GBM's frame(s) …

Examining The Relationship Among Physical And Psychological Health, Parent And Peer Attachment, And Cyberbullying In Adolescents In Urban And Suburban Environments, Jemica Monique Carter

Wayne State University Dissertations

Cyberbullying is a new phenomenon that has received substantial attention via media. An extensive review of the literature revealed limited nursing research on this topic. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of cyberbullying on adolescents' physical (e.g., headache, stomachache, etc.) and psychosocial (e.g., self-esteem, depression, post traumatic stress syndrome, etc.) outcomes. Individuals who experience repeated traditional bullying are at increased risk for experiencing repeated incidents of cyberbullying. Research has shown that effects of cyberbullying may be more traumatic than traditional bullying because victims can be bullied 24 hours and 7 days a week, on and off …

Why The Block Is The Block: Reinforcing Community Through Casual Conversation, L. David Ritchie

Communication Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study combines Discourse Dynamics (Cameron, 2007) with Perceptual Simulation Theory (Barsalou, 2007; Gibbs, 2006), to analyze a sample of talk among residents of an urban neighborhood about topics related to community safety and the quality of life in their community. The results demonstrate the role of casual conversation in structuring complex social relationships, and the usefulness of close attention to metaphors, story-telling, and humor. By their use, re-use, and development of metaphors and stories the participants in this conversation express and reinforce the patterns of sociability and mutual watchfulness that contribute to a feeling of safety and comfort in …

The Durham Statement Two Years Later: Open Access In The Law School Journal Environment, Richard A. Danner, Kelly Leong, Wayne V. Miller

Faculty Scholarship

The Durham Statement on Open Access to Legal Scholarship, drafted by a group of academic law library directors, was promulgated in February 2009. It calls for two things: (1) open access publication of law school–published journals; and (2) an end to print publication of law journals, coupled with a commitment to keeping the electronic versions available in “stable, open, digital formats.” The two years since the Statement was issued have seen increased publication of law journals in openly available electronic formats, but little movement toward all-electronic publication. This article discusses the issues raised by the Durham Statement, the current state …

Evaluating Mediated Perception Of Narrative Health Messages: The Perception Of Narrative Performance Scale, Jeong Kyu Lee, Michael L. Hecht, Michelle Miller-Day, Elvira Elek

Communication Faculty Articles and Research

Narrative media health messages have proven effective in preventing adolescents’ substance use but as yet few measures exist to assess perceptions of them. Without such a measure it is difficult to evaluate the role these messages play in health promotion or to differentiate them from other message forms. In response to this need, a study was conducted to evaluate the Perception of Narrative Performance Scale that assesses perceptions of narrative health messages. A sample of 1185 fifth graders in public schools at Phoenix, Arizona completed a questionnaire rating of two videos presenting narrative substance use prevention messages. Confirmatory factor analyses …

Rhetorical Analysis Of Public Policy Rhetoric: Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act Of 2004 And 2010, Julie Ann Stella

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

In this research, I employed content analysis using the constant comparative method to examine and comment on the rhetoric of public policy and its audiences of specialists and generalists in the context of participative government. I examined the specific case of the Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act (CNR) by comparing technical report texts from 2004 and 2010 to reveal and contrast their specialist and generalist features. Unique attributes of the rhetoric of public policy are discussed, particularly authorship and recursion. I organized the research findings into physical features, affective features, and cognitive features according to Carliner's framework of information design (2000). …

Considering The Perspective Of Emergency Management Professionals Regarding Radiological Response And School Resiliency, Ronald G. Edmond

Ed.D. Dissertations

The purpose of the study is to consider the perspective of emergency management professionals regarding need for a radiological response plan and its implications to school resiliency. This study utilizes a three-round, Modified Delphi Method to provide structure for the group process, elicit experts’ opinions, and build consensus regarding radiological response and school resiliency. The experts’ opinions are analyzed at the conclusion of each round and synthesized to create considerations for school systems for a school-system-based radiological-specific response plan. The recommendations align existing school system’s capabilities, roles and responsibilities with required emergency response actions necessary to protect the health and …

Graduate Record 2011, Southwestern Oklahoma State University

SWOSU Yearbooks

The 2011 Graduate Record was produced by the communications department.

The Working Class Promise: A Communicative Account Of Mobility-Based Ambivalences, Kristen Lucas

Department of Communication Studies: Faculty Publications

In-depth interviews with 62 people with working class ties (blue-collar workers and adult sons and daughters of blue-collar workers) reveal a social construction of working class that imbues it with four core, positively valenced values: strong work ethic, provider orientation, the dignity of all work and workers, and humility. This constellation of values is communicated through a ubiquitous macrolevel discourse—which I coin the Working Class Promise—that elevates working class to the highest position in the social class hierarchy and fosters a strong commitment to maintain a working class value system and identity. However, this social construction is only a partial …

Oral Self Critique: Raising Student Consciousness Of Communication (In)Competence, Kristen Lucas

Department of Communication Studies: Faculty Publications

Communication teachers spend considerable time instructing students how to organize and deliver professional oral presentations, design effective PowerPoint slides, answer interview questions, and communicate effectively in problem-solving teams. Yet considerably less time is spent systematically teaching them the communication skill they will use most: day-to-day verbal communication. Improving verbal communication competence will contribute to students’ success across a variety of communication contexts (Worley, Worley, & Soldner, 2008). Therefore, the primary purpose of this activity is to raise students’ consciousness of their own verbal communication patterns and give them a starting point for improving their verbal skills.

Blue-Collar Discourses Of Workplace Dignity: Using Outgroup Comparisons To Construct Positive Identities, Kristen Lucas

Department of Communication Studies: Faculty Publications

People generally possess a strong desire to construct positive, dignified work identities. However, this goal may be more challenging for some people, such as blue-collar workers, whose occupations may not offer qualities typically associated with workplace dignity. Interviews with 37 people from a blue-collar mining community reveal three central identity discourses about workplace dignity: All jobs are important and valuable; dignity is located in the quality of the job performed; and dignity emerges from the way people treat and are treated by others. Participants communicated these themes by backgrounding their own occupations and drawing comparisons between two outgroups, low-status, low-paid …