Communication Commons^™

Guide To The Chicago Press Veterans Association Records, Columbia College Chicago

Collection Guides / Finding Aids

The Chicago Press Veterans Association (CPVA) was founded in 1939 as an organization dedicated to uniting journalists with a shared history of covering news in Chicago and beyond. It provided a space for both men and women in the newspaper industry to foster camaraderie through their collective professional experiences. The collection is rich in documentation of the association’s history, including materials related to its annual dinners, correspondence between members, membership lists, event programs, newspaper clippings, photographs, and business and financial records. The collection also includes artifacts like artwork, printing plates, and other memorabilia, which speak to the organization’s efforts to …

U.S. Online Romance Scams: A Mixed Methods Analysis Of Factors Associated With Victimization And Exploration Of Lived Experiences Of Victimization, Rebecca A. Cole

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

The objective of this dissertation is to understand develop an understanding of experiences of online romance scam¹(ORS) victimization and to examine factors associated with ORS victimization. The dissertation samples ORS victims and uses purposive sampling strategies to recruit participants. The research used a mixed methods explanatory design approach. Inclusion criteria included ORS victims 18 and older who lived in the U.S., lost any amount of money in ORS scam, and met the scammer on any Internet platform. Three research manuscripts complete this dissertation. The first manuscript is a scoping review to understand the mental and physical health outcomes …

Body-Oriented Gesture Generation System For Medical Interpreter Robots Based On Reinforcement Learning From Human Feedback, Tung Ngo, Emma Murphy, Conor Mcginn, Robert Ross

Conference papers

Medical interpreters are crucial in facilitating communication between healthcare stakeholders who speak different languages. Body-oriented gestures convey critical information essential for accurate and high-quality interpretation in healthcare settings. This study introduces a body-oriented gesture generation system designed for medical interpreter robots based on reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF). The system allows robots to interpret more naturally and improve over time through interactions with humans. By adopting a human-centered development approach, we tailor our system to address the actual needs of healthcare stakeholders.

Historical Reappearance: Tracing The Impacts Of Argentina's Los Desaparecidos To The Rise Of President Javier Milei, Analise Sofia Chain

Undergraduate Honors Theses

In 1976 the Argentine government was taken over by a right wing military junta, attempting to “save” their country from communism. Military officials kidnapped, tortured and killed between 10,000 and 30,000 Argentine citizens, who were thought of as “guerrillas” supporting the leftist government and the late president Juan Perón. These victims are regarded as the disappeared, or Los Desaparecidos; due to the fact their families had no knowledge of where their loved ones were taken, or what was happening to them. Many of these young, liberal advocates were never seen or heard from again, their remains lost to history, and …

Stream Restoration Effectiveness In Mullins Creek In Fayetteville, Arkansas, Amadeo Scott, Shannon Speir

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Lotic waterways are vital for habitat, food, water, and flood protection, but urbanization poses a major threat to their integrity. Runoff from urban surfaces leads to pollution, flashiness, loss of biodiversity, and other symptoms, also known as Urban Stream Syndrome (USS). Streams can be restored in order to combat USS, but most restorations are not monitored, so their long-term effectiveness is unknown. This study quantitatively evaluated a decade-old stream restoration in Fayetteville, Arkansas, to assess its effectiveness in combating USS and achieving set restoration goals, and to gain insights for future restoration projects. Restoration goals included decreasing erosion and sedimentation, …

Evaluating Efficiency And Accuracy Of Three Texture Analysis Methods For Blackberry Fruit, Rhys M. Brock, Carmen Johns, Katelyn Lust-Moore, Margaret Worthington

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

A major objective of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture (UADA) Fruit Breeding program is to improve the texture of blackberry (Rubus subgenus Rubus Watson). Blackberry varieties with improved fruit firmness transport and store well and may maintain superior quality under challenging postharvest conditions than softer varieties. Increased firmness may also make cultivars less susceptible to red drupelet reversion (RDR), a postharvest disorder of blackberries in which fully black drupelets revert to red after harvest. This research project aims to assess the efficiency and accuracy of three methods applied in evaluating blackberry firmness. The study compares instrumental analysis …

Words, Words, Words: Participants Do Not Read Consent Forms In Communication Research, Daria Parfenova, Alina Niftulaeva, Caleb T. Carr

Faculty Publications - Communications

Informed consent is an essential part of conducting human subjects research; but its utility is dependent on participants actually reading the consent forms provided. This research conducted secondary analysis of data (N = 1,283) to assess how long participants spent on the consent forms. Participants spent an average of 35.4 seconds on consent documents: not a nonsignficant amount of time (i.e., different from 0 seconds), but insufficient to read or even skim consent forms. Women spent slightly less time on consent forms. Neither the length nor readability of a consent form predicted time spent reading, and neither readability nor gender …

Tempus Fugit: Unraveling Temporal Occurrence And Display Order Effects Of Online Information On Employer Impressions, Alina Niftulaeva, Omolola Lasisi, Millicent Elewosi, Matthew Edor, Caleb T. Carr

Faculty Publications - Communications

As social media readily enables users to traverse a targets’ posted content across time, the present research explores the effects of two types of temporality – occurrence and display order – on offline perceptions. Using the context of employers’ impression formation of job applicants, N = 200 human resource personnel were exposed to a job posting and an applicant’s resume and supplemental social media posts in a fully crossed 2 (occurrence order: posts becoming either more or less positive over a 4-year period) and display order (most-recent posts presented either first or last), and a one-condition offset in which all …

Viewers' Attitudes Towards Analytical And Traditional Commentary Styles In Baseball Broadcasts: A Quasi-Experimental Study, Michael Menhart

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the attitudes of college and non-college athletes on analytical and traditional commentary styles during baseball broadcasts. The attitudes tested were satisfaction and likelihood to watch again (retention). The experiment had two data collection sessions for the athletes and non-athletes where they were exposed to either analytical or traditional commentary. The exposure came through the reading of a fictional scrip based on each style and then the participants were asked to answer questions to test their satisfaction and retention. Through a comprehensive analysis, including independent sample t-tests and two-way ANOVA, the findings revealed a significant main effect for …

"But Why Facebook?" Why And How Local Nonprofit Organizations Use Facebook Compared To Other Social Media, Tyisha S. Landers

Theses and Dissertations

Social media marketing has proven to be immensely beneficial in providing a mostly free, accessible way to inform people and carry out campaigns. For nonprofits, social media platforms provide a channel to reach large audiences quickly, efficiently, and engagingly. How social media is used by nonprofit organizations – especially medium to small-scale organizations – plays a huge factor in their social media success. This factor can affect followers’ attitudes, perceptions, knowledge, and behavior toward the brand, which consequently affects the engagement level. To better understand how nonprofits use social media, in this study, the researcher will interview social media managers …

Branding & Marketing Strategies For Silver Linings Personal Care Home Llc., Kalicia R. Thomas

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Creating A Social Media Presence In Columbus State Women's Basketball Program, Kaihla Carter

Theses and Dissertations

This professional project will explore increased social media growth within the Columbus State University Women's Basketball team. It will present a sweeping writing audit focusing on the encounters and perspectives of the Columbus State Women's Basketball program regarding social media and the advancing opportunities for female student-athletes. It will dive into the framework to understand how women's basketball social media platforms impact the subjects, stories, and conversations encompassing the game, ultimately molding the public insight and plan. We get into the impact of a solid virtual social media presence, effective online entertainment strategies, the variety inborn in the women's basketball …

Towards Interpretable Propaganda Detection In News Text Through The Use Of Rhetorical Devices As Features, Kyle Hamilton

Doctoral

This doctoral thesis presents research undertaken towards interpretable propaganda detection in news text. Propaganda and mis/disinformation in the media have been identified in the social sciences literature as a major threat to the functioning of democratic society. While mis/disinformation is false by definition, propaganda is intended to modify the beliefs and behaviors of the information consumer but does not have to be false. Propagandistic text is often characterized by the use of rhetorical devices and linguistic style designed to exploit the reader’s cognitive and emotional biases. One way of counteracting this effect is by shifting the focus from “what” is …

Prophetic Dissent In Dark Times: The New Poor People’S Campaign And The Rhetoric Of National Redemption, Stephen E. Rahko, Byron B. Craig

Faculty Publications - Communications

In this paper, we offer an analysis of an important social movement challenging the fantasy of Christian nationalism: the new Poor People’s Campaign, and specifically the rhetoric of the Bishop Dr. William J. Barber II. We argue that Barber’s rhetoric represents a source of dissent against Christian nationalism through his strategic use of the jeremiad. Barber’s progressive jeremiad offers a distinctively moral narrative that recovers the radical Christian legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Ultimately, we argue that Barber’s jeremiad advances a distinctive narrative of American national redemption through democratic renewal and reconstruction.

Remembering Redlining: Trauma, Anti-Blackness, And Afro-Pessimistic Affect In Them, Byron B. Craig, Stephen E. Rahko

Faculty Publications - Communications

Scholars of public memory have long recognized the importance of popular culture as a site in America’s memory infrastructure. In this paper we seek to contribute to this bourgeoning scholarship by advancing an analysis of the way the Amazon Prime series Them strategically remembers the traumatic violence of America’s racial past. Through its skillful use of allegory and the Black horror genre, Them offers an Afro-pessimistic rebuke of America’s post-racial fantasy. Ultimately, we argue that popular culture remains a crucial site for the politics of memory, especially given the growing threat of censorship of America’s racial history in education as …

We’Re Going Streaking!: Associations Between The Gamification Of Mediated Communication And Relational Closeness, Caleb T. Carr, Sarah F. Rosaen

Faculty Publications - Communications

Communication technologies have long been used to develop and maintain relationships; but recently, channels have increasingly sought to gamify interactions among users. The present study explored if individuals’ interpersonal and entertainment use motives were associated with interpersonal interactions and message composition, as well as subsequent relational outcomes (i.e., closeness). A survey of 156 collegiate Snapchat users revealed that interpersonal and entertainment motives were significantly related to Snapchat behavior (Streak count and Streak Snaps, respectively) and relational closeness. However, those using Streaks for entertainment motives sent impersonal Snaps more frequently and reported lower relational closeness with their partner.

Content Moderation On Social Media: Social And Computational Standards And Implications, Mohit Singhal

Computer Science and Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Social media has become a powerful tool that reflects human communication's best and worst aspects. They allow individuals to freely express opinions, communicate with others, and learn about new stories. On the other hand, they have become fertile grounds for several forms of abuse, harassment, and the dissemination of misinformation. Social media platforms have established and employed content moderation to counteract the spread of abuse and misinformation.

Some critical challenges hinder the understanding of the social media content moderation ecosystem. This dissertation investigates various aspects of content moderation, including their coverage, fairness, and effectiveness. Firstly, it investigates how, in practice, …

Outpatient Fall Prevention In Ambulatory Adults 65 Years Old And Over, Dorothy L. Osborne-White

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects - Archive

Background: In the United States (U.S.), falls are the leading cause of injury among adults 65 and over, resulting in 36 million falls yearly (Moreland et al., 2020). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2023), one in four older adults experiences a fall each year. Falls are the world's second most prominent cause of accidental deaths (World Health Organization [WHO], 2021). Falls are the leading cause of both fatal and non-fatal injuries among older adults (Moreland et al., 2020).

Methods: A quality improvement project that included a fall bundle was implemented in a primary clinic. A …

Actionable Advocacy Journalism: Embracing Bias And Empowering Audiences With Calls To Action, Megan T. Schiffres

Richard T. Robertson School of Communication Student Scholarship

This thesis outlines the principles of actionable advocacy journalism, a new theoretical framework designed to empower audiences to take action in their communities. This framework proposes an update of journalistic ethics including the elimination of objectivity and demonstrates the positive impact of biased journalism on improving audience trust and strengthening community ties. It explores the historical roots of advocacy in journalism, examines the factors that led to the journalistic philosophy of objectivity, and explains its fundamental flaws. This thesis also outlines strategies for transforming news into a practical resource. These strategies combine the principles of solutions journalism with evidence-based persuasion …

Examining Social Media Utility In Television News Programming: A Case Study Of Urban Tv, Uganda., Vicent Musoke

Master of Arts in Digital Journalism

This study examined social media utility in television news programming using a case study of Urban TV, Uganda. It also provided an understanding of how television stations in the country integrate social media in their news programs by establishing social media utility in Urban Television’s news programs; assessing how Urban TV caters to its broadcast and social media audience in news programs, and exploring how Urban TV’s cross-platform utility caters to its social media audience in news programming. The study is anchored within the technology acceptance Model and uses in-depth interviews with Urban TV staff and direct observation of Urban …

Examining The Role And Implications Of Twitter On News Production In Ugandan Newsrooms: A Case Of Nation Media Group Uganda, Elizabeth Amongin

Master of Arts in Digital Journalism

Social Media, particularly Twitter, has increased and eased the news production process by enhancing sourcing, gathering, and distributing news content. This study examined the implications of applying or using witter in the news production process in Ugandan newsrooms. This study focused on Nation Media Group -Uganda (NMG-U) and the New Media Theory guided it. The study applied a qualitative study approach and indepth interviews to collect data from 22 journalists and editors who were purposely selected. The study used a case study design to establish the role of Twitter in news sourcing and the attribution of quotes This study found …

18. Framing Of The 2022 World Cup In Qatar By The Western Media., Wanyonyi Mildred

Master of Arts in Digital Journalism

Qatar became the first Arab and Muslim nation to host the FIFA World Cup in 2022. This study aims to analyse Western Media’s framing of the FIFA 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The study relies on framing theory, an extension of the agenda-setting theory that argues that the media is the key institution for framing and significantly shaping our perspectives on current events and issues. This study adopted a descriptive research framework and focused on news articles published by Western Media, including CNN, BBC, and The Guardian, spanning 48 days. The study adopts a quantitative methodology for data collection, with …

Digital Media And Democratization: The Role Of X In Promoting Participatory Democracy In Rwanda., Christophe Hitayezu

Master of Arts in Digital Journalism

Amidst the ever-evolving landscape of digital media's impact on democracy, this study explored the nuanced relationship between X and participatory democracy in Rwanda. Anchored on the Theory of Public Sphere and New Media Theory, this research shed light on the multifaceted interactions between citizens and politicians on X in Rwanda. By quantifying the interactions between politicians and citizens, finding out whether accountability mechanisms exist on the platform, and citizen-driven concerns; the study aimed to offer a comprehensive understanding of X's role in promoting participatory democracy in Rwanda. Situated within the Rwandan political context, this study gains significance as it navigates …

Digital Activism Through Humour And Satire: An Analysis Of The Use Of Tiktok And X For Political Accountability In Uganda., Shemei Agabo

Master of Arts in Digital Journalism

This study aimed to analyze the use of satire through TikTok and X networking sites as dialogue tools, specifically for political activism in Uganda. The study looked at the two communication platforms as avenues of expanding the civic space for the citizens, in a country faced with a lot of restrictions for legacy media and traditional online platforms. The study is significant because it analyzes how social media platforms can be used for political activism in a country like Uganda, ruled by stringent rules regarding speaking to power. The method of study was an exploratory study design and the qualitative …

Journalists Understanding And Coverage Of Extrajudicial Killings In Kenya., Susan Kendi Gitonga

Master of Arts in Digital Journalism

This study investigated the phenomenon of extrajudicial killings in Kenya by examining the journalists' understanding of the issue, the media framing of the articles, and the sourcing of the information. The news media, in its traditional role to inform and interpret, has the responsibility to provide the public with a balanced narrative on the issues that are of public interest, including deaths and killings of citizens. However, in the context of extrajudicial killings, the media’s role and significance have been tested due to the dilemma encountered. Journalists face challenges in their attempt to source for authoritative sources, especially in cases …

An Investigation Into The Female Correspondents' Experiences In The Media Industry In Kenya, Pili Chizi Chimerah

Master of Arts in Digital Journalism

Correspondents in the media organizations in Kenya face myriad challenges to remuneration, working conditions, and job security. These challenges have a direct effect on their performance at the workplace. Correspondents play a pivotal role in the success of media organizations, and research shows that they contribute about 80 percent of media content (Devex, 2022). Odhiambo (2002) states that correspondents are paid on retainers and sometimes need reasonable contracts, making them vulnerable. However, female correspondents face double challenges based on their gender. There is a gender bias in newsrooms, with male correspondents dominating (Selva & Andi, 2020). Often, female correspondents are …

Print Media Coverage Of Digital Land Registration In Kenya: A Case Of Daily Nation And Standard Newspapers., Olgah Aluoch Atellah

Master of Arts in Digital Journalism

Kenya's nascent digital land registration system has already captured the attention of the nation's print media. This study investigated how two prominent newspapers, The Daily Nation and The Standard, framed and presented this complex issue, potentially shaping public perception and influencing policy decisions. Key findings reveal a contrasting media landscape. While existing research explored media coverage of digital land registration elsewhere, understanding its portrayal within Kenya remained a critical gap. Anchored in Framing Theory and agenda-setting Theory, the study employed a strategic selection approach where months were strategically chosen based on their significance or key events because of the buildup …

Understanding The Effects Of Twitter Crisis Events On Brand Reputation: The Case Of Strathmore University And Kfc Kenya., Wambui Gachari

Master of Arts in Digital Journalism

An organisational crisis event on Twitter goes viral within a short period of time. Within that time, sentiments – either negative or positive – are produced through the tweets published as a result of conversations driven by Twitter users. Coverage done by legacy media further amplify the magnitude of organizational crisis events. These sentiments produces by Twitter users become instrumental in shaping the public perception of organisations. This study sought to determine how Twitter users frame crisis events and the subsequent influence on brand reputation of organisations under crisis. The Framing theory and Situational Crisis Communications theory offered insights into …

An Analysis Of The Use Of Whatsapp In The News-Making Process: A Case Of Bbc Africa., Maureen Nasimiyu Nyukuri

Master of Arts in Digital Journalism

This study analyses the use of WhatsApp in the newsroom at BBC Africa, with a particular focus on the experiences of journalists, critical success factors and challenges journalists face when using the app. This study was guided by three objectives: To examine the experience of journalists in the use of WhatsApp in the BBC Africa newsroom, to assess the critical factors in the adoption and use of WhatsApp in the BBC Africa newsroom and to explore the challenges that Journalists face when using WhatsApp in the BBC Africa newsroom. It was anchored on the technology acceptance theory (Davis, 1989) and …

An Investigation On Gender Perceptions In Credibility Of Male And Female News Anchors In Kenya., Ngumbau Maluti Musau

Master of Arts in Digital Journalism

The success and survival of media houses is based on viewership as informed on audience loyalty that is pegged on perceived credibility of the news items, news anchors and media houses. But, extent of credibility perception as influenced by gender under the gender disparity concept has not been assessed within the Kenyan media space; which forms the focus of this study. The main objective was to investigate gender perceptions in the credibility of male and female news anchors in Kenya. Specifically, the study assessed the perceived credibility of male news anchors in presenting hard news items in Kenya and examined …