Speech and Rhetorical Studies Commons^™

Drone-Assisted Emergency Communications, Di Wu

Dissertations

Drone-mounted base stations (DBSs) have been proposed to extend coverage and improve communications between mobile users (MUs) and their corresponding macro base stations (MBSs). Different from the base stations on the ground, DBSs can flexibly fly over and close to MUs to establish a better vantage for communications. Thus, the pathloss between a DBS and an MU can be much smaller than that between the MU and MBS. In addition, by hovering in the air, the DBS can likely establish a Line-of-Sight link to the MBS. DBSs can be leveraged to recover communications in a large natural disaster struck area …

When Old Issues Call Forth A New People: A Constitutive Rhetorical Analysis Of Black Liberation Manifestos, Ian Summers

Annual Research Symposium of the College of Communication and Information

While much rhetorical research has been dedicated to social movements, not as much scholarship has examined the manifesto texts that form the rhetorical basis for said movements. This essay analyzes whether related rhetorical forms exist across multiple manifesto discourses, specifically elements of constitutive rhetoric, through the study of the UNIA and Black Panther Party’s manifestos. Although the scope of this particular inquiry is too narrow to provide a definitive conclusion, it appears constitutive elements recur enough across black liberation discourses to warrant further discussion on whether manifestos ought to be considered as a separate rhetorical genre.

Lady Problems: A Study On The Effect Of Perceived Femininity When Evaluating Female Presidential Candidates, Mackenzie O. Marquess

Communication Theses

There is currently an observable gender gap associated with political leadership. Though many have tried, no woman has successfully campaigned for the presidency. Historically, media coverage of female candidates is vastly different from coverage of their male counterparts and it is well established that the media has significant control over public perception of candidates. This study examines media coverage of female candidates in an attempt to understand the rhetoric that consistently positions women as unelectable regardless of their experience or political prowess. This study analyzes post-debate commentary from the first Democratic presidential debate of the 2020 election beginning on June …

Survivor: An Analysis Of The Term From India, Pravin Patkar

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

This article discusses the need for greater conceptual clarity of the term survivor. It raises questions about the propriety of the term to refer to the victims of sex trafficking. It points out that in the Indian context, the term victim is legally and operationally defined. It cautions against the hasty incorporation of the term survivor into public policies addressing the trafficked victims' problems. Different social platforms use the term survivor differently, and the difference is not nominal. The use of the term survivor is both casual as well as intentional. The term survivor trivializes the exploitation and makes invisible …

Assimilating Through Consumption: A Rhetorical History Of The Early Years Of The Advocate, Cora Beth Butcher-Spellman

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis uses analysis of constitutive rhetoric and queer archival methods to examines how The Advocate used assimilationist rhetoric and consumerist rhetoric in fundamentally anti-democratic ways to consolidate the form of ideal gay consumer-citizenship. Focusing on the first three years of the publication, I utilize queer theory and theories of citizenship and political economy to explain how The Advocate’s rhetoric and mainstream success allowed the publication to normalize a limited and politically weak gay identity. This thesis argues The Advocate’s rhetoric of exclusion, authority, and consumerism were three central features shaping ideal gay consumer-citizenship as most available to people who …

Navigating Hate: The Public Deliberation Of Matthew Shepard And Hate Crime Legislation, Abigail Barnes

Master's Theses

Since Matthew Shepard’s murder in 1998, his narrative has been recirculated to justify a federal hate crime statute and Shepard has been used as a symbol for the demand for hate crime legislation. This study seeks to evaluate how Shepard is used in public deliberation, the role of private organizations in the public deliberation of hate crime legislation, and the discursive history of the Shepard-Byrd Hate Crime Prevention Act of 2009. Through a rhetorical criticism, this study finds that the nuances of Shepard’s narrative are abandoned in order to construct him as a “permissible” symbol for LGBTQ+ protections. However, if …

Limited Preparation And Accessibility: Rethinking Some Conversations In Limited Prep Events For 2020/2021

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Presentation on the Limited Preparation event and accessibility.

Forensics Code Of Student Conduct

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Example of a forensics code of conduct.

Smsu Forensics Team Handbook & Policies 2018-2019

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Handbook and policies from Southwest Minnesota State University's forensics program.

Niu Forensics Code Of Conduct

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Code of Conduct from Northern Illinois University Forensics program.

Lafayette Forensics Standards And Policies, Scott Placke, John Boyer, Simon Center

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Standards and policies from the Lafayette Forensics Society at Lafayette College.

Hastings College Bronco Forensics Team 2018-2019

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Handbook from Hastings College's 2018-2019 Bronco Forensic Team.

Navigating The Digital Divide, Dawn Lowry

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Dawn Lowry (George Mason University) talks about how we are essentially switching from an interpersonal medium to a mass medium. Coaches and competitors should have equal access to the visual vocabulary that society has learned through a lifetime of exposure to mass media.

Online Tournaments And Speechwire: The Show Goes On, Ben Stewart

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Ben Stewart (SpeechWire) details the various ways that people have administered online contests on SpeechWire, and ideas for the future regarding online contests.

Asynchronous Tournaments: A Resource For Now And The Future, Erick Roebuck, Jared Kubicka-Miller

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Erick Roebuck and Jared Kubicka-Miller (SEARK College and Santiago Canyon College) share their experience with an asynchronous tournament hosted with the organization, protocommunications.com. Additionally, they will propose a possible season format for asynchronous competition that can begin immediately or after the pandemic.

Lessons Learned From The 2020 National Online Collegiate Forensics Festival, Danny Cantrell

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Danny Cantrel (Mt. San Antonio College) will provide the resources and discuss the process of hosting the 2020 festival online.

Becoming A Virtual Host: How To Run An Online Tournament, Brandon Johnson

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Brandon Johnson (Cornell University) covers the basics for creating an online tournament and hosting site. He also talks about best practices for how to make the experience accessible to students and judges. He will discuss the differences between preparing for an in person tournament vs. an online tournament.

Improving Extemp Within Collegiate Forensics, Samantha Burke

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Samantha Burke (Hastings College) speaks about research conducted regarding the experience of extemp speaking in collegiate forensics, suggestions are provided on how to improve the tournament experience for students in extemp.

Listening To The Question: Is Forensics Accessible And Accountable To Minority And Disenfranchised Communities?, Nathan Carter

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

This brief presentation asserts that the leaders and tournament directors of the forensics community must do better! Based on the data collected, the answer to the title question is a resounding NO! This guide which touches on the state of accessibility and accountability in the activity is based on countless interviews with students of color and students from the LGBTQ community who experienced insults, discrimination and purposeful silencing. As a mixed-race man, I've also experienced these things throughout my tenure in the forensics community as a competitor, coach and DOF. My perspective on this matter is deeply personal but I …

Morale And Motivation: Nurturing Team Cohesion During Covid-19, Kittie Grace, Austin Mcdonald

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Virtual connection takes more energy and commitment than face-to-face connections. Degges-White (2020) found, “you are likely to feel a kind of exhaustion from that screen time that's unlike the exhaustion you’d feel from an hour at the gym. Even extroverts can feel worn down by the ‘high-intensity virtual connection’” (para. 4). Forensics teams are not immune to this exhaustion and therefore coaches and teammates have to be intentional with providing opportunities for connection to strengthen team survival. Through a survey of our team, with 100% participation, we were able to assess the needs of the individual student and provide opportunities …

Nfa Wellness Menu, National Forensic Association

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

NFA wellness handout

And The Awards Goes To...Award Ceremonies In A Time Of Social Distancing, Jay Bourne

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

This virus is novel, new, and we are discovering more about it every day. There are numerous moving parts and elements to in person tournaments. Yet among them, perhaps none appear more complicated currently than opening ceremonies and award ceremonies. The easiest thing to do regarding opening ceremonies would be to eliminate them currently, and offer needed info online to participants, coaches and judges.

Awards ceremonies are significant for teams and competitors, and in an age of increasing pressure of team budgets, one of the metrics (rightly or wrongly) used to evaluate program success. With that in mind here is …

Coming Together: Exploring Peer Verbal Abuse And Combating Conflict, Elizabeth Hansen

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Elizabeth Hansen (Hastings College) will provide an outline for a protection policy that students can adopt into their team handbooks. The handout will provide common themes of verbal abuse, an established system towards ending verbal abuse, and ways coaches can support students.

Competitive And Collaborative Options For Forensic Programs, Jay Bourne

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Jay Bourne (University of the Cumberlands) will explore options used for debate tournaments in the past, collaboration options both on campus and on other campuses, and program options with other teams and organizations.

Reshaping & Expanding Our Mission As A Co-Curricular Activity In The Time Of Covid-19, Matt Dupuis, Judy Santacaterina

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Judy Santacaterina and Matt Dupuis (Northern Illinois University) will present a written report with some strategies to "pivot" our programs and include valuable experiences outside the competitive arena.

Four Forensic Families Stand In Solidarity

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Statement on equality, accessibility and accountability in the forensic community.

Introduction And Overview, Karen Morris

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Introduction and overview of the Sixth National Development Conference on Individual Events, June 19-20, 2020, hosted online by Illinois State University.

Table Of Contents For The Sixth National Developmental Conference On Individual Events, Karen Morris

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Table of contents for the Sixth National Developmental Conference on Individual Events, June 19-20, hosted online by Illinois State University.

Proceedings Of The Sixth National Developmental Conference On Individual Events, Karen Morris

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

The June 19-20 National Developmental Conference (NDC) on Individual Events (IE) was a series of free zoom webinars sponsored in a joint effort by AFA-NST, NFA, PKD, and PRP. The overall goal of the conference was to work together to set shared standards for the upcoming 2020-2021 season because of the uncertain times for intercollegiate forensics. The conference provided a collaborative space for the forensic community to discuss best and promising practices.

Prior to the conference, the NDC-IE planning committee sponsored a COVID-19 Coaches Webinar on May 1st, 2020. The recordings of the sessions by AFA-NST, NFA, PKD, and PRP …

Closing Conference Remarks

Proceedings of the National Developmental Conference on Individual Events

Closing remarks for the First Developmental Conference on Individual Events.