Speech and Rhetorical Studies Commons^™

Ancestral Pursuits: A Multicultural Celebration Of Identity & Race, Charlotte Cates Castro

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Using critical historical rhetorical methods along with critical race and decolonial theory, this project situates ancestral pursuits as a communication-centered discursive formation by investigating the rhetorical strategies modern biotech and genealogy companies utilize to influence contemporary discourse around identity and belonging and narrate ethnicity and genealogy as acts of consumption. Through direct-to-consumer DNA testing and complimentary services, modern day biotech and genealogy companies like Ancestry and 23andMe market personalized insights into ancestry, genealogy, inherited traits, and health data that promise to connect users to their past, as well as to situate them in present-day society, through a deeper understanding of …

Self-Deceive And Conquer: A Rhetoric Of Cunning, David Manuel Cajias

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this investigation is to determine the role that self-deception plays in helping demagogues deceive or manipulate their audiences while remaining unaccountable. I will examine the ways in which self-deception aids demagogues and other unethical rhetoricians compellingly present their deceptive belief systems. This is done in a way that their beliefs are only unconsciously known to be false, inaccurate, or incomplete. As this knowledge is subconsciously stored and concealed from the demagogue’s conscience, I will argue that self-deception is the missing piece in the puzzle that is demagoguery.

Demagogic rhetoric has recently experienced a revival due to the …

Controversy, Coverage And Cancel Culture: The Daily Mississippian's Reporting Of The 2018 Ed Meek Controversy, And Related Findings, Mason Thomas Scioneaux

Honors Theses

As this thesis reflects a body of work completed by a journalism student near the conclusion of a journalism education at the University of Mississippi, I approached research and writing in that way. I interviewed three people, for an hour each, and the things I learned in those interviews greatly affected the conclusions I reached with this thesis. My full transcripts from those interviews are located in Appendices A-C. I also did a lot of scouring through articles of The Daily Mississippian from fall 2018 and otherwise; I looked at every single edition of the paper from that semester, both …

Navigating Conversations Of Environmentalism On Social Media: From The Apocalyptic To The Aesthetic, Megan Provenzale

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

This project examines environmental discourse and rhetorical appeals used on Instagram by environmental influencers and addresses the lack of scholarship about social mobile commerce, Instagram, and the popularity of “eco-influencers.” My research applies post-composition studies, circulation, and visual rhetoric to two eco-influencers, Greta Thunberg (@gretathunbeerg) and Jessica Clifton (@impactforgood). I argue that Thunberg and Clifton employ aesthetic and apocalyptic rhetoric to educate and communicate with their following about reducing their carbon footprint and reversing climate change. By collecting three months of Instagram posts employed by each influencer, I identify patterns related to environmentalism, stylistic choices in captions, and presentation of …

Pandemic Pandemonium Speech Assignment, Cynthia Rostankowski

All Assignment Prompts

No abstract provided.

Kentucky Speech Arts Association (Mss 717), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Collection 717. Minutes, 1931-1962, and associated records (correspondence, membership lists, program notices, and financial data) of the Kentucky Speech Arts Association, first organized as The Kentucky Association of Teachers of Speech.

Mapping Meaning At The Crossroads Of Crisis: Narratives Of Renewal In The Midst Of The Opioid Epidemic, Preston Carmack

Graduate Student Research Symposium

This study explores the role of meaning in a crisis situation by using Viktor Frankl’s tripod of meaning and Matthew Seeger and Timothy Sellnow’s narratives of renewal. Drawing from focus groups conducted in a large mid-Atlantic city where community members are embedded in the middle of the opioid crisis, the findings suggest that resiliency in the face of crisis can be encouraged to take root through a mapping of meaning that highlights gratitude and responsibility.

Call For Manuscripts

Basic Communication Course Annual

No abstract provided.

Looking Forward To Meet Needs: A Response To Edwards; Frey, Tatum, And Cooper; And Prentiss, Jon A. Hess

Basic Communication Course Annual

The essays you have just read offer valuable insights into the matter of matching communication knowledge and skills with employer needs. This topic is one of the more important issues facing the academy at present. Higher education in America is currently undergoing seismic shifts (Bok, 2013; Crow & Dabars, 2015). The model of higher education we have been developing since the late 1800s has served us well for over a century. But that model was developed to transition higher education from developing teachers and clergy to supporting broader societal needs of the Industrial Age (Davidson, 2017). With a very different …

Our Basic Course And Communication Skills Training: The Time For Innovation Is Now (Yes, Even In A Pandemic), Suzy Prentiss

Basic Communication Course Annual

Our basic communication courses have always been important for our students. COVID-19 presents us with many challenges as well as opportunities for innovation and reflection. We can now heed the call offered by Joyce et al. in 2019 to match the skills most in demand with those we teach and infuse intentionality and value throughout our courses. As we pivot to online education and digital communication, how can we craft the basic course to provide effective communication skills training in engaging, empowering and impactful ways?

Using The Basic Course To Prepare Digital Natives For New Role As Reverse Mentors, T. Kody Frey, Nicholas T. Tatum, Troy B. Cooper

Basic Communication Course Annual

When Millennials began to enter the workforce in the mid-2000s, employers struggled to engage this indecisive group (i.e., job-hoppers). At the same time, they also battled the threat of a labor shortage due to the impending retirement of an aging baby-boomer workforce (Chaudhuri & Ghosh, 2012). Organizations began to combat both issues by embracing intergenerational learning programs focused on the strengths of each group (Gerpott et al., 2017; Greengard, 2002). One strategy that has proved valuable in popular press and among companies, although fairly absent from academic literature (Kaše et al., 2019; McCann, 2017), is reverse mentoring.

From Ted Talks To Tiktok: Teaching Digital Communication To Match Student Skills With Employer Desires, Ashley A. Hanna Edwards

Basic Communication Course Annual

Digital communication provides an important opportunity for the basic communication course (BCC) to match student skills to employer desires and enhance our curriculum in ways that match our essential competencies. This essay argues that digital communication can be public speaking and incorporating it into the BCC will enhance our ability to meet our core competencies and equip students with the skills employers seek. This recommendation is timely and critical due to the cultural shift of the COVID-19 pandemic and an increased community focus on the merits and costs of digital communication. Incorporating digital communication is essential to the continued relevance …

Basic Course Forum: Section Introduction

Basic Communication Course Annual

No abstract provided.

Managing Graduate Teaching Assistant Misbehaviors: Perspectives Of Basic Course Directors From The Front Porch, Michelle Hershberger

Basic Communication Course Annual

This study explores basic course directors’ (BCDs) perceptions of graduate teaching assistant (GTA) misbehaviors in introductory communication courses. BCDs (N = 30) responded to questions about GTA misbehaviors observed in their roles. BCDs were asked why they perceived communicative acts as misbehaviors, how they managed them, and what they did to proactively address them. Utilizing thematic analysis, participants indicated indolence as the most frequently occurring misbehavior, followed by incompetence and offensiveness. Six categories emerged for why behaviors and actions were perceived as misbehaviors. In response to how GTA misbehaviors were managed, six categories emerged. Five categories emerged for how misbehaviors …

Vocal Fillers, Contagion Effects, And, Um, Overlooked Pedagogical Opportunities In The, Uh, Public Speaking Classroom, W. Benjamin Myers, Theresa A. Wadkins

Basic Communication Course Annual

The current study explores the relationship between social contagion and vocal fillers. An experiment was conducted in which 100 students presented speeches. Prior to presenting their speech, half of the students were exposed to a speech with excessive vocal fillers and half were exposed to a speech with no vocal fillers. Students who heard a speech with excessive vocal fillers used more vocal fillers in their own speech. Students were unaware of this transmission, which further demonstrates the example of social contagion. Social contagion highlights the presence of linguistic communities in public speaking classrooms. The study then provides a review …

Teacher Immediacy Behaviors And Students’ Public Speaking Anxiety: More And Less Helpful Than Anticipated, Beau Foutz, Michelle Violanti, Stephanie Kelly, Suzanne Marie Prentiss

Basic Communication Course Annual

Public speaking anxiety inhibits students in the basic course classroom, whether face-to-face, hybrid or online, and beyond. Equipping instructors with the tools necessary to empower students to manage that anxiety and excel in their basic communication course is a goal of scholars and practitioners. In this study, the researchers examine applying and testing a math anxiety model (i.e., Kelly at al., 2015) to the challenge of public speaking anxiety. We expanded the original model by examining instructor verbal immediate behaviors alongside their nonverbal immediate behaviors. We also tested the Instructional Beliefs Model (IBM; Weber et al., 2011), which indicates that …

Thriving Instead Of Surviving: The Role Of The Reasoned Action Model In Assessing The Basic Course, Michael E. Burns, Kristen L. Farris, Mark Paz, Sean Dyhre

Basic Communication Course Annual

The current study investigates the use of the reasoned action model (Fishbein & Ajzen, 2010) as an assessment tool for the basic communication course. Specifically, this study examines how attitude towards behaviors, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control influence students’ behavioral intentions to use communication behaviors taught in the basic course outside of class. In addition to the stated variables in the reasoned action model, this study also examines how knowledge gain influences behavioral intention. Data was collected from 2,228 students enrolled in a basic communication course at a large southwestern university, and a random sample of 666 students was …

Regulatory Fit Explains Students’ Emotional Responses To Graded Speech Assignments, Chris R. Sawyer, Delwin E. Richey, Karley A. Goen

Basic Communication Course Annual

Students’ emotional responses often provide valuable indicators of whether they are languishing or flourishing in their first-year classes, including introductory communication courses. Grading often exerts a strong influence on students’ emotions. However, though students generally have positive moods after receiving high marks and negative ones when their grades are low, the intensity of these responses varies considerably. The current study examines whether Higgins’ (2012) regulatory fit theory accounts for students’ differing moods after receiving grades on introductory speech assignments. According to this perspective, prevention focus students use vigilance to avoid adverse outcomes. Thus, low evaluations provide a regulatory fit for …

A 14-Year Empirical Analysis Of Undergraduates’ Pre- And Post-Test Scores In Three Introductory Communication Courses: Lessons Learned For Pedagogy And Assessment, Sherwyn P. Morreale, Pamela S. Shockley-Zalabak, Barbara Gaddis, Janice Thorpe M.A., Constance M. Staley, Erica Allgood

Basic Communication Course Annual

Conducting long-term assessment of the impact of students’ participation in introductory communication courses is an important endeavor for enhancing pedagogy and understanding the contribution of communication instruction to the student experience. This 14-year study reports data from a campus-wide assessment program extending from 2004 to 2018. The study analyzed a large sample of undergraduate students’ self-reported pre- and post-test scores on critical variables related to student outcomes in three introductory communication courses. The variables examined were demographic characteristics, self-esteem and communication apprehension in both the public speaking course and the business communication course, and self-esteem and willingness to communicate in …

‘Public Speaking Is A Skill That Everyone Needs No Matter What’: Exploring Peer Perceptions Toward Students On The Autism Spectrum In Basic Course Classrooms, Jill C. Underhill, Victoria Ledford, Hillary M. Adams

Basic Communication Course Annual

The interactive nature of basic communication courses creates an ideal environment for students to form connections with their peers. Unfortunately, when students on the autism spectrum display atypical communication and behaviors, their classmates often reject and isolate them. Basic course programs can change these social dynamics through building connected classrooms and proactively fostering inclusion. Understanding peer perceptions and willingness to engage with autistic students is necessary, as peers play a central role in creating connected classrooms. This investigation explores basic communication course peers’ knowledge of how autism can influence students; peer perceptions of full inclusion of students on the autism …

The Impact Of Communication Center Visits On Students’ Performance And Engagement, Nate S. Brophy, Adebanke Loveth Adebayo, Melissa A. Broeckelman-Post

Basic Communication Course Annual

This study sought to empirically evaluate the extent to which visiting the communication center before delivering the first major speech in an introductory communication course improved students’ academic performance and engagement. A total of 262 students were included in this study, half of whom visited the communication center prior to their first speech, and half of whom did not. Between-subjects MANOVAs showed that students who visited the communication center had significantly higher speech grades, course grades, and attendance than students who did not. Likewise, those who visited the communication center also had higher levels of behavioral and cognitive engagement, but …

Student Perceptions Of Value: A Qualitative Study Of Student Experiences In The Communication Center, Briana M. Stewart, Andie Malterud, Heidi Y. Lawrence, Melissa A. Broeckelman-Post

Basic Communication Course Annual

The goal of this study was to understand student experiences in and perceptions of a new communication center. Researchers conducted 22 semi-structured qualitative interviews with students who visited the communication center and conducted a thematic analysis of the interview transcripts. Overall, the findings suggest that students had positive experiences and indicated some areas for future development. The primary value of communication center lies in the knowledge and perceived credibility of the coaches. The communication center also serves as a unique site for addressing communication apprehension and helping students transfer communication skills to other contexts. To continue to develop, additional resources …

Critical Pedagogy Of Preparation: Structuring Best Practices For Introductory Course Relevance, Daniel M. Chick

Basic Communication Course Annual

In this article, I argue that the public speaking introductory course should follow a pedagogy of preparation. A pedagogy of preparation develops within students a toolkit that has become increasingly necessary for them to become active, compassionate citizens, and to understand what social pressures impact that perception, through the moral and ethical framework of critical communication pedagogy (CCP). To make this case, I propose a theory which structures and legitimizes many existing introductory course practices and, in so doing, articulate a clear narrative of the introductory course’s relevance to students, faculty, and the university. I also outline three goals of …

The Neutrality Myth: Integrating Critical Media Literacy Into The Introductory Communication Course, Meggie Mapes, Lindsey Kraus, Elnaz Parviz, Joshua Morgan

Basic Communication Course Annual

Our current cultural moment requires reflective urgency. COVID-19 has forced a collective pedagogical confrontation with new media’s materiality, and how such materiality intersects with, for example, the public speaking traditions within introductory communication courses. While COVID-19 has spotlighted online-only educational conversations, our disciplinary need to refocus new media introductory course curricular practices pre-dates the pandemic. This essay extends Rhonda Hammer’s (2009) critical media literacy framework into the introductory course, a practice whereby students are empowered to “read, critique, and produce media” rather than be passive consumers. We explore critical media literacy as pedagogically fruitful in identifying and resisting dominant ideologies …

Research Articles: Section Introduction

Basic Communication Course Annual

No abstract provided.

Editor's Page, Brandi N. Frisby

Basic Communication Course Annual

No abstract provided.

Front Cover, Title Page, Contents, Editorial Board

Basic Communication Course Annual

No abstract provided.

Questions Of Professional Practice And Reporting On State Secrets: Glenn Greenwald And The Nsa Leaks, Rebecca M. Rice

Secrecy and Society

In 2013, journalist Glenn Greenwald met with Edward Snowden, who leaked the most documents in the history of the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA). Greenwald reported on these documents and proved that the NSA spied on millions of American citizens. However, he also provided commentary about the state of journalism and argued that journalists are often complicit in the keeping of state secrets. Using a rhetorical analysis of Greenwald's writings in The Guardian and his later book, this essay argues that journalists function as a technical audience that debates professional standards for leaking secrets. In Greenwald's case, journalists were …

The Occurrence Of Fluency Disorders In Individuals With Down Syndrome And Autism Spectrum Disorders, Julia Thomas

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Including a comprehensive literature review of research studies in fluency disorders, this project will aim to observe how stuttering and fluency disorders affects individuals with Down Syndrome and Autism Spectrum Disorders. The literature reviews will include case studies where the goal was to add techniques to everyday speech which reduced the overall occurrence of stuttering behavior and the negative psychosocial impacts on the individuals in the case studies. After thorough review of the case studies and other related literature, two surveys will be developed for possible administration to caretakers for people with Down Syndrome and Autism Spectrum Disorders who stutter …

The Promotion Of Social Awakening Through The Speech Of Lewis Richardson: A Metaphorical Lens That Is Echoed Today, Suha Mohammed

International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference

This analysis will illustrate how a journey through the lens of metaphorical criticism can openly display the hardships, life, and reality of past African American voices, as their stories echo through the rhetor, Lewis Richardson. An examination of a striking speech that speaks volumes, recited by Lewis Richardson, will unravel the depth in imagery, interpretation, and symbolism from an application of a metaphorical critical lens that tells a story that just keeps getting louder and louder as it grows unheard. “When metaphor is seen as a way of knowing the world, it plays a particular role in argumentation” [8]. This …