Pieces of evidence that illustrate engagement in communication inquiry:
1. COME 468 Mass Communication Theory: Final Research Proposal
This was my final project for Mass Communication Theory (one of my senior capstones). The course focused on exploring mass communication theory and research from a social scientific perspective. Using Leon Festinger’s social comparison theory as a guide, I propose a between-subjects experimental study that would investigate how exposure to Instagram posts that promote the use of weight-loss products influences college-aged women’s appearance comparison tendencies, body dissatisfaction, and dieting intentions. I hypothesize that participants who were exposed to Instagram posts promoting the use of weight-loss products posted by distant peers will report the highest levels of appearance comparison and that participants exposed to Instagram posts promoting the use of weight-loss products posted by distant peers or celebrities will report higher levels of body dissatisfaction and greater dieting intention than participants exposed to control Instagram posts.
2. COME 384 Communication Technology and Social Change: Tetrad Analysis Essay
I wrote this essay in my Communication Technology and Social Change course, during which I learned how news and social media influence culture, politics, commerce, identity, and relationships. In this essay, I apply Marshall McLuhan’s tetrad of media effects (also called the four effects model) to TalkSpace, an online and mobile platform designed to match users with licensed therapists.
3. COME 329 Political Communication: Final Paper
I wrote this paper during my Political Communication course. The class taught me how to critically analyze political messages, such as speeches, advertisements, and debates, using rhetorical theory and criticism. In this specific paper, I perform a rhetorical analysis of Barack Obama’s 2004 Democratic National Convention keynote address using two of Robert Rowland’s six rhetorical functions of narrative: narratives can be used to create an emotional response and narratives create identification. I also apply Rowland’s research about myth to Obama’s address.
4. COME 320: Crisis Communication: Image Repair Assessment Paper
This project was part of my Crisis Communication course, which predominantly focused on apologetic rhetoric, including William Benoit’s theory of image repair discourse and Joy Koesten and Robert Rowland’s research on the rhetoric of atonement. For my final paper, I decided to write an assessment of Ryan Lochte’s image repair efforts after he was accused of falsely reporting a crime during the 2016 Olympics in Brazil. I apply Benoit’s theory of image repair discourse throughout my analysis.
Pieces of evidence that illustrate the ability to create messages appropriate to the audience, purpose, and context:
1. COME 331 Gender and Media: Portfolio Poster Project
This poster is the culmination of a semester-long media analysis project I completed for my Gender and Media course. Throughout the semester, I analyzed 20 Rihanna music videos for gender stereotypes using Sex Role Perspective categories. Once my analysis was completed, I displayed my findings in a scientific poster format and presented the project to the class. This format allowed me to display my data in a concise, visual way that is easy for onlookers to engage with.
2. COME 329 Political Communication: Political Ad Assignment
I worked with a group of classmates to complete this project for my Political Communication course. The assignment required us to create our own 30-second political advertisement with a specific audience and argument in mind in order to better-conceptualize political messaging. My group made this ad, which is “endorsed” by Planned Parenthood and attacks President Trump’s inconsistent and destructive actions toward women’s health care. It primarily targets Democratic women and capitalizes on logos (logic), political inconsistency, and visual reinforcement.
3. COME 252 Writing for Media: Final Longform Story/Paper
I wrote this paper in my Writing for Media class. Since most of the course assignments were short news stories and brief broadcast scripts, this project was unique and challenging because of its long format. I decided to write a news story about the benefits and dangers of native advertising (advertisements that are designed to resemble editorial content) and even got to interview one of my professors about the subject along the way.
4. COME 222 Small Group Communication: Verbal Debate Project Script
The final project in my Small Group Communication course was a two-team debate about net neutrality. Before the debate, I was required to prepare brief, source-based affirmative and negative statements for each proposed proposition. I did not know what statements (affirmative or negative) I was going to present until my professor told me a few seconds after a new proposition was announced. This is part of the script I memorized.
Pieces of evidence that illustrate the ability to critically analyze messages:
1. COME 467 TV Criticism: Image & Sound Essay
I wrote this paper during TV Criticism (one of my senior capstones). The class helped me think critically about popular media messages, as well as the meanings television production techniques create. In this specific paper, I perform a production analysis on a scene from Locke & Key (a Netflix original horror drama series). I suggest a variety of production techniques, such as soft lighting, high-pitched instrumentals, and point-of-view shots, work together to create an extremely jarring and intense scene.
2. COME 384 Communication Technology and Social Change: Black Mirror Essay
This paper is a critical media analysis of Black Mirror, a popular British drama series that explores modern technological advancement and dependency. Using one episode of the series as a text, I argue that the show warns viewers about the permanence and replicability of online content, as well as social media’s tendency to foster unhealthy comparisons that can lead to a lack of relational intimacy. I wrote this paper for my Communication Technology and Social Change elective.
3. COME 384 Communication Technology and Social Change: Technological Psychosis Essay
In this paper (written for my Communication Technology and Social Change course), I analyze a Microsoft AI commercial using Kenneth Burke’s five-part dramatistic pentad. I suggest Microsoft’s AI technology is the narrative’s dominant agency and is what the commercial privileges the most. Because of this, I argue the commercial encourages what Burke called “technological psychosis” or “technological over-dependency,” which can be damaging if left unchecked.
4. COME 329 Political Communication: Final Paper
I wrote this paper during my Political Communication course. The class taught me how to critically analyze political messages, such as speeches, advertisements, and debates, using rhetorical theory and criticism. In this specific paper, I perform a rhetorical analysis of Barack Obama’s 2004 Democratic National Convention keynote address using two of Robert Rowland’s six rhetorical functions of narrative: narratives can be used to create an emotional response and narratives create identification. I also apply Rowland’s research about myth to Obama’s address.
