Communication Masters Theses

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Browsing Communication Masters Theses by browse.metadata.program "Speech Communication"

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    Breaking Bad: Breaking Television's Limited Representations of Addiction
    (North Dakota State University, 2014) Jones, Michael Allan
    As a communication device, television helps cultivate a culture’s social reality. Yet, television sometimes advances flawed concepts in a social reality, particularly concerning addiction. Television appears to have cultivated limiting stereotypical concepts regarding the attitudes, thoughts, and action patterns characteristic of addicts. These stereotypes may hinder a person’s recovery. This analysis, therefore, examines narratives in AMC’s Breaking Bad to learn how the television series conceptualizes addiction. Combing Walter Fisher’s Narrative Paradigm with William Kirkwood’s Rhetoric of Possibility, it delineates an alternative narrative representation of addiction. It reveals limitations in stereotypically conceived representations of addiction, and shows coherent narratives supporting a more comprehensive concept of the term. Through the Fisher-Kirkwood lens, Breaking Bad may be seen as cultivating an enlightened conceptualization of addiction. In so doing, the television show’s cultural importance is established.
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    “It’s All About That Piece of Paper”: Vocational Anticipatory Socialization Messages Received by First Generation College Students
    (North Dakota State University, 2013) Adkisson, Hailey Anne
    The number of first-generation college students (FGCSs) attending four-year colleges/universities is on the rise. While numerous studies have examined descriptive characteristics of this growing population, few studies have examined why FGCSs choose to attend college. This study sought to tackle this question by conducting focus groups with thirty-five FGCSs. Participants were asked to identify sources of vocational anticipatory socialization (VAS) that were influential in their decision to pursue a college degree as well as the VAS messages they received from these sources. Focus group data revealed seven sources of VAS with parents being the number one source of VAS messages regarding higher education. Results also revealed five VAS message types, though messages referencing a perceived overall better quality of life were the most common. The findings show that FGCSs receive socializing messages from a variety of sources but parents maintain the greatest influence.
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    Life Coaching and VISTA Members: What is the Nature of Impact?
    (North Dakota State University, 2010) McGregor-Pfleger, Deborah
    Research related specifically to coaching has increased gradually over the past few years. Most of the research has revolved around executive coaching, and there are limited research studies about certified coaches. To date, there are no studies that specifically focus on the nature of impact of life coaching on VISTA members. In this study of a pilot project pairing life coaches with VISTA members, five VISTA members participated in in-depth semi-structured interviews and five VISTA members participated in a focus group. It is clear from the research data that the nature of impact included many areas including time management, conflict resolution skills, objective perspectives, core values and career exploration. In addition, the experience of having a life coach as a part of the VISTA member experience made it more manageable and enjoyable.