Communication Studies Research
All Communication Studies students at Hamline University have the opportunity to engage in meaningful research. Every student completes a major senior research project as part of the major. Some students undertake more extensive projects, through pursuing Departmental Honors or engaging in Collaborative Research. Here we describe what is involved in undertaking Departmental Honors in Communication Studies, and we provide some examples of research undertaken by students.
Honors in Communication Studies
All junior Communication Studies majors who have a minimum GPA of 3.5 in major courses are invited to apply for the departmental honors program. The student undertaking honors identifies an area of interest in which to do independent research and discusses this with a faculty member in Communication Studies. Candidates for departmental honors must then complete an application form obtained from the department and submit it to the department for approval, no later than 14 months prior to expected graduation. If approved, the candidate will work closely with the departmental advisor to complete an independent research project, which will be documented in a written honors thesis and will be presented to an examination committee. If both the written thesis and oral examination are deemed worthy of honors, a copy of the thesis is bound and filed in the Hamline University Bush Library. Departmental Honors are awarded at graduation. Collaborative research projects may or may not be honors projects. All students complete a research project as part of their senior research seminar work.
Departmental Honors Research Projects
2008
Maura Youngman
Student Question-Asking Behavior in Co-educational versus Single-Sex Classrooms
2007
Ina Baum
40 Years of Labeling: German Public Discourse and the Turkish German Community (presented at the National Undergraduate Research Conference; presented at the University of St. Thomas Undergraduate Communication Research Conference, recipient of top paper award)
2005
Luisa Solorzano
Communication Apprehension Effects on Second Language Speakers
2004
Emily Edwards
A Communicative Analysis of Farmers' Symbolic Construction of Life on Small Family-Based Farms (presented at the Central States Communication Association Undergraduate Honors Conference, selected for the "top papers" panel)
2003
Bettina Heiss
Ethnic Identity Conflict in the New Country: Intergenerational War Narratives of German Americans (presented at the Central States Communication Association Undergraduate Honors Conference)
Leah Mennis
The Influence of Embedded Masculinity on Female Sport: Evidence and Implications for the Sporting Institution
2002
David Jopke
The Physician Patient Interaction: Communication Strategies for Maximizing the Treatment of Type-1 Diabetes
2000
Shawn Vogt
From Wrestling Ring to Governor's Mansion
Research Presented at National and Regional Conferences
2007
Trevor Maine
Video Game Aggression and Virtual Communication (presented at the University of St. Thomas Undergraduate Communication Research Conference)
2006
Christy Eriksen
Driving in Circles: A Case Study Analysis of the Road Conflict in Juneau, Alaska (presented at the National Communication Association Conference).
Amanda Gilbertson
The Centrifugal Force of Discourse (presented at the Central States Communication Association Undergraduate Honors Conference, and at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research)
2005
Emily Ament Communication factors in the doctor-patient relationship (presented at the Central States Communication Association Undergraduate Honors Conference; selected for the "top papers" panel)
Emily Anleu Mixed race Latinas: How do they describe their experiences concerning racial identity? (presented at the Central States Communication Association Undergraduate Honors Conference)
Collaborative Research and Top Senior Seminar Projects
2008
Matthew Perushek
Media and Candidate Image: An Analysis of Voting-Age Youth (collaborative research project)
Dominic Amegashitsi
Developing Intercultural Communication Skills: What are the kinds of skills people form outside the United States use to adapt to the way people communicate in Minnesota?
Elise Gust
Palliative Oncology Communication
Nikki Moen
Strategic Magazine Advertising Towards African-Americans and Latinos
Carly Morrish
Self-Presentation and Differentiation in Online Dating Personal Ads: GLBT vs. Heterosexual Strategies and Trends on Craigslist.com
Andrea Sogaard
Rhetorical Indicators of Leadership Style in the 2008 Democratic Presidential Primary
Jake Virden
"We Are Other": A feminist critique of Zapatista identity