Undergrad Research Projects
Several Department of Communication professors work with undergraduate students on research projects on a regular basis. Below are some samples of the research, past and present, in which our faculty and undergraduates have collaborated.
Professor William ThompsonPapers presented by students at a National Conference
- Nick Browning: A co-orientational analysis to guide advertising targeting decisions
- Adam Eisenberg: Assessing a service organization's representation of its service area: An analysis using Census Bureau statistics
- Katie Foster: Matching media relations to institutional service areas: A plan for a non-profit's heightened awareness
- Anne Murphy: Coordinating institutional sponsorships and marketing objectives: The case of a sports medicine complex
- Nick Browning: Employing radio frequency identification data to guide an art museum's marketing and development programs
- Shannon Fischer: Transforming a minor league baseball club's marketing strategy through universal product code technology
Articles/Papers with undergraduate students:
- Dsilva, M.U., Maddox, M., & Collins, B. (1998). Criticism on the Internet: An analysis of participant reactions. Communication Research Reports, 15, 2, 181-188. (D)
- Dsilva, M. U., & Whyte, L. O. (1998). Cultural differences in conflict styles: Vietnamese refugees and established residents. The Howard Journal of Communications, 9, 57-68.
- Dsilva, M.U., Whyte, L. & Mudd, S.B. (1996, February). Cultural differences in conflict styles: Vietnamese refugees and established residents. Paper presented at the annual convention of the International & Intercultural Communication Association, Miami.
Recent Honors Theses::
- Amy Eklund, "International News at Home and Abroad: A Comparison of Newspapers in Louisville, Kentucky and Quito, Ecuador" (1996)
- Brandice Robinson, "The Uses and Perceived Effects of Religious Bumper Stickers" (2002)
- Carrie Ann Weil, "Reporting the 1988 Carrollton Bus Crash" (2000; winner of that year's Library Associates' Madeline and Dario Covi Award for Academic Excellence).
Current research projects with Deborah Mudd, Randi Newman, and Jennifer Kessler:
- A longitudinal study, which includes observation of couples' interaction, of the impact of social allergies and enrichments on dating relationship satisfaction and stability.
- A computerized questionnaire study on the relation of Attraction Style (Partner, Player, Parasite, Predator) to romantic ideals, and relationship initiation tactics.
- A meta-analysis of 120 studies on male and female similarities and differences in the qualities sought in long-term and short-term romantic relationships.
Currentreearch projects:
- Randy Bass, Brian Olbertz, Samee Burgess, Renee Flaherty, Jeff Knop( are preparing 3 international health campaigns for Belize, directing the PR for the International Service Learnging program, and researching the cutlural health beliefs for the country of Belize. 2002-2003
- Suzanne Eastman and Colin Blake helped collect and code data for "The Dissemnation of Health Information in Tom Green's Cancer Special" 2001.
- Randi Neuman, Correna Philhower, David Shaw and Valerie Pacanowski "Dating in Later Life". Paper presented at the Southern States Communication Association Conference, 2002.
- Correna Philhower, "Back in the Saddle Again: Exploratory Look at Dating in Later Life". Paper under review. 2002.
Current research project:
- Working with Nik Slaughter (2002) on a project examining acclaiming discourse, especially the success stories of athletes.
Current research project:
- Each of the following students is working on a different project under the
heading of "Communication Surrounding Being Single" 2002-2003
Ivy Ho, Correna Philhower - Being single and have a chronic illness
Randi Neuman - Divorced men and women
Jennifer Fleck, Sarah Nave - Conflicting Messages of Parental and Peer Groups for Traditional Age College Students
Courtney Woods -
Gordan Lamb - Being Single in Mid Life
Lettie Jo Bailey- African American Women
Mathew Childress - Being Single in the Homosexual Community