Master's Thesis Topics

2019 Graduates

Master’s Student: Jared Jensen

Thesis Supervisor: Dr. Joshua Barbour (Organizational Comm and Technology)
Time and Temporality as Authoritative Forces in a Busy Organization ​
 

Master’s Student: Jing Li

Report Supervisor: Dr. Madeline Maxwell (Interpersonal)
Mediators' Strategies for a Successful Mediation: A Literature Review of Conflict Mediation
 

Master’s Student: Carolyn Montagnolo

Thesis Supervisor: Dr. Matt McGlonel (Interpersonal)
The Effects of Person-First Language on Attributions about People with Substance Use Disorders
 
 

Master’s Student: Shelbey Rolison

Thesis Supervisor: Dr. Joshua Barbour (Organizational Comm and Technology)
Ambiguous Artifacts: Exploring Sensemaking Towards Organizational Identification​
 
 

Master’s Student: Darby Scott

Thesis Supervisor: Dr. Rene Dailey (Interpersonal)
The Role of Authority on Emotional Disclosure Within Sibling Relationships
 

2018 Graduates

Master’s Student: Ryan Crace

Thesis Supervisor: Dr. Joshua Barbour (Organizational Comm and Technology)
Evaluating a Safety Campaign as a Form of Renewal
 
 

Master’s Student: Anastazja Harris

Thesis Supervisor: Dr. Joshua Barbour (Organizational Comm and Technology)
Communication during the Selection Interview: A Structured Review​
 
 

Master’s Student: Rachel Lloyd

Thesis Supervisor: Dr. Anita Vangelisti (Interpersonal)
Moral Conflict in Marriage

 

 

 

2016 Graduates

Master’s Student: Ana Aguilar

Thesis Supervisor: Dr. Dawna Ballard (Organizational Comm and Technology)
Time To Ride: Time As Central To The Creation And Maintenance Of Shaded Organizations

Master’s Student: Diana Biffl

Thesis Supervisor: Dr. Jeff Treem (Organizational Comm and Technology)
What's The Cool Thing To Do Here?: Navigating Uncertainty By Engaging Social Media Professionals

Master’s Student: Kyle Kearns

Thesis Supervisor: Dr. Matt McGlone (Interpersonal Communication)
Unsolicited Confession Of Deception In Romantic Relationships

Master’s Student: Claire Schneider

Thesis Supervisor: Dr. Brenda Berkelaar (Organizational Comm and Technology)
The Purposes Of Workplace Benefits: A Qualitative Study Of Workers' Perceptions Of Work Perks In Tech And Non-Tech Industries

Master’s Student: Keri Anne Thompson

Thesis Supervisor: Dr. Sharon Jarvis (Rhetoric & Language)
Candidate Personal Brands: A Review of The Literature and Paths for Future Inquiry

2015 Graduates

Master’s Student: Max Baryshevtsev

Thesis Supervisor: Dr. Matt McGlone (Interpersonal Communication)
Interrogation Outcomes And Linguistic Style Matching

Master’s Student: Arielle Cardona

Thesis Supervisor: Dr. Talia Stroud (Rhetoric & Language)
Vitriolic Voices: Political Candidates And The Incivility Gender Gap Online

Master’s Student: Chih-Hao Chen

Report Supervisor:  Dr. Keri Stephens (Organizational Comm and Technology)
Organizational Identification In Sports Contexts: A Review Of The Literature On Social Media, Psychological States, And Consumption

Master's Student:  Melissa Dalton

Thesis Supervisor:  Dr. Jürgen Streeck (Rhetoric & Language)
Imagining the Scenario:  Emergency Training Simulations and Action

Master’s Student: Emily Ford

Thesis Supervisor:  Dr. Dawna Ballard (Organizational Comm and Technology)
Government At Work: Temporal Communication Design Through Genres

Master's Student:  Ben Gaddis

Thesis Supervisor:  Dr. Scott Stroud (Rhetoric & Language)
Returning Civil Religious Rhetoric To American Political Participation

Master’s Student: Gabriel Pantoja

Thesis Supervisor:  Dr. Keri Stephens (Organizational Comm and Technology)
Students And Their Mobile Devices: Using Learning Motivations To Predict Specfic Types Of Multicommunicating In Class

Master’s Student: Ashley Perez

Thesis Supervisor:  Dr. Rene Dailey (Interpersonal Communication)
Communication Aggression In Relationships: Examining Differences Between Cyclical And Non-Cyclical Relationships

Master’s Student: Maddie Redlick

Thesis Supervisor:  Dr. Anita Vangelisti (Interpersonal Communication)
Love Me True: Deception, Affection, And Evolutionary Strategies Of Human Mating

2014 Graduates

Master’s Student: Shannon Hicks

Thesis Supervisor:  Dr.  (Rhetoric & Language)
Reality Tv's "Queen Of All:" Genre, Transgression, And Hierarchy In Here Comes Honey Boo Boo

Master’s Student:  Nicolette Alekajbaf

Thesis Supervisor:  Dr. Dawna Ballard (Organizational Comm and Technology)
The Price Of Admission: Football Players' Sacrifical Conceptions Of Career And Health Through Metaphors Of War, Religion, And Family

Master’s Student: Allison Anderson

Thesis Supervisor:  Dr. Erin Donovan (Interpersonal)
Cancer Bloggers' Styles Of Humor While Coping With Cancer

2013 Graduates

Master's Student:  Jessica Amber Ahmed

Thesis Supervisor:  Dr. Matt McGlone (Interpersonal)
Persuasion Strategies For Litigators And Negotiators: What's The Difference?

Master’s Student:  Elizabeth Glowacki

Thesis Supervisor:  Dr. Erin Donovan (Interpersonal)
Examining individual differences as predictors of reinforcement and punishment behaviors within romantic couples dealing with issues of substance use: An application of Inconsistent Nurturing as Control Theory

Master's Student:  Ryan Hansen

Thesis Supervisor: Dr. Rene Dailey (Interpersonal)
Social Network Influence On Relational Termination And Renewal

Master’s Student:  Rudolph Pett

Thesis Supervisor:  Dr. Rene Dailey (Interpersonal)
Differences In Dating Relationships: An Examination Of Attachment, Disclosure, And Relational Uncertainty

Master’s Student:  Hilary Schlimbach

Thesis Supervisor:  Dr. Keri Stephens (Organizational Comm and Technology)
How Disaster Relief Organizations Solicit Funds: The Effects Of Disaster Presence, Message Framing, And Source Credibility On An Individual's Intention To Donate

Master’s Student:  William Thomas

Thesis Supervisor:  Dr. Scott Stroud (Rhetoric and Language)
Rhetoric Of The Academy: A Pragmatist Approach To Reexaming Individual Experience In Education

2012 Graduates

Master’s Student:  Sarah Parker

Thesis Supervisor:  Dr. Madeline Maxwell (Interpersonal)
Coldtowne Theater: Exploring Disaster Humor

Master’s Student:  Sarah Rogers

Thesis Supervisor:  Dr. Dawna Ballard (Organizational Comm and Technology)
Social Identity, Temporal Scarcity, And Projected Selves: A Study Of Ncaa Athletic Participation And Its Relation To Health And Well- Being

Master’s Student:  Rebecca Kurlak

Thesis Supervisor:  Dr. Matt McGlone (Interpersonal)
An Examination Of Temporal Agency In Courtship Narratives

2011 Graduates

Master’s Student:  Eliana Razo

Thesis Supervisor:  Dr.  (Rhetoric and Language)
Media Construction Of U.S. Latina/O Identity As Difference: The Rhetoric Of Arizona Senate Bill 1070

Master’s Student:  Barbara Breckinridge

Thesis Supervisor:  Dr. Matt McGlone (Interpersonal)
"The Illegal Alien": How Stereotypes In The News Can Undermine Communication Performance

Master’s Student:  Catherine Setzer

Thesis Supervisor:  Dr. Sharon Jarvis (Rhetoric and Language)
Best Practices For Getting Out The Vote On College Campuses

Master’s Student:  Ashley Wilson

Thesis Supervisor:  Dr. Dawna Ballard (Organizational Comm and Technology)
Using To-Do Lists To Infer Knowledge Workers' Temporal Perceptions