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open access

An Examination of Self-Disclosure Willingness Among Adolescents

Description: This study surveyed the willingness of adolescents to self-disclose in different situations. One hundred and forty high school students were surveyed in a suburban, southwestern city. The survey included Gordon Chelune's Self-disclosure Situations Survey, Michael Leary's Social Anxiety Survey, and a 40-item situational survey created to test students' self-disclosure willingness in normal situations. It was hypothesized that students would more readily disclose to peers than parents or counselo… more
Date: May 1987
Creator: Hall, Benton G. (Benton Garrett)
open access

Improving Communicative Competence: Validation of a Social Skills Training Workshop

Description: The effectiveness of a social skills training workshop was assessed by comparing the rated competence of participants in an Interpersonal Skills Training Program (a 2-session, 12-hour workshop) to the rated competence of nonparticipants. This comparison was operationalized through a study design of the pre- and posttesting of 12 experimental and 22 control subjects. The assessment instruments used were Spitzberg's Conversational Skills Rating Scale (CSRS) and Curran's Simulated Social Interacti… more
Date: August 1986
Creator: Dawson, Pamela J. (Pamela Jane)
open access

Lincoln-Douglas Debate in the State of Texas

Description: This study traces the development of Lincoln-Douglas debate in Texas. The history of this type of debate from the Great Debate between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas to the Reagan-Mondale debates is considered. In addition, the merits of this type of oral controversy are explored. The reasons for the creation of L-D debate and its introduction into the forensic curriculum are discussed. In order to measure L-D's growing acceptance in the debate community, the results of a questionnaire of … more
Date: May 1986
Creator: Baxter, Laura B. (Laura Beth)
open access

The Role of Competitiveness in Counter-System Counterplans in Academic Debate

Description: Allen J. Lichtman and Daniel M. Rohrer write that "Unfortunately, formal debate theory tends to lag behind the actual practice of competitive debate" (70). This statement accurately describes the current controversy surrounding the counter-system counterplans and how they may affect traditional debate theory. These counterplans are increasingly employed by negative teams in intercollegiate debate, but so far, there is no contemporary attempt to explain how they fit into current debate theory. T… more
Date: August 1985
Creator: Bjork, Rebecca S. (Rebecca Suzanne)
open access

The Role of Neo-Aristotelian Invention in Selected Speeches of Ronald Reagan

Description: Using the Aristotelian concept of artistic proof, this thesis analyzes nine televised speeches presented by President Reagan from February 1981 through April 1983. Reagan skillfully utilizes only two modes of rhetorical proof--ethos and pathos. However, his lack of logical proof has not lessened his effectiveness. This study reveals several reasons for Reagan's rhetorical effectiveness and success. For example, Reagan's strong ethical image and personality comfort his audience and encourage the… more
Date: August 1987
Creator: Jenkins, Ava W. (Ava Walker)
open access

A Toulmin Analysis of Miller v. California

Description: This study deals with the Supreme Court decision in the case of Miller v. California, 413 U.S. 15 (1973). The study analyzes the arguments presented in the decision by both the majority and the dissenting justices according to the Toulmin model. This study begins with a review of viewpoints on the First Amendment, and how they will be applied to the question addressed in the thesis. The history of the obscenity controversy is detailed to explain the viewpoints that the Supreme Court has taken d… more
Date: August 1987
Creator: DeLoach, Mark B. (Mark Benson)
open access

What Do You Say After You've Said "I'm Sorry"? The Development of a Measure of Supportive Communication

Description: Missing from extant social support literature is a measure of what support providers say to other individuals with problems. To address this void, a two-stage study focused on the messages of potential support providers and how recipients perceived those messages as Helpful, Comforting, and Appropriate. Responses elicited from subjects (n=587) in Stage I were coded according to content (emotional, cognitive, emotional/cognitive) and given to Stage 2 subjects (n=433) for assessment. The results … more
Date: December 1989
Creator: Olson, J. Jeanene (Joyce Jeanene)
open access

The Wonderful World of Dr. Seuss: A Group Interpretation Script for the Primary Classroom

Description: This thesis proposed the idea of oral interpretation of children's literature as a pedagogical tool in the primary classroom. A group interpretation script entitled "The Wonderful World of Dr. Seuss" was compiled for performance in the primary classroom as a viable vehicle for teaching children to understand and appreciate literature. The script was evaluated by qualified teachers in the areas of English, oral interpretation, and elementary education as well as a critical analysis by the author… more
Date: August 1985
Creator: Dodds, Karen Page Kalmbach
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